The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

In 1904, Li Pingshu and Chen Lianfang officially founded the Shanghai Medical Association. Li Pingshu and Zhang Zhujun repeatedly published recruitment advertisements for the "Women's Chinese and Western Medical College" in the Shenbao newspaper. Enrollment was divided into a five-year regular program, offering Chinese and Western medicine textbooks, along with eight courses: moral education, Chinese literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, Spanish, and music. A six-year preparatory program offered Chinese medicine textbooks and seven courses: moral education, Chinese literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, Spanish, and music. After one year, students were promoted to the regular program and continued their studies in Western medicine. Upon graduation, the college invited renowned Chinese and Western physicians to conduct examinations based on their academic disciplines. Those who passed the examinations were awarded diplomas and permitted to practice medicine.

On February 23, 1905, the Shanghai Women's College of Chinese and Western Medicine (also known as the Women's Chinese and Western Medical School) officially opened in the newly constructed building at 17-20 Park Road. Li Pingshu served as the founder and general director, responsible for fundraising and teaching Chinese medicine. Zhang Zhujun served as the dean and also taught Western medicine. Separate instructors were hired to teach other subjects, including moral education, Chinese literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, Spanish, and music. A women's ward for Chinese and Western medicine was established adjacent to the college. This was the first Shanghainese-run obstetric hospital to utilize Western medical methods for deliveries. In 1907, the first class of seven students graduated from the preparatory class for Chinese medicine.

There were really a lot of "big guys" in Shanghai during this era. Yu Qiaqing, Zhu Baosan, Li Zhengwu, Ye Huijun and others were all popular figures, well-known figures in Shanghai, and wealthy people. If war broke out in Shanghai, it would naturally not be in their interests.

“So what do we do?”

"Our union and your chambers of commerce will work together to take over all of Shanghai, and then hang white banners with the word 'Recovery' written on them everywhere to announce the recovery of Shanghai. Our goal now is to prevent war from breaking out in Shanghai, to prevent the foreign powers from having an excuse to send troops to Shanghai, and to prevent the foreign powers from bombarding Shanghai. What do you think?"

Chapter 753: First update!

Just as Chen Yifei and Li Shuping were discussing how to avert war in Shanghai, Shen Shanglian and his men suddenly launched an attack, seizing control of the Manchus and Beiyang military supervisors within the Jiangyin Fortress, as well as those who clearly harbored ill will towards the Liberated Areas. Aside from the troops controlled by the undercover comrades, the Beiyang defenders within the Jiangyin Fortress were practically devoid of fighting spirit. They could never have imagined that Jiangyin, currently deep within the Beiyang's inner sphere of influence, would be suddenly attacked by their own forces. The impregnable Jiangyin Fortress, in less than twenty minutes, was already under the control of the undercover comrades!

Zhang Yinghao was very happy to hear the news of the liberation of Jiangyin. The Jiangyin Fortress was located between Zhenjiang and Shanghai. The artillery fort had been reinforced several times after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. It was the most dangerous fortress along the river, and its reputation of being impregnable was well-deserved.

History always repeats itself in surprising ways. Zhang Yinghao recalled that in his previous life, Jiangyin Fortress also launched an internal uprising during the Battle of Crossing the Yangtze River. Except for the commander, all the other defenders were rebels. It was laughable to think about it.

However, Jiangyin certainly could. After the Manchus entered the country, a Qing army of 240,000 soldiers, armed with over 200 cannons, surrounded Jiangyin, resulting in over 75,000 casualties. During the 81-day defense of Jiangyin, over 97,000 people died inside the city, and over 75,000 were killed or wounded outside. The civilians fought for 818 days to save their hair, ultimately being massacred. The 81-day battle in Jiangyin was the most tragic in Southern Ming history. The Qing court's mandatory shaving order, which allowed people to keep their heads but not their hair, sparked outrage among the Jiangyin people. The Jiangyin residents chose not to shave their heads, and after an 81-day battle, the city suffered heavy casualties, leaving only 53 survivors.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the battle inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese army. This was a rare early battle in which a smaller force fought against a larger one with a near-zero casualty ratio, achieving the intended goal of containing the Japanese advance westward and depleting their forces. The Battle of Jiangyin was one of the most brutal naval engagements of the war. The navy, at great cost, desperately covered the retreat of 70 friendly troops, engaging the Japanese for three months and making a significant contribution to China's victory in the war.

And during the Liberation War, it was a miracle that this fortress, which was easy to defend and difficult to attack, was liberated without a single shot. Of course, in order to achieve such a huge success, there must have been some preliminary work.

Zhang Yinghao immediately ordered: "Make every effort to cut off the Yangtze River waterway and prohibit the entry and exit of warships and troop transports of foreign powers..."

