In the "Little Chang'an" area within the West City, under the bombardment of countless kerosene bombs, flames shot into the sky, black smoke rose, and the heavy snow in the world melted before it fell to the ground. The Goguryeo soldiers who had no time to escape were either killed on the spot or killed alive.
Burnt to death, there are charred and carbonized corpses everywhere, black and exuding a strange and nauseating smell of meat...
Under the impact of the heavy infantry, the Tang Army's navy finally captured the city gate area. The soldiers behind them poured into the city like a steady stream, and they attacked the city along the streets and alleys. They used muskets from a distance to shake the sky.
Thunder struck, and at close range the heavy infantry in heavy armor opened the way. Some Goguryeo soldiers hid in civilian houses and attacked with bows and arrows. In the blink of an eye, they were blasted into the sky by a thunderbolt.
Without the defensive advantage of the city wall, when it came to street fighting, the Goguryeo defenders could not organize an effective offensive at all. The Tang army was invincible. Wherever they went, there were mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and walls collapsed and houses collapsed. They were completely unstoppable.
After the Tang army had captured the west gate, completely controlled the area inside the gate, and began to advance into the city, reinforcements composed of the last private soldiers, slaves, and even prisoners organized by Jian Moucen arrived belatedly. As a result, these did not arrive.
The mob, which had not received much formal training and seriously lacked weapons and armor, was dispersed by the heavy infantry of the Tang Army after just one encounter. Under a volley of muskets, corpses were left on the ground and dispersed like birds and beasts.
The morale of the Tang navy that rushed into the city skyrocketed. While occupying the city wall and clearing out the remnants of the defenders, they advanced toward the central area of Pingrang City with the heavy infantry opening the way. Along the way, small groups of Goguryeo soldiers kept coming to block them, but they all stopped.
The Tang army quickly collapsed under the offensive, allowing the Tang army to advance straight in.
It is true that the defenders in Pingrang City are insufficient in strength, and all the elites went north to pursue the Tang army. The defenders, composed of soldiers and private servants of various companies, were mixed and lacked weapons and leather armor. The defense of Pingrang City was greatly reduced, but the Tang army was still strong.
The master's fierce and unparalleled combat power is the key to being able to be so unstoppable.
The heavy infantry led the way, and the Goguryeo army, which lacked heavy ordnance, could not inflict any damage on them. They could only watch these tough "iron men" rampage all the way, as if they were entering an uninhabited land. Musketeers, swordsmen
The shield bearer followed closely behind. Enemies who were slightly farther away fired with muskets, and when they were slightly closer, they bombed with thunderbolts. The firepower increased layer by layer, and the defense was impregnable. Not to mention the mob in front of them, even the most elite "King of Goguryeo"
"Zhuangjun", it is difficult to show off its edge.
Under the heavy snow, the navy of the Tang army surged forward and rushed straight to the palace.
The entire western half of Pingrang City has fallen into complete chaos. First, kerosene bombs fell from the sky and ignited most of the buildings. Many merchants, officials, and ordinary people had to brave the heavy snow to hide in the streets and were burned to death by the fire. Then the Tang army collapsed.
The city gate was breached and the defenders were unable to resist. The crowds who had no time to retreat ran around in the streets.
General Jian Moucen, who was defeated by the Tang army in a single encounter, his eyes lit up, and he quickly ordered the few remaining soldiers under his command to set up a defense line along the street, driving the chaotic crowd towards the direction of the Tang army's attack.
In his opinion, the Han people have always flaunted their morality, and the "teacher of benevolence and righteousness" is the consistent image of the Han army. Although it is a state of war, the Tang army cannot massacre unarmed civilians, right?
If the Tang army ignored the civilians and attacked them all, their reputation as a "teacher of benevolence and righteousness" would be gone forever, and they would be slandered and criticized by the whole world, which would have a great impact on the Tang army's strategy of subduing the barbarians.
If they dare to let go of the massacre, these panicked ordinary people will overwhelm the Tang army's formation. By then, they will organize a counterattack, and they may not be able to fight.
There is no need to annihilate the Tang army, but only to delay the return of reinforcements from the elite cavalry chasing the main force of the Tang army to the north. This Tang army's navy will inevitably be attacked from both sides and will be completely defeated.
…
Xi Jun bought a helmet and armor, held a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, followed closely behind the heavy infantry and advanced towards the palace. The battle went smoothly, which made him feel a little excited.
At present, the defenses in Pingrang City are empty. The defenders in front of them are all a mob. They are unable to compete with the elite navy soldiers, and the navy's tyrannical tactics are invincible. All they need to do is to rush into the palace and capture alive Yeon Gaesumun who has just ascended the throne.
...That is the ability to destroy a country and capture its king!
Throughout the ages, apart from "conquering the stone Yanran" and "sealing the wolf to live in Xu", this attack to destroy the country and capture the king has to be the most effective!
