Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 874 Same Battle, Different Generations

Wang Shouren's troops were unable to cross the valley where the Tatars were stationed.

They did not rush forward rashly, after all, they knew that compared to the enemy's forces, which were dozens of times larger than their own, their fighting strength was still much weaker. Even if they used up all their bullets, they would not be able to seriously injure the Tatars. They still had to rely on Qin Yun to clear the way.

However, judging from Qin Yun's feedback, Zhang Yanling has already informed them through flag signals and other means that they can remain stationed in place.

"The Zhang family's young imperial brother-in-law is right across the street? Are you sure?"

Zhu Hui stood up and looked at Wang Shouren, who had just met with Qin Yun.

Wang Shouren said confidently, "It can now be basically confirmed that four Ming armies have successfully arrived here."

Zhu Hui asked, "Are we included?"

"No."

Wang Shouren's style is clearly authentic.

Zhu Hui asked, "I wonder how many routes Zhang Guojiu has divided his troops into?"

Wang Shouren shook his head: "I don't know."

"Hey, this is really weird... Are they still hiding things from us now?" Zhu Hui said with dissatisfaction, "It makes us feel like outsiders."

Wang Shouren looked up at the opposite side and said, "Our terrain is the highest in the area, so we need to ensure our water supply first. But in fact, we have a geographical advantage, which is the best choice for observing the terrain and for the upcoming battle."

Zhu Hui said, "Hey, hey, don't really treat us like spectators. As for fetching water... there's so much snow on the ground, just melt some, boil it, and it'll be drinkable, right?"

"Nobody knows how long we'll be here, so we should be prepared... What if it gets warmer in a few days and the snow melts? At the very least, we should figure out the course of the nearby rivers so we won't be caught off guard when things come to a head."

Seeing Zhu Hui nod, Wang Shouren continued, "If we want to go and join forces with the central army led by Zhang Guojiu, we will have to cross a defensive line composed of tens of thousands of Tatars. Do you think that's realistic? Right now, it seems that waiting for the right opportunity is the best option."

……

……

Countless Tatar troops continued to assemble in the valley region.

The banners stretched as far as the eye could see, and the grandeur of the scene was breathtaking for Wang Shouren's troops, who were guarding the high slope.

In less than a day, almost everywhere one looked, there were Tatar camps and well-trained Tatar cavalry. The Tatars had even begun to build simple earthen forts and construct defensive works with wooden fences, seemingly trying to completely block the Ming army here.

"Even at this point, aren't you going to hit it?"

Zhu Hui and his men observed from the high ground for a long time before rushing back to find Wang Shouren. "Brother Wang, should we try to inform that Zhang Guojiu and ask him to quickly lead his troops to cut off the Tatars' retreat? If this situation continues, we will be dragged down by the Tatars' human wave tactics if we don't start a war."

Wang Shouren asked, "Where is the Tatars' retreat route? And how will it be blocked?"

Zhu Hui was speechless for a moment.

A messenger came over and said, "Young Master, Military Advisor Wang, General Qin has sent someone to inform us that we need to build trenches in preparation for a Tatar attack."

"what?"

Wang Shouren didn't understand for a moment.

Zhu Hui, having attended Zhang Yanling's New Army training course and served as an instructor, immediately explained: "The so-called construction of trenches is simply digging ditches. This way, people can hide in the ditches with only their heads sticking out, making it easier to fire muskets, and the Tatars' crossbows will have a hard time hitting them."

"What if the enemy cavalry charges in? Do you expect the trenches to stop the Tatar cavalry?" Wang Shouren didn't quite understand this tactic.

Zhu Hui said, "Let them come if they want... At worst, we'll all fight in the trenches, and our firearms advantage is right there."

"Ah."

Wang Shouren nodded in relief, seemingly approving of the tactic. Then, looking around, he said, "This awful weather, freezing cold, the ground is already rock hard. How are we supposed to dig?"

Zhu Hui glanced at the Tatars below the mountain, then gave Wang Shouren some pointers, saying, "Actually, there are many methods for working on frozen soil. The simplest is to use fire. Just light a fire where you need to work, and the frozen soil will basically thaw after burning for most of the day..."

"Look, this is the method the Tartars used; that's how they erected their earthen forts and palisades."

"Hey, it's strange, given the situation, everyone's thinking about how to win a quick victory, but about planning for a protracted war. But this is, after all, the heartland of the Tartars."

Wang Shouren said, "Don't rush to dig the ditch. I'll go see Qin Yun and see what he really means."

