Chapter 4956 The bloody battle at Li Zheng Palace
Flames flashed at the entrance to the main hall, smoke filled the air, and bullets were dense like rain. Although the iron armor could block the bullets, it could not cover the whole body. For the convenience of combat, the joints were weakly defended. The dense rain of bullets poured in, and rebels were hit and knocked down from time to time. On the ground, the iron-wrapped shield was hit by projectiles and wood chips flew into the air.
Every step the rebels take will cost them dearly.
Li Anyan's eyes were red with bloodshed, and he did not care about the injured soldiers who fell to the ground, and kept urging them forward. The rebels also understood that only by rushing into the hall, where firearms could not exert their power at close range, could they win this battle, so they fought fiercely. Don’t be afraid of death and charge at the risk of death.
The "Shenji Battalion" adopts the latest firearms tactics and pays attention to mutual coordination and division of labor. Therefore, the team of more than a hundred people only has fifty or sixty muskets. Although the firepower is fierce, it is difficult to withstand the insurgent rebels who are not afraid of death. They are gradually being Approaching the main entrance.
The morale of the rebels was greatly boosted. Li Anyan was about to command his dead soldiers to rush into the palace. Suddenly, he saw more than ten black lumps with sparks thrown out of the palace and fell into the charging crowd. He was suddenly shocked and shouted: "Shaking thunder! Lie down! Lie down!"
Before he finished speaking, the thunderbolt thrown exploded with a loud bang, and black smoke rose into the sky. The cast iron projectile was torn apart along the prefabricated lines by the energy generated by the explosion of gunpowder inside, and countless shrapnel fell everywhere. splash.
After the Thunderbolt explodes at close range and acts on shrapnel, its power is ten times more powerful than musket projectiles?
Except for the thicker parts of the chest, front and back, the rest of the iron armor could not stop these lasing shrapnel and was easily penetrated. Seeing the rebels who were about to rush to the main gate, they fell to the ground, rolling and wailing. Without the "iron armored army" With the cover, the muskets fired again, and the rebels who followed were shot one after another, and the offensive was immediately blocked.
Li Anyan's eyes were red. These were the dead soldiers he had raised for many years. He had spent countless money and hard work, but in the end they were blocked from the main gate of Li Zhengdian. He couldn't even enter, let alone coerced the prince, To usurp the throne and seek revenge?
"Come up with me!"
He held the horizontal sword, gritted his teeth, and wanted to lead the charge in person, but was grabbed by his subordinates behind him. Li Anyan was furious and cursed: "What are you doing to stop me? If you can't rush in, you and I will die without a burial." You might as well fight to the death! If you’re afraid of death, just kneel on the ground and surrender. Don’t stop me!”
"General, calm down, otherwise you will be afraid of death..."
The subordinate pointed back, and Li Anyan looked up, just in time to see a large number of reinforcements rushing towards them, pouring into the courtyard in front of Li Zheng Hall like a tide.
But it was Li Shenfu and other family soldiers who had gathered together to die at the most critical moment...
Li Shenfu hid behind and said loudly: "These people are all under the command of General Li. We must attack Li Zhengdian at any cost!"
If he could not break into Li Zheng Palace and capture the prince, even if Li Chengqian died, it would not matter. The civil and military officials of the court and the people of the world would spare no effort to support the prince to ascend the throne, and all his plans would be in vain.
Li Anyan was greatly refreshed and immediately ordered: "Use the dead soldiers as cover to resist firearms and charge with me!"
He rushed forward, held the body of a fallen soldier in front of him, and launched a charge under artillery fire. The rest followed suit, forming groups of three or two, with the corpses of their fallen comrades in front of them, and followed Li Anyan as they rushed toward Li Zhengdian.
A soldier in iron armor was unconscious but not killed. He was suddenly lifted up as a "human shield" and woke up. He was dancing and screaming in fear, but the rebels who were holding him were not moved at all. As he struggled to control himself, someone stabbed him several times with a knife until he was completely dead...
……
In the hall, the "Shenji Battalion" composed of more than a hundred academy students faced the rebels dozens of times their size. They fired calmly and methodically. Even if the rebels rushed close at hand, they did not panic. The muskets kept firing and thunder shook the sky. Continuously throwing, Cen Changqian finished loading again, adjusted the muzzle angle to the lowest level, and cut the fuse of the shell to the shortest length.
"Tum!"
The propellant pack pushed the shell out of the chamber and ignited the fuse of the shell at the same time. Because the fuse was too short, it exploded violently almost the moment it came out of the chamber. There was a loud explosion more than ten feet outside the palace gate, which not only blew up the charging rebels. It was so bad that even the students in the hall felt their ears were temporarily deafened and their heads were buzzing.
Li Anyan was knocked to the ground by the blast of air. The corpse in front of him could help withstand the projectiles, but could not withstand the power of the artillery. He spat out the snow foam in his mouth, stood up, shook his head to offset his dizziness, and looked back , the wounded everywhere were turning around and wailing, which was shocking.
I am terrified of the power of artillery. It is said that the artillery equipped on battleships is more powerful, with thicker barrels, larger shells, and more charges. No wonder the navy relies on these sharp weapons to traverse the seven seas and beat overseas countries until they howl like ghosts and wolves. Invincible...
"Don't stop! Go forward! Go forward!"
Li Anyan felt that his feet were weak and he could not stand, so he had to keep urging his soldiers to charge risking their lives.
However, the distance of a few feet in front of the palace gate was like a gate to hell. Firearms, artillery, thunderbolts and other firearms formed a tight defense network. Even though the rebels organized desperate charges again and again, they still could not get past the barrier.
