1905: Beer Hall Speaker

Page 65

Zhao Yan was positioned in the center of the formation, surrounded by elite members of the Presidential Guard. Zhao Hao even tried to persuade Zhao Yan to stay in the rear for this battle.

But Zhao Yan resolutely refused. Even if the number of 100,000 was inflated, the opposing side only had 50,000 to 60,000 who could actually fight, and they were unprepared. But that was still an absolute disadvantage of one to ten.

If you don't personally lead the charge and instead hide in the rear, who can guarantee that you can crush the enemy in one fell swoop? If you can't win a decisive battle in the dead of winter, you'll be the one who dies once the enemy recovers.

There's no difference between charging ahead and hiding behind; if you win, everything is fine to talk about, but if you lose, don't say anything.

We've already brought the entire long march here, so why would we need this final twenty-mile surprise attack?

Those who are destined for great things should never entrust the most critical tasks to others at crucial moments. You can only trust yourself in such matters; don't expect others to risk their lives. You must lead others to risk their lives yourself.

The strong control their own destiny, while the weak surrender it to others.

"A timely snow promises a bumper harvest! This snow is wonderful, a perfect snowfall!"

"If the wheat is covered with three layers of snow in winter, you'll sleep with people's heads under your pillow next year!"

Zhao Yan was now full of confidence. All the snow that was supposed to fall had fallen; surely God wouldn't keep raining down knives, right? This was already the worst-case scenario; how much worse could it get?

The temperature was already minus ten degrees Celsius. Zhao Yan was wearing a military overcoat with a mink lining, and underneath the overcoat was a specially made fish-scale armor from the Qing Dynasty imperial palace. It was not practical to stop bullets, but it was still very useful for blocking knife cuts and shrapnel.

Zhao Yan had also specially worn a red cloak, which was now fluttering in the wind and snow. This thing was very conspicuous and easy to be noticed, but it was necessary.

Zhao Yan had to make a striking image to remind every soldier that the leader was right beside them!

On the battlefield, this outfit looks very heroic and makes him easy for the enemy to spot, but it can also boost the morale of friendly forces. Zhao Yan either doesn't do anything, or he does it with all his might.

Life and death are determined by fate, victory and defeat are decided by destiny!

The silent marching column was filled with murderous intent, yet they continued their advance toward the enemy camp ahead.

Half an hour later, a massive enemy camp stretching for several kilometers appeared before everyone. Five thousand cavalrymen stood on a high slope, looking down at the enemy camp two or three kilometers away.

The Mongolian-Russian allied forces' camp stretched for more than five kilometers, forming a crescent shape that perfectly encircled the Eighth Division's camp, which had only a few thousand men remaining in the center.

After a journey of over a thousand kilometers, the target finally appeared before them, and Zhao Yan and those around him revealed cruel smiles.

When fighting on the grasslands, Han Chinese armies were never afraid of being unable to defeat the enemy; what they feared most was not being able to find the enemy!

What was the greatest trump card of nomadic peoples in dealing with the Han Chinese army? Archery? Horsemanship? None of the above! Their greatest trump card was to break into smaller units and scatter, playing hide-and-seek with the Han army on the vast grasslands.

In those situations, Zhao Yan could only return empty-handed, because he simply couldn't afford to waste time.

In this heavy snow, you've gathered in a crowd, and I've managed to find you. Well, you're doomed! You have nowhere to run. You'll either be hacked to death by me, or you'll starve or freeze to death if you try to escape!

"Shu~"

Zhao Yan drew his saber, which gleamed coldly from the side of the saddle. The blade was sharp and the hilt was inlaid with gold and jade. This saber was passed down from the old dog Qianlong. It was not as good as the Yongle sword, but it was still quite suitable for mounted combat. It looked extremely luxurious. But things used by the emperor were not only luxurious but also effective in battle.

"Gentlemen, follow me and attack!"

"The king raised his army, repaired my sword and spear, and shared the same enemy with me!"

Zhao Yan was ruthless and didn't talk much. After saying two sentences, he spurred his horse and galloped down the slope, his bright red horse cutting through the snow-covered landscape.

"kill!"

