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"Hurry, hurry! Get out of the way!"
There was a commotion on the dock as another bloody and unconscious wounded man was placed on a stretcher. Two men lifted him up and ran towards the village.
The wounded soldier had just been sent back from the sea. Although he had received simple bandages, his life was still in danger without a doctor to look after him.
They were all brothers from the same gang, and the two men carrying the stretcher wished they could run faster so that they could send the patient to the hospital for treatment.
I rushed to the hospital in a hurry. As soon as I entered the door, a little girl shouted, "Be careful when you put it down, don't let him get hurt! Where is the alcohol? Get some more!"
There were two nurses standing next to her, their hands covered in blood, running over in a hurry to pick her up.
Kerosene burns, knife and gun wounds, and artillery shell injuries, each type must be sent to different wards, and doctors must be called according to the severity of the situation. These sorting tasks are all handled by nurses, and because they do it so often, they are all very skilled.
However, this scene can still shock people who see it for the first time. One man's mouth was so big that he almost choked himself.
Although I have long known that these women are taking care of the injured in the hospital and must have seen blood, this is not quite what I expected.
How dare they charge at me when I'm so badly injured and bleeding like this? Aren't nurses supposed to be serving people, bringing them soup and medicine? How could they be so bold?
Seeing them in a daze, He Ling immediately said, "Don't just stand there like an idiot. How many more injured are there?"
The man regained consciousness and said quickly, "There are about ten more seriously injured."
If the injury wasn't serious, he wouldn't be sent back to the camp. He Ling ignored the other party's nonsense and just said, "Hurry up and don't delay!"
Hearing this, the two men quickly ran out again. He Ling hurried to the ward nearby and said to Zhang Jimin who was busy working, "Doctor, there are still about ten people on the boat."
Zhang Jimin, sweating profusely, was carefully treating a patient's broken leg. Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but mutter, "Why are there so many? It never ends... Second son, quickly bring some alcohol!"
He said this to his apprentice. Zhang Er, who was standing by as an assistant, quickly took a piece of gauze soaked in alcohol and stuffed it into the wound on the severed limb that had just been sutured.
Probably because it was too painful, the patient who was biting the wooden stick struggled and screamed horribly, almost breaking free from the belt tied around his body.
Seeing the cotton gauze left behind to drain the pus, Zhang Jimin breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly raised his arm to wipe the sweat off his face and said to the nurse beside him, "Where is the next one? Take me there quickly!"
The young nurse's face turned pale and she was also frightened by the bloody scene.
However, even so, her movements were still agile. She immediately pulled open the curtain and led people out.
It was only at this moment that Zhang Jimin had time to take a look at the ward. It was really full of people inside and outside. There were so many injured people. Fortunately, he had help, otherwise he would not be able to handle it.
That’s right, some time ago, Gang Leader Cheng found two more doctors who were good at treating wounds and sent them to the island. So there is more than just Zhang Jimin in the hospital.
Moreover, these two people are specialized in treating wounds caused by gunshot wounds. They learned the "surgery" taught by Gang Leader Cheng much faster. Zhang Jimin was afraid that his position would be taken away by others, so he called his apprentice over as well.
However, all the precautions we took on a daily basis became a joke at this moment.
When it comes to curing illnesses and saving lives, what else is there to talk about? The more doctors, the better!
However, despite this, Zhang Jimin couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Why was the battle so brutal this time? What was the situation on the front line?
This question was also lingering in Lu Jian's mind. When he saw the messenger, he asked anxiously without waiting for the other party to speak, "Why didn't Gang Leader Cheng come back? Did he encounter any trouble?"
Even if the Ghost Scholar is formidable, he wouldn't have injured so many people in one go, right? I heard the hospitals are almost full, and the fleet has no intention of returning, but instead wants to reinforce its troops. Something's not right!
The man hurriedly said, "The war is still going on, and suddenly a group of government troops appeared. The leader asked me to ask, Master Lu, do you know the situation of the Doumen navy?"
"The navy sent troops? Impossible!" Lu Jian blurted out, and then his brows furrowed. "How many people came?"
"There are more than ten warships, equipped with cannons." The other party said immediately.
