novelnext Chapter 73 Gun Barrel
Chapter 73 Gun Barrel
The next day, at 5:30 a.m., it was still dark.
Outside the south gate of Pyongyang, snow weighed down the gaps in the city wall, creating a grayish-white scene.
Torches outside the city began to light up one after another.
When the carapaces collided, the horse's nose sprayed white smoke.
The scabbards, gun barrels, bow cases, and powder boxes rustled softly in the wind and snow.
Pyongyang has just won.
The excitement of victory hasn't dissipated yet.
From the moment we crossed the river in Liaodong until now, everyone has been holding their breath.
No one wanted to let this anger slip away in Pyongyang.
On the drill ground outside the South Gate, Li Rusong's personal guards were already lined up in battle formation.
These people are not ordinary soldiers.
Most of them were elite light cavalry who followed the Li family and were used to fighting tough battles.
The horse is good, the armor is good, and the man is also very capable!
Before dawn, they had already tightened the girth of their horses and pulled their swords out of their sheaths several times to make sure they weren't frozen by the snowmelt.
Everyone checked the bowstring and wrapped the match cord with another layer of oilcloth.
The horse in the pond is waiting for orders.
The night rag dove changed horses at a distance.
Li Rusong stood on the high platform, clad in armor.
Han Shouyi and Zhou Hu were in the audience.
Several generals, including Cha Dashou, Gao Yanbo, and Li Rubai, stood to one side.
Shen Weijing sat on a low stool next to him, shivering despite being wrapped in thick clothes, but his eyes were very bright.
Mochin stood below the stage, leaning slightly forward.
It seems like he has something to say.
Behind him were Lin Jun, Liu Gao, Yan Qi, the instructor, and Monkey.
Han Shouyi glanced at him from afar and frowned.
His eyes were very clear.
Speak your mind quickly.
Don't hold it in.
Mochin took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Li Shuai".
Li Rusong looked down at him.
"explain."
Mo Qin clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"I humbly request that the General not pursue them further."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the generals nearby changed.
Mochin did not stop.
"The Japanese have truly retreated, but they may not be truly in chaos."
"Pyongyang has just been captured, and our morale is high. If the vanguard catches up too quickly, there will be gaps between the front and the rear."
"That crack is where they're waiting."
On the high platform, Li Rusong did not speak immediately.
A general said coldly:
"Mo Xiaoqi, do you dare to make a decision about the battle situation for Li Shuai?"
Mo Qin glanced at him but didn't reply.
He knew those words were unpleasant to hear.
A small flag, in this situation, if it is publicly stated that one should not pursue the matter too deeply, can easily be misheard as cowardice.
But this must be said.
Li Rusong said in a muffled voice:
"You want me to stop pursuing her?"
"No."
Mochin answered quickly.
"I want Li Shuai to stop chasing alone."
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Weijing suddenly chuckled.
The laughter wasn't loud, but it was just loud enough for the people around to hear.
"Li Shuai, what Brother Mo said was harsh, but his calculations were quite accurate."
Han Shouyi glanced at him.
Shen Weijing, being thick-skinned, pretended not to see it.
He was wrapped in thick clothes and had his legs crossed, yet he still spoke slowly and deliberately.
"As soon as Pyongyang fell, the Japanese retreated south, and three thousand light cavalry pursued them, seeking only speed."
"This speed is correct."
"But if someone specifically guards the speed of these three thousand people, then that speed is also likely to be short-lived."
He raised his hand and pointed to the audience below.
"Brother Mo is not blocking Li Shuai's way."
"He was afraid that if these three thousand people chased after them, there would be no one to pick them up."
"To put it bluntly, he wanted to protect Commander Li, and he also wanted to protect the 3,000-strong guard battalion."
Li Rusong glanced at Shen Weijing.
"You also think we should add more people?"
Shen Weijing said:
"I think we should add a backup plan."
That's a nicer way to put it than saying "Canadian people."
Adding people makes one look foolish.
Adding a second move is like having a sure thing.
Li Rusong's eyes flickered slightly, but he still did not give in.
"Pyongyang has just been captured. We need to leave people to defend the city, take care of the wounded, clear out the grain and fodder, and repair the firearms."
"The Japanese are retreating south, and the opportunity to fight will not wait."
"If we burden our military forces too much, we won't be able to catch up."
That's true.
