Xu Zongyang, the rear army, led more than 4,000 people and withdrew directly from the river valley. In the www.biquge.info Chinese army, Chen Shibao was hit by a cannonball and was seriously injured, and most of his men were newly joined exiles and twisted troops, who could not withstand the defeat and fled in all directions. Only the front army remained, and more veterans of the Taiping Army brought out from Tianjing, under the leadership of Zeng Lichang, attacked back and rescued more than 3,000 Chinese troops from the canyon.

But Chen Shibao was too seriously injured and was already breathing when he was rescued.

The Qing troops occupied favorable terrain and concentrated their firepower, and the Taiping army suffered heavy losses. Seeing this, some of the remaining remnants of the Taiping reinforcements and the displaced people fled or knelt down to the Qing soldiers to beg for surrender, and the Taiping reinforcements were once again seriously reduced.

After this battle, the Taiping army suffered heavy losses in reinforcements, and only more than 11,000 people remained.

At this point, the Taiping Army's Northern Expedition reinforcements can be described as a complete failure.

Zeng Lichang prepared to lead the remaining 11,000 Taiping troops to continue north to rescue Qin Rigang and other Northern Expeditionary Army. However, Xu Zongyang did not agree to go north again, thinking that they were all new soldiers, with little combat power, and there were too few troops, and if they went again, they would be sent to death, so he decided to lead his troops back to Beijing.

Zeng Lichang had no choice but to lead more than 10,000 Taiping soldiers with Xu Zongyang, and returned south along the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal.

Unexpectedly, on the way, the Qing soldiers led by Shandong Governor Chong'en and Suiyuan General Shanlu continued to pursue and harass, plus the local officials and gentry of various prefectures and counties along the line, they organized their own regimental exercises to intercept, and the Taiping Army reinforcements continued to consume less and less, and the most important thing was that the Taiping Army reinforcements had no supplies, and they had run out of ammunition and food, so they had to loot some villages along the way to make a living.

In this way, it became a vicious circle, the more the Taiping army ran out of supplies, the more they had to forcibly donate some food in the villages, but the more the squires organized local militias to resist along the way. The Taiping army could not move an inch, and the soldiers fought less and less, and they were completely defeated and fled.

When crossing the Yellow River, blocked by the Qing soldiers, the boats were not enough, Xu Zongyang snatched the boats to cross the river first, and Zeng Lichang, who was covering behind, fell into a heavy siege, Xu Zongyang did not send troops to rescue, and fled back to Anman, Zeng Lichang led the troops to die bravely, and the 6,000 troops led by him were also annihilated.

At this point, the Northern Expedition reinforcements can be described as a complete fiasco, the commander and deputy marshal were killed, only Xu Zongyang led more than 2,000 soldiers to flee back to Tianjing, and was immediately punished by Yang Xiuqing, the king of the east, for fleeing and fearing the war.

For the Northern Expedition soldiers who were besieged in Jinghai, Yang Xiuqing could not do anything. There are no soldiers to send in Tianjing City, and for the Northern Expedition soldiers, he can only hope that the Northern Expeditionary Army can break through, at least his two henchmen Huang Wenjin and Zhu Xikun can lead the troops back.

But this is just hope, Yang Xiuqing knows in his heart that his two favorite generals and an old brother of the Northern Expedition are estimated to be more than lucky.

……

The news of the almost total annihilation of the reinforcements of the Northern Expedition soon reached Tianjin. After Shengbao learned about it, he made great use of this news and shouted the news of the failure of the Taiping Army's reinforcements outside Jinghai City every day, shaking the morale of the soldiers of the Northern Expeditionary Army in the city.

Then, leaflets were also shot in to persuade Qin Rigang and others in the city to surrender.

Qin Rigang was shocked to learn that the reinforcements led by Zeng Lichang were almost wiped out, and even Zeng Lichang and Chen Shibao were both killed, and then there was boundless despair.

There is not much food, so I save to eat; There was no gunpowder left, so he stabbed with a spear, slashed with a knife, and smashed it with a stone. Qin Rigang has been encouraging his soldiers, and the reinforcements sent by the Eastern King are coming. Including himself, motivate himself in this way.

