Chapter 37: Advancing on Nanjing, Jiao Liang Suffers a Loss

  Li Yunzhong started by listening with a smile, but later saw them flattering him and nodding excessively to show their pleasure. When they began saying embarrassing things, even Li Yunzhong's thick skin couldn't ignore the giggling women beside him, so he cleared his throat several times in an affected manner.

  Xu Yuexiang saw Meng Shangsheng still wanting to say more, and really couldn't listen anymore, saying: "You bunch of big men are shameful, only knowing how to flatter, haven't you seen that the Han Wang is burning with fever, his face all red?"

  Hong Xuanjiao and Su Sanniang couldn't help but burst out laughing, holding their waists in laughter. Meanwhile, Xu Yuegui pulled her sister back, covering her mouth to stop her from saying more.

  Jiao Liang saw that Li Yunzhong didn't seem angry, so he wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to glare fiercely at Xu Yuexiang, who stuck out her tongue in retaliation.

  Li Yunzhong said, "Alright, Yueshang is right. Stop flattering each other. Jiangning is the capital of the Great Han State. I'll say it bluntly: tomorrow when we enter the city, everyone must pay attention to discipline. No matter which unit violates military discipline, their commander will be beheaded."

  "Obey orders"

  With the Bomb Disposal Squad leading the charge, no one thought that Jiangning City could be spared tomorrow.

  Jiao Liang took Xu Yuegui and her sister back to the ship, and pushed Xu Yuxiang out, saying: "I want to give Yuxiang to the king as a concubine, what do you think?"

  Xu Yuexiang said: "Why suddenly mention this, yes, Yuexiang is also at the age of getting married."

  Jiao Liang's face flushed with a hint of excitement as he said: "If nothing unexpected happens, we'll be able to capture Jiangning tomorrow. The Great Han Empire will no longer be the wandering bandits they once were. Li Yunzhong is sure to ascend to the throne in Jiangning. If Yueliang marries him, she'll either become the empress or a noble concubine. You and I will also become imperial relatives. Who knows, if we have a son or daughter in the future, maybe they can inherit the Great Han Empire."

  Xu Yuemei thought her husband was a bit too eager for quick success, but thinking that one day she would become a noble relative and bring glory to her ancestors, she secretly got excited: "Just afraid of Yuexiang..." At this time, a cry of "ah" came from outside the door, and Jiao Liang quickly opened the door to see Xu Yuexiang standing outside with a red face.

  Jiao Liang pulled Xu Yuxiang in and said kindly, "Yuxiang, you heard what I said to your sister. What do you mean?" Afraid that Xu Yuxiang would refuse, he continued, "Your sister and I have already agreed."

  Xu Yuexiang's face was flushed, and she lowered her head to play with her fingers, saying shyly: "I heard that King Han is not fond of women, I'm afraid he doesn't think much of me either." It turned out that she had long been interested in Li Yunzhong and often mixed with Su San Niang and others, listening to many stories about Li Yunzhong.

  Jiao Liang saw that Xu Yueliang did not object, and happily said: "You don't have to worry about this, I believe Han Wang will definitely marry you." Seeing Xu Yueliang's confused expression, he proudly said: "Although my Tiandihui is relying on Han Wang, it can be said that we are forming an alliance. Now that there is an opportunity to win over the Tiandihui, His Highness Han Wang will certainly not miss it."

  Xu Yuexiang saw him turn their marriage into politics and unhappily pouted: "Are you marrying the heavens, or are you marrying me?"

  Xu Yuigui put her arm around her sister's shoulder and said softly, "Your brother-in-law is also considering your future, he's afraid that if you marry into their family, you'll be bullied by the other sisters."

  Xu Yuexiang looked up with a proud face and said: "No way! Don't think I don't understand anything, Hong sister and Su sister have always been good to me."

  Xu Yu'gui pinched her face, pretending to mock: "So you little girl had been prepared all along. I said you didn't have anything going on but kept going over there, turns out you were planning to win them over."

  Xu Yuexiang buried her head in her sister's shoulder, repeatedly saying no.

