The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 282 My limbs, the pillars of the nation!
Beneath the walls of Chuzhou, camps stretched for a hundred miles, their banners obscuring the sky.

The combined forces of Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong, numbering 200,000, completely surrounded this important town in the Jianghuai region.

However, a sense of unease was spreading among the rebel leaders.

News came back from various garrisons like a revolving lantern, indicating that Ming troops were rushing south to Zhili, and a huge encirclement seemed to be slowly closing in.

The atmosphere inside the central command tent was heavy.

The main leaders, including Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong, Ma Shouying, and Zhang Yichuan, gathered together and had a significant disagreement about whether or not to attack Chuzhou.

"The rebel king, the Eighth King!"

Ma Shouying, with a worried expression, spoke first.

"The government troops have made quite a fuss this time!"

"Hong Chengchou is eyeing us covetously in the west, and Lu Xiangshan is preparing for war in the east. Should we hold off for now?"

"Our 200,000 men are too conspicuous, and Chuzhou City has high walls and thick fortifications. If we fail to capture it after a long siege and are surrounded by government troops, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"In my opinion, we should change course as soon as possible, leave the Jianghuai region, and go back to Henan and Huguang, where we are more familiar with each other!"

Zhang Yichuan quickly echoed:
"That makes sense."

"Lu Xiang-sheng is clearly luring us into a trap, waiting for us to walk right into it."

"Chuzhou is the gateway to Nanjing. The government troops will definitely fight to the death to save it. If we fight head-on, we will probably be the ones who suffer losses."

Ma Shouying and Zhang Yichuan were relatively weak, so they were cautious. They always believed that they should maintain guerrilla warfare and avoid direct confrontation with the government troops.

Especially now that Lu Xiang-sheng's troops are nearby.

But Zhang Xianzhong couldn't stand to hear this:

"fart!"

He slammed his hand on the table and abruptly stood up.

"What's there to be afraid of! How many soldiers does the government army actually have?"

"Hong Chengchou is being held back by Luo Rucai and his men; the most he can send is Lu Xiangshan's tens of thousands of men!"

"With our 200,000-strong army, we could drown them with a single spit from each of our soldiers!"

He walked to the simple map and pointed heavily at Chuzhou and Nanjing with his finger:
"According to the scouts, there are at most three or four thousand garrison troops in Chuzhou City, most of whom are civilian laborers and local militia."

"Once we capture Chuzhou, Nanjing will be within our grasp!"

"What kind of place is Nanjing? It was a major city in the south of the Ming Dynasty, a secondary capital!"

"Those nobles and officials in the city are all fat as butter, but cowardly as mice."

"Once our army arrives, they'll probably surrender before we even break down the city gates!"

"Only after we take control of Nanjing will the title of Emperor truly be rightfully ours, Old Zhang!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yingxiang frowned almost imperceptibly, clearly disapproving of Zhang Xianzhong's impatient manner.

Was his capture of Nanjing merely a pretext for becoming emperor? His true target was the Jiangnan region, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Suzhou, and Songjiang, located beyond Nanjing.

But with a major battle imminent, Gao Yingxiang couldn't refuse Zhang Xianzhong's request, so he could only echo him:
"What the Eighth Prince said is absolutely right."

"Leaving aside the matter of changing the era name and establishing the system, as long as we capture Nanjing, we can head straight for the Jiangnan region."

"Jiangnan is the financial and tax center of the Ming Dynasty. As long as we can occupy the south and cut off the imperial court's food and supplies, we can accomplish great things!"
"The north has suffered from natural disasters year after year, and the Central Plains are filled with starving corpses. The imperial court can't collect taxes in these places at all. Without money, food and military supplies, what can that brat Chongzhen use to suppress us?"

"At that time, you and I, brothers, may truly be able to establish a lasting legacy in this prosperous land of Jiangnan!"

"Our army is now riding high on its momentum, and our forces outnumber the enemy several times over. With such an advantage, if we were to retreat in the face of battle, wouldn't we become a laughingstock to the world?!"

"We must take Chuzhou!"

Under the persuasion of Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong, Ma Shouying, Zhang Yichuan and others gradually lowered their guard.

The immense allure of dominating Jiangnan and their overwhelming military superiority led them to decide to take a gamble.

On the eighth day of the first month of the ninth year of Chongzhen's reign, drums thundered and horns sounded throughout the camps of Chuzhou.

