Chapter Thirteen: Capture the Leader First

  He Tiān Xǐ stood up, his gaze fell on Shén Suàn Zǐ, and he said resolutely: "I very much agree with Shén Suàn Zǐ's words. If we only take down Liu Jia Bǎo, it would be too costly to sacrifice the lives of so many brothers. I have a plan."

  "I heard that this Emperor Liu Er is greedy for wealth and beauty, so this time we will use military supplies and money as bait. The horse-drawn carriages in front will carry more military supplies, while the ones behind will have a layer of military supplies on top and elite soldiers below. I plan to let Da Zi brothers select skilled and accurate marksmen from our country's military officers to form an advance team, hiding them inside the military supply carriages. When the time comes, they will quickly occupy the internal artillery towers and other military installations, and then we'll have a pincer movement from both inside and outside. What do you think, Yuan Fang?"

  After saying this, He Tianxi suddenly thought of the explosion of this sentence some time ago and always felt a little uncomfortable. I guess that in this era, Yuan Fang, Du Fu, and others have not yet started to get busy!

  Shen Suanzi hesitated for a moment, pushed his glasses, and said: "I think this plan is not bad, but Yuan Fang has some worries. After all, it involves the lives of Dazhong and other brothers. Now we need to solve the problem of eliminating Liu Erhuang's doubts and let the brothers enter Liujiabao smoothly."

  Liu Dazi took the initiative to speak confidently: "Everyone can rest assured, in the early years before I joined the Wild Wolf Fort, Liu Erhuang Emperor had invited me to join the Liu family fort. I didn't like his greedy and lecherous traitor-like behavior, so I came to our Wild Wolf Fort later. I said that I would follow He Tianxi and not be separated from him. We brothers have no freedom, let's bring our brothers here to surrender to him, and when the time comes, we'll catch him off guard!"

  After listening to Liu Dazi's words, He Tianxi walked up to Liu Dazi's side, patted his shoulder, and made a fist-bumping gesture. With a serious expression, he said: "Brother Dazi will do it this way. This matter still relies heavily on Brother Dazi. Next, we'll immediately prepare to select the vanguard team members. Also, this time the bait must be big. Brother Dazi, you'll lead the vanguard and bring 100 brothers to pretend to surrender to Liu Erhuangdi, to numb him and make him relax his guard."

  He Tianci looked at Liu Dazi and his men, then solemnly exhorted: "Brothers, be careful"

  After a careful plan, everyone decided to rush to Liujiabao immediately. As soon as it got dark, they would start acting. Zhao Datou led 80 vanguard soldiers to hide in the ammunition car, while Liu Dazi led a team of 100 people to go to Liujiabao and pretend to surrender to Liu Erhuangdi. At that time, Liu Dazi shouted "Fourth Brother" as a signal, and they would launch an attack from both inside and outside.

  That night, the sky above Liujiapu was cloudless, with a transparent and bright blue. The moon, like a new bride, had just risen from the eastern horizon, but then shyly hid behind the leaves of the trees. Those dense white poplar leaves were like a flowing stream, rustling softly day and night, in a quiet yet loud voice, flowing quietly in places where people couldn't see.

  Who would have thought that under such a comfortable and cozy atmosphere, a fierce "Liu Family Fortress" battle is about to erupt.

  The Liu family compound under the cover of night, each little rascal still going about their usual business, patrolling nonchalantly on the cannon tower, unaware that the god of death was beckoning to them, one foot already set on the journey to hell.

  A small skin (a new recruit of the bandit) looked at Liu Dazi and his party walking towards Liujiapu, pulled his neck and shouted: Who are you? What do you come to our Liujiapu for? Report your name!

  Liu Dazi shouted loudly towards Liujiabao: "Shun Shuizi, go back and tell your Liu Erhuangdi that I am the second-in-command of the Wild Wolf Fort. Since Wang Lao Da surrendered to the Jumpers (government troops), all brothers are used to being free. How can we be in the same pot with that He Tianxi? We have 100 sworn brothers, plus Russian firearms, and we've come to surrender. Liu Dada, you quickly go inform Liu Laoda!"

  Liu Family Fort, Liu Er's inner chamber. Only to see Liu Er, fat-headed and big-eared, despite his advanced age, still diligently cultivating a young woman. The two of them hummed and murmured non-stop. Liu Er, with a lustful smile, said: "Beauty, I'm coming!" At this time, news came from below that the second master of the Wild Wolf Fort, accompanied by 100 horses and military supplies, had come to surrender. Liu Er hastily pulled up his pants and prepared to welcome Liu Dazi.

