Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

The incessant roar of artillery continued until night fell that day.

At least hundreds of civilians in the city were killed or injured by the debris produced by the shells hitting the city walls, even though Qi Dazhu had tried his best to concentrate the artillery fire on the city gate.

During the whole process, the soldiers of the resentful army stared at the remnants of the Three Shun Kings on the city wall with burning eyes. As old people from Liaoxi, Geng Jimao and his men were coercing their fellow villagers from Liaoxi.

On the next day, Geng Jimao and Shang Zhixin became even more frantic, and they mobilized more civilians to climb onto the city wall, trying to make Zhang Shikang hesitate, but Zhang Shikang did not appear on the battlefield at all.

By mid-afternoon, after continuous bombardment from large-caliber artillery, the city wall at the gate had become precarious.

Sun Weifan originally thought that it would take at least until tomorrow to break through the city wall, which shows that the power of the new copper cannon is no longer comparable to the old Portuguese cannon.

Just after mid-afternoon, the city wall on the city gate finally collapsed under the weight, and the collapsed wall raised thick smoke and dust.

The entire Imperial Guards army stared coldly at the busy Yizhou City defenders, and Zhang Shikang also appeared in the formation of the resentful army.

"Rush in now!

Revenge your enemies, and repay your grievances, but do not persecute a single civilian. Anyone who disobeys this order will be killed without mercy!"

Everyone was filled with anger, especially the resentful soldiers. Seeing their fellow villagers in the city being bullied by the traitors, they rushed into the city howling. Even Wu Sangui rushed in with dozens of his personal soldiers.

At the same time, the defenders of Yizhou City were roughly divided into two groups. One group directly retreated and asked for surrender, while the other group ran around the city like crazy, slaughtering and raping civilians.

"I don't accept your surrender, brothers, kill them." A resentful army commander said to his subordinates behind him, and then he swung his sword at the traitor soldiers kneeling on the ground.

On the streets, once the veterans from western Liaoning heard cries for help from people's homes, they would rush in in groups and chop down the enemies who were bullying the people.

What's worse, they would throw their weapons to the bullied people and let them kill their bullies with their own hands.

The entire Yizhou city was filled with screams and shouts, but the guards only guarded the city gates and important points on the city walls and did not participate in the elimination of the defenders in the city.

They gave this opportunity to the veterans from western Liaoning.

This was their home, and now, they had personally reclaimed their lost home.

The street fighting continued until late at night, and from shouts and cries everywhere to sporadic riots, the entire battle finally came to an end the next morning.

After the city was broken, most of the more than 5,000 remaining defenders were chopped to pieces by the resentful soldiers, and only more than 400 prisoners survived, and even these were forcibly stopped by Sun Weifan.

Geng Jimao suffered the worst. It is said that he was chopped into minced meat by the resentful army and his head was hung on the city gate of Yizhou.

Shang Zhixin was captured but still alive. He was very good at hiding and was found in the cellar of a private house.

Although he was still alive, the expression on Shang Zhixin's face was uglier than crying. He kowtowed repeatedly, hoping that Wu Sangui would spare his life, but no one paid any attention to him.

Also captured were officials from Yizhou City. They were fat and had expressions as if they had lost their parents. Some of them were even frightened to the point of peeing.

At the execution ground, in addition to the soldiers, there were also surviving civilians from Yizhou City gathered around, all with excited expressions on their faces.

For decades, they were driven like slaves by the Jiannu, and there was not a day that they did not look forward to the restoration of the court. Now, this day has finally come.

When Zhang Shikang arrived at the execution ground in golden armor and escorted by his personal guards, the people all bowed down to him.

Zhang Shikang raised his hands, motioning the people to stand up, and then without using any official jargon, he simply pointed at the captives and said:

“Originally, I planned to skin these traitors alive, but I couldn’t find so many craftsmen at the moment.

Now I have changed my mind. If you are brave enough, take revenge and complain. I have knives and guns here. You can vent your anger however you like.

This kind of situation had actually been organized by Zhang Shikang in the interior before. Under his instigation, the people in the interior also completed their revenge personally, but he had to instigate them repeatedly almost every time.

Zhang Shikang even wanted to say that killing is illegal on ordinary days, but whoever takes action first today will not only be innocent, but he will also reward him.

But the people of western Liaoning really taught him a lesson. As soon as he finished speaking, a citizen strode over, took a knife from the soldier, and chopped off the head of a traitor without blinking.

"Sir, can I...can I chop off one more?"

This scene made Zhu Cilang a little dazed.

"Well, the Liao people are tough and that's how they are." Zhang Shikang explained to Zhu Cilang in a low voice.

He was about to agree to the man's request, but the people around him refused to do so.

"No, if you kill them all, what should we do?

My third son was beaten to death by these traitorous dogs, and I want to come too."

A moment later, the humiliated people rushed towards the more than 400 surviving traitors. In a short while, the more than 400 traitors were eaten alive.

"Sir, I want to join the army. I have the strength. Give me a knife and I will fight for you!"

The man from western Liaoning knelt down in front of Zhang Shikang and kowtowed repeatedly while speaking.

"My boy is already twenty years old, and his mother was abused by the Jiannu. I beg you to show mercy and let my boy become a soldier and kill the Tartars!" An old man knelt on the ground.

With someone taking the lead, more people came to request to join the Ming army. This was extremely rare in an era when the army had a bad reputation, and it was only because of hatred.

But Zhang Shikang shook his head and sighed:

"Over the years, the court has owed you too much.

Millions of Liao people died in the war, but the fields need more people, and you also need to rest and recuperate."

Seeing that the people were still kneeling and unable to get up, Zhang Shikang said again:

"Next, I will arrange for the redistribution of land among you, and I will also write a memorial to His Majesty to exempt you from taxes for two years.

I promise to avenge you.

Get up, everyone."

Upon hearing this, all the people's eyes filled with tears and they all shouted "Long live the emperor".

Yizhou was liberated.

Zhang Shikang said to Sun Weifan:

"All troops, rest and gather. After lunch, we will march towards Guangning City!"

……