Nanjing was over 300 kilometers from Shanghai. Because of the airship bombing, warships had to avoid it, and troop transports suffered heavy losses, which delayed the movement of infantry. It could be said that if the Yangtze River waterway was cut off, the foreign invaders in Nanjing would be trapped, like a turtle in a jar, unable to escape. Even if they were to slowly grind them down, they could all be wiped out.

However, the weather was not good. Just when the People's Liberation Army was about to launch the final encirclement and annihilation of the foreign devils, it unexpectedly rained heavily. The cold rain was pouring down, pouring a basin of cold water on the passionate soldiers, greatly reducing the soldiers' combat effectiveness in encircling and annihilating the foreign devils. However, natural weather is the same for everyone. The People's Liberation Army does not like to fight in the rain. Can the great powers continue to maintain their combat effectiveness because of the rain? However, it was already late at this time. Some soldiers began to dig trenches to prepare to temporarily encircle the group of thugs to prevent them from breaking out, while some continued to march hard in the rain to reach the designated position and prepare for battle. It was this heavy rain that allowed the People's Liberation Army to completely complete the encirclement of the remaining foreign devils.

Shanghai was a completely different place at this time. After Liu Sifu and his men seized control of Zhang Shiheng, the General Manager of the Jiangnan Arsenal, and exploited his status as Li Hongzhang's nephew to force the surrender of over 300 Jiangnan Arsenal guards and two warships at the shipyard near the river, troops from Zhejiang preparing to launch a surprise attack on Shanghai contacted the General Labor Union. The arrival of the People's Liberation Army boosted the confidence of the comrades at the General Labor Union, and after discussion, the plan of forbearance was temporarily changed.

At this time, the Jiangnan Arsenal gave up the policy of discovering the situation as late as possible and instead placed itself on high alert. There were small steel cannons near each gate, machine gun arrays at key points, artillery batteries near the Huangpu River, and several warships ready to join the battle at any time near the riverside docks.

Skilled workers and machinery are the most important assets of the nations in this era of great contention, and therefore, defense alone cannot be the primary means of defense. Shanghai is divided into the French Concession, the British Concession, the American Concession, and the International Settlement. The most effective means of defending Shanghai is to take the foreigners in these concessions hostage and perish together. As long as the People's Liberation Army sent troops into Shanghai, the foreign devils would not have enough time or opportunity to escape immediately. With so many foreigners in Shanghai, isolated and isolated, even the armies of the great powers would not dare to start a battle in Shanghai unless they were determined to fight to the death.

There's a saying: "I'd rather have a bed in Puxi than a house in Pudong." This reflects Pudong's economic backwardness, which also obscured the PLA's marching route. Xiong Kewu led a regiment of PLA soldiers around the French Concession and across the Huangpu River. Despite fatigue, speed was paramount. Therefore, under the leadership of local workers, the PLA, in conjunction with the Shanghai Merchants Corps, launched a nighttime attack on the Susongtai Military Preparations Circuit and the county government. Shanghai Circuit Intendant Liu Yanyi fled to the concession, and Shanghai County Magistrate Li Chaoqiong also fled upon hearing the news. That same night, the PLA occupied the entire Shanghai County, including the county government office, the prison, and other institutions. Shanghai County was completely liberated.

After the People's Liberation Army opened fire, the foreigners in the concession were all in a panic after receiving the news. The foreign soldiers were immediately mobilized and ready to fight at any time. The warships weighed anchor, sounded their sirens, and sailed into the deep sea, as if to warn the People's Liberation Army.

After liberating Shanghai County, the People's Liberation Army halted military operations and immediately mobilized all workers to prepare for battle. The PLA's entry into Shanghai erupted in excitement. Workers from the Jiangnan Arsenal and the Qiuxin Machinery Factory, along with Shanghai steamship sailors, firemen, and workers from various carriage and horse-drawn carriage companies, and even textile workers from the Shanghai Chaosi Women's Workers' Association, gathered at the entrance of the Arsenal and spontaneously helped the PLA erect barricades in preparation for battle.

Liu Sifu shouted excitedly: "Everything that can be lifted, pull it over and pile it into a barricade! Steel, cement, concrete, sandbags, trees, iron railings, anything will do. We want to turn Shanghai County into a war fortress. Comrade workers, let's act together!"

Shanghai County was being overwhelmed by workers building numerous barricades. Martial law had been declared throughout the city. Ever since the PLA had erected barricades near Gaochang Temple, news had spread, and the atmosphere throughout the city had reached a fever pitch. A strong sense of excitement and passion permeated the workers, and more and more ordinary workers were rushing to Gaochang Temple. That evening, the workers had erected countless barricades. Group number: 775111838

The Jiangnan Arsenal's munitions production was crucial, so after Liu Sifu took control of the bureau, the workshops churned out weapons and ammunition day and night. Previously, the workers had worked for the Qing and Beiyang bureaucrats, for wealthy capitalists like Zhang Shiheng and Li Pingshu, so it was only natural that they would slack off.

