Southern Ming Rebel Army

Chapter 468: Taking Xiangyang

In the fourth year of the Yongli reign, at the end of October, a large army gathered outside the city of Jingzhou.

Lin Shiqi's headquarters was in Ningwu Town, Wang Fugui's Wuxing Town, Wu Tiao's Wuping Town, Zhang Yingwei's Pingguo Town, Liang Sanhu's Wusheng Town, Yuan Zongde's Zhongyong Town, He Zhen's Yingji Town, Tan Wen's Huxiao Town, and 50,000 flintlock musket soldiers.

In the past few years, 76 cannons have been added, and all kinds of supplies have been stockpiled like mountains. Moreover, now that troops are to be deployed in the direction of Huguang, the food and wages in Jiangnan have been fully supported by the Huguang camp.

On the first day of November, Lin Shiqi reorganized the three armies at the foot of Jingzhou city and marched to Xiangyang that same day.

The Xiangfan Defense Line was the most outstanding river defense during the Southern Song Dynasty. Xiangyang was located south of the Han River, and Fancheng was located on the north bank of the Han River. There was a Hanshui floating bridge between Xiangyang and Fancheng for transporting supplies, soldiers, etc. The two cities of Xiangfan built Yanling City on both sides of the floating bridge to protect the floating bridge. Therefore, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the Xiangfan Defense Line could block the Mongols for thirty-nine years.

However, the Xiangyang City at this time was completely different from the one in the Southern Song Dynasty. The Xiangyang City in the Southern Song Dynasty faced the river to the north, Huihu Lake to the east, and Yahu Lake to the west. These two lakes were extremely vast in the Southern Song Dynasty and served as the natural moat of Xiangyang City. To the southwest were a dozen mountains including Xianshan, Shunanshan, Qianshan, and Bianshan, which were easy to defend but difficult to attack.

However, times have changed. The once vast Ya Lake and Hui Lake are now scarce in water and can no longer serve as the moat of Xiangyang. More importantly, the Mongols originally fought from north to south, so the Xiangfan Defense Line could play the greatest role. But now Lin Shiqi is sending troops from Jingzhou in the south and does not need to cross the river to fight. The Xiangfan Defense Line can hardly play a role.

Moreover, the current Wu Sangui could not be compared with the Southern Song Dynasty. He had neither the manpower nor the money and food to fight to the death with Zhou's army in Xiangyang.

When Gao Qilong learned that Lin Shiqi had sent troops from Jingzhou, he immediately sent scouts to investigate in the south.

The Wu army scouts paid a heavy price before they obtained general intelligence about the Zhou army.

In Xiangyang City, Gao Qilon sat upright in the government office.

A scout, his body covered in dust and blood, was reporting to Gao Qilong: "General, I was ordered to explore the south. This is a military report compiled by 227 scout comrades who died in the battlefield." As he spoke, he handed over a military report, his hands trembling slightly due to his injuries.

Gao Qilong took the secret letter, opened it and read it carefully, frowning. The letter said: "The Zhou army is strong, with at least 150,000 troops, high morale, and excellent armor. In the Jingzhou area, their troops can be seen almost everywhere, with battle flags covering the sky, large camps connected, and a huge momentum."

After Gao Qilong saw this, his face became solemn, then he softened his tone and asked the scout to go down and rest first.

Gao Qilong then stood up with complex emotions flashing in his eyes. Meng Jun had now occupied the two capitals and the world was in his hands, as if the universe was in his hands. Gao Qilong knew what Wu Sangui was thinking, but Gao Qilong did not think that his own prince still had a chance at this time.

However, Gao Qilong was Wu Sangui's confidant, so in this crisis, he could only do his best.

Gao Qilon was strolling casually in the courtyard. The sky was gloomy. Suddenly, there was a thunder and dripping rain fell from the sky. Gao Qilon watched the rain flowing down the eaves.

After a long while, he looked up to the sky and sighed, "Your Majesty's kindness is like the spring sun melting the snow. The plants are not heartless, so how can I forget the kindness of cultivating me? Even though I know the road ahead will be bumpy, I am willing to serve you until I die. In this life, what else can we ask for? Just asking for a clear conscience is enough!"

