The pass in front of the south pass of the town, there is a long long wall, this wall is seven feet high, three miles long, one zhang wide at the bottom, three miles long, spanning the east and west two ridges, digging a trench outside the wall. This is the fortification that Feng Zicai mobilized the people to repair after more than a month, and it is also his biggest barrier against the attack of the French.

Now the scorching sun is overhead, but behind the long wall, Feng Zicai's 5,000 troops have gathered here. Because the French came to Zhennanguan again, and this time there were more people than before.

After Nigri led the French army from Wenyuan and Langshan, Feng Zicai received the news as soon as possible. Although it was his plan to lure the snake out of the hole, when the French army really came, he didn't know much about it. Although he had tried the fast cannon sent by the Italians before, as well as the electric cannon operated by the Italians themselves, he was not sure whether this thing was reliable or not.

I remember that when he watched the demonstration of the electric cannon called Makqin, his face changed. With many years of experience in the army, Feng Zicai was keenly aware that it would be difficult for the swarming group charge to appear in the future, and he had such a plan in his own preparation.

Immediately, he specially asked the Italians whether this electric cannon was the only weapon of Italy, and only after receiving an affirmative answer did he put his heart down.

Since the French don't have this thing, their previous ideas can still be realized. In order to facilitate the command, he ordered Wang Xiaoqi to guard the Xiling on the right, Chen Jia and Jiang Zonghan to guard the Dongling on the left, and he himself took his two sons to guard the valley.

In the face of Feng Zicai's formation, Nigri, who led the army to the pass, didn't care at all, in his opinion, these Qing troops were a group of cowards, as long as they shelled themselves, then they would scatter and flee.

Even if there are a few people who are stubborn, the French warriors will use the guns in their hands to make them understand that they are simply irresistible, in Africa, in the Americas, and in Asia, even in Indochina, the French warriors are the same.

Although they also encountered some minor troubles, such as the difficult role of the Black Flag Army, these people could only show their bravery in skirmishes, as long as the French soldiers reached more than two battalions, then such a small role as the Black Flag Army could not resist the footsteps of the French.

So when he saw that the Qing army actually wanted to block his steps with a long wall, Nigri couldn't help laughing, but fortunately no one asked him why the general laughed.

Since these Qing people who don't know how to live and die want to stand in the way of France, let them taste the power of the French cannon.

"Fire."

As soon as the artillery was ready, Nigri gave the order to open fire and give them a taste of the shells.

"Boom, boom, boom......"

This time, Nigri carried a battalion of artillery, more than 30 guns of various types, and let out a roar. The shells basically fell in front of the long wall and the Qing army's position, and occasionally there were shells flying over the long wall and falling behind, but at this time the screams could be faintly heard.

Such an artillery bombardment may be effective for other Qing troops, but it is useless for the Qing army commanded by Feng Zicai.

Of course, the French army is not the only one who has this ability, after the artillery gradually became familiar with the terrain and ballistics, the accuracy of its artillery is also getting higher and higher, especially at several checkpoints on the long wall, it was violently bombarded, and many Qing soldiers who could not hide well were hit by shrapnel, some fell without humming, and some fell to the ground and screamed.

The fierce shelling made the morale of the Qing army begin to fluctuate, and many people showed some fearful eyes. And all this was seen by Feng Zicai, who pulled out his saber and shouted loudly during the interval between the French shelling. "All soldiers, from my own point of view, no one is allowed to take a step back, behind us is our homeland, who wants their wives and children to be insulted by the French. Now, anyone who dares to retreat will be dealt with by military law immediately. I had already arranged for guards to guard the back road before I went to battle, and as long as there was no order from me, whoever retreated would kill him, and he would not show mercy. ”

Feng Zicai first started small, moved with emotion and reason, and then used military law to deter, and finally calmed down the soldiers' hearts.

These soldiers were all from nearby state capitals, and of course they did not want to see their hometowns suffer from military disasters, especially the dirty things that the French did in Vietnam. So after Feng Zicai's encouragement, their hearts gradually calmed down.

Later, even if the French shelled more fiercely, they gritted their teeth and persisted. It will be the courage of the soldiers, this sentence is true, as long as the generals themselves are not afraid of danger, then the soldiers will not be afraid.

The shelling by the French did not last long either, and probably after two sticks of incense, the shelling stopped. It's not that the French feel the shelling about the same, but that the artillery needs to be cooled down.

Nigri took advantage of this time and waved his hand, and five hundred Vietnamese servants immediately touched the long wall, which was to test the strength of the Qing army guarding the pass.

For the tricks of the French army, how could Feng Zicai not know, there was no need to use fast guns, and when these Vietnamese servant troops came to the trench, a figure immediately appeared behind the long wall, and a burst of bows and arrows and guns made these servant soldiers cry and call their mothers to climb back.

Inside the walls, the Qing army deliberately raised the foundation so that they could shoot with only their chests exposed.

