Nanming Engineer

Chapter 112
The news of Chen Xiang was sent to Wang Huan on the third day after the establishment of the Centurion Battalion. The person who reported the letter was a subordinate sent by Ma Long who stayed behind on Kuafu Mountain.

The news of Chen Xiang spread quickly, because he left only two of his twenty people in Chongqing City, and the rest were evenly distributed between Chongqing City and Kuafu Mountain at a distance of one person every forty miles. On the official road, the drums were used to pass the flowers, one person to one person relayed, day and night, seven hundred miles away, and it took less than three days for the news to reach Ma Long on Kuafu Mountain.

Ma Long didn't dare to be negligent, and immediately sent people to send Chen Xiang's letter in a bamboo tube to Longevity Valley. When Wang Huan unfolded the letter in the bamboo tube, Zeng Ying's men had just stepped out of the gate of Fotu Pass.

Wang Huan frowned and read the letter carefully, then gently placed it on the table at hand, staring in deep thought.

In the meeting hall, Ma Xintian, Zu Bian, Xu Goudan, Ma Wannian, and Ma Chongming sat upright, holding their breath and waiting for Wang Huan without saying a word.

After a while, Wang Huan handed the letter paper to Ma Xintian on the left for everyone to circulate.

Ma Xintian was still calm when he saw it, but Zu Bian and the others were shocked. Ma Wannian even raised his head and said, "Zeng Ying sent an army of ten thousand people to attack my Longevity Valley. He is so skillful and courageous." Are you not afraid of being blamed by the court?"

Wang Huan tapped the armrest of the chair with one finger, and said in a deep voice, "Zeng Ying is being cautious. When a lion fights a rabbit, one hit is sure to hit."

He smiled wryly: "Besides, the imperial court can't control our area now. The central Sichuan is already a mess, with officers, soldiers and thieves intertwined. Those who can separate here are the men with soldiers. The imperial court can control it." Is it? It can only be appeased, whoever has the biggest fist is the treasure in the eyes of the court, if Zeng Ying kills us, the court will only pay more attention to Zeng Ying, and will not pay attention to us who are trampled underfoot."

Zu Bian was thoughtful, and responded: "Your Excellency's words are very true. Back then Zuo Liangyu dominated Wuchang, expanded his power, and killed many dissatisfied generals and officials. He is a guilty person, Zuo Liangyu killed him well, from then on Zuo Liangyu was called the King of Wuchang, and no one dared to stand in his way."

Xu Tiezhu was shocked when he heard that, and quickly said: "Then let's inform Ma Long quickly, let him blow up the mountain and cut off the road, cut off Zeng Ying's way, and keep my Longevity Valley safe!"

Wang Huan waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, Chen Xiang's letter said that Zeng Ying's men will be tens of thousands at once, with a lot of luggage, and those who dragged their feet just left the city gate. Calculating the time, they will arrive in seven or eight days at the earliest." Hei Valley, we have time to deploy our troops, and it won’t be too late when I arrive in Hei Valley to see what’s going on.”

Ma Xintian, who had been sitting still, spoke at this time. He stood up and clasped his fists: "Sir, our Wanshou Valley now has a total of 300 soldiers. Excluding the 150 people guarding the silver mines and refineries, there are only 150 soldiers, including newly formed soldiers. Our hundred-man team is too small, should we ask Shizhu Xuanwei Envoy for help?"

Wang Huan shook his head: "No! The stepmother doesn't have enough troops, and she still has to defend the Yangtze River waterway, so don't ask her for troops."

He looked at Xu Tiezhu: "How many young and strong people in the valley can they spare?"

Xu Tiezhu got up quickly and replied: "There are 3000 farm households in the valley, but each household can draw a dime. This is no problem. The other middle-aged men have been scattered in various mines in the mountains, and it is not easy to gather. There are nearly 1000 people who built the city in the city. People, from which 4000 men can be drawn, so a total of [-] men are available.”

Ma Xintian frowned and said, "These people use hoes and pickaxes in a decisive manner. If you force them to fight against the enemy, I'm afraid it won't work."

Wang Huan thought for a while, and then asked Ma Chongming: "How many people can be drawn in the Matouren village?"

Ma Chongming frowned, lowered his head and thought for a while, and then said in a hoarse voice: "Counting all men over the age of 15 and under the age of 60, there are only 200 of them. In recent years, the imperial court has drawn troops, and the blood has been drained. Your Excellency I know."

The atmosphere in the hall became dull, everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, four thousand peasants took hoes to fight against ten thousand officers and soldiers, and they knew the consequences with their toes. After being charged by thousands of officers and soldiers, they will immediately be defeated and scattered. The large number of people can only scare the timid officers and soldiers.

But Longevity Valley can't even afford to consume this cannon fodder. They are all relying on their future development. No one farms and mines. Longevity Valley will only be a mountain village.

Wang Huan got up and stood up, looking at the gloomy crowd, he burst out laughing.

"Everyone, you have forgotten that I haven't tried the firearms in the Longevity Valley yet. The power of the exterminating bullets is just for Zeng Ying's soldiers to test the effect." The battle has not yet been fought, so how do we know who will win and who will lose? You don't know, the batch of gunpowder a few days ago has been dried in the shade, and the yellow gunpowder yielded nearly [-] catties. These [-] catties of gunpowder have all been made into ammunition for destroying captives. Seventy captive bombs, seventy captive bombs!"

"Seventy extermination bombs!" Everyone in the hall was overjoyed. One extermination bomb was more powerful than the bombardment of a Fran machine gun. Seventy, isn't that equivalent to carpet bombing?

"So, cheer up, and according to my next arrangement, return to their respective positions, build ordnance, and prepare for battle!"

Wang Huan's prestige has already given everyone an inexplicable sense of faith. No one will doubt that what he said can be done can't be done. Immediately cheered up, and responded loudly: "Please give me an order, my lord!"

Wang Huan suppressed his smile and said sternly: "Xu Tiezhu, I want you to immediately take people up the mountain to cut trees today and build two hundred oar shields eight feet high and one foot thick. They will be inspected and accepted in two days!"

"Yes!" Xu Tiezhu replied loudly.

"Ma Xintian, I want you to step up the training of 150 soldiers immediately, specializing in throwing. Everyone must be able to skillfully throw the exterminator bomb twenty feet away!"

"Yes!" Ma Xintian clasped his fists.

"Zubian, I order you to immediately gather three thousand households in the city, one for each household, to practice the formation. In two days, you can form the formation without chaos."

"Yes!" Zu Bian replied in a rough voice.

"Ma Wannian and Ma Chongming, the two of you guard the Silver Mine and Longevity City respectively, to prevent youngsters from taking the opportunity to make trouble. Anyone who dares to take the opportunity to disturb our people's hearts will be killed immediately! Entry is allowed in the city and no exit is allowed!"

The two stood up, clasped their fists together and said, "Yes!"

Wang Huan walked to the huge sand table in the center of the hall, with a cold look in his eyes, he slammed his palm on the table, and said in a hateful voice: "How many of you are there, as long as you dare to offend my Longevity City, you will never return!"

(End of this chapter)