Afterwards, Gao Qilong wrote a letter himself and sent someone to deliver it to Wu Sangui.

At this time, there were only 6,000 troops stationed in Xiangyang City, and most of them were newly recruited strong men. The old elite soldiers had all followed Wu Sangui to the expedition. The elite troops in the city were only 400 of Gao Qilong's personal soldiers and various low-level officers.

On the eighth day of the eleventh month of the fourth year of the Yongli reign, Liang Sanhu, the vanguard of the Zhou army, captured Zhongxiang without losing a single man. On the thirteenth day, they entered Yicheng. On the sixteenth day, they arrived at the southern city of Xiangyang, built a large camp in the south city, and began to cut wood for the purpose of siege.

On the 18th, Lin Shiqi's army arrived at the Nancheng camp.

On the day of arrival, Lin Shiqi ordered Chu Zhangyin to write a letter of surrender in accordance with convention.

His letter said: "The world has been in constant war, but now the situation has reversed. My king has occupied the two capitals, ruled the Central Plains, and swept across the world. The people's hearts are with him. My army has led the army here. As far as I can see, Xiangyang is an isolated city with no more than a thousand soldiers, while our army has hundreds of thousands. The gap is huge, and the victory or defeat has been decided. Therefore, I advise you to judge the situation. As the saying goes, victory or defeat is determined by fate. Human power has its limits. Why not take advantage of the situation and act accordingly?"

Gao Qilong also replied to Lin Shiqi: "A gentleman will die for his friend. Do not persuade him to surrender!"

Seeing this, Lin Shiqi said coldly: "He is trying to stop a chariot with his arms. He doesn't know whether he will live or die!"

Afterwards, Lin Shiqi divided his troops into three parts: east, west and south of Xiangyang, intending to attack the city by force.

On the 19th, when the first rays of dawn broke through the clouds, drums and horns sounded one after another, and the sound shook people's hearts. Lin Shiqi rode his horse to the southeast, looking at the defenders on the city wall. He had no doubts about taking Xiangyang. The strength gap was so large that he didn't need any skills at all, just use force to suppress the opponent.

At the beginning of the siege, there were roars of artillery, arrows rained down, stones flew everywhere, and looking at Xiangyang City from the sky, there were billowing smoke and dust on three sides, covering the sky and the sun.

On the city wall, Gao Qilong personally supervised the battle and commanded the soldiers to resist. However, these new recruits, who had been formed not long ago, were simply unable to adapt to such a brutal war. On the first day alone, almost all of Gao Qilong's 400 personal guards were killed.

That night, Gao Qilong knew that Xiangyang could not be defended until the next day.

There was nothing worth writing about, nor was there any record of eight hundred defeating one hundred thousand that would make storytellers praise it. In the afternoon of the second day, the southeast corner of the city was breached, and then the Zhou army captured the city gate and poured in like a tide.

Gao Qilong led the remaining troops and retreated from the city wall to the government office, which became the last place to hold out.

At dusk, the gate of the government office was blasted open by artillery fire, and Zhou soldiers rushed into the government office and fought with Gao Qilong and his remnants.

Most of those who were able to follow Gao Qilong to retreat to the government office were his die-hard followers. Those who were weak-willed had already laid down their weapons and surrendered when the city was broken.

Until the sky was slightly dark, Gao Qilong stood with a gun in hand, covered in blood, with only three guards beside him. He looked at the guards who were still guarding him and sighed: "I am worthy of the prince, but I am ashamed of the soldiers!"

Liang Sanhu looked at Gao Qilong. Although they were opponents, they were both warriors. Liang Sanhu felt some respect for these people who fought fearlessly even though they knew they were going to die.

However, Liang Sanhu knew that even if Gao Qilong surrendered now, he would not survive. The king's rule was that a general would not be pardoned if he surrendered only when he was in dire straits. Therefore, Liang Sanhu was willing to give him a heroic death.

Liang Sanhu said to Gao Qilong: "You are a man. Remember, the one who kills you is called Liang Sanhu!"

On November 20th of the fourth year of the Yongli reign, Zhou's army broke through the city of Xiangyang and the defending general Gao Qilong was killed in the battle.

Gao Qilong is a man of character. He does not seek fame for nothing. He does it purely out of gratitude and is a loyal subject.