Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 867 An Unprecedented Upheaval
I observed for quite a while.

Wang Shouren finally made a judgment: "The Ming army before us does not follow the rules. The tactics they use are simply unheard of... Facing an attack from a Tartar force ten times their size, they have abandoned their horses, which means they have voluntarily given up mobility and flexibility... Could it be that they have brought cannons?"

"It doesn't look like it has cannons."

Zhu Hui searched around with his binoculars, observing carefully. After a long while, he said, "Something's not right. It seems like they are equipped, but even if that iron cylinder is really a cannon, its caliber is so small... what can it do? It does look a bit like the Divine Gun that the Divine Machine Battalion used to be equipped with... Also, why are they all lying down in natural pits? How can they use firearms while lying down?"

Zhu Hui's face was full of bewilderment.

Previously, the muskets used by the Ming army had to be loaded and fired while standing. This is why the British Lobster Army, which was invincible throughout the world during the colonial era, adopted the tactic of "shooting in a line," which seems extremely backward to later generations. Even the flintlock muskets used by Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui's troops were based on the same principle. The only difference was that after Zhang Yanling's improvement, this musket could be fired from horseback, but to shoot accurately, one still had to hold one's breath and aim carefully.

In light of this, Zhu Hui felt that this was completely different from the knowledge of firearms he had previously learned and used.

Wang Shouren stroked his chin and shook his head, saying, "I just don't understand what the Tartars are waiting for?"

Zhu Hui glanced at them and said, "I think they've suffered greatly from firearms. Even facing only three or four hundred Ming soldiers armed with firearms, they're still wary. After all, whoever charges first dies—everyone understands that. Not to mention us, watching them like tigers eyeing the battlefield. They need to prepare for both possibilities..."

As they were talking, an officer approached from behind and asked loudly, "Military Advisor Wang, Young Master, the troops are ready and can start the battle at any time... Shall we go now?"

Before Wang Shouren could give any instructions, Zhu Hui interrupted, "What are you going to do? Can't you see that the Tartars have a large and powerful force? If we're not careful, we'll be the next ones surrounded! While the Tartars are still afraid to fight on both sides, let's put some pressure on them first. There's no need for us to go in ourselves."

At this moment, Zhu Hui was also feeling uneasy.

Once the fighting begins, even if they manage to win by sheer luck, it will likely be a Pyrrhic victory. Not to mention, there might be Tatar forces appearing at any moment... If that happens, they might never be able to return to the Ming Dynasty.

It would be fine for others to just let it go, but as the heir of the Duke of Baoguo, destined to enjoy wealth and honor in the future, he didn't want to die in such a place for no reason.

At this moment, his heart was filled with resentment:
I have already achieved great military merits and can enjoy the glory of being the center of attention when I return. Why do I have to fight a foolish battle here with little chance of winning, in order to seek that illusory military merit?

Be content and happy!

Surprisingly, Wang Shouren did not raise any objections this time, because he was also silently observing what was happening on the other side.

……

……

The battle has finally begun.

The Tatars remained indifferent to Wang Shouren's troops on the flank, focusing all their attention on the Ming army of less than four hundred men who were surrounded in the middle.

The Tatars seemed to have learned from their experience fighting the Ming Dynasty's Divine Machine Battalion. They organized their ranks and poured out from all directions...

They could use a tactic of wave after wave of new troops pushing the old ones aside, and swallow the Ming army in one gulp.

Based on past experience, the Ming army's ammunition was limited, and reloading also took time. As long as they could rush to the Ming army's position in a short time and enter close combat, the outcome would be obvious.

Zhu Hui clicked his tongue in amazement, his eyes widening as he exclaimed, "Good heavens! Just now, the Tartars were like a timid old woman with bound feet, cowering and moving slowly. How come they've suddenly become so brave? Are they trying to cut the Gordian knot?"

Wang Shouren looked on warily: "Judging from this situation, if we don't fight, the Tartars will use this tactic against us next!"

He didn't mention that the Ming army on the other side was very likely to be annihilated by the Tartars who were going all out; he only said that his side would be surrounded and subjected to a full-scale attack by the Tartar cavalry.

This was also a way of telling the Ming soldiers around them that they had no other choice; they were not saving their friendly forces on the other side, but saving themselves.

Zhu Hui thought to himself, if we turn around and run away immediately, we still have a chance to escape the tiger's mouth... The Tartars may not have the energy to take care of us.

But he still managed to save face and didn't say those words.

Zhu Hui said, "But... judging from the current situation, even if we rush over without hesitation, it will be of no use. There are just too many Tartar troops... Oh dear, over there... there seem to be signs of Tartar activity."

