Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

The Yangtze River separates Hanyang Prefecture from Wuchang Prefecture.

It is located at the confluence of the Han River and the Yangtze River, surrounded by water on three sides.

Sanlipo is located on the banks of the Yangtze River in Hanyang Prefecture, facing Wuchang Prefecture across the river.

Sakata Takeo and Kishibe Fumikane each led an army of 100,000 to ambush and construct defensive fortifications near Sanlipo.

The vanguard of Ximentang has arrived at the Yangtze River in Wuchang Prefecture.

The first step was to build defensive fortifications along the Yangtze River and set up mortar artillery positions.

On the opposite bank of the Yangtze River, the Japanese gathered all their ferries together, and countless ferries were on the other side.

Only ten ferries remained on the Wuchang Prefecture side.

Ximentang needs to cross the river in batches if he wants to.

Three kilometers away from the river embankment in Sanlipo, Takeo Sakata and Fumihiro Kanebe observed the Sanlipo riverbank through binoculars.

Although the river was shrouded in mist, the defensive fortifications that Ximentang was beginning to build along the Sanlipo riverbank could still be vaguely seen.

After crossing the river, Ximentang set up a riverbank defense fortification that stretched for about 300 meters.

The entire defensive fortification appeared to be very weak, consisting of only one trench.

The defensive line is not a straight line, but rather an arc.

Along the edge of the trench, there were many sandbags piled up to withstand artillery fire.

The Japanese deliberately left behind ten ferries, each capable of carrying about thirty people.

at this time,

The second batch of people from Ximentang are preparing to cross the river.

The first batch of ten ferries carried a total of three hundred people across the Yangtze River and began constructing defensive fortifications.

The others were in the newly built defensive fortifications on the banks of the Yangtze River in Wuchang Prefecture, waiting for the next group to cross the river.

On the riverbank near the defensive fortifications of Wuchang Prefecture, the vanguard of Ximentang numbered over ten thousand men.

If everyone wanted to cross the river, even ten ferries wouldn't be enough for a whole day.

Others set up camp near the riverbank, pitching tents and building a temporary dock with sandbags.

Sakata Takeo put down his binoculars and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He said to Anbian Wenkuan beside him:
“Kishi-kun, your plan is brilliant. Leave only ten ferry boats and deliberately let them cross the river in batches.”

"We just need to wait and see, and once they cross the river in batches, we can wipe them out while they are building fortifications!"

"No matter how strong Ximentang's fighting power is, he will be a lamb to the slaughter."

Anbian Wenkuan originally did not take Ximentang seriously.

but,

At this moment, however, he became serious and said in a deep voice:
"Sakata-kun, don't be too optimistic. I have a feeling something's not right!"

"General Dashanyan is quite right. Ximentang's tactics are unpredictable and unpredictable."

“I believe Chen Jie of Ximen Hall must have known about our ‘waiting for the rabbit to run into the tree stump’ tactic, but he still sent people across the river and set up positions on the riverbank in Hanyang Prefecture.”

"We must not let our guard down!"

Takeo Sakata laughed heartily and said:

"Don't worry! The strongest point of the Ximen Hall is their heavy artillery!"

"We have now abandoned Wuchang Prefecture and are now across the river from them, which restricts their crossing of the river. There is no need to be afraid of them at all."

“Even if they all cross the river, they will only number 110,000. We each have 200,000 troops under our command, not to mention the 300,000 troops stationed in Hanyang.”

"So what if Ximen Tang is strong in combat?"

"Let's begin the attack. We need to wipe out this Ximentang army that just crossed the river. If we wait for their second wave of soldiers to cross, their fighting strength will be much greater, and they will be much harder to deal with."

finished,

Sakata Takeo said nothing more and ordered his personal guards to come out from the fortifications at Sanlipo.

Wow——!
next moment,
Two armies, totaling 10,000 men, were mobilized from the fortifications at Sanlipo and surrounded the defensive positions that had just been established after Ximentang crossed the river.

in fact,

When Ximentang's vanguard troops crossed the river, they had already discovered the movements of the Kwantung Army.

