The anti-Qing movement began with the looting of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

After the three county constables left and they had lunch, Mo Biao and Jiao Long gathered their four platoon leaders to discuss the bandit situation and devise tactics.

"This is our company's first battle, so everyone needs to be in top form. Over the next two days, you'll all be out there reassuring your soldiers. Don't embarrass me, or don't blame me for being ruthless."

"In this bandit suppression operation, the first, second, and third platoons will go into battle, while the fourth platoon will stay behind to guard the camp!" Mo Biao concluded.

"Company commander, why?" The fourth platoon leader stood up abruptly, shouting indignantly.

"There's no why! I just arranged it randomly." Mo Biao exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Instructor?" The fourth platoon leader looked at Jiao Long with a huff.

"Follow orders!" Jiao Long said expressionlessly.

"What are you yelling about! Someone has to stay behind, what's there to say? There are bandits everywhere, are you afraid you won't get a chance to fight? Next time I'll let you lead the charge, okay?" Mo Biao slammed his hand on the table and shouted.

The fourth platoon leader reluctantly sat down. The other three platoon leaders' winks and smirks made Jiao Long frown; "Don't be too happy yet. What if the battle doesn't go well, or someone violates military discipline? Heh heh!"

"Use me in the first battle, and victory is assured! Obey orders, maintain excellent conduct, and be able to win battles!" The three platoon leaders stood up and shouted in unison.

"Alright, alright! Get out of here!" Mo Biao waved his hand, shooing the four men out. He and Jiao Long exchanged a glance; the troops' eagerness for battle was a good thing.

On the morning of the third day, as soon as the city gates opened, five cavalrymen swept out like a gust of wind, frightening the people waiting to enter the city into fleeing in panic.

Immediately, a large group of yamen runners and city guards rushed out, driving the people entering the city to the side of the road and clearing the main road in the middle.

Two neat rows of uniformed new soldiers filed out of the gate, running. Interspersed among them were ten horse-drawn carriages.

In no time, the army disappeared from sight. Watching the receding dust, the people whispered among themselves, asking what had happened.

"Is this the new army sent by Lord Shen? Where are they going?" a young man asked in a low voice.

"Where else can we go? To fight bandits! I just wonder which bandit gang will be in trouble today. Hehe!" said a well-to-do old man standing nearby.

"Everyone says Lord Shen's new army are heavenly soldiers and generals, and they really are magnificent! They must be carrying all the new rifles! Wow, they're amazing!"

"Hey! My older brother went when Lord Shen was recruiting soldiers, but unfortunately he wasn't selected! Look how nice their new uniforms are! I heard they get meat every day and five taels of silver a month!" a young man said enviously.

Zhang Tieniu once again secured the opportunity to scout ahead, personally leading four soldiers on horseback at the forefront. They didn't originally have horses, but since this was a county town, borrowing a few was feasible.

Although they were all infantrymen, some of them could ride horses. Zhang Tieniu was one of them.

Strictly following military regulations, Zhang Tieniu sent a soldier back to report every two miles. Along the way, he intercepted all merchants and travelers he encountered, preventing them from proceeding.

Yang'ao Mountain is only twenty li from the county seat, and the entire army arrived at the foot of the mountain in less than an hour. This was even after Mo Biao and Jiao Long deliberately slowed down the march, according to their usual training requirements: a forced march of twenty li in an hour.

Following the path at the foot of the mountain, after walking another two or three miles, we came to a valley where two mountains met. Looking out from the valley, a mountain peak stood tall in the distance. That was Dutou Peak.

Zhang Bazi's stronghold was located in this valley, with the entrance about 10 to 20 meters wide. You could see stone walls on both sides, about 5 to 6 meters high, and two large wooden gates in the middle that were tightly closed.

The arrival of the new army had obviously been discovered by the enemy, and at this moment, some bandits had gathered on the stockade wall, looking in this direction.

"First platoon on guard, second platoon, third platoon set up camp!" Mo Biao stopped his horse about a mile from the valley entrance.

Mo Biao took out a monocular telescope, checked it, and then handed the telescope to Jiao Long.

"It is indeed a place that is easy to defend but difficult to attack, but it is also a dead end!" Mo Biao said disdainfully.

“Yes, Company Commander Mo, this is a gourd-shaped valley. There’s only one road in and out. But these bandits are fearless, especially their cavalry. Last time, I was defeated because their cavalry suddenly charged out and disrupted my formation,” Wang Kai said from the side.

A horse caravan? Mo Biao glanced at a horse-drawn carriage not far away, which was covered tightly with an oilcloth.

Lord Shen once said that with the advent of heavy machine guns, the effectiveness of cavalry is greatly diminished!

In just over an hour, to the astonishment of Wang Kai and the others, a simple campsite was set up!

A trench was dug around the camp, and the excavated mud was put into sacks and stacked to form a chest-high earthen wall.

After arranging the carriages and other supplies, Mo Biao took out his pocket watch and saw that it was not yet eleven o'clock.

"Instructor, why don't we test the waters first? Maybe we can even go in for lunch?" Mo Biao found it hard to take these bandits, who were still carrying broadswords and spears, very seriously.

"Operation Plan No. 3!" After discussing it with Jiao Long, Mo Biao issued the order.

The first platoon deployed first, advancing into the valley in skirmish formation. The second and third platoons followed in a triangular formation. The black tarpaulin on the wagon had been lifted, revealing the gleaming black Maxim heavy machine gun. Five members of the heavy machine gun team began pushing the wagon to follow.

On the high ground behind them, a gun emplacement had already been dug. A Type 57 mountain gun was being aimed at the valley and its firing arc was being adjusted.

Leading the way was still Zhang Tieniu's squad. They were in groups of four, each pushing a cart full of sandbags steadily toward the valley entrance.

Originally, there was no need for this kind of makeshift tank, but after hearing from Wang Kai that Zhang Bazi had two bronze cannons, which were equipment that had been captured from him, Jiao Long suggested using them as a precaution.

Seeing the soldiers advancing below, the bandits on the stockade wall began to shout and yell. Then came a loud "boom!" A small cannon on the stockade wall emitted a puff of white smoke, and a fist-sized shell was launched into the sky.

Zhang Tieniu, who was advancing, was startled and quickly lowered his head. He glanced at the soldiers on either side and, finding no casualties, continued his advance.

"Hahaha! They dare to play with cannons?" Mo Biao laughed loudly. Before he could finish laughing, an even louder cannon boomed from the stockade wall, followed by cries and screams.

"It exploded!" Jiao Long shook his head, realizing he had overestimated these bandits.

When we were about a hundred meters away from the stockade wall, a few arrows flew sparsely from above. Unfortunately, they fell to the ground from a great distance.

"Halt! Prepare to fire!" Zhang Tieniu roared, then stood up and lay prone on the sack. He took a deep breath and aimed his rifle at a bandit wielding a large knife on the stockade wall.