In May of the 16th year of Zhengtong, Sengaphara City, the capital of Champa.
The King of Champa was discussing the next battle plan with the few remaining soldiers. The scene was very depressing, because everyone present knew that relying on their own strength, it would be impossible to fight against Annan Kingdom.
"Your Majesty, it's not good!"
A guard rushed over and gasped: "Annan's army has moved another fifty miles south and has reached the city!"
This Champa King is actually Mahapancha, the crown prince of Champa King.
Princess Xuanzhen, whom Zhu Qizhen met, is Mahapancha’s biological sister, and her full name is Mahaxuanzhen.
Mahagui, who went to the Ming Dynasty with Princess Xuanzhen, was Mahapancha’s uncle.
As for Mahapancha’s father, the old Champa King Mahabharaya, he has been captured by the Annan army and has been in Thanh Hoa for more than a year.
At first, Mahapancha, the crown prince of Champa, acted as king, and the throne remained empty. As the battle line continued to move south, Mahapancha felt that there was no hope of rescuing his father, so he directly ascended the throne as king and led the crowd to launch a final counterattack.
However, even if the Champa people shared the same hatred, they still could not stop the Annan army.
When he heard the news that the army was approaching the city, Mahapancha's face turned pale. During these days, he had been unable to taste the food every day and could not sleep at night. He had been in extreme anxiety for a long time. When the day came, he felt relieved. p>
Death is not scary, but the process of waiting for death is scary.
Although this day came earlier than expected.
Whatever, now that I finally know the date of my death, so be it!
"Everyone, we have no retreat, we can only fight to the death!"
"Fight to the death!"
All the soldiers are also ready for the last fight. If they don't succeed, they will be benevolent!
Early the next morning, the Champa King Mahapancha personally led the army to prepare for the final decisive battle.
Looking at the overwhelming Annan army below the city, he knew that this battle to occupy the city would be a disaster, and he was afraid that after today, there would be no more occupied cities in the world...
"Report!"
Mahapancha turned around and saw that it was his own soldier, looking panicked.
"Why are you panicking? The Annamites are attacking?"
"Your Majesty, I found the guards of Her Royal Highness the Princess in the secret passage of the city!"
"What did you say?"
Mahapancha was shocked. It had been half a year since his sister, Princess Xuanzhen, was on an envoy to the Ming Dynasty. Could it be that something unexpected had happened...
At this time, a man covered in blood was held up and approached.
Mahapancha hurriedly asked: "Where is Her Royal Highness the Princess?"
This man is already dying. It is obvious that he risked his life to cross the enemy's defense line and will definitely bring important information.
"Her Royal Highness...brings news that the Ming Dynasty...the Ming Dynasty...has sent troops. This...is...a letter written by Her Royal Highness..."
Phew!
Mahapancha took a deep breath and became excited.
Ming Dynasty finally sent troops!
He took the blood-stained letter with trembling hands, opened it, and looked at it with a strange expression.
It can be seen that the Ming Dynasty did not want to make a loss-making deal. Although it agreed to send troops, these terms, such as the transfer of Saigon Port, tariff-free trade, and free entry and exit of occupied territories, were a bit excessive in normal times.
However, now that Champa is on the verge of life and death, it is understandable for the princess to make concessions.
When Princess Xuanzhen was sent to the Ming Dynasty in person, she also had this consideration.
Because Annan Kingdom is separated between Daming and Champa, it is very difficult to send messengers to travel.
Not to mention the dangers of this trip, if we get to the Ming Dynasty, this person must be able to make the decision.
Otherwise, if the negotiations reach a deadlock and the two sides spread the word, the Annan people will have killed you long ago!
Therefore, when Princess Xuanzhen negotiates with Daming, she must be able to represent Champa and make decisions on the spot.
As for the conditions set by Ming Dynasty, even if it were me, I would have no choice but to agree to them.
"The Ming Dynasty agreed to send troops!"
Mahapancha raised the blood-stained letter, and hope rekindled in his eyes.
The soldiers suddenly became excited. This news was so inspiring!
Now that the Ming Dynasty has sent troops, the Annan people must divide half of their troops and go north to stop the attack.
No wonder the troops on the front line attacked the city in such a hurry. Now it seems that they are the ones who are in a hurry.
"Everyone, now we just need to hold on until tomorrow's soldiers arrive, and the enemy will be defeated!"
The news spread quickly, and the soldiers and civilians who occupied the city regained hope.
When Annan's army attacked the city, they found something was wrong.
No matter whether it is declaring war or shouting curses, the other party always hides in the city and does not come out.
So Annan's army pulled out its artillery and began to attack.
The artillery technology of the Annan people is no less than that of the Ming Dynasty. Li Shulin and his son from the Ministry of Industry were captured when Emperor Taizong conquered Annan.
However, their artillery is still at the stage of big iron lumps.
It’s not that Annan people don’t study explosive ammunition, it’s mainly due to the limitations of scientific and technological means. The explosive ammunition of this era has its own explosive properties. The craftsmen who dared to study the explosive ammunition basically didn’t survive.
Boom!
Boom!
With the sound of cannons, countless iron lumps hit the city wall, making dents one after another.
However, Sanghapura City is a Champa country, so naturally the city walls are high and thick. Only the city gate is made of wood. However, the Champa people have already taken precautions. Even if the gate is smashed, dozens of feet of it will be piled inside.
Various stones, bricks, wood...
Annan's army fired artillery for a day and found that it had no effect at all, so they started to change their tactics from the next day.
Set up a ladder and attack!
As the war progressed to this point, it became increasingly cruel.
The defenders of the city used prepared rolling stones, crossbars, and gold juice to block the Annan army on the city wall. Both sides were furious. After a day of fighting, rivers of blood flowed under the city, and corpses piled up like mountains.
On the third day, the Annan Army continued to attack and the Champa Army continued to defend...
For several days, Annan's army was unable to break through the city and suffered heavy losses.
The occupying army was not much better. Although there were fewer casualties, the resources in the city were limited. Stones and crossbars had long been used up. As a last resort, they had to demolish people's houses.
In the end, even the golden juice was not enough, so we had to rely on daily output and save on use.
What's even more frightening is that there is not enough food in the city, and the frontline troops have begun to limit food.
Without food, where can the golden juice come from?
"Your Majesty, when will the Ming army arrive?"
"That's right, it's been more than ten days, and the city will soon run out of food. When the time comes... alas!"
"Could it be that the Ming Dynasty didn't really support it, but was just perfunctory with us?"
"Okay, stop talking!"
Mahapancha is more anxious than anyone else, but he knows very well that being anxious is not the answer.
No matter what, we must hold on until the Ming army arrives...
"The order goes down and all the people take out the food stored in their homes and hand it over to the army for uniform distribution. Tell them that as long as they survive this hurdle, no matter how much food they have collected today, they will pay back ten times the amount after the enemy retreats!"
"Also, continue to demolish private houses and take bricks and stones to build city walls for defense."
"Your Majesty, most of the houses in the city have been demolished, leaving only a few mansions. The owners are all from the upper caste..."
"It's already this time, do you still care whether they are in the upper echelons or not?"
Mahapancha said angrily: "Tell them, if the house is gone, it can still be built in the future. If the city is destroyed, then there will be nothing!"