Chapter 183: Forcible Suppression

The Tianwu Army's Royal First Brigade attacked Fengyang Guard, Fengyang Central Guard, and Fengyang Right Guard simultaneously from three directions.

Outside the walls of Fengyang Guard, crimson dragon banners fluttered in the wind, and beneath them stood an elite force of Tianwu Army soldiers wearing eight-panel iron-spiked helmets.

In that instant, Gao Chi of Fengyang Guard turned ashen-faced. He knew disaster had descended upon him, but he was unwilling to simply surrender and wait for death—he knew all too well what had happened to his brother-in-law.

Gao Chi shouted hoarsely: "Shut the city gates tight! Have all men take the walls to defend against the rebel army breaking in! Send men to Fengyang Central Guard and Fengyang Right Guard for reinforcements—tell them to come at once!"

Every defender of Fengyang Guard was gripped by terror. This army below the walls was immeasurably stronger than the roving bandits who had attacked Fengyang two years ago—could they possibly hold? And besides, these were the Crown Prince's men—just who exactly was causing the rebellion now?

Thunderous hoofbeats rang out below the walls as several hundred cavalry galloped back and forth, kicking up clouds of dust. Behind them, over a thousand soldiers advanced in orderly formation, and at the rear of the army were dozens of cannon.

"That's a Shenwei General cannon!" Gao Chi stared blankly at the artillery piece being pushed forward by a dozen or so soldiers at the rear of the Tianwu Army. He never imagined they would bring out this great killing instrument—it made clear they had no intention of letting him live.

Huang Degong had arrived with his troops. He produced a document and announced in a booming voice: "By order of the Crown Prince, I am here to apprehend the troublemakers and take control of Fengyang Guard. Open your gates and surrender at once. If you keep the gates shut and refuse to cooperate, you will be executed for rebellion!"

Faint traces of bloodshot veins surfaced in Gao Chi's eyes as he said in a low voice: "Send word to the Huoshan side. I ask only for a general's post among the righteous army—I'll drop all other conditions. Just beg them to send reinforcements immediately!"

An Assistant Guard Commander of Fengyang Guard said in alarm: "My lord, don't smash an egg against a rock! Open the gates and surrender—perhaps the Crown Prince will spare our lives!"

Gao Chi seemed half-mad. With a clang he drew his sword and cut the man down in a single stroke, then said coldly: "Anyone who speaks of surrender again—dies!"

Gao Chi firmly believed that if he could hold out for a few days, the righteous army at Huoshan would come to his rescue, and then they could take Fengyang from within and without. At worst, he could follow the roving bandits and carve out a world for himself—he was hardly the only Ming officer to defect to the enemy!

Huang Degong's expression darkened, and he immediately ordered: "Attack the city!"

Wan Junjie, commander of the Royal Heavy Artillery Regiment, waved his command flag: "Open fire!"

The massive Shenwei General cannon was aimed by the artillerymen, the fuse was lit, and with a thunderous boom, the city gate shook violently, sending a collective shock through the defenders on the walls.

Following the lead of the Shenwei General cannon, the other red barbarian cannon also opened fire. Cannonballs screamed through the air and struck precisely into the clusters of men on the walls, turning the ramparts into a mess of flesh, severed limbs, and scattered armor and weapon fragments.

"Ahh!" The defenders of Fengyang Guard screamed and scattered in panic—not even ten oxen could have held them back.

After the city gate burst apart, the First Regiment of the Royal First Brigade surged swiftly into the guard city.

"Open fire!"

As soon as they entered the guard city, the musket troops of each squad advanced in ranks, firing every ten paces, mercilessly slaughtering the soldiers before them who bore weapons.

"Open fire!"

The musketeers pulled their triggers once more, unleashing a volley at the guard station soldiers ahead on the road who carried fire lances and long spears.

Some guard station officers led their men in returning fire with fire lances against the Tianwu Army, but the bird-gun muskets produced by the guard stations misfired constantly. Many men sparked their fuses several times without getting off a single shot, and two men were severely wounded when their own muskets burst their barrels.

Every guard station across the realm had its own arsenal bureau that produced firearms, but because the managers embezzled so much, the materials used to forge the weapons were of extremely poor quality, and most of what came out was defective. Now that they faced real difficulty, they were reaping what they had sown.

"Open fire!"

After one volley, a large swath of guard station soldiers collapsed to the ground, clutching their wounds and writhing desperately, letting out hoarse, anguished screams. Even more men, terrified out of their wits, knelt directly and surrendered.

After the roving bandits broke into Fengyang in the eighth year of Chongzhen, the capable fighting men of the eight guards had been virtually wiped out. The current guard station soldiers of the eight guards were nothing but common households conscripted at random in recent years.