Five thousand cavalrymen behind him drew their swords in unison and followed the red figure without hesitation. At this moment, they did not care how many enemies there were or how difficult the road ahead was. As long as Zhao Yan charged forward, there was nothing they were afraid of.

One after another, figures rushed down the high slope, like a flood overflowing a dam, unstoppable and invincible.

The terrifying battle cries tore through the sky, and even the wind and snow seemed to retreat in their wake.

The Mongolian-Russian allied forces and the 8th Division in the distance heard the commotion, and those outside the camp craned their necks to see what was going on.

But when they saw several thousand cavalrymen charging towards them with murderous intent, they were all stunned! In the dead of winter, where did so many cavalrymen come from? Whose men are they? What are they here for?

Inside the camp of the Mongolian-Russian allied forces, Russian cavalry general Umonov suddenly felt a slight tremor, and ripples began to appear in the vodka that hadn't been finished the night before in the glass on the table.

Umonov's expression immediately changed drastically. This wasn't an earthquake; a large force of cavalry was charging towards them!

The other generals also felt the slight tremor and realized what had happened. They all rushed out of their tents to find out what was going on.

But the Allied camp was already in chaos, with infiltrators from the Führer's guard disguised as soldiers setting fires and creating disturbances.

The disheveled Cossack cavalrymen hurriedly searched for their warhorses, while the Mongols were like headless flies, not knowing what to do.

The herders who provided logistical support to the army were in even greater disarray. Large numbers of cattle and sheep were destroyed, rushed out of their pens and caused chaos, and warehouses were set on fire.

The charging enemy troops were already close at hand!

"kill!"

The first wave of National Defense Army cavalry charged fearlessly into the camp. Zhao Yan found the weakness of the Allied Army camp: their flanks and rear were completely undefended, lacking even the most basic trenches and stag antlers.

This flaw was obvious even to ordinary cavalry, let alone Zhao Yan. Just how careless were these people? Did they really think that no one would launch a surprise attack from afar in the dead of winter?

"Charge! Smash them!"

"Keep going, don't stop! Fight your way through from start to finish!"

Zhao Yan raised his long sword, but instead of cutting down people, he kept giving orders. The most important thing now was not how many people to kill, but to maintain speed and break through the enemy's camp.

The cavalry, mainly composed of Shandong men, were highly skilled horsemen. They wielded their sabers with great force, leaving a trail of blood and gore in their wake. The cavalrymen in front were responsible for killing and clearing the way, while those behind were responsible for throwing fire starters to set fire to the camps of the Mongol-Russian allied forces.

The Nationalist cavalry broke through the connection between the Allied left flank camp and the central camp without any hindrance, slicing this section apart like a hot knife through butter.

"Keep cutting through them, don't give them any chance to react!"

Zhao Yan galloped forward, continuing to lead his cavalry in the charge. He didn't need to kill people himself, but he needed to guide the army in the direction of the killing. Wherever that red figure rushed, the carnage spread.

In just twenty minutes, the left flank of the Allied forces was completely overwhelmed and lost all order. Fires and flashes of swords were everywhere. The Allied forces could not even organize a resistance. The soldiers were completely out of command, and the officers could not find their subordinates. Everything was in chaos. Even their own men began to fight each other for horses and run away.

Ignoring everything else, Zhao Yan led his cavalry out again. After charging several hundred meters, they regrouped and began their assault on the allied army's central camp, where the enemy's main force was located and the toughest nut to crack.

"The king is raising an army; let us prepare our weapons and halberds, and fight alongside you!"

"Kill them all!"

Zhao Yan once again led the charge, and the cavalry, whose morale was practically off the charts, followed him into the enemy camp.

Although the enemy cavalry was in disarray this time, they managed to muster three or four thousand men to prepare for a counterattack, while more troops were still preparing in the rear.

Umonov also drew soldiers from the front lines to fight desperately; if they couldn't hold them off, everyone would die.

The left wing, with over 30,000 men, was beyond saving; only the central wing and the weakest right wing remained.

