The night clears and the sun rises.

On this day, the sound of killing in the city of Xingtang Mansion shook the sky.

On the wreckage streets, at this time the soldiers of both sides were still engaged in fierce battles, and from time to time there were fires rising into the sky, that is, the attacking Wu army was using fire to deal with the enemy troops who were relying on the houses to hold on; Of course, the defenders sometimes set fire to block the Wu army's offensive.

Although the Later Tang army was disheartened, and many soldiers had surrendered to the Wu army, many soldiers still chose to continue to resist.

Many of these soldiers were veterans of the war, and their resistance was surprisingly resolute and stubborn.

Brutal street fighting, which in any era is the last thing the offensive and defensive sides want to see, in this kind of battle, the forces of both sides are scattered, in the most brutal part of the war, under repeated battles, no step forward must pay a tragic price.

Blood flowed freely in the city, and the screams, the neighing of horses, and the sonorous sound of blades colliding together were mixed together to create a tragic movement.

Gradually, the soldiers on both sides were very tired, and I don't know if it was out of tacit understanding, the armies of the two sides gathered separately and began to bury pots and cook for rest.

In the direction of Dongcheng, Liu Xin was walking on the bloodstained streets, and his mood was very heavy.

The casualties caused by the fierce fighting of the night were unimaginable, especially when the enemy launched a fierce counterattack on the city gate, and several of his generals were killed.

"When the city is finally taken, I don't know how many people will completely fall?" He sighed slightly.

At this time, a messenger galloped on horseback to report: "Governor Qiyu, the enemy army is moving on a large scale, and perhaps they are about to launch a counterattack again." ”

"Fight back?" Liu Xin was stunned for a moment, it's such a time, can the enemy still launch a counterattack?

But then he remembered that during the Battle of Pingyin, the situation faced by the Wu army was so critical, didn't he also launch a counterattack? And it also laid the foundation for victory in one fell swoop.

Thinking of this, Liu Xin couldn't help but become vigilant.

He said in a deep voice: "Command all departments, we must strengthen vigilance to prevent the enemy from counterattacking!" ”

At this time, a capital head who followed him stepped forward and said, "Governor, there is a suggestion at the end, I don't know if it is feasible?" ”

Liu Xin looked at the visitor and immediately recognized his identity, which was Bian Hao, the companion of the second prince Yang Yan when he was studying martial arts.

Although the pickaxe here is not very old, and the level is not high, but after all, he is Yang Yan's henchman, so Liu Xin also wants to give him some face.

"Do you have any suggestions, might as well come and hear them?"

"Governor, the last general thinks that we can push the artillery to the front of the formation, and if the enemy takes the initiative to attack, as long as the artillery bombards, we will definitely be able to annihilate it; Even if it is used to clear out enemy troops, it can be extremely useful. Bon Ho clenched his fists and suggested.

Liu Xin was overjoyed when he heard this: "Good way, it's really a good way!" Why didn't the old man think of it before? ”

In the past, the Wu army used to attack the city was the Suzhou cannon, which was too cumbersome, not only difficult to transport, but also inconvenient to use.

But the artillery is different, although it is also heavy, but the size is not large, and it is just as easy to operate, it is indeed a good way to use it in street fighting, but it is limited by inertial thinking, so I just didn't think of it.

"Bian Hao, if you can greatly reduce the casualties of our army this time, you will have made a great contribution, and the old man will definitely give you credit in the future!" He patted Pickaxe on the shoulder and said loudly.

"Thank you, Governor!" Bian Ho said overjoyed.

Liu Xin immediately ordered the artillery from outside the city to be transported to the city, and at the same time sent messengers to convey this proposal to Zhou Ben and Li Chengding, so that they could do the same.

However, after all, the streets in the city are small and there are not too many cannons, so the last ten cannons from the east side are the limit.

When the artillery arrived, Liu Xin immediately ordered it to be deployed to the front line to block the streets.

When everything was ready, the area under the control of the enemy troops suddenly sounded with rumbling war drums.

"Knock, knock, knock......"

"Are the enemy going to launch a counterattack?" Liu Xin's spirit was shocked, and he immediately ordered: "Be ready to meet the enemy!" Don't rush to fire the artillery, wait until the enemy is close before firing! ”

……

On the other side of the street, looking at the familiar and unfamiliar soldiers around him, Li Cunmiao's heart was in a trance: "How long has it been since I rode a horse with these soldiers?" No wonder they are alienated from themselves. ”

But now, everything is different.

When he stepped back on his horse and drew his sword, he suddenly felt as if everything was different, and the scenes of those battles once came back to his mind, and the hidden martial arts seemed to be recovering.

"Soldiers, the enemy has entered the city, and the situation is already very dangerous, but now is not the time to give up. We must fight back immediately, we must drive the enemy army out of the city, and we must tell them that we are still invincible! ”

"I will lead you to charge today, living and dying with you. If we can win the battle today, I assure you that every soldier will be rewarded ten times more than usual, and every meritorious soldier will be duly rewarded. I will never let down everyone who sacrifices for my country! ”

"Soldiers, follow me and fight to the death!" He drew his sword and pointed it high into the sky, shouting at his soldiers.

