June 21, in the twenty-seventh year of the Chongzhen reign.
When the Emperor learned that Shi Kefa had been tasked with defending Xuzhou, his feelings were complicated. In history, when Shi Kefa defended Yangzhou, the city fell to the Jiannu in just two days. Now that Shi Kefa was sent to defend Xuzhou, the Emperor remained unimpressed. However, this perfectly aligned with the Emperor's own plans.
(On April 18 of the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign, Dodo led his troops to the outskirts of Yangzhou. He spent time posturing and showing off his might to lure the city into surrender, while simultaneously constructing siege engines and waiting for heavy artillery. On April 24, Dodo began bombarding the walls of Yangzhou. On April 25, he ordered an all-out assault, capturing the city that very day.)
Chapter 1257