Chapter 793: Sunrise in the East (18)

The geographical location of Liaoning Guard is very important. After leaving Panshan, they were able to attack Helin and Yulin. When this city was in the hands of the Donghu people, the Donghu people also attached great importance to it. The city has been continuously expanded and reinforced. , the defense of 5,000 people is really stretched. Meng Chong doesn't even have a reserve team at the moment. He needs to persist here for at least ten days. The Panshan garrison is five days away from here. Of course, this requires the entire army to be lightly armed. Moving forward rapidly, taking into account the time it takes for the messenger to rush to Panshan, it is conservatively estimated that it will take about eight days for them to get here, and the Yan Haibo Division who is resting at the Niulanshan Camp will take even longer to get here, not even half a day. More than a month, don’t even think about it

In other words, Meng Chong had to independently deal with the attack of tens of thousands of Donghu people for about ten days without a reserve team.

Outside the Liaoning Guard, corpses were piled on top of each other. Almost all of them were soldiers of the Agu tribe who were forced to attack the city. These soldiers, who were poorly equipped because they were prisoners, were almost killed by the rain of crossbow arrows on the city. Without any power to fight back, only a handful of people rushed under the city wall, climbed up the ladder, and managed to climb to the top of the city. However, under the strong counterattack from the top of the city, they were immediately suppressed. In just half a day, In a short time, these Agu soldiers who were forced to attack the city suffered almost all casualties.

Meng Chong sat in the tower, carefully folding his sword. In this battle, he was afraid that he, the leader of the army, would have to go into battle shirtless. After Yuwen Ke launched a formal attack, it would not be so easy.

The Donghu people's siege techniques are no longer as unfamiliar as they were in previous years. After several years of training by the generals of Qi and Yan, their siege tactics have also begun to become more sophisticated. There are also more and more kinds of equipment. At least now, Meng Chong is on top of the city, observing the rear group of the Donghu people. One after another improvised siege engines have been set up, simple trebuchets. He also saw some things such as rushing cars.

"Commander Meng, why do you want to see me!" Duan Qianli, another division commander under Meng Chong, strode in, saluted Meng Chong, and said

"Who is He Dayou?" Meng Chong couldn't help but be startled. He seemed to have never heard of this name.

"Commander Meng, He Dayou is the civilian person in charge of transporting grain and grass supplies in Jishi County," Duan Qianli replied.

Meng Chong frowned, "Didn't we already ask all these civilians to evacuate the Liaoning Guard? Why is he still here?"

"This is He Dayou. Unlike the leaders of civilian husbands in other places, he is the village chief of Baiyang Village in Jishi County. He was once praised by the governor as the village chief of the best village in the world. Moreover, this man was also a soldier of the Eastern Conquest Army. Later, he He refused to leave after retiring due to injury, and not one of the more than a thousand people he brought from Jishi County left," Duan Qianli said

Hearing that He Dayou was also a soldier before, Meng Chong's frown relaxed a little, "It turns out to be the former brother Paoze. Let him come in. I know what he is thinking. But what effect can those civilian men have, even if they have received Some military training.

But it can’t be of much help, but his kindness is commendable.”

He Dayou limped up to Meng Chong. He was wearing a brand-new uniform of the Eastern Expeditionary Army. Facing Meng Zhong's confused gaze, he saluted Meng Chong and said with a smile: "Commander Meng, This military uniform was given to me by the army when I retired, but without the identification number of the army, it is purely a souvenir. However, I will bring it with me every time I transport logistics supplies for the army, maybe one day. I can put it on again and kill enemies for the governor. It seems that it can be used this time."

Listening to He Dayou's hearty laughter, Meng Chong couldn't help but feel good about him. He was indeed a soldier, with a straightforward temperament and not so many twists and turns. "Village Chief He, you are a person who is highly valued by the governor. I don't know where you are." "Retired from the army due to injury?"

He Dayou smiled and said: "It's too early. At that time, the governor was still the sergeant of Fufeng. I followed the governor to Yuyang. After a battle, my leg was injured. After being cured, I became lame, so I had to leave the army. , went to Baiyang Village and became a village chief."

Upon hearing this, Meng Chong couldn't help but stand in awe. He had participated in the Battle of Yuyang, and he was truly a veteran. He had been with the governor longer than himself. In the Eastern Expedition Army, people like Meng Chong, There are actually not many now, and all of them are in high positions.

"Sit down, Village Chief He." Meng Chong personally dragged a chair and sat down on He Qianli. "I also followed the governor when I was in Yuyang. Speaking of which, we are old comrades in arms."

"That's it, that's it!" He Dayou said with a smile: "The scene when we sang military songs together in the military camp is still vivid in my mind now that I think about it!"

Meng Chong smiled and nodded, "Old He, since we are old comrades, I won't mince words. I understand what you mean. I want to bring your fellow civilians to help me defend the city, but Old He, they are civilians after all. Although he has received some training, he is not a soldier after all. Now Yuwen Ke in the city is like a mad dog. The battle will become more fierce day by day. Let them go to the city and die in vain. I really can't bear it. You should take them away and go back. When you go to Jishi County, why don't you serve the governor?"

