According to Cao Yanzhong's arrangement, after taking Tieling City, the Wu army only left Deng Siyuan's troops to garrison Tieling, preparing to continue to march northward, while Jiang Zhongji and Ding Ruchang, the two main forces of Wu army's infantry cavalry, immediately turned around and headed south, preparing to assist Cao Yanzhong in attacking Shenyang City, seizing the largest town and foothold of the puppet Manchurian State in the northeast, and also striving to annihilate the remnants of the Qing army and the Tsarist army in Shenyang, laying a solid foundation for the comprehensive recovery of the northeast.

Two days later, when Jiang Ding's second army successfully returned to the outside of Shenyang, Cao Yanzhong's side had also completed the collection of Qing prisoners, and with these newly surrendered Qing troops as the vanguard, he immediately launched an attack on the remnants of the Qing army's fortifications outside Shenyang.

However, this does not mean that the Wu army has a solid chance of victory on the battlefield in Shenyang, Shenyang is a large city, and no matter how many artillery the Wu army has, there is no way to cover the whole city with artillery fire, and it is difficult to break the city by artillery bombardment. At the same time, there is a lot of grain and grass in the city of Shenyang, according to the intelligence analysis of the Wu army, just before the battle of Dashiqiao, the grain and grass in the city is enough to support the main force of the Qing and Russian coalition forces until the spring of the next year, after the battle of Dashiqiao, the number of troops of the Qing and Russian coalition forces has decreased sharply, and the time for the food in the city can be used is naturally longer, so if the Wu army wants to compete with the enemy in Shenyang for grain and grass consumption, it will only be themselves who will suffer.

In the battle for the outer barrier, the Qing-Russian coalition army not only rarely attacked to rescue the city strongholds, but also tried to recover the defeated soldiers outside the city as long as they had the opportunity, desperately preserving their strength to prepare for the city to fight, and at the same time, some of the puppet Manchurian magnates led by Devil Zi Liu also wantonly spread rumors in Shenyang that the Wu army would slaughter the city after breaking the city, in a vain attempt to intimidate and force the people in the city to support the Qing and Russian coalition forces to defend the city and fight against the Wu army for a long time.

"Prince Pseudo-Gong and the Rakshasa foreign devils are so desperate, the purpose is to drag out the war until winter, or drag it until our food and grass supply is unable to withdraw on their own, which is also their last hope to keep Shenyang."

Li Hongzhang pointed out the purpose and plan of the Qing and Russian coalition forces to the point, and then made a suggestion to Cao Yanzhong: "Attacking the city is the bottom, attacking the heart is the top, if we just blindly attack, the rebel army and the Rakshasa army in the city will definitely join hands to resist desperately, so that even if we can break the city, we will inevitably suffer huge casualties." The best way is to use both siege and attack, while trying to find a way to siege the city, while trying to find a way to contact the enemy leader in the city, or buy and surrender, prompting the enemy to surrender on his own initiative, or use scheming to discord, so that the rebel army and the Rakshasa foreign soldiers have a disagreement, internal discord and even mutual fire, so that if we want to break the city, it will definitely be a lot easier. ”

Cao Yanzhong accepted Li Hongzhang's suggestion without any consideration, and immediately secretly released a prisoner of war of the Qing army with enough weight, and asked him to sneak into the city with a letter of surrender to contact Chonghou, the chief general of the Qing army in Shenyang, and persuade Chonghou to take the initiative to open the city and surrender, and clearly pointed out to Chonghou that the Tsarist army would inevitably use the Qing army in Shenyang as cannon fodder, and would never take the lives of Qing soldiers as their lives in battle, and urged Chonghou to think about his compatriots and families and make a wise choice as soon as possible, and at the same time take the opportunity to drive a wedge between Chonghou and the Tsarist army.

On the other hand, in addition to using the Qing prisoners who had cut off the heads of the Russian soldiers and surrendered voluntarily to come forward and desperately encourage the Qing soldiers in the city to learn from them, so as to drive a wedge between the soldiers and pawns of the Qing-Russian coalition army, the Wu army also arranged for a British missionary to come forward and let him carry Cao Yanzhong's letter into the city to persuade the Tsarist minister Zhemeni and the acting commander of the Tsarist Russian army, Baranov, to lay down their arms and surrender in exchange for their lives and the opportunity to return home in the future.

Although the commander of the Qing army, Chonghou, did not give any reply to the surrender of the Wu army, and took the initiative to hand over the letter of surrender of the Wu army to the devil six to prove his loyalty, but he resolutely prevented the six devils from immediately executing the prisoner of war who sent the letter, and on the pretext that the prisoner of war was forced to deliver the letter and did not deserve to die, he kept the messenger sent by the Wu army, and quietly left a way out for himself.