But Zhao Yan didn't give them a chance at all. The Cossack cavalry had just finished assembling and hadn't even had time to form ranks when Zhao Yan charged again and was right in front of them. They didn't have any impact at all, while Zhao Yan was full of impact.

Amidst the flashing blades, the more than 3,600 Cossack cavalrymen who had just been prepared had not even had a chance to rush out of the camp before Zhao Yan pressed them down and repeatedly ravaged them.

In one charge, nearly a thousand of the more than three thousand resisters were killed or wounded, and the rest collapsed on the spot and fled in all directions.

Zhao Yan was not good at riding and slashing, but he still managed to cut down two or three unlucky guys while leading the charge. This didn't require any special skills. Once he got going, he just had to hold on tightly to the saddle to keep himself from falling off, and then stick out his sword. The rest was up to kinetic energy and inertia.

Zhao Yan's outfit was too flashy; the enemy could tell at a glance that he was a leader. Although he was surrounded by guards, Zhao Yan still took two blows, but fortunately, his armor protected him.

"chirp"

"Boom boom"

"Da da da"

Having rushed here, Zhao Yan, who had previously been reluctant to use artillery shells and bullets, now used them freely. The cavalry, deployed behind the Allied camp, completed the construction of heavy machine gun and mortar positions and began to fire recklessly at the rear of the Allied camp.

Some of the escaped Mongolian-Russian cavalry tried to regroup, but were stunned by the heavy machine guns and mortars. They tried to charge the position, but were overwhelmed by the dense fire of hundreds of submachine guns.

The Allied forces made their last stand. Umonov, as a Russian cavalry general, had spent his life leading Cossacks in battles for the Tsar, and European armies trembled before him. But to be so humiliated in Mongolia was something he could not accept.

Umonov, leading the last wave of 4,000 troops, disregarded the reinforcements and rushed forward to fight Zhao Yan to the death. If they were to launch another rampage, the entire camp would collapse and disintegrate!

"The king raised his troops, repaired my armor and soldiers, and went with me!"

"Kill them!"

With a final hurdle, Zhao Yan didn't hesitate and staked everything on the enemy. The Eighth Division also launched a full-scale counterattack. This was the enemy's last stand; if they broke through, the Allied forces would be completely hopeless.

Zhao Yan led his cavalry in a fierce battle against Umonov's Cossacks in the open area of ​​the central camp. Bloodthirsty, Zhao Yan deployed all of his Führer's personal guards, determined to crush the enemy as quickly as possible.

Zhao Yan, dressed in brightly colored attire and holding a clearly extraordinary sword, was issuing orders. Even if Umonov was stupid, he knew that the other party must be the leader, so he immediately led his men to try to break through the army formation and kill them.

He only regretted that the enemy had charged too fast and too fiercely, and the artillery and heavy machine guns in the camp did not have time to be deployed. Otherwise, there would be no need for him to charge now; a single bombardment would have been enough to take care of it.

Zhao Yan immediately realized that the enemy's decapitation strike was aimed at him. Not wanting to play the hero, he quickly ran towards where his own men were, not daring to stay in one place.

But where is there a safe place on the battlefield? Zhao Yan was spotted not far after he rushed out, and the people on the other side started to attack him relentlessly. Umonov even rushed right up to him.

When Zhao Yan saw an old Russian man with a white beard rushing over with his men, he knew they weren't there to pay New Year's respects, and immediately reached for the saddlebags behind him.

Umonov appeared to be raising his saber high, but in fact, his other hand was also touching his waist.

At the crucial moment, Umonov threw away his saber and pulled out a Mosin-Nagant revolver, aiming it at Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan didn't mince words and directly brought out an 11.43mm submachine gun manufactured by the Hanyang Arsenal. If you have a gun and don't use it, what kind of battlefield master are you?

The two were on the same page. Mrs. Umono was dumbfounded. She only had a small revolver, but the other side had pulled out a thing with a magazine that was terrifyingly long.

"bang bang"

"suddenly"

At just ten meters apart, the two opened fire almost simultaneously. Umonov fired only three shots, while Zhao Yan kept his trigger pulled and didn't let go.

Zhao Yan flinched and opened fire with all his might. Umonov was riddled with bullets; even a horse could be killed by such large-caliber submachine gun bullets! Umonov fell from his horse, his eyes wide open in death.

