The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Zhang Yinghao couldn't describe the details of the project in detail, and he was completely clueless about many of the intricacies. He simply nodded and said, "We do need to build shipyards in both Chongqing and Hubei."

Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Didn't they say Germany and the US were interested in lending us money? How are the talks going?"

"Chairman, we haven't reached an agreement yet. The main reason is that Germany and the United States are too demanding." A duck knows when the river warms in spring. By this time, everyone with a discerning eye knew the Forward Party had taken root in the Far East. Intervention by the great powers would no longer completely wipe out the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army. At least they could carve out a niche. With such a vast liberated area, they were already a force greater than the Qing. Britain and France might still want to maintain Qing rule to protect their own interests. But the United States and Germany couldn't really gain much from the Qing. The benefits they did receive from the Qing were small to begin with. As the saying goes, a small boat is easier to turn around. They could abandon their previous interests at any time and cooperate with forces that better align with their interests. The Forward Party actively reached out to them. Germany, in particular, was eager to secure sources of raw materials and markets for its industrial products. It was eager for cooperation, and so far, many of the collaborations between the two sides have been very fruitful.

Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment and said, "We will definitely liberate Jiangxi during this war of liberation. Doesn't Germany need a lot of tungsten ore? We have plenty in Jiangxi. When you negotiate with Germany again, you must find a way to get enough loans from Germany, get enough information, and buy enough machines. We can sell these ores to them first, but we have to exchange them for what we need."

"Alas, Chairman, these countries are unwilling to sell us good things! For example, they are only willing to build us a thousand-ton hydraulic press. They are not willing to build us a five-thousand-ton hydraulic press, let alone a ten-thousand-ton hydraulic press."

"Well, if they won't build it, we can just slowly research it ourselves. The scientific truth is there! We Chinese should have this ambition. Even if Butcher Zhang dies, we won't eat that hairy pig. But let's talk about it first!"

This is Zhang Yinghao's attitude. In his previous life, despite the difficulties, he still developed the two bombs and one satellite, and the 10,000-ton hydraulic press was also developed by China itself. As long as he studies it slowly, Zhang Yinghao believes that the problem will be solved sooner or later.

"We've already gotten a lot of information back, but our current foundation is too weak, so many things can't be realized."

"So, in addition to desperately purchasing machinery and equipment, we also need to desperately cultivate talent! We still have too few technical training schools. However, once we liberate more provinces, especially Hubei, I believe things will improve soon. As long as trade volume increases, the great powers will sell us everything we need."

Zhang Yinghao knew he was lucky, because at that time, trade protectionism hadn't become a consensus among the world's major powers; it was merely the unilateral actions of a few companies seeking to protect their own interests. In fact, the so-called global free trade of previous generations was far from free, and globalization could only proceed with stumbling blocks. Why? Because countries around the world protected their patents, banned the export of high-tech products, and thus inevitably prevented free trade.

True free trade should encompass not only free trade in industrial and consumer goods, but also free trade in science and technology. However, developed nations like Europe and the United States possess numerous patents and technological barriers. Late-developing nations, in order to participate in global trade, must abide by the rules set by these powers. These rules inevitably favor developed nations. Therefore, the continued prosperity of developed nations in the past was due to the support of these latter-developing nations. Just like China's development, as the world's factory, it lacks core technologies and is reduced to a mere laborer, being drained of vast sums of money by these nations year after year. European nations, if they could only suck a little of China's money, would be able to thrive.

If global trade were truly completely free, including high-tech trade, then, with the Chinese people's hardworking spirit, even the most expensive technology could be purchased. There would be virtually nothing that could strangle China. If world trade were truly free, China would have long since completely broken free from the constraints of the great powers and soared to the sky. Of course, China later gradually mastered some core technologies, learned to make money like the great powers, and then began to vigorously advocate for globalization and free trade. As for so-called free trade, hehe! Let's just focus on free trade in industrial consumer goods! Technology won't do!

However, in this era, trade between nations consisted not only of agricultural and sideline products and industrial raw materials, but also of large quantities of industrial equipment such as machine tools. In other words, during this era, there was a significant amount of trade and exchange in industrial science and technology, while industrial consumer goods were actually very limited. In other words, in this era, if you wanted to buy, most technical information was readily available, and machine tools and equipment were considered a commodity. Of course, relying on the great powers was undesirable, so a large number of domestic talents were needed to master these machines and equipment.