In order to save their lives and gain time, after the British missionaries hired by the Wu army made contact with the Russian army, Remny and Baranov quickly expressed their willingness to negotiate with the Wu army, but the condition was that the Wu army suspended the siege of the city, and allowed them to freely contact the Russian governor of Eastern Siberia, Korsakov, to seek Korsakov's opinion. Although Cao Yanzhong rejected the conditions put forward by the Tsarist army and made it clear that he would only accept the unconditional surrender of the Tsarist army, he also took the opportunity to open up a communication channel with the Tsarist army.

At the same time, the Wu army also stepped up preparations for the attack on the Shenyang city wall, first filling in the multiple sections of moats outside the north gate of Shenyang, opening up the road ahead, building anti-artillery fortifications to cover the tunnels dug by the engineers, and constantly sending small units to harass the defenders of the city day and night, so that the enemy was not at peace at all times, and also took advantage of the advantage of the snipers of the army to constantly fire cold guns to sneak attack the enemy in the city, to hit the enemy's morale and lay the foundation for a full-scale attack. As a result, the morale and fighting spirit of the defenders of Shenyang were gradually eroded by the Wu army, and many people had no illusions that they could finally hold Shenyang City.

During this period, on the contrary, it was the regent of the puppet Manchurian State, Guizi Liu, who showed his tenacious will to fight with the Wu army to the end, and almost every day he had to climb the city wall to boost morale, use the puppet Manchurian forbidden army in his hands to suppress the wavering elements in the city, capture and kill the surrender envoys sent into the city by the Wu army, and also improved the treatment of the army, took out a large amount of gold and silver to reward the Qing army generals, and desperately encouraged the Qing army generals to resist the Wu army to the end. At the same time, Guizi Liu also adopted the suggestions of his subordinates and personally started the work of building the Moon City at the north gate of Shenyang, so that when the city wall was broken by the Wu army, he could continue to use the Moon City to resist the attack of the Wu army.

The reason why Devil Ziliu is dying and struggling like this is, of course, because he knows very well that once the city of Shenyang is broken, anyone may surrender to save his life, but he can't get this treatment - not to mention Su Shun's affairs, not to mention his performance in the Qixiang coup, just because he pulled Ci'an and Cixi to set up the puppet Manchukuo, the ruthless Wu Chaoyue would never be able to spare him - otherwise Wu Chaoyue would not be able to explain to the world!

It's a pity that these efforts of the devil six have not received much effect, although relying on the help of the ground listening, the Shenyang defenders did once discover and destroy a siege tunnel of the Wu army, but the other tunnels of the Wu army are still slowly but tenaciously advancing towards the city of Shenyang, and at the same time, his official vows and gold and silver rewards have not made many Qing soldiers willing to work for him to the end, not only the morale and fighting spirit are always low, and even among the civil and military officials of the puppet Manchu State, there is also a secret contact with the Wu army.

On the morning of the sixteenth day when Shenyang was surrounded by Wu Jun, his current most trusted henchman Jingtai suddenly came to report secretly, saying that he had discovered that the pseudo-alcohol prince Yiyun had also secretly sent people out of the city and went to the direction where the Wu army's camp was located, but it was a pity that Jingtai's secret agents were one step slower and failed to catch the person. Devil Six heard that it was like being struck by lightning, and he stood for a long time before sighing and said: "Lao Qi really can't help it, Wu Chaoyue is that traitor, who once saved his life of Zhengfu Jin Wanzhen, there is such a way, he really still uses it, and he uses it." ”

"Lord Wang, do you want to invite Lord Alcohol and ask him what he means in person?" Jingtai asked.

"What's the use of asking in person? didn't catch someone, will Lao Qi admit it? Devil Six asked with a wry smile, then shook his head and said: "Let him go, anyway, he is not in charge of the army, even if he has any different intentions, he can't open the city gate, just keep an eye on him secretly." ”

Jingtai reluctantly agreed, and reported some other circumstances before asking to leave, but the devil six didn't stay, waved his hand and sent him away, and continued to be in a daze on the chair alone, laughing miserably and muttering, "How did it become like this?" Why is this happening? This king is a nobleman in the sky, and he almost became the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, why did he fall to today? All the rebels and relatives left, and even my younger brother contacted the thieves behind my back, ready to surrender and save their lives? ”

Recalling the previous scenes, Devil Six found that the most wrong thing he had done in his life was that he should not have dragged Wu Chaoyue to Dagukou to negotiate, but he avoided the catastrophe in Dagukou, but he unexpectedly gave Wu Chaoyue a chance to enter the official career, and gradually raised Wu Chaoyue, a jackal! Viper! The devil has six hatreds, and he regrets it even more! I regret that I couldn't see through Wu Chaoyue's true face earlier, and strangled this wolf cub to death in the growth stage in advance! If there is a regret medicine in the world, Devil Six is willing to give everything he has to exchange!

