Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 279: The Achievement Begins Here

Just as Jia Cong led two warships and sailed across the Bohai Bay at night.

Twenty miles outside Yafu Pass in Liaodong Town, a bloody fight and chase was going on.

Facing a sudden attack by the Jurchen cavalry, Guo Zhigui was forced to burn a grain cart first, forcing the cavalry commander Dai Xiong to surrender.

Because apart from Guo Zhigui's suggestion of burning the military rations and leading the troops to avoid the enemy's attack in time, Cavalry Commander Dai Xiong could not think of a better way.

If 200 cavalrymen were to confront cavalry that was twice as large as their own in such a dark environment with no reinforcements, it would be nothing but a pipe dream to expect to win with fewer troops.

The only outcome for them was that they were slaughtered by the other side and their food supplies were stolen.

Guo Zhigui followed suit and burned the other two carts of food and fodder.

The gun formation consisting of more than 30 musketeers was already emitting a rain of gunfire.

All the cavalry mounted their horses, raised their bows and shot arrows at the Jurchen cavalry who had already run within a hundred steps.

The dense bullets and arrows temporarily slowed down the charge of the Jurchen cavalry, but this process could only last for a short time.

Guo Zhigui jumped onto the last carriage and said, "Captain Xiong, I will lead the Jurchens away with the last carriage of food and fodder with ten musketeers, and you will take the others back to the fort.

Tomorrow night, send some more people to Yafu Pass to report the news, just in case."

Captain Xiong knew what Guo Zhigui meant. It was to prevent all ten musketeers from being killed by the Jurchens and no one would return alive to report. At that time, they would have to rely on themselves.

This was an extremely urgent moment, and Captain Xiong knew there was no time to say more, but his heart was filled with admiration for this unknown firearms captain.

This person is able to be so quick-witted and decisive in a crisis. Although his methods are somewhat unusual, he is indeed a powerful figure.

Captain Xiong said to Guo Zhigui: "Brother, come back alive!"

"Everyone, form up your troops and attack the left wing of the Jurchen cavalry. Do not fight too long, and then retreat northwards towards the fort."

Guo Zhigui shouted, "Jiang Xiaosi, take ten of your brothers and follow me. The rest of you will follow the cavalry battalion back to the fort!"

The sound of horse hooves roared as two hundred Great Zhou cavalrymen charged forward, passing through the left wing of the Jurchen cavalry, causing chaos in the Jurchen cavalry formation.

It also bought Guo Zhigui precious time that was fleeting. A grain cart and ten firearms soldiers rushed in the opposite direction of the Great Zhou cavalry.

……

"General, the Zhou army is divided into two groups. We will chase which side."

The leading general among the Jurchen cavalry was of burly build, with a shaved head, gold rings on his ears, a deerskin short jacket, a long sword shining with cold light in his hand, and a very fierce expression.

He pointed the long sword in his hand at the food truck that was running away: "Chase that way, we need the food!"

Guo Zhigui learned excellent driving skills in Rongguo Mansion and was able to drive a carriage full of supplies very quickly.

The speed of the car was not even slower than that of the musketeer who was riding a fast horse beside him. No one knew how he did it.

"Jiang Xiaosi, tell the brothers to split into four teams and run in different directions. Whoever escapes will be counted as one. Don't gather together so that we can catch them all in one fell swoop. You follow my carriage!"

Soon the other musketeers split into four teams and fled.

The large group of Jurchens behind just followed Guo Zhigui's carriage closely and ignored the other musketeers who were escaping separately.

Guo Zhigui was driving the grain cart and just after turning a mountain pass, he suddenly turned the cart around.

Jiang Xiaosi at the side quickly reined in his warhorse: "Zhigui, why are you turning your head? Are you going to die?"

Guo Zhigui chuckled, quickly jumped off the carriage, and threw the lit tinder in his hand onto the carriage. The whole carriage quickly caught fire, emitting a strong smell of tung oil.

He stabbed the horse pulling the carriage in the buttocks again. Due to the severe pain and the burning carriage, the horse immediately went crazy and rushed towards the Jurchen cavalry that had just chased them.