After the meeting, Zhang Yinghao immediately issued an order that all departments should transport these machines back to China as soon as possible, as conditions permit, so that they could participate in the country's construction. After this wave of the Liberation War, a large area was liberated, and the subsequent construction was more smooth and easy.

Meanwhile, the rebels who had left the Pingxiang coal mine had already reached Changsha. Changsha, in the late Qing Dynasty, was an old city with low, dilapidated walls. Coupled with the Taiping Rebellion that had wreaked havoc in Changsha decades earlier, it seemed as if a single charge against the low walls would have taken Changsha if sufficient weapons had been available.

In 1852, the Taiping Army attacked Changsha and fought fiercely for three months. This was because the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom had only a few thousand troops, while Changsha had gathered 40,000 to 50,000 Qing troops. The worst thing was that the Taiping Army had to face the Qing troops coming to reinforce from all directions. These Qing troops rushing to Changsha greatly tied down the Taiping Army's military strength, and ultimately prevented the Taiping Army from completely breaking through Changsha.

The Qing Dynasty courted its own destruction. In order to suppress the Guangxi secret society uprising, it drew a large number of troops from Hunan and Jiangxi. The troops left in the local areas could barely maintain local security. As a result, the Qing troops in various places were either wiped out by the People's Liberation Army or hid in the towns and dared not come out. The situation of the attack on Changsha this time was exactly the opposite of the situation when the Taiping Army attacked Changsha. The People's Liberation Army gathered from all directions, intending to gather in Changsha and conquer the political center of Hunan. Instead, the Qing troops in various places were isolated and helpless.

To prevent the Qing army, which had been suppressing the Guangxi secret society uprising, from returning to Hunan for reinforcements, the People's Liberation Army first dispatched troops from Guizhou. This not only cut off Guangxi's retreat route to Hunan but also sparked another major uprising in Guiyang and Chenzhou in southern Hunan. The Guiyang and Chenzhou areas were home to numerous mining areas, and since most of the Qing Dynasty's mines were state-owned, the Qing Dynasty placed great emphasis on securing these areas. Especially after the Taiping Rebellion, the Qing Dynasty placed great emphasis on suppressing miners, as seen in the Pingxiang coal mine incident. The Qing Dynasty was known for its ruthless treatment of those who disobeyed its rules.

Only a dynasty like the Qing Dynasty, founded on bloodshed and oppression, would have dared not mobilize the masses; otherwise, China would never have been so disastrous. As long as it remained unified, China was a global power. Though weak and poor, it was not to be bullied by ordinary nations. Just like after World War II, even though China was weak and poor at the time, it was a founding member of the United Nations and one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Without China, he couldn't function.

China has been a major iron producer since ancient times. For two thousand years, China's iron products were not only self-sufficient but also exported to Europe. The central government even controlled the salt and iron trade, thereby controlling the grasslands and frontier regions. China's smelting industry was remarkably advanced, with a significant amount of steel and iron smelted throughout the country. Otherwise, how could China's hundreds of millions of citizens survive? The gap between traditional Chinese smelting and modern steel mills lies in temperature: traditional Chinese smelting temperatures were not high enough to remove impurities from the steel. However, China possessed numerous iron smelting shops, furnaces, and craftsmen across the country. Many regions and cities, such as Changzhi and Jincheng in Shanxi, Shaoguan and Foshan in Guangdong, Ganzhou and Pingxiang in Jiangxi, and Guiyang and Linchenzhou in Hunan, boasted a millennium-long history of smelting. By integrating these local resources, achieving breakthroughs in steelmaking technology, and leveraging the abundant local blacksmiths and workers, it's no exaggeration to say that a large steel conglomerate could be established. In China, relying on the country's huge market and human resources and taking advantage of the coal-iron complex region, it is not an exaggeration to incubate several German Ruhr areas.

Miners needed to be organized and disciplined to operate, and they were often severely exploited. Whether in the Northeast or South China, once the strong miners revolted, their hardworking spirit made it extremely difficult for any country to deal with the miners' uprising.

After the comrades of the Forward Party led the workers in the uprising in Guiyang and Chenzhou, they captured the lightly defended cities of Jiahe, Guiyang, and Chenzhou. They seized a large amount of supplies used by the Qing Dynasty to suppress the Guangxi secret society uprising, and the rebel forces immediately began recruiting soldiers. The saying in the late Qing Dynasty that "no army can be formed without Hunanese" is not without reason. Zeng Guofan's Hunan Army was largely composed of Hunanese, and Zeng Guofan and his men had reaped huge profits fighting the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The money was taken away by horse-drawn carriages. Where did it go? Of course, it went to the homes of the Hunan Army members themselves.

