novelnext Chapter 53 Conquest of Pyongyang
Chapter 53 Conquest of Pyongyang
After Peony Peak was taken down, there was no further disturbance on the mountain.
Throughout the mountains, only the cries of wounded soldiers could be heard.
Some people dragged the corpse, some collected the rattan shields, and some pushed the rolling logs aside.
The snow had been trampled and blood was flowing down the cracks in the rocks, but it was quickly frozen by the cold wind.
The Ming army's small flags were planted on the mountaintop, but the area beneath them was not completely clean.
Several Japanese soldiers, hiding behind earthen ramparts, were dragged out by the Southern soldiers and killed one by one with a single blow.
Some tried to play dead, but the old soldier poked them twice with the barrel of his gun, and they immediately made a sound.
Mo Qin stood on the mountainside, watching the busy activity on and off the mountain.
Taking control of the mountain is the first step.
Next, we need to clear the earthen mounds, check the artillery positions, move the wounded soldiers, block the paths, and set up flags.
They also wanted to turn this mountain into the eyes of the Ming army when they attacked the city.
Liu Gao sat on a rock, carefully examining the shield.
The shield, which was relatively intact last night, now has several new wounds after half a day.
The fine cracks in the lion's eye sockets are still there, and a piece of the shield has been scraped off by the iron hooks on the logs, revealing a dark iron layer.
Liu Gao reached out and touched it, his fingers getting cut by the edge.
He took a breath.
"It's alright."
Mo Qin glanced at him.
"Your hands are all cut, and you're still okay?"
"The shield didn't break, and the person didn't die, so it's alright."
Liu Gao casually wiped his fingers on his clothes, then picked up the shield and shook it twice.
Not far away, the Southern soldier who had spoken to him about rattan shields earlier walked over.
"Your shield is really tough."
Liu Gao immediately looked up.
The southern soldier then said:
"But no matter how strong you are, don't always rely on your shoulder to brace yourself. The shield is hard, but human bones aren't that hard."
Liu Gao was somewhat unconvinced.
"I've already exhausted myself."
"I saw it before. You dismounted the first time, but you resisted the second time."
The southern soldier tapped the edge of his rattan shield with his knuckles.
"Don't just look at the shield."
Watch your feet.
He left after saying that.
A short while later, Yan Qi returned from the direction of the side mountain.
Mochin asked:
"How is the situation?"
Yan Qi said, "There are quite a few Japanese. Some people have passed by, but their footprints have been swept clean."
Mo Qin nodded.
We cannot act rashly now; troops are still being mobilized down the mountain.
Pyongyang is just ahead.
The prince is troublesome, but that trouble isn't urgent right now.
Lin Jun also returned from the gun emplacement.
Walking up to Mo Qin, she whispered:
"Commander Han has already ordered his men to hold the artillery position. The engineers are still digging; there's something under the snow."
Mo Qin hummed in agreement.
Just then, a low shout came from the mountaintop.
"Get out of the way."
Mochin turned his head to look.
It's Zhao who's here.
He leaned on a short stick, his legs still not very nimble, and two old soldiers followed behind him.
One carried a medicine bag, and the other carried strips of cloth and a wooden board on his back.
Zhao Tou came to treat the wounded soldiers.
A soldier from the south had his arm pierced by a lead bullet, and the bleeding wouldn't stop.
Zhao squatted down, glanced at the wound, and pressed it directly with a cloth.
The wounded soldier's face turned pale with pain, and Zhao Tou cursed:
"Shut up."
"My hand is still there."
He had the old soldier cut open his sleeve with a knife and then used a wooden board to fix his injured arm.
There was also a rattan shield bearer next to him, with an arrow wound in his leg, the shaft still intact.
After Zhao Tou finished reading, he ordered someone to hold him down and pull the plug directly.
The man groaned, his veins bulging in pain.
Zhao Tou threw the arrow aside.
"It's not broken."
"Luckily survived."
After he finished speaking, he looked up and saw Mochin.
Mochin originally wanted to go over and talk to him.
Zhao Tou started cursing as soon as he opened his mouth:
"What are you standing there for?"
"Do you think you played well just now?"
Mochin stopped.
"no."
"If you don't have one, then get out and listen to my orders."
Zhao tied the cloth strip tightly, without even raising his head.
"The war is not over yet."
Mochin nodded.
"Know."
Zhao Tou glanced again at the white wax spear in his hand.
"If your gun isn't broken and your hand isn't broken, then stop loitering around here."
Mo Qin smiled.
"Master, won't you say a few words of praise?"
Zhao Tou sneered.
"I'll consider it after you've captured Pyongyang alive."
Mochin didn't delay any longer and turned to walk towards the mountaintop.
Wu Weizhong was still on the mountaintop.
His chest was wrapped in cloth, but blood was still seeping out.
His personal guards urged him to come down the mountain.
He ignored him.
Wu Weizhong stood beside an earthen mound, watching the Southern soldiers clear out the remaining enemy troops behind the slope.
Someone handed him water, but he only took a sip and then returned the water bag.
