In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 635 Snowstorm Night with Cannon Fire
"Merrero fur?"

Inside the military headquarters, Liao King Azashili looked at the documents in his hand.

There was some surprise in his eyes, but more than that, his eyes shone brightly.

The commander actually paid them to go into the mountains to catch minks?

And they even pay high prices for furs?

And such good things?

Huining King Haisanan Daxi sat beside him.
Looking at the documents, I was somewhat surprised, and then my thoughts began to wander.

Putting aside everything else, just the skill of hunting in the mountains alone...

His unit is the best of the three guards.

If it really makes money, he'll have to go back and make some arrangements.

"What does the Commander need sable fur for?" Prince Huining asked Prince Liao, puzzled.

Azashiri seemed to be deep in thought.
"Making clothes? I've heard that mink fur is very popular in Beijing and the South."
However, they all use mink fur from the Northwest.

As for the Northeast, there really aren't many.
Only after the Jurchens emerged from the mountains could there be some in Liaodong.

Prince Huining was filled with doubt.

However, he didn't intend to worry about that and simply said:
"Since the commander is willing to pay for it, we'll send people to the mountains to hunt it."
Those things are everywhere; I used to be wary of those savages.

"Now that we're making money, what are we afraid of?"

King Azashili of Liao stroked his beard and nodded thoughtfully:

"That's true. If those savages react violently..."
We can always give them some money.
Let them help us with the work, we'll take the lion's share, and they'll take the smaller share.

Those Jurchen people had never seen anything good; a little money was enough for them.

Prince Huining's eyes lit up:
"That's a good idea."

"Tell Toruhuchar that he's close to those savages."

The King of Liao nodded with a smile, his heart filled with satisfaction.
This trip to Dusi has been very fruitful.

I have things to do next year, and even things to do this winter.

Another peaceful year.

The day passed quickly.

It gets dark very early in Daning.
Before dusk, the sky was already shrouded in darkness, turning somewhat black.

The cold wind blowing in the sky gradually picked up, whistling across Daning City.
The flags on the city wall fluttered loudly.

The soldiers on duty could only squat beside the flag.

He gripped the flag tightly in his palm to prevent it from collapsing.

After a while,
The two soldiers holding the flag had already turned into two small snowdrifts.

The snow was falling heavier and heavier on the commercial road in the west of the city.

The heavy snow and strong winds obscured the entire official road, making it invisible.
The caravans stretched out in a continuous line, coming to a steady stop in the middle of the road.

The dim torches lit and then went out were among the few brief moments of light.

Following the caravan was a grain transport convoy from Beiping to Daning.
At the very front were over thirty horse-drawn carriages, escorted by nearly a hundred soldiers.
At this moment, the flag officer accompanying the team was waving his hands vigorously and shouting:
Stop, stop, rest where you are.

Everyone, stay close to the carriage, watch out for the wind direction, don't be foolish and just stand around on one side!

As soon as the words were spoken, several soldiers who were transporting grain for the first time hurriedly moved around in disarray.
They ran to the leeward side of the carriage!
Almost instantly,

The strong winds were blocked by the tall carriage, and the world became not only quieter but also warmer.

After everyone squatted down,
The flag officer braved the wind and snow.

Finally, he tightened the huge burlap sack covering the grain, walked to the outermost edge of the convoy, and squatted down.

He even cursed under his breath:
"This awful weather! From now on, whoever wants to deliver it can do it; it's too cold!"

The wind howled, and the whole world turned white.
The terrifying gale made the snow and wind erratic, swirling endlessly in the air, sometimes heading east and sometimes west.

Everyone huddled inside their clothes, pulling their hats over their faces.

Some only showed their two eyes, while others didn't show either eye.

Enjoying the last bit of warmth left inside the clothes and hat.

I do not know how long it has been,

The sky was completely dark, and the gale continued unabated.
The flag officer on the outermost perimeter sensed the change in wind direction.
With great effort, he propped himself up, his hands trembling as he took out a megaphone, put it to his mouth, and let out a loud shout:
"The wind has changed, everyone listen up!"

Go to the other side and spread the word, don't freeze to death here!