Wang Shouren then looked in the direction Zhu Hui pointed and looked at the other side of the mountain, and sure enough, he found banners waving.

This also suggests that the Ming army was likely not alone; of course, there were many more Tatar troops in the surrounding area... The two sides were engaged in a tug-of-war in the vicinity.

The Tatars seized this opportunity and used their superior forces to completely surround the Ming army, which numbered only three or four hundred men.

Why has it developed to this point?

Wang Shouren was caught in a dilemma.

He should have rushed over to help the Ming army that was surrounded. Even if he failed and even lost his own troops, he would have felt no guilt.

But the problem is...

Knowing full well that rushing forward would be futile, only resulting in the loss of their own lives and doing no good to the overall situation, they decided to take a longer-term approach... that is, to bring their forces back to the Ming Dynasty as far as possible, utilize their experience in fighting the enemy, and then seek revenge later.

When it comes to war, people must ultimately be the priority.

Wang Shouren said, “I have decided that, based on our current positions, this unit will be divided into three armies: the front, the middle, and the rear. The three hundred vanguard troops will obey my orders and attack from the left flank of Xiegu to coordinate with the Ming army on the opposite side, so that the Tatar cavalry will be attacked from both sides.”

"Three hundred?"

Zhu Hui was very surprised.

The number of troops you brought this time was already small. If you give the Tartars another three hundred for free, will it really help the battle?
With a solemn expression, Wang Shouren instructed, "If there is no improvement on my side, you should lead the remaining troops back to the previous camp, and then retreat fifteen li to set up camp again... I will find a way to lead the surviving troops to join you."

Zhu Hui was extremely surprised to hear this.

Did Wang Shouren knowingly do something that was impossible?
To launch a suicide charge with the determination to die? And even leave him and most of the officers and soldiers a way out? But is that fair to the three hundred men in the vanguard?
Zhu Hui forced a smile and said, "Am I the kind of person who is afraid of death?"

Wang Shouren shook his head and said, "Brother Dongyang, don't feel guilty. This is a strategic arrangement. One of us has to stay behind to lead the remaining troops... I hope that when you lead troops alone in the future, if there is an opportunity, you... will not back down in the face of battle."

"No... no."

Zhu Hui patted his chest and declared, "If given the chance, I will definitely lead my troops to meet the challenge head-on and fight to the death."

……

……

Wang Shouren prepared to lead his troops forward.

Meanwhile, the torrent of Tatar cavalry charging forward had already reached within a few hundred paces of the Ming Dynasty's small troop on the opposite side.

Just when Wang Shouren thought it was too late to lead his troops to attack the Tatars' flank, the Ming Dynasty's firearms opened fire...

"Bang bang—"

A muffled thud followed. Then came a series of earth-shattering shouts of battle.

But the three or four hundred Ming soldiers were calm and composed in the face of a powerful enemy, and they "threw" cannonballs at the Tatar cavalry in a way that they had never seen before.

Similar to a mortar, which launches stones, this cannon simply puts the shell into the barrel and fires it directly... It's very similar to the mortars of later times that have a firing pin that can ignite and fire directly, or to put it more simply, the grenade launcher that was commonly used by the invading Japanese army.

Originally, Wang Shouren's army had some mother-and-child cannons, also known as breech-loading cannons, which were already considered relatively light and portable. However, in terms of lightness and maneuverability, they were still insignificant compared to the mortars currently equipped by the Ming army.

Furthermore, mortars have a longer firing range, and although their accuracy is not superior, this wide-area coverage and killing capability is precisely what they are meant to have.

The more Tatar horses there are, the more concentrated they are during the charge, and the more effective this projectile weapon becomes.

"Boom boom boom..."

As mortar shells landed one after another, the shells made of yellow powder exploded one after another, and the area of ​​damage caused by the flying shrapnel was far greater than that caused by firing a stone or a lump of iron.

Because the shells are exploding shells, filled with metal fragments such as lead and iron, they can cover an area with a radius of more than ten meters at the moment of explosion, and even at a distance of twenty or thirty meters, they will cause some effective damage.

And this is precisely what the Tatar cavalry feared most.

While people may remain unaffected, horses are easily disturbed. Furthermore, during a concentrated charge, troops and horses become congested together, making it easy for the rear guard to be blocked by the front guard. Once chaos breaks out in a certain area, it can create a chain reaction, causing a large number of cavalry to be unable to achieve their intended strategic objectives without being hit.

