Zhao Sheng didn't expect the fifth town to come so quickly, let alone that the fifth town would not go to Guangdong, but follow Wuzhou to the south and go straight to Lingshan. According to Liu Daoyi, the forward troops of the Fifth Town will arrive at Lingshan in three days at most.

What to do? To fight or not to fight? Zhao Sheng really wanted to fight this battle in his heart, but he had less than 1,000 men under his command and not enough ammunition, so he also needed Huang Xing to bring the rebel brigade over. So he hurriedly sent someone to inform Huang Xing, and after receiving the report, Huang Xing immediately led the remaining three brigades to the north to reinforce Zhao Sheng.

When Zhao Sheng was waiting for reinforcements, he was opposed by Liu Daoyi. Liu Dao is very angry, although Zhao Sheng doesn't know him, he has also heard of this person. It is said that Premier Sun shed tears because of Liu Daoyi's death, and wrote a poem to commemorate him in anger. Unexpectedly, Liu Daoyi was a spineless person, and it was just a matter of being captured, and he actually opened his eyes for the Qing army, saying that there was a huge difference in strength, and this battle must not be fought.

Zhao Sheng still did his preparation work, and for Liu Daoyi's request to see Huang Xing in a hurry, Zhao Sheng sneered, wouldn't he even dare to stay in Lingshan? Mr. Huang will soon arrive with a large army, and we will fight the Tartars to the death here!

The shadow of the defeat of Hunan and Jiangxi has always shrouded Liu Daoyi, especially after learning that the fifth town ended the battle with only one step mark and one riding mark. He firmly believed that Zhao Sheng's more than 1,000 people were no match for Fifth Town, and that the tragedy of last autumn was about to repeat itself.

After Huang Xing came to Lingshan with Wang Heshun's team, he affirmed Zhao Shengda's proposition. In fact, there is no way, if you don't let go of Lingshan, Qinzhou will be difficult to protect, and the uprising will fail. As for Liu Daoyi's suggestion to bring troops to Guangxi. Huang Xing didn't think about it at all. The main force of the rebel army were local peasants in Lianzhou Prefecture, and it was difficult to persuade them to leave their homeland.

Huang Xing was very happy to see that Liu Daoyi was alive, but the military situation was urgent, so he didn't have time to listen to Liu Daoyi's ramblings, so he hurried up to deploy the military.

Since Huang Xing insisted on fighting, Liu Daoyi's opinion had no market. In studying specific combat methods, Zhao Sheng put forward specific plans for combat based on Liu Daoyi's intelligence. He understands a little bit of military affairs, and believes that the strength of his department lies in his familiarity with the terrain and waiting for work. The disadvantage is the lack of ammunition. The number is also at a disadvantage (Zhao Sheng still knows that he has too few trained soldiers), "With a main force to hold Lingshan and block the Qing army under the fortified city, I will lead four large teams to sneak behind enemy lines." Knock off his baggage first. Then flank it. Win it all. ”

Huang Xing agreed with Zhao Sheng's plan. It was decided to take Wang Heshun's brigade and the second brigade that was rushing to guard Lingshan County, and Zhao Sheng led the fourth brigade to detour behind the enemy and cut off the enemy's rear road.

Zhao Sheng proposed to draw part of the troops from the four brigades to enrich the defense of the city. He was well aware of the fact that Wang Heshun and Liu Siyu's troops had no combat effectiveness.

Huang Xing agreed, so he temporarily adjusted the troops, and transferred two squadrons from the first brigade into the fourth brigade, and two infantry squadrons from the fourth brigade into the first brigade.

Han Ce participated in all the decision-making of the rebel army, and now he is facing a major point of disagreement, should he escape from the army and report to his own troops? The order given to him by the intelligence department was to stay in hiding for a long time, but now that the situation was so urgent, if Zhao Sheng's plan succeeded, at least the forward troops would suffer losses...... Two factors led to Han Ce not getting out to deliver the letter, one was that Huang Xing called him to deploy the city defense, and he couldn't find a reasonable reason to leave. The second reason is that he believes in the combat power of the Fifth Town, and the tactics are of little use in the face of too much disparity in strength, just like a child who knows martial arts, no matter what, he can't beat a strong man who can't do martial arts.

