Chapter 46 The Sky Is About To Light Up

  It must be said that the military is a place where the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak and submit to the strong, has been continued for thousands of years. Perhaps it was Li Han's few shots that finished off the Eighth Regiment and the officer who came to reinforce them, or perhaps it was his outstanding performance when he shot and killed Huang Guoyun with one bullet. After Zheng Zhong stepped down, he reorganized the nearly 200 soldiers under his command into three companies, nine platoons, nineteen full-strength squads of ten men each, and one understrength squad of seven men, leaving seven squads' worth of positions vacant.

  After such an arrangement, it was much more convenient to control. He arranged for the more than 40 people who assisted Hu Xiongkun to disperse in the same way, with two people assigned to each shift. Only then can this armed force of less than 200 people be considered initially controlled.

  Li Han's binoculars were still in his hand when the soldier who had gone to observe the situation beside the artillery returned to report back to him.

  "Got it..."

  Li Han nodded, and saw that inside the city gate, a team of defending soldiers were moving earthbags to set up a defensive line at the broken city gate. He waved his hand, and after a moment, the decoy troops outside the city gate launched another attack. One cannonball flew over the group trying to defend themselves and landed in a nearby wooden house, instantly igniting it with an explosion of flames that engulfed the building, casting a reddish glow on half the sky that was not yet fully dark. The soldiers inside the Chuwangtai arsenal saw the fire behind them and were suddenly enveloped in terror.

  Seeing the soldiers inside the city gate either busy putting out the big fire on their bodies or fleeing and crying everywhere, he knew that this was the best opportunity. He immediately ordered the soldiers of 'Iron One Camp' to enter the city, while the revolutionary army soldiers who were trapped in a fierce battle on the other side of the city became excited.

  "It's so fast, it's our big gun! Brothers, the north gate has been broken and the enemy is trapped in our encirclement, intensify the attack..."

  "Captain, don't wait any longer, order the attack! We can't let our brothers at the north gate's feint think little of us..."

  "Alright alright, everyone cheer up! Quick, take down Chu Wang Tai and welcome the comrades from within the city..."

  "Attack... Quick hit..."

  ……

  Most surprisingly and flurried, seeing the cannon sound rising from the North Gate, looking at the panicked expression of those Qing soldiers defending the city, even the originally sharp cannons now didn't seem to have the same power as before. The revolutionary army who followed Xiong Bingkun and others were blocked near the city gate, suddenly morale soared, and the sparse gunfire on this side suddenly became dense again.

  "Kill..."

  The scene of being blocked and suppressed at the city gate for half a day has not yet broken through, even Xiong Bingkun and others are extremely annoyed, seeing that the weak point of the enemy's north gate has been breached, suddenly a group of people came to their senses, "Quick... can't let the opponent divert attention to support the north gate..."

  Look at the big guns on that side, they seem to be moving. Xiong Bingkun was shocked in his heart. If it weren't for the soldiers who responded to the uprising and built up defenses earlier, who knows how many more people would have been killed or injured? But the north gate is completely exposed, so now everyone is urging each other to attack, they can't let the enemy catch their breath.

  "Take up the drum board, sit on the long street, sing loudly; with one voice, all compatriots, listen carefully:"

  My China was originally a great nation with a grand name; it cannot be compared to that tiny piece of land, isolated and situated in a remote corner.

  In terms of square mileage, 4 million; in terms of population, 40 million; who can match us in the world?

  In terms of material wealth, it is inexhaustible; in terms of talent and intelligence, it is unparalleled, East or West.

  It seems that one thing is inferior to others; according to common sense, it should be called the overlord.

  Why is it that today we are on the verge of collapse; having ceded territory and paid indemnities, we will soon be annihilated?

  The reason is truly hard to say in one word; let's count carefully and discuss it together.

  Five thousand years ago, I am a Han Chinese, the founder of our ancestors; named Yellow Emperor, from northwest, unified Central Plains.

  The Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, as well as the Qin and Han, were all ruled by a single surname; there were no rulers from different ethnic groups.

  This is I, ancestors, passing down family rules; our descendants, should naturally, never forget.

  Alas, within the family, they slaughtered each other; and then they brought in foreigners, adding insult to injury.

  By the Jin Dynasty, those five barbarians were extremely rampant; it was nothing but our own kind who led in tigers and wolves.

  Since then, China was divided into North and South, the Divine Land was in turmoil; it wasn't until the Tang Dynasty that it was finally pacified, and the swords and spears were temporarily laid to rest.

  Arrived at the fifth season, it's another year, strong on the surface but weak inside; my compatriots suffered slaughter, how heartbreaking.