Seeing the servants behaving so badly, Nigri was angry and wanted to enforce military law against them. However, it is easy to enforce military law, but it is a little difficult to recruit servants, so Nigri held back. Although these people are not good at fighting, they can help the French army a lot in other aspects.

"Keep firing."

As the artillery cooled down, a new round of shelling began, and after repelling the attack of the servants, the Qing army immediately went down the wall, and who could wait for the French to come and blow up.

So it was again that the Qing army hid behind the long wall and endured the shelling of the French army.

The shelling ended the tentative and was beaten back and the shelling continued.

After several times in a row, Negri did not intend to use these servants, and directly a battalion of French troops formed a straggler line and touched the long wall.

The sharp-eyed eldest son Feng Xiangrong immediately suggested to his father Feng Zicai. "Father, now that the French have sent their own soldiers, let's fire."

"Don't be in a hurry, first boil the sharpness of the French."

Feng Zicai, who has been in the army for many years, will not use his foreign guns and cannons at this time, and his own number cannot compare with the other party, as long as it is shown now, then the enemy will immediately retreat, and the effect of surprise will not be achieved.

Of course, if you want to paralyze the enemy, then you need to exchange human lives, which General Feng knows very well, but if you want to win, how can you not fill in some human lives, when necessary, he will fill in with his sons, and the old general will not blink an eye.

So as before, when these French troops did not touch the front of the long wall, the Qing army still did not move, of course, these French officers and soldiers also knew the Qing army's fighting style, so the more they went to the front of the long wall, the more cautious they were.

"Hit."

Seeing the French army entering the firing range, there was a shout on the high wall, and countless Qing troops emerged, holding bows and arrows and raising guns to shoot at the incoming French army.

However, this time was different from before, the French officers and soldiers were prepared for a long time and immediately fired back with rifles in their hands. In the end, the rear-loading guns were more powerful, and after a burst of shooting, the French army did not suffer a few casualties, but the Qing army behind the wall fell in large pieces.

"Father's ......"

Seeing that his own sergeant on the wall had poured a large piece, Feng Xiangrong was about to speak again. As a result, Feng Zicai waved his hand to stop it, and saw the old general continue to order. "Let the two battalion leaders of Kui and Shan prepare, and I will immediately change them as soon as I give the order, and continue to shoot at the French."

After a period of exchanging and touching fire, Feng Zicai gave an order, and the Qing troops of the two battalions of Kui and Shan immediately replaced the defenders.

And with the emergence of a new force behind the wall, the casualties of the attacking French army also increased. After nearly an hour of fighting like this, Negri finally couldn't take it anymore and sent a battalion of reinforcements, and now the attacking French army reached more than seven hundred.

"It's not enough."

Looking at the number of attacking French troops, Feng Zicai muttered in his mouth, and then he ordered to transfer two more battalion heads to continue to lure the French army to attack. The two armies fought fiercely across long walls and trenches.

"Whoosh"

An arrow feather was plunged deep into the chest of a French soldier who was about to shoot, and the French soldier fell to the ground screaming. Before the Qing soldier who shot this bow and arrow had time to rejoice, his half-exposed body was hit by several bullets, and his body fell down as soon as he went limp.

Also behind the wall, two soldiers carrying guns were about to open fire on the French soldiers outside, but they were targeted by the French soldiers who had already spotted them, and after a burst of gunfire, the two soldiers were silent with their guns.

In this battle, the French army had the upper hand, and the advantage of the rear loading guns was vividly and exquisitely, and the French soldiers each looked for cover or lay down or squatted in various positions to minimize their exposed bodies.

Although the Qing army can also block most of its bodies, the weapons in its hands are either bows and arrows or carrying guns, and even the front-loading guns are less, so they are destined to suffer big losses. After an hour of fierce fighting, the Qing army behind the defensive wall was already struggling and showing signs of wavering.

Feng Zicai, as a veteran, couldn't see it, and immediately recruited his eldest son Feng Xiangrong. "Renqing, you lead a battalion of the left team and immediately reinforce it."

Feng Zicai's most elite is the left and right team and a battalion, led by his two sons Feng Xiangrong and Feng Xianghua respectively. These two battalions were holding Zhang Zhidong and sent a thousand Italian-style fast guns, which was not even a treatment for 500 hometown soldiers. Since it is a fast gun, it needs to be used on the blade, and now Feng Zicai thinks that it is time.

After receiving his father's order, Feng Xiangrong didn't say much, and immediately rushed to the rear, waving his hand at the first battalion of the left team that was resting. "Sons, follow me to kill the enemy."

And the situation of the battle immediately became different with the addition of the first battalion of the left team. After all, everyone is now using fast guns, although there is a certain difference in performance, but there is no generation difference, so the casualties of the attacking French soldiers began to increase.

Faced with the sudden appearance of the defenders who operated the reloading guns, Nigri saw everything in his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief and finally waited for the elite troops of the defenders.

According to his understanding, in the fight against the Qing army, there will always be such an elite force, which will either be used to fight at a critical time or to cover the retreat of the commander. Based on the current situation, it is clear that the defending commanders used it for defensive operations.