Chapter 3252
Although the two Ming armies fighting out of the city tried their best to stop it, the hundreds of lives they paid only slightly delayed the Haihan army's attack on Yixing County.
While the defenders in the city were still secretly glad that they did not take the initiative to go out and die, the Haihan Army had already launched an attack on the county seat.
The shelling of the south gate of the county began the offensive. The small tower on the city gate was immediately collapsed by the flying shells.
Seeing the debris raining down from the city tower, Qian Wenxian finally understood why the military attachés hid under the city wall to discuss matters instead of going up to the tower to supervise the battle. If he had stayed at the top of the city at this moment, he would have been taken away by a wave of shelling from the Haihan Army.
Qian Wenxian remembered that before the war started, he went up to check the situation outside the city without knowing whether he was alive or not, and couldn't help but secretly feel lucky to have escaped disaster.
But the targets of the Haihan Army's shelling were not just the city towers. The south gate was also quickly hit by artillery shells, along with more than a dozen logs used to hold the gate in the doorway, and seven or eight people who were still carrying sandbags to block the gate. A common man was blown to pieces together.
Qian Wenxian had never seen such a scene before. He was so frightened that his two legs trembled, and he almost became paralyzed. He didn't even know where to hide.
After the first round of shelling by the Haihan Army stopped, Qian Wenxian stood up tremblingly and called to the government officials to count the casualties and losses.
But before the statistics came out, the second round of shelling by the Haihan Army followed.
The target of the bombardment this time was more concentrated. Not only did the remaining city towers collapse, but the city gate hole below also collapsed. The south gate suddenly turned into a pile of ruins in the smoke and dust.
Qian Wenxian originally thought that even if the county's city defense could not stop the Haihan Army, it could at least delay it for two or three days, buying time for the rear to mobilize more reinforcements. But they never expected that the Haihan Army's offensive would be so swift and violent. In just one encounter, a large section of the county wall collapsed, and many Ming troops who were waiting at the base of the wall were also buried.
If we continue to fight like this, let alone defend for two or three days, it is hard to say whether we can defend until the sun goes down today.
Preliminary battle damage statistics also came out soon. The Ming army lost more than 500 people in the battle outside the city. Among them, a general who led the army to fight on the left wing died in the battle.
The defenders in the city also lost dozens of people despite being beaten unilaterally. Most of them were buried by the collapsed city walls and rubble.
The defenders in the city seemed to have suffered few casualties, but the psychological blow they suffered was considerable. The county's fortifications were the defender's biggest reliance, but in the face of the Haihan Army's bombardment, the city wall seemed not as unbreakable as imagined. There were hundreds of injured people, many of whom lost the ability to continue fighting.
Once the city walls continue to collapse, what else can the defenders do to stop enemy artillery shells? The Ming army fighting out of the city has proven that even if they have superior strength, it is absolutely impossible to resist the shelling of the Haihan army with their flesh and blood.
In the midst of the chaos, someone came to report that the Haihan Army had released two prisoners and returned to the city to deliver a message.
Although they knew that the other party's intention was definitely to persuade them to surrender, the current situation was obviously that the Ming army was passive, and all the military attachés tacitly chose to read the contents of the letter together.
Sure enough, the content of the letter was to persuade the defenders in the county to surrender voluntarily, or to give up the county to get a chance to evacuate. Otherwise, the Haihan Army will be regarded as a defender and stubbornly resist, and there will be no room for the next battle.
The letter was signed by none other than Shi Diwen, indicating that what was said in the letter was no lie.
Regarding the letter of persuasion from the Haihan Army to surrender, the military attachés naturally had various views based on their different positions.
"If you keep the green hills, you won't have to worry about running out of firewood. I think we should seize the opportunity, evacuate decisively, and organize the next round of defense in Liyang or Jintan!"
"Brother Wang, we have retreated again and again. We have retreated for several years. Where can we retreat now? Do we really have to retreat to Nanjing City before stopping?" "It is said that the ammunition of the Haihan Army is very expensive, and the supplies It's not easy. I don't think they are willing to spend too much ammunition here in Yixing... Maybe they are counting on these two rounds of shelling to make us surrender. If we continue to hold on, they may have to use infantry to attack the county town! "< br>
Qian Wenxian listened with a headache, but marching and fighting was not his specialty, and he couldn't make any decent suggestions.
After everyone discussed for a long time, they noticed that Qian Zhixian was standing nearby and had not spoken, so they asked him what he thought.
This is not to respect Qian Wenxian, but the prospect of this battle is not good. If the court later holds the responsibility for the defeat, then the local officials must also share their share. At that time, everyone will jointly argue that the Yixing magistrate's organization is not good enough, and it can be somewhat effective.
Qian Wenxian did not know the tacit understanding of these military attachés. He was now filled with anxiety and urged: "Everyone, the letter sent by the Haihan people clearly stated that we are only given half an hour to think about it. How to fight next? You should hurry up and get a charter! ”
Someone said: "Master Qian, we are all here to aid Yixing. You are a local official. We will do whatever you say!"
"Yes, yes, Lord Qian's opinion should prevail!"
"Qin is willing to obey Master Qian's command!"
Qian Wenxian also came back to his senses at this time and felt that the attitude of these military attachés was not right. They did not take him seriously before, but why did they suddenly change their attitude.
Although Qian Wenxian did not know their plans, he was keenly aware of the risks and immediately declined: "I am not familiar with military strategy. I'd better leave it up to you, your lords, to make your decision on the matter of war."
Seeing that Qian Wenxian didn't fall for the trap, everyone could only continue to discuss the previous issue - whether to fight or surrender.
The option of surrender was quickly rejected collectively. They believed that although they were at a disadvantage at the moment, they did not have no way out. The county was not surrounded by the Haihan Army. Even if they could not defeat it, they could still withdraw.
The only solution for now is to continue to hold on until we can no longer hold on.
As for the plan to abandon Yixing, you can talk about it, but no one dares to take the lead in doing it. Someone just mentioned it just to lure Qian Wenxian to choose this path, but Qian Wenxian refused to express his position. Of course, others did not want to take the responsibility of running away from the battlefield.
Half an hour passed in a blink of an eye, but the military attachés in the city still had not come up with a solution that everyone thought was feasible.
But the Haihan Army's offensive would not wait for them to slowly discuss it. When the time came, a new round of offensive would be launched immediately.
In this round of offensive, Haihan indeed sent out infantry troops, slowly advancing towards the south gate of the county under the cover of artillery fire.
Although the defenders were determined to resist, most of the various equipment and defensive implements previously deployed on the city walls had been destroyed by the first two rounds of shelling, and there were not even a few intact crenellations left on the city wall.
The Ming army who risked their lives and rushed to the city were killed by guns and artillery outside the city almost as soon as they showed up. The lucky ones were able to manage to fire one shot and two arrows outside the city, but such casual shooting was basically non-existent. The hit rate is impressive.
(End of chapter)