The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 178 Inside and outside the city
Although flares were constantly rising, they could only illuminate the city from time to time. The scenery a hundred meters away was still better, but the scenery farther away could only be seen in rough outline.

Even at close range, due to the difference in brightness caused by the flares, it was impossible to see anything clearly from the top of the city amidst the shadows of the houses and trees below.

In this situation, it is not easy for a new recruit or a veteran with little practical experience to hit a target a hundred meters away. Even Teng Yuzhao, who is very confident in his marksmanship, tries to aim at the opponent's chest and abdomen as much as possible when shooting on the battlefield.

Teng Yuzhao's three shots not only hit the American officer, but also killed the two American soldiers beside him, all of whom were hit in the chest.

The shot Wu Peifu had just fired hit the abdomen of an Indian who was wearing a British military uniform and a turban on his head. This was the first time Wu Peifu hit an enemy at such a long distance, and he was so happy that he lost himself.

According to Teng Yuzhao's requirements for the vanguard army, during the battle, whenever possible, no more than three shots should be fired at one position. After three shots, it was necessary to change positions before continuing to fire.

This is because Teng Yuzhao took into consideration that at this time they were all using bolt-action rifles and the enemy's shooting speed would not be very fast. Otherwise, changing position after each shot would be the best way to protect oneself on the battlefield.

When fighting against Western armies, we have to take into account the existence of the enemy's hunters. The hunters of the Western army are actually snipers. The shadows of the houses and trees under the city that cannot be illuminated by flares are good places for the hunters to hide.

Teng Yuzao didn't have time to talk to Wu Peifu any more. He just shouted at him amid the deafening sound of gunfire, "Be careful."

Then Teng Yuzhao stuck half of his head out from a nearby parapet, raised his gun again, and fired four consecutive shots at the American soldiers who were still firing at the top of the city wall under the hail of bullets.

When Teng Yuzao opened fire, amid the gunfire, more than a dozen American soldiers in the neatly arranged American cover force either fell backwards or threw away their rifles, covered their chests and abdomens, and collapsed to the ground.

Teng Yuzhao noticed that in just a few seconds, more than twenty Americans who were lined up in three rows to shoot had fallen in a pool of blood. These people should have been killed or wounded by him and his personal guards. Teng Yuzhao secretly praised his guards.

During the battle, Teng Yuzao and his dozen or so personal guards often acted as snipers.

However, Teng Yuzhao had just fired four bullets, but he only knocked down one and a half American officers and soldiers.

The reason why he only hit one and a half American soldiers with four shots was because before Teng Yuzhao shot this time, an American officer standing in the rear queue caught his attention.

Although he couldn't see the rank of this American officer clearly, his subconscious told Teng Yuzhao that this officer should be the highest commander of the attacking American forces, because the grassroots officers would stand beside the formation to command the soldiers to fight, but this officer stood in the soldier formation, his body was blocked by the American soldiers in front of him, but the officer's hat on his head still showed his identity.

Therefore, Teng Yuzao's first two shots were aimed at the officer's head. The two consecutive shots were to ensure the hit rate. The first shot fired by Teng Yuzao caused the target's head to tilt back suddenly. After the second shot, the officer had disappeared in the queue.

However, Teng Yuzhao did not have time to continue observing the reaction of the American troops, because he was more than 50 meters away from the American troops, in a shadow blocked by a tree canopy, and suddenly saw a faint flash of gunfire in the darkness. This was obviously caused by rifle shooting. There should be an American or British hunter hiding in the shadow. Then, Teng Yuzhao heard a painful groan coming from nearby.

Teng Yuzhao didn't have time to think about it. He tilted the muzzle of the gun slightly and fired two shots in succession at the darkness based on his feeling. As his two shots were fired, a flame in the shadow slightly rose upwards, and then there was no movement.

Teng Yuzhao didn't dare to guarantee that he would kill the hunter hiding in the shadows, but he believed that he would definitely injure him.

After retreating back to the arrow nest, Teng Yuzhao hurriedly looked at the place where the muffled groan had just been heard. The person there should be one of his guards.

Sure enough, Wu Peifu was busily bandaging the wound on the guard's left arm with a bandage from the first aid kit the guard carried with him.

First aid kits have now been deployed in the 1st Regiment of the Vanguard Army. Each soldier carries a small cloth bag containing a roll of gauze and a herbal cake with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

This prescription was provided by Teng Yuzao to the doctors at the Vanguard Army Hospital based on his memory. The main ingredients of the medicine cake include hemostatic and anti-inflammatory herbs such as Panax notoginseng and Rubia cordifolia. It is now being produced in large quantities by the Vanguard Army's field hospital. The ultimate goal is to ensure that every soldier has such a first aid kit.

The field hospital of the vanguard army was the Beiyang Medical and Pharmaceutical Hospital. After Yu Lu left, Teng Yuzhao unceremoniously took it over for his own use in the name of Yu Lu.

There was a loud bang of a cannon, followed by a flash of fire and then an explosion was heard from the direction of the city gate.

Teng Yuzao knew that the city gate was not filled with earth and rocks, and even two small-caliber shells fired directly would be enough to blow up the seemingly thick and solid city gate. "Teacher, the Japanese devils are blowing up the city gate." Wu Peifu, who ran back with his body bent, said excitedly.

