Chapter 262 Upgrading Weapons
Jiang Yongkang knew that his men were all native brothers. Although they were brave, they lacked wisdom. Fortunately, they were loyal and obeyed orders. Therefore, he tried his best to use wits rather than physical combat along the way.
Twenty thousand people left Qianzhou Prefecture, and only 13,000 or 14,000 are left. The loss is not serious.
Looking at the tall fortress in front of him, Jiang Yongkang had a premonition that his brothers would have to sacrifice themselves in this siege.
But at the same time, he was also curious. It was agreed that the armies on both sides would approach the center at the same time, so where did Zhu Kui go?
Xiangshui Prefecture is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it is the last elite force of the Li Kings. Therefore, they have made sufficient preparations on the city wall, with a thousand archers on standby at any time to shoot any living creature that approaches.
This time I met a tough guy.
Jiang Yongkang had no choice but to order the entire army to set up camp first and wait for Zhu Kui's men to join them before attacking the city together.
Among the native representatives there was a young man named Atao, who seemed to be the nephew of an elder. He was quite respected in the team.
He followed Jiang Yongkang all the way, and after seeing how the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture fought, he admired Jiang Yongkang even more.
So he asked Jiang Yongkang: "General, we were so aggressive before, why are we waiting for the people from the Great Zhou Dynasty now? We still have more than 10,000 brothers left, and none of them are afraid of death. Why don't we charge him first!"
Jiang Yongkang shook his head and handed the telescope to A Tao, "Just take a look at the situation in their city."
A Tao was flattered and even wiped his hands reverently before carefully picking up the legendary magical tool that could see a hundred miles away.
"Xiangshui Prefecture is now an impenetrable fortress. The people of the two Li kings are ready to fight to the death here. If we attack by force, we will be vying for the advantage of the fishermen."
Although A Tao was still learning Chinese, he understood this sentence, which was that the people of Jinzhou Prefecture and Xiangshui Prefecture could not fight fiercely while letting the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty take advantage.
Ah Tao looked at the clear view in the telescope and was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground. "This magical object can actually see so far!"
Jiang Yongkang pulled back the telescope and frowned, saying, "Be careful, this thing hasn't been mass-produced yet. Only a few people in the world have it!"
Even though A Tao was scolded, he was not angry. Instead, he touched his head and smiled innocently.
After a while, he came closer and said, "Didn't we agree to meet here and attack Xiangshui Prefecture together? Why is Zhu Kui nowhere to be seen? Could it be that he can't defeat the refugees under the command of the two Li kings?"
"That's not the case. He has tens of thousands of troops under his command. Fighting the bandits is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. It doesn't matter. Since we arrived first, we can wait a few more days."
Jiang Yongkang was actually a little puzzled. According to common sense, Zhu Kui had tens of thousands of men under his command, and his place was not far from Xiangshui Prefecture, only 700 miles away. Even if he wanted to wipe out the bandits on the way, he should have arrived here long ago.
Could it be that he was delayed on the way?
"Wait?" Ah Tao didn't want to wait. He was young and impatient, so he couldn't wait any longer. "If you give me another 30,000 troops, I'll immediately flatten this Xiangshui Prefecture and catch Zhu Kui and his men in a trap. They'll never come back!"
"Jinzhou Prefecture is surrounded by enemies on all sides, so how can we spare any troops?" Jiang Yongkang was a little dazed. "If the thermal weapons she mentioned could be developed quickly, it would be easy for us to attack Xiangshui Prefecture."
"Hot weapons?" Ah Tao didn't understand. "What are hot weapons?"
Another local soldier from Qianzhou Prefecture sat down on the ground and boasted with a grin, "Hot weapons, they're just weapons. You don't know, but when I was serving in the Jinzhou Prefecture, I heard they were developing an incredible weapon. The people from the research institute were heavily guarded, and you couldn't see a single person. All you could hear was them shaking the mountains in the back all day long. The sound was terrifying! It was said that they had even punched through the mountain!"
"The mountain was pierced?!" Ah Tao was shocked. "Then... what kind of weapon is that?"
