Chapter 50: My Jin Army Compared to the Boxers

  A week later, Kang Fan received a wireless telegram from the Security Bureau's intelligence agency in Beijing and took Judy to a desolate mountainous area tens of kilometers away from the city.

  After nightfall, the 6 "Iron Horse" of the guard battalion were scattered in a circle around SX2300 on high alert. Judy was cooking dinner for everyone on the SX2300 vehicle.

  The interior light was bright, and Kavan, who was outside in the dark, could see Judy's every move very clearly through the wide-open car window as she bustled around the kitchen/dining room. A strong sense of warmth welled up inside him, but suddenly, Mei Xiang's figure flashed out, and the warmth in his heart immediately dissipated, replaced by pain.

  "These two women... how am I supposed to deal with them?" Kang Fan was in a dilemma.

  The officers and soldiers lit a bonfire, boiled hot tea, sat in a circle on the ground, took turns performing programs, and were very lively. Kang Fan took over a wooden guitar handed over by a soldier, sang a rock song "Huafang Girl" from his own era to everyone, and then got on the car to help Judy under the stunned gaze of the officers and soldiers.

  Although it was just a matter of heating up the ready-made military rations, Judy was still overwhelmed with the demand for dozens of people. Moreover, she had to carefully arrange various staple foods, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruits, and powdered drinks, and then pack them separately into each soldier's aluminum lunch box, which increased her workload even more.

  Fortunately, the gas stove in the car was very powerful, and with Kang Fan's help, dozens of hot and fragrant dinners were ready in less than an hour.

  "My God! I think I've cooked enough rice for a lifetime tonight!" Judy wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled at Kong Fan with a tired but satisfied expression.

  The kitchen/dining room on the sx2300 bus had two wide sofas, but only four people could squeeze in, so after the officers and soldiers took their share of dinner, they all went back to the bonfire.

  Judy was tired, so she had a cup of coffee and ate a few biscuits before getting ready for bed. Kang Fan boiled some hot water for her and then cleaned up the dishes and stove, sitting at the dinner table to wipe down his guns. The sound of running water came from the bathroom, and Judy's dazzling white body immediately appeared in front of Kang Fan, who couldn't help but smile happily.

  Judy came out of the bathroom with a refreshing fragrance and said while tidying up the bed, "Are you tired of staying at my place and want to change environments? Is this bed in your car more comfortable than the one in my apartment?"

  Kang Fan smiled and said: "As long as you're here, any bed will be comfortable."

  Judy smiled and turned around, walking back into the bathroom to fetch a basin of hot water for Kang Fan. "Soak your feet," she said, before stripping off her clothes and diving under the covers. Suddenly, she sat up again and exclaimed, "Kang Fan, this bed is too hard! How am I supposed to sleep?!"

  Kang Fan disagreed: "It's because your bed is too soft, people who sleep on it all have backaches."

  Judy gave him a glance, "That doesn't mean you get up earlier than me." After finishing speaking, she lay down again, staring at the ceiling with her eyes wide open, and her bright golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, covering the pillow.

  Kang Fan looked at her and asked: "Don't you ask me what I brought you here for?"

  "Don't ask." Judy turned sideways and smiled coquettishly at Kang Fan, "You arrange it."

  Kang Fan turned around and fiddled with her still damp blonde hair, looked down at his watch and said, "I won't say anything else, you'll understand in a few hours."

  Judy murmured "hmm", and asked: "Not coming up to sleep with me?

  Kang Fan shook his head, "Not tonight."

  "Judy pouted, 'It's rare to hear such words coming from a hungry wolf like you!'"

  Kang Fan stretched out a finger and stroked Judy's high and straight nose, smiling: "Hungry Wolf has something important to do tonight."

  In the middle of the night, a loud rumbling sound came, like a continuous explosion that shook the wide body of the SX2300 car. Judy woke up from her sleep and found that Kang Fan was no longer beside her, so she rushed to the window in a panic. Through the shaking glass window, Judy saw a long line of cars with bright headlights coming over, magnificent! And Kang Fan's familiar figure stood tall in the dazzling light, even more majestic and upright.