However, today's manufacturing workers work for their own rebirth and liberation, and their work enthusiasm is completely different!

Chen Yifei, who had just arrived, was stunned. Previously, the Manufacturing Bureau's General Manager, Li Pingshu, Zhang Shiheng, and others had tried every possible means to improve production efficiency, but now, without any bizarre management methods or so-called advanced production process improvements, production efficiency had increased by several times.

When Chen Yifei asked, the worker immediately replied: "If you didn't slack off and slack off when you used to work for a boss who was so cruel, you'd be a fool. Now that we're working to liberate ourselves and produce, if you still slack off and slack off, you'd be a real Muggle!"

Chen Yifei excitedly stood on the platform and shouted: "Comrades, come on! Oppose the reactionary rule of the Beiyang government and the interference of foreign powers in our internal affairs. We must clearly support the People's Liberation Army and the Forward Party. We have only one slogan, which is to work hard to develop production and liberate Shanghai at all costs..."

Because the workers at the Manufacturing Bureau knew how to use weapons and were an excellent source of soldiers, the People's Liberation Army immediately sent soldiers to teach the workers how to fire a gun and fight, to prevent the enemy from suddenly charging in from any corner during street fighting and leaving the workers powerless to resist.

Many workers, unfamiliar with the PLA, offered to contribute to the military's expenses. Hundreds of workers in the manufacturing bureau, including lathe workers, coppersmiths, carpenters, foundries, and blacksmiths, enthusiastically donated money, hoping to contribute to the liberation of Shanghai. Furthermore, a significant number of workers in the manufacturing bureau, which produced munitions, offered to "voluntarily labor for a week and use their wages as military pay."

Although Shanghai workers were poorly paid, they understood the significance of overthrowing the Beiyang government, expelling the foreign powers, and achieving liberation. They willingly used their meager wages, and even their lives, to support the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army in their efforts to expel the foreign powers. The Death Squad was the initiative of these workers.

In fact, the manufacturing workers' initiative to organize donations and put forward the slogan of voluntary labor can only help the revolutionary cause of the People's Liberation Army and cannot in any way harm it.

Liberation was for everyone, so free and voluntary labor was acceptable. However, the PLA, which took nothing from the masses, naturally wouldn't violate discipline by accepting donations from workers. While the PLA didn't need donations, there were many other areas where money was needed. The meager Shanghai workers gave their entire food allowances. The Jiangnan Arsenal workers, burdened with the heavy burden of munitions production, were the most exceptional. Workers at the shipping and artillery factories donated all their silver dollars at once, giving their all for liberation.

The PLA soldiers saw the workers' actions and were deeply moved. They clenched their weapons tightly, ready to confront the Beiyang Army led by Li Chun and even the large-scale suppression of the great powers at any time! Except for the lack of heavy artillery, the PLA had no shortage of weapons, organization or training.

When Xiong Kewu was walking on the streets of Shanghai, he saw so many young and beautiful female workers helping the People's Liberation Army. He was very happy. With the support of the people, he had nothing to worry about.

Taking advantage of the night, Li Shuping and his team immediately posted notices everywhere, declaring that the status quo in all concessions would be maintained for the time being. As long as the foreign powers' armies in Shanghai behaved themselves, the People's Liberation Army would not fire the first shot. At the same time, they ordered the Chamber of Commerce to hang large white flags with the words "Recovery" written on them from all city walls, and all points connecting to the concessions were guarded by armed merchant corps.

The news of the PLA entering Shanghai shocked the whole country. Yuan Datou was also stunned when he heard the news. He didn't know where the PLA suddenly appeared in Shanghai County, but he immediately ordered Li Chun to send troops to suppress it.

When Li Chun woke up from his dream and led his troops to the front line, he was surprised to find that not only the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, but also the entire area around Gaochang Temple, and basically all the main roads in Shanghai County were blocked by a large number of barricades.

Li Chun did not expect the Red Bandits to act so quickly, and he lost the initiative for a while. By the time he sent troops to take back the Jiangnan Arsenal, this arsenal had become the center and base camp of the revolutionary forces in Shanghai.

Then he saw the banners "Oppose fratricide" and "Don't attack Chinese" among the Chinese people in the telescope. Li Chun's mouth twitched, but before Li Chun ordered an attack, the foreign powers sent people to greet Li Chun and said: "Shanghai is a mixed place of Chinese and foreigners. Since the Red Bandits appeared in Shanghai and controlled Gaochang Temple, the foreign powers do not object to the Beiyang Army sending troops to eliminate the Red Bandits and take back the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and other places. However, considering that the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau stores a large amount of gunpowder, detonators, explosives and artillery shells, the concession authorities firmly oppose the warring parties using any heavy weapons that may cause serious damage to Shanghai..."

