The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

By this time, the scouts had already been in and out of Xinyang many times and naturally knew that the reactionary forces now gathered in Xinyang from at least two towns were far beyond the ability of the few thousand PLA soldiers at Wusheng Pass to resist. If they defended the pass, they might be able to hold out for a while. Risking an ambush outside the pass now, while the possibility of success was not small, the risks were also significant.

Zhao Zhengyang nodded and said slowly: "Comrades are worried about this. I also know that sending troops to set up an ambush in the surrounding valleys to ambush Zhang Huaizhi's reactionary army heading south is risky. But the best defense is offense. After destroying the enemy, the task of holding the position will naturally be completed. Moreover, the opportunity now is rare. Where in history has there been a case of burying so much explosives? This is a blind spot for everyone. Who would dare to believe that more than 20 tons of explosives could be used for an ambush? As long as we seize this opportunity, if we succeed, we may be able to inflict heavy damage on the unsuspecting reactionary army heading south, and even counterattack Xinyang. Moreover, I don't really want the soldiers to engage in a head-on offensive and defensive battle with the Beiyang. Guns and artillery have no eyes, and the bombardment will inevitably cause huge casualties. Even if the explosive packs are discovered and the ambush fails, what's the point? It's just the loss of some explosives. Now we have a synthetic ammonia plant and rely on railway transportation. There is no shortage of explosives. Even if it fails, the loss will not be great, but if it succeeds, the benefits will be huge. Therefore, although the ambush plan is risky, it has to be done!"

Chapter 761: More

In an era of underdeveloped communications, what was most needed in war was the commander's initiative, to seize opportunities and destroy the enemy. Opportunities were fleeting, and a general on the ground was subject to disobedience. If every matter required directives, the battle would be impossible. Zhang Yinghao only provided strategic guidance; the specific tactics depended on the capabilities of the commanders and fighters on the front lines.

Wusheng Pass has long been a vital route for troops heading south to Hubei. Nestled within a gorge, its strategic location controls the entire route. Wusheng Pass, with its mountainous fortifications and fortified walls, is known for its formidable terrain, described as "carts cannot track, and horses cannot ride side by side." Flanked by towering peaks and rolling hills, the mountains are densely covered with pine, fir, and bamboo vegetation. This makes it a prime location for ambushes. Once the enemy entered the gorge, they were essentially on guard against the danger of an ambush at the gate.

Soon, we received a report from the scouts we had sent out to investigate. Cao Yin's troops had already arrived at the entrance to the southward canyon of the Jigong Mountains north of Wusheng Pass!

Zhao Zhengyang stood in front of a map and carefully examined it for a while. After finding that there were no loopholes, he gave the order with satisfaction!

"Be careful to hide and don't be discovered by Beiyang's spies."

Soon, another scout came to report that Cao Yin's vanguard battalion had entered the ambush circle. They searched everywhere, shooting everywhere, looking for the possible ambush site of our army.

Zhao Zhengyang said without thinking: "Let the Beiyang vanguard go, send a small team to intercept the Beiyang vanguard, and then lead them away, and we will bomb the Beiyang main force."

Zhao Zhengyang had long ago conceived the idea of ​​bombing the Beiyang Army as it moved southward. By burying a large amount of gunpowder along the route the Beiyang Army had to take to exit the valley, he could wipe out the enemy in one fell swoop. Furthermore, using explosives was unlike using mines. Mines were passive, while explosives could be detonated at will. Even if the explosives didn't explode, they wouldn't be as difficult to clean up as mines, and there would be virtually no subsequent problems.

Furthermore, Zhao Zhengyang had already selected several ideal locations for the ambush on both sides of the canyon. Thousands of men worked tirelessly for over an hour to transport the mountain artillery and ammunition guarding Wusheng Pass up the mountain. Meanwhile, large quantities of machine guns and ammunition were gathered on both sides of the canyon, and two battalions of soldiers were lying in ambush, waiting for the Beiyang reactionary army to arrive and die.