Mochin knew very well.
It's certainly safer to bet everyone out.
But when there are many people, it slows down.
When the team gets too heavy, it gets delayed.
Pyongyang has just been captured, the city is still in chaos, the wounded have not been healed, the food and supplies have not been replenished, and the firearms still need to be repaired.
If Li Rusong wanted to seize the opportunity, he couldn't wait for the rear to slowly assemble before moving on.
Three thousand light cavalry gave chase first; they were indeed fast.
But it is indeed thin.
That's the difficulty.
Li Rusong continued:
"I, the commander, am not someone who has only just learned the meaning of ambush today."
As he said this, his tone became more serious.
"Mo Qin".
"exist."
"You've done well."
"But having merit does not mean one can make decisions for the three armies."
Mo Qin felt a tightness in his chest.
Han Shouyi's eyelids twitched as well.
Liu Gao instinctively wanted to speak, but Lin Jun silenced him with a look.
Li Rusong looked at Mo Qin.
"I will add Tangma."
"The code will be changed."
"This will prevent the striker from advancing alone."
"But the three thousand elite troops must still be moved first."
"If we miss this opportunity, even adding 30,000 more men won't help."
After he said that, the audience fell silent for a moment.
In terms of military campaigns, Mo Qin was indeed no better than Li Rusong than a student.
He knew there was a trap at Byeokjegwan.
Knowing there's a trap doesn't mean you can command the pursuit for Li Rusong.
Mochin could only clasp his hands in a fist salute.
"Yes."
He stepped down.
Liu Gao said in a low voice in a hurry:
"That's it?"
The monkey whispered:
"You don't necessarily want to rush up and suck up to Li Shuai, do you?"
Liu Gao glared at him.
"I did not mean that."
"So what do you mean?"
"What I mean is... Brother Qin explained it quite clearly just now."
The monkey sighed.
"Just because I've explained it clearly doesn't mean the commander-in-chief will listen."
Lin Jun looked at Mo Qin.
Mochin's expression didn't change, but his grip on the gun was very tight.
She whispered:
"You slept quite soundly last night, didn't you? I thought you'd come to terms with it. Why are you bringing this up now?"
Mo Qin said:
"How can we not be in a hurry?"
He kept his voice very low.
Only Lin Jun, Monkey, and the instructor could hear it.
"There's a trap at Byeokjegwan."
"The Japanese army must have laid an ambush."
"The fact that the main force of the Qingliu Society hasn't come out of Pyongyang means they are also waiting."
"If something happens to Li Rusong, nobody knows what will happen to this line of work."
Lin Jundao:
"There's no use in rushing."
Mochin looked at her.
Lin Jun looked towards the high platform.
"You were just trying to persuade Li Rusong to change the military order."
"He won't listen."
"You're not wrong."
"He can't let a single flag decision hold back the entire pursuit."
Mo Qin remained silent.
Lin Jun continued:
"If you tell him he can't pursue her, he'll be even less likely to listen."
"You said that three thousand light cavalry shouldn't be pursued alone, and he only half-listened to that."
That's enough.
"This isn't enough!"
"There's enough room to open a channel, and there's still room for maneuver!"
Mochin looked at her.
Lin Jundao:
"Double the price of Tangma."
"Change password."
"A striker should not go in alone."
"These are all military orders he issued."
"We do not vie for orders."
"Competing for the shortest lyric."
"If he's unwilling to increase the weight for the forwards now, then we'll find a way to get others to follow up and provide support."
The monkey chimed in from the side:
"To put it another way, don't confront the head-on with the leader; try a different approach."
The instructor said:
"It's rare to see you speak so logically and coherently."
The monkey smiled.
Lin Jun ignored them.
She just looked at Mo Qin and said hurriedly.
"Li Rusong's three thousand light cavalry are the spearhead."
"The tip of the spear must be fast, of course."
"But the tip of the spear must not be empty."
Mochin's eyes flickered.
Correct.
Li Rusong left a gap.
He couldn't let Li Rusong cancel the pursuit.
But he can get even more people to follow!
Just follow behind!
This will not slow down the three thousand light cavalry.
This also ensures that timely support can be provided in case of danger!
Mo Qin turned to look at Zhou Hu.
Zhou Hu seemed to have anticipated that he would look over, and stopped in his tracks.
The two looked at each other across the wind and snow.