Unable to use heavy weapons? This really put Li Chun in a difficult position. But the foreign powers were now the fathers of the Beiyang regime, so where was the room for resistance? Li Chun had no choice but to not launch an immediate attack, but to start a standoff near Gaochang Temple. Soon, Li Chun suddenly realized that the more than 1,000 Beiyang troops he brought with him were simply unable to break through the Red Bandits' barricades without using artillery!

Not long after, Yuan Datou sent another urging telegram, and Li Chun had no choice but to attack. With Li Chun's order, the sound of soybean explosions rang out from the Beiyang Army's position.

Xiong Kewu watched the Beiyang attack through his telescope and breathed a sigh of relief. The Beiyang hadn't used heavy artillery, not even cannons. Xiong Kewu knew this was a good thing, at least it showed that the foreign powers had no intention of joining the war. If heavy weapons were used in Shanghai, it would inevitably cause huge casualties among innocent people and property damage.

Without the use of heavy weapons, the next battle would be easier to fight. Xiong Kewu immediately sent his patrol comrades to lead the PLA squad to launch surprise attacks on the enemy's flanks and rear, prolonging the battle and waiting for the main force, while also preventing the interference of the foreign powers' armies and training the patrol team's combat effectiveness.

Soon, the sounds of gunfire exchanging with Beiyang soldiers could be heard in the streets. The organized armed workers were no ordinary masses ready to be slaughtered, and they fought with unflinching determination. Furthermore, the workers were already very familiar with the Gaochang Temple area, and street fighting was a significant advantage for the defending and surprise attacks. Barricade after barricade lay ahead, and while the PLA's numbers were far less than the attacking Beiyang troops, without artillery, they could only outmaneuver the weaker forces.

At this point, if Li Chun mobilized troops on a large scale, he would immediately be attacked by the workers' pickets who were familiar with the alleys and lanes of Shanghai and the People's Liberation Army while on the march.

The workers' armed forces, which appeared and disappeared at will, launched surprise attacks everywhere, causing the morale of the Beiyang Army to drop rapidly. Due to the interference of the great powers, the Beiyang Army could not use heavy weapons, so the front line was unable to advance. Li Chun even sent death squads to attack the PLA defense line twice, but failed to succeed.

Facing the attack of the Beiyang Death Squad, Xiong Kewu ordered several machine gunners to set up machine guns produced by the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau and form a crossfire. When the Beiyang Army foolishly attacked, they immediately spit out fierce flames, mowing down the death squad halfway. The impenetrable rain of bullets pushed the Beiyang Army back again and again.

The Beiyang Army, battling uprisings everywhere, was experiencing this kind of modern firepower for the first time. Many Beiyang soldiers' eyes gradually grew dazed, ultimately losing focus entirely. Even more ordinary soldiers' spirits completely collapsed, and more and more of them dropped their weapons and retreated in panic.

Li Chun led a large number of officers to intercept the enemy from the rear, but they were helpless and in a dilemma. In desperation, they had to use the Beiyang Army's trump card - deploying a supervision team behind the position to block the retreat with machine guns.

Chapter 754: More!

Zhang Yinghao closely monitored the situation in Shanghai, hoping to ultimately preserve the Jiangnan Arsenal, worth tens of millions of taels. Machinery manufacturing was the foundation of modern industry, and the Jiangnan Arsenal was not only a machinery manufacturer, but also a military manufacturing industry crucial to the success of the liberation of Shanghai, making it even more crucial.

Many industries of this era were of low quality, and the majority were crude and unsophisticated. For example, in the 28th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Zhu Zhiyao and others invested 40,000 silver dollars and rented 40 mu of land on Jichang Street in Nanshi, Shanghai, to establish the Qiuxin Machinery and Shipbuilding Factory. Officially operating in the 30th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, the factory comprised four plants: iron smelting, casting, and machine tools. It employed 15 staff members and technicians, and over 100 craftsmen and apprentices. Its primary focus was the construction of shallow-water steamships, steam engines, and agricultural machinery. Zhu Zhiyao served as general manager. With just over 100 employees, the Qiuxin Machinery and Shipbuilding Factory was surprisingly the largest and most heavily invested Chinese-owned machinery factory in the early years. Subsequently, its production shifted to the manufacture of ships, steam engines, and agricultural machinery. This demonstrates the backwardness of the times and the abhorrent nature of the compradors.

In its early days, the Qiuxin Manufacturing Factory primarily undertook machinery repair and the manufacture of carriages, bridges, and other projects for government use. Business flourished, earning 10,800 taels of silver within two years of operation. This figure, unsurprisingly, was a seller's market, and profit margins were exceptionally high, averaging over 20%. Profitability was not easy, as many Qing Dynasty factories suffered losses due to the sheer volume of buyers.

