Chapter 108 Shaohu Shuai breaks through the formation (3)
Li Laiheng attached great importance to the artillery baggage left behind by the Baoding soldiers. After the battle, he sent his subordinates many times along the route to look for the heavy artillery that Hu Dawei had hastily discarded. He also posted notices in various villages on the road offering high rewards to the local residents for the artillery.
However, the casualties of the former soldiers were very heavy this time, and everyone's morale was not too high. They did not understand why Li Laiheng paid so much attention to the cannons dropped by the officers and soldiers: Although Li Laiheng promoted the literacy campaign in the front, the time was still short and the results were not good.
It is not obvious that most of the soldiers are still illiterate. Even though they know the power of cannons, they all feel that they are not good at gunnery. What is the use of captured cannons other than melting them and casting them into copper coins?
Therefore, the front-line soldiers were not very active in collecting cannons. Everyone was deeply tired from this bloody battle and wanted to take a good rest for a day or two. Although they did not say it in words, it was shown in their actions.
Perfunctory response to Li Laiheng's order.
Li Laiheng knew this very well, and the anger in his stomach grew stronger and stronger. However, he also knew that the heavy casualties of the elite soldiers in front of him this time were largely due to his own aggressive advance with troops, so he could not let go of his anger.
Guo Junzhen, who came from Ruyang, persuaded him: "Brothers, we are really exhausted after fighting for several days. Those cannons don't have long legs, and they won't run away on their own. Why should the commander be in a hurry?"
Let everyone take a rest."
Li Laiheng knew that he was too impatient and laughed at himself: "I'm just afraid that these cannons will really run away... I really should put up some notices saying that the cannons have no copper and are useless... Oh, I'm just afraid of the local people."
The villagers actually dragged the cannon back and melted it down."
Guo Junzhen said helplessly: "We have posted a reward notice, which must be of some use."
Li Laiheng sighed: "Alas! You still don't know how powerful artillery is... Cannon is the god of war, huh? Do you understand?"
"The God of War?" Guo Junzhen knew this question well and answered confidently, "I understand, the God of Artillery! I know that officers and soldiers used to worship Guan Gong and Kong Shengren before firing cannons. Recently, they used Western red
After Yi Pao, it seems that he is worshiping the God of Red Yi Pao who was newly named by Emperor Chongzhen. There are many names, I can't remember them all... Hey, Commander, you should ask the Song Military Advisor about this kind of thing.
It must be clear."
"Well……"
Li Laiheng didn't know how to explain to Guo Junzhen that this artillery god was not the other artillery god. Seeing that Guo Junzhen really planned to go to Song Xiance to carefully study the matter of firing cannons to worship the god, he smiled bitterly and said: "Let the matter of the artillery god go first."
Let it go, at least wait until we have the red barbarian cannon available?"
Guo Junzhen nodded, but still asked curiously: "Does the commander also know how to fire cannons to worship gods? The soldiers previously seized some general cannons and anti-captive cannons from the army. I heard that guy Li Shiwei said that they
When firing a cannon, the barrel often explodes, causing serious damage to the gunner. Is it true that after worshiping the god of artillery in accordance with the rules, this will not happen? "
"Okay, okay, let's put this matter aside for now!"
Most of the artillery pieces of the government army were cut corners and shoddily manufactured. Li Shiwei often fired the cannons in emergencies and often had too much charge. Naturally, the chambers often exploded.
Li Laiheng never expected that a wise and prudent general like Guo Junzhen would believe in the theory of the God of Guns.
But this is actually not surprising. After all, even the governors and ministers in the imperial court mostly believe in the myth that a single shot of the red barbarian cannon can "corrode for dozens of miles" and "hit every target without fail".
No matter how powerful the weapons in the world are, they cannot reach the point where a cannon can be destroyed for dozens of miles, but if it is a miracle, it is not surprising. That is why it appears. Obviously many people in the court have seen and understood the specific power of artillery, but
I still believe in the nonsense about "one shot can destroy dozens of miles".
Li Laiheng thought that it would be necessary to popularize some newer military technologies within the former Biao Army in the future. However, thinking from another perspective, after he can promote cutting-edge artillery skills and artillery among the Biao Army in the future,
Perhaps we can also use the theory of the gun god to exaggerate deification?