He Dayou couldn't help but change his face when he heard what Meng Chong said, and said unhappily: "Commander Meng, you are looking down on us. I dare not say anything about the militiamen in other places, but our Baiyang Village is second to none." Yes, haven't you heard that the two division commanders of the Young Guards almost fought in order to seize the young people from Baiyang Village? Our militiamen are usually farmers, but when they go to the battlefield, they are soldiers."

"I know this!" Meng Chong said with a bitter smile: "But aren't those well-trained young people recruited by the Young Guards?"

"The recruitment of the Young Guards is too strict and there are various restrictions. This prevents many capable guys from joining us. I have brought all these people this time, and there are still many of them here. As for the veterans, although they left the army for various reasons, they are all good soldiers on the battlefield and will never delay Commander Meng's retreat. Although we are old, our ambitions are still there, and we are still strong enough to wield knives and shoot. Commander Meng has to use the crossbow. I, more than a thousand people, are waiting for Commander Meng's review at the foot of the city!"

Meng Chong looked at Duan Qianli, and Duan Qianli nodded slightly. Meng Bu stood up with a smile, "Okay. Let's go see the majestic figures of Jishi County athletes."

After walking out of the city gate building, Meng Chong stood on the top of the city and looked down. Below the city head. A group of civilians in different clothes were standing in a neat queue with their heads held high. Each of these people is wearing a waist knife. This is a privilege given by Zhengdong Mansion to the people under its rule. All people can carry weapons, such as knives and guns. Almost every household under Zhengdong Mansion has one. Yes, of course. Things like bows and crossbows are still not acceptable.

Among the queue of more than a thousand people, there were about a hundred people wearing old military uniforms. They seemed to be veterans, and they should also be the leaders of each team of more than a thousand civilians. At this moment, these people looked up at Meng Chong, with eyes in their eyes. The desire to fight is so obvious

The so-called layman sees the excitement, while the expert sees the door. A battlefield veteran like Meng Chong was already heartbroken after just one glance. This doesn't look like a group of civilians, it's completely a well-trained army.

"Our Baiyang Village is basically populated by retired soldiers and their families, as well as their relatives and friends who come to seek refuge with them. Unlike other places where military training is only conducted during the slack season, military training in our village is part of the daily routine. , even for elementary school, in addition to studying, the children must also undergo the most basic physical training. There are many retired soldiers in our village, and there are not only Yan people but also many Huns in the village. Therefore, the young people from our village are not only good at foot combat, but also at horseback riding. Otherwise, the two generals of the Young Guards would not have fought to attack Commander Meng. "How do you think our team is doing?" He Dayou said proudly.

Meng Chong stared at the team for a long time, turned around, stretched out his hand to He Dayou, "Welcome to join the Eastern Group Army."

He Dayou was overjoyed, stretched out his hand and shook Meng Chong tightly, then took a step back and gave a military salute to Meng Chong: "Commander Meng, please arrange combat missions for us."

Meng Chong smiled and said, "It's not urgent. Your team will change its equipment and weapons first. Let's serve as a reserve team first. Lao He, none of my men are ready. Your team is ready." My big question"

"Understood!" He Dayou is a veteran. He naturally knows that since Meng Chong has accepted his team, he is considered a soldier under the other party's command. When faced with orders, he can only obey and have no room for bargaining.

He limped down the tower with one leg, walked in front of his team, and loudly announced Meng Chong's decision to the people. As his words fell, more than a thousand people suddenly burst into cheers. Meng Chong paid attention. Wow, some of the veterans wearing old military uniforms even wiped away tears.

"They are all good soldiers!" Meng Chong looked at all this with mixed emotions. He turned to Duan Qianli and said: "The governor has such an army and such people, how can he not win? How dare he not win!"

Duan Qianli also nodded repeatedly, "Experienced veterans are treasures. That is why our Eastern Expeditionary Army is so luxurious that so many experienced veterans have been released into the countryside."

Meng Chong laughed and pointed to the more than a thousand civilians below who were being led by the quartermaster to change clothes and weapons and said: "If there is no such luxury, where do these well-trained militiamen come from? Qianli, Baiyang Village The militia in Zhengdong Mansion is indeed much better than the militia in other places, but in the entire area controlled by Zhengdong Mansion, the governor can summon hundreds of thousands of troops with just one order. Outsiders see that our Zhengdong Mansion has only less than 1,000 troops so far. One hundred thousand troops, but as long as the governor is willing, he can raise an army at any time that will make all countries tremble."

Duan Qianli suddenly said: "Commander, this is a great move. If our Zhengdong Mansion maintains a large army all year round, the cost of the army alone will be too much for the Zhengdong Mansion. But this move is Raise troops among the people. These retired veterans ensure the combat effectiveness of the militia, and they can also save Zhengdong Mansion a lot of military expenses. It's high, it's really high!"

Meng Chong nodded slightly and looked in the direction of Zhengdong Mansion. This is what Gao Yuan must have been thinking when he made this decision. The governor's foresight and precautionary measures made people admire him greatly (to be continued)