Chapter 436: Paris

Fire.

After several rounds of bombardment, the city wall collapsed with a large breach.

Zhu Yong rode ahead and charged into the city; the defending troops had already fled.

Zhu Di spurred his horse and followed.

"Second Prince, what is this city called?"

"I don't know, and it doesn't matter; what matters is that this road leads to Toulouse."

The army continued northward.

After another two days' march, a large city appeared ahead.

The city walls were tall, grayish, and glimmered with a dull light in the sun.

At the city gate, people came and went in chaotic disorder.

"Prince, ahead is Toulouse," Wang Gui rode up from behind.

Zhu Yong halted his horse and squinted, watching for a while.

The walls were filled with soldiers; the cannons were already set up, their muzzles black and pointing outward.

"Send orders, form ranks, prepare for siege."

One hundred ten thousand troops began to form ranks.

Longxiang Army was in front, the new troops behind, and the cannons on both sides.

Three hundred rear‑mounted line cannons were lined up in a row, their muzzles aimed at Toulouse's walls.

On the walls, the French defenders' expressions changed.

They had never seen so many armored soldiers, nor so many cannons.

A middle‑aged man in ornate armor stood on the tower, waving his sword and shouting something, his voice trembling.

"Fire..."

The three hundred rear‑mounted line cannons fired simultaneously.

Shrapnel shells ripped through the air and struck Toulouse's walls.

"Longxiang Army, follow me to assault the city."

Zhu Yong clutched the horse's flank, and the warhorse surged forward.

The one hundred ten thousand troops followed closely, their hooves thundering.

Arrows rained down on the walls, but when they struck the plate armor they clanged and shattered.

Zhu Yong rushed to the breach, dismounted, grabbed the Double Hammers, and charged into the city.

A few French soldiers brandishing spears charged forward; he swept a hammer across, sending five or six men flying.

Another knight charged, and he struck his hammer onto the horse's head, the warhorse whinnying and collapsing.

Behind him, Longxiang Army followed his path, firing Flintlock Guns in unison, and cutting with sabers.

Toulouse's defenders outnumbered Bordeaux's, but not by much.

Five thousand men broke apart in less than an hour.

Zhu Yong stood on the central square, looking at the largest city in southern France.

The streets were wider than Porto's, but the degree of filth and disorder was comparable.

Garbage and excrement littered the ground, and the air was filled with a rotting stench.

"Send orders, take over the city defenses, confiscate weapons, close the gates, send messengers to Porto, and have the fleet bring Grain and Fodder over."

Wang Gui responded with a word and went with his men.

Zhu Di spurred his horse over and dismounted.

"Second Prince, Toulouse has been taken; where shall we strike next?"

Zhu Yong took out a map and spread it on the horse's back.

"Head north to attack Lyon; Lyon is the largest city in eastern France, and capturing it will cut off France's link with the Holy Roman Empire."

Zhu Di looked at the map, frowned, and said, "Lyon lies on the Rhône, over five hundred li from here, and the route is all plains and hills."

"Plains are easy to fight on, hills too; our Flintlock Guns can fire in any terrain."

At night, Zhu Yong sat on the steps of Toulouse's governor's mansion, watching the moon.

The moon was round and bright, shining over the unfamiliar city.

Zhu Qiong Jiong crouched beside him, wiping the Wolf Fang Club with a rag.

A thick crust of clotted blood covered the club head; after scrubbing for ages it still wouldn't clean.

Zhu Yong looked at his son, a slight smile curling his mouth.

In the distance, Zhu Di turned from a street corner, holding a freshly written military report.

"Second Prince, the elder brother sent a letter saying the court has dispatched another fifty thousand troops, moving this way, and Brother Mu Ying also set out from the South Sea, bringing five thousand naval forces."

Zhu Yong took the letter and glanced over it.

"Fifty thousand, plus our one hundred ten thousand, totals one hundred sixty thousand; that's enough."

Zhu Di nodded and asked, "Second Prince, when shall we march north?"

"Rest for three days; we set out after three days."