As an outstanding commander who has been on the battlefield for a long time, even if his will has been a little depressed in the past few years, when Li Cunqiao leads the troops again, the leaders who have already been deeply rooted in his bones can be brought into play immediately.

In just a few words, he succeeded in arousing the soldiers' desire to fight and reinvigorating the declining morale.

"Fight to the death!" With the shouts of the heaven-shattering voice, countless soldiers waved the weapons in their hands and began to slowly march towards the Wu army formation.

One hundred steps, eighty steps, fifty steps......

The Wu army on the opposite side was quiet in front of the formation, as if it had no defense against the counterattack of the Later Tang army.

Li Cunmiao rode on his war horse nervously, and waited until the infantry in front of him had approached the enemy fifty paces, and then he urged the war horse to move forward slowly.

The guards around him also rode forward and followed him to protect him.

Suddenly, a large cloud of smoke rose from the opposite street, and then a loud thunderous bang erupted.

"Boom!"

Then, Li Cunqiao saw a black iron ball smashing towards the Tang army in the back quickly, the speed of the iron ball was not very fast, and it seemed that he could catch it as long as he reached out.

However, when the iron ball swept through the dense crowd of soldiers, it was full of stumps and broken arms, as if a sharp blade had cut through it.

"Ahh Screams came everywhere, and the Hou Tang Army, which was still marching forward with a firm pace just now, was suddenly heartbroken.

For these soldiers, yesterday's daytime shelling was like the Wu army using demon magic, and even if those officers tried their best to appease, they achieved little effect.

Fortunately, in the subsequent street battles, the Wu army did not use artillery, but fought with knives, guns, bows and crossbows like them, so the soldiers were able to persevere.

However, at this time, after Wu Jun transported the artillery to the front of the formation to shoot, it immediately reminded them of the scene during the day yesterday.

The shocking scene when hundreds of artillery pieces were fired at the same time made their scalps tingle as long as they resounded.

"Boom, boom!"

At this moment, artillery rang out in unison on the opposite street, and iron bullets flew towards the Tang army at a very fast speed.

After all, the space on the street is relatively narrow, and in order to strengthen the strength of the counterattack, the Later Tang army deliberately arranged the soldiers and soldiers very densely, but at this time, when facing the bombardment of enemy artillery, they suddenly suffered heavy losses.

After each shell was fired into the crowd, a bloody path would be plowed into the crowd, mutilated limbs, soldiers who fell to the ground and groaned, and panicked crowds, this scene was like a pantomime, making everyone present sweat profusely.

In just an instant, the Later Tang army, which launched a counterattack, completely collapsed.

There may be some sane officers and generals who still understand that they must rush into the enemy line as soon as possible to have a glimmer of hope, but in the current situation, it is difficult for these people who are still sober to do anything.

Falling apart, Li Cunmiao's painstaking counterattack was defeated by the Wu army just beginning.

"Is this the enemy's artillery? Sure enough, manpower can't resist it! Li Cunmiao was desperate in his heart.

At that moment, a cannonball whistled from the opposite side towards where he was.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" The guards who followed him shouted and rushed up desperately, wanting to use their bodies to block the fatal blow for Li Cunmiao.

However, it was all in vain, and the flesh and blood looked so vulnerable to the cold shells that the few guards who pounced on them could not stop the shells except for losing their lives.

"Boom!"

"Ahh

"Your Majesty!"

The guards were in a mess and rushed forward, but at this time, Li Cunmiao, who was wearing golden armor, had already fallen in a pool of blood.

His sat horse was directly hit, and he was killed on the spot; And Li Cunmiao's luck was better, he was only grazed by the cannonball on his left leg, but it also beat his left leg into a bloody blur, and he fainted on the spot.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Quick, bring Your Majesty back! The guards didn't dare to delay, so they hurriedly lifted Li Cunqiao and rushed to the palace.

That night, the Later Tang Emperor Li Cunmiao died in the Xingtang Palace due to excessive blood loss at the age of forty-two.

Later Tang Wenwu went to the temple called Zhuangzong, and posthumously became the Emperor Min Xiao, the holy god of light.

A few hours later, the Wu army broke through the inner city and captured all the Later Tang clans and hundreds of officials, including Empress Liu, and the Later Tang regime, which had only been established for three years, was destroyed.

A few months later, Li Cunqiao's eldest son, Li Jiqi, the king of Wei, proclaimed himself emperor in Taiyuan, inherited his father's unification, and was determined to restore the Tang Dynasty, but at that time the territory he could control was only the ten states around Taiyuan.

Therefore, Li Jiqi's regime was completely unable to compare with the Later Tang Dynasty established by Li Cunqiao, and later generations preferred to call it the Northern Tang Dynasty.