Chapter One, Stories on the Shu Road

I have crossed over

Filming

The strong men helped Yang Qiu up with great effort, and after giving him a couple of sips of clear water, he finally felt a bit of strength returning. Looking around at the towering mountains, he gratefully asked, "Thank you, brothers. What kind of play are you filming? Where is this place?"

It is undeniable that their idea of transplanting a regime from overseas was overly simplistic. Coupled with a lack of long-term governance experience and being constrained by the power they held at the time, this ultimately led to the gradual usurpation of revolutionary achievements by warlords. From the Railway Protection Movement to the first shot in Wuchang, while overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, the country was also plunged into a quagmire. The Beiyang faction manipulated the nation, while the Nanyang region descended into chaos, with the two major groups hindering each other. Meanwhile, powers such as Japan, the United States, and Britain aggressively intervened, ultimately resulting in fragmentation and a descent into chaotic warfare. From the Railway Protection Movement to the first shot in Wuchang, while overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, the country was also plunged into a quagmire. The Beiyang faction manipulated the nation, while the Nanyang region descended into chaos, with the two major groups hindering each other. Meanwhile, powers such as Japan, the United States, and Britain aggressively intervened, ultimately resulting in fragmentation and a descent into chaotic warfare.

This matter is indeed quite strange

One can say that coming with a group is for tourism, while coming alone is for worship. The middle-aged man was very pleased, stating that Yang Qiu is one of the few young people in this era of rampant materialism who can come to pay respects to the martyrs voluntarily, and then he forgot everything else.

In the center of the convoy, a dozen or so "bodyguards" gathered in a cluster, some fanning the air while others brought fresh water, tending to the young man in the center who was dressed in the same attire. Despite the unexpected situation, these "bodyguards" remained composed, with some attending to the rescue and others keeping watch, clearly seasoned individuals who had undergone extensive training

"Brother Yang, drink slowly," the young man with a baby face quickly handed over the water bowl. As Yang Qiu took it and was about to drink, he suddenly noticed a strange face reflected in the clear water, appearing to be around twenty-one or twenty-two years old. The person looked quite handsome, yet was dressed in the same military uniform, and moreover, had a shiny, thick braid coiled around their neck.

Understanding modern military affairs allows one to navigate the complexities of the Republic of China era? This is no joke

In the ramblings of the bearded Ma Kui, Yang Qiu only felt the mountain wind around him growing colder, realizing that he had indeed guessed some things correctly; the vigorous Sichuan Railway Protection Movement had begun

Just as Yang Qiu felt a darkness before her eyes, a multitude of strange and bizarre information flooded in, accompanied by urgent shouts ringing in her ears, and then she lost consciousness once more

As night fell, Yang Qiu began to wander anxiously. If the escort went smoothly, that would be fine, but what if something went wrong? One thousand Mauser rifles along with ammunition would be like a bundle of fuses igniting a powder keg in Sichuan. If the Nationalist Party were to find out, it was likely that he would be surrounded by thousands by morning. At that moment, would he abandon the darkness and join the revolutionary tide, or would he stubbornly act as a lackey for the Qing Dynasty?

As a retired veteran, Yang Qiu's love for firearms is beyond description, prompting him to savor the essence of warfare from that era. The old guns seem to come alive, recounting the battles they have witnessed in his ears

The mountain road stretches endlessly, and the night breeze is gentle

Then don't think about it, I will tell you

Yang Qiu sat beside the doll-faced soldier by the campfire, his expression frozen in place

A bearded man was rambling on, when a burly man beside him interrupted, looking around nervously. After confirming there were no outsiders, he scolded, "Stop talking nonsense and help him up"

In a moment of thought, an unprecedented wave of pain suddenly struck Yang Qiu, as if a large firecracker had been ignited in his head, exploding chaotically to the point where he felt an overwhelming urge to jump off the nearby cliff.

That is a captivating grand era, an age of unprecedented change in the land of China over the past three thousand years, filled with an abundance of the bizarre and the extraordinary. Those living in this new society will never truly comprehend what has transpired beneath the surging tides.

Transporting firearms and ammunition into Sichuan now would make one an accomplice of Zhao Erfeng, a lackey of the Qing court. Yang Qiu certainly does not wish to go; it is not the fear of being a temporary lackey that troubles him, but rather the fact that the current chaos in Sichuan has already taken shape. With only two platoons from the logistics battalion assigned to escort, this journey is bound to be fraught with peril.