The troops chosen to land first were three reinforced regiments that had attacked Chongyang, Jiayu, and Chibi, along with supply troops.

The first to cross the river and enter Hanyang Prefecture, and to begin constructing defensive fortifications at Sanlipo, was Ximentang's most elite special operations battalion.

One artillery company and one heavy machine gun company!
Zhang Feifan and Feng Bao personally led the team to cross the river.

He Chaolin led the second batch of elite troops closely behind, preparing to board the boat and cross the river.

After crossing the river,

Zhang Feifan and Feng Bao immediately ordered several elite scouts from the special operations regiment to investigate the movements of the Kwantung Army around Sanlipo.

and,

The two men led three hundred men to begin setting up defensive fortifications.

For the elite troops of Ximentang, digging trenches and building defensive positions for artillery and heavy machine guns was second nature.

The riverbank at Sanlipo has loose soil, making it easy to dig trenches and sandbags.

Therefore,
Three hundred people sprang into action, and the construction progressed very quickly.

In less than half an hour, the trenches were dug and the positions of the artillery company and the heavy machine gun company were built.

but,

Ximentang's forces crossing the river were too small, numbering only three hundred.

To ensure the second batch of Ximentang's elite troops could cross the river, it was essential to protect the positions on the riverbank.

The trenches were bracket-shaped arcs, rather than the usual concave defensive formations.

Once everything was ready, Zhang Feifan assigned the three hundred soldiers to different positions.

The heavy machine gunners were stationed in the trenches of the defensive fortifications, forming a two-tiered, overlapping firepower configuration.

The artillery battery was all concentrated in one place, right in the area of ​​densely stacked sandbags, which could prevent the enemy's artillery shell shockwaves.

The combination of mortars and heavy machine guns gave the 300-strong Ximentang elite force considerable combat capability.

The Kwantung Army's troops were spotted by Ximen Tang's scouts as they approached from a distance.

In addition, almost all the scouts had binoculars, which allowed them to quickly observe the deployment of the Kwantung Army.

Zhang Feifan quickly learned of the news and saw the Kwantung Army's forces.

Although Ximentang's two companies that had just crossed the river were already prepared for battle.

but,

When they saw that the Kwantung Army had mobilized 10,000 troops, they dared not let their guard down.

Because the second batch of Ximentang's troops crossing the river were on the other side, they could not be attacked while crossing.

The safety of the people and horses crossing the river must be guaranteed.

Therefore,
It would be extremely difficult to hold off an attack by tens of thousands of Kwantung Army soldiers for fifteen minutes with only three hundred men.

Feng Bao couldn't help but gasp and said:
"Damn it, these Japanese think too highly of us!"

"We only have three hundred people crossing the river, and these bastards have sent more than ten thousand?"

"This battle will be tough!"

Zhang Feifan, who was standing next to him, took a deep breath and said:
"What's there to be afraid of? Back in Tongshan County, Xu Xiaodao led a special operations regiment of 3,500 men and managed to hold off the attack of Prince Li Ben of Han's 80,000-strong army for a whole day and night."

"Our equipment is much better than Xu Xiaodao's back then, and our combat effectiveness is stronger than that of the special operations regiment."

"Moreover, as long as we hold off these bastards' attacks, the number of people crossing the river will increase."

"We must hold our position on the riverbank for the next hour!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Bao nodded:
"That's true. It would be great if the tanks of the heavy armored brigade could cross the river now."

"As long as ten tanks stand in front, with our artillery and heavy machine guns, we can completely destroy these bastards."

"It's a pity we didn't bring the 'Vulcan Cannon' with us when we crossed the river, otherwise we could have swept them away."

Zhang Feifan laughed and said, "Don't worry, He Chaolin has already prepared three 'Vulcan cannons' on the second batch of ferries crossing the river!"

"As long as we hold our position on the riverbank, we'll blow them up once the 'Vulcan cannons' arrive."

The machine gunners inside the fortifications were busy checking bullets and bolts to prevent jamming.

