Chapter 1113: My Money!
Wang Er waved at the city's military official and called out, "Close the city gates; we won't be coming in."
"What?" The official paused, dumbfounded for a moment, but said little else. He had done his duty, even offered a lifeline to the group outside. If they refused to enter, there was nothing more to discuss.
The official commanded loudly, "Close the city gates!"
The city gate's winch began to turn, and massive iron chains slowly drew the heavy gates shut.
Prince Rui peered over the city wall, wailing, "My big train! My money! I haven't even recovered my capital! Where's General Zhao? Where's the Prefect? Where's the local militia? Why is no one leading troops to protect my big train?"
The official replied, "General Zhao is stationed at the South Gate; the rebel forces are strong there. The Prefect went to the West Gate, and the militia organized by the city's gentry is defending the East Gate..."
Prince Rui gasped, "So, no one is in charge of the North Gate?"
The official responded, "Aren't your own personal guards already defending the North Gate?"
Prince Rui fell silent.
His personal guards were utterly useless, possessing no real combat strength. He didn't even dare to step outside the city walls himself to protect his beloved big train.
As he continued his loud lament, he suddenly noticed that the ruthless group who had beaten him earlier still hadn't entered the city; they remained stationed on the train platform.
As if he had suddenly discovered a new continent, Prince Rui shouted, "Ah, you all seem quite formidable! This prince will hire you to protect my big train! I'll pay, just name your price! Is a thousand taels of silver enough? How about fifteen hundred?"
The miserly prince was truly putting his money where his mouth was this time!
Wang Er turned to the city wall, snorting at Prince Rui. "Quiet down. We don't need your money; we'll protect this big train regardless."
Prince Rui blinked, "Huh? Wait? What-what-what?"
Ignoring Prince Rui, Wang Er turned back, waved his hand, and declared, "Everyone, prepare for battle! Logistics team, from this moment, you are temporarily under my command."
Zhuge Wangchan snapped to attention, saluting sharply. "Understood, sir!"
Wang Er's gaze swept across the train station, searching for potential cover, places to conceal his men. But that quick assessment almost made him laugh in exasperation; Hanzhong North Train Station was built with shocking crudeness.
Even the ticket booth was nothing more than a dilapidated straw hut.
The only impressive sights in the entire station were the magnificent train itself and the smooth, straight tracks. Everything else was undeniably primitive.
Wang Er couldn't help but turn back, yelling at Prince Rui, "You cheap miser! You wouldn't even spend money to build a proper train station!"
Since that was the case, they would simply have to use the big train itself as their defensive cover.
Wang Er began to issue orders: "Your platoon, to car number X. Your platoon, car number X... Your platoon, stack the supplies on the platform to create barricades..."
Following his rapid commands, the militia soldiers immediately began their frantic preparations.
They first needed to retrieve their weapons before moving to their assigned positions. The militia members surged towards the cargo baskets, each pulling out a flintlock rifle. In moments, everyone was armed.
Prince Rui on the city wall watched, utterly bewildered. "Huh? These people? They look like they can truly fight! Every single one has a flintlock rifle! Even the elite Shenji Battalion doesn't have such luxurious equipment!"
The imperial military official inside the city was equally dumbfounded. That militia outside, he cursed inwardly, looked incredibly formidable! Their weapons and equipment alone were astounding, and they were astonishingly organized and disciplined.
Under Wang Er's methodical direction, the soldiers were remarkably orderly, swiftly occupying the train cars in well-defined military units.
Others still carried large bamboo baskets, normally used for grain, arranging them side by side to form a barricade, then crouching behind these improvised low walls.
In a surprisingly short time, they had established a staggered, well-organized defensive formation.
Prince Rui couldn't make sense of it, but the city's military official and the commander of Prince Rui's own guards understood perfectly, and they were secretly astonished. "Where did these formidable warriors come from?" they wondered.
Soon, battle cries echoed from the South Gate, but it was just loud shouting, without the sounds of screams or combat. It seemed the rebel army had arrived, but they weren't directly assaulting the city.
After all, Hanzhong was a renowned city, not something a mob could simply overrun. If the rebels lacked sufficient siege equipment, they wouldn't rashly attack. They were likely just shouting to intimidate the defenders.
Then, the rebel army's shouts began to circle the city walls.
Loud noises erupted from both the East and West Gates, but there was still no sound of actual combat.
After an unknown interval, a detachment of the rebel army, having circled Hanzhong City halfway, finally arrived outside the North Gate.
The North Gate remained tightly shut, and the rebels clearly had no intention of attacking it.
However, the train station just beyond the North Gate immediately drew the rebels' attention.
"Look, what a huge, strange vehicle!"
"What is this bizarre contraption?"
"It's made of so much iron!"
"If we dismantle this and haul it back, we could get rich just by selling the iron!"
The rebel soldiers let out a cheer and charged towards the train station.
Prince Rui shrieked, "No! My money!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Gao Family Village's flintlock rifles roared to life.
A row of flintlock rifles extended from the train's windows, unleashing a flurry of shots. The rebel soldiers leading the charge immediately fell in swathes.
Those behind them were scared out of their wits.
Then, from behind the makeshift barricades of bamboo baskets on the ground, gun barrels appeared, and a rapid volley of shots immediately followed.
It was a formidable flintlock rifle position, with staggered, expertly arranged firing points everywhere.
Flintlock fire erupted from every direction, creating a continuous, deafening symphony.
The rebel army was stunned into confusion in an instant.
As arrogant as they had been in their charge, they were now equally disheveled in their retreat.
Prince Rui was dumbfounded. His personal guards on the city wall were dumbfounded. Even the military official of the local garrison was dumbfounded. The common people, however, watched with immense, fervent excitement.
"Fight! That's how you do it!"
"Wow, they're incredible!"
"The rebel army was repelled without even laying a hand on anything here!"
All that could be heard were the bandits' cries and wails as they retreated back towards the South Gate...
Then, genuine battle cries suddenly erupted from the South Gate!
Zhao Guangyuan, the General of Hanzhong, had seized upon the rebel army's weakness. He observed that the rebels retreating from the North Gate seemed to have their morale utterly shattered, clearly by that strange, sudden volley of flintlock fire.
A golden opportunity!
As the son of the famed Zhao Shuaijiao, Zhao Guangyuan refused to tarnish his father's prestigious name. Once he seized an opportunity, he was bound to charge.
The South Gate swung wide open, and Zhao Guangyuan led his troops, charging into the rebel formation, unleashing a frenzy of hacking and slashing.
The rebel army was instantly scattered by his assault. After a flurry of strange, howling cries, they retreated towards the southern mountains.
With a loud "creak," the North Gate also opened.
Prince Rui, rushing ahead of everyone, sprinted to the big train, throwing his arms around the rounded protrusion at the very front of the locomotive. He pressed his face against the metal, stroking it, stroking it, and murmured, "Ah, my thirty-two thousand taels, it's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright."
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