Fu Shanhe

Chapter 519 Backlash
Despite his complaints, Zhou Qihai didn't hesitate to take action.

The first order was given to divide the troops into small cavalry units to harass the enemy on the flanks.

Failure to complete a mission and failure to obey military orders are completely different in political terms.

Regardless of whether we can hold off the enemy, once the order has been issued, it must be carried out.

The enemy's artillery is not invincible; its accuracy at long range is very poor. As long as the troops do not concentrate in one place, there should be no major problem.

However, this kind of harassment by splitting up troops seems more like a show.

Zhou Qihai's cavalry had fought against the loyalist army and knew that the enemy not only had powerful artillery, but also extraordinary firepower in their muskets.

The credit for the battle belongs to the commander-in-chief, but your life is your own.

For the sake of their own lives, the rank-and-file soldiers tacitly kept a safe distance of 300 meters from the army that came to the rescue.

Although the approach was somewhat passive, the results were very obvious.

Although flintlock muskets were more advanced than firearms of the same period, their overall range was not significantly improved; 300 meters already exceeded their effective range.

At such a distance, cavalry could reach the destination with just one charge.

As a result, while marching, the loyalist army had to devote its energy to guarding against possible cavalry attacks.

"The Shi family are indeed cowards. They dared not fight when facing the Northern barbarians, and they still dared not fight when they encountered us."

They don't even have the courage to fight a direct confrontation, so where do they get the guts to rebel!

Li Sanqi, who had put down his binoculars on the observation tower, couldn't help but complain.

The pursuit was hampered by the Liaodong cavalry, which greatly reduced their marching speed, making it impossible to capture the enemy's main force.

If the enemy continues to avoid battle, he will have no way to fight back.

The loyalist army was indeed equipped with a lot of artillery to deal with cavalry, but the enemy was too cunning and directly split into small groups of cavalry.

Looking around, each enemy cavalry unit consisted of only about ten men, and they were spaced far apart from each other.

It's estimated that after one round of shelling, the kill count will most likely not exceed double digits.

The enemy soldiers killed were not as valuable as the shells fired by their own side.

Modern firearms units already face significant logistical challenges; if commanders fail to practice thrift, logistical difficulties can cripple the Protectorate General's headquarters.

"Brother Li, you can't say that."

Although the Shi family was a bit timid, they still had considerable strength.

The fact that the Liaodong garrison dared to rebel was essentially due to the imperial court's own indulgence of them.

If it weren't for those fools in the court who made concessions time and time again, fueling their ambitions, we wouldn't be in this mess today.

The Shi family chose to raise an army at this time partly because they were forced by food shortages, and partly because they were judging others by their own standards.

They fantasized that after they raised an army, the Marquis would follow suit, and the court would be attacked from both the north and south.

Unfortunately, they forgot that the Marquis is a pillar of our Great Yu Dynasty; how could he possibly commit such a treasonous act!

"Imperial Censor Ma Wenbo said with a righteous expression."

The speaker may have meant no harm, but the listener may have taken it to heart.

Li Sanqi agreed with everything that came before, but the last sentence made him very unhappy.

It was precisely because our lord was too loyal and righteous that the situation in the world deteriorated.

The Great Yu Dynasty was utterly rotten, yet our own Marquis was going against the tide to save the country, which was completely thankless work.

If our lord is willing to raise an army, the whole world will surely respond.

The southern provinces were unable to mount any significant resistance, and the northern border troops would readily surrender.

If things went quickly, they could have captured the Forbidden City by the sixteenth year of the Yongning era and established a new dynasty.

Even if there is a delay along the way, the country can be pacified by the seventeenth year of Yongning at the latest.

From raising an army to seizing power, it can be done in two or three years.

Unlike now, when even sending troops to quell a rebellion, we have to waste time arguing with those incompetent officials in the court.

"How can the traitorous Shi family be compared to the Marquis!"