Amidst the anxious wait, Cao Yin, the central army of the southward reactionary army, had already reached the edge of the valley. He looked up at the cliffs on either side of the canyon. "Wusheng Pass is truly a fortified pass, worthy of its ancient reputation as a battleground for military strategists. The peaks and hills here are steep and continuous, and the mountains are covered with vegetation... If the defenders set an ambush here, we can lurk a unit on either side, wait until the main force enters the valley, and then launch a full-scale ambush. If they bombard it with firearms and artillery, the entire army will be in danger of being annihilated..."

Cao Yin was suddenly shocked when he thought of this. If there really was a large army ambushing here, his soldiers would be completely wiped out!

But he immediately laughed and shook his head, trying to get rid of this ridiculous idea. Now that the vanguard has left the canyon, if there was an ambush, they would have attacked it long ago.

Cao Yin nodded when he heard that the vanguard cavalry had returned. "Is the valley safe?" "Reporting to the commander, the vanguard cavalry reported that the valley is safe... The vanguard has already crossed the canyon."

Cao Yin breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "Pass the order down! All troops, speed up... and get to Wusheng Pass as soon as possible!"

"Yes, I will convey it right away!"

Finally, the entire army entered the valley! Cao Yin was wearing a cloak and riding on a warhorse. His cloak swayed slightly as the horse moved. He looked very majestic and handsome. He slowly entered the valley with the army.

I don't know if it was because he was worried about his own future or about the war, but Cao Yin's right eyelid has been twitching non-stop since he left Xinyang. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't worried, but Cao Yin couldn't find any reason. He could only send out more search teams to ensure the safety of the main force.

He sighed and looked up at the sky. The bright sunshine shone on his face, but the darkness that had accumulated in his heart was obviously growing more and more.

The PLA's dominance was undeniable, and the demise of the Qing Dynasty had already taken root in Cao Yin's heart. But in the current situation, Cao Yin still didn't know what his choice would be.

Cao Yin sighed and frowned, his brows tightly knitted together into a knot.

He was a veteran of the Beiyang government. While Yuan Shikai was training the new army at Xiaozhan, he followed him there to serve as an officer. The following year, he was promoted to inspector and vanguard officer of the newly established army. In May of the 28th year of the Guangxu reign, Yuan Shikai petitioned the emperor to establish the Military and Political Department and train a standing army in Baoding. He was captured by the People's Liberation Army and later released, and he still serves Yuan Shikai.

Now the revolutionary party has the potential to sweep the whole country. Faced with the crisis of destruction and a situation that is becoming more and more dangerous day by day, the Manchus and the Han people in the capital are now considered to be one family.

Yet, even in this situation, internal power struggles have intensified. In the capital, incidents of maliciously smearing feces on the walls of ministerial gates and pelting them with stones in the middle of the night are now commonplace. However, according to accounts from those apprehended, the instigators are either elders of the Aisin-Gioro clan or the city's princes and beiles. Everyone knows what's going on.

Emperor Yuan, now under duress from the foreigners, had no choice but to reluctantly send his troops to war. However, the foreigners had made it clear they disapproved of the Beiyang regime's rule, offering a wave of support before eagerly forcing the troops to go. Like the Qing dynasty, the Beiyang were prone to flinching at the sight of foreigners, and many lacked the fortitude to fight the People's Liberation Army to the bitter end.

Cao Yin struggled for days, unsure of his future course of action. Amidst his worries, the army finally emerged from the canyon. Why hadn't Zhao Zhengyang set up an ambush inside? Anyone with a clear mind would know the canyon was dangerous, and they would have dispatched a large search force. An ambush would have made it easy to be discovered. However, if the enemy had left the valley, everyone would have relaxed, naturally lowering their guard. This would have been the perfect time.

It was almost 14 p.m. and many soldiers were obviously feeling sleepy.

The army marched for a while, and saw the heavy baggage camp also followed into the valley, and at the back was the infantry battalion following behind me.

At this moment, an officer riding a warhorse quickly passed by many guards and came in front of Cao Yin.

"Sir...I have something to report!"

The officer was shouting very urgently, obviously there was important military information!

Cao Yin's face was unhappy. He waved his hand and the guards on both sides stepped aside and let him come over. "What's the matter?"