Feng Lun's 20th Standard threw off the main force of the 10th Association about two days' journey, and arrived at the city at noon on July 26, that is, the day after Huang Xing arrived at Lingshan, the first to arrive was the two infantry battalions, cavalry company and machine gun company of the 20th Standard, and the rest of the troops were still dozens of miles away. According to the reconnaissance of the cavalry company, Lingshan has been captured by the rebels, and the number is unknown. The cavalry company also reported that at the head of the city stood the banner of the Metropolitan Governor of the Southern Army of the Chinese Revolutionary Army, with a large "yellow" character written on it.

"Is it Huang Xing? That's great. Feng Lun ignored the fatigue of the troops, and ordered the capture of the city after a little rectification, in his opinion, the machine gun even hit a few mortar shells, and the opponent had already run away!

"With a battalion attacking frontally, the machine gun company immediately occupied the position and covered the siege of the first battalion with firepower. The third battalion was in reserve. Open Lingshan, let's have a good rest for the day. Zhang Junwei, it's up to you now, don't embarrass Lao Tzu. Last year, the seventeenth standard showed its face in Yuanzhou, and now it's our turn! After inspecting the terrain, Feng Lun issued a simple combat order and made a combat mobilization in the style of Feng Lun. He was reluctant to let his tired troops go over the mountains and outflank the back road, and with his well-armed weapons and well-trained officers and men, he decided to attack head-on and seize the city in one fell swoop.

This is how the battle of Lingshan began.

The 20th standard is the unit trained by Ye Yanbing, and the personnel of the Mengshan Army has recently undergone serious changes; Wu Nianliu, the deputy commander of the battalion, has been promoted to the brigade commander in Shandong, and Che Biao, the commander of the first battalion, has been transferred to the supplementary regiment as deputy commander and chief of staff; and now the commander of the first battalion is Zhang Junwei, the former deputy battalion commander and commander of the first company.

Liu Chunning, the chief of staff who had seen the terrain, felt that Lingshan was not easy to fight, "Feng Tou, Lingshan City is bordered by the mountains in the west and the Qinjiang River in the east, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. ”

"What's so troublesome! A broken city, a few cannons bombarded it. Feng Lun did not take Liu Chunning's suggestion.

The battle began at 4:30 p.m., and the four mortars of the machine gun company fired more than 30 shells, which blew up the city tower and ignited a fire.

Feng Lun observed the battle situation in the binoculars, and was surprised to find that the enemy was not scattered by the artillery fire, they bravely threw grenades and fired at the city, among which there was a heavy machine gun howling, although many defenders were knocked down by their own eight heavy machine guns that fired fiercely, but the fire was not completely suppressed, and the defenders did not collapse, but went forward to resist bravely!

The second company, which attacked in the center, was the first to be crushed, and at least a dozen soldiers fell in the telescope. The ladder was also blown up.

"Grandma's, they're in uniform, they're the new army! How?! Feng Lun was furious.

The first attack failed, and the commander of the second company was shot in the head and killed. The battle ended after only fifteen minutes of fighting, and at the sound of the retreating trumpet, the three companies of the 1st battalion withdrew under alternate cover.

"Deputy co-commander, it is the Guangdong New Army that guards Lingshan! Out of the situation that we don't know what to do! Liu Chunning said hurriedly.

"I'm not blind!" The anger was aroused, and Feng Lun said to Zhang Junwei, "Can you do it?" If it doesn't work, take it down for Lao Tzu and let the three battalions go up! ”

"A battalion will not disgrace you! This time I personally led the commando team up. Zhang Junwei stalked his neck.

"Good. That's what kind of momentum you want! Burst in. Don't take them captive, slaughter them all! Feng Lun ordered viciously.