The first attack was led by Zhang Xianzhong's elite western garrison.

Sun Kewang and Liu Wenxiu each led two thousand of their elite troops, driving the refugees and civilians from the surrounding areas to launch a fierce attack on Chuzhou City.

"Charge into the city, and all the gold, silver, and women will be yours!"

Zhang Xianzhong, clad in armor, personally went to the front lines to oversee the battle.

At his call to arms, the soldiers of the Western Camp, carrying newly made, rudimentary siege ladders and pushing battering rams reinforced with heavy door panels, surged toward the Chuzhou city wall like a tide, their feet treading on the thin snow.

"Hold it!"

"As long as we hold on for one more day, Prime Minister Lu's reinforcements will arrive soon!"

On the city wall, Liu Dagong, the prefect of Chuzhou, and Li Juesi, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud, stood with solemn expressions, loudly directing the defending troops.

The militiamen kept carrying gunpowder and cannonballs, while the government troops were frantically fiddling with the cannons on the city wall.

"put!"

At Liu Dagong's command, flames erupted on the city wall, and smoke filled the air.

boom! boom! boom!
A deafening roar erupted as three Hongyi cannons were the first to fire.

The eight-pound bullet, accompanied by the cold wind, whistled as it crashed into the densely charging crowd, instantly carving out several bloody furrows.

Beneath the city wall, severed limbs, broken spears, and shields flew into the air, accompanied by continuous screams that briefly drowned out the sound of war drums behind them.

A shell hit a battering ram directly, instantly blowing it to pieces.

The soldiers next to the battering ram were caught off guard and their faces were splattered with wood chips. They were instantly covered in blood and flesh and rolled on the ground, covering their faces and howling in pain.

Immediately afterwards, small and medium-sized firearms such as muskets and breech-loading cannons opened fire, and lead bullets rained down from the city walls, knocking down swathes of the Western Camp soldiers who were charging ahead.

At the crenellations, the defenders' arrows were like vicious venomous snakes, flying in from afar every now and then, relentlessly reaping the lives of the soldiers below the city.

Sun Kewang brandished his waist knife, deflected a stray arrow, and roared as he led his men in a fierce charge forward:

"Don't stop! Charge forward!"

"Once they get close to the city walls, the government troops' cannons become useless!"

Under his leadership, the soldiers of the Western Camp, despite heavy casualties, mustered all their strength and charged towards the city wall.

During the incident, people were constantly shot and fell to the ground, trampled over by those behind them, and the muddy ground was quickly stained red with blood.

Soon, the fearless soldiers rushed to the base of the city wall and struggled to erect the siege ladders.

Clad in double armor, the elite soldiers of the old camp, one hand holding a sword and the other a shield, began to climb upwards in an endless stream.

Seeing this, Liu Dagong on the city wall immediately summoned his personal guards and sternly ordered:

"Quick! Bring the whole swarm over here!"

Soon, a dozen or so oddly shaped wooden crates were carried up.

These wooden boxes are about four or five feet long and hollow inside. They are filled with dozens of thick rockets, each with a fuse attached to its tail. When put together, they look both terrifying and spectacular.

The defenders quickly set up the launchers on the crenellations, adjusted the angle, and aimed them at the western city wall where the ladders were most concentrated and the enemy troops were climbing the most.

"ignition!"

At the commander's order, more than a dozen "swarms" were set ablaze at the same time.

"Chi chi chi——"

The fuse burned fiercely, making a heart-stopping sound.

The next second—

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
A deafening roar and shriek suddenly exploded as rockets spewed out of the wooden crate, emitting dazzling plumes of flame!

A fiery cloud seemed to rise from the city wall, and the thick smoke made it impossible for people to open their eyes.

Hundreds of rockets rained down on the city walls in a continuous, inaccurate barrage.

Some of them crashed straight into the ladders and crowds, some flew wildly in the air, drawing strange arcs, and some even exploded in mid-air shortly after they flew out.

Faced with such a powerful rocket, the soldiers of the Western Camp who were climbing had nowhere to hide.

The rocket, carrying immense force, struck a soldier directly in the chest. With a "thud," it pierced through his armor, the enormous kinetic energy not only piercing him but also sending him flying backward, knocking down a string of people below.

Many more rockets crashed violently into ladders and city walls, or exploded directly in the crowd, scattering fragments and flames everywhere.

A ladder was hit by several rockets in succession, instantly bursting into flames. The soldiers climbing on it became screaming human torches, falling one after another like dumplings.

