Chapter 39 Loyal and Righteous People
Chapter 39 Loyal and Righteous People
Two hundred and sixty soldiers, lined up in neat rows, boarded the sampans in an orderly manner from the dock.
Except for Le Xiucai who brought more than 30 logistics soldiers to guard the house, all of Shao Quanzhong's men were dispatched.
More than a month ago, the thirty sampans ordered from Wen Fu Ji arrived.
Each sampan can carry fourteen people, and there is still plenty of space when all these soldiers are on board.
The sampan carried a few days' worth of military rations and black powder explosive packs. This time they were going to attack the city, and without cannons, they could only bring these backward things to attack the city.
This month, the soldiers have undergone intensive crash training, with each person firing five bullets a day. Now, each person has fired 150 bullets.
This is an astonishing number, three times the amount of ammunition used by the French army in training in a year and twenty-five times the amount of ammunition used by the Russians in a year.
During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, more than 100,000 Japanese invaders invaded from the Joseon Dynasty, and they won by firing only eight bullets per person on average.
Training with a rifle is much easier than with a pistol. For example, in modern college students' military training, those who have never shot a gun will undergo a one-month training session. During normal times, they will only practice aiming. In the end, each of them will shoot ten bullets at the target, and many of them will score more than 85 rings.
As a result of the enhanced deluxe training, the soldiers were full of confidence, and each of them was eager to try and perform hard in the second battle of the Shao family army.
The sampan sailed south along the Jichuan River, and two hours later, it had arrived at Kouanpu. Here was the Qing Dynasty's Port Inspection Office, and the Yangtze River was not far ahead.
"Bang! Boom!"
Suddenly, gunshots were heard from the west bank of the Jichuan River, and Shao Quanzhong immediately became alert.
Previously, when he suppressed bandits, he always used guns to fight against swords and spears. This was the first time he heard gunshots.
What happened? As far as I can remember, Tongzhou, Taizhou, and Yangzhou were all safe and sound during this period, and no large-scale battles took place.
Although the gunshot had nothing to do with him, Shao Quanzhong still ordered, "Dock, Brother Tian, take some people to investigate."
Those who had guns were either foreigners, Qing soldiers or the Taiping Army.
If they were Qing soldiers and foreigners, it would be fine, but now they are friendly forces.
If the Taiping Army really reached here, I could go to Qiweizi to vent my parents' anger and steal money at the same time. But it would be very bad if my way back was cut off.
The sampan docked, and Tian Xing and a few of his disciples jumped out and came back in a moment.
"It was the bandits who were robbing the escort agency's escort vehicles."
Bandits! Shao Quanzhong pondered for a moment, "We are government troops. Since we have encountered bandits, we cannot ignore them. Let's get off the boat. Song Laosan, take your men to wipe out this group of bandits."
Song Laosan was extremely excited. He waved his hand and led the soldiers off the boat. They lined up, held guns, and ran towards the place where the gunshots were heard, led by Tian Xing.
During this month's training, Shao Quanzhong reorganized the two companies of the right battalion. Based on their shooting results, he selected ninety people and formed a quick-gun company led by Song Laosan.
Lin Bozai was promoted to company commander and led the rest of the people.
This reorganization was temporary, just to give full play to the power of quick guns so as to exert maximum combat power when fighting Qiweizi. Anyway, the reorganization would be expanded soon, and the organization of the right battalion would not exist for long.
Shao Quanzhong and his personal soldiers also went ashore and slowly walked towards the place where the gunshots came from.
Suddenly, there was a burst of gunfire, probably from Song Lao San, and then it soon became silent.
When Shao Quanzhong arrived at the scene, the battle was over. Song Laosan won the first battle and came over to salute. "Report to the commander, more than 30 bandits have been killed. This battle is a great victory."
Ahem, you have ninety rifles and you are fighting against more than thirty guys with muskets in a head-on battle. How dare you be so excited about winning?
Forget it, after all, it was Song Lao San’s first time leading a team to fight, so Shao Quanzhong still praised him.
Lord Qiao's memorial to form the Huai Army has been successfully approved. Shao Quanzhong is now the commander of the Huai Army. Well, he is currently the commander with the fewest soldiers under his command in our Qing Dynasty.
Song Laosan's men cleaned up the battlefield under the supervision of the military police.