"Your Excellency... I just received a report from one of my subordinates that there was a faint smell of gunpowder outside the valley. I didn't think much of it at the time, but who knew that this soldier would unearth a pack of explosives underground?"

"What? Digging out explosives from the ground?" "Yes."

Cao Yin was suddenly panicked, with cold sweat on his face. He dug out the explosive pack from the ground. It was obvious that the enemy wanted to blow them all to death.

"Quickly retreat..."

Before Cao Yin could finish his words, he heard a "click!"

At this moment, a sound of something heavy falling suddenly came from the cliff not far away.

"who?"

The surrounding guards were frightened and shouted!

"General, it's nothing but a rock that fell from the mountain!" a soldier answered carefully.

“It’s just rocks!”

He muttered something to himself, but suddenly the fear on his face became even greater.

"Oh no! Why are rocks falling from this valley for no reason? I'm afraid there are people on the mountain? Order, the rear team becomes the front team, and retreat quickly..."

Cao Yin's order was decisive, but the People's Liberation Army had been keeping an eye on the Beiyang Army. After learning that the explosives had been discovered, they acted even more decisively than Cao Yin. They saw a dazzling red flare light up in the sky in the distance in the direction of Wusheng Pass!

"boom...…"

The comrade in charge of detonating the explosives pressed the detonator hard. In an instant, the ground exploded, the sky and the earth changed color, the sun and moon dimmed, and countless Beiyang soldiers were thrown high into the air, leaving limbs and arms scattered all over the ground. Amid the sky-high explosions, the huddled Beiyang reactionary troops were instantly blown into scattered limbs and flesh, a bloody scene that only deepened the chaos of the ambushed reactionary troops in the valley.

Afterwards, countless shouts and cries of killing rang out, and Cao Hun's face turned pale! "Bang..."

"Da da da..."

After the explosion of the explosive pack, bursts of artillery fire followed. Shells whistled from both sides of the valley and the direction of Wusheng Pass, carrying the breath of death, and fell into the reactionary army camp gathered in front of the valley.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

The reactionary army, which was caught off guard without any warning, suffered heavy losses in the first wave of artillery fire and fell into panic.

At this time, Cao Yin had no idea that the Beiyang Army had suffered heavy losses and the soldiers in front had lost their combat effectiveness. He was so angry that he cursed the vanguard as trash. Then he reacted and shouted at the surrounding soldiers to prepare for battle.

"Hurry... hurry, find a place to hide..."

"Be careful not to gather in groups!" "Retreat... retreat into the valley first..."

aa…….

Cao Yin's face was filled with shock and anger, his voice hoarse from even his roar! The moment the PLA pressed the detonator, other units immediately sprang into action. Although some Beiyang troops were spared the explosion, they were caught off guard. The rumbling of the artillery completely silenced the shouts of the officers, and the troops were thrown into panic, unable to stop the PLA's attack!

Cao Yin wanted to retreat into the valley first, but the heavy baggage was right behind him. The densely packed vehicles were full of guns, ammunition and other logistical supplies, which now completely blocked the army's retreat.

Suddenly, there was another loud "bang" and a shocking explosion sounded in the valley. It turned out that the People's Liberation Army detonated a huge amount of gunpowder buried on the cliff in the valley. A large amount of rocks and soil fell, blocking the Beiyang army's retreat.

"Marshal, we've been ambushed and our troops have suffered heavy losses..." "Marshal, we're surrounded..."

"Hurry, hurry, order all officers to gather their men and resume command. For any dead, the deputy will assume command. Follow your orders, and seek shelter on either side!"

Suddenly, with a loud bang, a heavy sniper bullet grazed Cao Yin's horse, startling it with a startled neigh and a bloody groove appearing on its back. Cao Yin was tall and fat, and had difficulty moving. He had not yet dismounted from his horse, and the injured horse almost threw Cao Hun off.

"Marshal, get off your horse quickly!"

Cao Kun was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly got off his horse and hid in a secluded place nearby under the protection of several guards.

The reactionary Beiyang Army was in a panic at this time, but the Beiyang Army led by Cao Yin were all elite soldiers who had received years of training. After overcoming the initial panic, and with the large number of deaths, the original congestion gradually eased. The calls of officers everywhere also became louder, and the teams that had been scattered in various hidden places gradually began to gather in tents, brewing a counterattack.

