The atmosphere in the room became solemn, and Chen Wenqiang's eyes also emitted a sharp light, scanning everyone, which made people feel a kind of coercion. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

"It is neither fair nor reasonable to punish without teaching." Chen Wenqiang spoke again, and his tone seemed to soften a little, "Therefore, your official positions can be retained, but you must first learn the constitution and rules of the revolutionary army. Not only you, but also the soldiers of the patrol force have to learn. After a pause, he asked Lu Rongting again: "General Lu, what do you think of the combat effectiveness of the revolutionary army?" ”

"Attacking and plundering like the wind, guarding like mountains, it is a strong army that Lu has never seen." Lu Rongting stretched out his thumb half-truthfully.

Some of them were insincere, and they were only convinced that the revolutionary army was well equipped. But it is also an admission that the patrol army is inferior to the revolutionary army. Chen Wenqiang smiled and waved his hand, his face slowly became solemn again, and he said in a deep voice: "No matter how good the weapon is, people have to use it, and the most important reason why the revolutionary army can win successive battles is that the officers and soldiers are brave and good at fighting and have strict discipline. The reason for their bravery and good fighting is that they have ideals, beliefs, and the belief in overthrowing the Manchus and building a strong country. This is the most essential difference between the revolutionary army and the old-style army. ”

"So-" Chen Wenqiang stretched out a finger, and his tone became more serious, emphasizing: "The anyway troops led by General Lu must be educated and reformed, so that they can truly integrate into the revolutionary army. This is not to snatch all of your soldiers, but to reassign you to more courageous and skilled men and horses, and to establish greater feats. ”

I see. The revolutionary army is not too rare to have its own patrol army, and the so-called reassignment is naturally to set up the commander in chief and scatter his own men and horses. Lu Rongting felt bitter in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it on his face. He still has important things to deal with, so he is waiting for Chen Wenqiang's words to be brought forward.

"General Lu." Chen Wenqiang turned to Lu Rongting. smiled and said: "I know that you still have things to worry about, there is a formation outside, I order you to lead six hundred men and horses, detour to Dongxi, sneak through the layout pass, and enter Longzhou from the north." Siege and plundering fell second. The most important thing is to get your family back smoothly. ”

"Mr. Chen, you-" Lu Rongting stood up, he didn't know how to thank him for such care, his lips moved a few times, and he bowed deeply to the ground, "From now on, Lu Mou is willing to do the work of dogs and horses, and the knife and fire are just your words." ”

"It doesn't have to be this way." Chen Wenqiang stepped forward to help him. He said: "Cao Binh, Vietnam, will be our new base, and we can bring our families there without worry." Wait until you have laid a solid base in Guangxi, and then move back. For the sake of the great cause of the revolution, I can only temporarily let my family members suffer some grievances. However, this is only temporary, and the day of success will come soon. ”

"Lu understands." Lu Rongting grinned. said: "Lu has been wandering since he was a child, which is bitter. It's nothing. ”

"I believe in you." Chen Wenqiang nodded, waved his hand, and the orderlies sent the seals, military uniforms, guns, swords, belts, leather boots and other things that had been prepared long ago.

"A general has to look like a general." Chen Wenqiang pointed to the golden shoulder tag on the military uniform, and said with a smile: "This is much more majestic than the clothes of the Qing army." Without further ado, please ask General Lu to go down and change his clothes, and then lead the army to the battle! ”

"Yes. Subordinates obeyed. Lu Rongting bowed down and thanked him again, and was led to the back.

As soon as Lu Rongting left, Chen Wenqiang gave encouragement to several officers of the patrol army, and immediately appointed three officers to the post of staff officers, and the officers of the revolutionary army formed a staff group. The chief of staff is Wu Zhonghua. Although Wu Zhonghua is not famous, he is a very senior member of the Renaissance Association, graduated from a military academy, participated in the Wanning Uprising, and experienced the test of war.

It didn't take long for Lu Rongting to walk out in a military uniform and majestic. Speaking of military uniforms, the new army of the Qing court was still the same, while the patrol army was loose and sloppy, and did not take off the ugliness and obscenity of the green camp uniform. The military uniform of the revolutionary army was designed by Chen Wenqiang and made of denim, which was not only strong, but also copied the style of the German military uniform during World War II.

To Chen Wenqiang's surprise, although he didn't say it, Lu Rongting cut his braids. This is a kind of expression, to gain trust, or to express loyalty, anyway, to say "to join the revolution", Chen Wenqiang does not believe it. How can ideological consciousness be sublimated so quickly?

But this did not affect Chen Wenqiang's praise for Lu Rongting again, and then there was a relatively simple banquet, which was not only to receive the wind and wash the dust, but also to say goodbye. By the time Lu Rongting was sent out of Guancheng by Chen Wenqiang and entered the border, the reorganized more than 600 people and horses were ready to go.