"Deputy co-ordinator, you can't do this, you have to figure out the situation first!" Liu Chunning said anxiously. "At least wait for the mountain artillery battalion to come up!"

"Are you afraid of accidentally injuring your allies? I don't care who he is. If you stand in the way of Lao Tzu, you can't do it! Waiting for the artillery battalion? If you wait for the artillery battalion, why is Lao Tzu in such a hurry? Feng Lun pushed Liu Chunning away. I personally went to the first battalion to deploy the fortification. Although he has a violent personality, Feng Lun is not an unscrupulous person, he said to the officers and soldiers of the first battalion who were tying up the ladder. "Stop, don't want this thing, blow it up with explosives, and blast me through the walls!"

"Hey! Look at my brain, I'm fucking stupid. Liu Junwei slapped his head. Soil work is one of the advantages of the infantry unit of the Mengshan Army, and blasting is a compulsory subject.

"Open two points, start digging now, dig from outside the range, and force it through with a traffic trench!" Feng Lun pointed to the city wall and said, "Then pile up enough explosives to blow up this bullshit Spirit Mountain for me." After speaking, Feng Lun ran to the machine gun company and scolded several officers, naturally thinking that they had not suppressed the opponent's firepower, "Later, the machine gun will sound again, and Lao Tzu will kill all of you!" ”

After the 20 standards changed their tactics, the rebels guarding the city walls immediately felt great pressure and suffered huge casualties. The sharpshooters and heavy firearms drawn by the 1st and 3rd battalions completely suppressed the fire point at the head of the city, and the only French-made heavy machine gun was destroyed after two shifts of position, and a 60mm mortar shell landed accurately on the machine gun position, and the shooter and the machine gun were reduced to parts. The trenching work of the first battalion was carried out smoothly, because there was no moat, and it quickly advanced to the bottom of the city, due to the cover of the communication trenches, the grenades thrown on the city were much less lethal, and the point was that the grenades and bullets of the defenders were very limited, which limited the use of firepower.

The first battalion paid only seven casualties, and when it was dark, two blast points were dug up and explosives bags began to be transported. The two assault teams of the 1st Battalion were also formed, led by the deputy company commanders of the 1st and 3rd companies respectively, and they only waited for the Demoman to detonate and then launched the charge.

Han Ce, who was tired of being in the city, found Huang Xing, who had a black face of gun oil, "Governor, you can't fight, withdraw it, or it's too late!" ”

"No, it can't be withdrawn. As soon as we withdraw, we will sell Zhao Sheng! Huang Xing held a Japanese-style rifle in his hand and shook his head stubbornly, "I think, Zhao Sheng, they should also move." ”

Fang Buddha heard Huang Xing's words, and in the north, he suddenly remembered the fierce gunfire and explosions.

Zhao Sheng wanted to wait for night to fall and surprise the attackers, but he noticed the crisis in Lingshan County and decisively launched an attack.

Feng Lun was too careless, he didn't expect the defenders to send troops to lurk in the mountains and forests to the west. Zhao Sheng's blow fell on the head of the three battalions waiting for the follow-up attack, and immediately stunned the three battalions, and the troops fell into chaos, in the afterglow of dusk, Zhao Sheng's troops broke into the middle of the three battalions and the first battalion, and almost captured alive Feng Lun and Liu Chunning, who were observing the battle situation and commanding the battle, but fortunately, the guard company resisted desperately to push the attackers back. Seeing the ambush launched, Huang Xing, who was overjoyed, ordered to open the door and counterattack, "Brothers, Zhao Biaotong has succeeded, the Tartars are defeated, rush out of the Tartars to grab the guns, and grab the Tartars' cannons." Han Ce didn't have time to dissuade him, Huang Xing had already slipped off the city and organized a team to attack the city.