……

……

When Wang Shouren arrived at Qin Yun's camp, he saw that even though there were only three or four hundred people there, they were already working enthusiastically.

The method of digging trenches...

It was completely different from what Wang Shouren had imagined.

They actually used gunpowder to clear the way.

One explosion after another rang out, it was truly earth-shattering, and one huge crater after another was formed. Then, these craters were connected together by hand.

Qin Yun stood guard on high ground, overseeing his officers and soldiers in constructing fortifications.

Wang Shouren walked over, and Qin Yun, seeing this, hurriedly came forward to greet him.

Although Qin Yun did not consider Wang Shouren to be of the same ilk, the current situation forced them to fight side by side, and he also needed Wang Shouren's troops to deter the Tartars.

Faced with Wang Shouren's questioning, Qin Yun clearly stated: "The disadvantage of the new firearms lies in the fact that the defensive capabilities of the soldiers firing in the front row are seriously insufficient. Once they enter the range of the Tatars' crossbows, we must reduce the exposed area of ​​our soldiers' bodies to ensure their safety."

Wang Shouren said, "So when you were fighting before, the soldiers were all lying down and firing their weapons?"

"Uh...yeah."

After thinking it over carefully, Qin Yun finally understood what Wang Shouren meant and nodded, saying, "That's called 'lying archery'."

Wang Shouren asked, "Now that all forces have gathered here, are you planning for a protracted war? If the Tatars besiege one area, do you have enough bullets?"

Qin Yun said, "This time when we went into the grassland, each of us was equipped with three or four animals. In addition to basic rations and firearms, we carried bullets. Our reserves were basically enough."

"But if the Tatars really want to concentrate their attacks on a certain place, we still have to find a way to avoid it... Of course, even if we are lucky enough to have a certain army swallowed up by the Tatars, they will have to pay a heavy price."

"Ah."

Wang Shouren nodded.

With a small number of personnel and not enough people to fire the weapons, the problem becomes the sheer volume of ammunition, while also increasing the rate of fire...

Wang Shouren hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Although he didn't want to be as shameless as Zhu Hui and demand firearms directly, given the tense situation, he felt that perhaps having Qin Yun allocate some of the firearms would be a better option.

After all, nobody wants to be a spectator.

In this situation, whoever possesses the new firearms is the boss, the "athlete" who can personally "compete" on the field, rather than a spectator or even a logistics worker doing odd jobs.

Qin Yun said in a very polite tone, "I originally wanted to ask General Wang's men to help build trenches, but considering the current situation, fighting on our own might be the best option. When the fighting starts, we can look out for each other, and then... we'll see how things go."

Wang Shouren wanted to help, but it was clear that Qin Yun didn't need it.

Zhang Yanling's previous training for them was to prepare them to withstand large-scale Tatar invasions with small groups of a few hundred men. Having fought dozens of battles along the way from Datong, these men were already accustomed to the harsh combat environment they were facing. After all, they had powerful firearms that were out of this era, so they had nothing to fear, not even if the Heavenly King himself came.

……

……

Wang Shouren returned to his own camp with some disappointment, only to find his men also repairing trenches. Unfortunately, the Tatars' method was useless, as the army had limited firewood, which could not be used to thaw the frozen ground.

Therefore, the soldiers dug very hard.

"We just can't dig any deeper!"

Zhu Hui shook his head and smiled bitterly.

Wang Shouren said, "Our allies used gunpowder, but it's not like the black powder of the past..."

"I know, isn't it just yellow medicine?"

Zhu Hui said, "We also have them here, but not many. When General Wang led his troops into battle, he used one of those things, and it was really powerful."

Wang Shouren frowned and said, "With such great power, can it be controlled well? I wonder how it was made?"

Zhu Hui, with a straw in his mouth, spat it out and said, "The safety is definitely guaranteed, otherwise who would dare to take that thing on the road?"

"Oh, by the way, the horse jerky we carry in the army is really awful, it's so hard it gets stuck in your teeth, but we have to rely on it to eat with our rations now, it's really bad for our appetite."

"As for Brother Wang's question about who invented the yellow medicine, wasn't it Zhang's young imperial brother-in-law?"

"It's him?"

Wang Shouren was very surprised.

Zhu Hui said matter-of-factly, "If it wasn't him, who else could it be? Otherwise, why would he lead the troops to conquer the grasslands? Speaking of which, his abilities are truly remarkable. Just the fact that he created so many powerful things... makes him seem like a god descended to earth."

Wang Shouren remained silent.

At that moment, the distant rumble of an explosion could be heard, and the earth trembled slightly.

"Did a fight start?"