The area at the foot of the city wall was engulfed in flames, and countless people were shot, blown up, burned, or trampled to death.

Liu Wenxiu personally supervised the operation of a battering ram, with dozens of strong men shouting slogans as they pushed the heavy ram against the city gate.

The city gate trembled violently, and the bolts groaned under the strain.

Upon seeing this, Li Juesi, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud, immediately led the guards to the city gate and poured the prepared kerosene over their heads.

With a loud "boom," the battering ram was instantly engulfed in flames, and the laborers and soldiers pushing it were also turned into human torches, howling and rolling around.

The battle lasted from dawn until late at night. The western camp suffered extremely heavy casualties, with corpses piled up like mountains outside the city, yet the offensive made no progress.

Seeing that the government troops' firearms were fierce and that a strong attack would result in heavy losses, Zhang Xianzhong had no choice but to order a retreat.

Thus, the rebels' first offensive was easily thwarted.

After the initial defeat, the leaders gathered again in the central command tent that night to discuss how to break through the city.

Zhang Xianzhong was furious and roared:
"Damn it! Is Chuzhou City made of iron? Where did all these firearms come from?!"

"I can hear a commotion, and there's even a thousand-pound cannon from the Red Barbarians!"

"Could it be that the defending troops moved the Nanjing armory here?!"

Everyone frowned, and no one could answer his question.

They had never encountered such intense artillery fire before when they attacked and captured cities and strongholds.

It's really strange today. A small city like Chuzhou has so many different kinds of firearms.

These rebel leaders could never have imagined that most of these deadly firearms were donated by officials, gentry, and wealthy merchants from Nanjing and nearby prefectures and counties.

Since the news of the burning of the Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum spread, and especially after hearing that the bandits intended to invade Nanjing, the officials and gentry in the Nanjing area were plunged into great panic.

Once Nanjing falls, their vast wealth and even their lives will be in danger.

At the call of Lu Jiude, the eunuch in charge of Nanjing, officials and gentry from all over the country organized themselves, contributing money and manpower.

In this way, artillery ammunition, supplies, and provisions were continuously transported to Chuzhou City, cart after cart.

"If we don't take out this cannon, we won't be able to advance at all!"

Faced with the fortified city and powerful cannons, the leaders in the tent were at a loss.

But at that moment, Zhang Xianzhong suddenly had a flash of inspiration:
There's a sorcerer in my old Zhang's camp who says the government troops have powerful cannons; we can use magic to disable them and make them explode!

Upon hearing this, the tent fell silent.

Ma Shouying, Zhang Yichuan, and the others looked at each other, their faces filled with surprise and absurdity.

"Is this...is this okay?"

"Leaving aside whether it will be effective or not, how should spells be cast on the battlefield?"

Zhang Xianzhong panicked and quickly advised:
"Why not?"

"The sorcerer said that with just a little bit of the woman's blood, he could use magic to break through the government troops' firearms..."

Although it sounds absurd, it is not surprising that such superstitious ideas were widespread among the rebels.

Most of these rebels were from peasant backgrounds, uneducated, and generally held a deep reverence for ghosts and gods.

In addition, the social unrest at the end of the Ming Dynasty led to the prevalence of various secret religions and witchcraft beliefs among the people. Rebels like the White Lotus Sect, which were professional rebels, had tens of thousands of followers.

Many soldiers and even lower-ranking officers firmly believed that various "spells" and "talismans" could have miraculous effects on the battlefield.

Therefore, although everyone felt that this method was cruel and absurd, no one dared to conclude that it was definitely ineffective.

At this moment, Gao Yingxiang stepped forward and resolutely rejected Zhang Xianzhong's proposal:

"Eighth Prince, no!"

"Such witchcraft is illusory and unfounded; how can battlefield combat be treated like child's play?"

"With two hundred thousand men, are we afraid of a few cannons?"

"Listen to me, we'll use tunneling to attack the city tomorrow! As long as we can dig tunnels right up to the city walls, we can use gunpowder to blow them down and break into the city!"

"Tomorrow at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), before dawn, I will personally lead my elite troops to advance from the north of the city."

"Eighth Prince, you lead your troops to continue the feigned attack and draw the attention of the government troops!"

The next day, the offensive resumed. Gao Yingxiang led a small team of his men around the north of the city and secretly began digging tunnels several miles away.

