Chapter One Hundred and Ninety-ninth: Jianzhu wants to retreat, plagiarizing across the sea
One hundred meters... The Jianlu on the horse opened his bow and arrow, and was about to enter the killing range of the bow and arrow.
The light muskets opened fire, which was also their killing range. In order to deter Jianlu, they aimed at the center and hit the horses.
The war horse neighed and fell, throwing Officer Jianlu under the horse. The heavy impact made his whole body hurt and his head dizzy.
Before he could wake up and get up, a rider fell off his horse and hit him hard again.
The roar of muskets continued, and the light and heavy muskets fired lead bullets at the Jianlu cavalry in turns, as if they were continuous.
Blood sprayed and bloomed continuously in Jianlu's cavalry team. People screamed and horses screamed one after another.
The arrows were fired sparsely, causing casualties to the sword and shield wielders, but they were so slight that they could be ignored.
Boom, boom, boom...
The Hongyi cannon on the top of the city let out a roar that frightened Jianlu. The shells flew through the air, bounced on the ground, and hit Jianlu's cavalry.
This is the benefit of being well prepared. After many test firings, the artillery has been calibrated. As long as it is slightly adjusted, it can be fired and bombarded.
The shells plowed several bloody paths among the Jianlu cavalry, and the corpses of men and horses created an even greater obstacle and completely destroyed the momentum of the Jianlu cavalry's attack.
Sorno gritted his teeth, realizing that he had fallen into another enemy's trick.
Although it was only two hundred cavalry, it was not comparable to the losses in the tragic defeat just now, but being beaten up instead of venting his anger was a much heavier psychological blow.
Of course, he did not gain nothing. At least, he knew that the enemy had a powerful musket that surpassed bows and arrows in terms of range and power. There were also artillery on the city that could shoot farther and be more powerful.
The muskets roared again, and the Jianlu cavalry, which had been beaten to pieces, suffered another heavy blow. The remaining men and horses were no longer enough to pose a threat.
The battle ended quickly, and only about thirty horsemen turned their horses and fled.
Only less than ten knights could bravely rush to the small battle formation. What awaited them were dozens of sharp spears sticking out of the shield formation.
On the top of the city, Mao Wenlong put down his telescope and was in a good mood. He smiled and joked: "There is horsemeat to eat tonight!"
Li Weiluan stood by and said with a smile: "Horse meat hotpot is a good way to warm up the body and keep away the cold. It is suitable for eating in winter."
Mao Wenlong laughed heartily and felt extremely happy.
After laughing, Mao Wenlong asked: "The Xiyi musket is so sharp, how much does it cost?"
Li Weiluan smiled bitterly and said: "If the quantity purchased is small, it will cost eight taels of silver per stick. General Guo said that the average price of these fifteen hundred sticks is seven and a half taels."
The general next to him made a sound of air-conditioning, and Mao Wenlong also lowered his eyes and fell into thought.
One thousand five hundred heavy muskets and more than ten thousand taels of silver. It seems like a lot, but the effect is before our eyes. No matter how much it is, it is worth the heavy blow to Jianlu.
Not to mention anything else, just the estimate of the number of beheadings was less than a thousand. The reward silver was fifty thousand taels, and all the money invested was earned back.
Of course, fighting on the battlefield is not doing business, but in Guo Dajing's view, there are similarities with doing business in terms of input and output.
Mao Wenlong was not intimidated by the more than ten thousand taels of silver, but was admired and shocked by Guo Dajing's courage to invest so much.
There was also the red barbarian cannon, which made the Jianlu prisoners frightened. It can be said that it was a victory that accumulated money.
"The headquarters also needs heavy muskets. Let's get two thousand first!" When Mao Wenlong raised his eyes again, he had already made a decision and said with a smile: "We just have to wait a few months!"
Li Weiluan nodded and said: "It takes more than half a year to order, manufacture, and transport guns. Xiyi, well, they are Portuguese. They have a gun factory in Haojing, Guangdong. The sea route is thousands of miles away, so transportation is not easy.
"
After a pause, he added: "General Guo also hired Xiyi technicians and is trying to build it himself. According to him, it has been successful, but the output is very low. If you want large-scale equipment, you still have to buy it from Xiyi.
"
Mao Wenlong pondered, and then slowly said for a long time: "The craftsmen in Dongjiang Town can be transferred to him, and they can make them here and buy them there without delay. Although making them yourself is time-consuming and labor-intensive, it will be beneficial in the long run. Except for muskets
, and this Hongyi cannon, we must also try to make it."