Some of the new recruits were still quite nervous, and they would occasionally look up into the distance.

but,

Most of the soldiers were elite veterans who had experienced bloody battles and had extremely rich combat experience.

They leisurely inspected their equipment, seemingly unconcerned about the approaching enemy.

Furthermore, some veterans kept scolding the new recruits who were digging trenches nearby.

"Don't be nervous! What's there to worry about? Dig the trenches deeper."

The new recruit couldn't help but say, "These Japanese troops surrounding us number at least ten thousand, while we only have a few hundred. How can we hold them off?"

The veteran curled his lip in disdain and said:

"What's ten thousand men? Back in Tongshan County, our regiment held off an attack by eighty thousand men."

"That battle was truly fierce. Prince Li Ben of Han launched wave after wave of attacks, and the rebel army was as numerous as ants."

"After fighting for a whole day and night, we still managed to completely crush them in the end."

"We have plenty of ammunition now. Just keep firing like crazy. We're inside the fortifications, they can't hit us."

The new recruits stared wide-eyed in astonishment. "A regiment held off an attack by 80,000 men for a whole day and night? Really?"

The veteran laughed heartily and said:
"How could that be fake? After that battle, everyone in the special operations regiment was promoted. It's a pity I was injured at the time and went back to the city to recuperate very early. Otherwise, I would be a captain and company commander by now."

"Don't forget, we are the Ximen Hall, the number one army of the Great Qian Dynasty!"

"Since its establishment, Ximen Hall has never lost a battle."

"Do you think our artillery, heavy machine guns, and other weapons are just for show?"

-

Just as Ximentang's position was set up, the attack by the Japanese Allied Forces began.

Sakata Takeo dispatched 10,000 men to launch a frontal attack.

Although Takeo Sakata and Fumikane Kishibe stationed 200,000 troops outside Sanlipo in Hanyang Prefecture.

but,

The location for crossing the river at Ximentang is too narrow; it's useless for a large number of people.

If more than 20,000 people surround a target in a short period of time, the density of personnel will not only fail to increase combat effectiveness, but will also easily increase casualties.

The Kwantung Army's elite troops under the command of the two Japanese major generals numbered only 50,000; the rest were recruited soldiers from the Daqian rebel army.

In this encirclement, Sakata Takeo did not send the elite troops of the Kwantung Army, but instead ordered the Daqian rebels to launch the attack.

Among the 200,000 troops under Sakata Takeo and Kishibe Fumikane, 50,000 were elite Kwantung Army troops transferred from the Northeast.

Oyama Iwao repeatedly instructed that it must be used with caution, and that the elite troops of the Kwantung Army must not suffer too many casualties.

therefore,

That's why Takeo Sakata ordered 10,000 Daqian rebels to launch the first attack, serving as cannon fodder.

Ximen Tang only had about three hundred men crossing the river, so he launched an attack with ten thousand men first, and Sakata Takeo was full of confidence.

"Kill--!"

Ten thousand rebel soldiers of the Great Qian Dynasty, wielding old-fashioned muskets, charged toward the position of Ximentang with shouts of encouragement.

This is,

Ximentang had long been on high alert and prepared for defense.

The machine gunners guarding the trenches had already set up their heavy machine guns and aimed them at the target ahead.

Meanwhile, at a nearby artillery position, a hundred mortars were adjusted to their angles, ready to fire at any moment.

Zhang Feifan and Feng Bao stood inside the trench's defensive fortifications, constantly calculating the distance between the two sides.

Because the two sides are very close, it is not suitable for mortar attacks.

When Zhang Feifan was setting up the defensive positions, he had his scouts occupy several high grounds.

Therefore,
The location and direction of the approaching enemy forces, including their reinforcements, can be observed very clearly.

As time went on, the enemy troops soon entered the firing range of Ximentang's heavy machine guns.

“Fire—!”

Give an order.

Thirty heavy machine guns, hidden in the fortifications, opened fire almost simultaneously, spewing out bursts of flame.

Da da—da da—!
The sound of heavy machine guns echoed throughout the riverside of Sanlipo in Hanyang Prefecture.