  This time, the troops arriving in Beijing are a newly formed mechanized infantry brigade of the Shanxi Army. All officers and soldiers ride on "Iron Horse" armored personnel carriers for mobile combat operations. For more and faster chapters, please visit [website]. In addition, they are equipped with a certain number of command vehicles, communication vehicles, ammunition vehicles, maintenance vehicles, fuel trucks, transport vehicles, medical rescue vehicles, water supply vehicles, and field kitchen vehicles, etc., which were modified from the chassis of the armored personnel carriers. The entire brigade is equipped with 120 various military vehicles and 24 Type 82 field guns, achieving standardization and serialization, making it a truly mechanized combat unit that has reached the ideal goal of Gao Fan. Although it's just one brigade, Shanxi's automotive industry is still in its development stage, and being able to produce these mechanized equipment at this critical moment is already quite remarkable.

  "I knew you had something up your sleeve! So you were waiting for reinforcements!" Judy's tone was strange.

  Kang Fan smiled and said, "Our country has an idiom 'to control the emperor to order the vassals', have you heard of it?"

  Judy shook her head, "No. The language and culture of your country are very profound, how could I know so much?"

  "Director Zhou, you explain it to this lady." Kang Fan said to the director of this mechanized brigade.

  Zhou Dingkun was two years younger than Kang Fan, a talented and handsome man who had studied military affairs in the UK at an early age. After returning to China, he joined the army but was suppressed by conservative forces for many years, achieving nothing. He then came to join the Jin Army, where after a brief period of study at the Qing Sheng Military Academy, he demonstrated exceptional battlefield judgment and outstanding command abilities as a regimental commander in the war against Japan in Tianjin. He was immediately appointed by Kang Fan as the commander of the first mechanized brigade of the Jin Army.

  "This sentence means: Assisting the Emperor in commanding the world. First time update." said Zhou Tuanzhang fluently in English.

  Kang Fan listened and couldn't help but burst out laughing, his heart involuntarily praising: This explanation is indeed wonderfully inexplicable!

  "Principal, how's it going?" Zhou Tuan asked Kang Fan with a smile.

  Kang Fan gave him a thumbs up.

  "It's really a strong general with no weak soldiers under his command." Judy said admiringly.

  Kang Fan said: "This troupe of mine is specifically for the Empress Dowager and those officials to watch. Actually, I only have this one troupe, but I'll deceive them into thinking there are many."

  "This is military secret, Lord Kong." Judy said with a smile.

  Kang Fan smiled and said: "Don't you know much about my affairs?"

  Judy smiled silently.

  The Empress Dowager Cixi, upon learning that Kang Youwei had brought the Jin Army to the capital, couldn't help but feel a surge of interest: this strong-willed old lady was eager to see with her own eyes what kind of military prowess the Jin Army possessed that could defeat the ferocious Japanese army?! When she finally saw Kang Youwei's troops, the Empress Dowager Cixi was truly stunned: What kind of army is this?! Even the heavenly soldiers and generals are no match for them!

  Kong Fan asked: "Your Majesty, can our Jin army have prestige?"

  Cixi nodded her head, "How majestic! How majestic!"

  Kong Fan asked again: "Is there a comparison for the military in the capital?"

  Cixi happily said: "Let me tell you, the troops in the capital are nothing but local dogs and kitchen chickens!"

  Kong Fan said: "The Empress Dowager has this strong army to consolidate the country, how can she still harbor a mind of fear and apprehension?"

  Cixi nodded with satisfaction and smiled knowingly, saying: "I understand your intention. Update at the first time"

  Kang Fan's heart was filled with joy, and he bowed his head in gratitude, saying: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. I will update it at the first opportunity."

  At this time, 120 military vehicles were hinted by Kang Fan and started at the same time. The smoke was rolling and the sound shook the sky. The officials in the imperial court who watched the performance on the drill ground were shocked to be pale, but because Empress Dowager Cixi was present, they dared to stand upright, otherwise they would have been scared away by more than half!