"They said they were talking about firearms. We don't know the details. The area behind the mountain is a military restricted area. Outsiders are not allowed to approach." As if realizing that he had said too much, the man laughed and said, "Alright, alright, stop asking. Even if the weapons are good, they haven't been developed yet. Right now, this battle still depends on us flesh and blood!"
"That's true."
Everyone said this, but they were still itching to try it out. They were still very curious about the weapon that could penetrate the mountains.
It would be great if I could see it with my own eyes.
It is said that if one can penetrate a mountain, then wouldn’t it be easy to penetrate a city wall?
Why would we fight wars in the future? We can just take the weapons to the battlefield and blast open a place when we get there. Wouldn't that be easier?
Everyone was still lost in thought when a signalman from the rear reported, "Minister Jiang, there's a small army of over a hundred men approaching from behind our lines. Judging by their uniforms, they look like soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture!"
Everyone was immediately delighted when they heard this: "Have the reinforcements from Jinzhou Prefecture arrived?"
Jiang Yongkang knew that Xu Zhenying was surrounded by enemies and he probably couldn't spare any extra manpower, not to mention that there were only a hundred or so reinforcements.
"Are you sure it's ours?"
The signalman hesitated. "We've used binoculars to scout. They're wearing clothing typical of Jinzhou Prefecture, and their hair is black. But I spent six months in the Jinzhou Prefecture military camp, and I know most of the people there. But this time, they're all strangers. Minister Jiang, should we approach them and arrest them for questioning?"
"What are you interrogating? We are from the Jinzhou Prefecture Research Institute!" Jiang Yongkang said with a shocking voice and a hearty laugh. He turned his head and saw a very familiar face.
For some reason, Jiang Yongkang had never seen anyone so happy before: "Luo Qingzhou?! Why are you here?"
The other resting soldiers all stood up and looked at Luo Qingzhou.
There are not many people who can be treated differently and sincerely welcomed by Minister Jiang.
Minister Jiang is usually cold to people, and is even more ruthless during training. He is nicknamed the "Dog Days Terminator". It is rare to see him being so polite and friendly to someone.
This person must be someone important!
Seeing Jiang Yongkang's gaze looking straight back, Luo Qingzhou said, "Don't look, there's nothing to see. You don't only welcome my things, but not me, do you?"
Jiang Yongkang immediately laughed and said, "What are you talking about! Your presence means that there must be good things coming, am I right? It can't be--"
Jiang Yongkang's expression changed slightly, and his voice lowered a few degrees, with a perceptible nervousness, "Could it be that they have developed that thing?"
A Tao beside him started to make a fuss: "Minister Jiang, who is this person?"
A Jinzhou Prefecture soldier had already recognized Luo Qingzhou and explained with a smile, "This man is the most popular person in Jinzhou Prefecture and the God of Wealth of our Jinzhou!"
Good job.
Everyone gasped. They really couldn't believe how such a young appearance could have such a big title?
"I don't deserve to be called the God of Wealth. It's all thanks to the City Lord."
"Don't be fooled by his modesty. He's the director of a research institute specializing in research. The pencils we use and the cement roads we've built are all made by his institute. It's incredible!"
Ah Tao grasped the key point immediately. His Chinese was not fluent, but it did not stop him from singing and dancing: "It's the research institute that studies some kind of thermal weapons?!"
It seems that Atao is obsessed with the mysterious weapon that can penetrate the mountains.
When the other soldiers heard this, their eyes changed when they looked at Luo Qingzhou.
Even many people's eyes lit up!
Research Institute? Hot Weapons?
Facing the crowd's interested, even eager, gazes, Luo Qingzhou couldn't resist and said directly, "The city lord knows that the battle here is intense, and he also knows that you will suffer losses if you attack from the south. In order to protect our people, he specially asked us to send the small cannon overnight. Hey, hey, hey, this is still a trial product, be careful!"
Before Luo Qingzhou could finish his words, Jiang Yongkang walked past him and went straight behind him.
The other soldiers also rushed over excitedly like monkeys.
Luo Qingzhou was instantly ignored.
He smiled awkwardly: "Ha, my donkey was killed too quickly, wasn't it?"
"Is that a firearm?" The soldiers on both sides of the mountain road stretched their necks to look down, and some even climbed up the trees directly.
Someone corrected him: "It's not a hot weapon, it's a firearm! A huge firearm!"