After suppressing the Taiping Rebellion, Hunan saw the emergence of countless landlords. In reality, these people used the looted money to buy land and become landlords. This created a vicious cycle, and class struggle in Hunan became increasingly intense. With examples like Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang, Hunanese people understood that wealth and status require a life-or-death struggle. After all, when the Hunan Army first set out on the campaign, their discipline and combat effectiveness were completely inferior to those of the Taiping. This was only after they hired foreign instructors. From being completely outmatched by the Taiping at the beginning, they eventually achieved a draw and ultimately defeated the Taiping.

The soldiers who joined the army died one after another. If you count carefully, the Hunan Army had almost completely changed several times. To say that only one out of four or five of them survived would be an exaggeration. So, when the call was raised in Hunan, countless people who couldn't afford to eat flocked to it. When the People's Liberation Army entered and raised the banner of recruiting soldiers, a large number of people came to join the army.

The PLA readily accepted these young and strong recruits. While they lacked weapons, they could easily be organized into supply trains and reserve formations. Furthermore, they were prime recruits, capable of training while on the march. Soon, the Forward Party learned that the Qing forces in Yizhang consisted of only two patrol battalions and a few Green Camp troops. The PLA then dispatched a regiment south to capture Yizhang. If conditions permitted, they could also capture Pingshi and Luojiadu, the gateway to northern Guangdong, and even Lechang further south.

Hunan was already a province plagued by conflict in the late Qing Dynasty, plagued by constant uprisings. As the People's Liberation Army marched into Hunan, these people naturally flocked to join the army. These miners were no strangers to machinery and explosives, skilled in blasting and fearless of danger. With just a little training and some hardship, they would become excellent soldiers, representing a tremendous human resource.

"The superior people owe me money, the middle people get sleep, and the inferior people follow me, which is better than renting oxen to plow the lean fields."

This is a rebellious poem written by Zhang Guoliang, leader of the Yiyi Hall of the Tiandihui in Guixian County, Guangxi, during his early years of banditry and robbery. However, Zhang Guoliang was also a "Song Jiang"-like figure. After a defeat, he accepted the Qing court's offer of amnesty and assisted the Qing army in suppressing his fellow Tiandihui members. He also joined Xiang Rong in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion, becoming a lifelong enemy of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and ultimately dying on the battlefield for the Qing.

At this time, this anti-poem was rekindled and became popular again in Guangxi, southern Hunan, Guangdong and other places. It incited countless people to rise up in rebellion, and a large number of poor people came to join the People's Liberation Army singing this popular rebellion song.

Chapter 408:

Many people have applied to join the army, but, in principle, untrained soldiers cannot be sent to the battlefield. Furthermore, even if they don't go to the battlefield, they must undergo disciplinary education and basic training. However, what the PLA lacks right now is time. Furthermore, only through combat can soldiers accumulate sufficient experience to become reliable veterans.

Especially the People's Liberation Army that marched into Hunan at this time. Their attacks all the way could even be regarded as an armed march. Except for a few passes and cities where the Qing army would block them, no Qing army dared to stand in front of the People's Liberation Army's troops.

Faced with the Qing army's low combat effectiveness, the tens of thousands of Qing troops in Guangxi, and a large number of civilian armed forces, Zhang Yinghao finally changed his attitude and issued a new order: The People's Liberation Army would briefly train these defectors and then, in a model where veterans would lead new recruits, lead them into battle together to quickly improve their combat effectiveness. The new recruits would be treated as they marched, trained, fought, and learned, and would be trained in a centralized manner once the situation calmed down.

While this would have diluted the PLA's combat effectiveness in the short term, Guangxi already had a significant number of local armed forces defecting to the PLA, and these individuals already possessed considerable combat effectiveness. Furthermore, the Qing army's combat effectiveness was also pitifully low, consisting of a disposable, illiterate force, so this approach by the PLA was of no concern at all. Furthermore, the PLA's numbers were significantly increased in a short period of time. It was precisely because of this rapid deployment model that the PLA's incursion into Guangxi rapidly expanded, enabling them to defeat the Qing army in Guangxi and liberate Guangxi in record time.

The uprising comrades had established themselves in southern Hunan, but they still had one crucial concern: money, food, and ammunition. This meant turning Chenzhou into a logistics base. In a place like southern Hunan, far from the liberated areas, ammunition was arguably the most crucial issue. Without ammunition, the enemy would have to fight with bayonets. However, Chenzhou had a powder depot, and the mines also had black powder. While its quality and power weren't great, it was still better than nothing.