  Song Taizu, sitting in the Central Plains, having no talent and no virtue; recovering Yan and Yun, this small matter. Still saying it's not suitable.

  No wonder he and his descendants were weak and dispirited; they called themselves vassals, offered tribute, and made it a habit.

  Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong were captured by the Jin Dynasty; only Yue Fei fought to the death, holding off tigers and wolves.

  Zhu Xian Town, killed by Jin, no armor returned; can only blame Qin Hui, the traitor, who secretly plotted against him.

  From now on, I am a Han person, with no strong generals; let them do as they wish, slaughter me like pigs and sheep.

  Mongols are more ferocious than Jurchen-led Jin dynasty; they first destroyed Jin and then Song, their edge cannot be withstood.

  Killing Han people is like cutting melons and vegetables; there's one thing that when I mention it, my heart aches.

  Attack Jiangzhou, use human fat as oil, burn it to light up lamps; this is cruel, think about it, how desolate.

  Isn't it true that people of different kinds originally had no ruler; my fellow clansmen took the enemy's skull and recognized it as their king.

  In those days, there were very few people who could pass the imperial examination; according to statistics, tens of thousands of people took it, and some were extremely talented.

  I am a Han Chinese, one against a hundred, and still have some left; why is it that the few defeat the many, reversing the usual order of things?

  It's all because of me, I didn't know, racism; for others, killing compatriots, losing all conscience.

  They come, all unwanted, at their own expense; but as for me, a Chinese person, I am self-inflicted with wounds.

  This Manchu, destroying our country, is precisely this strategy; Wu Sangui and Kong Youde are making a tiger's roar.

  In the early Qing dynasty, the number of people killed was no less than tens of millions; which one wasn't me, fell down at the city wall!

  Moreover, scholars who read books move with loyalty and filial piety; they are completely ignorant of the characters for loyalty and filial piety, the great outline of truth.

  It is a sage, should be loyal to the country, how can it be loyal to another surname? Clearly, it is cruel to the same kind, and destroy the normal.

  In a twinkling of an eye, Westerners came to be emperors; this group of people, if they didn't have enough, would again reduce the sacred emperor.

  It's heartbreaking to think about it, with tears that cannot be shed; when will this slave mentality finally perish?

  There is also the pseudo-revolutionary who advocates for constitutionalism; the slightly treasured domain, emphasizes etiquette and respect, and unites the Han and Hu.

  These words are all nonsense; at the time of the event, nothing was said about it, as if they were mad.

  If it is, the current government, striving for good governance; can keep safe, our Han people, no calamity.

  I am a Han Chinese, and I will swallow my voice, be enslaved under another's roof; pay blood taxes, serve as a slave, it doesn't matter to me.

  Alas, he disregards state affairs entirely; in the whole court, apart from flattery, there is nothing else he excels at.

  I'm a Han Chinese, if I rely on him again, it's really unbearable. It seems like that time when 40 million people were bound and taken to the execution ground.

  Russia, from the north, surrounds me on three sides; England, under the guise of trade, hides poisonous schemes within.

  France occupies Guangzhou and spies on Guizhou; Germany takes control of Jiaozhou Bay and stares at the East.

  New Japan takes Taiwan and plots against Fujian; America also wants it, dividing territory.

  This is China, what's going on, I still have a share? This dynasty, originally just a name, existing in name only.

  Replace foreigners with one of our own kind as a local official; suppress us, the majority Han people, and surrender to the foreigners.

  I am a Han Chinese, I should think of a plan; why wait until death arrives, without hurry or worry?

  Painful was the pain, in the year of Gengwu, defeated and fell; painful was the pain, in the year of Gengzi, suffered a disastrous defeat.

  Pain is just pain, once it's gone, it will never return; pain is just pain, the compensation received, can never be repaid for eternity.

  Painful to say, the three eastern provinces are about to be ceded again; painful to say, French soldiers are coming to the south once more.

  Pain and only pain, due to trade, people are impoverished and financially exhausted; Pain and only pain, losing mining rights, unable to protect even a grain of rice.

  Painful is painful, making lesson plans, human life is like grass; painful is painful, repairing railways, people are strangled by me.

  "Painful is the pain, in the concession, often suffered humiliation; painful is the pain, going abroad, daily suffering from deep sorrow."

  From the north gate, the sound of gunfire gradually became sparse, and suddenly the sound of chanting poetry was heard. Some of the defenders who understood the language changed color, and the revolutionary martyrs in their mouths were clearly Chen Tianhua's "Mighty Roar". At the south gate, Xiong Bingkun and others responded to the call, and some brave warriors not only chanted poems with their mouths but also quickly took out several homemade bombs from their clothes and jumped out of the stone fortifications. Despite being shot, they persisted in charging forward for a distance before throwing the bombs at the defenders' position.