Li Sanqi responded with arrogance.

Despite his displeasure, Li Mu was determined to serve the court, and as his subordinate, he couldn't allow his lord to be implicated in something unjust.

Let's save the imperial court one more time.

If the Great Yu Dynasty cannot stand firm after the Liaodong Rebellion is quelled, then our Marquis should give up hope.

"Brother Li is right, I misspoke!"

Ma Wenbo said, barely suppressing his displeasure.

Deep down, however, I was filled with frustration.

Being born at the wrong time is truly tragic.

Decades ago, any general who dared to speak so arrogantly to the supervising censor would have been dragged out and flogged long ago.

In that era when civil officials controlled the military, the real power in the army was in the hands of civil officials.

If a general wanted to meet the supervising censor, he had to first present a generous gift.

As the saying goes, fortunes change, and when the era of military men came to power, everything changed.

The once high-ranking military supervisor has gradually become a mere background figure.

If it weren't for the imperial court's system, this position might have been abolished altogether.

As for exercising the power of military supervision, that's pure nonsense.

Without Li Sanqi's approval, his orders would never leave the barracks.

They only obey the orders of the Marquis of Hanshui now, and they don't even bother to read the military orders from the Ministry of War.

If the supervising officer and the commander-in-chief were to clash, it would most likely result in another tragic accident.

In the past few years, the number of military supervisors who have died in accidents on the battlefield has exceeded two hands.

Except for a very few instances where the army suffered a major defeat and was wiped out, most of the time these unlucky military supervisors died unexpectedly.

At first, the imperial court was furious and sent an imperial envoy to investigate, but then nothing happened.

It wasn't that the imperial court didn't want to investigate; it was simply that once the imperial envoy arrived at the camp, he became deaf and blind.

To convict someone, you need evidence.

The problem was that when the imperial envoy arrived at the location, all that was left of the victim was a pile of bones, and no one knew whether they were actually dead.

The location of the murder and the items left behind by the victim are all determined by others.

All the clues were fabricated by others; it would be a miracle if they could actually advance the investigation.

Even the most attention-grabbing case, the murder of the Yunnan governor, ultimately came to nothing.

Having learned from numerous past mistakes, Ma Wenbo had no choice but to compromise with reality.

No matter what the general does, just flatter him.

You can't hit someone who's smiling, and no one would deliberately make things difficult for a military supervisor for no reason.

"Pass down the order to send out the scouts to hunt down enemy cavalry."

After a moment of contemplation, Li Sanqi decisively gave the order.

Scouts are the elite of the army, and under normal circumstances, they cannot be used to exchange weapons with enemy cavalry.

However, the situation is now special, as the enemy has deliberately dispersed its forces.

Facing a small group of enemy cavalry is just the right opportunity for scouts to make their mark.

With their superior equipment, once the distance between the two sides is reduced to within 100 meters, they can massacre the enemy.

……

"waste!"

"Tell Zhou Qihai that if he can't stop the enemy, he should go home and take care of his children!"

Upon hearing the message brought by the messenger, Shi Jingming couldn't help but curse angrily.

The relocation of a large army takes time; people can move quickly, but supplies and equipment cannot.

The Liaodong army lacked a major rear area to provide strategic materials. Even though the imperial court had a well-developed military industrial production system, industrial raw materials still needed to be supplied from various regions.

With uprisings raging across the northern provinces, raw material production had long been interrupted, and the Shi family had no ability to organize the resumption of production.

Unable to produce its own supplies, the army relied entirely on spoils of war captured in the capital. Weapons and ammunition were dwindling as they were consumed.

More worrying than weapons and ammunition is food.

The continuous natural disasters and wars caused a large number of people in the north to be displaced, and agricultural production came to a near standstill.

In order to raise grain, the Shi family did not hesitate to fall out with the gentry in the north.

Strategically speaking, this southward expedition can only succeed; it cannot fail.

