Watching the Song army push more than 20 cannons out, less than a mile away from the city gate, slowly erected. Amari didn't know the details and asked the people around him, "What is this?" I heard that the Song army has artillery, is this a cannon? How to use this cannon? ”

The people in the city shook their heads one after another.

Zhang Qi personally commanded, charged, loaded, and the sergeant lit the torch and raised it. At the sound of an order, the medicine twist was lit.

Amari and the others stood on the watchtower, watching Song Jun's actions, and were puzzled for a while. Since the Song army said that they were going to fight, they did not arrange people to attack the city, piled up some iron pipes, placed them under the city, and did this and that, and did not know what to do.

When the people at the head of the city were confused, suddenly the artillery under the city made a loud noise, and thick gunpowder smoke rose. When Amari was scratching his head, he felt his feet sway and he almost fell to the ground. Immediately after, there was a scream in my ears, and I don't know how many people were injured.

The city was in ruins, and the whole wall shook from such a round of shelling. The Gaochang soldiers in the city were frightened, screaming and running around, and immediately became a mess.

The Song army has been trained, and there are veterans of Hequ Road to explain, I don't know how many cannons are fired in peacetime. Regardless of the situation at the head of the city, under the command of the commander, the well-trained continued to charge and reload, and after a short time the reloading was completed, the commander gave an order, and the second round of artillery was fired at the city gate.

Amari looked at the city wall that had cracked under his feet, and couldn't help but be frightened, and said sharply: "Don't fight, let's fall, we'll fall!" ”

Seeing that there was no movement outside the city, he could no longer care about his demeanor, so he went to the head of the city and said loudly: "We have descended, don't fight!" ”

Zhang Sheng said to Zhang Qi: "That city lord is lying on the head of the city and shouting, isn't it going to fall?" If you surrender, don't attack again! ”

Zhang Qi was nervous, and put his whole heart on the city gate that was bombarded, listened to Zhang Sheng's words, looked up at the city, and saw Amari lying there yelling. Just as he was about to order not to fire any more artillery, he heard a loud bang, and the third round of artillery had already been fired. With this sound, the Puchang City Gate, which had been damaged earlier, could no longer support it, and fell down with a bang, collapsing along with a section of the city wall next to it.

The infantry who were already ready looked at Zhang Qi, and just waited for him to give an order, and then led the army into the city.

Amari at the head of the city was dumbfounded, and he could not have imagined that in just a moment, the city gate would be broken. With less than 100 people, how can you fight against the army outside the city? Lying on the watchtower, he shouted surrender.

Zhang Qi ordered to stop firing the cannon, looked up at Amari who was shouting surrender on the watchtower, was stunned for a while, and said: "The person who gave the order just now, go forward and ask the city lord on the city tower if he is willing to surrender?" If he wishes to surrender, let him line up all the troops in the city and leave the city! ”

The soldiers agreed to the promise, took the reins of the horses, brought a few soldiers forward, and said loudly to Amari on the city tower: "City lord, but do you want to surrender?" ”

Amari nodded desperately: "Yes, yes!" How can my city match the army? The city is willing to fall! ”

The soldiers said in a loud voice: "If you are willing to surrender, you can pack up the army in the city and line up to go out of the city." If not, we're going to attack the city! ”

Amari looked at the broken gate below, and there were still dead and wounded defenders around him, and sighed secretly, "Just wait." ”

After speaking, he ordered his subordinates to gather the soldiers in the city and go out of the city with him to welcome the Song army into the city. At this point, there was really no way but to surrender. I thought that Puchang City could hold out for a few days and wait for Gaochang to send reinforcements, but I didn't expect the Song army to collapse the city gate with two cannons, how can this battle continue? Without the protection of the city, thousands of Song troops outside also killed the defenders of the city empty-handed.

