Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 264 A river of blood

All they had to do now was break through the area of ​​artillery attack. Once they approached within a range of seventy steps, the musketeers in the front row could open fire on the Qing army on the opposite side.

At this time, the cavalry on both wings of the Ming army could also take the opportunity to launch a fierce attack.

However, at this moment, the Ming army's harassment troops on both sides of the foothills had been completely tied down by the Qing army, allowing the Qing army to concentrate its firepower to deal with Chen Fu's main attack.

The current battle situation made Chen Fu feel depressed. The casualties of the army might be far beyond his expectations.

However, as long as they could break through the defense line of the Green Camp Army on the opposite side, they could go straight to the empty area in the center of the Qing army.

Once the center collapsed, the Ming army could take advantage of the situation to pursue the Qing army and directly attack the Qing army's flag, thus grasping the key to the final victory.

Chen Fu knew very well that this was a crucial battle that would determine life or death.

In order to ensure the final rapid assault, Lin Changfeng deployed the Jinwu Camp in the center of the military formation.

This elite force had been preserved to the greatest extent possible in previous battles, with the aim of playing a key role in breaking through the Qing army's center.

Their mission was to quickly penetrate the enemy's defenses, and then attack the Qing army at lightning speed, completely dismantling the enemy's command system.

The battle situation became increasingly tense, and the Ming army's artillery quickly launched a counterattack.

Rumbling explosions echoed in the valley, and the entire earth seemed to tremble at the deafening sound of artillery fire.

The positions of the two armies were not far apart, and the artillery fire completely covered the entire battlefield. The artillery of both sides formed a powerful exchange area in a short period of time.

However, given the artillery technology and artillery training level at the time, the shooting accuracy of both sides was not high.

After the gunners roughly calibrated the direction, they opened fire without hesitation, and the shells whizzed towards the enemy position.

However, due to the dense array and wide formation of the two armies, even if the shooting accuracy is not high, this indiscriminate covering artillery bombardment is enough to cause huge casualties.

If it were a team that was not as well-trained as the Ming or Qing elite troops, it would probably have fallen into chaos by now.

The battle continued fiercely, hundreds of soldiers lost their lives under the bombardment of artillery, and countless broken limbs and bodies were left on the battlefield.

As time went on, the musketeers in the front row of the Ming army gradually approached and finally came within the range of seventy steps.

The confrontation between the two armies instantly turned into a brutal gunfight, and gunshots like muffled thunder suddenly rang out on the battlefield.

In this earth-shaking exchange of fire, white smoke rose like a tornado and soon merged into a thick wall of smoke.

Orange-red flames flashed in the smoke, and the roar of muskets was endless.

Thousands of lead bullets swept across the battlefield like a violent storm, slamming violently into the formations of the two armies.

No matter whether the soldiers were wearing cotton armor, chain mail, or precious steel armor, they were completely unable to withstand these cheap but powerful lead bullets.

Lead bullets hit human bodies, blood gushed out of the wounds like fountains, the soldiers let out heart-wrenching screams, and the entire battlefield seemed to have turned into hell on earth.

The fierce exchange of fire in this instant cost both armies a huge price.

More than a thousand soldiers fell instantly in this brutal exchange of fire, and the front-line soldiers were almost wiped out by lead bullets.

The formations of the Qing and Ming armies were thrown into chaos by this fierce attack.

The huge casualties not only shocked the soldiers on the front line, but also caused some new recruits in the formation to begin to waver. Several Ming soldiers even chose to flee out of fear.

These deserters were quickly beheaded on the spot under the surveillance of the supervising team. Both armies had strict military discipline.

But even though the situation was so brutal, the fighting did not stop.

The two armies continued to fight amid the sound of gunfire, and the shadow of death covered every inch of land.

Lin Changfeng observed the battle situation calmly. The elite troops of the Jinwu Camp still maintained their battle formation, ready to launch a fatal attack at any time.

Although both sides suffered huge losses, the Ming army did not retreat. The soldiers continued to advance with unwavering steps.

Officers at all levels quickly stepped forward, stabilized the soldiers' formation, and nervously directed the musketeers to prepare for the second round of volleys.

At times like this, what is truly tested is the command and coordination capabilities of the troops.

Whoever can organize an effective volley faster will be the first to disrupt the opponent's formation, causing greater damage to the enemy and thus taking the initiative on the battlefield.

Chen Fu held the "Clairvoyance" in his hand and stared at the battle ahead like an eagle.

His expression gradually became solemn, his brows were sometimes furrowed, sometimes slightly relaxed, revealing his complex emotions.

