Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 316 Counterattack
"King Ming~"

Li Shanchang looked at the screen in Lin Dao's hand with a puzzled expression.

He pointed to the screen, at the dense array of heat sources, and asked, "What are all these red and yellow things?"

Lin Dao stared at him with a stern face and an unfriendly expression.

"They're all people."

"So many?" Li Shanchang exclaimed in disbelief. "How could there possibly be so many soldiers on night duty?"

"Pretending to be confused, huh?"

He kicked out, sending Li Shanchang staggering. "This is a damn ambush!"

Ignoring his pain, Li Shanchang hurriedly got up and said, "Your Majesty, I didn't know, I didn't know!"

"You know shit!"

He kicked him to the ground again. "I'll settle the score with you after the war!"

The important thing now is to break the deadlock; Li Shanchang's punishment can wait until later.

"Fu Youde".

Lin Dao picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "Hold off for now and stay put."

The thousand-man team led by Fu Youde quickly stopped, crouched down, and looked warily at Taiping Gate in front of them.

"King Ming~"

Chang Yuchun, who was directing the troops to wait for them to enter the city, also rushed back in a hurry.

He glanced at Li Shanchang, who was rubbing his leg in a daze, and stepped forward to ask, "What is it?"

"There's an ambush in the city."

Lin showed him the infrared thermal image transmitted back by the drone, saying, "These are all people."

Lin Daoyan glanced at Li Shanchang and said, "This is the whole thing; we've been betrayed."

"Make arrangements to bring Fu Youde and the others back."

What do you do if you encounter an ambush? Of course, you retreat. Are you going to charge straight into the trap?
As for breaching the city, you can either use cannons on the mountain or put explosives in a coffin.

"King Ming."

Chang Yuchun had a different idea: "This is an opportunity."

Lin Dao blinked at these words.

“The Mongols have set up an ambush, which must be to open the city gates and let our army into the city.”

"For us, once we get into the city, the rest will be easy."

Throughout their journey, they relied heavily on the powerful magical artifacts of the Ming King to unleash their power in numerous battles.

These soldiers, though they fought valiantly, always felt something was missing.

The current battle for the city is clearly the most suitable opportunity to demonstrate one's martial prowess and value.

"They're just ambushers; just kill them all!"

Lin Dao listened quietly.

This is the difference between Chang Yuchun and Xu Da.

The steady and reliable Xu Da would have certainly canceled the battle plan at this point, retreated to avoid losses, and then reconsidered the situation.

However, if it were Chang Yuchun, who was hot-tempered and brave, he would seize the opportunity amidst the disadvantages and charge forward to try to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

After thinking it over carefully, Lin Dao nodded. "In that case, then I..."

"King Ming!"

Chang Yuchun solemnly saluted, "We soldiers are all willing to die for the Ming King!"

"We implore Your Majesty to give us the opportunity to demonstrate our martial prowess."

Wearing the finest equipment and enjoying the best treatment, he has yet to deliver any decisive performance.

The spirited soldiers were already seething with anger.

They need to fight!

We must repay the King's kindness with our blood!
Lin Dao paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Alright, then I'll provide you with some remote support."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Fu Youde was already getting impatient.

But he dared not urge the King, and was so anxious that he kept scratching his head.

A flurry of footsteps sounded as Chang Yuchun, fully armored and in helmet, personally led his troops over.

He brought with him the most valiant warriors of the Third Battalion of the Imperial Guard.

Chang Yuchun didn't waste any words and gathered a group of generals together to give them instructions.

"King Ming already knows that there is an ambush in the city."

"We will continue into the city and fight to the death."

"The Ming King promised that after the city is captured, all soldiers who participated in the battle and made meritorious contributions will receive a medal of honor for their participation."

With their food plentiful and their lives improving, the Red Turban Army naturally began to pursue honor.

Fu Youde was first startled, then delighted.

"Alright, let me storm into the city and slaughter all the Mongols!"

"You?" Chang Yuchun looked him up and down. "When you volunteered for the mission, you were asking to help surrender the city."

"If that's the case, then you just need to guard the city gate."

Fu Youde was furious!
Then he got angry.

There was nothing he could do; Chang Yuchun now held a higher position and was his direct supervisor.

He's already a general commanding a battalion, while he's just a centurion.

At this point, there was no choice but to obey orders.

Wearing the incredibly cool full-body armor given to him by Lin Dao, Chang Yuchun raised his hand to fasten his face shield, and with his spear in both hands, headed straight for the city gate.

Baibuha, perched atop the city wall, anxiously peered outwards.

"Why aren't you coming?"

The fact that Fu Youde's troops had stopped advancing earlier made him anxious and uneasy.

They were afraid of missing this opportunity.

As time went by, this worry grew stronger.

Just as he couldn't help but urge again, continuing to send communication signals from the city wall by waving the torch three times to the left and three times to the right, the Red Turban bandits outside the city finally approached again.

"Great, it's finally here."

Bai Buha was overjoyed. "Open the city gates and let them in!" As the heavy city gates were slowly opened, a general beside him asked, "Prime Minister, how many rebel troops should we let into the city?"

“This is a rare opportunity.” After careful consideration, Bai Buha said with a hint of regret, “Then let’s release five… never mind, just let three thousand bandits into the city.”

"Those who can participate in the night raid are the elite of the elite."

"Destroying three thousand elite troops would be enough to severely damage the Red Turban rebels."