There is no regret medicine in the world, and all the efforts of the devil six can't change the situation of the puppet Manchu court, and at noon that day, Chonghou suddenly sent someone to report, saying that he found that the Wu army had dispatched a large number of troops to protect the artillery team out of the camp and was killing towards the north gate of Shenyang. As a result, the devil Liu, who had carefully studied the combat habits of the Wu army, immediately understood that the time had finally come, and the Wu army was about to really attack the city.

Holding on to the last glimmer of hope, Devil Six led a group of guards to the north gate of Shenyang to boost the morale of the defenders, but in Shenyang City, Devil Six saw the noisy defenders, messy, shouting, and not at all calm. At the same time, Devil Six also saw with his own eyes the majestic military might of the Wu army, as well as the huge artillery team arranged in front of the formation, the black and swarthy muzzles were dense, and the prestige alone made people forget and be afraid.

Tsarist Russian envoy Rhemeni came to the side of Devil Six silently, only to look at the position of the Wu army in the distance, Repmeni couldn't help but stick out his tongue and lick his lips, and said to Devil Six: "Lord Gong, this pass is not easy today, look at the situation of Wu Chao's army, today they are ready to attack the city at all costs." ”

The devil was silent, and only after a while turned to Chonghou next to him and asked, "Listen to the ground, what did you find?" ”

"Nope." Chonghou replied truthfully: "But it is certain that as long as the sound of the cannon is disturbed, the Wu thief will definitely speed up the excavation at once until the tunnel is dug under the city wall." ”

Devil Six glanced back at the Moon City behind him, and his eyes were full of despair again, because although the Moon City he personally supervised and built was also close to completion, it was far less solid than spending a lot of money to build the Shenyang City Wall, and at most it could only temporarily resist the attack of the Wu army, and it would never be used for long-term reliance.

"Lord Wang, the artillery array of the Wu thief is almost completed, it is too dangerous here, please go back to the city to avoid the artillery." Chonghou opened his mouth to remind, and said: "Regarding this battle to defend the city, if the prince has any explanation, please give it now." ”

"There's nothing to explain, and I don't know how to fight, so I can only count on you." Devil Six sighed and shook his head, and said, "How to defend the city, you can do it, just report the situation to me at any time." ”

After that, Devil Six walked down the city, he was young, his steps couldn't help but stumble, Chonghou didn't send him, and the Russian minister Remini ignored him, although Devil Six still had his henchman Jingtai and some guards to follow, Devil Six's heart felt extremely lonely.

After going down to the city, the sedan chair didn't go far, and there was an earth-shattering sound of cannon roaring behind him, some cannonballs crossed the city wall and blasted directly into the city, one of which happened to fall to the left of the devil six and exploded, erupting shrapnel and flames, Jingtai screamed and hurriedly drank the flat yellow dragon sedan chair that ordered the guards to protect the devil six, but the devil six sighed a long sigh and said weakly: "No need, life and death have a fate, wealth is in the sky, God really wants my life, you are useless to block it." ”

Bitter acid shells continue to fall into the city and explode, Shenyang City continues to catch fire, the streets in the city are also rapidly chaotic, the soldiers and people are either running to fight the fire, or helping the old and the young to flee to the south of the city, the streets are crowded, chaotic, Jingtai and other guards are forced to open the way with a horse whip, and use their bodies to protect the sedan chair of the devil six, but the devil six is sitting in the sedan chair, motionless, as if he has been stupid.

The artillery of the Wu army began to bombard at about two o'clock in the afternoon, and it did not stop until it was slightly dark, but this did not mean that the Wu army had given up the siege, on the contrary, Chonghou also sent someone to report, saying that the Wu army was seizing the time to eat dry food to prepare for the night battle, and it was very likely that the Wu army would attack all night tonight. Devil Six was not surprised when he heard this, waved his hand and let the messenger leave, and then instructed the butler: "Serve dinner, bring the best food and the best wine in the house." ”

"Lord Wang, in this situation, you don't seem to be able to drink bars?" The butler cautiously reminded.