  The next morning, Li Yunzhong circled the city to choose a breakthrough point for the attack. He discovered that 700 meters outside the north gate of Yifeng, there was a Jinghai Temple that could be used as cover to dig a tunnel and blow up the city gate. At the south gate of Jibao, he also found another temple: Baoyen Temple. The terrain here was flat and suitable for attacking the city, so Li Yunzhong decided to make this place a feint attack.

  Li Yunzhong ordered the assembly of eighty large cannons, twenty of which were placed outside Yifeng Gate to fire and cover up the sound of the underground explosion team digging tunnels. He also had Wang Gang lead three thousand men in a feigned attack, preparing to blast open the city gate and force their way into the city. Sixty large cannons were arranged in a line in front of Jibao Gate and fired, while Wang Xin, Li Shixian, and Li Xiucheng led the main army in rotating shifts to attack the city, repeatedly ordering them to attract the full attention of the Qing army. At each gate, small groups of troops were dispatched to harass, sometimes even using cloud ladders to attack the city, forcing the Qing army to deploy heavy troops to defend all thirteen gates.

  Because they were afraid of being discovered by the city's defenders, the tunnel was dug very slowly, advancing only 200 meters per day. At night, Li Xiucheng would move several hundred arhat statues from the temple to outside the city, pretending to launch a nighttime attack on the city. When the Qing army opened fire and shot arrows, he would retreat with his entire army, leaving behind the arhat statues to lure the Qing army into firing cannons and shooting arrows all night long, depriving them of rest. In this way, the explosive team was able to dig tunnels at night.

  On the morning of March 19, the blasting team finally dug the tunnel under the city. Li Yunzhong planned to launch a surprise attack at dawn and ordered the entire army to take turns attacking the city, leaving only the most elite three thousand people from the first, second, and third armies to rest, even the naval forces went ashore for a feigned attack.

  On the morning of March 20, the major and minor generals of the Third Army jointly asked Li Yunzhong to fight, saying: If we can't take down Jiangning City, we'll come to see you with our heads held high. These past few days, everyone in the First Army has been promoted, which has driven them mad with anxiety.

  Li Yunzhong helped Jiao Liang up and said: "General Jiao is willing to take the lead, that's best. You all quickly go back and prepare, the explosion will happen soon."

  Zhang Sui plotted to see them walk far away and angrily said: "They are robbing us of our credit."

  Li Yunzhong comforted: "Fourth brother needn't get angry, they are also eager to show off. You immediately arrange the second army to assemble as a reserve team."

  Half an hour later, the Yifeng Gate was blasted open, revealing a gap of about 3 zhang wide. The Third Army rushed towards the gap with a loud whistle, and soon the entire army entered the city. Li Yunzhong let out a sigh of relief and thought to himself: The overall situation is now settled.

  Half an hour later, Jiao Liang sent someone to report that the two Jiang governors, Lu Jianying, had been captured, and the main force had cleared out the defeated soldiers in the outer city.

  Li Xiucheng and others, who were making a feint attack in the south of the city, saw that the Qing soldiers on the city wall were in a state of panic, dropping their weapons and flags and disappearing from view. They quickly led their troops to launch a strong attack, easily capturing the city wall, opening the gate, and charging into the city.

  An hour later, Li Yunzhong heard the shouting and killing sounds gradually clear, knowing that a large team of horses was approaching Yifeng Gate, thinking it was the third army chasing the defeated soldiers in the city. He ordered the second army to line up at the gate, thinking secretly that the Qing army was really not worth fighting, and was driven out of the city by thousands of people just after a short while.

  Li Yunzhong saw that the third army was being driven out of the city, and many women and children were chasing after them, killing them. He was shocked and ordered the second army to go forward to rescue them. Jiao Liang led his troops to retreat, but the Qing soldiers saw that the enemy outside the city was already waiting in formation, so they all retreated back.

  Jiao Liang came before Li Yunzhong with shame and knelt down saying: "This general deserves to die, please Your Highness punish me."

  Li Yunzhong saw that the third army generals were all kneeling on the ground, and they were all covered in blood and injuries. He was puzzled and said: "What's going on with you guys? Were you chased out of the city by a group of women?"