With 100,000 elite soldiers at the start, what should you call me?

……

Three hundred Bayara heavy cavalry charged forward like human tanks, crushing everything in their path into dust.

Two thousand Manchu cavalrymen charged forward from behind, letting out strange cries.

When Jiang Tao, the battalion commander of the vanguard battalion, saw this scene, his pupils shrank instantly.

"Damn it, am I going to die here?!"

The scene before my eyes was like a flood bursting its banks, and this was only the scene of more than two thousand cavalrymen.

Huang Cai, who was at the very front, was also sweating profusely as the heavy cavalry charged toward him like a city wall.

Human strength is simply no match for them!

However, at that moment, gunshots rang out from behind.

The two thousand cavalrymen on the outskirts noticed the Qing cavalry's counter-charge and immediately went to provide support.

They rode steadily on their horses and unleashed a barrage of arrows at the Qing cavalry in front of them.

The Bayara white-armored soldiers wore triple armor. The first layer was a close-fitting soft armor made of cotton cloth, which could cushion the impact. The second layer was chainmail, with metal rings interlocking, which could effectively defend against sword cuts and arrows. The third layer was lamellar armor, which was the outermost layer of rectangular armor plates that covered the whole body, even the head. Only the face was exposed, making them look like humanoid Gundams.

However, such tight protection proved as ineffective against the advanced Hanyang rifle.

Within a hundred meters, the Hanyang rifle can easily penetrate three layers of armor.

A series of gunshots rang out, and the first row of Bayara white-armored soldiers fell from their horses and were trampled into a bloody pulp by the white-armored soldiers behind them.

Once heavy cavalry starts charging, it's hard for them to stop.

The moment they met, the situation reversed instantly. The elite Manchu Eight Banners cavalry fell one after another, like harvested rice stalks.

At that moment, the Manchu cavalrymen's wild shouts and cries stopped, and their ferocious expressions instantly turned into terror.

Faced with the cavalry battalion's powerful and precise firepower, they had only one thought: escape!

However, it was too late for them to escape.

The cumbersome Bayara white-armored soldiers had no time to turn their horses around. Charging forward to meet the fire head-on meant certain death, and stopping meant certain death as well. Pursuit was even more impossible; they were now the ones being hunted.

The other Qing cavalrymen, who wore either a layer of lamellar armor or a layer of cotton armor underneath, but only a military uniform over their heads and steel helmets, were extremely light and agile, making it impossible for the Longxiang Army cavalry to escape.

He could only helplessly turn around and fire back.

However, the Longxiang Army cavalry battalion seemed very vigilant, maintaining perfect distance control, only chasing from a distance of more than 100 meters, and firing at the enemy from afar using a barrage of fire.

The method of shooting arrows while looking back makes it difficult to cause casualties among them.

The three hundred Bayara white-armored soldiers were instantly surrounded and killed. Chen Tai, who was about to charge forward, immediately reined in his horse and ran back, blending into the cavalry without looking back.

That one turn of events led to utter defeat.

The Longxiang Army and the New Army pursued them for another ten miles before sounding the retreat and ceasing their advance.

Chen Tai, who had miraculously survived, was now sweating profusely.

Ahead of him was another fleeing group, and he saw Kong Youde and Zhang Cunren's group.

"Father, General Jingnan has returned," Kong Tingxun said, turning around.

"Hmm," Kong Youde simply responded, his gaze fixed on Chen Tai.

The three met, looked at each other, and saw the unpleasant expressions on each other's faces, with Chen Tai's expression being the most unpleasant.

His most elite 300 White-Armored Soldiers were all wiped out.

"Return to Jianyang City," Kong Youde uttered in a hoarse voice.

Everyone remained silent and returned to Jianyang City.

When the city's defenders, Bahana and Heluo, saw Kong Youde and his group return in such a disheveled state, they were immediately incredulous.

They went out with an army of fifty or sixty thousand, looking very imposing, but when they returned, only a few thousand remnants remained, leaving everyone astonished.

"What happened?" Bahana asked Kong Youde as he stepped forward.

"The enemy was well prepared and took advantage of our unpreparedness to win a minor victory." Kong Youde returned to the city, and the solemn and ugly expression on his face completely disappeared, replaced by a smile.

"However, in this battle we also discovered that the enemy's army was not strong enough."

"The rebel army is weak and only dares to show off with firearms. In direct combat, our Qing army still has the advantage."

After he finished speaking, he looked around intently.

"Gentlemen, you have worked hard. Although our army has been defeated, there are still 60,000 troops in Jianyang City. Our Tianyou Army has not yet entered the fray. In a real contest of firearms, our Qing army will not lose to the enemy army."

"Gather the defeated troops, rest for two days, and then fight again!"

After Kong Youde finished speaking, he left. Hearing Kong Youde's words, the crowd's previously low spirits immediately lifted.

They still have their most elite troops yet to be deployed, and they still have a chance to fight the enemy.

Chen Tai remained silent and simply left, with Bahana following after him.

They were all Manchus, and their stance was closer to that of the Han Chinese. You couldn't get anything out of Kong Youde, but you could get information out of Chen Tai.

He Luo, as Chen Tai's deputy general, also followed.

"Chen Tai, what exactly happened at the front lines?"

After entering the mansion with Chen Tai and taking a seat in the main hall, Chen Tai sighed and told everyone the whole story.

"The rebel army's firearms were not only sharp, but their troop combinations, battlefield support, and teamwork were also incredibly seamless. Their soldiers were full of fighting spirit, making them many times stronger than the remnants of the Ming dynasty."

"In this battle, I even lost the three hundred Bayaras who were with me."

At this point, Chen Tai burst into tears, heartbroken.

These Bayara soldiers in white armor are all brave warriors of Manchuria. How can he explain this to the elders of Manchuria?

Bahana was incredulous upon hearing this; "The enemy's firearms are so formidable, I will report this to the court immediately."

At this moment, He Luo stepped forward and said, "General, the rebels have just won a victory and are bound to be arrogant and careless. I implore you to give me eight hundred men to launch a night attack on the enemy."

He Luo felt this was an opportunity to catch the other party off guard, and stared intently at Chen Tai.

Chen Tai was somewhat tempted upon hearing this. He Luo had a keen sense for opportunities and was also a fierce general who could charge into battle and stand alone.

"I agree to this. I will speak with Prince Gongshun. Go and make preparations now."

"Yes, General." He Luohui was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately went to prepare the troops.

Chen Tai also sent someone to inform Kong Youde.

Kong Youde did not stop it, and sent someone to reply that he agreed.

Although Kong Youde was nominally in charge of Jianyang at this time, the Manchus actually held the reins.

As long as Chen Tai and Bahana agree to send troops, Kong Youde will have to agree even if he doesn't.

Under the cover of night, a force of eight hundred men quietly moved south along the Chongyang River, approaching the enemy.

At this time, inside the camp of the second army.

The generals were in high spirits after winning their first battle.

As the commander, Chu Gang marked the opposing forces and troop strengths on the military sand table map.

"Our army has won a great victory in this battle, but now is not the time to celebrate."

"Our army is only forty or fifty li away from Jianyang City, and the enemy may launch a surprise attack at any time."

"After we finish taking stock of the battle damage and spoils tonight, we will carry out the next step of the plan first thing tomorrow morning: besiege Jianyang City."