novelnext Chapter 111 The General's Determination
Chapter 111 The General's Determination
"Lord Yao, there is an old saying in the Celestial Empire: 'Those who understand the times are heroes.' Your stubborn resistance is truly unwise."
Mr. Guo saw him shake his head and said with a slight smile.
He also hoped to sway Yao Huaixiang with words, so that they could take Dinghai without bloodshed, since their forces were far inferior to those of the Celestial Empire on this expedition.
He still valued the lives of British soldiers.
Unfortunately, Yao Huaixiang was clearly not one to fear death, and firmly stated, "Mr. Guo, there's an old saying in China: 'To sacrifice one's life for righteousness!'"
Mr. Guo was taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled sarcastically and remained silent.
He originally wanted to reply with "like a mantis trying to stop a chariot," but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that the ignorant and uncivilized people of China were just as foolish as the natives of the Americas.
The best way to deal with ignorance is to let them taste the power of cannons!
"Well, since Lord Yao is not willing to surrender, we will attack Dinghai City at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon!"
Bermay seemed a little impatient, and his English voice noticeably rose several decibels.
Even Mr. Guo was slightly surprised, then translated, "Alright, since Lord Yao is unwilling to surrender, then we will attack Dinghai City at 2 PM tomorrow!"
As the words fell, this less-than-harmonious meeting came to an end. The soldiers on the warship knew that victory was beckoning them, while the generals of the Celestial Empire would face the threat of death.
"Of course, if you suddenly change your mind and want to surrender before this timeframe, you can send someone at any time, and we will immediately end the war!"
Mr. Guo added a final sentence for Bo Mai, which was also a way to save face for Yao Huaixiang and Dinghai City, and it was also for the sake of the soldiers.
"No, there's no need," Yao Huaixiang knew that Mr. Guo was trying to save face, but as the local official, he absolutely could not accept it.
"Oh, Lord Yao, aren't you afraid of our cannons? As far as I know, your cannons can only shoot three meters, but ours can shoot nine meters."
Mr. Guo suddenly couldn't help but wonder why Yao Huaixiang insisted on defending the city. Wasn't this just courting death?
What he didn't know was that these words completely shattered the will to resist of the generals behind Yao Huaixiang, because the British knew so much about them, while they knew nothing about the British.
Upon hearing Mr. Guo's words, Yao Huaixiang turned back to look at the dilapidated corner of the city, a sense of sorrow gradually welling up in his eyes. He took a deep breath and replied, "You are inflicting war on the people, not on us who have never harmed you. We have seen your strength and know that resistance will be madness, but we must do our duty, even if it will lead to a disastrous defeat."
"Farewell," Yao Huaixiang said, bowing to Bo Mai and Mr. Guo before striding off from the warship.
The British soldiers did not stop them and allowed them to leave the ship's deck, but they mocked and ridiculed them.
They fought countless battles for Great Britain and were always victorious. For the people of the Chinese Empire to resist to the end is truly foolish and ignorant.
"Mr. Guo, what do you think of this war?" Bo Mai and Mr. Guo asked suddenly as they watched Yao Huaixiang and the others leave the deck step by step.
Mr. Guo didn't say much, just uttered a simple English word: "victory."
Over the years, he has also collected a lot of intelligence in the Celestial Empire. The fact that the Holy Dragon Empire is divided into three parts makes it impossible for them to gather the strength to deal with them.
Furthermore, the royal family was merely a figurehead; the three families truly controlled the entire Imperial Province, yet they fought tooth and nail for hegemony over the province.
They completely ignored the Holy Dragon Empire near their border, and instead increased the Holy Dragon Empire's exploitation, resulting in the royal treasury suffering losses year after year, bureaucracy becoming corrupt, and lower-level generals and troops not only lacking combat effectiveness but also unable to pay their basic military salaries.
What's the point of fighting a war like this?
Of course, these three factors are the main factors, but not the fundamental factors. After all, the stronger the fortress, the easier it is to be breached from within.
In this predicament, there's no need for spiritual battles; the Holy Dragon Empire can be brought to collapse simply through weaponry and force.
Therefore, the people of China will soon see a completely new world and even accept a completely new order.
……
Dinghai County Government Office.
Upon returning to the county hall, Yao Huaixiang immediately ordered the recruitment of local militia and informed all residents of Dinghai City of the invasion by the British, urging them to volunteer to defend the safety of Dinghai.
In his view, the 2600-plus garrison troops in Dinghai City were far from being a match for the British, and moreover, the fighting strength of those garrison troops was mostly extremely weak.
Therefore, recruiting new soldiers is very important, and the more the better, but he clearly forgot one problem.
That is, the British army adopted a new combat mode, while his thinking was still stuck in the large-scale group battles of the cold weapon era.
Of course, this is also due to his own limitations. After all, he is not like Jiang Yueming, a time traveler, who knows the combat modes of modern warfare.
Moreover, Jiang Yueming himself had served in the military and was an experienced officer.
"Lord Yao, would you be willing to lead the charge with my 2000-strong naval force tomorrow?" General Zhang Chaofa stepped forward from the hall, clasped his hands in a solemn gesture, and asked.
His willingness to lead the charge was not only due to his duty as a general, but also for the greater good of his family and community.
The Celestial Empire has always commanded the submission of all foreign tribes and extended its power throughout the land.
Now that these tiny British barbarians dared to utter such absurd words as demanding that they abandon the city and surrender, he was truly enraged and hated.
Since ancient times, the Celestial Empire has never subjugated or submitted to foreign barbarians. He cannot set such a precedent, much less become a sinner!
At that moment, Zhang Chaofa's sense of patriotism overcame his previous fears.
People may die, but the city must never surrender!
Faced with Zhang Chaofa's high fighting spirit, Yao Huaixiang felt a little more at ease. After all, the matter of leading troops into battle still had to rely on the general. Otherwise, how could a civil official like him go to the battlefield to command the battle?
However, this reassurance only lasted for a moment, because he knew the power of those warships much better than Zhang Chaofa.
If the British could blow up the city walls with a single cannon shot, then wouldn't just two cannon shots be enough to raze Dinghai City to the ground?
He didn't know either, but he remained determined to resist; surrender was out of the question!
"Alright, this battle will depend entirely on General Zhang," Yao Huaixiang said, patting Zhang Chaofa on the shoulder, not wanting to dampen his confidence.
This encouraging slap gave Zhang Chaofa tremendous encouragement. He immediately knelt on one knee, clasped his fists together, and said in a heavy tone, "In this battle, I will not return unless I die!"
"Good, that's ambitious."
Upon hearing this, Yao Huaixiang's face turned solemn, and a hint of resignation appeared in his eyes.
Although the odds of winning this battle are slim, with everyone united, we will surely overcome this difficult time together!
Yao Huaixiang was very satisfied with Zhang Chaofa's performance in the battle. In the face of national righteousness, this kind of loyal and brave hero who sacrifices himself for the people is needed!
"Then, sir, I'll go down and make preparations." Zhang Chaofa stood up again, bowed to Magistrate Yao to say goodbye, and strode out of the county government office.
He knew that this battle might be a one-way trip, but so what?
Our territory is inviolable! Our homeland is inviolable!
Even if it means facing certain death, as long as it can deliver a heavy blow to the British and once again demonstrate the prestige of our Celestial Empire, I would gladly give up my life!