Zhou Hu spoke:
"What's up, kid?"
Mochin walked over.
"I need your help."
Zhou Hu said:
"You said you had something to do, so it doesn't sound like a small favor."
Mo Qin said:
"This is indeed quite significant."
Zhou Hu looked at him.
Mochin lowered his voice:
"General Li wants three thousand light cavalry to move first, and I can't stop him."
"We shouldn't have stopped them."
"But there must be someone to provide backup for these three thousand people."
Zhou Hu didn't speak, but gestured for him to continue.
Mo Qin said:
"I don't want you to disobey orders."
"We just need to implement the military orders that Commander Li just mentioned."
"Double the price of Tangma."
"Change password."
"A striker should not go in alone."
"The rear guard must be able to catch up."
Zhou Hu looked at Mo Qin and smiled meaningfully.
"You little rascal, you're starting to learn how to beat around the bush."
Mo Qin said:
"Lin Jun taught me."
Zhou Hu glanced at Lin Jun.
Lin Jun turned her face to one side.
"I only taught him not to be stupid."
Zhou Hu said:
"Disaster."
The monkey was trying not to laugh.
Mo Qin pretended not to hear.
He looked at Zhou Hu.
"Brother Zhou, do you believe me?"
Zhou Hu remained silent for a moment.
"At the cliff's edge, you found Shen Weijing."
"In Pyongyang, you were the first to arrive alone."
"You brought the person back from the old post station."
After he finished speaking, he glanced at the white wax spear on Mochin's shoulder.
"I believe you, not for the sake of showing off."
Mo Qin felt a sense of relief.
There is a play.
Zhou Hu then said:
"But trusting you doesn't mean I can give you my person."
"I know."
"No, you may not know."
Zhou Hu lowered his voice.
"Those people aren't made of wood."
"That's all fate."
"They have superiors, military orders, and places to go."
"They can't go with you just because you say so."
Mochin nodded.
"That's why I'm not bringing them."
Zhou Hu's eyes flickered slightly.
Mo Qin said:
"I just want them to follow from a distance."
"It wasn't thanks to him taking the lead."
"It's not about catching up with Li Shuai."
"They're there to provide support from behind."
"Li Shuai's three thousand men are the spearhead."
"The tip of the spear must not be dull, nor can it be slow."
"But there must be a shaft behind the spearhead."
Zhou Hu did not interrupt him and fell into deep thought.
The wind and snow blew between the two of them.
After a moment, Zhou Hu turned around.
"Come with me."
Mochin followed.
Lin Jun and the others followed.
Zhou Hu led them to a fire shed outside the South Gate.
There were several battalion commanders, sentry officers, and a few veteran soldiers from the vanguard gathered there, arguing over the way using a rough map.
The map is rough.
Only the south gate, the post road, a few tree lines, mountain passes, and possible rendezvous points were drawn.
Zhou Hu walked over and spoke directly.
"Commander Li's order is that the vanguard must not advance alone."
Several officers looked up.
Zhou Hu pointed to the map.
"Press down on both flanks, who will go?"
A tall, thin officer frowned.
"Zhou Hu, what do you mean?"
"Literal meaning."
"Li Shuai only said that the forwards should not advance alone, he did not say that we should spread out in advance."
Zhou Hu looked at him.
"Wait until the striker scores a real goal before you want to disband?"
That guy choked for a moment.
Zhou Hu didn't waste any more words.
"The left wing forest line, two thousand men are not enough to give you."
"Six hundred."
"Take six hundred and stay close to the treeline."
"Don't be greedy for credit."
"Don't chase stragglers."
"Only look at three things."
"Firelight, pond horse, side flag."
Another short, stocky officer asked:
"What if the flanking flags become disordered?"
Zhou Hu said:
"Move towards the mid-waist."
"Who gave the order?"
"Li Shuai just said that forwards should not go in alone."
Zhou Hu lowered his voice.
"With the flanks in disarray, the midfielders weak, the forwards are left isolated."
Upon hearing this, the officers fell silent.
This doesn't count as changing Li Rusong's military orders; it just makes the operation more complex.
This is a practical way to put Li Rusong's saying, "The vanguard should not advance alone."
Zhou Hu then selected a few more seats.
"Right wing mountain road, five hundred."
"Provide backup and move out in batches first. Don't rush to take the lead; just go along the outer edge of the post road."