Devil Six smiled, laughed extremely bitterly, and said, "What's the use of not drinking?" If this king doesn't drink tonight, Wu thief won't fight Shengjing City? If this king doesn't drink, he can make the generals in the army unite and desperately protect Shengjing City? If this king doesn't drink, he can let the Rakshasa foreign devil not have to secretly contact Wu thieves, and fight to the last soldier in order to protect this king? Come on, this may be the king's last supper. ”

Seeing that Devil Six said miserably, the housekeeper didn't dare to insist on stopping it, so he could only quickly act obediently and obediently, and brought the best wine and food in the house to Devil Six, and Devil Six knocked on Erlang's leg, while taking a sip of wine, while slowly tasting the food, his expression was indifferent, as if all his thoughts had been used to enjoy eating and drinking.

"Boom ————!"

The expected shocking loud noise came, and then the Wu army's artillery team, which had been quiet for a while, suddenly exploded again, bombarding countless shells towards the north gate of Shenyang, even if it was a few miles away, Devil Six could hear it clearly at home. As a result, after hearing these sounds, Devil Six's face was still not a little panicked, on the contrary, he showed some smiles, and said with a wry smile: "I know that the Wu thieves have been shooting all afternoon just to cover them digging tunnels, but they still can't stop it, they can't stop it." ”

After a while, his henchman Jingtai came to the front of Devil Six, and reported to Devil Six with a pale face that the city wall of the north gate of Shenyang was blown up by the Wu army with a width of no less than twenty zhang, but Jingtai's words were not finished, and there was a loud sound of unusual artillery in the north of the city again, Jingtai was shocked and exclaimed: "Why did it blow up again?" Didn't the thief Wu already blow up a hole? ”

"It's not surprising that the Wu thief is cunning, and he must be cunning." Devil Six's voice regained some confidence, and said: "In order to prevent the tunnels from being discovered and destroyed by us, Wu Thief dug two tunnels, maybe there is a third one. ”

"I don't know what the situation is." Jingtai muttered to himself, and then said to Devil Ziliu tremblingly: "Lord Wang, things have come to this point, if the Wu thief enters the city, and the Yuecheng side can't hold it, what should you do?" ”

Devil Six smiled, slowly took out a small medicine bottle that had been prepared long ago from his arms, and put it on the table for Jingtai to see, Jingtai was shocked, and quickly knelt down on Devil Liu's knees, and shouted with a crying voice: "Lord, you must not do this!" You are the last hope of our Manchurian country, you must not do this! ”

"The last hope?" The devil smiled bitterly and said dejectedly: "Hope is long gone, the Wu thief has surrounded Shengjing City to the ground, and this king has long had no way to go to heaven and no way to go to the ground." If you don't do this, do you want me to be humiliated by the Wu thief, like Bo Ye and Su Shun, and beheaded in public? ”

Jingtai cried out loud in despair, and the devil six said slowly: "Jingtai, please do something, if I leave, you must live, no matter what way you want to live, and then find a way to go to Heilongjiang, go to see my son Zaicheng, tell him for me, tell him to live, no matter what way he wants to live, leave me a little blood." ”

Jingtai cried even more sadly, kowtowing to Devil Six repeatedly, but Devil Six remained motionless, patiently waiting for the last moment to come. As expected, just half an hour later, there was a report from the guards outside the door, saying that the Wu army had entered the northern city of Shenyang, and the Qing troops in the northern city surrendered one after another, and the Russian army quickly withdrew to the Russian legation. Devil Six smiled bitterly when he heard this, and said: "Look at the Moon City, I hope that the wall of the Moon City can allow this king to live for a while longer." ”

It's still a pity, as the gunfire gets closer and closer and the moon is getting denser, less than an hour has passed, and there is an urgent report outside the door, saying that the defenders of Yuecheng have been defeated by the Wu army, and the soldiers have surrendered countless times. Devil Six shook his head again and sighed when he heard this, and said: "As expected, it is still unexpected, the rabble that has been pulled together cannot stop the army of tigers and wolves." ”

"Lord, why don't we go to the Rakshasa Legation." Jingtai wiped his tears and said: "Go there and discuss with the Rakshasa minister, and see if you can let the Rakshasa army protect you to break through the chaos and escape to Heilongjiang?" ”

"It's useless, they have already had countless secret dealings with Wu thieves." Devil Six continued to shake his head and said, "This king is going now, it's just to give them one more bargaining chip with the Wu thief." ”

The gunshots were getting closer and closer, and the expressions on Devil Six's face were getting more and more desperate, and finally, after hearing the gunshots coming from the nearby street, Devil Six slowly stretched out his hand, picked up the small medicine bottle that had been placed on the table before, and uncorked it, and said to Jingtai his last words in the world, saying: "Remember, you must bring the words to my son, so that he must live, please." Also, if you want, you can cut off my head and take it to ask for merit from the thief. ”

After that, the devil swallowed the bottle of poison in one mouthful, calmly waiting for the drug to attack, and blood gradually oozed from his mouth, nose, eyes and ears.