Time has passed, and it has been three years.

The first batch of students in the academy have graduated and are back to their respective branches to take on important tasks.

Even Brother Xun is about to graduate, far away in a foreign country, and the semi-annual letter has become the only sustenance for him and his family.

Some time ago, he also sent back a few manuscripts and asked Meng Ke to help him publish them to prove that Jian Jiansheng was not defeated by the Qing court.

The response was good, and the Qing court was still angry and looking for someone.

Mr. Zhou and Lin Hai, who went south to do business, also achieved good results, and began to set up factories two years ago, and hired some retired experts from the West through Bishop Mack's connections to start developing muskets and ammunition.

It is also known as the 'five rings in a row', imitating the German-made M1888 musket.

The muskets produced in the south were connected by John, the owner of the cargo ship, to find a foreigner shipowner who was willing to make extra money, and he could transport the goods from the south to Jinmen.

Looking at the underground warehouse full of muskets and ammunition wrapped in oiled paper, Meng Ke's mood couldn't be more beautiful.

What's the use of blindly practicing martial arts? In the troubled times, even if you can dodge my shot, could it be that more than ten of my people are aiming at you from a distance of one or two hundred meters, and you can still dodge?

Feeling the lack of heavy firepower, Meng Ke proposed the principle of the long-tail shell of the lightning striker, hoping that those gunsmiths could make this good companion of infantry come out in advance.

In fact, the long-tail cannonball does not need Meng Ke to propose the principle at all, there are already such cannonballs in this era, but the Qing court is backward, so it is not common in TV dramas, which misleads him.

With the idea, after just a month of testing, the world's first mortar was built in the south.

Small, lightweight, and portable, this is perfect for the rebels who lack heavy firepower.

As of this year (1899), there were nearly 10,000 muskets, countless ammunition, more than 100 lightning cannons, and more than 1,000 long-tail shells.

Although it could not compete with the modern armies of the foreigners, it was more than enough to simply equip a light infantry division.

Moreover, what they produce is only the initial capital, and if they really want to expand the army, they have to go to the Qing court to borrow it.

……

"Smack-"

"In June last year, Zhao Sanduo of Guanxian County rebelled and was suppressed by the Qing court. This year, Zhu Honglan and Li Changshui rebelled under the same slogan, and they were about to be suppressed by the Qing court. ”

Lu Haodong slammed the table and rose up indignantly: "It's really worthy of Ning and ......"

"Be careful!"

Meng Ke let out a loud shout, interrupting his words, and at the same time signaling with his eyes that there were others here.

That's right, the person sitting opposite is the person from the Qilu branch.

They sent elders to discuss with Meng Ke whether to support the uprising, or to take in these righteous people who failed in the uprising.

"I don't suggest that you revolt now, if you followed the red light to revolt at that time, maybe you could still spread the stalls, and now ......"

Meng Ke shook his head, obviously not optimistic about the idea of the Qilu Branch: "Take in these remnants of the righteous people, and it can be regarded as keeping some fire." ”

"Alas......"

The elder Qilu let out a long sigh and got up to take his leave.

After he left, Li Yuankui, who was listening with a gloomy face, finally couldn't help it and asked loudly: "They are stupid pigs!" When Plum Blossom Boxing Zhao Sanduo rebelled, they didn't dare to follow, and now the red light uprising, they didn't dare to follow, and they pretended to discuss with us, afraid of becoming like this bird, what kind of rebellion did they make? It's better to go home and sell sweet potatoes! ”

Li Yuankui was really angry this time, Meng Ke had been here for so many years, and it was the first time he had seen him so angry.

But it's normal, most of the people who rebelled were boxers, including many of Li Yuankui's disciples and friends.

Who can calm down in such a situation?

If it weren't for the inconvenience of news transmission in this era, by the time Li Yuankui received the news, the uprising would have been suppressed long ago, and I am afraid that this old man would also let the Qing court know what it was to be angry.

……

In the same year, Datou was appointed governor of Qilu, and he always had a hostile attitude towards the Boxers, strictly restricting the activities of the Boxers after he became governor of Qilu, and began to suppress the resurgence of the Boxers after he was fully prepared.

After Qilu encountered an unfavorable situation, the Boxers began to move to Zhili and other places.

"Don't exchange fire with the army sent by the Qing court, save people and leave, now is not the time to expose us!"

With the end of Naoli, the Boxers were defeated even more quickly.

In the second year, Guo Lao was mourned.