Lu Jian's heart suddenly tightened. "Did Ning Fu send them here? Could it be that they have surrounded our troops?"
The man shook his head: "The gang leader said that it was not someone Ning Fu sent."
Lu Jian was slightly startled, then sneered: "If that's the case, then there must be new people coming to the Doumen camp, and they are closely related to the Lu family."
They dispatched troops silently, and chose to show up when the Long Whale Gang and the Red Flag Gang were fighting. It's not hard to guess who they were targeting. I didn't expect Lord Lu to be so willing to spend money and send people here so quickly.
Thinking of this, Lu Jian said, "I will send someone back to Panyu to investigate the situation. I am also familiar with several of the navy's chief officers. I will write them down later and you can send them to Gang Leader Cheng immediately."
Cheng Bo might be able to find out how many government troops and ships there are near Panyu, but he certainly would not be familiar with the temperaments of the chief officers.
Wars are fought with intelligence and information. The more you know, the more accurate your calculations will be.
He can't go to the front line and cause trouble now, but he can still help in the rear.
But Lu Jian really couldn't guess who Lord Lu had sent.
However, the person who can make Cheng Xi so nervous must be a big shot.
After silently going through the names in his mind, he quickly walked back to the table and started writing.
The entire Luoling Island was like a startled giant beast, and began to operate frantically. Not only did ships rush to the front line to support the main force, but the defenses on the island also became tight.
The number of sinkholes in front of the camp more than doubled, and fishermen and farmers began to evacuate and enter the camp for safety.
However, regardless of gender, age or status, in addition to being frightened, everyone also felt resentment and anger in their hearts.
After injuring so many of their brothers, the enemy still wants to destroy their home! They risked their lives to earn this good life. Even if the imperial court sends troops, they will not retreat an inch! When the enemy comes, the generals will stop him; when the water comes, the earth will cover it. As long as the leader is there, we can always fight our way out!
The Red Flag Gang entered a state of alert, while the government troops on the other side had just finished clearing the battlefield and collecting prisoners.
"General, we've only stopped three bandits, and there are no more than twenty ships capable of fighting." The captain who came to report hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Why don't we retreat first?"
It’s not that he is timid, but the new lieutenant general is too bold and acts too ruthlessly.
This battle could be considered an adventure, as we only brought a fleet of a dozen large ships.
Fortunately, they were lucky enough to encounter the critical moment of the fight between two gangs, but rushing out was too risky. If something went wrong, they might be swallowed up by the other gangs.
The man he called "General" was standing at the bow with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a heavy leather armor, but it did not look cumbersome. Instead, it made him look well-proportioned and agile.
The face could be described as handsome, but it was unexpectedly young, probably only in his early twenties.
Such a person would have been difficult to gain the support of the army, but at this moment no one on the ship dared to look down on him.
This was indeed a great battle fought upon arrival, and it was fought so beautifully.
After a long while, the general gazed at the sun setting in the distance. "This opportunity is rare. If we miss it, we'll probably have to spend even more energy. Let those surrendered soldiers return to the army and serve as a detachment."
"General!" the captain couldn't help but exclaim, "Scouts down below report that some boats belonging to the Tanka people are heading for a nearby island. This must be an ambush! What if something goes wrong? How will we handle it?"
"They're too scattered. This might not be an ambush." The young man remained calm and gave him a cold look. "As for this battle, someone else will take care of it."
These words were really arrogant, but when he thought of the person who sent him, the captain immediately stopped talking.
He knew the background of this superior, and he also knew what kind of power was needed to transfer him back from the frontier.
This person used to follow General Qiu. How could he come to the South China Sea now? Without some connections and some means, could he do it?
Besides, this young general really had some abilities, so the captain didn't dare to say anything more and immediately bowed in agreement.
Xu Xianrong did not care about his subordinates' little thoughts, his eyes were still on the vast ocean.
General Qiu had once fought on this sea, but who would have thought that they would be separated by heaven after just a few years.
He had also hated those treacherous officials and was unwilling to be anyone's dog, but the sea was in turmoil and there was a bandit problem, and the bandits were a threat to the imperial court.
If it is not eliminated, there will be endless troubles in the future.