Zhang Xianzhong, Ma Shouying, and others commanded their troops to launch a feint attack from the south of the city in order to attract the attention of the defending forces.

The second day of fighting was equally fierce, with the defenders' artillery fire seemingly bottomless, never ceasing for a moment.

With each booming sound from the city wall, dozens of volunteer soldiers fell to the ground below.

The soldiers, stepping over the corpses of their comrades from the previous day, struggled to advance amidst a hail of arrows and artillery fire, and the casualty figures continued to rise.

Seeing the scene before him that resembled a battlefield, Zhang Xianzhong's eyes turned red.

He was already violent by nature, and now that the prolonged attack had failed and the casualties were heavy, it only fueled the savagery in his bones.

"Drag all those women up here!"

Zhang Xianzhong pushed aside his personal guards, turned around and sternly ordered Ai Nengqi, who was standing to the side.

Ai Nengqi looked reluctant and even tried to dissuade him:
"Father! This act is contrary to the principles of Heaven, I fear..."

"Go away!"

Zhang Xianzhong kicked Ai Nengqi away.

"Bullshit about the Heavenly Alliance! As long as we break through Chuzhou and take Nanjing, I'll be the one destined by Heaven!"

"The sorcerer said that the guards' firearms can be broken by using women's blood!"

"Get there now! Or I'll chop you up too!"

Left with no other choice, Ai Nengqi had to obey the order.

Soon, hundreds of abducted women, crying and screaming, were dragged to the front of the battle line.

Their faces were deathly pale, and their eyes were filled with despair.

"Sir, sir, please have mercy!"

"We've all served you, please spare my life..."

Despite their repeated pleas, no one in the army dared to resist under Zhang Xianzhong's formidable power.

"kill!"

With Zhang Xianzhong's command, a flash of sword light appeared, and the cries abruptly ceased.

After the massacre, Zhang Xianzhong immediately followed the sorcerer's instructions and ordered his soldiers to strip the women's corpses naked and bury them under the city walls.

"Hahaha, the sorcerer said this trick is called using a woman's private affairs to ward off the Ming army's artillery fire."

Looking at his "masterpiece," Zhang Xianzhong stood with his hands on his hips and laughed maniacally, as if doing so would really suppress the defenders' artillery fire.

On the city wall, thousands of defenders witnessed this horrifying scene and were speechless with astonishment.

Not only are these thieves fierce, but they also know sorcery?!

An indescribable feeling rose in everyone's hearts; many soldiers and militiamen felt a chill run down their spines and were filled with fear.

These people weren't very educated, and they were also deeply influenced by beliefs in gods and ghosts.

Seeing the bandits using such cruel and sorcerous magic, the soldiers guarding the city walls couldn't help but start whispering among themselves.

Some even subconsciously left their gun positions, fearing that the thieves' sorcery might actually attract some ominous creature, causing the cannons to explode.

Prefect Liu Dagong and Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud Li Juesi were both shocked and furious upon seeing this.

These two were not ignorant country bumpkins; as scholars who had passed the imperial examinations, they knew all too well how utterly foolish such superstitious and supernatural beliefs were.

However, the soldiers and laborers under his command have clearly been affected. If this strange atmosphere is allowed to spread, Chuzhou City may really fall without a fight.

Liu Dagong's eyes lit up, and he immediately came up with a solution.

He climbed to a high place and raised his arms to shout:
"The traitors have run out of tricks and are even attempting to breach the city with sorcery. Soldiers, do not panic! Watch as this prefect breaks the traitors' sorcery!"

"Quickly bring the filth, for I am about to perform a ritual!"

At his command, hundreds of soldiers rushed into the city to collect as much excrement, blood, menstrual pads, and other filth as possible, and quickly transported them to the city walls.

Suppressing his nausea, Liu Dagong used his sword to pick up a piece of soiled cloth, waved it in front of him a few times, and muttered incantations:

"Namo Amitabha Buddha, may the Dao Ancestor protect you, may the Sage be above..."

In less than a quarter of an hour, Liu Dagong quickly completed the "ritual".

"Quickly! I have already summoned three great deities. Quickly pour the filth down from the city wall, and the villain's sorcery will be broken!"

Under his command, buckets of excrement and filth were poured down from the crenellations and spilled near the woman's corpse below the city walls.

"Alright, the sorcery has been broken! Everyone, return to your positions!"

"Don't let the thieves take the opportunity to storm the city walls!"

