Chapter 134 The general who personally leads the troops
It was almost dark when Chen Cao and his party arrived at Gushan. From the morning to now, if they had been in Daming, the fifty-mile emergency march would have taken three hours.
In Gushan County, the contiguous buildings are like a large village in the Ming Dynasty. Those thatched houses really look shabby. Even the scholar-bureaucrats only have courtyard walls. The really rich people only use some on the main buildings. wood.
"The rich people are all in Shuri, and even Japanese pirates rarely come to these places." Zongxin, who led the team, pointed to Gushan County Castle at the foot of the hillside.
Chen Cao smiled bitterly. With such a lofty name, the city walls of the county were made of fences and loess and were less than a person's height. This type of building could only be seen by Chen Cao in the lowest counties of the Ming Dynasty.
"Master Marquis, why not just camp where you are?" Zhao Xin asked.
Chen Cao sighed and asked Zong Xin: "How far is it from here to Gushan Pass?"
Zong Xin turned around and bowed: "There's still half a day to go."
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The identity of the leader can be seen in the varied colors and patterns of the footwear.
The last time Kaguyama Kutaka came to Ryukyu was fourteen years ago. After receiving the news this time, he was sent to Ryukyu to establish the Satsuma clan's power outside Ryukyu. His old partner Hirata Masumune rode beside him as his deputy. As a general, he still values the concept of heirs. Hirata Masunobu is still a candidate for the Gaitan family. As the next family governor of the Hirata family, Hirata Masugo is still optimistic about his eldest son Masunobu.
Therefore, the next governor must be rescued no matter what this time. This is also the intention of the contemporary Satsuma family leader Shimazu Mitsuhisa.
Under the "Shijigamaru" family emblem, Huashan Jiugao's dark red footwear shows his status as a general.
In this dispatch, Army General Hisaka Kayama led a total of 5,000 troops ashore by land. Navy General Shimazu Shohei led 30 warships, and 2,000 Navy troops were stationed in Naha and headed to Ringang in preparation. Defeat this unknown Ming army with its powerful maritime force, and then set off from Rinko to Shuri Castle.
It was the first time after entering the Edo shogunate that 7,000 troops were dispatched at once.
"I am getting old..."
Kaguyama Kutaka's gray beard is indeed a bit long. He is fifty-seven this year, and his old partner Masumune Hirata is also fifty-four. The reason why he came to Ryukyu again was because of the prestige of the two when they conquered Ryukyu.
The small people of the country are as afraid of Japanese pirates as ghosts and gods...
Hirata Masamune laughed, and the fan in his hand could be used to fan the wind: "The people of the Ming Dynasty are still in civil strife. It is said that the trading fleet cannot go to Zhejiang now."
"Li Dan, the Akito of the Hirado Domain, is now in charge of all Japan's commerce. Our Satsuma Domain has become the second largest, and its annual income has been reduced. My lord attaches great importance to Ryukyu, which is why we come here again."
"Zheng Yiguan is extremely cunning. If it weren't for him, how could Li Dan become the largest business group?"
Huashan Jiugao shook his head in disgust: "Mingren are all cunning people..."
Hatamoto, who was exploring the road ahead, came on horseback: "Sir, we have arrived at Gushan."
"Have you seen the Ming Dynasty army?"
Hatamoto shook his head: "I didn't see anyone from the Ming Dynasty after passing the mountain pass."
Hirata Masumune waved his fan: "Let's go..."
Huashan Jiugao immediately stopped Hirata Masumune: "Wait a minute..."
The two of them participated in the Korean War at the same time, and defeated the famous general Li Rusong's troops at Bi Tie Pavilion. They had a deep understanding of the Ming army's tactics and military strategies.
The terrain at Taniyama Pass is very suitable for an ambush. When Kutaka Kayama came to Ryukyu for the first time, he was rigorously preparing to ambush the Ryukyu Army. In the end, the only ones who came were the Naha people who came to capture the wandering bandits. Gushan County Public Security Team, a team of more than 20 people, only the leader has a knife, and the rest all hold wooden forks and sticks.
The people who returned this time were clearly said to be the Ming army, numbering at least a thousand.
"The people of the Ming Dynasty are good at using firearms and tactics. The Gushan Pass is suitable for an ambush. The number of people from the Ming Dynasty who came here this time is estimated to be less than 2,000. They are small. If they want to win a big victory, they must be surprised. When Naha arrives, Shuri must pass through Gushan County, there must be an ambush here..."
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"Master Marquis, the Japanese army has stopped."
Chen Cao had already seen two footed men riding high-headed war horses in the telescope's field of vision. From this, he could determine that these two people were the leaders of these people.
"It seems they saw through our thoughts?"
Lou Xingye was beside Chen Cao: "The Japanese are always cunning. When they stop, they will definitely send people to search the mountains."
"Master Hou, the Japanese army has divided its forces..."
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After careful consideration, Huashan Jiugao asked Hirata Masumune to lead 2,000 troops and divide the troops into the mountains on both sides to search and advance. He himself led 3,000 troops and dispersed into the valley pass in three groups of 300 people. , firstly, it facilitates detection, and secondly, it can also reduce risks.
Seeing the commander of Hirata Masumune walking into the mountains and forests on both sides, Huashan Jiugao simply asked the formation to spread out and pass the mountain pass first with a vanguard of 500 people.
'Snapped...'