There were more than thirty bandits, but only a dozen of them had matchlock rifles, and half of them were armed with swords and spears.
A short escort staggered over with two of his men, his left shoulder shot and bleeding. Seeing the big banner with the word "loyalty" held by Shao Quanzhong's personal soldiers behind him, he knew that the leader was the officer who had saved him, and he knelt down, "Thank you for your help, sir."
"Get up, get up. It is our duty to suppress the bandits. Siwen, go and bandage him."
Zhang Siwen stepped forward and helped the short escort to bandage his shoulder to stop the bleeding. The lead from the matchlock rifle embedded in his shoulder would have to be removed by a doctor later.
Shao Quanzhong looked up at the escort vehicle not far away. There was a big flag on the vehicle that read "Tongwei Escort Agency". He knew that this was a business in Tongzhou.
Around the escort vehicle, there were a dozen escorts lying, holding swords and guns in their hands, and some were holding bows and arrows.
Shao Quanzhong shook his head and sighed, the escort agency was lagging behind, it was time to equip itself with muskets, otherwise they would not be able to survive in the future.
However, there are not many bandits with matchlock guns. "Master, do you know where this group of bandits came from?"
“Reporting to the Lord, they are subordinates of Hou Batian, the salt lord of Guazhou, and they call themselves the Taiping Army.
It is said that the Grand Marshal of the Two Rivers and Two Lakes Army wants to requisition the escort I provide. If I don’t give it to you, you are a Qing demon—ahem, a running dog of the Qing Dynasty.”
"Okay, go down—"
"Wait!"
Tian Xing, who had rushed to Shao Quanzhong's side, suddenly put his hands behind his back and circled around the short escort, "Wang Siguizi, do you still recognize me?"
The short escort looked at Tian Xing carefully, and suddenly fell to his knees again, "Uncle Tian! It turned out that it was your people who saved me."
Tian Xing laughed loudly and pulled Wang Siguizi up, "I am also a subordinate of Lord Shao, and it was Lord Shao who saved you.
Wang Si, I heard that you were chosen by a nobleman and became the governor's bodyguard. Why are you serving as a bodyguard again? "
"Oh, don't mention it. Governor Zhou is unreliable. He led 200 of us to attack the Taiping army of 10,000. I had to risk my life to rescue him.
Now Governor Zhou has passed away in the military camp, so I had no choice but to return to Tongzhou to find a master and resume my old trade. "
"With your skills, it's a waste to be an escort. Now that so many escorts have died, the compensation will be enough to make the Tongwei Escort Agency pay a lot. This escort trip is a sure loss.
Stop being a bodyguard, there's no future for you, come work with me!"
"My nephew is willing to follow Uncle Tian!"
Tian Xing turned around and explained to Shao Quanzhong, "I have some friendship with this kid's master, Wang Juxian, a famous martial arts master from Tongzhou.
Wang Si inherited his master's true skills and was an expert in martial arts. He once fought against the most powerful guard of Zhou Tianjue, the then Governor of Grand Canal Transport, and killed him on the spot.
Zhou Tianjue not only did not blame him, but also accepted him as a personal bodyguard. This is a capable and loyal man. It's a pity for him to be an escort. It's no problem for him to be a platoon leader in my troop."
Shao Quanzhong looked at Wang Siguizi with a smile, "Okay, come and work hard. If you make contributions, I will promote you to be the captain of the troop."
With Brother Tian's status, it is impossible for him to always be a district captain. When the Huai Army expands, there must be a "Star" battalion.
"Thank you for your kindness, sir. I will report to you as soon as I finish this escort mission. I am willing to die for you, sir!"
Well, this is Tian Xing’s team, you don’t need to snatch it away.
The Zhongzi Battalion boarded the ship and continued their march. They camped once in the middle and landed in Jingjiang the next morning. Not far away was their destination, Qiweizi.
Liu Erguaizi from Qiweizi was too tactless to dare to accept protection money from Shao Ye's parents. He is doomed. He was patient at that time, but now it is time to settle the score.
Suddenly they heard shouting and killing ahead. Tian Xing returned with two members of the scouting team, looking strange.
"Second brother, there are more than 400 people attacking Qiweizi ahead. It seems we are too late——"
(End of this chapter)