At this moment, he knew very well that the situation had reached a critical moment. Any slight mistake could lead to the reversal of the entire battle situation.

The musket fire between the two sides has been going on for a long time, but this brutal duel has never been able to determine the winner.

After four rounds of volleys, the Ming and Qing armies each lost more than 2,500 people. The smoke and chaotic situation on the battlefield made it difficult for both armies to organize effective volleys again.

As the distance shortened, the soldiers had no choice but to turn to close combat again, with swords clashing and blood and flesh flying everywhere.

Lin Changfeng personally led his personal soldiers into the enemy camp many times. His attacks were unstoppable and tore through the Qing army's lines several times.

However, this Qing army showed extraordinary tenacity and was not afraid of life and death. Whenever Lin Changfeng was about to make a decisive breakthrough, there would always be a team of Qing troops quickly filling in and regaining their footing.

Lin Changfeng's offensive almost failed time and time again, and he himself was seriously injured in two places during the fierce battle. Blood seeped through his armor, but he still gritted his teeth and persisted, refusing to retreat a single step.

As the battle in the center continued to intensify, the tragic casualties continued to rise, which made commanders such as Chen Fu, Ajige and Jin Li begin to feel uneasy.

The situation is no longer an ordinary decisive battle, but has become a life-and-death game in which both sides are fighting with all their might.

The battle before them had turned into an extreme war of attrition, almost a one-for-one massacre.

If this continues, even if victory is achieved, it will probably be a pyrrhic victory, and the winning side will suffer heavy losses, with almost no soldiers surviving.

The main forces of both sides have almost been deployed into the battle, and neither side has any extra troops to mobilize.

Chen Fu only had the last of his personal guards left, and Ajige and Jin Li were in a similar situation. They could only rely on their own personal guards as the last line of defense and counterattack force.

Chen Fu raised his "clairvoyance" again and stared at the tragic battlefield.

Soldiers from both armies were stabbing each other like crazy. The front line was littered with corpses of soldiers, as if a black river of blood was flowing on the battlefield.

The formations of the Ming and Qing armies were blocked by corpses, and even the flesh and blood on the corpses began to cover the soil on the ground.

He clenched his teeth tightly, a fierce look flashing in his eyes, knowing that if he continued to delay, the situation would only get worse.

He gripped the reins tightly and gave a sharp pull. The sword at his waist flew out of its sheath with a swish, the blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight. Chen Fu turned his head and shouted to the commander of the imperial guards beside him:
"Bring all your personal guards and follow me! We must break through the Qing army's defenses and completely wipe out these Tartars in the valley!"

The Royal Guards were immediately ready for battle. The soldiers had resolute expressions on their faces, their weapons were held tightly in their hands, and they were ready to follow the general into battle at any time.

Chen Fu knew that there was no way out at this moment, and only by going all out could he turn the situation around.

The elite Royal Guards were Chen Fu's last trump card, and the Qing army in front of him was also on the verge of running out of ammunition and food. Both sides were at a critical moment of life and death.

With a roar, Chen Fu rode his horse and charged forward, followed closely by his personal guards.

They rushed towards the Qing army's formation like a torrent, the ground shook, and the neighing of war horses and the shouts of soldiers echoed in the valley.

The Ming army's charge was as powerful as a rainbow, like lightning tearing through the sky, striking directly at the enemy's core.

The Qing army was caught off guard, and facing this sudden elite force, cracks immediately appeared in their defense line.

Chen Fu kept swinging the long sword in his hand, and every blow took the enemy's life. There was murderous intent in his eyes and he had no intention of retreating.

The Royal Guards also showed extraordinary courage. Under the leadership of Chen Fu, they quickly broke through the Qing army's lines.

Blood splattered everywhere, screams were heard, and the battle in the valley entered a white-hot stage.

Chen Fu's charge brought great pressure to the Qing army, and the enemy's defense line was about to collapse.

At this time, Chen Fu raised his sword and killed a Qing army general, and the morale of the Qing army collapsed instantly.

The enemy troops retreated like a tide, and there was no longer any solid line of defense on the battlefield.

"Charge! Keep charging!" Chen Fu roared while continuing to swing his sword forward. He knew that he could not relax at this moment. As long as the Qing army was completely defeated, this brutal battle would usher in the dawn of victory.

The royal guards fought bravely and followed Chen Fu closely.

The situation on the battlefield gradually became clear with this decisive charge. The morale of the Ming army was high, while the Qing army had already collapsed and the trend of fleeing was unstoppable.

