The sun never sets in America

Chapter 29 The Eve Of The War
Los Angeles in March is getting warmer than it was in February.

People were coming and going on the streets. Although the prosperity before the occupation of Liujiapu was not restored, a large number of soldiers, Chinese, and even a large number of Indians who were allowed to enter brought a kind of prosperity to the city that seemed very abnormal. .

"Boss, how much does this cost?" The Indian danced, talking and gesticulating, pointing to a piece of exquisite porcelain in the shop, asking the Mexican businessman in front of him for the price, looking at the vase with flowers painted on it, in this Indian who had never seen the world. In human eyes... this vase is the most beautiful thing in the world that he has ever seen.

"Five hundred pesos..." The Mexican porcelain merchant looked at the illiterate Indian in front of him, made gestures, and barely said the high price he had deliberately quoted.

"Five hundred?" The Indian had no idea about the number five hundred. "Are these enough?" The Indian simply took out a fist-sized, pitted, strange-shaped stone from the animal skin bag he carried with him. The stone was golden yellow. As soon as he took it out, it caught the attention of the Mexican porcelain merchant.

"Oh my God..." After the Mexican porcelain merchant saw this golden stone, he shouted directly, shouting to God repeatedly, "Enough, enough, absolutely enough!" The Mexican porcelain merchant then expressed a look on his face. He nodded to the Indian with a smile.

"Is there anything else the customer wants? We have it all here." The Mexican porcelain merchant then enthusiastically introduced the other porcelain in the store, which was completely different from the reaction of the Indian before he entered the store.

"I only want this, and I don't want anything else." The Indian couldn't stand the Mexican porcelain merchant's enthusiasm, and pointed to the vase on the counter and refused, disappointing the Mexican porcelain merchant.

"Okay, I'll wrap it up for you." Although he felt very disappointed, the Mexican porcelain merchant still maintained his grace in the face of money, and quickly packed the porcelain in a beautiful wooden box.

"Guest, your things." The Mexican porcelain merchant took the wooden box over.

"Guest, please go slowly..." After the Indians took the porcelain and left the store, the Mexican porcelain merchant greeted him enthusiastically from behind, regardless of whether the other party understood it or not, "Damn, these Indians are so rich, I'm so Even a shop is probably not as valuable as this piece of gold." Weighing the weight of the gold nugget in his hand, the Mexican porcelain merchant couldn't hide the smile on his face.

And on this street, except for those country bumpkins who come into the city and buy everything, and who can't tell the price of goods, they are all Indians, and the most common ones are the Chinese soldiers who set up stalls to sell their trophies... During the day, it's fine, there are military disciplines, but at night, in Over on South Street, there was a group of soldiers reselling war souvenirs.

Many of these war souvenirs were ripped from the bodies of white Mexican militiamen. According to Liujiabao's spoils of war regulations, in addition to weapons, large amounts of gold, jewelry, and money, any personal seizure that is less than a certain amount can be shown as a soldier's personal property. All... Such a system gave birth to Liujiabao soldiers who were extremely willing to search for trophies from the dead, and even had a great improvement in their will to fight... If it is true, as some officers said, only military pay is given , without trophies, although the loyalty of the army can still be guaranteed, it will not have any benefit on the will to fight and enthusiasm for fighting, and it will even have a negative impact.

In addition to these, most of the Mexican prisoners who were building fortifications outside the city and at the top of the city were captured... These prisoners included the captured soldiers of the Fourth Regiment, as well as some of those in Mexico City who had been beaten by Governor Huaco Covia. Ordinary Mexican people who were fooled into being bullied.

From morning to night, apart from sleeping and eating, these people only do one thing every day, which is to build fortifications and city defenses that have been in disrepair for a long time... Although the city defenses cannot be repaired to perfection in one go, in so many days, they have continued to build After some tinkering, it barely reached a defensible standard.

During the repairs, because of the city defense in Los Angeles, Li Zhaowu, who was in charge of the repairs, once cursed those Mexican bureaucrats as stupid pigs. The city defenses were in such a dilapidated state, and they were still not repairing them. They didn't even bother to do anything! !
"Here, the fort here still needs to be reinforced." Li Zhaowu was inspecting the city defense, pointing to a fort on the left and telling the construction workers that the workers responsible for repairing the fort were basically transferred from Liujiabao. Why did those who came here have to be transferred all the way from Liujiabao? It’s because there are few people in Los Angeles who know how to build fortifications...

Especially for technical jobs like the fort, it was impossible to find people, so we had to invite the workers and masters who originally built the Liujiabao fort... to build the fort again in Los Angeles.

Looking at the 24-pound artillery guns with the largest caliber on the city defense and currently the largest caliber in Liujiabao, Li Zhaowu nodded with satisfaction. He was relieved because he was worried about the imminent war.

"Dig the tunnel here a little deeper to prevent the enemy from coming." Under the city tower, Li Zhaowu continued to direct the workers digging the tunnel, and continued to dig the tunnel that was already deep enough. If it had not been too late to divert water, he would have wanted to Build a moat in Los Angeles.