"General, since we can't retreat, let's just have a decisive battle with the enemy!"

"Once the decisive battle begins, the enemy forces in the city will definitely respond."

We can seize the city the moment the city gates open.

"As long as we capture Xuzhou, all the costs we've paid before will be worthwhile from a strategic perspective!" Deputy General Liu suggested.

The two armies are now too close together, and Zhou Qihai's troops have been frightened by the loyalist army. It is obviously unreliable to expect them to hold off the enemy.

In the hasty retreat, there was simply no time to transport the strategic materials in the camp.

But they couldn't bear to give up these supplies.

Rather than passively engaging in a decisive battle with the enemy, it's better to take the initiative and play a game of survival against all odds.

Looking at the bustling camp, Shi Jingming hesitated.

With the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers at stake, as well as his own wealth and glory, he had no choice but to be cautious.

If the enemy's artillery wasn't so formidable, he would absolutely not mind fighting a decisive battle to solidify his prestige within the army.

Unfortunately, the enemy showed no martial ethics and immediately overwhelmed them with firepower.

In the rush, there was no way to deal with the enemy's artillery fire.

"Send the order: halt the entire army's retreat! I am determined to fight the enemy to the death!"

Shi Jingming gave the order with a heavy heart.

Being forced into a final battle is an incredibly frustrating feeling.

But there was nothing they could do; by sheer coincidence, the enemy had struck precisely where the Liaodong army was most vulnerable.

If he loses strategic supplies in the army, he, as the commander-in-chief, will have no way to explain it when he returns.

Deep down, his resentment towards the enemy troops in Xuzhou deepened even further.

If it weren't for those bastards breaking their promise and betraying him at a crucial moment, the situation wouldn't have turned out this bad.

If he could capture Xuzhou ahead of time, no matter how powerful the enemy's artillery was, he could defend the city.

The mission is accomplished once the main force marches south.

"The general will get the order!"

As he spoke, a fleeting look of joy crossed Vice General Liu's face.

Changing orders frequently has always been a major taboo in the military.

The people were already in a state of panic, and then the commander-in-chief issued completely different orders in a short period of time, which was definitely a path to death.

But that's exactly what he wanted.

Following the Shi family doesn't mean you're a member of the Shi family.

The Great Yu Dynasty has lasted for so many years, so it is no wonder that it has no shortage of loyal ministers.

Given the importance of the Liaodong Army, the imperial court would certainly have to plant spies within it.

Even though the Shi family carried out an internal purge before raising an army, they could only eliminate those who were outwardly loyal to the court.

These people openly support the Shi family, but in reality, they are constantly hindering them.

Whether it was sowing discord between Shi Jingming and Zhou Qihai earlier, or offering advice now, the underlying purpose was simply to create chaos.

Similar things have happened many times throughout history.

Many regional warlords and feudal lords rebelled, and despite initially holding the upper hand, they ultimately became the precursors to becoming kings.

The main reason is that there are people within the group who are dragging them down.

Even if one were to seize power by chance, the illegitimate nature of their rule would lead to a prolonged period of internal strife within the newly established dynasty.

After all, it is very difficult to achieve something, but very easy to do something bad.

Once the initial atmosphere of the founding of a nation goes astray, it is very difficult to correct it later.

……

"Bang, bang, bang..."

In the blink of an eye, a ten-man Liaodong cavalry squad was wiped out forever.

In their final moments before their downfall, they too pulled the trigger.

Unfortunately, the old-fashioned three-eyed musket in his hand had a range of only a few dozen meters, and its armor-piercing capability was limited to within thirty meters.

Those capable of penetrating armor within fifty meters are the finest among three-eyed muskets.

Not only is the manufacturing process complicated, but the production cost will also increase significantly, and the imperial court's funding is simply insufficient.

Back then, even someone with connections like Li Mu had to pay extra for high-quality goods.