Places like Chenzhou and Guiyang had coal and iron. Even if they couldn't manufacture cannons or small cannons, making simple grenades shouldn't be a problem, right? Chinese blacksmiths were teeming with skilled craftsmen, so simply making rifle parts wouldn't be a problem. Therefore, utilizing the supply bases of Chenzhou and Guiyang, they provided a large amount of logistical support for the PLA's liberation of Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, and Jiangxi.

Meanwhile, the regular PLA troops marching into Changsha were also marching furiously, requisitioning horses and donkeys to carry their supplies. In most places, rubber-wheeled carts were more than capable of rapid movement. Over the years since the PLA's uprising, they had experienced countless marches. The comrades had also developed extensive experience in marching, knowing exactly how much distance they needed to rest, drink water, and eat. Furthermore, since they were marching from west to east, they didn't need to bring much food. With the support of local comrades, they could simply bring the local bullies and landlords to justice and "provide food to the enemy."

However, Xiangxi is still too far away from Changsha, with a straight-line distance of more than 300 kilometers. In a short period of time, the main force attacking Changsha can only be the uprising troops coming from Pingxiang.

After arriving in Changsha, the vanguard of the Pingxiang Coal Mine Uprising didn't rush to attack the city immediately. Instead, after repelling the Changsha defenders, they stationed themselves at Miaogao Peak south of the city, seizing Xihu Bridge and Jinji Bridge. The Hunanese troops were initially poorly equipped and outnumbered, but Zhang Zhidong had completely replaced the Qing troops in Changsha with quick-firing rifles. Furthermore, the Hunanese were aggressive and highly combative. The Qing resistance in Changsha was fierce, with all the Qing archers and spearmen within the city joining in the fray. Suddenly, a hail of bullets and thunderous artillery roared for miles. In his previous life, Zhang Yinghao had been both saddened and amused by the Qing army's use of spears, but this was a necessary evil due to the substandard steel quality. To match the range of foreign rifles, the amount of gunpowder needed to be increased. To prevent the barrel from exploding, the steel had to be thicker, resulting in the distinctive spear. While the spear still offered decent range and power, it was simply less convenient to use.

The main rebel force also arrived in Changsha and joined the Xiantian army. Hunan's two governors, Zhang Zengyang and Pang Hongshu, were standing on the Changsha city wall at this time, watching the dense crowd looming outside the city, their hearts surging with emotion.

At this time, Zhang Zengyang should have stepped down and Pang Hongshu took over. Unexpectedly, things in the world turned out to be such a coincidence that two governors were blocked by their comrades in Changsha.

"Runsheng, are these the Red Bandits?"

Zhang Zengyang, also known by his courtesy name Xiaofan and Runsheng, was a relative of Zhang Zhidong. He was the one who captured and killed the revolutionary female fighter Qiu Jin in his previous life.

"No, it's the workers at the Pingxiang coal mine who are rebelling. The Red Bandits haven't reached Changsha yet."

Pang Hongshu was known for his thorough knowledge of military affairs. These two were not ordinary people, but high-ranking officials of the Qing Dynasty and counter-revolutionaries.

At this time, standing on the city wall were not only the two governors, but also a group of landlords and gentry, watching the uprising comrades outside. Since Xiangxi had been liberated by the Forward Party, Changsha had also gathered a number of landlords and gentry. They all knew that Xiangxi had been occupied by the People's Liberation Army. They were familiar with the PLA, knowing that the PLA had thwarted many Qing attacks and defeated countless Qing troops. Therefore, they were not only silent at this time, but also panicked.

However, there was a group of educated "famous people" in Changsha. When they saw the uprising workers with their hair shaved short like monks, they started to curse them. In fact, their curses were just nonsense like "our bodies and hair are given by our parents" and "these people have no fathers or mothers". The uprising comrades didn't bother to pay attention to them.

"The remnants of Hong Xiuquan and Yang Xiuqing are evil. If these thieves are not eliminated, the world will never be at peace."

"Runsheng, the enemy is still unstable at this moment. It is time to lead the army to attack them." "That's exactly what I meant."

At this time, the regular troops of the People's Liberation Army had not yet arrived in Changsha. Zhang Zengyang, the governor of Hunan, who had made some preparations in advance, saw that the rebel troops had just arrived and attempted to take the initiative to attack when the team formed at the Pingxiang Coal Mine was not yet stable, and give the rebel comrades a head-on blow.