Teng Yuzhao simply nodded and ignored the sounds of Maxim guns and rifle fire outside the south city. Instead, he quickly walked to the arrow ravine facing the city and looked out.

The fighting was in full swing on the city wall, but it was silent below the city. However, it was very bright below the city wall because more than a dozen piles of firewood had just been set on fire in the open space and streets near the city gate. However, apart from the dozen or so soldiers who had set the firewood on fire were running quickly into the dark streets, and a platoon of soldiers standing at the entrance of the street, nervously pointing their guns towards the city gate, no one else could be seen.

Teng Yuzhao knew that in the darkness near the seemingly empty city gate, a huge murderous intention that would leave an unforgettable impression on the attacking Japanese army was quietly waiting for their arrival.

"Teacher, the Japanese troops have started to charge, and the foreign devils on our side have also stopped attacking the city and are retreating."

While listening, Wu Peifu handed the telescope to Teng Yuzhao.

Wu Peifu's report made Teng Yuzao feel more comfortable. "It is estimated that not only the coalition forces on our side, but also the French army on the other side will do the same. The coalition forces on these two routes are just feinting to attract the scattered defense forces on the city. Now that the city gate has been blown open by the Japanese army and the Japanese army is leading the charge, they will not climb the city again in the rain of bullets. They will soon move closer to the Japanese army in the middle and want to follow the Japanese army that broke through the city gate and rush into the city."

Teng Yuzhao's position was a little far from the city gate, but because of the light from the dozen or so large bonfires inside the city gate, he could stand on the city wall and look down from there, and see everything there very clearly through the telescope.

Teng Yuzhao raised the telescope in his hand and aimed the lens at the city gate, because Teng Yuzhao had already heard the shouts of "Board! Board!" amid the dense gunfire.

The sound was very loud, the huge sound waves had exceeded the sound of gunfire. The shouts of more than two thousand people were still very shocking. Teng Yuzhao secretly shouted in his heart, "Little Japs, come and die!"
"Call Hu Dianjia and tell him to keep calm and let in as many Japanese as possible. I want to see a river of Japanese blood flowing inside the city gate."

Teng Yuzhao, holding a telescope, said in a cold voice without turning his head.

"Yes."

Wu Peifu trotted to the telephone not far away.

As the shouts of "Board! Board!" gradually grew louder, a large group of short Japanese soldiers in black uniforms, holding Type 30 rifles that were almost a head taller than them and equipped with bayonets shining coldly, rushed into the city through the gate that they had blown open.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang", they were greeted by a barrage of rifle bullets. This was the volley of fire from the platoon of soldiers blocking the street entrance. The volley of more than 40 rifles actually knocked down twenty or thirty Japanese soldiers who were blocking the city gate.

However, after firing a round of volleys, this platoon of soldiers did not continue shooting to expand their victory, but turned around and rushed into the dark street behind them.

As soon as they entered the city, they were met with a volley of gunfire, with twenty to thirty casualties. Such a loss did not make those who rushed into the city angry and humiliated. On the contrary, they once again shouted "Aboard! Aboard!" and with sharp bayonets in their hands, they divided into three groups and charged into the city.

There were two to three hundred Japanese soldiers rushing along the city wall towards the horse roads on both sides of the city gate, while the rest of the Japanese troops rushed straight to the main street. As large groups of howling Japanese soldiers continued to pour out of the city gate, the street from the city gate to the main street was filled up. There were short figures wearing black military uniforms everywhere, like a group of hornets leaving their nests, quickly spreading along the street into the darkness in the distance.

"Da da da da da da da." As strings of scarlet tongues of fire emerged from the roofs of the houses more than 50 meters away from the horse paths on both sides of the city gate, hundreds of Japanese soldiers who wanted to climb the city wall were suddenly blocked as if by an invisible wall. They could not stop and their bodies trembled all over. In the light of the fire, blood mist rose from the crowd of Japanese soldiers.

Because the heavy machine gun fire was too intensive, many Japanese soldiers who were continuously hit by Maxim machine gun bullets were even broken in half, and their limbs and arms flew everywhere.

At the same time as the heavy machine guns on both sides of the city gate opened fire, the sound of dozens of Maxim heavy machine guns rang out in the city almost at the same time. In the field of view of Teng Yuzhao's telescope, on the roofs, streets and walls facing the city, there were not only dozens of scarlet tongues of fire that kept expanding and contracting, but also points of light that kept appearing and extinguishing in the shadows on the roofs and surrounding streets.

All these flames and spots of light were the result of Maxim heavy machine guns and thousands of rifles and pistols firing their hot and angry bullets. At this moment, the large number of Japanese troops that rushed into the city were like a small boat in the raging sea, being tossed back and forth by the dense rain of bullets.

In the firelight, the large group of Japanese soldiers in the city who had just been so ferocious and arrogant were beaten one after another, and the rising blood mist instantly enveloped the Japanese army in a weird blood-red color.
Thanks: Fei'er's father, Zuimeng Ruxin, 2180927104339797, Jigongshan Yaowang Cave, Past is like smoke, 20210817123159629, Xiandao Zhengyuan, Xiayu Kumu, Zhulou Yuheqiu, 20220313161636348, Shenlan and other book friends for their monthly tickets and recommendation votes!

Your support is the driving force of Zuima! ! !


(End of this chapter)