Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 755 - 625: Act First, Report Later_1

Chapter 755: Chapter 625: Act First, Report Later_1

During the brewing storm of war in the northern part of Taiyuan, Li Xuan was organizing and drilling his troops near Jizhou City.

Mainly, it was the Shenji right camp, as the original eleven thousand men hadn’t completed their training yet.

They weren’t very proficient with line column formation and square formation and needed further reinforcement.

Additionally, the eight thousand newly recruited Yiwu soldiers were also practicing the operation of flintlock guns day and night.

Li Xuan didn’t have expectations regarding their formations and bayonet technique, but he hoped that these Yiwu fighters would be proficient in firing before the war arrived.

To accomplish this, he wasn’t stingy about the depletion of ammunition, ensuring that these new soldiers practiced every other day, conducting live-fire drill with over ten rounds each time. The main purpose was practicing loading and getting used to the recoil after firing.

As for aiming accuracy, Li Xuan didn’t hold out any hope; he only wanted to guarantee that these fighters could follow commands and aim appropriately when firing.

The rifled gun, also known as the rifle, has much better accuracy compared to the smooth-bore gun. During the American Civil War, soldiers could snipe enemy generals from hundreds of meters away with rifles.

However, this required remarkable talent and meticulous mastery of firearms, and without at least two thousand rounds of shooting, one wouldn’t be able to train as a marksman.

The "Rune Flintlock Rifled Gun" designed by Leng Yurou, although powered by runes, was primarily intended to increase power, range, and firing rate. Leng Yurou didn’t focus too much on the accuracy.

Therefore, in the battlefield, these firearms would still mainly rely on dense volleys to cause damage.

Also, the barrel life of the "Rune Flintlock Rifled Gun" was only about 1,200 rounds. In fact, when they fired 600 rounds, the rifling in the gun barrel would wear out, significantly reducing the accuracy.

This is also the reason why the "Rune Flintlock Rifled Gun" sold exorbitantly in the Shenqi Union, fetching as much as 2,500 teals on the market.

Although its power was similar to that of middle-grade magical instruments, it had many defects in many aspects and had a significant gap with real middle-grade magical instruments.

At the same time, Li Xuan was also awaiting the availability of military equipment.

Just after the unusual actions of the Mongolians in the north at the beginning of March, under his activity and instigation, The Court ordered an additional 7,000 "Rune Flintlock Rifled Guns" from the Shenqi Union, on credit.

Only because the "Rune Flintlock Rifled Gun" of the Shenji right and left camp, even after several purchases by The Court, just reached a little over 30,000. There was still a large gap.

The eight thousand newly recruited Yiwu soldiers currently could only temporarily borrow the firearms of the Shenji left camp for shooting training.

The Shenqi Union was working overnight at this time, and it was expected that the seven thousand firearms would be delivered by the 20th of March.

By then, the Shenji right and left camps will have 37,000 "Rune Flintlock Rifled Guns" and 160 four-inch diameter wheeled field smooth-bore cannons, achieving full coverage of firearms.

The total number is 37,000 riflemen, and 160 cannon teams with a formation of 1,400 men - each of these big guns required at least eight to ten people to operate.

The remaining more than two thousand men were auxiliary soldiers handling various chores, including fire fighters and so on.

In addition, Li Xuan also asked Helian Fulong and Jiang Yunqi to work together and create a more suitable bayonet technique for the battlefield.

But it was too late to use it at this moment. For now, he could only slightly modify a spear technique called "Tiger Thrusting Warfare" for the soldiers to learn.

The "Rune Flintlock Rifled Gun" is four feet two inches long, or 1.4 meters. Adding a 0.55-meter bayonet, the total length is close to six feet, perfectly suitable for this spear technique focussed on thrusting.

In addition to this, "Tiger Thrusting Warfare" is also highly suitable for array warfare.

Especially the knife forest formed by tens of thousands of bayonets has a tremendous power in close combat.

While the Shenji right and left camps were conducting vigorous training, Li Xuan was also selecting elite troops from the Weisuo army, which had gathered 50,000 people in Jizhou.

––These were the cream of the crop of Jizhou, whose individual combat ability and formation standards were no worse than the Forbidden Army. Plus they had the experience of dealing with cavalry in the Tangshan war a year ago.

It is worth mentioning that among them there were sixteen thousand archers, who were excellent shots and capable of handling twenty-strength bows proficiently.

Li Xuan also grouped all the cavalry units together, around nine thousand knights, and formed two regimental camps separately.

Li Xuan had complete confidence in the "Shenji right and left camps", firmly believing that this forty thousand rifles army was enough to break the hundreds of thousands of Pi Room Iron Cavalry.

However, he won’t stop making efforts to increase the odds of winning because of this.

On the 18th of March, the Shenqi Union delivered all the guns and cannons two days ahead of schedule.

By now, Li Xuan had learned that the Mongolian Iron Cavalry had already entered Shuozhou’s territory to raid, and that Yu Jie and the Emperor were assembling their troops, preparing to engage in a decisive battle with the Khan of Vala, Yexian in Shuozhou.

However, on this day, without any hesitation, Li Xuan issued the military order to advance north under the guise of ’a military drill’.

The forty-one thousand troops from the Shenji right and left camps, along with the fifty thousand troops that Li Xuan had temporarily organized into five infantry battalions, nine thousand cavalry from two cavalry battalions, plus thirty thousand auxiliary troops for transportation of heavy equipment, a total of one hundred and thirty thousand troops marched north.

First, they arrived at Xifeng Pass where they only took a day to rest and restore before, at Li Xuan’s strong insistence, moving onward to Chengde.

Li Xuan’s actions took everyone by surprise, leaving everyone shocked and unsettled.