Han Shouyi was speaking to him in a low voice.
Seeing Mo Qin approaching, Han Shouyi waved.
"come over."
Mo Qin stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.
"Wu Guerrilla".
Wu Weizhong glanced at him.
"Was that flanking gun on the hillside destroyed by you?"
Mo Qin said:
"Yes, Lin Jun noticed the problem with the cannon first, Yan Qi lowered the torch, Liu Gao held up the shield, and I only killed a few people."
Han Shouyi raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
"You're actually speaking human language today."
Wu Weizhong nodded.
"He can kill, and he can also remember what others have done."
"good."
Mo Qin was slightly taken aback.
Wu Weizhong added:
"It took more than one or two people to take down the mountain."
"But if that cannon fires, many more people will die on this mountain today."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Mochin.
"You did a good job."
These words may seem casual, but coming from the mouth of a guerrilla general, they carry considerable weight.
Upon hearing this, Liu Gao almost couldn't suppress the urge to smile.
Yan Qi stood behind, still expressionless.
Mo Qin clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Xie Wu Guerrilla".
Wu Weizhong didn't say anything more polite.
He raised his hand and pointed towards Pyongyang.
"The Japanese army has lost its composure. Chaos has broken out on the north side of the city wall."
Mo Qin followed the gaze.
From Moranbong Hill, Pyongyang is visible much more clearly than from below.
Torches are being moved behind the city wall.
The previously densely packed bright spots have now dispersed.
In the area north of the city, Japanese troops are clearly being redeployed.
Some retreated from behind the city wall, while others moved towards the gate.
Others pushed out the wooden frames that were originally covering them, as if to block cannon fire.
Konishi Yukinaga was well aware of what losing Bodanbong meant.
Wu Weizhong said:
"You're from the front camp, so listen to Commander Han from now on."
"Don't rush."
"Especially you."
His last sentence was spoken while looking at Mochin.
Mo Qin said:
"Rest assured, my lord, I have a plan."
Han Shouyi snorted coldly.
"Your words make me uneasy."
Upon hearing this, Wu Weizhong actually smiled.
"Being able to stay calm is a skill in itself."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Han Shouyi.
"The gunners need to go up the mountain."
"The standard-bearers and the watchmen should also go up to higher places."
"If the mountain is not cleared, the Japanese will surely counterattack, not necessarily to seize the mountain, but perhaps to kill people."
Han Shouyi nodded.
"Understood. Guard this position!"
Wu Weizhong then looked at Mo Qin's team.
"You just dismantled the side guns and surveyed the terrain."
"This job is perfect for me."
Mo Qin clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"At your command!"
Wu Weizhong nodded, then coughed once.
His personal guards quickly helped him up.
This time, he didn't push it away.
But he didn't go down the mountain; he just sat on a rock and continued to watch the Nanbingqing Line.
Down the mountain, the central military flag began to move.
Soon, the messenger went up the mountain.
"Move the artillery forward."
"Raise a flag on the mountain."
"The city is not guarded at night."
"The vanguard is responsible for protecting the flag, the artillery, and the observation posts."
"Cha Dashou's cavalry still pressed back."
"All battalions, listen to the signal and do not pursue without authorization."
After listening, Han Shouyi turned to look at Mo Qin.
"Did you all hear that?"
"I heard you."
"This time, I'm not sending you to charge into battle."
Han Shouyi said, "Gunner, standard bearer, night watchman, you must hold your ground on the mountain. You few follow me and keep a close watch on the ridge."
Liu Gao asked:
"If we see Japanese soldiers, should we pursue them or not?"
Han Shouyi glared at him.
"Are you here to fight a war, or to catch a thief?"
Liu Gao shrank his neck.
Mo Qin answered for him:
"There are priorities; protect the flag and the cannon first."
Han Shouyi glanced at him.
"It's rare to see someone so sharp today."
Lin Jun, who had been silent for a long time, interjected:
"If the enemy moves again, they won't take the mountain. They'll only be after the cannons and the flag."
Han Shouyi knew she was intelligent, so he pressed her for an answer:
"How so?"
Lin Jun looked towards the back of the mountain.
"They have southern troops on the front, Wu guerrillas, and support from the central army down the mountain. They can't take it back now."
"But the gunners and standard-bearers must come up, and the night scouts must watch the city."
"If even a few of these people die, the mountain will still be ours, but the eyes on the mountain will be blinded."
Han Shouyi nodded.
"continue."
Lin Jundao:
"When they arrive, they may pretend to set off firecrackers, but in reality, they're there to kill the flag bearers and observers."
Han Shouyi glanced at her.
"Sure?"
Lin Jundao:
"Sure."
Mochin then said:
"I'm sure too."
Han Shouyi didn't ask any more questions.
"Then let's use this method for prevention."
Soon, the artillery pieces began to be pushed up the mountain.
Those capable of running uphill are naturally not the kind of heavy cannons weighing two or three thousand kilograms.
Instead, it was a 36-pound tiger-squatting cannon and several breech-loading cannons that were suitable for being moved forward.
The snow slope was difficult to walk on.