Seeing this, the soldiers and laborers on the city wall finally calmed down and resumed their duties, throwing themselves back into the battle to defend the city.

Zhang Xianzhong was overjoyed, thinking his magic would succeed, but when he turned around, he found that the government army's cannons were still roaring, and all kinds of firearms were displaying their power, once again crushing his offensive.

Meanwhile, Gao Yingxiang, who was located in the north of the city, was also discovered by the astute defenders. After several heavy artillery shots, the tunnel he had painstakingly dug for half a day collapsed with a roar.

Thus, the rebels' offensive on the second day also failed.

Meanwhile, the messenger sent by Liu Dagong to request reinforcements finally arrived at Lu Xiangsheng's camp.

At that time, Lu Xiang-sheng was deploying defenses in the Hongze Lake area. When the news came, he was overjoyed.

"it is good!"

"The rebel army has indeed begun attacking Chuzhou City! This is a golden opportunity!"

Lu Xiang-sheng immediately made arrangements. He first ordered General Zu Kuan and Lieutenant General Zu Keyong to lead three thousand Guan-Ning cavalry to rush to Chuzhou overnight.

He then sent guerrilla commander Luo Dai with elite infantry to follow closely behind.

He himself led the troops under Yang Shi'en and others to march rapidly toward Dingyuan County, intending to cut off the enemy's retreat and complete the encirclement.

Upon receiving the order, Zu Kuan, Zu Keyong, and Luo Dai did not dare to delay and immediately led their 8,000 elite troops toward Chuzhou City.

At dawn the following day, reinforcements arrived in Chuzhou.

At this time, the rebel army that had been besieging the city had fought fiercely all night and had just retreated from the city walls. They were exhausted and their guard was down.

Seeing this, Zu Kuan, without saying a word, led his Guan Ning cavalry and charged toward the rebel army's camp.

"kill!"

Zu Kuan took the lead, his long sword pointing directly at the rebel army's camp that stretched for miles.

Three thousand Guan Ning cavalrymen spurred their warhorses, charging straight into the undefended camp like a red-hot branding iron.

Tents were trampled over, campfires were extinguished, and scouts on the perimeter were trampled by horses or pierced by spears before they could even react.

Those displaced people, the elderly, women, and children who were caught up in the chaos were the first to suffer, with cries and screams filling the air.

"The government troops are here! The government troops are here!"

A piercing alarm suddenly sounded.

Zhang Xianzhong, Gao Yingxiang, and others were seasoned veterans; despite being suddenly attacked, they maintained basic composure.

They decisively abandoned the chaotic outer camps, quickly gathered their elite veteran troops, and deployed them in the Wuliqiao area east of Chuzhou City to prepare for an attack on the government army.

In Zhang Xianzhong and Gao Yingxiang's view, even if the government troops came to reinforce, they would only number ten thousand.

They have nearly 50,000 elite veterans under their command.

Chuzhou City can't hold out for more than a few days. Once this reinforcement force is annihilated, Southern Zhili will be theirs.

But neither of them expected that the reinforcements that came this time would be more powerful than they had imagined.

Seeing that the bandits not only did not run away, but even dared to form a battle formation to meet them, Zu Kuan, the leader, was overjoyed and immediately led his men to give chase.

Both sides lined up at Wuliqiao, and a major battle was about to break out.

Guerrilla commander Luo Dai led 5,000 elite infantrymen in the center, forming a well-organized formation, and fired in turns with powerful bows and crossbows.

Gao Yingxiang then dispatched his most elite and valiant cavalry to launch a charge, attempting to break through the Ming army's lines.

Seeing this, Zu Kuan and Zu Keyong, who were guarding the left and right flanks respectively, immediately led their Guan Ning Iron Cavalry to launch a pincer attack on Gao Yingxiang's cavalry.

The two cavalry forces clashed violently at the bridge. Zu Kuan took the lead, casually swinging his spear and easily knocking away the opposing bandit rider.

"Kill the thief!"

Under the cover of heavy crossbows and longbows, Zu Kuan, accompanied by his personal guards, charged through the crowd with unstoppable momentum, roaring as he ran towards a black banner not far away.

Under the black banner was He Guoxian, the Prince of Shuntian, a capable lieutenant under Gao Yingxiang.

He Guoxian was also a fierce general. When he saw the government troops coming, he immediately led his men to meet them and try to stop the government troops who had ventured too far into enemy territory.

