After four rounds of test firing, the gunners of the Qiongzhou Army replaced them with flowering shells, which shocked Shen Rui. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

The first to be fired were heavy mortar shells. The 64-pounder mortar shells still used the old-fashioned muzzle ignition fuse. With a roar of violently expanding gunpowder gas, the cannonball with sparks left the muzzle, soared into the air, and smashed into the head of Xiangyang City a mile away with a flickering firelight.

The sixty-four-pounder mortar cannonball shell had the largest charge, and although it was only filled with a little nitrate glycerin, the power was very huge, twenty-four shells flew out, and fifteen of them hit the city wall, exploding a piece of fire on the city, and the Qing army's small cannons, crossbow machines, wolf tooth beats, yaksha beats, and female wall cars and other city defense weapons arranged at the head of the city flew into the sky one after another in the explosion, and the small cannons were twisted and deformed, turning into curved metal tubes, crossbow machines, yaksha beats, Wooden weapons defending the city, such as the wolf's tooth slap and the women's wall car, were blown to pieces one after another.

Then the howitzers and cannons erupted in a burst of fire, and the new metal medicine tray fuse blossomed and the shells fell on the city walls, and the city head that had been shelled was immediately engulfed in a sea of fire.

The 32-pounder guns fired ordinary solid shells, but the long-barreled cannons were quite powerful, and the high muzzle velocity shells smashed into the city walls, shattering the bricks one by one, revealing the rammed earth inside. This cannon only needs to be bombarded for a whole day to blast a gap in the city wall.

Considering the cost of shells and the life of the barrel, Wang Xinyu did not use expensive rifled guns this time, and those guns still played a greater role in water warfare, and it was not cost-effective to bombard the city wall. Of course, if you can bring the heavy hexagonal guns of a fast gunboat ashore, it only takes a few shells to destroy a wall. It's just that the weight of the hexagonal naval guns is too heavy, and the fast gunboats can't enter Xiangyang, so it's too difficult to transport heavy artillery from such a distance.

With these existing front-loading smoothbore guns, it is enough to collapse the city wall of Xiangyang, and there is no need to waste money and dismantle the heavy naval guns from the fast gunboats and transport them here.

The shelling lasted from noon to evening, and above the city wall that had been shelled, the female battlements had all collapsed, the weapons defending the city at the head of the city were broken to pieces, and the walls that had been pulled out of the female battlements became bare, and the top was in shambles. There were also many places where the walls were pierced by shells, and there was even a gap that was blown open.

You must know that this is a strong Xiangyang city wall, known as the world's first strong city of Xiangyang, the city wall is built of stone, only after less than a day of shelling, the city fortifications have been smashed open the gap, you can imagine, how powerful the Ming army's artillery fire is! With such firepower, if you attack the capital, I am afraid you can overcome it in one fell swoop.

After being shelled, the Qing army in the city had no power to fight back, so they could only hide in the treasure cave behind the city wall, holding their heads and trembling, to avoid the shelling of their heads and faces.

After walking down from the artillery position, Shen Rui cautiously asked, "Master Wang is really a sharp firearm!" If it bombards Xiangyang every day, how many days can this Xiangyang city last? ”

Wang Yuyou stroked his beard, shook his head and said: "This Xiangyang Iron City is not only a city wall, but also a wide moat!" How to fill the moat is a difficult task! Although our troops could suppress the Tartars with artillery fire, the moat was difficult to fill. We are shelling, and the Tartars in the city can also take the opportunity to repair the walls. The moat cannot be filled, and our soldiers cannot go up. ”

"So how can we capture Xiangyang?" Shen Rui asked again.

Wang Yuyou replied: "Suppress the city head Tartars with firepower, and then force the crossing with rafts and boats!" It's just that crossing the river is very risky, and you need to completely destroy the walls in the direction of the attack before you can cross the river and attack. We are shelling, the Tartars are repairing. From this point of view, I am afraid that it will be difficult to destroy a large section of the city wall in less than a month. ”

Hearing Wang Yuyou's answer, Shen Rui felt a little relieved, as long as Xiangyang City was not broken so quickly, the Ming army would still use himself sooner or later.

At this moment, Yao Qisheng suddenly asked, "Shen Gongzi, isn't Duke Xu Shun planning to sacrifice the city?" When will there be action? If our army storms Xiangyang, I am afraid that it will be difficult to break the city for a month, and a lot of artillery shells will be wasted. These shells are all silver, so let's save some. If we can get a response, our army can get twice the result with half the effort. ”

Shen Rui replied: "Lord Yao, the time for the dedication of the city is not set by the younger generation, but by the uncle. If you want to know the time, you can only find a way to get in touch with the city. ”

"If we can get into the city, do we need to bother like this?" Wang Xinyu said with a smile, "It's your uncle's business to go out of the city to contact us, it's easier for him to find a way to send someone out of the city than for us to send someone into the city, right?" ”

Shen Rui said: "Don't worry, adults, since my uncle wants to dedicate the city, he will definitely do it!" The younger generation believes in his uncle's character, and there may be news in the city in a few days. ”

Wang Xinyu sneered in his heart: You believe in your uncle's character, we don't believe him! And play tricks with us! This is too old-fashioned!

After nightfall, the Qing army drove the people to carry bricks, stones, and mud to carry out simple repairs to the city walls that had been damaged by the Ming army. After a night of intense construction, most of the damaged walls were restored.

The next day, the Ming army continued to bombard the city wall for a whole day, smashing the city wall repaired by the Qing army again.

After the sky got dark again, the Qing army drove the people to repair the city wall, and after dawn, the Qing army repaired most of the damaged city walls, but compared to yesterday's effect, the damaged part of the city wall has expanded a lot. If this situation continues, within a month, the city wall of Xiangyang will inevitably be blasted open.

In the palace of the commander of the Qing army in the city, Sukh Saha gathered all his generals together to discuss.

"Minggou bombarded the city like this, we repaired it, but the speed of repair is far less than the speed of Minggou's shelling! If this continues, I'm afraid that in less than a month, the city wall of Xiangyang will be blasted open! Sukh Saha said worriedly.

"Did you signal Fancheng to cross the river to attack Minggou? This will also relieve our stress! And Fancheng will definitely not be able to hold it! Rather than waiting for Xiangyang City to break and Minggou turn around and eat them, it is better to let them fight to the death, and maybe have a chance to destroy Minggou's artillery position. Feyangu suggested.

"Yes!" Woh also nodded, "As soon as Xiangyang is broken, Fancheng will be a lonely city." Instead of letting them nest in the city and wait for death, let them take the initiative! If you can destroy Minggou's artillery position, Xiangyang will be saved! ”

"Just how do you send a letter over?" Feyangu asked.

"Signal fireworks! Tell them to go out of town and attack the Minggou artillery positions! "Sukh Sahadao.

"It's just that as soon as we give the signal, Minggou will know what we're going to do!" Sunahai shook his head worriedly.