The soldiers used ropes to secure the cannon wheels, pulling from the front and pushing from the back.
Someone slipped and slammed their shoulder into the gun mount, gritting their teeth in pain, but no one let go.
The gunner protected the medicine pack as he walked upstairs.
The flag bearer was positioned on the north side of the mountaintop.
The night scout and several veteran soldiers with city defense observation skills also came up.
Yan Qi's eyes flickered when he saw one of them.
It was Feng the Scout.
Feng the Scout glanced at him but did not greet him.
Then, he touched the mountainside with his chin.
Yan Qi understood.
He carried his bow and began walking towards the back of the mountain.
Liu Gao was then directly pushed next to the flag bearer by Han Shouyi.
"you."
"Stand here with your shields up."
Liu Gao glanced at the flag bearer.
The flag bearer was young, with red marks on his face from the cold, and he was holding a small flag in his hands.
Liu Gao asked:
"I'll protect him?"
Han Shouyi said:
"After he died, the orders on the mountain fell into disarray."
Upon hearing this, Liu Gao immediately raised his shield.
"clear."
Lin Jun stood on the other side of the flag bearer, his gaze constantly shifting between the hillside and the artillery vehicle.
Mo Qin walked to the diagonal front of Liu Gao, his white wax spear lowered.
This is the stance that Zhou Hu taught him.
Sometimes, it's more useful to stand on the route the enemy is most likely to take.
And now, Zhou Hu has also come up.
He stood near the messenger and glanced at Mochin.
"You did a good job just now."
Mo Qin said:
"Does Mr. Zhou also praise people?"
Zhou Hu was speechless for a moment, then said:
"You have a move that doesn't seem to have been taught by Zhao Tou."
Mo Qin was startled and subconsciously squeezed the gun barrel.
Zhou Hu also saw which flying spear was fired.
But he didn't ask any further questions.
Zhou Hu continued:
"On the battlefield, being able to make good use of resources is a good thing."
"But don't let your gun out of your hand! Don't gamble with your life."
Mo Qin said in a serious tone.
"I've got it."
Zhou Hu nodded, then turned and went elsewhere.
As for the other side of the mountain, the cold wind whipped up snow, which lashed against Yan Qi's shoulders.
He arrived at the other side faster than several night watchmen.
Looking at the snow-covered ground in front of me, something's not right!
He quickly half-squatted.
He brushed away the thin layer of snow, his fingertips touching the firm snow surface, and his brows furrowed slightly.
The indentations below are clear, indicating it was not done by a single person.
The depth of the indentation varied by nearly an inch, the width of the shoes differed by more than 1.6 inches, and the stride was irregular, ranging from 1.8 to 2.5 feet, clearly indicating that several people were traveling together in haste.
Although the footprints had been swept away, in their haste, fine snowflakes remained at the edges.
If you sweep calmly, you will smooth out the snow particles; if you are impatient, you will sweep haphazardly, leaving rough edges on the snow tracks.
Looking along the marks, one can see a narrow, sloping road on the mountainside. The branches of dead trees along the roadside have been cut, and the bark has fresh marks in a neat arc shape, which are traces of thick hemp rope.
When climbing steep sections, ropes are needed for leverage, and these marks are left when the ropes are taut.
My gaze moved upwards, and behind the dark rock, the snow covered the end of the rope, revealing only a few inches of hemp fibers.
Yan Qi took a half step back and scanned his surroundings to see if there were any hidden traces or mechanisms.
Only after determining the surroundings did he concentrate on the piece of hemp fiber.
Then he drew an arrow from the quiver.
The bowstring twanged.
The arrow grazed the corner of the stone and embedded itself in the hemp rope.
The target was too small; the first arrow hit only half of it.
The rope only swayed slightly.
But immediately, a figure began to move behind the hidden rock.
Then the second arrow was shot.
The arrow sliced through the hemp fibers that had already been broken by the first arrow.
The rope snapped!!!
Several muffled thuds came from behind the mountain.
Someone rolled down the snow slope from behind, leaving a trail of loose stones.
Someone even cursed, "Baka yarou!"
Yan Qi ignored it and quickly nocked the third arrow.
A knot shot in another direction.
The arrow had barely been released when someone shouted from behind the mountain:
"Archer!"
Arrows rained down from the side and above.
Yan Qi took a step forward and bent down to shrink into the low rock in front of him.
It can only cover half of your body, but that's enough!
The enemy's first volley of arrows all landed behind him.
Yan Qi's fourth arrow was fired.
A Japanese soldier who was peering out was shot through the cheek and fell back into the shadows.
The chat window popped up.
[Anonymous: There's someone on the hillside.]
[Anonymous: We've been discovered!]
[Anonymous: It's that sharpshooter!]
Yan Qi changed positions and shot again.
At this moment, several night scouts arrived.
Just as the leader was about to ask a question, Yan Qi looked in the direction of the flag bearer on the mountaintop and quickly said.
"They want to go around it."
"Kill the flag bearer directly to demoralize our troops."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a group of people rushed out from below the mountain.