Due to long-term malnutrition, most people in this era suffer from night blindness.

The most obvious manifestation is the loss of nighttime mobility, with activity limited to the bed and urinal.

Those capable of operating at night, especially conducting high-level night raids, must be the elite of the elite, at least those who can consistently profit from such activities.

Such elite troops would be the backbone and core of any army.

Three thousand elite troops are enough to cause serious injury and heartbreak.

Baikal's considerations were undeniably meticulous.

What he didn't know was that Lin Dao's Red Turban Army truly ate meat regularly.
Especially the imperial guards, who were given meat every day.

Not only can you eat meat such as pork, beef, mutton, chicken and duck, eggs such as duck eggs and chicken eggs, but you can also eat sea fish and even whale meat.

Moreover, Lin Dao, who already knew about night blindness, would regularly distribute canned pork liver and luncheon meat, as well as vitamin A soft capsules and vitamin B tablets to all the soldiers.

Putting aside other issues, the night blindness among the Red Turban Army was greatly alleviated.

Just like the fully-staffed headquarters led by Fu Youde, which actually had 1,072 soldiers.

Apart from non-combat personnel such as clerks, blacksmiths, carpenters, veterinarians, tailors, and military doctors, only about two hundred people were not suitable for night operations and did not come along.

Fu Youde had over seven hundred soldiers guarding the city gate.

Groups of Red Turban soldiers flooded into the city like a tidal wave.

Even in the dim light, one could see that everyone was wearing iron armor, its cold gleam reeking.

This scene sent chills down the spines of Baibuha and the others.

Where did the Red Turban bandits get so much armor?!
With his eyelids twitching, Bai Buha couldn't help but ask, "How many have been put in?"

"It's almost two thousand."

Upon hearing this, Baibha turned to look outside the city.

In the darkness, more and more Red Turban bandits surged in like a tidal wave.

"That's it!"

Bai Buha, whose eyelids were twitching violently, hurriedly ordered, "Seal the city gates and slaughter all the Red Turban bandits who enter the city!"

Countless torches and braziers were lit, and the originally dim light instantly became bright.

Thousands of defenders roared and rained down arrows from their high vantage point.

At the same time, the drawbridge outside the city began to slowly rise under the action of the winch.

Taiping Gate was actually the name used by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang when he built Nanjing City in the early Ming Dynasty.

It was also the only city gate without a moat.

At this time, outside Taiping Gate, there was a moat formed by water drawn from Xuanwu Lake.

Raising the drawbridge would sever all connection between the city and the outside world.

But the Red Turban Army was prepared.

Fu Youde yelled and pulled the lever, starting the hydraulic chainsaw.

Amidst the buzzing sound, Tang and he each wielded a chainsaw and frantically cut at the iron chain.

This wasn't added on the spot; after it was decided to surrender the city, Lin Dao brought in a chainsaw and specially taught several tough guys how to use it.

Regardless of whether there is an ambush or not, once they enter the city and are discovered, the iron chains must be cut to prevent the drawbridge from being raised.

Chang Yuchun, upon entering the city, no longer concealed himself and began shouting and giving orders.

Naturally, they wouldn't try to break into the city gate of the barbican; instead, they headed for the horse path.

The horse path is the ramp leading up to the city wall inside the city.

Some are angled slopes, while others are stone steps.

The defenders could use these horse paths to go up and down the city walls.

"Feng Guosheng!"

Chang Yuchun loudly ordered, "Take your men and seize the right-hand horse path!"

"If you fail to take it, you'll have to give me your head!"

Feng Guosheng responded with a loud shout, "I obey!"

Chang Yuchun himself, holding a large spear in both hands, led his elite armored soldiers towards the horse path to the left of the city gate.

Intense and brutal close combat soon broke out near the horse trail.

“Isn’t this right!?”

Baibha, perched atop the city wall, watched in disbelief as the fierce battle erupted within the city.

"A sudden attack should have resulted in chaos, and ultimately, everyone would have been slaughtered."

Why don't they panic?

"Why are bows and arrows useless?!"

The Red Turban Army remained orderly because of their high level of organization and high morale.

Even if suddenly attacked, it can maintain its combat readiness.

This is the standard performance of elite troops.

As for why bows and arrows were useless, you can ask the Jin soldiers in the Battle of Xiaoshang River after Baibuha's death.

The arrows they shot into Yang Zaixing amounted to two liters.

The reason why armor was taboo in the era of cold weapons, and why possessing armor was considered treason, was because of its superior defensive capabilities.

The armor worn by the Red Turban Army was made from raw materials that Lin Dao sourced from the modern world.

Its strength and defensive capabilities are off the charts, far surpassing the inferior iron armor of ancient times.

The arrows rained down like locusts, but when they landed on the Red Turban Army, they barely made a sound.

What were truly useful were the powerful crossbows and muskets at close range.

They watched as the Red Turban Army surged into the city like a tide, fighting and killing each other along the horse path.

Sensing the danger, Bai Buha, his eyes bloodshot, shouted hoarsely, "Seal off the city gates! Seal off the city gates now!"

The Yuan troops who had been lying in ambush inside the barbican charged toward the city gate with shouts.

Lin Dao outside the city, looking towards the city gate where flames were soaring into the sky, picked up a flare and put it into a mortar.

"I'll come and liven things up for you."

(End of this chapter)