As a result, Wang Shouren and his men no longer had the energy to charge forward.

Just watching the spectacle... was enough to make them forget the threat of death and forget why they were there.

The Tatars seemed to have anticipated the enemy's tactics, spreading out their large numbers of troops before launching a rapid charge. However, they were still blown to pieces by the cannonballs falling from the sky, leaving them completely disoriented.

It's not over yet...

After all, the Ming army was small, with only three or four hundred men, and the mortars could not provide all-round coverage. A large number of Tatar cavalrymen still rushed into the Ming army's short-range combat range.

However, even greater suffering was about to befall the Tatars.

The soldiers of the Ming army, who were practicing prone firing in the earthen pits, fired the bullets from the magazines of their standard-issue muskets by repeatedly pulling the triggers.

And it's that kind of...

Types that do not require reloading within seven shots.

In other words, this musket has advanced to the level of a modern rifle, capable of firing seven bullets in succession, with high stability and rarely jamming.

Even after launch, reloading is very convenient.

Moreover, each of these Ming soldiers was equipped with two firearms...

……

……

This was the first time Wang Shouren had witnessed what it meant to be caught in a hail of bullets.

It was also the first time he had seen what a mortar was and what battlefield firepower suppression was. At the same time, he deeply realized that the fighting mode between the Ming Dynasty and the Tatars had undergone a fundamental change.

This was no longer just about the outcome of a single battle, but through this great war, he keenly realized that times had changed, and it was no longer possible for the Tatars to possess military strength surpassing that of the Ming Dynasty.

Unless the Tatars can also produce firearms superior to those of the Ming Dynasty...

But as a scholar, he was well aware that resources on the grasslands were extremely scarce. As for the manufacture of firearms, the Tatars had neither steel nor qualified blacksmiths, so it was impossible for them to surpass the Ming Dynasty.

At this point, the situation was clear: the Tatars had lost their composure.

In terms of numbers and momentum, the Tatars had a clear advantage, but the progress of the battle... was truly astonishing.

Wang Shouren originally intended to lead his troops in a surprise attack to provide reinforcements.

But he realized that if he rushed in, he would likely only cause trouble for his allies.

The three or four hundred Ming soldiers on the other side did not organize any counterattack. They simply waited there for the Tatars to charge at their positions, and then they retaliated with firearms, defeating the Tatars soundly.

Whenever the Tatars' charge slowed down slightly, they would go to reload and perform other tasks, and then continue firing.

The series of movements were as smooth as flowing water, which showed that this was not the first time the Ming soldiers in front of them had done this, and that they were already well-trained.

As the three-pronged charge ended, the Tatars had no choice but to retreat, because they... could not withstand such devastating casualties... The scene was too gruesome, with limbs and severed bodies scattered everywhere and the pervasive stench of blood making the Tatars feel as if it were the end of the world.

"It seems the battle is over!"

Zhu Hui did not retreat, but led the remaining officers and soldiers to reinforce him, appearing behind Wang Shouren.

If Zhu Hui, a veteran of countless battles, still couldn't grasp the battlefield situation at this moment and didn't know which side had the advantage, he might as well not be in the game.

What do you mean by saying that three or four hundred people have no chance of winning against an enemy ten times their size?
That's completely untrue!
Or rather, the outcome of this battle seemed to be a foregone conclusion from the very beginning; it was the Tatars who were putting up a stubborn resistance.

Wang Shouren's expression remained calm as he shook his head and said, "Now you know why the Tatars chose to retreat rather than fight us when they discovered us?"

"oops!"

Zhu Hui sighed softly and said, "They're treating us like this elite force... Hey, where did these people come from? Are those firearms? Where can we find such powerful weapons? Why doesn't the imperial court equip us with them?"

Wang Shouren said, "We've never even seen these new firearms before, let alone the Tatars. That's why the battlefield was one-sided... These people on the ground didn't die unjustly!"

Zhu Hui said, "Do the Tatars even conceal information from their own people? Otherwise, knowing the power of firearms, why didn't they avoid them... Wait, is the battle already over?"

"Yes."

Looking around, Wang Shouren saw a large number of Tatar corpses and wounded soldiers left on the battlefield.

At this point, the Tatars had no time to clean up the battlefield, because the remaining people were more afraid of being attacked from both sides by the Ming forces.

That is to say...

Wang Shouren's forces at least gave the Tatars a certain deterrent, making them realize that the Ming army was not just a few seemingly scattered small groups of soldiers, but also had organized units of a thousand men, which were very likely the central army of the three or four hundred-man Ming army.

(End of this chapter)