After being called several times, the group finally began to move around slowly.

Some stood up and walked, while others simply crawled to the other side.

The movement lasted for fifteen minutes.

The flag officer walked through the snow.

After seeing that everyone had changed their positions

He staggered back to the front of the group, preparing to take shelter from the wind and snow.

But before he could even sit down, just as he was half-squatting, he suddenly froze.
"Ok?"

He frowned, staring at the white expanse before him, and blinked hard.

what is that?
In the distance, small black dots seemed to appear one after another at the end of the official road.
They resemble a few pine and cypress trees on a vast, white earth.

The flag officer rubbed his eyes, and as he watched the small black dots gradually enlarge...

Moreover, when you can hear a slightly muffled "tap-tap" sound,
The flag officer's pupils suddenly dilated.
His eyebrows shot up instantly, and his whole being was invigorated!
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!"

"Get up! Get up!!"

Shouts echoed through the snow-covered world.
The howling wind drowned out most of the sound, but that was enough.

The soldiers at the front were stunned for a moment after hearing this.
Then his expression changed drastically, and he stood up abruptly, also shouting:
"Enemy attack enemy attack!"

At the same time, he looked ahead.

The number of black dots at the horizon has increased from just a few to dozens.
Moreover, it's not a black mark.
Instead, they were warhorses standing tall in the wind and snow!
The entire grain transport team quickly sprang into action.

The dull thud of horses' hooves grew closer and closer.
The flag officer drew his long sword from his waist, nimbly mounted his warhorse, and roared:
"Mount up! Stand back against the enemy!"

He felt a little nervous; he had been transporting grain for several years.
He only experienced one enemy attack.
Those were grassland people who had run away from Daning City and wanted to plunder a batch of grain to take back to the grassland.

That grain transport team suffered heavy losses; no more than ten people survived.

He was promoted to captain for beheading two enemy soldiers.

Now, they've encountered enemy forces again.

Last time, the flag officer led from the front and died in the siege.
This time, it was his turn.

He touched his chest.

There's a protrusion there; it's a toy I bought for my child in Beiping.

A flicker of disbelief crossed the flag officer's face.
The events of the first half of my life flashed through my mind.
Finally, the scene came to a standstill before them, with only a dozen or so cavalrymen remaining, some twenty feet or so long away!
He gripped his longsword tightly, gritted his teeth, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

Upon seeing the person's figure, appearance, and attire...
The flag officer breathed a sigh of relief for some reason.
My judgment was correct; the people in front of me were indeed steppe people, and they were enemy soldiers!
"Meet the enemy——"

The flag officer raised his long sword high.

With a flick of the reins, the warhorse pawed its hooves and slowly began to move forward.

More than thirty soldiers had already caught up behind him, and a battle was about to break out!
If there is no wind or snow, a distance of twenty zhang...

For a cavalry charge, it's a fleeting moment.
But now it seems to be going on for an exceptionally long time.

The sound of horses' hooves gradually became clearer.

Da da da--

The enemy's scimitars and brown iron and leather armor became clearer, and everything seemed to slow down!

The flag officer glanced at the scene and his heart sank.
As their vision cleared, they gained a better understanding of the enemy's numbers.

At least two hundred,

Even the rapid sound of horses' hooves suggests there might be three hundred!

His force numbered only one hundred, including more than fifty laborers.

This battle is likely to be disastrous.

But, in a close contest, the brave prevail, and he has no intention of backing down!

"kill!"

Shouts of battle rang out.
But the next moment, an even more intense sound suddenly rang out from the side.
It instantly drowned out the wind, snow, and the sound of horses' hooves.
"Bam—"

The flag officer looked completely astonished.
He felt as if the earth itself trembled slightly.
Then, he stared ahead in utter astonishment.

"boom!"

Suddenly, an explosion erupted from the initial thirty-odd enemy soldiers who charged forward.
Intense flames and billowing dust shot into the sky, mixed with some snow!
However, soon,
The white snow was stained red by the mangled corpses.
The two cavalrymen and their horses at the epicenter of the explosion were instantly torn to pieces.

Flesh and blood flew everywhere, blood splattered.