Chen Cao put away his telescope and said in admiration: "I wonder who led the Japanese army this time. He is so smart. He also knows how to divide his troops into two groups to attack, and his techniques are so sophisticated."
Zong Xin belonged to the party that led the way. When he heard this, he shyly asked a scout to borrow a telescope and looked at it. As soon as he saw it, he said urgently: "It's Huashan Jiugao."
The interpreter passed his words to Chen Cao. Chen Cao had no idea who this person was, but after asking later, he found out that he was the Satsuma general who came to conquer Ryukyu last time.
Sun Chuanting said: "Master Hou, how about sending a message to Jiandou and asking him to attack at the same time with us?"
"The mountains on both sides entered the Japanese vanguard. They were too cautious. They just didn't know if Tang Kainian had bypassed them."
Chen Cao frowned and said: "Send the order, the Shenwu artillery bombards the main formation at Huashan Jiugao, raise the signal flare, and let Lu Xiangsheng perform freely."
"yes..."
The fan in Huashan Jiugao's hand shook slightly, and he heard a sharp whistle breaking through the sky, echoing in the Gushan Pass. Huashan Jiugao's eyes followed the red signal bomb that shot straight into the sky, but his heart Tighten immediately.
"There is an ambush..."
As soon as he finished speaking, several cannon shots immediately resounded through the valley, and all the Japanese troops who were advancing in search came to a halt.
"It's a pity. If the road hadn't been difficult, we would have had to blow them up." Chen Cao shook his head regretfully.
His location is relatively far away from Huashan Jiugao. Although mortars are feasible, the shells are precious and not as reliable as the solid shells of the Shenwu Cannon.
The direct artillery regiment commanded by Ning Guoxing now carries four Shenwu cannons and twelve mortars. According to the order, all fifty rounds of solid ammunition will be fired in the early stage.
As soon as Huashan Jiugao stood up on his horse, a round black ball flew straight to the military formation behind him.
Following the screams, Huashan Jiugao immediately knew that he had been ambushed by the Ming army.
"Is it true that you said one shot will kill you ten miles away?"
Chen Cao handed the telescope to Sun Chuanting, and then shook his head with a smile: "After the kinetic energy of the flying shells is reduced, I think the lethality of up to 500 meters is already very impressive."
Sun Chuanting looked at the Japanese army who had started to panic and was retreating, and then said: "Master Hou, we have to chase them out quickly. If the Japanese army is not fooled and retreats directly, Tang Kainian's side will not be able to catch up, and our hard work will be in vain."
"If Tang Kainian cannot reach the battlefield, I will let him go back to retire after this battle is over." Chen Cao said coldly.
"Master Marquis, the forward troops of the Second Regiment encountered Japanese troops."
'Bang bang bang...bang bang bang...bang bang bang...bang bang bang...bang bang bang...'
"They had firearms."
The gunfire of the flintlock gun is not loud. Compared with the old-fashioned bird guns and matchlock guns, the mute effect is much smaller. In addition, the workshop under the leadership of Chen Cao started to improve the gunpowder early, so that The gunpowder//powder of paper shells has much less smoke after being fired.
The large smoke in the distance is obviously the firearm in the hands of the Japanese army.
After hearing the sound of cannons and gunshots, the Japanese troops marching in the mountain pass, led by the leading vanguard, went straight towards Chen Cao, shouting non-stop.
"Bo Ya, let me show you the power of firearms today. On the battlefield in the future, the competition will no longer be manpower, but firearms. As long as the firearms are operated well, one hundred people can block the attack of three thousand people. , do you believe it or not?”
Sun Chuanting immediately followed Chen Cao to the mountainside, but he frowned when he saw more than 500 Japanese soldiers who were halfway marching towards the hillside carrying muskets and long knives.
Chen Cao looked down and shook his head: "In an era when firearms were prevalent, with this method of attacking, no matter how many people you came to, they would be dead."
Upon seeing this, Huang Degong, a member of the guard group on the mountainside, immediately drew his knife and said, "Shoot and kill these dogs."
'Bang bang bang...bang bang bang...bang bang bang...bang bang bang...'
Accompanied by screams, the attacking Japanese army was beaten to pieces by the guards. Even with the musket fire, their musketeers realized that the matchlock in their hands had not reached within a hundred steps, but was beaten by the opponent within a hundred steps. Fifty steps away, he was completely helpless.
After losing nearly two hundred people, the leading vanguard realized that this was a bad choice, so he shouted and rushed towards the opposite hillside.
Chen Cao pointed at the Japanese soldiers who were still alive at the foot of the hillside: "Look, this is the power of firearms. If I defend Nanjing City with 10,000 people and cover it with this kind of firepower, if the opponent does not have more than 100,000 people, I don't think so." To conquer the city of Nanjing is as difficult as climbing to the sky."
Sun Chuanting was shocked. He was a little confused as to why Chen Cao used Nanjing City as a metaphor.
"Master Marquis, the Japanese pirates have retreated to Staff Officer Lu."
"The way back is the same. As long as you run forward, you will still die."
After Chen Cao finished speaking, he raised his telescope to look at Shankou Huashan's formation.
After just a cup of tea, the Japanese troops who charged from both sides and wanted to rush up the hillside finally suffered a loss on the hillside on Lu Xiangsheng's side. After losing nearly 400 people, the 500 people ran frantically towards the mountain pass under the leadership of the vanguard. , after all, these people are also human beings. Under such a disadvantageous situation, even if the whole team dies in battle, they may not be able to touch the edge of the hillside.