With a wry smile, Mao Wenlong said helplessly: "We are already running out of money to buy muskets. Although the Hongyi cannon is good, we can't afford it!"
Li Weiluan and other generals sighed in their hearts, not to mention making guns and cannons, even the food and wages were cut off by the court, and the soldiers and civilians in Dongjiang Town were about to starve to death.
After opening his mouth, Li Weiluan still didn't say anything frustrating.
Doesn't it cost money to make your own guns and cannons? The iron materials have to be bought, the craftsmen have to be fed, and the Western technicians hired have to be paid.
Well, this matter is left to Guo Dajing, it depends on how hard he plans it. Anyway, even if it can't be made, no one will blame him.
As far as the current situation is concerned, buying is faster than making and can improve combat effectiveness.
If Dongjiang Town wants to develop, it must fight against the Jianlu and compete on land. The remote islands are safe, but their hands and feet are also restricted.
With two thousand heavy muskets, one thousand in conjunction with each other, a strong combat power can be formed, and the strength of Pidao headquarters can be maintained or even improved.
Mao Wenlong also liked the light musket equipped with a bayonet. It could be used for both long-range and melee combat. It completely made up for the shortcomings of the musket and had huge development potential. Unfortunately, with limited financial resources, he could only choose one first.
As for the Hongyi Cannon, it is even more distant, just talking about it and thinking about it in my heart.
Moreover, Mao Wenlong also saw that the Hongyi cannon was suitable for city defense or siege, but it had a shortcoming in field combat. It was too bulky and cumbersome to use.
"Commander." Kong Youde stepped forward and bowed to ask for instructions, "If Jianlu retreats, he will eventually lead a group of troops to take a boat to the Hongzui Fort area to intercept and kill them."
Mao Wenlong gently chinned his head, thought for a long time, and said: "Now it seems that Lushun Fort is impregnable and does not need too many men and horses to defend it. I give you three thousand men and horses to harass and intercept the captives layer by layer. You cannot fight forcefully."
"General, I will obey the order." Kong Youde looked happy and bowed down.
The original combat layout was on the side of stability in the defense of Fort Arthur, lest there be any mistakes.
However, after a fierce battle, generals such as Mao Wenlong and Li Weiluan became more confident and believed that it was a waste to garrison so many troops in the fort.
Kong Youde also noticed the changes in everyone's psychology, so he took the initiative to ask Ying to go out to fight. This was an opportunity to make achievements, and he would not make any achievements if he stayed in the fort.
As for the three thousand men and horses, Mao Wenlong also made calculations and confirmed that the current ships could load them and also carry some food and ammunition.
Moreover, Mao Wenlong also reminded and warned Kong Youde not to block the attack forcefully, but to adopt tactics of constant harassment and interception to kill and injure the retreating Jianlu.
If it was a normal retreat, Jianlu would definitely have to go through Shiheyi, Xiaoheishan, and Guo Dajing's headquarters. If they took Hongzui Fort instead, the blockade would definitely be successful, and Jianlu would have to be defeated and go another way.
Kong Youde also knew that his three thousand troops were definitely inferior to Guo Dajing's troops in terms of weapons and equipment.
But what is beneficial is to attack the defeated rebels who have suffered repeated setbacks. To put it bluntly, it is taking advantage.
Cheers continued to ring out outside the city, heads were picked up on spear points, and the joy of victory inspired the defenders.
The generals watched from the city, laughing happily and discussing their experiences in the battle.
Mao Wenlong listened with a smile, and occasionally added a few words, but his eyes were mostly focused on the outside of the city and the camp of the captives in the distance.
At this time, the setting sun reflected the sunset on the horizon as red as blood, and also covered the castle and the earth that had experienced wars as red as blood.
………………
The night fell, and the coast in the distance was pitch black, with not a single light visible.
The boat was swaying with the waves, but Guo Dajing stood upright, holding a night vision scope in his hand, watching the movements on the shore without relaxing his vigilance.
Landing ashore at night for a surprise attack also had certain difficulties for the ships and landing equipment at the time.
But difficulties can be overcome. In war, there is no such thing as smooth sailing. Risks must be taken, but the size must be weighed.
The coast was getting closer and closer, and under the moonlight, Guo Dajing could already see the beach and the tide rushing onto the beach.
Under the instructions of the sailor in front of the ship, the speed of the ship slowed down, and then with a slight pause, the ship raised its bow and rushed onto the beach.
The flat-top boats used for landing can dock on the beach relatively smoothly, and there are not many of them, so we must try our best to gain time.