On the narrow official road, dozens of people were pushing a pitch-black iron bucket-shaped object towards them.
Jiang Yongkang ordered impatiently: "Go, go and help!"
Ah Tao patted his chest excitedly: "I'll go! I'll go!"
"I'm going too!"
"Let's go, let's go see the legendary weapon that can penetrate mountains!"
The thing was pitch black, sheathed in fine iron, giving it a mysterious and cold feel. Four small discs underneath were used for weight and transportation. The cannon was as wide as a buttock, with a rear compartment for loading gunpowder. The barrel was about two or three meters long and weighed a thousand pounds. With a muzzle-loading chamber and an extended barrel, it looked incredibly impressive.
The soldiers couldn't help but touch it, but were stopped by Jiang Yongkang.
Luo Qingzhou, who had slowly followed, said, "We've been experimenting with this for a long time, and it's the only one with relatively stable performance. The city lord felt sorry for you, so he asked us to send this cannon over overnight!"
"Dean Luo, what's the name of this thing?" Ah Tao was so excited that he couldn't express it in words. "Why is it called a cannon, then a small cannon, and then a big cannon? I think it should be given a majestic name!"
"Dean Luo, can this guy really break through the mountain?"
"The reason why the mountain behind us often shakes is because of it, right?"
"Dean Luo, can we each have one in the future? With this thing, wouldn't it be easy for us to conquer cities and territories?"
"If this continues, won't we soon be able to take over the entire Great Zhou Dynasty?!"
Luo Qingzhou interrupted everyone's sweet dreams at the right moment: "One for everyone? Do you know how expensive this thing is? Just the ironware, ammunition, manpower required to make it, plus transportation and storage, this thing is a money-eating beast. How much it weighs is how much gold it cost!"
The soldiers gasped, their excitement instantly extinguished.
Yes, if everyone has one, then what’s the point of fighting a war?
If this firearm is directly pulled onto the battlefield, who wouldn't immediately kneel down and beg for mercy?
But A Tao was not moved at all. Instead, he looked at Jiang Yongkang excitedly: "Minister Jiang, do we need to use this big guy to attack Xiangshui Prefecture this time? Can I fire the first shot?"
Jiang Yongkang rolled his eyes at him, then said mercilessly, "No."
"Why?"
Jiang Yongkang smiled coldly, then rolled up his sleeves, "Because I also want to be the first to fire. Any other questions?"
The soldiers laughed and shook their heads.
Okay, who dares to argue with Jiang Yongkang?
If it doesn’t work this time, there’s always next time. There’s always a chance to succeed next time!
Just thinking about it made the soldiers rub their hands with excitement!
City Lord, when will we be able to have soldiers and cannons? Can you make more money and meet everyone's needs as soon as possible?
It was obvious that the movements of the rebels in Jinzhou Prefecture could not escape the eyes of the Li Kings of Xiangshui Prefecture.
They were in a high position with a clear view, and soon they saw hundreds of people pushing something as big as an iron barrel. The iron barrel was dark and looked like a big eye, pointing at their city wall.
The man guarding the city was a capable general under the command of the two Li Wangs, whose surname was Wang and everyone under him called him General Wang.
At this moment, he looked at the terrifying iron mouth in the distance, and then he laughed while holding his stomach. He couldn't help laughing and said to the people around him: "My God, these rebels are really interesting. What are they going to do with this iron tool? Are they going to cast a spell?"
The people around him also came over to take a look, with a look of contempt on their faces: "These young bandits are really unusual. Not to mention the short hair, but both men and women wear pants, no manners at all. They are indeed the unruly people from the remote countryside, even worse than us bandits! What are they trying to do now?"
Another person said, "General Wang, these Green-Headed Bandits cannot be underestimated. We were beaten all the way back to Xiangshui Prefecture, which shows that these people are really capable. General, don't underestimate the enemy!"
General Wang's heart trembled, the fear of being beaten so badly in recent days washed over him. Furthermore, they had suffered heavy losses this time, and the two Li princes had long been dissatisfied with him. If they lost Xiangshui Prefecture again, he was afraid that he would have no face to stand still.
He turned around and asked the guards beside him, his tone obviously more anxious: "When will the reinforcements for Prince Li arrive?"