"Firearms and barricades, don't follow the forwards. Block their retreat."
"Two people per group is not enough for Tangma."
"Four people in one chain".
"A messenger."
"A return."
"A shadow."
"One who observes people."
An old soldier frowned:
"Where are there so many people in Tangma?"
Zhou Hu looked at Mo Qin.
Mo Qin immediately said:
"We'll fix it."
The old soldier was taken aback.
Mochin changed the language to one that the Ming soldiers could understand.
"He was recruited at the same time as me in Guangning. That batch of new recruits were full of fighting spirit, fast, and had a keen eye for detail."
"Tell them not to go and grab the heads."
"Just go and protect the pond horses, protect the two flanks, and keep an eye on the false orders."
The old soldier looked doubtful.
"Who listens to you?"
Mo Qin said:
"Can."
The coach said in a deep voice from the side:
"All you need to do is give me a clear military order."
"Let's go and recruit people."
Zhou Hu looked at Mo Qin.
Mo Qin quickly walked to a secluded corner where no one was around and turned on the channel.
In the eyes of Zhou Hu and his Ming soldiers, Mo Qin's departure was merely to greet his group of new recruits who had come with him.
But on the channel, the Ming army camp was already in complete chaos.
After Pyongyang, the players' morale is high.
Someone asked for Konishi Bank's coordinates.
Some people are speculating whether Byeokjegwan will open hidden quests.
Some people have already started shouting that they want to be at the forefront and grab the first wave of profits.
Mo Qin sent the first message.
[Central Nine-Headed Bird: If you want to fight your way to the capital alive, come to the South Gate.]
The channel paused for a moment.
Soon, some people started to mock them.
[Anonymous: Has the leaderboard started to call in reinforcements?]
[Anonymous: Is Nine-Headed Bird about to start a group buy?]
[Anonymous: Do you have military orders?]
Mochin ignored him.
Send the second sentence.
[Central Taiwan Nine-Headed Bird: There's a pitfall at Byeokjegwan.]
[Central Nine-Headed Bird: The Japanese army definitely had an ambush.]
[Central Nine-Headed Bird: The main force of the Qingliu Society hasn't shown itself in Pyongyang; Li Rusong is in great danger.]
This time, the channel was silent for a moment.
Mochin continued sending messages.
[Central China Nine-Headed Bird: If something happens to Li Rusong, the whole world will descend into chaos.]
[Central Nine-Headed Bird: Their numbers are already small; regardless of whether they're from the China Alliance or not, they could all die.]
These few words are more effective than any reward.
Because everyone knows that Mochin wasn't bluffing.
The fact that Pyongyang could be captured was largely due to Li Rusong, who was the heart and soul of the troops on this front.
No one dared to gamble on what would happen if Li Rusong died at Byeokjegwan.
The instructor sent a message.
[Coach: Those who obey orders, come here; those who steal kills, get lost.]
The monkey followed.
[Monkey: Even those who are afraid of death can come; being afraid of death means your brain isn't completely damaged.]
A night raid on the widow's village has emerged.
[Night Raid on Widow's Village: Are the Pond Guard Horses Profitable?]
The monkey returned immediately.
[Monkey: You gain something if you survive. You lose everything if you die.]
Old Qin finally spoke.
He was in charge of the Liaodong line of the Huaxia Alliance.
In the Ming army camp, he was just an ordinary soldier on the surface, but he was very prestigious within the Huaxia Alliance.
As soon as his message came out, the channel became much quieter.
[Old Qin: The Liaodong line of the Huaxia Alliance, those who can move, come to the South Gate.]
[Old Qin: It's not an order, it's a suggestion.]
[Old Qin: The historical inertia surrounding Byeokjegwan is undeniable. The Japanese must have laid an ambush.]
[Old Qin: The Qingliu Society didn't make a move in Pyongyang earlier, which means they were waiting for something else.]
[Old Qin: If Li Rusong is in trouble, the Ming army will completely collapse!]
[Old Qin: At that time, regardless of whether you're a member of the Huaxia Alliance or not, you'll all have a hard time surviving.]
That's a very direct statement.
It's heavy enough.
In the channel, their attitude finally changed.
[Anonymous: Meet at the South Gate?]
[Anonymous: Both the top-ranked player and Lao Qin said so, go check it out.]
[Anonymous: I speak Japanese and can use it to find spies.]
