Chapter 214: Don’t shoot, we’re the same people?

Leave in the morning and arrive in the evening.

Late at night in the Kingdom of Kazembe, a pale moon hung in the sky, bringing a faint light that illuminated an open space in the dense forest two kilometers away from the royal capital.

"The troops will rest for three hours first. The men and horses are exhausted after a day's march. Feed the horses with enough fodder. Three hours later, we will march towards the capital of Kazenbe and launch the attack as soon as daybreak arrives."

"Yes, Captain!"

"There are a lot of mosquitoes in the wild, and the ground is humid. I think we should get everyone to gather in one tent as much as possible to keep warm." said the battalion staff officer.

"Well, let them close the account!"

After a day's journey, the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Battalion in East Africa were already exhausted both physically and mentally. They simply put up a rainproof cloth and set up a simple tent.

They found some dry firewood and withered grass, threw them on the ground, and then they gathered together and fell into a deep sleep.

The groom couldn't sleep yet. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the battle the next day, he lit a special outdoor mosquito coil, opened the mat, sat down and started to wrap horse grass, putting a handful of corn and soybeans in each section and then stuffing them into the horse's mouth.

…

Battalion Staff Officer Rawls took out his pocket watch from his inner pocket and checked the time. It was already 3:25 and it was still dark. He woke up the sleeping battalion commander beside him.

"Andrew, wake up, it's time to act!"

Andrew rubbed his sleepy eyes and yawned.

"Rolls, what time is it?"

"It's 3:25 East African time."

"It's a little later here than in the first town, so the sun should also appear a little later. Let's control our marching speed. I think we should add 20 minutes to our schedule and arrive at the center of Kazembe Kingdom before daybreak."

"No problem. Wake them up now. It will help them sober up on the way."

The kitchen staff had already cooked hot porridge in a camp pot, adding dried chilies, bacon and unknown wild vegetables.

The temperature in Africa dropped sharply at night. The soldiers' bodies were cold after a night of torture. They drank a mouthful of hot porridge listlessly, and instantly a warm feeling surged into their hearts.

"It would be better if there was no chili! It's too spicy, ha...hiss..."

"I feel pretty good. There's a spicy taste in my mouth, and I feel a lot more energetic instantly. It's like I can feel my whole body coming alive again."

…

Leaving the grooms and the kitchen staff to rest here, the First Cavalry Battalion of East Africa set out lightly. Two kilometers is four miles, which is not too far. Leading their horses, they slowly headed towards the capital of Kazembe under the meager moonlight.

"Report to the battalion commander, the capital of the Kingdom of Kazembe is about 500 meters ahead!" the scout came back and reported.

In the era without lights, Kazembe, the capital of the African kingdom, was also integrated into the darkness and was indeed difficult to spot without careful observation.

Rawls took out his pocket watch and checked the time in the moonlight.

"Four nineteen."

"Get ready for battle! Make the final technical adjustments now, check the horses and guns, and launch the attack in eleven minutes." Andre ordered.

Half past four.

"Everyone get on your horses, get ready!"

"attack!"

At half past four, a ray of light was already rising from the eastern horizon, but the people of Kazembe were still asleep.

Working at sunrise and resting at sunset is the portrayal of East Africans, but it is a bit difficult for the natives. Most of them will not get up until the sun is high in the sky.

Waking up so early, to count the stars and watch the moon? Even if the sun was rising, there were no fields to look after, so I would just go back to sleep.

"Boom..." The sound of horse hooves suddenly arose.

"Enemy attack?"

The East African cavalry had passed through the block and were heading straight for the royal city. The so-called royal city had a low stone wall. Andrew fired a shot at the guard at the stone wall fence.

The Kazembe guards began to panic. They shouted, "The Portuguese are coming! The Portuguese are rioting!"

The civilians of Kazembe hid in their huts and dared not go out. They had seen the power of muskets, and most of the Portuguese caravans carried these things.

"Mr. Santos! Something terrible has happened. A riot has broken out in the capital of Kazembe." A younger brother came hurriedly to report the news.

Santos was getting dressed.

"Do you know which force did this?"

"It's not clear yet, but I heard the Kazembe people shouting that it was our own people's actions."

"One of our own?"

"Yes, they say it was the Portuguese who started the riot."

Santos said with embarrassment: "How can they act on their own without informing us of such a large-scale operation? Do they not regard us as their own people?"

"Mr. Santos, we are new here after all. Could this be the same as the previous plan?" the subordinate said uncertainly.

"Bullshit! It's not that difficult to beat up a native. It would be nice if they informed us. They didn't even inform us. I think they just want to take it all for themselves!"

"Mr. Santos, what do we do next?"

"They want to take it all for themselves, but we can't let them succeed. Otherwise, when the time comes to divide the spoils, they will definitely kick us out in advance."

Santos put his hands behind his back, paced around, and said, "Gather our people. They want to take it all for themselves, but we have to get involved. When the time comes to divide the Kingdom of Kazembe, we can't be left out."

"Yes, Boss."

Soon, Santos's men had gathered more than eighty guns.

"Brothers, today is the day to make a fortune. Follow me for the benefit of the Kingdom of Kazembe!"

…

At this time, Andrew and others had already attacked the palace, and poor King Kazembe was held in Andrew's hands like a chicken.

“Bang, bang, bang…”

"What's going on? Why are the gunshots suddenly getting more frequent?" Rawls asked.

A soldier suddenly rushed in: "Report to the battalion commander, an unknown armed force suddenly attacked us, and our people have already engaged them!"

"How many enemies are there?"

"There are about a hundred of them, and they are well-armed. They are probably not natives of the Kingdom of Kazembe."

"You are so bold! Give me your order to wipe out this group of enemies and capture their leader alive. I want to see who is so bold that he dares to attack my army with only a hundred people."

"yes."

…

"Assholes! Why are they firing at us? Are they trying to rob us?"

Because it was still dark, he couldn't see clearly what was going on inside the city. Santos fired back while shouting, "Brothers, they're our own people? Don't shoot!"

"What bird language are you speaking?"

"He's just a native anyway, who cares what he says! If he dares to come to support us, he must be the elite troops of the Kingdom of Kazembe. We just need to beat him hard and that's it."

The only response to Santos was the endless sound of gunfire. Seeing his brothers falling one by one around him, he became completely furious. These were all his capital!

"Devil? I'm going to fight you!"

Santos left the bunker, picked up the gun and was about to aim, but "bang", he was hit in the right leg and fell to the ground in pain.

"ah!"

The battle became one-sided, and soon daybreak came, and the East African cavalry began to clean up the battlefield.

The dusty Santos was driven to Battalion Commander Andrew.

"Report to the battalion commander, this man is their leader."

Santos looked at the familiar Prussian uniform, and a mixed feeling came over him. He babbled, "Fake, haha, all fake, Prussian barbarians, friendly forces, eating alone, I am a joke..."

Andre squatted on the ground and patted Santos' face: "What's your name? Which force do you belong to? Who assigned you here?"

Santos' eyes were dazed, and he kept repeating: "Fake, barbarians, friendly forces..."

Poor Santos is crazy.

(End of this chapter)