Like a red flower blooming in the white snow.

A dozen or so enemy soldiers nearby were also thrown back by the sudden explosion.

The warhorse reared up, letting out mournful cries.
The screams of the enemy soldiers came one after another!

The flag officer, looking utterly astonished, tightened the reins.

Before he could even figure out where the explosion came from, his past training gave him an instinctive reaction.
"Scatter! Scatter!!" After the shout was given...
He then realized what the explosion had been.
artillery!

After understanding this point,

The flag officer's expression suddenly changed drastically, and an even more shrill scream rang out:
"It's artillery, scatter, don't huddle together."

On the hillside not far away,

Holding a telescope, Zhang Huai'an stared in astonishment at the official road below.

"Damn it, the enemy troops aren't spreading out, but our own people are!"

"Continue, fire from all three goals simultaneously!"

Zhang Huai'an reacted quickly and let out a loud roar.
Not far from him,
Three dark, unusually shaped Hongwu iron cannons stood in the snow.

The soldiers, holding tinderboxes, lit the extended fuses!
Meanwhile, soldiers nearby were pouring hot water from kettles onto the cannon barrels.

When the fuse is about to burn out
The soldier carrying the water bottle quickly ran away and then covered his ears!

"Boom boom boom——"

The three sounds rang out simultaneously, and the snow on the ground seemed to leap up.
Snow fell from the branches of trees not far away, hitting Zhang Huai'an on the head!

He flung the snow away while glancing at the official road.
Three shells landed precisely in the center of the crowd and then exploded.

Three blooming blood flowers appeared in the sky, causing people and horses to fall.

Only then did the two sides preparing to clash on the official road notice the group of people on the hillside not far away.

Everyone turned their attention to that direction.

Zhang Huai'an drew his long sword, spat out the snow and mud that had splashed into his mouth, and cursed:

"Fire three volleys of muskets, then press forward, leave no one alive!"

"Yes!"

The command was given, and the command flag waved in the flying snow.
About eighty soldiers dressed in white fleece clothing stood up from the snow.
Holding a dark, gaping musket in his hand,

While moving forward at high speed, he took out a bamboo tube from his waist.

Pour the gunpowder into the powder chamber and light the fuse on the outside!
Black smoke billowed as the group rapidly approached, just as the fuse was about to burn out.
The group stopped and began their final aiming!

"volley!"

"Bang bang bang bang-"

The crackling sound was the first to come from the jungle.

Immediately following was the billowing black smoke from the burning firearms.
Finally, there were the scenes of soldiers rolling over and falling to the ground as if struck by a heavy object.

The smell of blood quickly dissipated with the strong wind.
After three volleys of fire, only a handful of the attacking force remained standing.
Even if he were still alive, he would only be wielding a long sword.

He stood there dumbfounded, at a loss for what to do.

It was supposed to be a surprise attack, so how did we end up being ambushed?
The flag officer stared blankly at all of this.
I'm also a bit confused. What happened?
"What are you standing there for? Clear out the remaining enemy troops!"

Zhang Huai'an also rushed over at that moment.

Seeing the soldiers transporting grain standing there dumbfounded, he picked up a loudspeaker and started cursing!
Only then did the flag officer react, waving his hand and shouting:

"Clear out the remaining enemy troops!!"

Seeing that they had finally begun their charge, Zhang Huai'an breathed a sigh of relief and went to the side of the musketeers.
He grabbed a soldier's musket and examined it closely.

Looking left and right, he asked:

"How was it? Did you shoot accurately in the wind?"

The soldier took the torch and shook his head repeatedly:
"Sir, not at all. You have to cut a very long piece in advance."

Zhang Huai'an frowned.
"Any improvements?"

The soldier thought for a moment and said:

"It's not as easy to stall now, and the barrel is much sturdier."

Zhang Huai'an nodded, returned the musket, took the torch, and gave the order:

"Pass it on, so that the brothers firmly remember the feeling."

Upon returning, the military craftsmen will ask, "The results of this experiment are crucial for subsequent improvements!"

"Yes!"