In April of the same year, the Boxer Rebellion entered Zhili in an all-round way.

In May, he was killed and besieged the city of Zhuozhou.

……

"Have you arrived?"

In Zhengding City, Meng Ke held a teacup, looked out the window, and looked indifferent: "It's time to leave one day." ”

Lu Haodong sat opposite Meng Ke, holding a newspaper in his hand.

The newspaper published the news of Zhili, and the headline on the front page was what had happened in the past few days.

"At dawn, there is no mistake. Let's see how much of a surprise this group of lads can give us. ”

Faces swept in front of him, Meng Ke looked at Lu Haodong opposite, and sighed lightly: "According to the establishment of the new army, I think I am a general at most, and 18,000 people is already the limit." If you remove the back hands that need to be left behind in Jinmen Mansion and Shuntian Mansion, it is estimated that you will be able to get together more than 5,000 people. ”

"Believe in our great guys, this is a cause that you have poured all your heart and soul into."

Lu Haodong put down the newspaper and joked with a smile.

"Or do you have the qualifications of a general, Taishan collapsed in front of him and his face did not change. There will be an uprising tomorrow, and today I am still in the mood to read the newspaper with a smile. ”

Meng Ke smiled bitterly and shook his head, the anxiety between his eyebrows could not be hidden.

"I'm a person who has already revolted once, and I've already walked on the Hades Palace, so why am I afraid?"

Lu Haodong stood up and stretched out his arm to put it on Meng Ke's shoulder, "Life is a masterpiece, and death is also a ghost." Don't be a little girl! ”

Meng Ke glanced sideways at him and nodded.

He put down the teaglass, walked to the desk, pulled out a note, wrote down a line, and took out the official seal engraved for him by Master Jin, and solemnly stamped it.

"If I survive, I should continue to lead the uprising; If you are unfortunately defeated and die, you will gather the defeated soldiers with this approval and hand over the power to Mr. Emperor Xiang. ”

Meng Ke folded the note, stuffed it into Lu Haodong's arms, who was stunned in place, turned around and went out directly.

Am I afraid of death? Don't be afraid!

……

A rooster crows,

The world is white!

With the faint morning light of summer and the crowing of chickens, the uprising, which had been prepared for five or six years, finally began.

There's nothing immense, there's nothing to fire all over the place.

Everyone is doing one thing, seizing the arsenal, attacking the prefect of the city, the prefect's mansion and yamen, and seizing the city defense.

Three things were done at the same time, the new army, armed with muskets and mortars, was in charge of the arsenal and the defense of the city, and for the mansion was only sent to attack the congregants with cold weapons and a small number of musketeers.

"Smack-"

Zhengding City fired the first shot,

Before the defenders on the walls could recover from the shock, they were knocked out by mortar fire.

Artillery fire is roaring.

Together, everything is messed up!

The prefect who slept with a woman in his arms, the official who wore obscene clothes, and the rich businessman who held the top brand......

Everything changes in an instant,

It was a perfect match, and the Forces nouvelles captured the city and arsenal with almost no casualties.

With munitions, you can equip new armies.

Before dawn, the battle in Zhengding City ended.

There were no tragic fights, no bloodshed and sacrifices, no human suffering, only endless riches, with an alluring fragrance in the sun.

The eyes of the new army flashed with greed, and they set their sights on the mansions of rich merchants and corrupt officials in the city, and the homes of ordinary people.

This is the true value of a city!

Who can not be greedy for money?

"Move it down! Come on!

In Zhengding City, a squad leader of the new army was directing several strong men to carry the gold, silver and jewelry stolen from the rich merchants out of the mansion.

His eyes were already slitted, and an excited smile hung on his lips.

This trip made a lot of money!

In an instant, his smile froze on his face.

A bright steel knife was thrust from behind his back and pierced through his neck.

"The general has an order, those who take advantage of the chaos to rob the wealth will be killed!"

The loud shout of the man behind him penetrated the ears of the squad leader of the new army, his eyes widened, and his body slid limply to the ground.

It's the Overseer!

The sound immediately attracted the attention of the other soldiers around.

"Kill them all!"

At the sound of the order, the new troops, who were still stuffing a lot of gold, silver and jewels into their pockets, could react when the sound of gunfire reached their ears.

Greedy desires were still swirling in the minds of these new troops, and in the blink of an eye they were already engulfed in the dense sound of gunfire.

"Fellow, I'm sorry, it's our new army that is not strict in discipline, and we have already been punished, and the money will be returned in full, I hope to forgive the sin!"