The rebels of more than 3,000 people stormed the front of Li Zhengdian. The "Shenji Battalion" of more than 100 people relied on the favorable defensive location and the power of firearms. The offensive and defensive forces were in a stalemate for a while, and no one could do anything about the other.
*****
When the first cannon was fired in Li Zheng Hall, it shook the entire city of Chang'an.
Although Li Chengqian had not been on the throne for a long time, he had already experienced two mutinies. Each time, he was killed by the rebels and entered the Taiji Palace. The imperial power was in danger and crumbling. Although the rebellion ended with the annihilation of the rebellion, the throne was not stable.
At this moment, cannons were fired in Li Zheng Palace, and everyone knew that although the battle started in the East Palace, the target of another mutiny must be Li Chengqian in Tai Chi Palace.
This monarch of the Tang Dynasty was precarious when he was a monarch and was almost deposed several times. Now that he has ascended the throne, he still rebels one after another. It is really hard to complain...
All civil servants and generals were surprised and immediately got up from the bed, put on their clothes and took their servants out of the house, and went straight to Tai Chi Palace.
Zheng Rentai had already put on his helmet and armor and was ready. When he heard the sound of the cannon, he immediately ordered the blockade from Fanglin Gate to Anfumen Street, and personally led his troops into Anfumen to the foot of Chengtian Gate. Before the left guard arrived, he ordered the entire army to be blocked. Tiaotian Street was under martial law and separated from the Imperial City to the south.
Take control of Yanxi Gate more quickly.
Many officials staying in the imperial city on official business looked at the Chengtian Gate across the street and listened impatiently to the roaring cannons and intensive gunfire in the East Palace. However, they were blocked by the soldiers of Zheng Rentai's right-leading army guard and were not allowed to get close. Half step.
"Zheng Rentai, do you want to rebel?"
"Let us enter the palace quickly!"
"As General Wei, who leads the army on the right, there was a sudden change in the palace. Instead of entering the palace to help the king, you blocked us from entering the palace. What is your intention?"
“I heard that His Majesty is critically ill, and I don’t know the authenticity of it, so I have to say something that I cannot bear to say!”
"Zheng Rentai must have colluded with the traitors and committed treason. He should be cut to pieces!"
Facing the numerous discussions and scoldings from the officials, Zheng Rentai sat on his horse with an iron face and said in a deep voice: "The situation in the palace is unknown for the time being. No one is allowed to step into Chengtian Gate until His Majesty's decree arrives. Anyone who disobeys the order will be killed without mercy!”
"Kill!"
The guardsmen of the left leading army all drew out their horizontal swords. The swords were shining like a forest, and they roared loudly. Many officials were shocked and took half a step back, looking anxious but helpless.
"Report! Report to the commander-in-chief, the left-leading military guard arrived outside the Yanxi Gate and requested that the Yanxi Gate be released so that it can enter the imperial city!"
"Report! Youjin Wuwei entered the imperial city at Zhuque Gate and is approaching Chengtian Gate!"
"Zuo Jinwuwei has left Xing'anmen and headed straight to Demen. It seems that he plans to go straight into the East Palace to rescue the prince!"
Battle reports arrived one after another. The left and right Jinwu guards and the left and right leading guards guarding Chang'an City have all been dispatched. The entire Chang'an City is in turbulent waves and tense, and a war is about to break out!
Zheng Rentai was a famous Zhenguan general. He remained calm in the face of chaos and asked in a deep voice: "Where is Fang Jun now?"
"I don't know."
Chongrenfang, where the Fang family lives, is in the east of the city and is not under the jurisdiction of the right-leading military guards, so Fang Jun's movements are unknown.
Zheng Rentai looked at the heavy snow in front of him, and listened to the faint sound of gunfire in his ears, and was slightly silent.
If what he expected was true, Fang Jun had already entered the East Palace to rescue the prince.
Zheng Rentai had no doubts about Fang Jun's ability and the combat power of the Jinwu Guards under his command. However, Li Shenfu and others had been preparing for today's uprising for a long time. Naturally, Zhou Xiang would be considered in all aspects and launched an attack with all their strength. , can Fang Jun have time to rescue Li Zhengdian?
There is no doubt that although Li Shenfu stormed the Li Zheng Palace, he must have attacked His Majesty beforehand, and the probability of success was extremely high. Otherwise, how would he dare to rebel?
If Li Shenfu captures the Li Zheng Palace and takes control of the Crown Prince, and something unexpected happens to His Majesty in the Wude Palace, then the imperial power will be lost and the overall situation will be decided.
If Li Shenfu fails to capture Li Zheng Palace before Fang Jun arrives, and the prince is rescued by Fang Jun, then the prince will successfully ascend the throne after his majesty's accident. With Fang Jun's support, no one can usurp the throne and seek rebellion, and the overall situation will be the same. Certainly.
Therefore, the key to the entire current situation lies in the gains and losses of Li Zhengdian.
Zheng Rentai weighed it again and decided not to take risks. He only led his army to isolate the Tai Chi Palace, and allowed the palace to be turned upside down. Whoever won in the end would be loyal to him.
In this way, you may not be able to "follow the dragon's merit", but you don't need to take huge risks.
Of course, he has shown his position to a certain extent by isolating the Tai Chi Palace and not entering the palace to help the King.
"Tell Liang Jianfang that the right-leading military guard has taken over the imperial city and ordered him to guard against possible riots in the east city and not to enter the imperial city even half a step!"
"Here!"
"Commander, the Youjinwu Guards have already rushed over!" Zheng Rentai looked south and saw an army rushing over like a tide along the streets in the dark imperial city.