With good news pouring in from all directions, Zhang Yinghao naturally wanted to liberate all unliberated areas across China. Wu Jiangtao, a native of the Dabie Mountains, had been one of the first to follow Li Tong in the revolution after his arrival there. He was now a regimental commander. He led his troops out of the Dabie Mountains, advancing across thousands of miles until they reached the northern bank of the Yangtze River, on the border between Anhui and Jiangsu, only fifty miles from the river's edge.

After arriving, Wu Jiangtao conducted military drills for the river crossing, using the lake to learn rowing and floating techniques, while also conducting political mobilization for the crossing. After a period of hard training, the soldiers were mentally and materially prepared for the crossing.

The order to drive out the foreign warships was issued, and Wu Jiangtao received the order to attack. Soldiers signed letters of commitment, requesting to be the first assault team to break through the river defenses. The team set out that afternoon, traveling through the night, covering the 50 miles to the riverbank. At night, gunfire was heard from the river. Just then, he received the latest order, commanding his troops to cross the Jiajiang River and liberate Baguazhou.

Soon, Wu Jiangtao received news that under the attack of airships and warships, the warships of the great powers had continued to retreat, and the first echelon had successfully broken through the river defense and entered Nanjing, and brought exciting news: that night, 200,000 troops had broken through the defense lines of the great powers and the Beiyang government and entered Nanjing.

The liberation of Nanjing was a foregone conclusion. The soldiers jumped for joy and said excitedly: "When we cross the river, we must fight a good battle!"

When sailing, raising the sails is the most time-consuming process. If the lights are off and the rigging gets tangled, it can be troublesome. So, after some discussion, Wu Jiangtao and his crew decided to have the boatmen stand by at half sail: while awaiting the order to attack, all the boats would be lined up at the riverbank with the sails halfway drawn. Once the order was given, the sailors would pull the rigging, and dozens of boats would shoot like arrows, heading straight for the south bank.

Wu Jiangtao led his troops across the river quickly, and their first task after crossing was to eliminate all the enemies on Baguazhou Island. The enemies on Baguazhou Island controlled the commanding heights and attempted to use them to stop the PLA's attack.

Wu Jiangtao sent a platoon on a exploratory attack along a small path toward the enemy's commanding heights. A soldier in the vanguard, ready to throw a grenade, was knocked to the ground by a burst of enemy machine gun fire. The squad leader rushed to hold the enemy back and attempted to rescue him, but was shot down by another enemy. The commanding heights were not taken, and the vanguard squad lost two men, suppressed and unable to raise their heads.

The situation was dire. Having already crossed Jiajiang, the troops had no escape route, and were surrounded by enemies on three sides. After much deliberation, Wu Jiangtao reorganized his forces and continued his assault. He ordered three strong machine gunners, three sharpshooters, three grenade throwers, and a squad of soldiers to form a makeshift assault team. They dodged the enemy's sweeping fire from their commanding heights, fighting and charging forward, suppressing the enemy with intense firepower.

As planned, three machine gunners charged the commanding heights head-on, while the sharpshooter slew the enemy. Other soldiers maneuvered around the heights, blocking the enemy's escape route. Thus, an entire enemy platoon was annihilated within their stronghold on the commanding heights.

After seizing the commanding heights, Wu Jiangtao led his troops toward enemy strongholds on both sides, continuing his advance deep into the enemy's territory until they finally located the enemy's temporary battalion headquarters. The entire regiment launched a general assault, catching the enemy off guard and forcing them to flee in panic. As Wu Jiangtao and his men pursued them, the enemy surrendered their weapons in droves. In less than three hours, all the enemy troops on Baguazhou were annihilated or captured, including the defending battalion commander.

At this time, the People's Liberation Army had already marched through the heavy rain and reached Qixia Mountain. Finally, before the foreign powers' thugs entered the mountain, they not only surrounded the enemy, but also trapped the foreign devils in the Taiping Mountain and Nanxiang Mountain areas.

At first light, our armies immediately launched their attack, braving the rain. Wearing blue hats and green jackets, they braved the drizzle and slanting wind, unfazed by the drizzle. The soldiers shared a common hatred and vowed to annihilate the foreign invaders. These thugs from the foreign powers, now aware of the PLA's attitude towards them, united in a desperate fight. The PLA was immediately plunged into a bitter battle, with casualties mounting rapidly. The fighting was brutal. The rain and inclement weather grounded all airships, further complicating the attack.

All the soldiers were soaked, as if they had been pulled out of the water. One instructor was ambushed by foreign troops while leading an attack and was shot in the arm. The soldier next to him said to him, "Instructor, you are injured. Please retreat first."

Upon hearing this, the instructor immediately responded, "If we retreat after receiving a few injuries, how will we liberate the poor people? We must immediately find the shooters who attacked us, and then use mortars and explosives to blow up the enemy. We must break through the enemy's blockade and wipe out all these thugs."