And if he made meritorious service and quelled the banditry, would it also make the emperor remember General Qiu's achievements and clear his name?
When the young man thought of the Qiu family that was tragically wiped out, his fists clenched slightly and he let out a long breath.
When he opened his eyes again, determination was already evident in his eyes.
The person who leads the bandit army is not a simple person. It took him only one year to rise in the South China Sea. It is impossible that he is just a scumbag.
In this case, we need to make more plans.
…
"The government troops haven't withdrawn?" Cheng Xi breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the scout's report. It seemed that the leader wanted to have a real fight.
This is fine. She also wants to keep the enemy at sea for a while. It would be even better if she can defeat them.
"How many ships do they have now?" Cheng Xi asked again.
The sea is vast, so it is not difficult to find out the enemy situation. The only thing to worry about is whether the troops displayed on the surface are actual troops.
The scout immediately replied, "The government troops have five Haicang ships, seven Cangshan ships, and four Caopie ships. Their flagship is a three-masted Dafu ship. Oh, and they've also captured over ten of the bandits' ships, which they seem to be planning on using for important purposes."
These are all models of warships. The Haicang ship should have four fixed cannons, the Cangshan ship has two, and as for the naval guns on the Dafu ship, it is hard to say, there may be as many as seven or eight, or as few as five or six. It is worth noting that the range of the guns is probably larger than the caliber of the guns on other ships.
Of course, ordinary government troops did not use cannons very often. This thing was difficult to maintain and extremely dangerous. They had to pray to the gods before firing, and accuracy was even more difficult to guarantee.
However, judging from today's battle, at least half of the enemy's ships are fully loaded with firearms, and the gunners are quite strong, probably veterans.
In a naval battle, if the enemy has cannons and they don't, that's a fatal situation.
Cheng Xi tapped his fingers on the table and said, "Send someone to check the nearby islands to see if there are any reinforcements."
The opponent is already quite difficult to deal with. If more reinforcements are added, Luoling Island may be in real trouble.
She also sent someone to Dongning to report the news, and instructed Tian Yu to keep an eye on the ghost scholar's movements and not let him use tricks to steal his lair.
However, passive defense is always not reliable enough, and she has withdrawn too many troops. Luoling Island is now in a dangerous state. This battle can be fought, but it cannot be a war of attrition.
Just as he was thinking, a personal guard outside the door reported: "Boss, the messenger is back, and he also brought a letter from Master Lu!"
"Bring the letter here!" Cheng Xi said immediately.
A thick letter was handed to him. Cheng Xi buried his head in reading it. After a long while, he said, "The enemy may not send more troops. We can hold out for a few more days."
Lu Jian's letter was extremely long and detailed, describing in detail the temperaments of officials and generals in several garrisons and military camps near Panyu, as well as several generals in the court who were of high rank and could lead troops into battle.
Judging from the letter, those guarding Panyu are all "mature and steady" guys. They are more than capable of defending the status quo, but they may not be willing to take the initiative to send troops.
From this point of view, Lu Jian was right. There were new people in the Doumen Navy, and they were eager to make achievements.
After all, he was sent by the Lu family, and only by working hard to attack the Red Flag Gang can he gain a firm foothold in the army.
And what would the veterans think if a newcomer sent troops as soon as he arrived? The military was not as simple as outsiders thought. There were many factions, and they would fight to the death.
In this way, this expedition has the meaning of a desperate gamble. It is not enough to just take some prisoners. The leader will certainly not withdraw his troops easily. He also needs another big victory, or even a victory that threatens Luoling Island.
With such thoughts in mind, he had no hope of getting reinforcements from his colleagues. No wonder he left the captives behind and used them as a detachment.
Of course, this choice was not wrong. Whether in terms of the number of ships or the strength of the troops, the government troops were superior in combat and had artillery to rely on.
Winning is not easy, but it is not hopeless either.
Cheng Xi stood up and gave the order: "Let the soldiers rest for two days and send them out the day after tomorrow."
They have more time now, but after a while, it all depends on the other party's patience.
Can someone who's eager to achieve success and has no backup stay calm? As for those artillery pieces, we need to find a way to eliminate some of them...
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