  Under the command of Commander Zhou, the Jin army officers and men conducted a series of combat demonstrations: on the rugged and uneven open field, the 12 participating armored personnel carriers whizzed by, kicking up clouds of dust. After arriving at the designated area, they suddenly came to an abrupt halt, and the fully armed Jin army officers and men jumped out of each vehicle in unison, shouting as they charged towards the predetermined target, firing their Type 96 semi-automatic rifles continuously, accurately hitting the distant targets. At the same time, the 12 Type 96 general-purpose machine guns and several 82mm recoilless cannons on the 12 military vehicles fired together, with a hail of bullets sweeping across like a storm, instantly shattering the designated targets and erasing them from sight...

  After the brief demonstration of combat, Empress Dowager Cixi and all the officials in the court were stunned! Think back to when Kang Fan and Mei Xiang, along with the guards regiment, appeared in the capital city riding 1 SX2300 and 2 "Iron Horse" military vehicles, causing a huge stir. Now, suddenly appearing are over a hundred of these massive objects, wouldn't the shock be even greater?!

  Kang Fan first broke the silence and stepped forward to bow, saying: "I humbly request that Your Majesty follow me in a military vehicle to inspect the Jin army."

  The Empress Dowager Cixi smiled while stroking her chest: "My heart is still racing wildly, just looking from afar will do."

  Kang Fan's gaze, which had been fixed on Empress Dowager Cixi's face, suddenly turned cold and stern as he asked, "Does anyone have any intention of trying?" As he spoke, he glanced at Zeng Guofan, Zaifeng, Ronglu and others one by one.

  Gang Yi and others had just recovered from their shock, but now they all shook their heads and refused to come forward.

  Kang Fan sneered and said, "General Jing Yi, I've long heard that the Boxers are impervious to swords and guns, and their magic is powerful. Why not hire some to compete with my Shanxi troops and see who's stronger?"

  Gang Yi shook his head and waved his hand: "Lord Kang is joking."

  Kang Fan ignored him and turned to Empress Dowager Cixi, making a bow: "Your Majesty, I would like to borrow the palace guards' handguns for use. May I have your permission?"

  Cixi, although unclear about Kang's intention, was in high spirits at the time and readily agreed.

  A guard walked up and handed his Smith & Wesson revolver to Kang Fan. Kang Fan took it, fired two shots at a nearby bluestone, then suddenly turned the muzzle towards the front row of Jin army soldiers and fired four shots in a row! The onlookers immediately cried out in shock, Empress Dowager Cixi was so frightened that she almost fell off her dragon chair, the guards around her rushed to support her, and the scene instantly became chaotic.

  The smoke has dispersed, and the four Jin army soldiers who were shot earlier, except for their bodies being knocked back a few times by the huge impact of the bullets and a clear bullet burn mark on their chest uniforms, are actually unscathed! Moreover, the four soldiers who were shot are all expressionless! It's really unbelievable. Furthermore, the four bullets that Kang Fan fired earlier almost hit the same position on the chests of the four soldiers, and his target was a dense and massive formation of thousands of Jin army officers and men, isn't he afraid of hurting innocent people?! What kind of marksmanship is this? Is Lord Kang human or divine?!

  Kang Fan turned to face Jian Yi and asked: "General Jian Yi, how does the Jin army compare to the Righteous Harmony Society?"

  How can Jian Yi still speak after being strongly shocked?

  The Empress Dowager Cixi exclaimed loudly: "I have long heard that the Jin army is valiant and brave, but I have never seen it before. Now that I see it, it is truly a divine army!"

  Kang Fan smiled and played a gun trick, returning the gun to the guard, secretly rejoicing in his heart: After the Battle of Tianjin, the Jin army was rumored by the people to be incredibly powerful, including the legend that they were immune to swords and guns. This display of military power further proved that these rumors were not false, and it should be enough to make the conservative forces led by Zeng Guofan behave for a while. The edict issued by Empress Dowager Cixi to disband the Boxers should now be able to be executed without obstruction. Once the Boxers are disbanded, Zeng Guofan and his followers will lose their political tool, and they won't have the power to stir up trouble again. As long as he firmly holds onto Empress Dowager Cixi's card, making her continue to serve him, then future events will be much easier to handle.