Even as the People's Liberation Army risked their lives to launch an all-out offensive, beneath an unnamed hill in North Korea, stood a village of hundreds of households. In front of the village lay a small river, and before that a field of farmland, the soil already dug up. It was already April, and the weather in Northeast China was still quite cold, but spring had arrived, and diligent farmers had already begun tilling the land in preparation for the upcoming spring planting.

This mountain village is far away from the main road, and the villagers don’t care about the outside world. Although someone brought news a few days ago that the county town was occupied by the Chinese, the villagers still live their lives as usual. Sure enough, news came soon that the Japanese had indeed been driven away by the Chinese heavenly soldiers, and everyone was happy.

It was still early at this time and most people had just gotten up. Apart from the faint sounds of children playing and the occasional shouts of farmers, the entire mountain village seemed peaceful, quiet and harmonious, tranquil and profound.

Suddenly, a rustling sound was heard outside the village, and dozens of men in ragged clothes, holding rifles with bayonets in their hands, emerged from behind a nearby hillside. They looked at the mountain village that suddenly appeared below, with a hint of excitement and greed in their eyes.

This group of Japanese devils escaped when the People's Liberation Army broke through the Yalu River defense line. When the line was breached, the squadron leader, Matsushita Sanshiro, saw that the situation was hopeless and the entire army was in danger of being annihilated, so he took the initiative to flee. However, although he escaped, he also lost most of his men. After this period of fleeing, those around him were either killed, died of disease, starved to death, or were separated along the way. At this time, only 33 people were left.

The Japanese soldiers had to rely on their own strength to get by. These past few days, they had endured immense hardship. Fearing pursuit by the People's Liberation Army, they dared not take the main roads, relying instead on smaller paths. The smaller paths offered few shelters, and they couldn't sleep well at night, fearing delays that would allow the People's Liberation Army to catch up. The Japanese soldiers could only rely on hunting and eating half-cooked food. Their clothes were still the same ones they'd worn during the battlefield. Though they had dried out now, they were still covered in blood and mud, making them uncomfortable to wear.

At this time, the Japanese troops in North Korea had become a group of stray dogs. They were not only hunted by the People's Liberation Army, but also by the ubiquitous local Koreans. They were in a very miserable state. These devils fled all the way, and their rifles were out of bullets. However, they believed that with the bayonets in their hands, they would have no problem taking the village.

The Japanese soldiers looked at the village at the foot of the mountain with fiery eyes. Although there seemed to be hundreds of households in this mountain village, the Koreans had always been weak. As long as they rushed down, they could eat the long-lost hot meals and dishes, make a fire, change into clean clothes, and maybe even find a woman to vent their emotions on.

"Squadron Leader!"

All the Japanese soldiers looked at Matsushita Sanzo, their eyes burning. Matsushita Sanzo nodded, without any intention of stopping him. He also wanted to change into clean clothes, eat a hot meal, and finally find a woman to have a cold war with and vent his anger.

Standing at the village entrance were Jin Tongdeok and Jin Youyi, a father and son. Jin Tongdeok was the village chief and the only literate member of the village. They surveyed the vast expanse of farmland at the entrance with a certain sense of ambition. Three-fifths of the village's paddy fields belonged to his family, and they were about to begin planting crops. A good year would surely see the Jin family rise to new heights. A poor year, however, would guarantee an increase in their holdings next year, thanks to their thousands of dan of grain stored in their warehouses.

Jin Youyi's sharp eyes swept the road ahead and suddenly saw dozens of ragged men with guns in their hands rushing towards the village. He was stunned and immediately asked his father, "Ah Boji, who are those people?"

Jin Tongde looked up and saw that it was a group of devils. Jin Tongde was shocked and said quickly: "It's over, those are defeated devils, run away quickly."

Hearing that the Japanese were defeated, and remembering their brutal actions, Jin Youyi panicked. However, he was young and energetic. Seeing the Japanese soldiers in such a mess, looking like they had suffered a defeat, he said with courage: "Ah Boji, don't be afraid. Let's go back to the village, call everyone, and we will definitely drive these Japanese away."

"What do you know? The devils are killing people without blinking an eye these days. In the past, even officers and soldiers would run away when they saw the devils. How can a few hundred people from our village stop this group of devils? Run to the mountains quickly, or you will die if you don't."

Jin Tongde shouted at his son.

"But, Ah Boji, if we flee to the mountains, what will happen to Armani and Zamei if they're still in the village?"

"Oh my, there's no time left. Just leave them alone. If you lose your wife, you can marry another one. If you lose your daughter, you can just have another one. If you don't escape now, you and I will both die."

Seeing the Japanese getting closer and closer, Jin Tongde grabbed his reluctant son and led him up the mountain. Jin Youyi had no choice but to follow him up the mountain.