The Qing army's formations remained the same, with several locations set up east of Hunan City, such as Caigongfen and Xiaowumen. Since the rebels were short on firearms, their offensive was still lacking in strength, but they had ample grenades and explosive packs. Therefore, they could not engage in a field battle with the Qing army for the time being, as this would be a huge disadvantage. However, the rebels held an absolute numerical advantage, so they were not afraid of the Qing attack.

Comrades like Cai Shaonan, who led the Pingxiang Coal Mine Uprising, had all received military training in the Liberated Areas and had participated in the assaults on earthen fortifications. They showed no sign of panic in the face of the Qing army's attack. With a few captured guns and ammunition, as well as a large number of homemade grenades and explosive packs, their defense presented few problems. Of course, this was simply due to the Qing army's lack of offensive awareness. Now, the comrades were diligently and methodically carrying out preliminary preparations, digging trenches and tunnels. These workers, having come from coal mines, were adept at these tasks. On the surface, their focus was on defense.

But at night, the PLA, in addition to desperately making noise, beating drums and gongs to harass the Qing troops, had also begun installing explosives in the tunnels they had dug and on the city walls. Indeed, the tactics used by Cai Shaonan and his comrades in the attack on Changsha were the most typical and mature tactics for attacking earthen forts in the Liberated Areas.

Comrades Cai Shaonan and others were unwilling to wait too long outside Changsha, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble. At four o'clock the next morning, the troops had already had breakfast and all the preliminary preparations had been completed. They were just waiting for Cai Shaonan's order for the general attack.

Cai Shaonan took out his pocket watch to check the time, then looked around and immediately ordered, "Ignite."

"Yes."

At the command, comrades everywhere saw a firework suddenly fly into the sky and explode, lighting up half the sky. Without further delay, they immediately lit the fuse.

At this time, the Qing army guarding the place had not rested well all night. Even though the enemy outside was still shouting, they were already yawning. Suddenly, a firework exploded in the sky, and the Qing army immediately became alert. Some of the Qing army thought the firework was extraordinary, while others were still not awake at all and continued to yawn. However, Pang Hongshu, who still persisted until now, saw the fireworks in the sky and immediately said to the Qing army generals: "The enemy is about to attack, everyone prepare immediately."

Pang Hongshu and Zhang Zengyang discussed and decided that one of them would be responsible for defending the city at night and the other for defending the city during the day. The Qing army was divided into two groups to take turns defending the city. This way, no matter when the enemy attacked, there would always be one person at the command center.

As the Qing commanders left, and before Pang Hongshu had time to sit down, he heard bursts of explosions from inside and outside the Changsha city walls. The comrades preparing to attack, not knowing the final outcome of the explosions, immediately shouted, "Comrades, overthrow the cannibalistic old society and establish a new China. Follow me!"

"Go ahead."

The shouts of tens of thousands of people expressed the people's unwillingness and anger. Tens of thousands of people charged forward desperately with an unstoppable momentum.

At this time, although the defending Qing army was caught off guard by the explosion, each unit was well prepared. Under the command of the officers, they hurriedly defended the gap and fired crazily with foreign guns and cannons. The comrades were very brave, lighting grenades and throwing them into the Qing army. Many comrades even rushed into the Qing army with explosives and died together with the Qing army, which seemed inexplicably tragic and heroic. It is not unreasonable that the more progressive and conscious comrades are, the faster they die in difficult times. These comrades who dared to die with the Qing army with explosives were the elite core of the Pingxiang Coal Mine Uprising. However, in order to overthrow the rule of the Qing Dynasty, they resolutely sacrificed their precious lives!

However, under the powerful firepower of the Qing army, the comrades charged again and again, but were eventually driven back. However, the comrades continued to attack the Qing army positions fearlessly. The Qing army was intimidated by the comrades' momentum and was about to lose their position and collapse. Pang Hongshu was anxious and shouted: "Supervisory team, whoever dares to retreat will be beheaded."

The supervising team immediately hacked and killed the retreating Qing troops. After killing several deserters who tried to escape, the Qing army stabilized its position again.

According to Zhang Yinghao's original estimate, the regular troops of the People's Liberation Army should be able to rush to Changsha and then attack together, so that these uprising workers who lack guns and artillery will not have to risk their lives to attack Changsha, but the reality is often so disappointing.