Zhu Hui quickly asked his men for binoculars and looked into the distance behind the mountain valley.

Too bad I can't see anything.

Wang Shouren said, "It is very likely that other friendly forces were also digging ditches there and using gunpowder."

Zhu Hui said, "It's really worrying. They've all got their hands on powerful new firearms, and we can only watch helplessly... But... on the other hand, we have the numbers, so maybe they'll come begging to us for help... Sigh, for now, let's dig a pit first!"

"no need!"

Wang Shouren shook his head: "You said it yourself, they use new firearms and need to fire from a prone position, while our firearms require us to stand and load them... Do you think digging trenches has any practical significance for us?"

"That's true."

Zhu Hui said, "But seeing everyone else building defensive fortifications while we're just standing here, it feels like... something's not right."

Wang Shouren said irritably, "Hurry up and gather water. This battle may drag on for a long time, so we need to be fully prepared... Even if the temperature doesn't rise, where will we get water once the snow in this area is used up? In addition, we need to prepare for extreme cold weather and have the brothers prepare more warm clothing."

"Everyone knows the stakes involved and dares not be careless."

Zhu Hui said, "Although we are camping on high ground, we are not in the wind. Next, we should try to move the camp to the southeast slope, so that it will be more difficult for the Tatar cavalry to charge up. In addition, we should coordinate with the troops of Commander Qin next door."

"Someone come here! Set up a wooden frame so we can observe the enemy's situation. Also, light a big fire underneath so the people on the other side can see us clearly."

Wang Shouren asked, puzzled, "What is this for?"

Zhu Hui sighed, "I was thinking that when Zhang Guojiu led his troops deep into the grasslands, he probably only prepared for his own forces to fight separately, but he didn't prepare our own equipment... It's like having a banquet just before it starts, but not preparing chopsticks for the uninvited guests..."

Wang Shouren was taken aback.

I thought to myself, "Your analogy is quite vivid."

Wang Shouren frowned and said, "You mean we have to bring our own chopsticks?"

"The chopsticks they use are different from ours, so there's no point in bringing your own."

Zhu Hui said, "I'm thinking, at least we should let the host know that we have people on our side, right? We're observing the other side, and I imagine they'll send people to observe us too..."

Wang Shouren said, "Didn't Commander Qin already send someone to inform Young Master Zhang about the situation of our group?"

"Simply informing them is not enough."

Zhu Hui said, "We need to show them that our army is well-organized and let them know that we can contribute our strength... We have traversed thousands of miles of grassland and entered and exited Guangyin Mountain several times. Just this spirit and the sharpness of those who have been through many battles are unmatched by ordinary troops."

Wang Shouren frowned and asked, "What does that have to do with you starting a fire at a high place? You need a lot of firewood to build such a fire, and firewood is an important resource for the army right now."

"We need to let them know where we are."

Zhu Hui, with an air of great intelligence and confidence, said, "If a real fight breaks out, given that Young Master Zhang is short of manpower, he might strategically favor us, perhaps even sending someone to deliver firearms?"

Wang Shouren was speechless for a moment, and rolled his eyes at Zhu Hui.

Zhu Hui, however, seemed very satisfied with his masterpiece, exclaiming, "For the next few days, this will be our stronghold, preventing the Tartars from charging in. Let them see how powerful our forces are."

……

……

into the night.

Qin Yun led his men to Wang Shouren's camp.

Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui came out together to greet them.

"Commander Qin, what brings you here? Is there some trouble with your arrangements? Just let me know if you need any help."

Zhu Hui appeared very enthusiastic.

Qin Yun said, "In my opinion, you have stationed your troops here but have not made good preparations. If the Tatars come out in full force and rush towards this place, are you prepared to defend against them?"

Zhu Hui laughed and said, "It's quite difficult... How about giving us some firearms? Or some poison would also work. We'll bury them on the road leading this way. When the Tartars come, we'll find a way to ignite them and blow them up..."

Qin Yun said, "At this point, why are you still looking out for yourselves? The Second Young Master instructed us to be ready to provide support and join forces at any time. So... what should be done with your troops?"

"This……"

Zhu Hui asked, "Are you going to join forces in the middle? Then we'll go with you."

Qin Yun's expression showed a hint of helplessness.

It's as if they're saying, putting aside the difference in individual combat capabilities between the two sides, our army's mobility is also far superior to yours, so what makes you think you can act alongside us?
If a real battle breaks out, it won't be like this slow march. Not only can you not keep up with our pace, but if you really encounter a strong enemy, will your breakthrough ability be enough?

(End of this chapter)