More than 300 people were selected from the patrol army and mixed with the same number of veterans in the revolutionary army into six companies and three small battalions. This may be the fastest way to integrate the troops and the fastest way for the army to form combat effectiveness. The patrol is also a soldier in the end, with military training, combat skills are secondary, and the important thing is the change of mind.

Although the revolutionary army was brave and daring to fight, the patrol army also had its own advantages, most of them were locals, familiar with the terrain and geography, they were not only living maps, but also good guides, and there was no language barrier in communication with the local people.

"Learn more, improve more." Chen Wenqiang personally led the horse over and taught Lu Rongting Yin, "The times are different, the horizon must be opened, and the knowledge must be comprehensive." When the revolution succeeds, I hope to see you grow into a leading general and a famous general in the revolutionary army, and a pillar of the country's southwest frontier defense. ”

"Mr. Chen, rest assured, your subordinates will never fail to live up to your expectations." Lu Rongting also had a lot of emotion in his heart, when he was young, he "opposed the Qing Dynasty and restored his sight", and after these ups and downs, he became an enemy of the Qing court again, and his fate and luck were really unclear.

"Get on your horse, the troops are on their way!" Chen Wenqiang handed the reins to Lu Rongting, and said with a smile: "Don't be suspicious, after decades of ups and downs, today can be regarded as on the right path." If you recognize it, you will do it, and capriciousness will not end well. ”

Lu Rongting was shocked, and glanced at Chen Wenqiang with some surprise, but found that although Chen Wenqiang was smiling, his eyes were like a sharp sword that pierced people's hearts, and nothing seemed to be able to hide from him.

"Mr. Chen's teachings will never be forgotten by Rong Ting." Lu Rongting hurriedly retracted his gaze, led the horse forward, and walked a distance before getting on the horse and galloping away.

……………

The Wang detachment and the Lu detachment, two armies of men and horses directly penetrated into the Qing army to defend the empty land; The main force of the revolutionary army relied on the danger to defend it, and attracted Long Jiguang's army and the Guangdong New Army at Zhennan Pass. And these two Qing armies. It is almost all the people and horses that can be maneuvered in Guangxi.

In terms of numbers, the Qing army still has the advantage, but the gap is not huge; From the point of view of weapons and equipment, the Qing army was at a disadvantage, and it was a great disadvantage; In terms of topography, the revolutionary army is in an even more advantageous position.

But the revolutionary army did not defend the city. After inflicting a large number of casualties on the Qing army, they quietly withdrew and moved their positions to the mountainous passes west of Guancheng. This is not that it cannot be defended, but that it occupies a more advantageous position, which makes the Qing army fall into a more passive quagmire.

After all, Zhennan Pass should be defended by crossing the border to the west, and the city was only used for garrisoning, and the forts and fortresses west of the city were the strong positions that really resisted the enemy. And the Jinji Mountain on the west side of Zhennan Pass, three hills stand on their feet, and the three forts in the north of the town, in the middle of the town and in the south of the town form horns with each other. It's the easiest to defend and the hardest to attack. On the periphery of Jinji Mountain, there are such dangerous points as Qingshan Fort, Nanguan Gate, Mosha, Nanguan Zuobi Mountain, Sifangling and Jianshan, and the Qing army wants to gnaw down one by one, which is definitely a very difficult task.

At this time, Long Jiguang also felt the same way and knew the predicament that Lu Rongting was in a few days ago. The strict purpose of the imperial court was pressed on his head, and the battle against the revolutionary army was heavy in casualties and difficult to advance, and the taste in the splint was really difficult.

The Qing court frequently sent orders to urge. "If the fort is recaptured, it will not be overproduced"; Otherwise. Relevant civil and military officials in Guangxi are all to be dealt with in accordance with military law. Governor Zhang Mingqi was punished for dereliction of duty by the "Ministry of Communications and Strict Deliberation". However, he reported to the imperial court and tried his best to shirk the responsibility for the loss of the fort and the disadvantage of the attack.

"This time, there are thousands of bandits, and they are based on the fort as soon as they start, and their ambitions are not small. Military supplies are also extremely neat and well-prepared, that is, the race electric gun can be generalized. The right auxiliary Yamamoto is extremely steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The bandits sent three people to be recruited as soldiers to defend Taiwan a few months ago, and the bandits responded to the interior; It was also a fog at night, and the soldiers were scattered first. It's easy to lose; In addition, if the mountains go south to cross the border, there is no way to cut off the aid, and the border troops are far away and have many reserves, and it is difficult to increase the number of troops suddenly. The cannon is strong, and there is no reason to overcome it quickly. ”

Zhang Mingqi emphasized the objective reasons to the imperial court, but issued a strict order to Long Jiguang and others to reinstate within a time limit, otherwise they would be severely punished.

"Boom!" With a loud bang, Long Jiguang's eyelids twitched, but he saw smoke and dust rising from the charging team, and flesh and blood were flying.