Guo Zhigui jumped onto Jiang Xiaosi's horse. At this time, the dark clouds in the sky once again covered the full moon, and the earth fell into darkness again. The two men and their horses disappeared quickly into the night. The Jurchen cavalry chasing behind found that the burning grain cart was rushing towards them, and their formation was in chaos.

The burly Jurchen general shouted, "Shoot the frightened horses and put out the fire on the grain carts immediately!"

He saw clearly from the rear just now that this grain truck had just been set on fire. As long as the fire was put out in time, most of the grain could be rescued.

You have to know that such a large cart of food is enough food for a hundred elite cavalrymen for five days.

They dispatched hundreds of cavalrymen to patrol near the Zhou military fortresses in order to plunder the military rations transported by the Zhou people.

Unexpectedly, this group of Zhou troops were so hateful that they burned most of the food in time. Now this grain cart may be their only gain tonight.

"General, this cart is not food, it is just fodder for the war horses."

The Jurchen general's face changed drastically, the golden rings on his ears gleamed in the firelight, and he shouted angrily: "What did you say!"

He let the Zhou cavalry run away just for this cart of food, but he didn't expect that the cart was loaded with only fodder, which was light in quality. No wonder the Zhou soldiers could drive the cart so quickly.

The murderous shouts echoed in the night, making people shudder.

"These treacherous Zhou people, catch up with those people just now, don't let any of them go, I will tear them into pieces!"

However, it was a dark night, and the original musketeer cavalry, under Guo Zhigui's arrangement, had already fled in different directions.

Guo Zhigui, Jiang Xiaosi and their horse also ran away and disappeared without a trace, and there was no way to find them again.

……

Jia Cong and Wei Yongzhou led 500 musketeers and a large number of firearms across the Bohai Bay and landed in Lushun.

After saying goodbye to Liu Yong, a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard who was escorting the artillery, he traveled day and night for four days and finally arrived at Guangning City, the headquarters of the Liaodong Town General.

Wei Yongzhou led 500 musketeers and arrived three days earlier than the time stipulated by the Ministry of War for the rotation of guards.

As soon as Jia Cong entered Guangning City, he found that it was completely different from the cities he passed along the way.

This is a real military city, with ordinary residents accounting for only a small proportion of the population.

Everywhere in the city one could see patrolling sentries, queues of cavalry riding past, and large numbers of infantry changing guard and ready to go.

There were also many vehicles carrying supplies and food that drove into the city in an endless stream. These supplies were requisitioned by the Ministry of War from all over the Great Zhou.

These included various war supplies such as food, fodder, vegetables and meat, cotton-padded clothes, weapons, feather arrows, leather armor, tung oil, etc., which were classified and transported to military depots in various parts of Guangning City.

Finally, according to the arrangement of the Liaodong General, the Liaodong Governor would mobilize civilians to transport the goods to the various passes along the border.

It is precisely because Liaodong Town is currently at war with the Jurchens that this military city has become more vibrant than usual, turning it into a huge war machine that can be clearly seen with the naked eye.

Jia Cong had no intuitive understanding of the Great Zhou's national strength in terms of warfare before. It was not until he entered Guangning City that he truly realized the Great Zhou's strong national power.

The Greater Peripheral Army has such a systematic war coordination system and the most adequate supply of war materials.

Contrast the Jurchen tribes who struggled with life and death and hunger during the long and harsh winter.

As long as there is a normal and effective command system, victory is almost just a matter of time, or how to achieve it.

Jia Cong glanced at the cannons, porcelain mines, muskets, etc. behind him.

He vaguely felt that these firearms would change many people's perception of war, and perhaps bring him unexpected opportunities in Liaodong!
Jia Cong and Wei Yongzhou arrived at the general's office and, according to the quartermaster's request, surveyed and counted the number of firearms that had been delivered, and checked the roster of soldiers who were replacing firearms.

Just after completing all the regulatory formalities, a soldier came over and told Jia Cong that Lord Gu, the governor of nine provinces, and Lord Liang, the general of Liaodong Town, had summoned the director of the Firearms Bureau.

(End of this chapter)