The leader of the warlord saluted the mansion of the rich merchant.

After they left, two or three men poked their heads out of the door of the rich merchant's mansion to take a look......

"Freeze to death without demolishing the house, starve to death without plundering!

Dare to take a wisp of people's hemp to bind it, and immediately cut it down!

Yes......

All the soldiers can test the law, my big sword is already hungry and thirsty! ”

Detachments shouted military discipline and walked in the streets and alleys, warning those with bad intentions while appeasing the people.

If anyone is found to want to take advantage of the fire, whether they are the new army or the ruffians, they will be killed.

The people in the city saw that this group of people did not commit any crimes on weekdays, and even opened warehouses to release grain, clean up unjust, false and wrongful cases, punish evil officials and profiteers who oppressed the people, and treated the people better than the Qing court.

Not only was there no internal worries, but in just two or three days, the good news was flat.

There are a total of 20 prefecture-level areas in Zhili Province, and except for Shuntian and Jinmen, which left behind to guard against foreigners, the remaining 18 prefecture capitals have already fallen into the hands of the new army, including nine prefectures, two prefectures, and twenty or thirty small counties.

For the Qing court, this meant that most of the province of Zhili had fallen.

Countless arsenals and reserves and countless money and food have been seized.

And for these new armies who have just experienced a small war, it means that they can expand unscrupulously in the next period of time, without fear of any resistance!

"What the hell are they doing?! A group of brainless guys, can TMD Zhili Province afford to raise so many soldiers? ”

Meng Ke looked at the battle reports from various brigades in front of him, slapped the table and scolded.

According to the statistics of the information reported from various places, the first batch of new troops who participated in the battle to capture the city had more than 20,000 people, and in light of the situation of weapons and firearms in various places, they also planned to expand the army to another 100,000.

Meng Ke: I thought I could only be a general, but I didn't expect you to want me to be a marshal?!

Thank you, you guys are really TND.

Unfortunately, the amount of food that has been seized and the level of training of the Forces nouvelles do not support such a rapid expansion.

"20,000 people spread out to defend the city on so much land in Zhili, it is indeed a bit less. The army can be expanded to 30,000, and then recruited from the people as reserves, and on weekdays, they will be called together to do ideological work and drills during the slack time, and we will be responsible for the rations during the drills, and it is up to them to go home. ”

For long-term considerations, and in order to resist the counterattack, Meng Ke did not give up the plan of this batch of soldiers, and planned to conduct emergency training for a period of time first, and then select his excellent and motivated people to join the new army.

"We have to separate ourselves from the rebel districts of the displaced people in history, otherwise we will only repeat the mistakes of the past."

"Inform the whole army to prepare, strengthen the city defense, clean up all hidden dangers in the city, and prepare to deal with the counterattack of the Qing court."

Order after order was passed down, and the mobilization of the Forces nouvelles was quickly completed.

"Okay, the headmaster agrees that we will recruit two hundred more!"

"The principal has an order, we can recruit another five hundred!"

“……”

Brother Xun will say a philosophy of life in the future: if a house is too dark and you want to open a window, most people will not agree, but if you advocate demolishing the roof first, then people will come to reconcile and then open the window.

Don't look at the fact that there are many new troops, but there are only a few hundred people in each of the more than 30 cities scattered in the occupied area.

The leaders of the new armies in various places said: I have only such a few people under the commander of the dignified side? This is completely different from what the academy instructor described!

But at that time, there were not enough muskets, and it was useless to recruit more people.

It's different now, I have a source of soldiers, a gun, and a veteran who has killed people, so I can recruit people again!

First falsely report a little people to go up and see if the principal is eclectic.

Unexpectedly, they really guessed it.

Thirty thousand, just right.

Adopting the method of bringing the old with the new can speed up the adaptability of the new army.

All localities quickly raised their banners and began to recruit in full swing.

Not the White Lotus Sect, but a completely new name.

The National Salvation Army.

After dormant for several years, this layer of camouflage was finally torn off, and the entire new army seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Having been baptized with truly advanced ideas, they are declaring to the world:

We are not the cult of the old calendar, we are the gravediggers of the decaying country, and we are the openers of the future.

……

The Qing court's response was swift, and the armies of Qilu, Xishan, Yuzhou and other places were already preparing to enter King Qin.

Countless people are watching the jokes of this new army, and no one has ever succeeded in making an uprising at the feet of the Son of Heaven.

This is a game of death.

But, really?

The time has crept into June......