The Daqian rebels who launched their attack felt their hearts tremble when they heard the piercing sound of heavy machine guns.

Sakata Takeo and Kishibe Fumikazu, who were directing the battle in the distance, couldn't help but tremble with fear.

at this time,

Under the relentless barrage of heavy machine gun fire, the enemy soldiers charging at the forefront fell in droves, like wheat being harvested.

Some were hit directly in vital areas by heavy machine gun fire, fell to the ground, and died on the spot.

The rebels of the Great Qian Dynasty were not wearing bulletproof vests or helmets, let alone armor.

How could their flesh and blood possibly stop heavy machine gun bullets?

Some soldiers were hit by bullets, and although they did not hit vital organs, the intense pain caused them to lie on the ground and quickly lose their fighting ability.

The Daqian rebels, who were in charge of the charge, quickly lost their formation and descended into chaos.

However, the real suffering has only just begun.

After the first round of firing, the second round of firing began.

The heavy machine guns in Ximentang's arsenal were no longer the 'Maxim heavy machine guns' captured from the Western Allied Forces, but were upgraded to the Browning M2 heavy machine guns.

Not only does it have a longer range and greater destructive power, but it is also easy to carry.

The charging enemy troops just entered the firing range of the Browning M2 heavy machine gun.

Under the intense barrage of fire, the charging enemy troops were simply unable to resist and fell in droves.

Although it was neither an artillery attack nor an incendiary bomb.

However, the hail of bullets from heavy machine guns had a stronger deterrent effect.

Once hit in the body, almost no one can stay standing.

Some of the soldiers who were shot, though not fatally, let out pitiful screams that terrified the soldiers behind them, turning them pale and making them want to back out.

Then,

The third round of heavy machine gun fire began again.

Each round of firing meant emptying a whole box of bullets.

then,

More and more people were shot and seriously wounded, screams echoing as they lay on the ground groaning in agony.

Some were shot in both legs, their entire legs shattered by bullets, leaving only a layer of skin connecting them.

Some were hit on the head, their skulls were blown apart on the spot, and they died without a complete corpse.

In any case, under the relentless barrage of heavy machine gun fire, no one was able to break within 500 meters of the Ximentang position.

The other soldiers no longer dared to charge forward.

Terrified, they quickly fled to the side, trying to escape the control of the Kwantung Army without looking back.

It's important to save your life!

Continuing to charge forward will only lead to certain death.

Some wounded Daqian rebels, seeing their comrades scatter and flee, quickly shouted at the top of their lungs:
"Take me with you! Take me with you—!"

Unfortunately, at this time, everyone is too busy taking care of themselves to help others.
Many seriously wounded soldiers were not killed on the spot, but were instead trampled to death by fleeing soldiers.

In less than five minutes.

The initial charge of 10,000 men was completely routed, leaving thousands of corpses 500 meters in front of Ximentang's defensive position.

Some soldiers who were seriously injured but not trampled to death struggled and let out bloodcurdling screams.

Zhang Feifan and Feng Bao were both a little stunned.

They hadn't expected that these charging enemy troops, who looked menacing and numerous, would actually be so weak in combat.

It's too fragile!
The heavy machine guns fired several rounds of fire, but they hadn't used any grenades yet, the Vulcan cannons hadn't arrived, and the mortars hadn't been used at all.

The enemy force of over ten thousand men was routed and fled in disarray.

It seems that the Daqian rebels recruited by the Kwantung Army in Wuchang Prefecture are no match for them in terms of combat effectiveness.

Feng Bao took a deep breath and muttered to himself:

"How could these rebels be so bad at fighting?"

"There's no reason for that. Many of the rebels recruited by the Japanese in Wuchang Prefecture are remnants of the rebel forces of Prince Li Ben of Han."

"They are all soldiers who have experienced bloody battles, how come they are so disorganized and without any order?"

"Could it be that the Kwantung Army deliberately let them deplete our weapons and ammunition?"

"The second batch of troops crossing the river is coming soon. Once the Vulcan cannons are in place, the fighting will definitely be even more exciting—!" (End of Chapter)