You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 295 Long-Distance Raid on Niangziguan
Following the ceremonial guard was the Grand Secretary, clad in a golden helmet, golden armor, and a golden mask, still shrouded in mystery.

I don't know when it started~
Jiang Qingyun began to deliberately reduce his public appearances, and whenever he attended large events, he would try to wear a hollowed-out pure gold mask.

There is a reason for this design.

Firstly, leaders need to maintain a greater sense of mystery.

Secondly, it makes it easier to use a stand-in later.

Participating in large-scale events is unavoidable, public speaking is unavoidable, offending the old guard is unavoidable, and being assassinated is even more unavoidable.

If you walk by the river often, you're bound to get your shoes wet.

How to do?
Use a stand-in!
……

Two black curtains suddenly descended from the high platform, bearing the familiar words in red characters: "Seven lives to serve the country, eight directions under one sky."

Although the flag bearers have watched it many times, they still get excited every time they watch it.

German aesthetics!

Showa war declared!

In addition, there's Chiang Kai-shek's leadership!

Such Eight Banners were the perfect war machine.

After Jiang Qingyun took the stage, he remained silent for more than ten seconds, then raised his right arm: "The ugly, greedy, shameless, and despicable Shanxi merchants have betrayed the court. They are trying to resist our steel swords with ridiculous force."

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The flag bearers' roars were like rolling thunder, and they could not be calmed for a long time.

Jiang Qingyun pressed his palm down, signaling for silence.

"I hereby announce that in one hour, I will personally lead ten thousand cavalry to raid Niangziguan."

……

Limited by outdated technology, each time, six loud-voiced amplification warriors, who were positioned in advance at high places, were responsible for spreading the sacred sound to every corner.

This meant that the speech draft could not be modified.

A speech must be brief and simple.

Otherwise, the megaphone soldiers will be incompetent.

……

In order to fire the first shot of the total war, Jiang Qingyun took the largest scepter, dipped it in cinnabar, and wrote four large characters on the spot, which were then pasted on a wooden board and displayed in the camp.

God will punish the traitors!

The cheers of the flag bearers were like a tsunami, like a mountain collapsing.

In this situation, even the most rational person would be unable to resist throwing their reason to the wind and joining in the grand celebration.

Screw your rationality!

Let's burn together!
Let's go crazy together!
Let's take down the whole world together!

Huang Zongxi, who accompanied him, had a fluctuating expression. He couldn't quite describe his feelings at that moment, but he was certain that he had indeed boarded a speeding war chariot.

Suddenly, Jiang Qingyun stopped in his tracks.

"Old Huang, what are you thinking about?"

"Reporting to the Grand Secretary, I have some concerns."

"What are you worried about? Tell me."

"Before I entered the capital, I was worried that the Grand Secretary was a self-serving person seeking fame and fortune. After entering the capital, I was worried that the Grand Secretary was going to overcorrect."

"Old Huang, the correction must be overcorrected!"

"Yes."

"I intend to personally lead a large army to attack Niangziguan. You will not be idle in the capital. I need a complete and self-consistent theory to govern the world."

"Please rest assured, Prime Minister, I will devote all my energy and even my life to this task."

Jiang Qingyun watched his back as he left, thinking to himself, "Old Huang, if you knew that the brakes on the chariot were only under my feet, while the accelerator was under everyone's feet, what would you think?"
……

Within half an hour, 10,000 elite Eight Banner soldiers had completed their assembly.

Jiang Qingyun pointed his whip in the distance.

"set off!"

A vanguard of 500 light cavalrymen set out ahead of time to scout, explore, and oversee the supply of provisions, followed by a large main force of cavalry.

In the mid-17th century, an era of transition between cold and hot weapons, warfare exhibited many perplexing and distorted patterns.

There was absolutely no possibility of firearms forming an independent army.

Long-distance raids were a common tactic employed by the Eight Banners, proving particularly effective against weaker opponents.

They marched 180 li in a day.

In just two days, Jiang Qingyun completed the entire journey from the capital to Niangziguan.

...The sky was just beginning to lighten.
In a dense forest less than 10 miles from Niangziguan, the soldiers of the New Eight Banners Assault Daredevils were making their final preparations: eating dry rations, drinking medicinal wine, tying their heads with motivational belts, checking their weapons, and stringing their bows.

Two scouts emerged from the thin mist.

"Report: Niangziguan Pass is undefended."

All eyes turned to Jiang Qingyun, who exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly drew his sword.

"set off!"

The military order was passed down in a low voice.

Tens of thousands of soldiers mounted their horses, silent and menacing.

Iron hooves shattered the morning mist, birds flew away from the forest ahead of time, and beasts awoke early.

Niangzi Pass.

The Jin soldiers who had just reached the battlements were suddenly startled and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Difficult~"

"Could it be?"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The warning gongs blared, and Niangziguan was thrown into chaos instantly.

“Brothers, hold the line, don’t panic. Each of you will be rewarded with 10 taels of silver.”

The garrison commander, surnamed Liu, had a square face, was tall and stout, and looked harmless. He was a distant nephew of Fan Yongdou, had some education, was very loyal, but had never fought in a battle.

However, the officers under his command were seasoned Green Standard Army soldiers.

……

The new Eight Banners assault suicide squad, with their feet in stirrups and bows and arrows in hand, fired wildly and accurately.

Instantly, the sound of gunfire was deafening!
Seventy percent of the troops guarding Niangziguan Pass were equipped with matchlock guns because they were easy to use.

The battle was frenzied from the very beginning. The New Eight Banners Assault Suicide Squad rushed back and forth regardless of casualties, raining down heavy arrows weighing 3, 4, or even 5 ounces each.

A Jin army officer had just poked his head out.

The next second, a crescent-shaped arrow severed his throat.

The headless corpse gushed blood. The arquebusiers around were mostly new recruits who had never seen such a bloody scene before. They immediately dropped their weapons and fled down the city walls.

When someone takes the lead, others will follow suit.

The city wall's firepower instantly decreased by 30%.

Suhetai, the former colonel who was assigned to the commando unit due to his outstanding training performance, keenly noticed this change.

"Use the eagle claw hook."

Behind them, seven or eight riders charged out. Using the momentum of their swinging motion and the momentum of their warhorses, the riders used eagle claws to hook onto the crenellations of the city wall.

Click~
The hook is firmly secured.

"on!"

"Archers, dismount and provide cover!"

A dozen or so Manchu bannermen boys rushed toward the rope, disregarding the bullets and cannon fire.

Hundreds of knights dismounted immediately, armed with bows and arrows, and began to suppress and kill the enemy, killing them instantly as soon as they showed their faces; their archery skills were superb.

……

Half an hour.

Of the more than ten boys who first climbed the ramparts, only two survived and reached the top.

"kill!"

A Jin army officer charged over, wielding a trident.

The trident, though seemingly clumsy, is actually quite useful. It can catch an opponent's blade and then be rotated to dislodge the weapon.

A teenager's strength can't compare to that of an adult.

The weapons clashed, and the weapons were released in the next second.

The boy, now without his weapon, was pierced through the abdomen by a sharp trident. He cried out in agony, "Hablin!"

His companion, Habrin, swung his short axe, felling the officer, and roared, "The entire Eight Banners of the capital are here! Anyone who doesn't want to die, come at me!"

……

Two quarters of an hour later, Niangziguan Pass was breached.

Amidst the cheers that rose and fell, Jiang Qingyun rode his warhorse slowly into the city, receiving the admiring gazes of everyone.

"Leave the wounded and 500 soldiers behind, the rest of you follow me to attack Taiyuan!"

(End of this chapter)