After all, the miners had never experienced rigorous training, and with so many of them, they couldn't fully mobilize their forces. Holding pickaxes, the miners simply couldn't charge in. Even though many of them braved death, the disparity in strength between the enemy and us was immense. The battlefield roared with artillery fire, filled with smoke, and the cries of killing were deafening. Ultimately, the Qing army held the breach in the city wall, preventing them from advancing. Although the attack was brief, the outcome of this bloody battle was decided.

At this point, the attacking soldiers were in low spirits, looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, unsure of what to do next. Aside from the screams of the wounded, the entire battlefield slowly fell silent.

Cai Shaonan, faced with this situation, was anxious. His only concern was to capture Changsha. This was his first military operation leading the rebels, and all his comrades were watching his performance. Even if the casualties were heavy, he had to capture Changsha. He knew that in this world, success is the measure of a hero. If he couldn't even capture Changsha with so many people, it would have a huge impact on his future career.

He suddenly had an idea and shouted: "Order, gather all the guns and see how many guns and ammunition we have. Restock the prepared grenades and explosive packs, and clean up the captured homemade artillery. We are going to attack again."

"Yes."

"Orders, all units, resume earthwork operations, as close to the city walls as possible. Ideally, a single charge would be enough to break into the city. Political Commissar, immediately conduct another mobilization. In half an hour, I will lead all the soldiers in the attack."

"Yes."

The comrades immediately started earthwork again, digging trenches towards the Changsha city wall desperately, paying no attention to the bullets fired by the Qing army from the city wall.

It didn't take long to count the remaining guns. There were only 400 smoothbore guns, flintlock rifles, bolt-action rifles, etc. The rifle bullets were evenly distributed among the rifles, and each rifle could only get three bullets.

After listening to the report, Cai Shaonan frowned and said, "We were wrong before. All the guns will no longer be used separately this time, but all will be used together. We only have one chance to attack. If we can't break through this time, then we can only retreat immediately and wait for the regular PLA troops."

"clear."

Cai Shaonan could see clearly that his comrades had just broken through and the Qing army had already retreated. But somehow, they were driven out. Cai Shaonan couldn't understand why the Qing army in Changsha was so strong, even if his comrades were to die with them, holding onto their explosive packs, the Qing army didn't collapse.

Cai Shaonan naturally didn't know that inside Changsha, the governor was personally commanding the battle, and many militias led by landlords and gentry had also joined the battle. Furthermore, their attacking firepower was indeed too low, and the city walls blocked the way, allowing the Qing army to perform exceptionally well. If it were a regular PLA attack, perhaps a barrage of artillery and a single charge would have taken Changsha.

Half an hour passed in a flash, and Cai Shaonan also arrived at the attack site. Looking at the blasted gap in the distance and the Qing troops faintly filling it, he snorted coldly and said, "Comrades holding explosive packs will crawl forward, and the homemade cannons will attract the enemy's attention. Then we will directly use the explosive packs to clear the way and throw a round of grenades at the same time. After that, the riflemen will immediately charge and concentrate their fire on the enemy if they encounter resistance. This time, we must attack through the gap, engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Qing troops, seize their guns and ammunition, and launch a counterattack."

"clear."

At the command, the comrades holding the explosive packs immediately began to move forward along the trench, and then crawled forward. After the comrades arrived at the designated location, the homemade artillery fired, and the comrades immediately ignited the explosive packs and threw them out, instantly causing smoke and dust to rise in all directions.

"Comrades, follow me!"

Cai Shaonan immediately shouted, and this time the remaining comrades also rushed out with a cry. At this time, besides charging, what else can they do? They can only tear open the gap with their lives. Fortunately, the Qing army in Changsha was not equipped with heavy machine guns, otherwise these comrades rushing out would be the perfect sitting ducks.

"Kill!"

Fortunately, it was still night, and fortunately, the comrades fought bravely without fear of sacrifice. Finally, after being fired upon twice by the Qing army, some comrades managed to sneak into the city from the corners. Cai Shaonan even saw a soldier take a pickaxe and hit a Qing soldier's head, even seeing the soldier's head being split open and blood splattering.

"Comrades have already broken in. Kill them!"

"Kill."

Finally, after the army broke into the city and fought with the Qing army, the comrades seized more and more rifles and bullets.

However, seeing that many Qing soldiers were still shooting at the comrades from tricky positions, and many comrades were shot and killed, one comrade immediately shouted: "Fuck you, I'm going to fight you!"