The other Ming army camp officers around were stunned for a moment, then came to their senses.

Without hesitation, they shouted to the soldiers behind them, and led hundreds or dozens of their personal cavalry, like a black torrent, rushing towards the battlefield without hesitation.

As old brothers under Chen Fu, years of following him have made them familiar with Chen Fu's character.

They knew that Chen Fu was a brave and courageous commander, but today's scene still shocked them.

At this time, Chen Fu was already one of the most important generals in front of His Majesty the Emperor. He could even be called the best general in the army besides Admiral Chang.

But they did not expect that Chen Fu, who held such a high position, could still lead the charge in such a fierce battle!

At this moment, several sharp whistling sounds pierced the air, and the only five remaining cannons on the Ming army position fired again. The roar of artillery fire instantly tore through the battlefield.

Zhong Dingfu looked through the smoke and saw that the two rows of Eight Banners soldiers in front of him were blown to pieces by artillery shells. More than 30 soldiers, including their horses, were blown to pieces.

Broken limbs and armor flew everywhere, making a sharp and crisp collision sound.

This bloody battle has lasted for more than an hour, and the artillery of both sides has almost misfired due to overheating of the barrel.

Zhong Dingfu's heart sank, realizing that this might be the last time the Ming army would fire.

The tranquility at the artillery position made him feel a little relieved, but he did not let down his guard.

In fact, the Ming army's artillery performance was indeed superior to his Northern Zhili artillery in some aspects, and could even fire two more rounds than his.

You should know that Northern Zhili has also always been an important place for cannon casting because of the existence of Shuntian Prefecture. After absorbing the cannon casting technology from Fujian, it has taken a leading position nationwide.

And now, the enemy's artillery showed power beyond expectations.

Although the threat of artillery was temporarily lifted, the fighting power unleashed by the Ming army made Zhong Dingfu feel vaguely uneasy.

This battle was much more difficult than he had imagined. As the fighting between the two sides became more intense, the smoke on the battlefield became thicker and thicker, and the pungent smell of gunpowder filled the air.

Zhong Dingfu felt a surge of pressure in his heart. The huge casualties and the incoming Ming army seemed to make him see the possible defeat of this battle.

Although Zhong Dingfu had fought on the battlefield for decades, he had never seen such a tragic battle.

The Ming army charged forward in wave after wave like a tide, and the Eight Banners soldiers of the Qing army showed no sign of weakness, advancing one after another to fill the gaps torn by the huge casualties.

On the battlefield, soldiers fought in groups, stabbed each other, blood splattered, and corpses piled up like mountains.

The killing on the battlefield seemed endless, as if death itself was reveling here.

At this moment, there were only a few musketeers left under Zhong Dingfu. In the fierce gunfire, only half of the original thousands of people were left.

His musketeers were quickly exhausted in this battle, and the soldiers in the front row were almost all wiped out by the deadly lead bullets. Many of them fell in a pool of blood before they could even raise their weapons.

The sound of horse hooves and the roar of muskets almost blended into one, and the white smoke and yellow dust on the battlefield were intertwined, filling every corner.

Zhong Dingfu witnessed the Ming army successfully break through his defense line three times, but after each breakthrough, they were quickly forced back by the Qing army's counterattack.

The Ming army risked their lives to charge again and again, while the Qing army resisted stubbornly time and time again. The two sides were evenly matched and the outcome was difficult to determine.

Even though he was behind the formation, Zhong Dingfu, riding on his warhorse, was not spared from the aftermath of the battle.

Black smoke had already covered his face, and when the wind blew, ashes mixed with the smell of blood filled the air.

His mood grew heavier. Although he had fought for decades, he had to admit that today's battle had exceeded his previous experience and expectations.

Every moment on the battlefield determines the life and death of the two armies.
Dingfu knew that at this moment, even a tiny mistake in decision-making could lead to a complete collapse of the entire situation.

The only thing he could do was to try his best to support the defense line that was about to collapse, wait for a turning point, or face the final decision of victory or defeat.

The battle continued, and the sounds of fighting, shouting, and the clashing of swords were heard everywhere.

Every gunshot and every tramp of horse hooves seemed to tear at Zhong Dingfu's nerves.

His eyes were fixed on the front, his hands tightly gripped the reins, and he secretly prayed for a miracle to happen.

At this moment, the balance of victory and defeat was swinging in the blood and sweat of both sides, and the shadow of war shrouded the entire battlefield.

The future fate of the Qing army seemed to be shrouded in a thick fog and was difficult to predict.

(End of this chapter)