I

On the northern city wall, there are not only Chinese Jurchens, but also Jianzhou Jurchens transferred from other places.

After Naudai fell down the city wall, more than a dozen of his accompanying soldiers were killed and only two or three were left. It was not until this moment that the Eight Banners Army on the nearby city wall finally realized something was wrong and, led by officers, rushed over to fight.

To the east of the city, there was a lot of excitement. The Datong Army pushed the ladders and advanced slowly under the cover of artillery fire.

To the north of the city, there was no sound. The Datong army carried ordinary wooden ladders, but they rushed towards the city wall in the darkness.

"If you hold half a stick of incense, the reinforcements will be on the city!"

Zhang Fengyan roared.

No matter how quickly a young person recovers, the fracture cannot heal in more than a month. He was still dragging a wooden frame on his legs, and he fought in formation with his soldiers, and was flanked by enemies on both sides.

When the first Datong soldier climbed onto the city wall, hundreds of Chinese Jurchens had already suffered hundreds of casualties.

If it weren't for the close reinforcements and nearly 20% casualties, these Chinese Jurchens would have collapsed long ago.

"Kill all the Tatars!"

Zhang Mingzhen led his troops to climb up the city wall. The Sinicized Jurchens' morale was greatly boosted, while the Eight Banners troops on both sides were heartbroken.

For these Eight Banners soldiers, they were already in a desperate situation. The general's life or death is unknown at this moment, and there are many fires in the city. Their family and property are also in danger. If they continue to fight, the whole family may die.

The formation of the Chinese Jurchens had been killed, and Zhang Mingzhen personally filled it.

This man's weapon is not a spear or a sword, but a two-handed sword. The sword is narrow in front and wide in back. It can slash and kill enemies, and it can also stab and break armor.

One sword actually penetrated the cotton armor and stabbed directly into the Tatar soldier's abdomen.

He drew his sword and came out with a string of blood beads.

Due to the crowded terrain, it was too late to change his tactics. Zhang Mingzhen turned sideways and hit the tip of the Tatar's spear. Such an angle was deflected and the attack distance was shortened, greatly reducing the opponent's long gun damage. After bullying him, Zhang Ming straightened his sword and stabbed the opponent in the throat, killing another enemy immediately.

In the darkness, Zhang Mingzhen was invincible and actually killed and wounded six Tatars one after another.

The Datong Army and the Chinese Jurchens behind him became more and more courageous under his leadership. The Tatars' morale was already low, and when they encountered a fierce man like Zhang Minzhen, their side quickly collapsed and fled.

The Tatar soldiers fled into the city and went straight to their homes, hoping to take their families and leave during the chaos.

"Don't chase the enemy, capture the east wall first!" Zhang Mingzhen shouted.

Zhang Mingzhen was born in the Jinyiwei family in Nanjing. He was a young knight-errant and famous in the capital. He was invited as an honored guest by the eunuch Cao Huachun. At the same time, he had a close relationship with the Donglin Party.

Historically, it was not until the last years of Chongzhen that he obtained an official position and served as a guerrilla general in Zhejiang. After King Lu's defeat, Zhang Minzhen trained troops in Zhoushan, and then welcomed King Lu back to eastern Zhejiang. Later, he joined forces with Zhang Huangyan and sent troops to the Yangtze River three times. He once besieged the Qing army in Chongming City for eight months.

After conquering Zhoushan for the third time, Zhang Mingzhen unfortunately died of illness, and the remaining troops were led by Zhang Huangyan.

In this time and space, Zhang Mingzhen learned that the prince and princess were going south, and immediately bid farewell to Cao Huachun and ran to Nanjing to try to join the army. But there was no way to join the army, because the expansion of the Datong Army gave priority to peasants and soldiers.

After waiting for a full year and a half, the Datong Army recruited troops from outside, and only recruited people who were skilled in bows and horses - to expand the cavalry unit.

But Zhang Mingzhen said that he killed the Tatars who defeated the North City and immediately led his troops to the East City.