※※※※

A mere half day later, Gao Gu, the Cifu who received the news, let out a furious roar in the Wenhua Palace where Yu Hongchang was supervising the government on behalf of the Emperor, "What on earth is the Marquis of Guanjun up to? Is he trying to put our Jin Dynasty in a death trap?

He is ignoring so many critical passes that require defense and instead taking such a small force to Chengde. Does he know that there are 270,000 Pishi Zombie Army in the tomb of the Tai Grand Emperor of Liao? Does he know that beneath the Qiuhu Office in Chengde, remnants of the Khitan people’s Dragon Qi are still present?

Can his mere one hundred and thirty thousand troops confront the Pishi Iron Cavalry of the Khitan people? Does he think that he is the reincarnation of Xiang Yu or the renewed life of Prince Wei, Li Jing? The Court bestowed upon him the title of the Marquis of Guanjun, does he really think he is the Marquis of Guanjun?"

In his rage, Gao Gu even relinquished his respect toward court etiquettes, his voice echoed through the hall, vibrating the Wenhua Palace.

Everyone present in the court frowned, even Yu Shiyue, the Minister of Punishments and a close confidant of Li Xuan, looked worried.

Minister of Revenue, Xiao Ci, saluted Yu Hongchang, "Your Highness! Please send an order quickly to summon the Marquis of Guanjun back, and remove him from his military post! A seasoned and competent general should be appointed to keep charge of the defense of Jizhou."

The Servant of the Ministry of War, Shang Hong, also agreed with removing Li Xuan from his military post. He bowed and spoke, "Your Highness, this matter must be dealt with quickly and promptly! If the Marquis of Guanjun is defeated heavily in Chengde, the consequences can be unthinkable. If these one hundred and thirty thousand troops are wiped out, our Jin Dynasty might lose everything!"

Yu Hongchang was also shocked by Li Xuan’s move, but her face remained calm, and eyes were still. "Xiao Shangshu, the Marquis of Guanjun’s position as the General of Zhenji was assigned by the Emperor. His departure is not for this palace to decide, we should consult the Emperor on such matters before making a decision."

Although Yu Hongchang was anxious about the outcome of this battle, she completely trusted Li Xuan’s abilities.

She noticed the dissatisfaction these officials had with Li Xuan’s decision to strike first and explain later, so she chose to ’drag’ the issue, and buy as much time as possible for Li Xuan.

However, the Zuodu Yushi just scowled and said, "Your Highness, this is a mistake!

The Emperor and Shangshu Yu appointed the Marquis of Guanjun as the General to solely defend Xifeng Pass and Gubei Pass, to prevent the 270,000 Pishi Zombie Army in the Tai Grand Emperor’s tomb from descending south, not for him to recklessly engage in field combat! How could he be so reckless?"

With his eyes wide open, he stared at Yu Hongchang, "Now the Emperor is in Shuozhou. Even if they use ’the fire-eye crow’, it would take two hours to reach there and back, plus the time they would take to discuss, when would that be? The Marquis’s army is not even two hundred kilometers away from Chengde, and I estimate they will be there in half a day. By then it would be too late!"

"Your Highness, what is the purpose of the Emperor appointing you to supervise the country? It is for you to have the authority to take decisions on the matters beyond his reach. Otherwise, why would the Emperor need you, as the Regent? Why would he need these full court officials?"

Yu Hongchang was still calm and composed, "The Zuodu Yushi has a point, although I am not a military strategist, I am aware that changing a general before battle is a military taboo.

This is something I absolutely cannot decide, we should seek the Emperor’s opinion. Up until now, the Marquis of Guanjun has never been defeated, perhaps your fears are a bit premature? Also, if we were to relieve the Marquis of his position, who in the court is capable of taking over his role in Jizhou? Who can manage these hundreds of thousands of troops?"

She wanted to buy time as much as possible, but if that didn’t work, she would just try to stir up discord in the court.

As expected, as soon as her words were spoken, the court officials, who originally had heated discussions, became confused.

Some thought that changing generals on the eve of a battle was indeed inappropriate, and some debated on the candidate to replace as the general of Jizhou.

At this time, Yu Hongchang’s demeanor subtly changed, and she turned to look at Zhu Guoneng, who had been transferred from the commander of Xuanfu to the equivalent rank of the commander of the capital camp, formerly the left Dudu of his military office.

"Marquis of Changping, you are well-versed in military strategies, what do you think?"

Zhu Guoneng raised his token and said, "Your Highness, the Marquis of Guanjun had made adequate preparations before heading up north. Even if he loses his battle in Chengde, Jizhou town can withstand the onslaught of the Pishi Iron Cavalry for at least tens of days. This will leave ample time for the court to mobilize troops.

Also, from what I know, it only took five hours for the Shenji camp’s left and right battalions to go from Jizhou to Xifeng Pass. Therefore, I predict that the Marquis’s troops have already arrived in Chengde. At this point, no matter what decision the court makes, it will be too late-"

Indeed, just as he finished speaking, the Dudu Tongzhi of Xiuyiwei and Ti Ti of the Inner Chang, Zuo Daoxing, hurriedly walked in, "Your Highness! We have received military reports from Chengde. The vanguard cavalry of the Marquis has arrived at the Qiuhu Office in Chengde. The Young Heavenly Master from Tianshi’s mansion who accompanied the Marquis voluntarily detonated the Dragon Qi in Chengde."

At this moment, the faces of all court officials present were filled with worry. Many of them were even angry.

Li Xuan’s actions not only caught them off guard, but also forced them into a situation where they had no choice but to agree to Li Xuan’s strategy for field combat.

Two hours later, Yu Jie, who was in Shuozhou, also received the news.

He felt a sudden dizziness. His temples throbbed violently, and his heart pounded in his chest.