The Krupp cannons on the turret roared and supported friendly forces in other positions with fire. The 120 mm caliber heavy artillery is not trivial, although it is slow to fire, and there is not much ammunition on the battery, but the deterrent effect on the Qing army is great.

In the middle of the night, another roar echoed through the mountains. The shells landed and exploded, setting off a wailing and screaming.

Long Jiguang gritted his teeth, raised his binoculars, and watched the Qing army death squad climb and rush, getting closer and closer to the top of Mosha Mountain. Hold on, hold on a little longer, he kept praying in his heart, hoping to win it in one fell swoop.

Suddenly, there was a loud burst of gunfire, dense bullets shot out from the hilltop position, and two tongues of fire like the sickles of death slashed at the Qing army attacking on the back. The screams continued, one corpse after another fell to the ground, and one by one the Qing soldiers rolled in confusion.

Racing the electric gun (machine gun), the flesh on Long Jiguang's face jumped a few times, although it was not the first time he had seen the revolutionary army's machine guns strafing and wielding, but this scene still frightened him.

In the rain of bullets, the Qing soldiers were like dead leaves trembling in the wind, twitching, trembling, screaming, exclaiming, and scurrying, and the hillside was soon filled with corpses, and the wounded soldiers were screaming and crawling miserably.

The revolutionary army fought calmly and calmly, and kept the enemy at a distance of fifty or sixty meters. Relying on the fortifications, the guns were accurate and ruthless, and the momentum of the Qing soldiers was suppressed at once.

A Qing military attache wearing a red top was extremely brave, and pressed over from behind with the overseer, his sharp waist knife in his hand was full of blood, mercilessly slashing and killing the Qing soldiers who fled backwards.

"Lao Tzu died here! Whoever dares to retreat will be killed! Rush, rush to Lao Tzu. The Qing officer's blood-red eyes roared, and he organized another charge.

The revolutionary army on the hilltop position also noticed the officer who kept shouting, and a dozen rifles suddenly diverted their firepower, and the Mauser rifle rang out, and the officer cleverly rolled on the ground and hid behind the ridge. The gunfire stopped, and this guy jumped up again and howled and commanded: "Rush, kill, there is a kind of rush up with Lao Tzu, kill a chaotic party and reward twenty oceans!" Fifty rewards for capturing one alive, and five hundred oceans for killing an officer! ”

One hundred and ten Qing soldiers, under the urging and encouragement of the military attaché, shouted and climbed forward and charged. Bullets flew around, and two machine guns roared again, strafing the stubborn Qing army.

Fifty meters, forty meters, the gunfire on the top of the mountain suddenly stopped, and in just a few seconds, a group of black dots flew in the air. The grenades emitting a trace of green smoke kept falling and tumbling, and even the bravest Qing military attache was dumbfounded.

Compared with the ferocity of the machine gun, the grenade with sound and light effects made the Qing army even more fearful. And such a dense bomb throwing is still a taste that the Qing army has never tasted.

Explosions rang out one after another, columns of smoke rose one after another in the flames, and gravel, dirt, grass, stumps, severed arms, and weapon parts flew through the air, and countless bursts of deadly shrapnel were fired.

The smoke was filled, the line of sight was blocked, and Long Jiguang's hand holding the telescope was trembling slightly. The mountain wind blew, the smoke and dust gradually faded, and his heart sank to the bottom. The most courageous general was gone, and under the concentrated bombardment of grenades, the Qing soldiers were either killed or wounded, lost their last fighting spirit, and fled for their lives under the bullets fired at the top of the mountain.

Finished! Long Jiguang put down the telescope in a dejected manner. Obviously, the strength of the chaotic party is beyond imagination, and no matter how long the seven-day period is, even ten days or half a month, it will not be able to recover this dangerous position.

"Stop the attack." Long Jiguang waved his hand weakly and gave a wise order.

Now I can only report to the top, stating that it is difficult, and I ask the governor to continue to increase the number of troops. At the same time, the artillery team waiting for the Guangxi Governor Ding Huai stationed in Nanning hoped to suppress the rebels on the artillery fire and attack again.

When Long Jiguang saw the defeated and retreating troops, the heaviness in his heart became even stronger. These Qing soldiers can hardly be called soldiers: their clothes are dirty, as if they have been pulled out of a pit of sludge, and they staggered into the camp crookedly, their eyes glazed over, as if they still had the horror of waking up from a nightmare, and they were completely crushed from physical strength to will.

……………

Although the revolutionary army fought well, the number of casualties continued to increase every day.

Chen Wenqiang was calculating every day, making contact arrangements, waiting for the time for a major counteroffensive.

Consume the enemy's strength, and at the same time show strength. Obviously, the infiltration of the new army in Guangdong is not enough, so it will use external forces to increase its influence. (To be continued.) )