  "Boom!"

  It was not just him, but also the artillery fire from behind, which came down on the position with increasingly unanimous singing, shell after shell.

  "Boom!"

  A shell landed close to Wu Zhaolun, who was commanding the left flank, and a man beside him threw him to the ground.

  "Alright... we've tried our best, but... let's just give up..."

  Someone beside him said anxiously!

  It turns out that Wu Zhaolin is not a person who leans towards revolution, nor is he a loyal and foolish person to the Qing court. Originally, when he saw the eight battalions just starting to riot, there were many responses in the city at that time. He knew the general trend and understood that the new army was different from the previous mobs of thugs. They were specially trained killing machines. Once the arsenal fell into the hands of the new army, Wuchang... no, the entire Wuhan, or even Hubei Province might undergo a huge change. Therefore, not long after sending Huang Guoyun to support, he regretted and made up his mind to surrender as soon as the eight battalions attacked.

  Who would have thought that the soldiers who had just escaped from the defeat and returned to support Huang Guoyun in Baying had brought back the bad news, he was worried for half a day about his privately sworn brother - Huang Guoyun, who had already fallen into the hands of the rebel army and died.

  It was because of his extreme anger that he, who had originally intended to surrender, no longer had any intention of surrendering. Knowing that he didn't have enough troops, he brought several soldiers and negotiated with Li Ke for a while, then moved out several large cannons from the arsenal and carried two machine guns, bringing nearly half casualties to Xiong Bingkun and others who attempted to take down the Chuwangtai Arsenal.

  "Adult..."

  A loud "thud" sounded, Wu Zhaolun's face was gloomy and uncertain, apparently still undecided. The several people following him all knelt on the ground, "Sir, you must think carefully... I, Old Zhao, have never been afraid of death, but first, those who clashed with us are our own brothers (referring to the soldiers of the eight battalions), secondly, the families of our brothers all have elderly and children to support. You... you must think carefully..."

  Several people next to him also burst into tears. The defense of Chu Wang Tai relied on the terrain of Mei Ting Mountain and was built with only two gates in the northeast. Although the military arsenal occupied a considerable area, it was still smaller than the scale of ordinary towns. At this moment, the north gate behind them had lost its defense, and the east gate was blocked. The new army inside the city was pouring in continuously, and the defenders inside the military arsenal were now in a desperate situation!

  "Where is Mr. Li?"

  His face had already turned a sickly pale color, Wu Zhaolin furrowed his brow and asked.

  Who would have thought that he didn't ask, it was fine, but as soon as he asked, the soldiers around him started scolding their mothers. "Sir, just now there was news from the north gate, but I had someone block it and didn't dare to let you hear it. That bastard Wang Ba early took the reward silver sent by Zhang Biao...and ran away..."

  "What..."

  Wu Zhaolin's face was filled with rage, thinking to himself: "These bastards, I've been fighting to the death to defend this city, and you're all running away with your tails between your legs." He looked up again and saw that the revolutionary army on the opposite side of the battlefield had formed a suicide squad, hesitated for a moment, then saw that the machine gunner's muzzle was already aimed in that direction, but instead of firing, he stared at Wu Zhaolin's face.

  "Surrender... surrender now...." He waved his hand, signaling the nearby cannons to stop. Seeing a rope not far away, Wu Zhaolin walked over and picked it up, ordering the soldiers beside him to bind him up. "Later on, no matter who asks, just say it was my, Wu's, final order. If the revolutionary party wants to succeed, this is a necessary measure... This way, your lives will be guaranteed... If I, Wu, were to meet with misfortune, don't be too sad. If you still remember the kindness I once showed you, help take care of my family, and I will have no regrets even in death..."

  "Adult... you..."

  "Go away... don't mind me..."

  He knew that the four snipers of the Revolutionary Army had arrived, and compared to having already offended the Revolutionary Army enough, he had also made up his mind to die. If he could use his own life to ensure the safety of his brothers, it would be a way to make up for his past mistakes. After all, if he hadn't cut off the idea of surrendering in a fit of anger earlier, perhaps in the future, when the Revolutionary Army became powerful, many of his meritorious subordinates could have mixed in with thick treatment... But now they had been cut off from their future prospects...

  With a thud, Wu Zhaolin knelt to the ground, already bound up, and stared blankly at the sky that had somehow taken on a hint of dawn color amidst the blood and flames, muttering to himself: "The sky... is brightening... it's going to be light..."