The cavalrymen caught between the two were in deep trouble. Before they could react, they were killed by the bursts of bullets. In his desperation, Zhao Yan didn't care about friendly fire and even killed two or three of his own men. All he cared about was saving his own life.

"The Führer has come to our rescue! Charge!"

The assault team of the 8th Division also rushed into the camp and began to attack the enemy from both sides with the cavalry.

Zhao Yan, dressed in conspicuous clothes, was immediately recognized. Li An, the division commander who personally led the team, even witnessed Zhao Yan's feat of killing Umonov.

"Look! The leader has personally led the attack on the enemy!"

"The Führer is mighty!"

Zhao Yan opened his mouth to say something, but he was entangled by the swarming Cossack cavalry who were fighting desperately. He had no time to speak and could only wave his saber to save his life.

"Look! The Führer is fighting three against one and has killed another one!"

"Your Majesty, you are truly a divine being!"

Zhao Yan, his face covered in blood, parried the enemy's attack with a single slash and shouted with all his might, "Quickly, save me!"

"Ah? Quick, save the leader!"

"Help! Help!"

Ang Lee's face turned ashen. He had been so focused on admiring the leader's divine appearance that he had forgotten that the leader was not a tyrant!

After the Eighth Division's counterattack reinforcements were deployed, the battle situation was completely set. Li An personally led his troops in a desperate battle, cooperating with Zhao Yan to crush the last resistance of the Mongolian-Russian allied forces.

After seeing the situation, the opportunistic Mongol vassal army, including the bandit king, the background king, and the bandit king, decisively joined the battle and slaughtered the Mongol-Russian allied forces.

The battle began at 11 a.m. and continued until 7 p.m. when people started fighting, finally ending at dawn the next day.

Zhao Yan finally annihilated the enemy army this time, giving them no chance from beginning to end and suppressing all their moves.

His victory in the first battle intimidated the entire northern desert. After news of this battle spread, Zhao Yan's name resounded throughout China, and all nations trembled in fear!

Chapter 119 Are we also Han Chinese?

"So you're the only one who likes watching plays, huh? I'll let you watch! I'll let you watch properly!"

"I ran over two thousand miles to save you, you son of a bitch, and you dare to steal my thunder at this crucial moment?"

Inside the army's command tent, while outside the tent snow fell heavily and the weather was freezing, inside the tent a campfire burned warmly, making it feel like spring.

A group of generals and Mongol tribal leaders sat on either side, while in the very center was Li An of the Eighth Division, whose pants had been pulled down, revealing his white buttocks as he was being whipped.

During the daytime battle, Li An actually led his commando team to "watch" Zhao Yan kill the enemy. Fortunately, Zhao Yan cried for help, so he risked his life to lead his men to rescue him.

The leader was eventually saved, but Li An's time watching the show wasn't over yet. At that moment, Zhao Yan personally whipped his buttocks with a horsewhip.

Ang Lee gritted his teeth and endured the whipping, not daring to utter a sound.

Although it was humiliating to be spanked in front of so many people, it was the least of my worries. Once the punishment was over in front of so many people, the matter was considered closed.

It was called a punishment, but it was really just Zhao Yan protecting his own. If it were any other boss, nothing would have happened that day, but the next day he would have made you lose your head before even getting your left foot in the door.

Everyone else saw it and remembered it. If Zhao Yan hadn't spoken up, everyone else would have thought that Zhao Yan didn't need to be saved.

After all, Zhao Yan's performance in this battle was too fierce. He was always at the forefront of the charge. Everyone assumed that Zhao Yan was the reincarnation of Xiang Yu, and they took it for granted that he was killing enemies. In the end, it was only when he personally cried for help that everyone realized what was happening.

This is something we must remember well from now on. We can't let our boss cry for help again; it would be too humiliating. So, Ang Lee deserved the beating he received.

After cracking the whip, Zhao Yan finally calmed down and sat back in the main seat. Li An, being a tough guy, stood up, put on his trousers, and sat back down in his original seat, his expression unchanged as he sat upright.