"Marshal, we must first eliminate the ambushes on both sides of the valley. Otherwise, the Red Bandits will use the terrain to their advantage, and we won't be able to hold them back for long if we retreat into the valley! Furthermore, I've seen dense firepower on both sides, but we've searched repeatedly and found nothing. I estimate the ambushes on either side won't be too numerous, so we should be able to capture both wings!"

"That's right, but the firepower on both sides is very dense, probably like electric guns. Send the order to immediately organize a strong attack on the mountain walls on both wings. We must take both wings and eliminate the enemy's ambush!"

It would have been impossible for Cao Yin to command an army alone without certain abilities. Moreover, because Wang Yingkai and others had been captured, he had a better understanding of the People's Liberation Army, and he quickly formed some cognition in his mind.

"You want to eat tens of thousands of my people? You have such a big guts and such a big appetite!" Cao Yin's face kept shaking. He drew the command knife from his waist and was about to order a counterattack.

"Marshal!"

One of his officers quickly suggested, "The military situation is unclear. I am willing to lead an army to launch a strong attack from the left!"

"I am willing to lead an army to attack from the right!"

"I will immediately order the formation of a defensive position and send troops to gather the artillery battalion soldiers and organize a counterattack!"

"I will immediately send out scouts to investigate the situation!" "Well done, you are worthy of being my good son of Beiyang!"

Seeing that his officers had regained their morale first, Cao Yin was deeply satisfied. With a somewhat ferocious look on his face, he shouted angrily, "The entire army has it. Now they are being held back by the foreigners. The number of the Red Bandits must be small. Pass on my military order. First, take the two wings. The artillery will immediately organize a counterattack to suppress the Red Bandits' artillery. The entire army will counterattack. Whoever is the first to reach the top of the mountain will be rewarded with 100 silver dollars! Whoever kills a Red Bandit will be rewarded with 10 silver dollars; whoever captures a gun will be rewarded with 10 silver dollars! Whoever is the first to follow me to capture Wusheng Pass will be rewarded with 1,000 taels of silver and promoted three levels."

Cao Yin was so familiar with these bounties that Zhang Yinghao would have scoffed at them. However, Cao Yin's men all shouted in unison, "Yes..."

Hearing such a generous reward, the Beiyang soldiers who had already reacted and gathered in various places were like taking stimulants. In an instant, they seemed to forget the bodies of their comrades lying on the ground around them, and charged to both sides with red eyes under the leadership of their officers.

The Beiyang Army is indeed still capable of fighting! "Bang..."

"boom....…""

Dadadada..."

For a moment, after a period of brewing, the roar of gunfire in the valley not only did not stop, but became even more harsh.

"Report! The Beiyang reactionary army has begun a counterattack!"

Chen Gensheng, commander of the Sixth Battalion, who was in charge of the ambush on the side above the valley, picked up a telescope and looked through the hazy air made by the flames and artillery smoke at the vague, swaying figures and the gradually brightening flames below the valley. After the initial panic after the ambush, the Beiyang Army finally began to organize a counterattack.

"Only twelve minutes?"

Chen Gensheng took out his pocket watch and took a look at it. He couldn't tell whether he felt regret or admiration for the enemy's quality. Chen Gensheng was an old revolutionary. The liberated areas had fought several battles with the Beiyang Army, and all the officers knew the specific strength of the Beiyang Army.

The canyon was not high. If the ambush troops had not set up many traps and obstacles beforehand, the Beiyang reactionary army would have probably already attacked.

It was obvious that there was a hint of smile in the corners of Chen Gensheng's eyes, and he seemed not to be affected at all by the group of Beiyang reactionary troops that were getting closer and closer.

The soldiers of the first battalion ambushed on the mountain were just as unhurried as he was, continuing their firing in an orderly manner. Since the Beiyang reactionary troops were densely packed below them, and they were in a commanding position, the soldiers didn't need to aim their rifles at all. They simply raised their hands and fired, and the enemy fell to the ground and wailed. Sometimes the bullet even penetrated one and landed on another Beiyang soldier. However, the soldier on the mountain who had just fired ignored him, reloading the bullet, pulling the bolt to reload, and muttering, "The eighth one!"