The more he thought about it, the more he thought about it, but at this time Zhang Pizhu came to report that Yang Chengzu and Luo Yanqing had visited the camp gate with a generous gift.
Yang Chengzu used to be regarded as a representative figure of the rebels in Cao Ying, but after the battle at Cai Ying, he and Li Laiheng fought side by side to the death, and more or less formed a "revolutionary friendship". At least his attitude towards Li Laiheng has improved a lot.
Li Laiheng was surprised, so he took Guo Junzhen and other generals out to greet him. When he just walked to the camp gate, he saw Yang Chengzu and Luo Yanqing leading hundreds of soldiers from Cao camp, using mules and horses to transport five or six medium-sized trucks.
Red Yi Cannon.
"Brother Yang...how dare I accept such a big gift? Where did you get such a batch of red cannons?"
Yang Chengzu patted the dark gun barrel and said: "Our Commander Cao knows that you sent many people everywhere to find the cannons abandoned by the army. He said that this time in the battle of Caiying, thanks to Commander Shao Hu's fight to the death,
It turned the situation around. So I asked Yan Qing and I to search everywhere and finally found these cannons for you."
Luo Yanqing, who is tall and tall, was injured by artillery during the Battle of Shangcai Camp. Her injury has not yet recovered, and her wheat-colored face looks much paler than usual.
Luo Yanqing still remembered the time when Yiling broke up and Li Laihuang left all the cannons to Cao Ying. He bit his lower lip and said: "Young... Young Commander, this is also to compensate for our original separation from Yiling. There are very few people in Cao Ying.
Some people know how to use cannons, but I know that no one in the rebel army knows artillery better than Commander Shao Hu, so please accept it."
Li Laiheng originally planned to decline a few words, but his body was too honest. Without saying a few words, he had already approached the cannon, looked at it intently, and said happily: "That's right, no one understands Hongyi Cannon better than me!"
"Li Shiwei! Where is Li Shiwei?" Li Laiheng turned around and did not find Li Shiwei, so he said to Zhang Pili, "Go to the marshal to find Li Shiwei and ask him to bring the gunners over to receive these red Yi cannons... These are Hong Yi cannons.
The cannon is definitely not an ordinary general cannon, it can be compared with the Baizi cannon for destroying the captives."
Although the red barbarian cannons that the Baoding soldiers were forced to discard only weighed a few hundred kilograms, and their caliber and magnification ratio were not large. They were not even the size of medium-sized red barbarian cannons, and could only be regarded as light red barbarian cannons.
But for Li Laiheng, who had previously only been able to use light cannons and shotguns such as Baizifang machines, the sudden acquisition of several high-magnification front-loading smoothbore cannons was like a windfall from heaven.
Their significance is not only to enhance the firepower of the former standard army gun and artillery units, but more importantly, on this basis, they can find craftsmen to seek imitation in the future.
Li Laiheng couldn't help but thanked him: "Shuai Cao is really thoughtful, Marshal Cao is really thoughtful! I can't thank you enough. I also asked Brother Yang to send me a message and thank him very much. Well, next time I will meet with Shuai Cao."
When we meet, I will definitely thank you personally again."
Yang Chengzu smiled and said: "Hahaha, it would be great if Commander Young Tiger has this kind of heart. Commander Cao asked me to tell you that Commander Commander Young Tiger is a rare general in the coalition army. He is handsome and very young. Commander Cao really wants to
To be closer to you."
"Yeah." Li Laiheng nodded and said, "I understand everything. If Cao Shuai needs help with anything, please ask as soon as possible. As long as I, Li Laiheng, can do it, I will do my best to help."
Yang Chengzu smiled and exchanged greetings with Li Laiheng again. Only Luo Yanqing frowned more and more, as if she wanted to say something, but she hesitated and did not say anything.
After Li Shiwei came with the gunners to receive all the Hongyi artillery, Li Laiheng said goodbye to Yang Chengzu and Luo Yanqing. His expression immediately changed and he said coldly to Guo Junzhen: "What do you think Lao Cao means?"