The governor-general Su Dingfang naturally deserves the title of Duke, and he himself will surely be able to be named a marquis for his merits and shine in history...
Unless Mr. Xi is superficial, soldiers should aim at military merit. Whether they are defending their country or expanding their territory, if they don’t have any desire to win merit, how can they be brave and courageous without fear of death?
However, the longing was still lingering in his mind, and he saw countless poor people in ragged clothes and disheveled faces. The slaves poured in from the other end of the street, and the Goguryeo defenders waved their weapons behind them to drive them away.
Xi Junmai understood the enemy's sinister intentions in an instant, but he also fell into a tangle...
The soldiers around him were also a little confused and asked: "General, what should we do?"
Even a top soldier knows that "slaughtering civilians" has always been shamed by people in the world. No matter how great the military exploits are, once they are involved in this crime, they will often not end well. If it is Hulu Yidi, that's it.
, after all, morality is no different from that of animals, and it is also appropriate to do things that anger people in the first place. However, the Han people have been flaunting "benevolence and righteousness" since ancient times, how can they raise a butcher knife against unarmed civilians?
They themselves don't get over the hurdle in their hearts...
Xi Junmai was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, but if he didn't give the order, he would watch as these panicked Goguryeo civilians rushed forward and broke up his formation. If the defenders followed closely to cover them up, they would have to kill them.
It's a big loss.
There happened to be a scream next to him, and a musketeer was shot in the neck by a cold arrow from nowhere and fell to the ground.
An idea flashed in Xi Junmai's mind...
He immediately ordered people to carry several corpses of Tang soldiers who died in the battle, and threw them hard into the crowd of Goguryeo civilians who were rushing towards them. However, people shouted: "Everyone, please pay attention, there are enemy troops mixed among these civilians!"
"Goguryeo is despicable and uses common people as a shield!"
"Inspiring the civilians to sneak attack on our army, Yeon Gaesumun is a thief who steals the country, how shameless!"
Jian Moucen, who was hiding in the distance and commanding the soldiers to drive the civilians towards the Tang army's formation, heard this and immediately shouted, "No!" The Tang army did this. Wouldn't it be that the responsibility was shifted to his own side? He urged the people to use their bodies as cover and use them to protect themselves.
The "teachers of benevolence and righteousness" of the Tang army could not bear to massacre the people and attacked and killed the Tang army at close range... This not only made themselves infamy for thousands of years, but also helped the Tang army get out of a disadvantageous situation.
Even though there were civilians in front of them, since the Goguryeo army mixed with the civilians and attacked and killed the Tang army, they couldn't still ask the Tang army to maintain "benevolence and righteousness" and fight back even to the death, right?
Sure enough, after the Tang army shouted so loudly that everyone could hear it clearly, there was a thunderous sound of muskets, and streams of gunpowder smoke spurted out from the muzzles of the guns, turning into a dark cloud and rising above the Tang army's array.
"Kill, kill, kill!"
"Hulu is cunning and pretends to be a commoner!"
"Kill me, Paoze, and pay with blood!"
"kill!"
The heavy infantry at the front suddenly rushed into the crowd of Goguryeo civilians, slashing and beheading with swords in their hands as if they were trained horses. Blood and flesh flew everywhere, and the remaining limbs were splashed. They attacked the unarmed Goguryeo civilians like a tiger entering a flock of sheep.
Cold massacre.
The muskets, crossbows, and thunderbolts behind them were fired at the same time. The civilians driven by the Goguryeo army experienced a baptism of blood and fire. Countless civilians screamed and fell in a pool of blood, with their heads disemboweled and disemboweled.
.
When the Tang Army's heavy infantrymen, covered in blood, cut through the crowd and came to the Goguryeo defenders who were driving behind them, these soldiers looked at the devil-like Tang Army infantry in front of them, and were so frightened that their faces turned green and their lips turned white. I don't know who suddenly made a sound.
Shouting, everyone immediately dropped their weapons, turned around and ran away.
The navy of the Tang Army rushed forward like a strong wind sweeping away fallen leaves. When they reached the gate of the palace, they encountered the obstruction of the imperial guards around Yeon Gaesumun.
In Goguryeo, it is not just the "Wangzhuang Army" that can be called the trump card. As the imperial guard of the kings of Goguryeo in the past, even if Yeon Gaesomun recruits and transforms the "Wangzhuang Army" thoroughly, it is inevitable that there will be people loyal to the Go royal family among them.
, if it is allowed to stay next to the guards, it will inevitably lead to great worries.
Therefore, in addition to the "Wang Zhuang Army", there is also a truly trusted guard, with a number of more than 10,000 people, who have always been guarding him. They are powerful and loyal.
Now that the Tang army has reached the gate of the palace, Yuengai Suwen has no choice but to put this most trusted and last armed force into the battle...