When the Tatars stationed in the East City heard the fighting in the North City, they didn't take it seriously at first, thinking that the North City was under attack. This is normal, because there are also Datong troops in Dongcheng, and they are also waiting to fight.

It wasn't until Beicheng sent someone to ask for help, saying that the general had an accident, that the Tatars from East City led their troops to kill him.

The two sides collided in the northeast corner of Phoenix City. Zhang Mingzhen held swords in both hands and rushed to the front. After engaging the enemy, two spears were thrust at him at the same time. Zhang Mingzhen avoided the vital point and used his armor to resist the enemy's attack. He thrust his sword into the enemy's body and knocked them over.

This man is like a meat-suited assassin, wearing armor and allowing the enemy to attack, and then he kills him with a single blow of his sword.

Under the leadership of Zhang Mingzhen, the Datong Army turned into an awl, and Zhang Mingzhen was the tip of the awl, ruthlessly cutting open the Tatar army formation.

"kill!"

The Datong Army in the east of the city, which had been dilly-dallying, finally sped up and faced the artillery fire, pushing the ladder and approaching the east city wall.

There were enemies outside the city and enemies on the sides. The fire inside the city became even more intense. The Tatars who were left guarding the east wall finally couldn't hold it anymore. Before the Datong army could attach the ladder to the city, these Tatars fled one after another, and then the whole army fled, looking for their families everywhere in the city.

Some Tatars did not care about their families and ran all the way to the west, hoping to open the west gate and jump into the river to escape.

The west gate opened, and hundreds of Tatars rushed out. It was still some distance from the river bank.

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

The Tatars had not run far out of the city when Lin Zhidong led his cavalry and fought out from the foothills of the northwest.

These Tatars took off their armor while escaping, because they could not swim across the river without taking off their armor. When they heard the sound of horse hooves, they panicked even more. Their legs ran faster, but they couldn't take off the armor.

Plop!

Plop!

Like dumplings, the Tatar soldiers jumped into the river one after another. But if you fall into the water wearing cotton armor, even a strong swimmer will be unable to do anything unless you dive all the way to the bottom of the river.

A few Tatars turned around and fought, but the scattered infantry were no match for the cavalry.

"Put out the fire, put out the fire!"

In the city, Zhang Fengyan did not fight anymore, but took the Chinese Jurchen to carry water and put out the fire in the chaos. Their family's property was also in the city. Although they deliberately avoided their own home when setting fire, a quarter of the buildings in the city had been burned as the fire spread.

In the early morning, Lu Xiangsheng led his soldiers into the city, and half of the buildings in the city were reduced to ashes.

The air was filled with the smell of blood and burning. In addition to human corpses, there were also horse corpses and the corpses of many livestock. In the middle of the night, livestock and war horses were frightened by the fire and jumped up. Even the Datong army who put out the fire was killed by a running bull.

"General, the city is under control!" Zhang Minzhen came over to pay his respects.

Lu Xiangsheng saw that he was covered in blood and his cotton armor was punctured, and asked, "Are you injured?"

Zhang Mingzhen replied: "They are all flesh wounds."

Lu Xiangsheng said: "Go and bandage it, there is still a battle to be fought."

Further north of Phoenix City is Tongyuan Fort.

Tongyuan Fort is composed of three small cities. Each city is as small as only one gate. It is actually a fortress group composed of three castles.

By capturing Tongyuan Fort and Lianshanguan further north, Lu Xiangsheng's troops can penetrate directly into Shenyang. You can also choose to go out of Shanxi and attack Liaoyang behind Haizhou.

Lu Xiangsheng called Lin Zhidong over: "The cavalry rested for half a day, put on Tatar armor, and all shaved their heads and left braids. They took a few surrendered Chinese Jurchens and set off immediately with five days of dry food. Instead of going to Tongyuan Fort, follow the Caohe River Valley, Go to Caohe Fort in the northeast. We must march at full speed and cut off the valley to the west of Caohe Fort. No Tatar is allowed to pass through the valley. Then, make a surprise attack on Lianshan Pass!"