In order to embezzle more military farmland and maximize their profits, the guard station officers deliberately recruited the old, weak, sick, and disabled to fill the hereditary military household rolls, because even if no pay or rations were issued, these people would not make trouble—and even if they wanted to, they could not.

The collapse of the guard station system meant the hereditary military households had virtually no fighting capability at all. The only real armed force the guard station officers possessed was their household retainers—sturdy men with fine equipment and generous pay, who were their personal property.

In the late Ming, nearly every high-ranking officer maintained his own force of household retainers, though usually not numerous—ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred. The largest were Li Chengliang's Liaodong Iron Cavalry and Zu Dashou's Guanning Iron Cavalry.

Zhu Cilang had established officer guard detachments within the Tianwu Army's brigade-level and higher organizations precisely to prevent officers from privately raising their own household retainers as personal armies.

Seeing his men either fleeing or surrendering, Gao Chi could only lead his hundred-plus household retainers in a fighting retreat—falling back while returning fire. But their resistance was extremely limited; under the Tianwu Army's overwhelming firepower, almost no one dared linger to fight.

"Open fire!"

The deafening roar of massed musketry sounded once more. Gao Chi's household retainers fell dead one after another, crying and screaming as they fled for their lives. Some stared at the bowl-sized wounds on their bodies, even glimpsing their own stark white bones, and let out inhuman howls.

After several rounds of massed volleys, Gao Chi's household retainers finally collapsed, kneeling and surrendering in droves. As for Gao Chi himself, who had tried to flee, he was captured alive by several cavalrymen and brought back.

At the same time, Fengyang Central Guard and Fengyang Right Guard were also facing attacks from various Tianwu Army units. The Guard Commander of Fengyang Right Guard, seeing the great army descending upon him, simply opened the gates and surrendered—quite decisively.

Fengyang Central Guard attempted to resist, but the fighting capability of these guard station soldiers was truly abysmal. They could not hold for even a quarter of an hour before the city gate was breached. Before long, the three guards of Fengyang were finished.

In Huaiyuan Guard city, the gates stood wide open. Zhou Yuji's hundred-man vanguard company in plain clothes had taken the gate without the slightest difficulty.

The Tianwu Army's Royal Third Brigade entered the city smoothly, operating in squad-level units to sweep and clear the city.

The people in the city heard musket fire erupting all around and exchanged bewildered looks, not knowing what was happening. The Huaiyuan Guard Commander, who was rushing toward the drum tower, stared dumbfounded at the ranks of Tianwu Army soldiers marching into the city.

The common folk along the streets heard the sound of orderly footsteps coming down the road, then heard someone shout loudly: "By order of His Highness the Crown Prince, the rebel troops of Huaiyuan Guard are causing disturbances! All civilians return to their homes—no one is permitted to linger in the streets. Anyone found bearing weapons will be killed without mercy!"

Some local landlords and wicked gentry had been organizing protests and disturbances in the streets, with many commoners gathered to watch the excitement. But upon hearing the Tianwu Army's proclamation, everyone hurried back to their homes.

The County Magistrate of Huaiyuan led a group of yamen runners rushing over. He glared at Zhou Yuji and said angrily: "General, what do you think you are doing? Slaughtering the people?"

Zhou Yuji said coldly: "By order of the Crown Prince, the Tianwu Army is purging the rebel troops and temporarily taking control of Huaiyuan Guard. Everyone is to return home and not linger in the streets. Anyone bearing weapons will be killed without mercy!"

The County Magistrate of Huaiyuan laughed bitterly: "I am the head of this county—am I not even allowed to walk about in my own jurisdiction?"

Zhou Yuji glanced at him and sneered: "You say you are the head of this county—then when the rebel troops were causing chaos, where were you? When the merchants and landlords were making trouble, what were you doing?"

The County Magistrate of Huaiyuan's face turned green: "This is a matter of my own county—it is none of your business to interfere!"

Zhou Yuji raised his blade and pointed it at him: "It is no longer your business. Get back to your home now—otherwise, death!"

"Hahaha! Is this still the Great Ming? A military officer dares to point a blade at me? I am a—"

Zhou Yuji squeezed his legs against his horse's flanks, the war steed lunged forward, a flash of blade light passed—and the magistrate's impassioned voice ceased forever.

Zhou Yuji rode past, leaving behind only an icy command: "Within ten breaths, if anyone remains in the streets making trouble and refusing to leave—death without mercy!"

This sudden, ruthless action left everyone stunned. The local tyrants, wicked gentry, and their household retainers were so frightened they threw down their banners and ran desperately for home, slamming their doors shut behind them.