Although he had some martial arts skills, how could he possibly be a match for Zu Kuan?

The two stood together for no less than five rounds when Zu Kuan suddenly feinted, swaying his body and revealing an opening to He Guoxian.

He Guoxian fell for the trap. Just as he closed in, Zu Kuan threw his spear, drew his sword, and beheaded him with a single blow.

When the Prince of Shuntian was killed in battle, the morale of his troops collapsed instantly, and their formation fell into chaos.

Taking advantage of the situation, Zu Kuan led his troops forward, crossed the Chu River in one fell swoop, and showed his determination to fight a desperate battle.

Under his leadership, the Ming army crossed the wide Chu River, with nowhere left to retreat.

Zu Kuan brandished his saber and charged forward once more:
"To fight for the country and kill the traitors, there is no turning back!"

Seeing their commander so brave, the Ming soldiers behind them were greatly encouraged and fought with the spirit of ten men against one, refusing to retreat.

Although the rebels outnumbered the Ming army, they gained no advantage whatsoever from the Ming army's counterattacks and the repeated assaults by the Guan Ning cavalry.

The battle raged from dawn until afternoon, with both sides fighting bloodthirstyly, leaving corpses strewn across the battlefield.

But at this tense moment when the outcome was uncertain, a shout of battle suddenly came from the northeast direction of Wuliqiao.

The Grand Canal Transport Commissioner Zhu Dadian led 3,000 reinforcements and arrived at the battlefield just in time!

The reinforcements stormed into the battlefield from the flank, advancing with unstoppable momentum and encircling the rebel army.

By this time, the rebel army was exhausted, and with their flanks attacked, their formation began to show signs of disorder.

But misfortune never comes singly; at almost the same time, the gates of Chuzhou were opened wide.

Prefect Liu Dagong, Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud Li Juesi, and others led the surviving garrison and able-bodied men out of the city and stabbed the rebels in the back.

Surrounded on three sides, even the most elite veterans could not hold out any longer, and the battle line completely collapsed.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong had no choice but to gather their remaining troops and retreat hastily towards Zhulong Bridge.

However, as soon as they escaped to Zhulong Bridge, Lu Xiang-sheng was already waiting there for a long time.
He personally led his elite troops, forming an impregnable wall that blocked the retreat of Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong.

"The thief shall die!"

Lu Xiang-sheng brandished his broadsword, took the lead, personally supported the drums, shouted loudly, and led the battalion in a charge and fight.

He charged ahead bravely, and with each swing of his broadsword, a bandit soldier would fall on the spot.

The rebel army was already fleeing here when they encountered such a reckless leader blocking their way. They panicked completely and began to scatter and run away.

Despite the desperate efforts of Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong, and others to rally the defeated troops, it was to no avail.

Left with no other choice, they had to abandon the main force and lead their personal guards to break through the encirclement.

Lu Xiang-sheng led his army in pursuit for over fifty li, from Zhulong Bridge all the way to Guanshan. Along the way, "corpses piled up and piled up to form pillows," "ditches and trenches were filled and blocked," and "the Chu River was stopped from flowing."

In this battle, the rebel army suffered more than 5,000 casualties, with more than 1,000 heads cut off by the Ming army, and countless others surrendering.

The veteran elite troops under the command of each battalion leader suffered heavy casualties.

Of Gao Yingxiang's most trusted 8,000 elite cavalry, more than 3,000 died in this battle alone, and more than 2,000 were scattered and missing.

Zhang Xianzhong's 6,000 elite troops in the Western Camp suffered more than 2,000 casualties.

After the disastrous defeat at Chuzhou, the allied forces of Gao and Zhang were severely weakened and no longer able to threaten Nanjing. They could only gather their remaining troops and flee in disgrace toward Henan and Huguang.

Thus, Lu Xiang-sheng achieved a great victory.

Not only did they severely damage the main force of the rebel army in one battle, but they also successfully drove them westward, laying the foundation for the next step of joining forces with Hong Chengchou to completely wipe out the bandits.

……

The good news was sent to the capital at the fastest speed possible.

In the Forbidden City, Zhu Youjian, who was feeling depressed, suddenly jumped up from his throne upon receiving news of the great victory at Chuzhou.

His face was filled with ecstasy, and even his voice trembled with excitement:
"Good! Good! Good!"

"Minister Lu is truly my right-hand man! A pillar of the nation!"

(End of this chapter)