[Nine-Headed Bird of Central Taiwan: Come to the South Gate.]
[Anonymous: I speak a little Korean.]
[Old Qin: Come on. Go register with Jin Yunzhi.]
[Anonymous: I run fast.]
[Monkey: The fastest horse guarding the pond. If you go the wrong way, I'll whip you.]
[Anonymous: I want to be a forward.]
Coach: Get out.
A moment later, Mochin turned off the channel.
He quickly returned to Zhou Hu's side.
Zhou Hu slapped him hard.
"What are you still standing there for?"
"Get things done quickly."
Mochin nodded.
"You go ahead and get busy, we'll be ready right away."
The monkey laughed from the side:
"It's quite attractive. The top fan said that everyone who can come should come and smell its fragrance."
Mochin glanced at him.
The monkey raises its hand.
"I'll keep my voice down."
Zhou Hu didn't understand what it meant to be number one on the list.
He knew these people had their own secret messages.
He didn't bother to care.
As long as these new recruits can obey military orders, protect the horses, and avoid reckless charges, they will be useful.
Han Shouyi's voice suddenly came from behind.
"You guys have some impressive skills."
Everyone turned around.
Han Shouyi walked over at some point, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.
Mo Qin's heart skipped a beat.
Han Shouyi looked at him.
Mo Qin kept his expression steady.
"I am carrying out Commander Li's orders."
Han Shouyi sneered.
"You've been quite lenient in your enforcement."
Mochin remained silent.
Han Shouyi walked to the map, glanced at the lines drawn by Zhou Hu, and then glanced at Mo Qin.
"Shall we set off now?"
Mochin's eyes flickered.
Han Shouyi said:
"Stop playing dumb, speak up."
Mo Qin paused for a moment, then said:
"Li Shuai's three thousand light cavalry are the spearhead."
"Those of us who set off later were gunners."
"The spearhead belongs to Marshal Li."
"The guns belong to their respective battalions, generals, and military commands."
"I'm doing this not to lead them."
"I just wanted to prevent this spear from breaking."
Han Shouyi cursed.
The voice was very low.
He raised his hand and pointed to the map.
"There are no firearms or barricades, not even a thousand."
"Only eight hundred."
Mo Qin was taken aback.
Han Shouyi continued:
"The order to protect Tangma has been given, but not a thousand have been found."
"Only six hundred."
"Add more night shift workers, those who can stay and move around, and North Korean guides—gather a batch."
"One branch will emerge from each of the left and right wings."
"We also need someone to provide backup."
"Find the rest yourself."
Mochin looked at him.
Han Shouyi said coldly:
"What are you looking at?"
"You think I'll listen to you?"
"I'm afraid that even if Li Shuai wins the battle, you bunch of idiots will mess things up and turn it into chaos."
Mo Qin clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Thank you, Commander Han."
"Come on."
Han Shouyi looked at Zhou Hu.
"You're supporting the left wing?"
Zhou Hu nodded.
"I'm supporting the left wing."
"Who's on the right wing?"
Zhou Hu said:
"Cha Da Shou's side can send people."
Han Shouyi frowned.
"Cha Dashou might not listen to you."
Zhou Hu said:
"I'll go and tell him. I'll also report to Deputy Commander Yang."
Han Shouyi looked at Mo Qin.
"And you?"
Mo Qin said:
"I'm going to find Shen Weijing."
Han Shouyi's brow twitched.
"You need to borrow someone else?"
"It's not about borrowing people."
Mo Qin said:
"Use his mouth."
Han Shouyi stared at him for a while.
"Go quickly."
"Don't let me regret not tying you up."
Mo Qin nodded and turned to leave.
Shen Weijing's mouth was very busy at the moment.
He had his legs propped up, and a small table was placed beside him.
On the small table were paper, charcoal pencils, a bowl of medicine that was almost cold, and half a bitten piece of biscuit.
When Mochin came in, he was writing something with his head down.
Hearing footsteps, Shen Weijing looked up.
"Yo."
"Head of the Banner, what brings you here?"
Mo Qin said:
"Borrow a mouth."
Shen Weijing narrowed his eyes.
"Borrow my mouth?"
"Who are you going to insult?"
Mochin pushed the map in front of him.
"North Korean officials."
Shen Weijing glanced at him and smiled.
"Then you've come to the right person."