"Wait... wait, wait until the Beiyang Army gets closer!" "About a hundred meters!"

A soldier lowered the crosshairs and asked his comrade next to him in a low voice.

"It's still early, don't worry, let me take a look... Oh, almost there, less than 30 meters away, everyone get ready!"

"Haha, it's finally time to show off my power! Quick, quick, quick! Everyone, get ready and finish them off in one fell swoop!"

Amidst the gunfire, there were faint whispers from the soldiers. If it weren't for the sound of bullets colliding against the sandbags and rocks in front of them, no one would have believed that a war was actually going on here!

Near Chen Gensheng, there were three heavy machine guns. Strangely, only one was firing, and the rate of fire was split between half-fire and half-rest. Several machine gunners crouched near the firing guns, watching the Beiyang troops falling like grass below, unable to help but swallow.

Wushengguan has rail transport, so there's no shortage of logistical supplies, and there's always ammunition. "Since training, this is the first time I've had so much ammunition to shoot at. It feels so good."

"Haha, twenty boxes of bullets, there's no way we can use them all!"

There are quite a few machine guns at Wusheng Pass. Now there are more than ten machine guns concentrated on the hillsides on both sides. Although the Beiyang Army is equipped with machine guns, they have no way to use them. In terms of firepower, it is the best in the country.

However, the People's Liberation Army still had to wait...wait, because the order issued by the command was that if they could not defeat all the Beiyang troops, they should try their best to destroy the Beiyang's vitality and strive to cripple them so that they would not be able to fight again in a short period of time.

Chen Gensheng obviously heard the conversation between a group of soldiers next to him, but seeing that the situation was already in the hands of the People's Liberation Army, he was happy to ignore it and simply turned a blind eye.

"Pass this order on, and tell the company and platoon commanders and soldiers again. This battle is mainly about killing the enemy in large numbers. Remember our battalion's mission clearly, sharpen your bayonets, and prepare your bullets. Today, we must be here like nails, and not let a single Beiyang soldier escape!"

"Yes!"

"Also, inform everyone, prepare all the hidden machine guns in each platoon. Once again, only one-third of the machine guns are allowed to fire. Now that we've successfully drawn the reactionary troops in, stop hiding and don't be reluctant to use your ammunition. Fire relentlessly into the crowded areas. If we don't achieve great success this time, where will we get another chance like this again?"

"Yes, battalion commander."

Almost at the same time, a similar sound was heard from the opposite hilltop. A fierce battle was about to begin!

When Assistant Commander Cao Yin gave the order to attack, the soldiers gathered from all over the place, their eyes reddened, their guns raised, and under the leadership of their officers, they launched a counterattack. Groups of soldiers, weapons raised high, fought and charged, step by step, up the mountain!

Their goal was to first capture the enemy troops ambushed on the two wings of the mountain, and then they could retreat calmly, otherwise they would be in danger of being annihilated!

They were getting closer. The Beiyang soldiers charging in the front were less than two hundred meters away from the artillery positions on the mountain. However, the gunfire from the defenders was still the same as before. Although dense, it seemed unable to suppress the Beiyang Army's counterattack.

Cao Yin, who was commanding at the foot of the mountain, was also thinking to himself, could it be that the number of ambushes on the mountain really wasn't that large?

If that is true, it is undoubtedly good news for him.

Of course, Cao Yin would not think that all the defenders had fled. His mind was working calmly. With his many years of experience in leading troops, he vaguely felt that something was wrong.

"The enemy's reaction was too quiet, it was unreasonable!"

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration came to his mind, and he reacted suddenly!

Yes, if he were the defenders, facing the enemy troops swarming up from the mountain, he would definitely not be able to shoot like before, and there seemed to be no sense of urgency and change.

There must be something wrong here!

The defenders on the mountain faced the army that was about to attack the mountain so calmly, which made Cao Yin feel pressured.

"Boom!"

Once again, a dazzling firework flare lit up in the sky. After it rose slowly, the energy that seemed to have been suppressed for a long time on the mountains on both sides finally erupted.