Only then did Zhang Huai'an have time to watch the fighting on the official road.
The few remaining grassland people have given up resistance.
They were quickly arrested one by one, and those who tried to escape had their heads chopped off.

Zhang Huai'an walked over and brought the torch closer.
Seeing the flag officer's puzzled expression, he said in a deep voice:

"I am Zhang Huai'an, commander of the vanguard scout unit, ordered to intercept the enemy."

Your unit will now be escorted by my unit into Daning City. This is my token.

Zhang Huai'an handed over the token.

The flag officer took the token and examined it carefully, immediately straightening his posture:
"Yes, my lord!"

Zhang Huai'an nodded in satisfaction and quickly called out:
"Now, slaughter all enemy soldiers, leaving no survivors!"

The flag officer was somewhat taken aback.
"Sir, aren't you going to leave any survivors to ask who they are?"

"Excuting an order!"

"Yes!"

North of Daning City, the Daning Vanguard Military Granary!

Snow fell heavily, and the howling cold wind shook the camp fence, making it teeter on the verge of collapse.

However, the huge granary located at the edge of the camp remained completely untouched.
Because it contained the grain that the Daning Vanguard would use throughout the entire winter.

The cloth and wooden planks surrounding the entire granary

Everything was crammed full, and some of it was crooked.

At this moment, in the darkness not far from the camp,

A group of people quietly slipped out from a ditch not far away, and the leader was none other than Lu Cha'er.

He stared at the scattered lights in the snowstorm ahead.

She pursed her lips slightly and gave instructions as she walked:
"After entering the camp, kill the guards."
"Set the granary on fire immediately, without hesitation!"

"Sir, that's such a pity...why don't you take some with you?"

The soldiers beside him looked on with regret.
Looking at the dark and towering granary in front of him, he drooled with desire.

"Stop talking nonsense and proceed with the plan."

We'll evacuate once the fire is fully blazing!
The night watch personnel for Daning City should have been reassigned to the west side of the city.

Once the fire is lit...

With the granaries as defenses, they absolutely cannot be wiped out!

To prevent subordinates from acting on their own initiative
Luchaer spared no effort in explaining in great detail.

The surrounding soldiers reluctantly nodded and said, "Yes."

The group quickly reached the edge of the camp.

Thick logs were tightly driven into the ground.

The top was sharpened, making it impossible to reach.

In the dim moonlight, he kept looking at it.

They quickly found a slightly crooked piece of wood.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he stepped forward.

Approaching the wood, he took the knife handle and gently pried at it.
The sound of wood snapping and cracking was drowned out by the howling wind.

Luchar looked at the rotten, hollow wood in front of him, a gleam of joy in his eyes.

I was filled with admiration; Mi Chen was truly amazing!
He quickly gave the following instructions:
"That's it, quick!"

Let's pull out all the surrounding wood and go inside!
Everyone must bite on the wooden sticks, but without making a sound!

The surrounding soldiers immediately took action, just as Lu Cha'er had predicted.
These pieces of wood are hollow, so they can be easily pulled out.

In less than fifteen minutes, a hole the size of a door frame appeared before our eyes!

"Come on, come on, all of you, go inside. Be careful, don't make a sound!"

Luchar took the lead and squeezed inside.

Then, standing at the edge of the cave, he directed the soldiers to enter.

Three hundred elite soldiers quickly squeezed in.

Luchar's eyes were already filled with joy.

He had made up his mind.
If there is no food in the future,
Instead of buying from Daning City, we can work together from the inside and steal directly from the granary!
It was so easy to get in, and the security wasn't as tight as it looked.

"Walk along the edge of the camp to the granary, and leave no guards behind!"

Luchar gave the order, and the three hundred men began to move along the edge of the camp.
But after taking only two steps,
A laugh reached Luchar's ears with perfect clarity.

He flew into a rage and growled:
"What are you laughing at? Be quiet!"

As the words fell, Luchar seemed to realize something.
That's not right...
My subordinates all have sticks in their mouths, how can they laugh?
The next moment, whoosh!
The torches throughout the military camp were lit, making it brightly lit!

Luchaer stared blankly at the suddenly bright surroundings.

(End of this chapter)