Guo Dajing picked up his boots and jumped out of the boat barefoot. The cold water flowed over his feet, causing him to speed up his pace involuntarily.
Soon, there was no more sea water under his feet. He quickly dried his feet, put on his boots, straightened up, and took a deep breath.
As one of the first people to land, Guo Dajing was not trying to show off his abilities, but he was able to detect details that exceeded others.
"Send the signal!" Guo Dajing observed the surroundings and ordered to the captain Yang Mingli.
Yang Mingli agreed, took out a strange-looking thing, a cylinder with a handle, and lit the big candle inside.
The light is reflected from the mirror and emerges from the other end of the cylinder, drawing a circle toward the distant sea.
This is a simple version of the searchlight made by Guo Dajing, which can also be called a flashlight. It is smaller than the target of a fire and is more concealed.
Guo Dajing planned to make more to facilitate the troops' communication at night.
He even wanted to design a communication system similar to warship signal lights, which could transmit some simple commands and report some simple situations.
After seeing this light condensing device, Zhang Tao showed great interest and asked Guo Dajing about it. Guo Dajing did not hide his secrets and talked a lot about light signals.
Although it was very rough, it was innovation and invention in that era. Zhang Tao was greatly inspired and immediately devoted himself to research.
Guo Dajing said that he is a good person who likes to think. Although he will use a lot of mirrors, he decided to give the Navy as much help as possible.
The navy will play a great role, and may even play a decisive role. Guo Dajing really feels sorry for the current transportation.
The large ships parked on the sea received the signal and immediately released more small boats, carrying hundreds of elites and speeding towards the shore.
It can not only send signals, but also play a role in navigation. What Guo Dajing created is actually more like a lighthouse during ancient maritime navigation.
In fact, Guo Dajing mainly designed a communication device for the army. The speed of Kuai Ma Tong's message transmission already made him dissatisfied.
With telescopes, signal towers during the day and light signals at night, there are conditions for practical application.
The so-called signal tower is a relatively tall building on which various colored flags or simple lines are used to arrange and combine information.
For example, binary codes are just zeros and ones, but they can spell out twenty-six letters, Chinese characters, and even graphic symbols.
Others may find it novel, but after careful consideration, you will understand the huge role of this method of contact.
For example, if a trapped city wanted to communicate with the outside world in ancient times, the only way to communicate with the outside world was to use pre-agreed fire and smoke signals, or to send dead soldiers to break out of the siege.
The signals of fire and smoke are too simple, and the meaning conveyed is not very clear. Sending people to report the news will only narrowly escape death, and the success rate is too low.
But with the communication method of signal tower, let alone simple messages, it is no problem to write letters.
After occupying Jinzhou, they began to train observers and build signal towers to upgrade and speed up information transmission.
Guo Dajing stood on a high place, holding a scope and observing the movement in the direction of Shiheyi. More and more soldiers abandoned the ship and landed, gathering around him.
"Sir." Captain Yang Mingli came with several officers, bowed and asked for instructions: "The commando units have been assembled. Please give the order."
Guo Dajing put down his sight and looked back at the elite troops who had formed a formation and exuded a murderous aura in silence, and showed a proud smile.
"Let's set off according to the battle plan." Guo Dajing didn't say much. What needed to be said has been explained clearly, and it's all done now.
"Obey the order." The officers bowed to accept the order, returned to their respective posts, and led their men toward the Shiheyi Branch Road in the dark.
Five hundred versus two hundred, or a sudden night attack, and the terrain has been carefully observed, there is no doubt about victory. It just depends on whether the enemy can escape the net without sending any news to the outside world.
After taking Shiheyi, after dawn, the troops will land on the broad beach to the west of Shiheyi, seize Xiaoheishan, and set up blocking positions.
Time is of the essence. Guo Dajing's plan is to destroy the enemies in Shiheyi and then rush to Xiaoheishan to guard the road to the adjacent mountain.
According to estimates, it only takes one day for 9,000 troops, equipment and supplies to be landed and put into battle.
When the prisoners of Lushun Fort received the news, if they retreated along the same route, the distance of more than 200 miles would be enough to reach them in one day, even if they were riding fast.
In other words, Guo Dajing did not take it for granted, but reserved time for the enemy under the Lushun Fort to retreat in advance in case the enemy in Shiheyi escaped.
However, even Zhuge Liang is not a master of calculations, and Guo Dajing is not accurate in everything.
He did not expect that Jianlu suffered heavy losses in his first fierce attack at the foot of Lushun Fort. He actually lost the intention to fight again. After dawn, he had to break up camp and retreat in embarrassment.