Chapter 20: Ambushed in the Campsite (Collected!)

  Wei Zheng had just returned to the assembly hall, the smile on his face disappeared and was replaced by a hint of solemnity.

  King Fong, who was closely following Wei Zheng, also furrowed his brow and asked in a heavy tone: "General, haven't the Tartars retreated from the mountain yet? Your words on the training ground just now were just to stabilize the military morale..."

  Wei Zheng shook his head and replied: "What I just said is true, the Tartars have indeed retreated. However, this is only temporary, the actual situation is far from being as simple as we imagined."

  "I can tell you two things for sure: although the Tartars have retreated, the war is far from over."

  "If I'm not mistaken, the Tatars who have lost more than 20 men will be brewing a new siege against us outside the mountain. By then, facing the prepared Tatars, we won't find it easy to win."

  At this time, Zhao Yun, who rarely spoke, suddenly asked: "General, can we know in advance the specific time when the Huns will launch their next attack on us..."

  Wei Zheng shook his head and said: "We don't have that ability for the time being. However, based on my calculations, the Tartars will only give us three days at most..."

  "Three days is too short a time..." Zhao Yun sighed, his thoughts shattered in an instant.

  Seeing Wei Zheng and Wang Feng looking at each other with puzzled expressions, Zhao Yun hastily explained: "I was thinking that we could have a bit more time to train the new recruits of the Tiger and Leopard Brigade, so they can gain some combat experience. However, three days is really too short, not even enough time to practice basic formations..."

  Wang Feng nodded in agreement: "Old Zhao is right, the new recruits' physical quality is not bad. However, they were originally civilians after all, so everything has to start from scratch."

  "Our old brothers may be physically weaker, but many of them have killed before and have undergone some basic training. When it comes to actual combat training, they pick it up very quickly."

  At this moment, Wei Zheng's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of something?

  A few hours ago, when Wei Zheng made the decision to destroy the vanguard of the Tartars, he still wanted to take the extra step of writing a letter of intimidation to Niu Jing, the Tartar's cow recorder.

  Apart from forcing the enemy to retreat, there was another important reason, which was that Wang Feng had guessed earlier, luring the enemy into launching a divided attack on himself.

  On the surface, our own military strength is considerable, and we are not much different from a single Tatar battalion.

  However, if the two troops collided in a field battle, relying on this bunch of mobs, they might not even be able to deal with half a Kulun of the enemy, let alone a full-strength Kulun.

  Therefore, Wei Zheng clearly knew that if the Tartars did not divide their troops and concentrated their forces to attack the military camp directly, there was only one way out for him: to abandon his hard-won foundation and flee with his confidants into the depths of the mountains.

  However, if the Tatars divide their troops and attack from multiple directions towards their own military camp. Then they can take advantage of the time difference, concentrate their superior forces, and devour a small detachment of the Tatar main force that has been divided out.

  It is better to cut off one finger than to injure all ten; in Wei Zheng's view, this was the best and only way for the Tiger and Leopard Troops to get through the current crisis.

  However, just as he was thinking about the entire plan on his way back to the military camp, Wei Zheng suddenly discovered that a huge loophole seemed to have been forgotten by himself.

  If you have the ability to wipe out twenty-five Manchu troops in a short period of time, the Manchu troops who are aware of your combat power will become extremely cautious. Even if they surround and attack you again next time, the strength of each Manchu troop will far exceed what you can bear.

  At that time, if one cannot annihilate one of the enemy troops within a short period of time, one will be thoroughly surrounded by the enemy's heavy troops, and even the only way to escape and retreat into the dense forest will be cut off, truly being trapped to death in the military camp.

  So, from the moment he entered the assembly hall, Wei Zheng's eyebrows had been furrowed without him realizing it.

  However, a question Zhao Yun had just raised was like a key that directly unlocked the puzzle in his mind.

  The Tartar can increase the troop strength of each route army, and he himself can also increase it.

  Although there is only one long gun squad in his hand, he can expand the long gun squad in front of him into a long gun team, concentrate all the elite troops of the whole army on the long gun team, and serve as his own fist unit.

  Wei Zheng's mouth corners swiftly flashed a hint of a smile as he muttered to himself, "It seems that our Tiger and Leopard Troops will have to undergo another round of reorganization."

  Having said that, he didn't wait for his two trusted men to react and directly ordered Wang Feng: "Wang, I have an important task for you to complete."