Matsushita Sanjiro and others were already exhausted, but they mustered up their remaining courage and rushed directly into the village. As soon as they entered the village, these ghosts who had just been like stray dogs immediately became ferocious monsters, chopping and killing anyone they saw. Dozens of villagers who were caught off guard fell in a pool of blood.

"The devils are coming, run away..." "Murder, murder..." "Help..."

A chorus of shouts rang out, and the village, which had been peaceful and tranquil just moments before, suddenly became a scene of chaos and clamor. After killing more than a dozen people, the Japanese soldiers immediately sent several to guard the village entrance, while the rest of them rushed into the largest house in the village. A man who looked like a housekeeper tried to stop them but was stabbed by a Japanese soldier and fell in a pool of blood. The remaining servants let out a cry and fled in all directions.

The Japanese had no time to pay attention to the escaped people, nor did they have the energy to chase them. They quickly found two big fat pigs, a dozen sheep, and dozens of chickens and ducks in the yard. All the Japanese couldn't help drooling. They didn't care whether they could eat so much or not, and immediately slaughtered the pigs and sheep, and the chickens and ducks in the yard. Some people were busy making fire and cooking.

When Matsushita Sanzo walked into the hall, he saw two women trapped in a corner, hugging each other and trembling. One of them was in her forties, a woman who had lived a life of luxury, with a curvaceous figure and a lingering charm. The other woman was no more than twenty, dressed in plain clothes, with her hair loose and her face brimming with collagen, looking so tender that it looked as if water could be squeezed out of her.

A single glance sent a rage raging through Matsushita Sanzo. During his time on the run, life and death had flashed through his mind, and now he was at a loss as to what to do next. This sense of helplessness weighed on Matsushita Sanzo like a mountain, and coupled with the constant fear of being hunted by the Chinese army, Matsushita Sanzo's nerves were constantly on edge. Now, he just wanted to relax with this mother and daughter, or mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Seeing the squadron leader's gaze, the other Japanese soldiers immediately understood what he meant, stepped back and left the door ajar. Soon, a burst of slapping sounds was heard in the house, followed by a series of "pa pa" sounds and a woman's low sobbing.

The Japanese soldiers outside exchanged glances, their gazes full of meaning, and occasionally let out inexplicable laughter, which was intriguing. Soon, the yard was already filled with the aroma of meat. The slaughtered pigs and sheep were still roasting in the fire, and the meat in the large pot had begun to simmer. Some of the Japanese soldiers, unable to wait, tore off large pieces of meat directly from the pot, shoving them into their mouths and devouring them with big mouthfuls.

The Japanese soldiers had just taken a few bites when they heard a chaotic sound of footsteps outside, as if hundreds of people were coming towards the yard together. The sound of killing Japanese soldiers could be faintly heard in the air, and the Japanese soldiers who heard it were stunned.

When they robbed Korean villages in the past, there were often more than ten or seven or eight of them surrounding a village. The villagers, regardless of gender, age or status, dared not move and were very well-behaved, allowing them to do whatever they wanted in the village. After that, they would search the men, young women and property in the village. Now that there are more than thirty of them and a few sentries outside, do the villagers dare to resist? It's really a reversal of fate.

They didn't consider that every time they robbed, the government stood behind them, and they succeeded only with the government's tacit approval. Now they looked like a defeated army. Moreover, they had heard that the Japanese had been driven away and the officials who had defected to the Japanese had been killed by the Chinese Heavenly Army. Naturally, the villagers were emboldened. Now this group of Japanese were plaguing the village chief's family. Everyone knew the Japanese's vindictive nature and knew that these Japanese would definitely choose to massacre the village to cover their tracks. If the Japanese were allowed to eat and drink their fill, no one in the village would be spared.

If the Japanese had just entered the village and started killing people without any organization, even hundreds of them would have been helpless against them. However, Matsushita Sanshiro and his men had no more energy. After killing a dozen villagers, they thought they had temporarily frightened the others and immediately started to build a fire and cook, hoping to eat and drink enough before killing again. This gave the villagers enough time to organize themselves. After everyone discussed the situation together, they naturally understood the current situation: either the Japanese would die or the villagers would die. Moreover, since the Japanese had not fired a single shot since entering the village, the soldiers and civilians speculated that the Japanese had run out of bullets, and the villagers became bolder. The hunters even took out their hunting rifles, ready to fight the Japanese to the death.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, the gate of the courtyard was knocked open, and a Japanese soldier rushed up in panic and shouted: "Oh no, those villagers are coming to kill us."

The devils in the courtyard were all puzzled and looked at each other. They thought the villagers were just a mob, what was there to be afraid of? Just as they were thinking this, hundreds of people's voices came: "Kill the devils!"