"General, Little King Li's men have been held up by the soldiers of the Great Zhou court! They're already struggling to take care of themselves, and I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to come to our aid!"
General Wang's expression changed immediately.
The territory of the Li Kings occupied six states, and now he had lost one. Xiangshui Prefecture was the last barrier. In other words, if Xiangshui Prefecture was lost, he would die.
Or surrender to the enemy?
That won't work. He and the two Li Wangs are brothers from the same village. If he surrenders, his relatives are still in their hands.
Besides, the rebels in Jinzhou Prefecture only occupied two cities, which was a far cry from the power of the two Li kings. How could he possibly surrender to Xu Zhenying?
If you have to surrender, you should surrender to the imperial court.
Therefore, for General Wang, the only chance of survival is to fight to the death in Xiangshui Prefecture.
He didn't care about anything else. He just called on all the young and middle-aged people in the city to charge onto the city walls. He also issued a military order that anyone who dared to take a step back would be treated as a rebel and killed on the spot!
He also used the excuse of resisting rebels to lead people to go door to door to plunder food, weapons, silver, etc., part of which was used to resist Xu Zhenying's men, part of which was put into his own pocket, and the remaining small portion was distributed to his confidants.
This war is the best way to make money.
If he doesn't take the opportunity to reward himself, then why does he work so hard?
Therefore, the general was unaware that he had caused public resentment. Even if the people cursed him, it didn't matter. They were just a group of powerless people. They dared not curse him in front of him, nor did they dare to kill him with a knife. He even enjoyed the feeling of being feared.
Look, who would not obey if their life is threatened?
Even though they had obtained the most advanced firearms at the time, Jiang Yongkang and his men were still somewhat hesitant.
The soldiers gathered around the firearm, pointing and talking excitedly. Some soldiers who had studied in the intermediate class in Jinzhou Prefecture were even enthusiastically drawing anatomical diagrams with pencils, scratching their heads and faces, as if trying to recreate its design.
Many of the brothers from Qianzhou Prefecture had only just started the beginner's class. They only knew that firearms were amazing, but unlike the soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture, the first thing they thought about when they held a weapon was how it was made.
A Tao became anxious when he saw the soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture arguing with each other with their heads down about the manufacturing method of firearms.
He couldn't understand a word these people were saying!
It seems that this firearm is really not simple!
Just manufacturing it took a tremendous amount of effort, not to mention that it was filled with the legendary black powder. The extraction, storage and transportation of this gunpowder were all problems.
Not only that, they also have to train people to practice. According to Luo Qingzhou, they had learned a painful lesson before. A researcher blew off his arm due to improper operation.
Thinking about it this way, this firearm is really a money-eating beast!
A Tao was scratching his head. He used to hate dealing with Han people the most. When he was a child, he went to Shunyuan City with his father. The people there didn't look at them in the eye. They always said that they were barbarians who were dirty, smelly, and loved to steal.
A Tao can't stand this grievance!
The Han people look down on them, so why should they have to put their faces at the expense of the cold butt? How could they be so despicable!
But since Xu Zhenying's people came, it seems that the people in Shunyuan City are not so hateful anymore.
Last time, he followed the priest to the city to report on the tea work to the Lord, and saw many Han soldiers on the streets. Those Han soldiers were extremely warm and friendly when they saw them, and kept saying "Han and natives are one family", which made him feel embarrassed!
You still have to go out.
A Tao felt this way in his heart.
Only by going out can you see how this firearm was born, and only by going out can you see a wider world.
A Tao couldn't help but have endless fantasies about Jinzhou Prefecture.
"I can't draw it! I guess only Dean Luo can draw the design! Speaking of which, Dean Luo is now our Jinzhou Prefecture's greatest treasure, and we need to send more people to protect him. If Dean Luo is captured by the enemy, the secret of our firearms will be leaked!"
Luo Qingzhou smiled and said, "Don't worry, if I were captured by the enemy, I would bite my tongue and commit suicide immediately. I would not give the blueprint to anyone."
Jiang Yongkang said coldly, "If I catch you, I will definitely stuff a stinky sock into your mouth to prevent you from committing suicide. Then I will threaten you with your mother's life to see if you obey. What will you choose then?"
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