  "You immediately select seventy of the best long-gunners from the remaining officers and men of our Tiger Leopard Army, combine them with thirty officers and men from the Long Gun Squad to form a Long Gun Team, with you as the team leader. Spare no effort in training them, so that they can quickly form combat effectiveness..."

  "Besides this, all the leather armor we captured in two successive battles were also equipped to this long spear team. My principle is that three platoon leaders and team leaders, two deputy team leaders are all equipped with iron armor, while the rest of the soldiers are all equipped with leather armor, one person with a long gun..."

  "From today on, this Long Gun Troop will be the fist of our Tiger Leopard Division, wherever it is needed, this Long Gun Troop must appear..."

  One man one leather armor, one long spear, officers above rank wear iron armor...

  This advanced equipment, which is only seen in the elite of the Ming army, actually appeared on this righteous army.

  Excited Wang Feng was stunned for half a minute before reacting from his surprise and loudly promised to Wei Zheng.

  "Please be assured, General. I guarantee that before nightfall, the remaining seventy men of the Long Gun Squad will be selected and formed into a combat force under the leadership of thirty veteran soldiers, becoming the fist unit of our Tiger Leopard Army."

  After Wang Feng left the assembly hall with a smile, Zhao Yun also quickly looked at Wei Zheng and showed him a gaze full of longing, waiting for his command.

  At this time, Wei Zhen's face suddenly flashed a mysterious smile, and he commanded Zhao Yun with a look of eager anticipation.

  "Zhao, your mission is also very important..."

  "Whether our Tiger and Leopard Brigade can win in the next attack by the Tartars depends on you, a crucial decisive factor lies with you."

  "You have two tasks: first, immediately find all the craftsmen of our Tiger and Leopard Army, especially blacksmiths and carpenters, I have a big use for them."

  "Secondly, immediately collect all the iron products we have in our mountain stronghold, including the excess large knives and the wolf-tooth clubs captured from the Tartars. I want to use them to manufacture a new weapon to make up for our lack of long-range striking power."

  "Besides this, Big Brother Wang will select the remaining soldiers and you should organize them. From today on, mainly train these soldiers' arm strength, temporarily give up other things..."

  Wang Feng fulfilled his promise well, before nightfall, one hundred soldiers wearing leather armor and holding long guns formed three long gun arrays, standing motionless in front of the commanding platform waiting for Wei Zheng's arrival.

  Although Wei Zheng did not see the sharpness and killing intent he wanted to see from them, the fact that these hundred long spearmen could stand here without moving a single thread was enough to show that Wang Feng's selection of these long spearmen were all good soldiers.

  Wei Zheng had just stepped onto the rostrum when Wang Feng began his report.

  "General, the Long Gun Squad has been formed as ordered: consisting of thirty veteran long gunners, twenty brothers from the original Big Knife Squad, forty-nine newly joined brothers to our Tiger Leopard Army, plus myself, a total of one hundred long gunners are all present. Please give your instructions, General."

  In full armor, Wei Zheng stepped onto the commanding platform, his wise eyes lingering on each of the long spear holders for two seconds. He shouted loudly: "Brave warriors, officers, here I first want to congratulate everyone on becoming a member of the Long Gun Squad."

  "You have been selected to join, which means you are one of the best soldiers in my Tiger Leopard Army. Because, the long gun squad you are in will soon become the elite of our Tiger Leopard Army, and become the fist unit of our Tiger Leopard Army."

  "In order to enhance the combat effectiveness of the entire Long Gun Team, I will equip you with the best armor of the Tiger and Leopard Troop, the best weapons, including what you eat every day, all better than others..."

  "Of course, with so many better conditions than others, the price you have to pay every day will also be more than others, and the training time every day will also be longer. In the future when we go to the battlefield, where is the most dangerous place, you will appear there. Everyone tells me, do you have the courage to accept this challenge and become the fist unit of our Tiger Leopard Army?"

  "There is... there is..."

  After the thunderous shout, Wei Zheng continued: "In the Han Dynasty, under Lü Bu's command, there was an army called 'Trap Array Camp', specializing in gnawing bones on the battlefield and breaking through enemy arrays. And your future mission will be the same as this Trap Array Camp, so your name is also 'Trap Array'. I hope you can create a more dazzling reputation on the battlefield than the Han Dynasty's Trap Array Camp."

  After finishing speaking, Wei Zheng directly raised his right fist and shouted loudly at everyone: "Trap array, trap array, I am invincible..."

  One hundred halberdiers, after a brief moment of stunned silence, simultaneously raised their long spears and shouted loudly.

  "Invincible, invincible, I am unmatched..."