With this shout, countless villagers rushed in with hoes, shovels, shoulder poles, and sharpened wooden sticks. A Japanese soldier who was closest to the gate was about to raise his bayonet to fight back when the hunter fired a gun. Then countless hoes fell on the soldier's head like raindrops. After just a scream, the Japanese soldier turned into a pile of rotten meat and went to see Amaterasu.

"Kill! Kill the devils!"

More and more villagers rushed into the yard, aimlessly attacking the Japanese with all kinds of tools. The Japanese might be good at bayoneting, but a random punch would kill a master. The villagers might be in chaos, but there were too many of them. The Japanese were just relaxing after being tired, their muscles sore and weak, and they were in poor condition. Their movements were much slower than usual. Many Japanese were knocked to the ground as soon as they stood up. Some Japanese, seeing the situation was not good, abandoned the pigs and sheep they were grilling and ran around. However, the yard was surrounded by walls. Normally, they might be able to jump over it, but with their current physical strength and condition, there was no way they could climb up. Many were pulled down by villagers or shot by hunters just halfway up, and then beaten into a pulp.

When Matsushita Sanzo heard the noise outside, he could only open the door with his pants held up and wanted to go out to check. The moment he opened the door, countless hoes and sticks fell down. Matsushita Sanzo's head was smashed, his eyes went black, and he fell to the ground without a sound. Then he was beaten into a pile of rotten meat by the villagers and became a confused ghost.

After Matsushita Sanshiro's death, none of the remaining Japanese soldiers escaped the villagers' pursuit. Dozens of them perished at their hands, a miracle indeed. Many of the bodies were so unrecognizable that their features were unrecognizable. This also demonstrates that once the honest peasants are enraged, their power can bury an entire dynasty. These tired Japanese soldiers thought they could still act like they did before, and that killing a few people would scare everyone away. They ultimately lost their own lives. This was retribution for their usual treatment of the Korean people as if they were pigs and dogs. Those who kill will be killed!

Even though all the devils were killed, the villagers could not be happy. More than a dozen villagers had died at the hands of the devils before. However, when they chased and killed these devils later, only two died and more than ten were injured. For such a small mountain village, the death of more than a dozen people was really an unbearable pain. Many villagers whose relatives had died burst into tears at this time. The whole village was filled with crying and shrouded in sadness.

Fortunately, aside from the casualties, the Japanese soldiers only managed to harm the village chief's family. Not only were their cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks slaughtered, but the village chief's wife and daughter were also raped. After beating Matsushita Sanshiro to death, many villagers saw the village chief's wife and daughter lying nearly naked on the bed, a scene of devastation. Only a few people in the front witnessed this tragic scene and quickly closed the door again. They searched everywhere for the village chief, Jin Tongde, but the father and son were nowhere to be found. They had no choice but to arrange for women from the village to go in and care for the mother and daughter.

With so many people dying in the village and so many devils being killed, the matter must be reported to the authorities. However, the villagers were used to letting the village chief deal with the government, and since they couldn't find the village chief, they had to give up for the time being.

It was almost dark when Jin Tongde and his son, Jin Youyi, quietly returned from the mountain. Hearing cries of killing below, Jin Youyi tried to rush down the mountain several times, but was stopped by Jin Tongde. Jin Tongde believed the Japanese were brutal and bloodthirsty, and the villagers were no match for them. Rather than resist, they should submit. Rather than be killed, they should live in fear, believing the Japanese would be well fed and well fed and leave once they had enough. He even muttered curses at the villagers for being so reckless as to even attempt resistance. He feared the Japanese would retaliate with double the force, perhaps even setting the entire village on fire, which would be a huge loss for his family.

When the shouting and screaming in the village subsided and the villagers began to cry, Jin Tongde was convinced that his suspicions were correct. He refused to leave the mountain until he saw the Japanese leaving the village. However, they had run away since morning and had not eaten anything. They were cold and hungry. With the village quiet again, Jin Youyi could no longer bear it and secretly sneaked back to the village. Jin Tongde, too hungry and cold, could only quietly follow behind.

The two men thought that the Japanese were still in the village, and just wanted to see if they could sneak into the village to get some food and clothes. However, as soon as they arrived at the village entrance, they were shocked by a pile of corpses. Jin Tongde thought they were the bodies of villagers, and was secretly congratulating himself on his wise decision.

Jin Youyi had already shouted: "Ah, those are the bodies of the devils." Jin Tongde took a closer look and found that it was indeed the case. Although the faces of many of the bodies could not be distinguished, the clothes on the bodies and the general appearance clearly showed that these people were the devils who rushed into the village in the morning. Jin Tongde counted them briefly and there were more than 30 in total, almost all of them in the morning.

Both father and son were very puzzled. Who killed these brutal devils? However, seeing that all the devils were dead, Jin Tongde's courage was revived and he took the lead and walked forward.

"The village chief is back, the village chief is back."

Seeing Jin Tongde coming back, many villagers hurriedly greeted him, but there was a strange look on their faces.