After shouting, many comrades ignited their explosive packs and chose to perish alongside the Qing army. Eventually, the remaining Qing troops who dared to fight were slaughtered, and the remaining Qing troops could no longer resist and were directly defeated by the soldiers who were short of weapons and artillery. Seeing that they could no longer hold out, many local Qing troops in Changsha immediately threw away their guns, stripped off their clothes, and crouched down to disappear into the streets and alleys.

"Surrender your weapons and you won't be killed." "Surrender your weapons and you won't be killed."

Cai Shaonan knew that he must not give the Qing army time to regroup at this moment. He had to follow the defeated Qing army and kill his way through. Otherwise, if he came into confrontation with the Qing army again, he would undoubtedly be defeated.

Cai Shaonan immediately called over several comrades and said, "There's no other way. We can't go on like this. Comrades, you must go deep into Changsha City through the alleys and set fire to a few houses. Success or failure depends on this one move. We will rebuild the houses that have been burned down, and we will also compensate for the burned property."

These comrades also knew that the situation was urgent. At this time, they were completely crazy. So many comrades had died. If Changsha could not be taken, their deaths would be in vain. They immediately replied: "Yes."

Just as these comrades turned and ran towards the darkness, Cai Shaonan looked up and suddenly saw that many places in the distance had begun to emit red color. Needless to say, there was definitely a fire there.

Cai Shaonan immediately shouted: "Come back, come back quickly, there is no need to go."

When several comrades heard the shouting, they turned around and vaguely saw the direction Cai Shaonan was pointing. Everyone looked over and immediately realized that they didn't need to set the fire.

Chapter 409:

Indeed, there was no need for their own comrades to start fires and create chaos. In the distance, gang members, hooligans, bullies, and opportunists who believed in seeking wealth and glory through risk were already beginning to loot. To create chaos, they naturally began setting fires. It was a dark, windy night, a time for murder and arson. The flames of war illuminated half the sky, and soon, the flames also gradually illuminated half the sky.

Many elderly residents in the city recalled the Taiping Rebellion decades prior, and with deep worry, they hid in their homes, afraid to leave, doors and windows tightly shut, awaiting the final victor. This was the tragedy of ordinary people in troubled times: they could only drift with the tide. History was now forcing them into the tide of liberation, despite seemingly having nothing to do with them.

At this time, the city was indeed in chaos. The attacking comrades naturally would not waste this opportunity. They picked up the weapons discarded by the Qing army, followed the defeated Qing soldiers, and rushed directly into the depths of the city. There were attacking comrades everywhere. The Qing army finally could not hold on and collapsed directly.

Cai Shaonan immediately shouted, "The Qing army has collapsed! Comrades, charge!" The wind fanned the flames, and the blaze grew larger and larger. Pang Hongshu and Zhang Zengyang, seeing rioters setting fires in the rear, immediately ordered the Qing troops to suppress the blaze. However, news soon arrived of the Qing army's collapse at the front, and the enemy showed no sign of halting their attack. Seeing the chaos in the rear due to the fire, they realized Changsha was untenable and immediately retreated, driven by the chaotic troops. Naturally, the comrades pursued the enemy, eventually driving the Qing army out of Changsha.

While the Changsha fire lacked artificial ignition devices and was not as severe as previous Changsha fires, many houses of this era were still built of wood, and firewood was often stored haphazardly. The fire spread rapidly, and by the time the comrades had dealt with the Qing troops, it was already too late to put out the blaze. The Changsha fire burned for a full day, and was only finally brought under control after numerous houses were demolished to form a containment zone. In total, the fire destroyed or demolished over 3,000 houses, resulting in direct economic losses exceeding hundreds of thousands of yuan. Fortunately, the civilians, awakened by the fighting, fled their homes as the fire reached their doorsteps. Only a few dozen people died who were unable to flee or attempt to save their property. However, hundreds more were killed by the soldiers and looters who took advantage of the chaos, marking another sin left by the Qing dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty will ultimately have to bear the historical responsibility for this kind of thing, and the fire will ultimately be blamed on the Qing Dynasty, gangs, ruffians, hooligans and bullies, which also laid a solid foundation for the subsequent elimination of these corrupt forces.

The rebellious miners seized a large quantity of weapons during the Battle of Changsha, further strengthening their forces. Given the numerous militia units assisting the Qing army during their attack on Changsha, many also ambushed them from the outskirts, resulting in heavy casualties among the miners. After stabilizing the situation in Changsha, Cai Shaonan immediately launched a frenzied retaliation. Battalion and company units launched devastating attacks on nearby militia units involved in the Changsha battle. Even the landlords, considered local tyrants, could not withstand the furious onslaught of the comrades. Led by some local residents, they eradicated all militia units within a hundred kilometers, slaughtered all the landlords who had organized the militia, and distributed all their land to the landless and poor. Thanks to this swift and decisive action, Changsha remained peaceful after it fell to the PLA.