A scuffle ensued, and victory seemed to have been tilted in favor of the rebels. However, after surviving the initial chaos, the 20th Standard gradually took control of the situation, and the disparity in the quality of the troops became apparent, and in the close-range shooting and fighting, Zhao Sheng's troops suffered huge casualties, not to mention the brave Hui Clan, who were nothing more than peasants who had experienced the war for the first time.

The third battalion, which had stabilized its position, withstood Zhao Sheng's surprise attack and made contact with the severed battalion with a fierce counterattack, while the first battalion relied on the communication trenches to shoot a large number of rebels who rushed out of the city. The second battalion, which arrived urgently, entered the battle from behind Zhao Sheng's flank, and the situation was settled. Huang Xing's troops could not break through the resistance of the first battalion, while Zhao Sheng's troops fell into the two-sided attack of the third and second battalions, and gradually lost control, and a large number of soldiers surrendered or fled into the dark mountains and forests...... Feng Lun strictly ordered the pursuit, in the melee Zhao Sheng was hit by two bullets, one bullet was shot from the ribs, injured his lungs, vomited blood, unable to walk, strictly ordered his subordinates to leave him, unwilling to be a prisoner, even pulled out a gun and committed suicide.

Zhao Sheng was defeated, Huang Xing thought that it was difficult to hold on, and led the remnants to withdraw from Lingshan City at night, a battalion was a beat slower, and when he found that the defenders had withdrawn, he blew open the city gate and rushed in, Huang Xing had already relied on the terrain to be familiar with the escape into Lingshan.

This was the end of the Battle of Lingshan. In this battle, Huang Xing's troops lost more than 1,100 people, of which 261 were killed and more than 300 were captured, and the rest fled and did not know what happened. The most elite Zhao Sheng's department was basically annihilated, and the most regrettable thing was the loss of a loyal and brave military talent Zhao Sheng.

Although Feng Lun captured Lingshan, the losses were also extremely serious, 91 people were killed, twice as wounded, two company commanders and several platoon commanders were lost, and the damage to weapons was also relatively serious, and the surprise attack launched by Zhao Sheng's department caused the damage of two heavy machine guns in the third battalion, which was difficult to repair.

This was a great defeat for the Mengshan army since it was formed. Among the senior leaders of the Mengshan Army, none of them considered the Battle of Lingshan to be a victory, including Feng Lun. Feng Lun originally wanted to organize the troops to pursue at night, but was dissuaded by Liu Chunning and others. Liu Chunning's words are effective now, he thinks that the battle of Lingshan has destroyed the main force of the righteous army, and he is not in a hurry to pursue, and the rest is to slowly press towards Qinzhou, and the battle will be over.

The new army that plagued Feng Lun and the others figured it out that night. Zhao Sheng's body was found the next day and confirmed by the captives.

Two days later, Long Qian arrived, heartbroken for the death and injury of a large number of veterans, and even more surprised at the unscrupulous plan of the twenty standards that had not moved forward, especially after hearing that Huang Xing was in command of Lingshan City, Long Qian's anger finally erupted, and he reprimanded Feng Lun and Liu Chunning mercilessly, "You guys are simply dizzy!" It should be slow or not, it should be fast or not fast! Since Lingshan is not easy to fight, why don't you wait for the artillery to come up? Now that Huang Xing has been defeated, why do you stop and not move? It's just a matter of catching up with all odds. It's better now, let the tiger go back to the mountain! If you capture Huang Xing alive, how much trouble will you save in the future?! ”

Long Qian ordered Feng Lun to be removed from his post as deputy commander as a warning. Ordered the 20 standards to stay in Lingshan to rest, and personally led the 19 standards and the cavalry battalion to Qinzhou. On the way, an order was sent back to the officers and men of the 20th Standard, ordering the officers and men of the 20th Standard to make an armband with the word Lingshan written on it and wear it, so as to always remember the lesson of the defeat of Lingshan.

Since then, the 20th standard has had a name of "Lingshan Regiment", which is not so glorious compared to other teams that have later won countless glorious titles. (To be continued......)