"Yes!" Lin Zhidong took the order and retreated.

Lu Xiangsheng's journey was just a clearance game.

It's all mountainous, and the marching route is fixed, and we have to fight through one city after another.

Tongyuan Fort is too difficult to defeat and it will definitely take time. Then ignore Yuanbao and go in the direction of Caohe Fort. After cutting off the enemy's communications, they directly attack Lianshan Pass.

If the Datong Army wants to go to Lianshanguan, it must either pass through Tongyuan Fort or Caohe Fort, and there is a Phoenix City stuck in front. The Manchu and Qing defenders at Lianshanguan only knew that the Datong Army was attacking Phoenix City. How could they have expected that the Datong Army would suddenly attack them?

In the past two months, Lu Xiangsheng had been meticulous in his work, strengthening the camp and digging tunnels all day long. He was so steady and rigid that it was outrageous.

At this time, the military order's style changed drastically, and it actually took the risk of a surprise attack.

Once there is news that they are walking, Lin Zhidong's dragoons may be ambushed by the Tatars, their retreat route will be cut off, and they will be blocked in the valley and annihilated.

Even if they were not ambushed, if the surprise attack failed, they would not have enough food and the entire army would have to come back hungry. If there is a slight accident and they are unable to return, they will all starve to death.

Just as Lin Zhidong retreated, Lu Xiangsheng suddenly said: "Leave a hundred cavalry and go to Tongyuan Fort."

All the dragoons had their heads shaved, and Lin Zhidong rested for half a day. The soldiers and horses regained their energy, and set off along the river valley in the afternoon.

By dawn the next day, there were still several miles away from Caohe Fort, and people and horses hid in the mountains to recharge their batteries. After a day's rest, they continued to advance along the river valley at night until they approached Caohe Fort. Then they led their horses up the hill and bypassed Caohe Fort through the forest.

This kind of marching route can only be used for small-scale surprise attacks, and it is impossible for a large army to cross mountains and ridges.

After traveling day and night for four days, they were about to reach their destination, but the food they brought was almost gone.

Lin Zhidong's mission was to disguise himself as a defeated soldier and escape from Tongyuan Fort to Lianshanguan. That route was to escape to the other side of the river at Lianshanguan. From Caohe Fort, you can follow the river directly to Lianshanguan.

In order to perform well, Lin Zhidong personally led dozens of cavalry and several Chinese Jurchens to cross the river in advance and march around the other side.

The remaining cavalry were hiding in a ravine three miles away from Lianshan Pass along the river.

Lianshanguan is very small, just a fortress.

There are only a hundred troops in the garrison, but there are many bannermen and their families nearby, and there are hundreds and nearly a thousand soldiers gathered together.

The guard general is just a mid-level officer.

Lu Xiangsheng sent a hundred cavalry to take a stroll at Tongyuan Fort. The defenders of Tongyuan Fort were horrified and had already sent people to Shenyang for help. When passing Lianshanguan, the defenders of Lianshanguan also knew that Phoenix City was gone and the Datong Army was attacking Lianshanguan.

This was a plan that killed several birds with one stone, because the Tatars in Caohe Fort also got this news. It was thought that the Datong Army had gone to Tongyuan Fort, but Lu Xiangsheng's main force was actually heading towards Caohe Fort at this time.

Two forts and one pass, all were deceived by Lu Xiangsheng.

Lin Zhidong led the cavalry and fled to the other side of the river in Lianshanguan in embarrassment. The accompanying Chinese Jurchen shouted towards Guancheng: "Send a boat over quickly to take Nao Dai Beizi across the river!"

The defenders didn't hear clearly, but they also saw that the clothes on the other side belonged to "one of their own".

A defender came to the shore and finally heard what was being shouted. He quickly went back to report: "Naudai Beizi is not dead, Naodai Beizi is back!"