After receiving the telegram announcing Changsha's liberation, Zhang Yinghao simply nodded and said calmly, "I understand."

This was Zhang Yinghao's complete reaction, because even the news of the liberation of the provincial capital had no effect on his emotions. As for the news of the heavy casualties suffered by the miners' uprising troops during the liberation of Changsha and their massacre of the local landlord militia, Zhang Yinghao felt no emotion at all. Since joining the revolution meant tying one's head to the belt and being prepared to lose one's life at any time, and since the landlord class was going to be a counter-revolutionary, one had to be prepared to lose one's life. So when Zhang Yinghao heard the news, he just nodded slightly to indicate that he understood, and that was all.

Just as the coal mine workers in Pingxiang were capturing Changsha, PLA soldiers marching from Yunnan to liberate Guangxi, having liberated Baise, began to move down the Youjiang River to rest outside Tianzhou. The comrades knew that they could reach Nanning by following the Youjiang River. Using the Youjiang River to transport supplies was the best option, saving significant logistical manpower and material resources. By firmly seizing this transportation route, the liberation of Guangxi would be greatly accelerated.

At this point, the PLA troops arriving in Tianzhou assumed the Qing army would not attack them, instead defending the city walls. Consequently, they relaxed their vigilance. However, they unexpectedly discovered that the Qing general stationed east of the city had the courage to launch a sudden attack on the PLA. Guangxi currently possessed a large number of Qing troops, deploying tens of thousands of them. They frantically attacked a PLA position of 3,000 men. Seeing the sheer number of Qing troops, the comrades immediately realized that the Qing army had already prepared for a PLA attack from Yunnan.

After years of fierce fighting with the Guangxi secret society, the Qing army in Guangxi still had some fighting power, and when the Qing army was outnumbered, they dared to charge and fight. Unfortunately, they were attacking the People's Liberation Army. After the initial panic, the Liberation Army immediately engaged in a shootout with the Qing army.

Many of the artillery pieces used by the Qing army to suppress the secret society in Guangxi still used solid rounds, which were no match for the lethality of modern shrapnel shells. Especially during the Qing attack, the PLA's mortar shells rained down on the Qing army's camp. While mortars may not have much lethality, a cannon is still a cannon, and with their high rate of fire, a single mortar shell could inflict casualties on the Qing army.

Soon, when the Qing army failed to capture the position and wanted to retreat, the PLA soldiers, still holding back their anger, immediately jumped out of the trenches and took the initiative to attack. The two sides started a fierce battle near the city wall, with red flags waving and cannons roaring. The battle was extremely fierce.

At this moment, a Qing cavalry unit, riding Yunnan horses, appeared from the PLA's flank and immediately launched a charge. One company on the flank was unable to resist and was defeated. The cavalry rushed into the PLA camp and slaughtered them wantonly. The situation was extremely critical. Company Commander Cai Bin was naturally unwilling to accept defeat and shouted loudly: "Comrades, bayonets, counterattack! We must stop them and kill them!"

Cai Bin was also a fierce and ruthless man. He immediately organized a counter-charge, using his own lives to stop the Qing cavalry's charge, while also reporting the situation to his superiors. The regimental commander, having also spotted the Qing cavalry, immediately deployed four heavy machine guns, creating a crossfire. The cavalry fell like wheat being cut. He then dispatched reinforcements, quickly annihilating the Qing cavalry that had rushed into the position, securing the defensive position.

The result of the battle was a victory for the PLA troops, and the Qing army retreated in panic, leaving behind over 2,000 corpses. Now that day had dawned, the PLA wasted no time. Since the Qing army had dared to leave the city and attack the PLA, the PLA soldiers naturally followed the Qing army and charged into the city.

Without a pause, the soldiers fixed their bayonets and began to expand their control area in squads and platoons, attacking the streets on both sides. At the same time, mortars were brought into the city, test-fired at the Qing positions still held, and then bombarded the Qing positions and barricades.

This smooth and flowing tactical operation was the product of years of gradual accumulation by the People's Liberation Army, tempered by repeated battles and training, leading to today's outstanding performance. Of course, the artillery's outstanding performance was met with envy and admiration by the newly reorganized armed forces.