Due to funding constraints, the products produced during normal times are all of inferior quality with reduced costs.

Thirty meters of armor penetration is a theoretical figure; the actual armor penetration capability is only ten or twenty meters.

In normal use, I don't notice any problems.

Now, when facing an enemy that is two versions ahead, the gap becomes immediately apparent.

The fall of a squad of Liaodong cavalry was just the beginning; soon, a second squad, a third squad, and so on, followed in quick succession of mishaps.

"General, the enemy's muskets are too powerful. We would be at a great disadvantage if we engaged them in a direct firefight!"
"Let's just gather our troops, wipe them out at any cost, and then continue carrying out our orders."

Upon hearing his confidant's suggestion, Zhou Qihai frowned and then shook his head.

"no!"

“The enemy cavalry will not leave the main force. Once we gather our troops and attack, we will be met with their artillery fire.”

The enemy carries a large number of light artillery pieces and moves very fast, posing a great threat to us.

The order was passed down to all units to increase their distance from the enemy.

If the enemy dares to pursue, then regroup the troops and charge forward to engage them in close combat.

learn from mistakes.

Yesterday's battle was due to underestimating the power of the enemy's artillery; as a result, we were soundly beaten from the very beginning.

The same mistake is enough to learn from once.

He wouldn't take the risk unless the enemy delivered the fighter jets to his doorstep.

He had carried out the military order; failing to stop the enemy was not a fault of his own.

If Shi Jingming has any objections, he can simply go back and argue about it.

Since the two of them have already fallen out, it doesn't matter if their relationship becomes even more strained.

Even if he suffered a defeat, his cavalry could retreat immediately; it was only the infantry who would suffer.

In chaotic times, everything else is meaningless except for the army you command.

As long as you have troops, you can live a comfortable life anywhere.

……

Without the cavalry to hold them back, the loyalist army moved much faster, arriving outside the Liaodong army camp in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

In an instant, the sounds of cannons and muskets resounded throughout the heavens and the earth.

In the brief exchange of fire, the Liaodong army suffered heavy losses instantly.

Although it was bombed in front, the hit rate was not high due to the distance, and the damage was relatively limited.

Once the two armies closed the distance, the situation changed instantly.

Within effective range, the hit rate of the artillery of the loyalist army increased significantly, and in the blink of an eye, it dealt a heavy blow to the defending forces.

In particular, the arrow towers in the camp were destroyed by enemy artillery before they could even be used.

The defensive fortifications at the camp gate were completely overturned.

Countless defending soldiers were blown to pieces before they could even react.

"Why do even the enemy's small artillery pieces have such destructive power?"

Shi Jingming, who was in command of the battle, couldn't help but ask a soul-searching question.

With no one to answer his questions, he was met with another round of setbacks.

While the artillery was unleashing its power, the muskets in the hands of the loyalist army also began to show their prowess.

The orderly volley tactics allowed them to advance steadily, swallowing up countless Liaodong soldiers who tried to block their path.

In the age of firearms, individual bravery has lost its meaning.

No matter how fierce a warrior is, he cannot withstand a single exchange of bullets.

Lacking experience in dealing with such situations, the camp lacked sufficient cover, which created an opportunity for the loyalist army to attack.

"General, the garrison in Xuzhou has moved; we should take action..."

Before Vice General Liu could finish speaking, Shi Jingming glared at him.

With the front lines suffering defeat after defeat, if we don't quickly find a way to clean up the mess, who will care about capturing the city!

Having witnessed the power of the enemy's firearms, he finally understood why the usually arrogant Zhou Qihai had become so cowardly this time.

"Lieutenant General Liu, you lead the vanguard to cover the rear. The rest of the troops, follow me and retreat!"

Without bothering to reprimand anyone, Shi Jingming decisively issued a retreat order.

Deep down, he hated the subordinate in front of him who was giving him such bad advice.

(End of this chapter)