Three days later, the army continued northward.

After five days' march, a large city appeared ahead.

"Prince, ahead is Lyon," Wang Gui rode up from behind.

Zhu Yong halted his horse and squinted, watching for a while.

The walls were tall, grayish, and glimmered with a dull light in the sun.

The city wall was packed with soldiers, the cannons were already set up, their muzzles blackened and pointing outward.

"Send the order, form the ranks, prepare to besiege."

One hundred ten thousand troops began to form ranks. Three hundred breech‑loading cannons were lined up in a single file, their muzzles aimed at Lyon's city wall.

On the wall, the French defenders' expressions changed.

They had never seen so many armored soldiers, nor so many cannons.

"Fire."

The three hundred breech‑loading cannons fired simultaneously.

Shrapnel shells ripped through the air, striking Lyon's city wall.

In the first volley, several bronze cannons on the wall were blown away.

In the second volley, a breach was blown open in the wall.

In the third volley, the breach widened.

"Longxiang Army, follow me to assault the city."

Zhu Yong grasped the horse's flank, and the warhorse charged forward.

One hundred ten thousand troops followed closely, their hooves thundering.

The defenders in Lyon outnumbered those in Toulouse, but not by much.

Eight thousand men scattered in less than two hours.

Zhu Yong stood on the central square of the city, looking at the largest city in eastern France. The streets were wider than Toulouse's, yet the filth and disorder were comparable.

"Send the order: take over the city defenses, confiscate weapons, close the gates, send messengers to Toulouse, and have the fleet bring Grain and Fodder."

Wang Gui replied with a nod and led men away.

Zhu Di rode over, dismounted with a flip.

"Second Prince, Lyon has been taken; where shall we strike next?"

Zhu Yong took out a map and spread it on the horse's back.

"Northward, to attack Paris. Paris is the capital of France; capture Paris and France will be finished."

Zhu Di looked at the map, frowned, and said, "Paris lies on the banks of the Seine, more than three hundred li from here, and the whole route is plain."

"Plains are easier to fight on; our cavalry and cannons can be fully deployed."

Zhu Di nodded and said nothing further.

At night, Zhu Yong sat on the steps of the Lyon Governor's Office, watching the Moonlight.

The moon was still as round and bright, shining over this unfamiliar city.

Zhu QiongJiong crouched beside him, wiping the Wolf Fang Club with a rag.

The blood crust on the club's head was finally cleaned, glinting iron‑gray in the Moonlight.

"Father, is Paris larger than Lyon?"

"Yes, much larger."

"How about compared to Yingtian Prefecture?"

"About the same."

"…"

Zhu QiongJiong's eyes lit up.

"Then if we take it, our territory could expand considerably."

Zhu Yong looked at his son, a faint smile curling his lips.

In the distance, Zhu Di turned from a street corner, holding a freshly written military report.

"Second Prince, the elder brother's letter arrived, saying the court has dispatched another thirty thousand troops, now marching this way; Elder Brother Mu Ying has already reached Bordeaux, bringing five thousand naval forces."

Zhu Yong took the letter and glanced over it.

"Thirty thousand, plus the one hundred ten thousand we already have, makes 140,000, enough."

Zhu Di nodded and asked, "Second Prince, when shall we march north to attack?"

"Rest for three days; we set out after three days."

Three days later, the army continued northward.

After seven days of marching, a large city appeared ahead.

The city walls were tall and ashen, reflecting a dull glow in the sunlight.

The city gate was bustling with people, chaotic.

"Prince, Paris lies ahead," Wang Gui rode up from behind.

Zhu Yong halted his horse, squinting as he watched for a while.

The city wall was packed with soldiers, the cannons were already set up, their muzzles blackened and pointing outward.

The French royal flag fluttered on the city wall, a blue field with golden lilies.

"Send the order, form the ranks, prepare to besiege."

The one hundred forty thousand troops began to form ranks.

Five hundred breech‑loading cannons were lined up in a single file, their muzzles aimed at Paris's city wall.