If you look down from a high altitude, you will find that except for the deepest and widest tunnel in the middle, the other tunnels are relatively small and can accommodate up to two people...

Moreover, the tunnels are interconnected and can support each other during wartime.

In each tunnel, there are several small openings, which are the headquarters and the place where ammunition is stored. The soil on this side is relatively thick and has been reinforced many times. The main purpose is to prevent the enemy from The artillery blasted this piece apart.

After all, there is a large amount of ammunition stored here. Once it explodes, the consequences will be more dangerous than the enemy's attack.

Therefore, Li Zhaowu repeatedly emphasized that the frontline headquarters and the holes for ammunition reserves must be reinforced and protected.

And inside the city gate, a large amount of military supplies are constantly being transported to the defense line outside the city, including ammunition, medicine, military rations made of bread... As for why bread is used, the first one is that it is easier to store, and One is that the most popular people in Los Angeles are bakers. After all, the entire population of Los Angeles, plus the surrounding areas, has tens of thousands of people. In sparsely populated California, it is considered a big city... and white people use bread as their staple food, so there are a lot of them. baker lives in Los Angeles City.

Judging from the current situation, there is a high probability that within the short flag, it will become a war of attrition or even a long war, which requires a large amount of food reserves, and bread is currently the best and only option.

Of course, in addition to bread, Chinese food is also available, but it can only be cooked freshly. Although there are a large number of cooks on the front line, after all, we don’t know when the war will break out or when it will be interrupted, so if you want to have a Chinese meal then you have to Looking at what happened during the war, when the war was anxious, bread was the only choice for Liujiabao soldiers.

While the defense lines were being busy and tensely being built outside the city, in a Spanish-style parlor in the former Los Angeles Governor's Mansion, now the Los Angeles City Hall, Liu Peng and a group of soldiers who stayed in Los Angeles were discussing the war and the response to the war. Guards in Los Angeles.

At this time, the living room, which was paved with gorgeous Persian carpets and with oil paintings of governors hanging on the walls, had been transformed into a war room by the Liujiapu people.

Except for the carpet on the floor, everything else has been changed, the oil paintings have been replaced by landscape paintings, and the tables and chairs have been replaced by long tables with oriental round tables.

On the front of the round table are several huge maps. One of them is a layout plan of the city of Los Angeles. This map is also marked in Spanish. It was found from the Governor's Mansion. It is probably left behind when the city of Los Angeles was built. blueprint.The remaining pictures are situation maps near Los Angeles, with various arrows marking the movement trajectory of the Mexican militia groups assembled nearby. This movement trajectory is still from yesterday... Although there is some delay, in this information, especially military information, In the underdeveloped era, such maps were sufficiently detailed. Even the Liujiabao inspectors who brought back intelligence from the front line once said boldly: "Even the Mexicans' own maps may not be as detailed as ours." These words Although it is arrogant, it can be seen from this point how big Liujiabao's intelligence advantage is... This is also the result of Liujiabao's long-standing emphasis on intelligence work.

It cannot be compared with those white Mexican colonists who have long lost their fighting spirit in the prosperous and comfortable life.

"According to our estimates, the entire California coalition forces will gather outside Los Angeles by tomorrow afternoon at the latest..." Zhao Wei pointed his baton at a large area outside Los Angeles to the war room, including Liu Peng. Everyone introduced the current situation, "That is to say, from now on, we only have one and a half days to prepare." At this point, even Zhao Wei couldn't help but feel a little worried. After all, this time the entire California coalition was just On the surface, there are nearly 7000 people. This does not include the soldiers recruited from colonial towns across California in the past few days. This is also a stressful thing for the current Liujiabao. If they win, Fortunately, once the battle is lost, even if those who retreat back to Liujiabao rely on the valley to hold on, at least within the next ten years, Liujiabao will no longer have the energy to provoke a second war.

It is even possible that in the end, it will fail.

This is what Zhao Wei and everyone sitting here do not want to see.

"Are our people ready?" Liu Peng ignored Zhao Wei's worries and focused directly on the process of the war itself. After all, no matter how much he talks or worries, it is better to study carefully and how to win. .

"Basically ready. In addition to the three main battalions that have been fully staffed again, three new Indian battalions have been added, as well as the two Indian battalions transferred from Liujiabao that have been established for the longest time..." Zhao Wei He reported the situation of the army to Liu Peng in detail, "It's just that apart from our three main battalions, only the two Indian battalions transferred from Liujiabao have some combat effectiveness. The newly established three Indian battalions, and even I only learned how to shoot, but I can't even stand in line..." Zhao Wei worriedly continued to introduce the current situation of the Los Angeles Army to Liu Peng.

"Three main battalions and two mighty battalions that are ready for combat, that's enough, that's enough!" Liu Peng was not frustrated because the remaining three newly built mighty battalions had no combat effectiveness. He was even convinced that the current situation was better than he thought. It's much better. "Also, from now on, don't always call the Indian camp. The Indian camp should be called the Mighty Camp. Don't make distinctions. This is not good." Liu Peng then criticized Zhao Wei because of the issue of the Indian camp just now. A warning.

