The Semuwa River is not a famous river in Europe. It is just a stream of the Meuse River. The water volume is usually not high. During the dry season, people can even wade through some of the channels.
Only in July and August in the summer is the high water period of the Semuwa River. This is the golden period for transporting goods on the river. Handicrafts and agricultural and sideline products on both sides of the river basin will be gathered together and transported by boat to France downstream.
This season happened to be the time when cargo ships gathered. Since the Franco-Prussian War was at its most intense, the trade routes to France had been cut off by the war, so there were many small cargo ships staying on the Semuwa River.
After the Dragon Guards and others blew up the river embankment, they temporarily snatched a few boats and sailed down the river, but unexpectedly, these boats gave Alfred hope.
"There are boats! The people on those boats must be Chinese engineers. They were the ones who blew up the river embankments... Damn it, they have boats, don't we have boats?"
"Blow the horn, gather the troops, and rebuild the army in fifteen minutes!"
The rallying horn sounded outside the city of Syny, and Alfred issued a military order to rebuild. This was a last resort, because the army had already been in chaos as soon as the flood washed away.
The French troops who were divided into houses by the floods were likely to belong to five or six different units. It would be difficult for such a gathering to enforce orders and prohibitions, and it would also be difficult for them to quickly find their direct superiors.
For the current plan, we must re-disorganize the organization and allow these divided troops to quickly establish their own command systems.
Those with more than ten people can form a temporary squad first, those with more than thirty people can organize a platoon, and those with nearly a hundred people can form a company...
Officers and soldiers select trustworthy officers based on their titles, military ranks, military service time... various aspects, among which titles are a very important factor.
In Europe of this era, people with a title were considered to have received a higher education, and knowledge was the most precious in any era.
Just through such a small transition from chaos to reconstruction, the elite level of this French army was reflected. There was no chaos at all. Within ten minutes, all units had resumed command and reported to Alfred.
The army has its own set of secret communication systems, including bugles, flares, code words... Multiple encryption methods allow Alfred to easily obtain the detailed information of various units scattered on the battlefield.
Within ten minutes, there was no confusion, no quarrels or issues of submission. The uniforms of the officers and soldiers said everything. You are a knight and I am a viscount, so I will lead you!
You are a three-year veteran and I have been serving for five years, so of course I am above you!
A large part of the officers Alfred brought out this time were knighted officers, which provided him with a favorable guarantee for rebuilding his team.
*The numbers on the wall were constantly changing. Soon Alfred got the total number of soldiers who could fight at the moment. When he saw the numbers, he burst into tears.
"Four thousand five hundred and fifty people... is that all there is? The rest..."
Of more than 10,000 cavalry, only 4,500 are left. This is a battle loss ratio that has never been seen in the history of European wars!
The history of European wars seems to rarely see such a casualty ratio except for battles with pagans. Generally speaking, troops with more than 30% casualties can be defeated and surrendered.
Most of them are dead now, but Alfred is still holding on!
"Brothers... the entire terrain is like this now. The terrain to the east of Xuni Town is higher than the west and south, and our brothers outside the city have already controlled the hilly land to the east..."
"What we have to do now is to firmly control the east side. These buildings we have occupied must not be lost..."
"Split your troops and go to the breach to rob the merchant ship... Not only can we fight on horseback, but we are also the bravest warriors once we are on board!"
Alfred's order was passed on, and the newly reorganized cavalry outside the city quickly divided into five hundred troops and quickly moved toward the north along the edge of the breach and flood. They were going to rob the merchant ship.
Just as Alfred was about to move to the high ground outside the city, suddenly there was a burst of French shouting from the Chinese troops on the opposite side.
"Listen up to the French army on the other side... We will send envoys to negotiate with you... We will not carry weapons... Please send representatives as well..."
"Negotiation?" Alfred responded with a cold face, "Tell the Chinese that unless Xiao Letian comes to negotiate in person, we are not interested!"
The tough answer caused an uproar in the Chinese military formation, and many soldiers yelled, "What the hell, what level are you at, do you want the head of state to see you? Fuck you..."
There are people spitting and yelling everywhere, and the French here are not to be outdone. They also start spitting and cursing on the street through the flood!
After hearing this, Xiao Letian smiled coldly, "Okay, I can go see him and prepare the ship..."
"No..." Sima Yun, Luo Huo, Wang Huaiyuan, Bingtaro, Noheita... and countless officers and surrounding soldiers said in unison.
"It's too dangerous. Anyone can go, but not the head of state!"
Noheita even put Ribashi's blade against his own stomach, "My foster father, if you insist on going, I will disembowel myself!"
When Hyōtaro saw that you dared to disembowel your belly, wouldn’t I dare? With a stabbing sound, he tore open his military uniform and exposed his belly, "I will also disembowel you...if you dare to go out, foster father, I will disembowel you and die here...all the Ba Dao team can die here!"
When all the soldiers of the Foreign Legion saw that their direct commander was threatening him with death, they all started to clamor fanatically, "Grug belly... belly belly... Once the head of state leaves the protection of the legion, we will kill him!"
The scene was now in chaos. Xiao Leqiang's head was spinning. "You...you guys are messing around! They don't have heavy weapons anymore, and they don't even have many rifle bullets left. What danger can there be..."
But these people could listen to the Führer in everything, and refused to carry out this order. In the end, Luo Huo stood up and said, "I'll go! After all, I am also one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and with this status I can talk to the other party... I know the Führer." I just want to know the composition of this army, let me go and find out for you..."
Xiao Letian looked at the chaos in front of him and thought that this was all he could do. If he persisted, there might be a few idiots who would commit suicide by disembowelling themselves.
"Okay! I'll send the dragon guards to protect you... If we can talk, we can talk. If we can't, we can withdraw... When daybreak comes, the Belgian reinforcements will arrive. We will win in the end..."
The boat was rowing in the floods of the small town of Xunyi. Luo Huo, dressed in military uniform, stood on the bow of the boat. He was protected by four dragon guards on his front, back, left and right. No one was holding a huge door panel in his hand.
Even in the water, there are more than a dozen dragon guards lurking to defend against all possible dangers!
"Listen up to the French army on the opposite side! The Chinese first-class marquis, general, Luo Huo... are here for talks and let your supreme commander come forward!"
Alfred was stunned for a moment, "Marquis Luo Huo? One of the Four Heavenly Kings... get out of the way, I'll go see him!"
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