According to the plan, it was originally their first batch of Northern Expeditionary troops to kill in Tianjin Fucheng, and the second batch of Northern Expedition reinforcements should arrive, and then the two armies joined forces to attack the Qing Demon Lair and destroy the Manchu Imperial City in a battle.

But now, Tianjin Fucheng has not been captured, trapped in the Jinghai scene, the hope that has been longed, the reinforcements, have failed miserably, this news is even more terrible than the lack of food, and all Qin Rigang's hopes have been shattered.

Qin Rigang is desperate, without reinforcements, what is the point of sticking to Jinghai again, even if he insists on it until the beginning of spring? It's the same situation of total annihilation.

"Surrender?" That's impossible!

Qin Rigang knew in his heart that if he was just like Huang Wenjin, just a deputy prime minister or something, maybe he would surrender to the Manchus, even if he was used as an example, he would still be treated preferentially by the Manchus.

But like him, since the Jintian Incident, he was one of the main leaders of the Taiping Army, killing countless Qing soldiers and even banner people along the way, and the Breaking Heaven Capital City was headed by him, directly killing tens of thousands of banner soldiers and banner people in Tianjing Mancheng, and the Manchu Qing court hated him to the core, and it was impossible to really accept his surrender.

Especially now, he has just been named the King of Yan, and he is already the highest level of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and he really surrendered to the Manchu Dynasty, even if he is not pursued for the time being, he will definitely settle accounts after the autumn, so Qin Rigang never planned to surrender from the beginning. Only death!

It's better to die in battle, and you can still leave a good name!

But at the thought of dying in battle, Qin Rigang was in great pain! More than 30 years of poor life has made him very satisfied with his current life, he is a prince, and he has married several ladies, as long as he wants, he can sing every night. The thought of dying in battle and losing this life made him extremely painful and desperate!

On this day, Qin Rigang, who was unwilling to sit and wait for death, was thinking about how to break through the siege, when he suddenly heard that the soldiers at the head of the city came to report, saying that the Qing soldiers besieging Jinghai City suddenly withdrew 20,000 horses and rushed to the east.

What the? Evacuated 20,000 soldiers and horses to the east? Qin Rigang immediately lifted his spirits and invited Huang Wenjin and Zhu Xikun to discuss the purpose of clearing demons.

Qin Rigang suspected that something must have happened in the east, otherwise, the Qing troops who had been besieged for a month or two would not suddenly withdraw their heavy troops at this critical juncture. But what is it that makes them so?

Qin Rigang couldn't figure it out, and Huang Wenjin and Zhu Xikun couldn't figure it out.

However, it was Zhu Xikun who was delicate, and he concluded that something big had happened in the east, so that the Qing Demon had to go to the rescue.

Huang Wenjin also suggested taking the opportunity to send troops, break out, and march eastward!

Qin Rigang was a little hesitant, he was afraid of the tricks of the Qing Demon, but after thinking about it, indeed, even if it was a trick, it would be a fatal situation in Jinghai, so it was better to give it a go.

So, Qin Rigang ordered to secretly reorganize the army and wait until it suddenly came out in the middle of the night, and at the same time ordered to send more than ten detectives to take the opportunity to investigate everywhere, especially the situation in the east.

In the early morning of that night, Qin Rigang, Huang Wenjin and Zhu Xikun each led an army, a total of less than 30,000 Taiping soldiers, ate a full meal, killed Jinghai City, and headed east.

The Qing army seemed to be somewhat guarded, and not long after the Taiping army rushed out of Jinghai, the Mongol cavalry of Seng Lingqin was killed, and the infantry army of Shengbao also rushed out.

But for the Taiping Army of the Northern Expedition, everyone knew that the opportunity was this time, and everyone rushed forward desperately to kill, at this moment, the combat power of the Northern Expedition soldiers reached a peak, without muskets, with spears and swords, they broke through the blockade of the Qing army in one fell swoop, and even the Mongolian cavalry was repelled by the fierce infantry.

However, some Qing soldiers went straight to Jinghai City to kill, just wanting to confiscate the remaining baggage of the Taiping army. In addition, it was night, and for a while, the Taiping army rushed out of the encirclement of the Qing soldiers.

However, the Shengbao army and the leader of Seng Lingqin pursued closely, and Qin Rigang led his troops to flee eastward.