  A young woman pulled Liu Er, the emperor, while undressing him and said with a smile: "I want you to accompany me! Didn't we agree that you would stay with me for the whole night today? Come on, I want you to accompany me!"

  Liu Er, the emperor, seeing that the woman did not let go of him, glared at her with a fierce gaze and slapped her pale face. He shouted loudly: "Get out of here, you bastard! You cheap slut, don't you know I have important business? Get out of my sight!"

  Liu Er, the emperor, upon hearing that Liu Dazi had brought over a hundred men and horses, as well as Russian firearms to surrender, was overjoyed and didn't suspect any deceit. He immediately ordered someone to let Liu Dazi and his men into the Liu family fortress.

  Liu Erba saw Liu Dazi and immediately gave him a hearty hug, then looked around at the people and horses, as well as the Russian artillery, and burst out laughing: "In the past, I invited you to come to me but you didn't come. But today you're here, so I, Liu Erba, will definitely give you an explanation. What's He Tianxi worth? Big brother isn't bragging to you now, big brother just got a few mountain cannons from the Japanese, this thing is incredibly powerful, much more powerful than my old broken copper cannon. As long as He Tianxi dares to come, we'll definitely make him cry out for his grandfather."

  At this time, every vanguard member in the ammunition car was anxiously waiting, although the air inside the car was not circulating well and some people were panting, but everyone was carefully making combat preparations at any moment.

  Liu Dazi quickly glanced around, then made a very pleased expression and said: "Thank you big brother, for avenging me." Before he finished speaking, he swiftly pulled out a pair of guns from his pocket and pointed them at Liu Erhuang's head, then loudly shouted: "Fourth Brother".

  The taste of having a gun on his head was unbearable, but Liu Er said with a smile: "Dazi, what are you doing? Your big brother has been very kind to you!"

  Liu Dazi didn't pay attention to him, instead he forcefully pushed against Liu Er's dog head, glaring at him and saying: "Shut your damn mouth."

  The vanguard team members inside the box, as soon as they heard Liu Dazhu's password, quickly kicked open the box containing the military explosives and disarmed the surrounding Liujiabao members. Although the soldiers of the National Defense Army were at a very low level in terms of shooting skills and tactics, due to the suddenness of the incident, they caught Liu Erhuangdi off guard, and the city wall was quickly occupied by the soldiers of the National Defense Army.

  Zhao Dahu immediately ordered the two Maxim heavy machine guns to be mounted on the city wall. With a single command, the canvas ammunition belts were quickly prepared. The gunner pulled the trigger, and the barrel of the Maxim, with its theoretical firing rate of 600 rounds per minute, spat out a long tongue of flame! The 11.43mm caliber bullets hit the earth wall with a series of loud thuds, causing the mud bricks to shatter and scatter in all directions, filling the air with dust and debris, accompanied by intermittent cries of pain. After only two minutes of firing, Zhao Dahu ordered the gunner to stop. He knew that Mr. He had told him to conserve ammunition before he left.

  Outside, Tianci heard the intense gunfire and led the National Army soldiers to charge towards Liujiabao. They gave Liu Erhuangdi a surprise attack, and with Liu Erhuangdi captured, the bandit army was no match for the troops. The strategy of "catching the king first" worked perfectly on this group of bandits in Liujiabao. After a brief gun battle, the important fortifications in Liujiabao were basically occupied by the National Army. The National Army's momentum was unstoppable, and the bandits in Liujiabao surrendered one after another, all within 5 minutes.

  He Tianci led the Guards and soldiers into Liujiabao with a mighty army.

  Liu Dazi and others first sent a team of soldiers, escorting Liu Er to He Tianxi's side. Then Liu Dazi pointed at He Tianxi and laughed loudly: "Old thing, didn't you say that our commander-in-chief was beaten until he cried 'grandfather'? Now it's come to this, I'll give you an opportunity, let me see how you're going to handle it!"

  Liu Er suddenly changed his usual arrogant and domineering attitude, knelt down in front of He Tianxi, crying and begging while slapping his own mouth, and begged incoherently: "Your Excellencies, I was blind to the greatness of Mount Tai, I have offended you greatly, I have a lot of money and beautiful women, as long as you give me a way out, everything is yours! Please, please give me a way out!"