Seeing that Amari at the head of the city was willing to surrender, Zhang Yu said to Zhang Sheng: "I entered the first battle of Gaochang, but I didn't expect it to be so smooth!" ”

Zhang Sheng said: "I'm only afraid of one or two hundred years here, and there has been no big battle, and the officials and people don't know swordsmen." In addition, we use guns and cannons, which they have never seen, how can this battle be fought? The general should be cautious, there should be no big battle in Gaochang. ”

Zhang Qi nodded: "It should be like this." I heard that in addition to Gaochang City and Jiaohezhou City, most of the remaining cities in Gaochang are like this, and Puchang is still intact. Once you've conquered this place, it's easier to attack other places. ”

Puchang City is not big, and it won't take long for Amari to bring dozens of soldiers in the city, go out of the city gate, and stand at the door to salute Zhang Qi.

Zhang Qi looked at it and said to Zhang Sheng: "How come there are only so few people in such a city?" Isn't there a fraud? ”

Zhang Sheng said: "It's hard to say. How many soldiers can be supplied to a thousand households in this city? We came too late, they didn't recruit the people, and that's all the normal soldiers thought they would be. Just in case, you can first surrender their swords and guns, and send a commander into the city. ”

Zhang Qi nodded yes, and ordered the Gaochang troops over there to release their swords and guns, and the city lord approached to speak.

Amari came to Zhang Qi, bowed and saluted, and said, "In Lower Amari, he is the city lord of Puchang City. I don't know who it is? ”

Zhang Qi was a little impatient when he heard it, the pro-soldier who went to shout just now said clearly, why is this city lord still not clear? He said loudly: "I am Zhang Qi, the commander of the Anbei Army under the rule of the Great Song River, and I have come to recover the lost territory in the Western Regions by the Holy Decree!" ”

Hearing Zhang Qi's stern words, Amari hurriedly saluted: "I don't see the envoy, I don't know the general is coming, it's not strange to offend." ”

Zhang Qi said: "Since you are willing to surrender, let me ask you, it is all the soldiers and horses in the city that are brought out of the city?" ”

Amari said: "Back to the general, all the soldiers and horses in this city are here." I don't know what else to command? ”

Zhang Qi said: "First order them to put down their knives and guns and wait aside!" The soldiers here are all locals? ”

Amari said: "General Hui, they are all from this city. Including me, they are all from this city. ”

Zhang Qi was a little puzzled and asked, "Aren't there any people from Gaochang in your city?" ”

Amari shook his head: "General, we pay our taxes in time every year, so naturally there are no Gaochang people." ”

Zhang Qi said to Zhang Sheng: "It's strange, here is different from the Central Plains everywhere. No matter, send someone into the city first! ”

After saying that, he called a battalion commander to come, and brought five hundred soldiers into the city to raid the city lord's mansion. At the same time, the Gaochang soldiers who went out of the city were instructed to put down their swords and guns and be willing to bind, and the Song army promised not to slaughter the prisoners.

After waiting for a long time, the commander who entered the city went out of the city again and crossed his hand to Zhang Qi: "General, it has been searched, and there are really no other soldiers in the city." These people outside the city are the defenders of the city! The City Lord's Mansion has been sealed, and the rest of the matters please ask the general to instruct! ”

Zhang Qi waved his hand: "That's it." This city is too small to live in too many soldiers and horses, and I will lead the troops into the city later, and the follow-up troops will continue to Baozhuang City. General Zhao's cavalry went straight to Gaochang City, and we will capture the remaining small cities one by one! ”

The commander made a promise, turned the horse's head, and returned to Puchang City to deal with all kinds of hands and tails.

Zhang Qi rode on the horse, looked at Pu Changcheng in front of him, and felt a little unreal. This battle was too easy to fight, but after three rounds of artillery were fired, the city gate was collapsed, and the defenders inside surrendered, will the remaining cities be so easy? There were some doubts in my heart.

After staying for a while, Zhang Qi said to Zhang Sheng: "Let's go into the city." After occupying this place, the marshal will come here to set up the marshal's mansion and command the attack on Gaochang. Gaochang is known as the twenty-two cities here, and there are still many battles to be fought! ”

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