"Yes, young master, I understand." Zhao Wei immediately agreed to Liu Peng. He also understood what Liu Peng meant, that is, not to make any ethnic distinctions in the army. It seems okay now, and he will join the Liu family in the future. There are more and more Indians in the fort, and there are more and more Indian soldiers under his command. It is very likely that trouble will occur due to differential treatment.

"With the current number of our army and the newly repaired defense of Los Angeles City, let alone more than 7000 Mexican white ghosts, I am not afraid even if it is 1..." Liu Peng's eyes were full of concern for the Mexican army. Contempt, this contempt is not without reason. Whether it was the battle with the Fourth Regiment or the battle in Los Angeles City, Liu Peng had a general understanding of the Mexican army during this period... That is, bullying the Indians is OK, but fighting the same The fully weaponized army needs to be carefully considered. If this army is more determined and the tactics are implemented more thoroughly, then the Mexicans will definitely lose the war... From the several wars Liujiabao has fought so far, It can be seen that otherwise it would not have been so easy for Liujiabao to gain a foothold in Mexico back then.

"The most important goal of our army at the moment is not to defend... but to defeat this so-called California coalition." Liu Peng said something that shocked everyone present. "This time, the entire West Coast and even the entire Mexico must be defeated." Everyone in the Republic knows that our Liujiapu is not a sheep to be slaughtered!!" After Liu Peng finished speaking, he slammed his fist on the table with a loud bang, and there was an unswerving look in his eyes.

"What the young master said is absolutely true, but how to defeat this coalition army?" Zhao Wei asked Liu Peng with a complicated look on his face. After all, it is easy to defend, but it is not easy to kill so many enemy troops. Zhao Wei asked himself, Even if he directs it, he is not sure of this.

"Surround the area for reinforcements, defend instead of attack!" Liu Peng looked at Zhao Wei aggressively and said.

"What is encirclement and reinforcement?" Xu Zhi stood up and asked Liu Peng.

"Use Los Angeles as a base to attract enemy troops, wait for Liujiabao's Indian army to complete its training, and cooperate internally and externally to defeat this so-called California coalition..." Liu Peng said slowly to Xu Zhi and several people present. explained.

"Then what does it mean to lead offense with defense?" Zhao Wei asked Liu Peng immediately, with expectant eyes in his eyes.

"Everyone, if you were the one who escaped to become the governor, what would you most want to do now?" Liu Peng did not answer Zhao Wei's question, but instead asked several people sitting here.

"If I were the governor, I would take back Los Angeles as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the Republic of Mexico finds out and the escape is revealed, I will be in danger for my life..." Zhao Wei thought for a while and then replied to Liu Peng. .

"Yes, Brother Zhao is right." Xu Zhi echoed from the side.

"This kind of siege warfare, especially a tightly defended city like ours, will not be able to take it down at all for a while. The best way at this time is to consume and besiege the city..." Liu Peng will encounter what the coalition forces will encounter in the future. The questions were stated one by one, "Even if the coalition commander Baron Roman is willing to do this, the fugitive governor Huaco Covia will not let him do it. After all, the longer it is delayed, the greater the chance of being discovered by the superiors. , if the city of Los Angeles cannot be recaptured before the Mexican high-level officials react, one can imagine the fate of that governor..." Liu Peng knew very well the mentality of Governor Huaco Covia at this moment.

"So for the sake of his rights, his future, and even his life, the Governor-General will definitely seek victory, and a quick victory..." Liu Peng continued to explain to everyone present, "And a quick victory is It is a taboo for military strategists, especially in this kind of siege war. Because it is so important, our best way was to surround the point for reinforcements and drag out the war. However, this Governor-General personally delivered victory to us. In your hand, if you don’t want it, don’t you know how to appreciate it?” Liu Peng mocked the escaped governor Huaco Covia in front of everyone.

"In this case, our army's tactics should focus on procrastination." Xu Zhi said after listening.

"That's right, we are just waiting for change, waiting for this California coalition force to reveal its most fatal flaw with the help of our good friend Governor Hua Ke Covia!" Liu Peng said to everyone with a smile.

"Gentlemen, this battle is about the future of our Liujiabao, and even all the Chinese people in Liujiabao..." Liu Peng first explained to everyone in the war room the importance of this war to Liujiabao, "This is Fight, the whole army must work together to create a peaceful life for our descendants!!" Liu Peng ordered everyone with a serious expression, and the constant rise and fall of his chest showed Liu Peng's inner excitement and worship.

"We will work together to defeat the Bai Yi..."

Everyone present, after Liu Peng finished speaking, immediately clasped his fists and answered loudly, his tone was sonorous and powerful, and everyone's eyes showed perseverance.

Around Los Angeles, at this moment, the California coalition forces are also rapidly deploying troops... All around Los Angeles, there are tents and soldiers with live ammunition everywhere, as well as living supplies transported from all over California, as well as the places where the next battle will take place. The huge amount of ammunition needed...

The second Los Angeles War is about to break out, and the positions of both sides this time are completely different from last time.

Different offense and defense! !
(End of this chapter)