weaving

Compared to the chaos of the rebel army.

Yongyi Jun remained remarkably calm.

The infantrymen formed ranks on both sides and held their ground, while the musketeers advanced at the very front.

Behind the three rows of gunners were a dense array of various carts and vehicles, numbering over six hundred. These included large and small chariots, supply wagons, and some lighter wheelbarrows.

In the center of the chariot formation were twenty large artillery pieces, with thirty side chariots on each flank, spaced one zhang apart. Further to the sides and behind them were more than four hundred and fifty supply wagons.

In the gaps between the various tanks, there were more than two hundred light wheelbarrow gun carriages. These wheelbarrow gun carriages were equipped with light artillery such as tiger crouch cannons and mortars, which were convenient to use.

Beyond the chariot formation, there were even more armored knights, stretching as far as the eye could see...

…………

"We're a hundred paces from the bandits," the observer reported promptly.

"Archers, all hands on deck! Halt!" Lin Fangping shouted. "Check your muskets! After the cannon fire, attack the enemy forces ahead! We will not retreat until victory is achieved!"

The musketeers immediately stopped, as if they had been pinned to the ground by a series of pincers. Even the hems of their clothes, which were swaying gently in the wind, seemed to be sculpted.

If it weren't for their orderly inspection of the muskets in their hands, they would really look like a group of sculptures!

"Thump!" The horn fired.

The sound of war drums, “thump…thump thump…thump…thump thump…”, rang out once again from the army formation behind them.

Meanwhile, the musketeers at the forefront were still calmly checking their muskets, as if the signal cannon shot had nothing to do with them, and even the sounding war drums were not urging them to charge.

"Boom!" A loud noise came from behind the gunner.

Immediately following, a series of loud explosions rang out, and thick clouds of gray-white smoke instantly enveloped a large area behind the Yongyi Army musketeers.

One after another, iron cannonballs of various sizes shot out from their dark muzzles, roaring as they raced toward the distant enemy lines, leaving behind only tongues of fire and plumes of smoke rising into the sky.

In this round of simultaneous firing from both large and small cannons, the cannonballs landed at varying distances.

Whether it was the barricades and antlers in front of the enemy's defensive line, the infantry in the front ranks, or even the cavalry behind them, they were all subjected to the baptism of the Yongyi Army's cannons at the same time.

In an instant, dust billowed in the middle of the entire rebel army's defensive line, and cries of agony and despair rose and fell incessantly. The rebel soldiers, who had been arrogant and overbearing just moments before, were now like stray dogs, howling and screaming in agony as they ran around in all directions.

"Gunners, advance!"

After the artillery fire subsided, Lin Fangping raised his command sword high and shouted orders.

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

The gunners roared their unified commands and marched forward like divine soldiers descending from the heavens.

…………

The moment the Yongyi Army's artillery fired, Yuan Zongdi, the leader of the Chuang Army at the front line, also realized the urgency of the situation.

He pointed ahead and shouted, "Quickly, pass on the order: teach the archers to shoot arrows... fire... shoot... shoot him to death!"

Yuan Zongdi turned around and shouted to his personal guards, "Quickly go and inform the Grand Marshal that the government troops... the government troops are attacking!" His eyes were already red, and he roared, "Prepare the horses, follow me to kill the government troops!"

At this moment, Yuan Zongdi had no other choice. He knew he could not retreat. The army had been suddenly attacked, and the soldiers would naturally feel fear and panic. If they retreated at this time, it would inevitably trigger a chain reaction that would become uncontrollable.

Now, the only hope is to regroup and fight again, relying on sheer courage to repel the invading officers and soldiers.

…………

Liu Tichun's face was covered in dust, and dust was flying all around him, making it impossible to see clearly what was happening ten steps away.

He spat out a mouthful of sand and roared, "Li Michang, assemble! Shieldmen, raise your shields! Archers, fire your arrows!"

"Defense, everyone defend."

Liu Tichun's voice also became hoarse, and a feeling of helplessness instantly enveloped his entire body.

At this moment, he once again recalled the time when he was captured by the government troops under the command of Marquis Yongning, Zhang Cheng. The sense of powerlessness he felt in the face of battle was so similar, as if his capture had happened just yesterday.

Liu Tichun had already forgotten that experience!

However, he never expected that when he faced Zhang Cheng's Yongyi Army again today, the sense of powerlessness he felt in the face of battle before would surge back into his heart.

Li Michang was actually not far in front of him, and he was also somewhat stunned at this moment. After all, no one expected that the government army's artillery would be so fierce.

In their minds, all cannons in the world should be like theirs, requiring the construction of a sturdy emplacement before loading cannonballs and gunpowder, and then firing them.

It was based on this understanding that when they suddenly saw the Yongyi Army's cannon fire raining down, the blow to their hearts was all the more intense!

As the cannonballs hurtled in, the trails they left behind were so vast they almost blotted out the sky, creating a sense of oppression for the enemy soldiers that was no less intense than a bombardment.

"Form ranks, don't panic... Raise your shields, defend... defend!" Li Michang shouted hoarsely.

The cries and screams were so loud that they almost drowned out Li Michang's shouts, forcing him to shout with all his might, but even so, they were not loud at all in the chaotic battlefield.

Even when Liu Tichun called him from dozens of steps away, Li Michang didn't hear a thing.

However, this did not prevent Li Michang from organizing the defense. After all, everyone had crawled out of piles of corpses and was used to fighting. Even without clear military orders, they knew what to do.

At Li Michang's command, the bandits around him quickly calmed down, began to regroup and raise their shields, assuming a defensive posture. With their encouragement, more and more bandits calmed down.

However, wounded soldiers would appear every now and then, and their cries of pain severely affected the morale of the troops.

"Chen San, take a few men and carry the wounded brothers to the back."

While giving orders, Li Michang shouted to his personal guards, "Damn it, go find General Erhu! What are the archers doing? Why aren't they firing?"

Just as Li Michang was secretly rejoicing as his soldiers gradually recovered from the chaos and the defensive line was stabilized again, he suddenly heard a series of popping sounds, like popping beans.

Immediately following was a scream, which came from not far away from him on both sides...

"It's over, it's all over!" (End of Chapter)