The loud, bearded man walked over at noon, interrupting Yang Qiu's thoughts. He handed two pieces of hot, dark bread to him and the baby-faced one, then casually sat down beside them, chuckling, "What's wrong? Did a fall change you? Are you missing your wife?"

One.

After a considerable commotion, he finally entered the Memorial Hall of the Xinhai Revolution

Bingwen and Yang Qiu enlisted in the same year. Due to his young age, Bingwen often relied on Yang Qiu's care, which made him even more nervous upon hearing this, and he always felt that something was amiss. However, Ma Kui was straightforward and not as meticulous as Bingwen, so he did not harbor any doubts. After all, he was very familiar with Yang Qiu in front of him, and he began to explain patiently.

Under the scorching sun, a dozen large horse-drawn carts were lined up in a row on the official road from Hubei to Guang'an. The carts were tightly wrapped in oilcloth, and one could only discern from their shape that they were mostly long, box-like structures

Declaration: This is a rhapsody that takes place in a parallel space, purely fictional

Suddenly, a voice sounded from beside him. Yang Qiu turned his head to look, and a middle-aged man wearing a black top hat had appeared by his side without him noticing. The exaggerated and vintage hat made him appear somewhat comical.

Yang Qiu felt a bit stifled, wondering what was going on. At that moment, he only felt dry and parched, anxious yet unable to speak, and could only point to the water bowl in the hands of a young man beside him who had a doll-like face.

Momentarily stunned

What is going on

Silence!

"By the way, change your clothes before we set off tomorrow morning. We must not let anyone realize that we are new troops; otherwise... we will all be doomed." The big man patted his backside and walked away. Looking at the small figure under the reflection of the firelight, Yang Qiu and Bingwen exchanged a glance, feeling an inexplicable shock in their hearts. From the last few words, it was clear that Ma Kui and these new soldiers were well aware of what was about to happen.

Chengdu? Are we going to Chengdu?

Yang Qiu's question left the surrounding strong men bewildered, staring at each other in confusion. After a while, the leader among them, a burly man, finally asked with a tense expression: "Huzi, what happened to you? Did you hit your head when you fell just now?"

As the fingers are cracked, there is still nearly a month until the railway protection movement evolves into armed conflict, and more than two months until the Wuchang Uprising of the Xinhai Revolution. Yet, who could be more aware of the current situation than Yang Qiu, who has just visited the Xinhai Revolution Memorial Hall in a previous life? The railway protection movement is already in full swing, and Sichuan is on the brink of chaos, with the Wuchang Uprising looming on the horizon

Yang Qiu only felt as if someone was constantly calling out beside her, but the dialect sounded vague and indistinct. She thought she had arrived at the Naihe Bridge and made an effort to open her eyelids, only to find herself surrounded by a group of burly men carrying long spears. What was even stranger was that this group of people was actually coiling whips!

Tiger, have something to eat

This is life-threatening

"Worship! How splendid the worship is, yet unfortunately, not many are willing to come now." The man laughed heartily, and suddenly waved his hands. Yang Qiu felt as if the world before him had abruptly begun to spin, and then he lost all sense of perception

Seeing that everyone was asleep, Yang Qiu quietly opened the PDA. After a flicker on the screen, a line of small text appeared. "Young man, I hope these *images* and *books* are useful to you." This sentence reminded him of the middle-aged man with the comical hat, and he immediately began to read carefully.

Well, let's just say this

In front of the Wuhan Honglou Memorial Hall, the tall Yang Qiu stood out distinctly among the crowd of people queuing to buy tickets, with his backpack on his shoulders. Several young ladies from a nearby tour group kept shifting their attention towards him.

Yang Qiu was very frustrated; if it weren't for the presence of others, he would have jumped up and cursed loudly! It's one thing for you, Zhao Erfeng, to be unable to manage Sichuan, and it's another for you, Ruifang, to seek credit by sending the Hubei New Army into action! But why should I, a time traveler who hasn't even figured out the Western calendar dates, be forced to carry a large bag of "explosives" into this cesspool?

... ...

Young man, do you like it

Upon waking again, I found myself in the midst of the Shu Road

"Brother Yang, what is this..." The baby-faced Bingwen trembled, looking at Yang Qiu in surprise. The latter quickly added, pointing to his forehead with a pained expression: "I bumped my head when I fell just now, and it hurts a lot. I can't remember some things for the time being."

It is no wonder that the new army in Hubei ultimately surrendered to the Nationalist Party, as even the Swiss were slaughtered by soldiers, surrounded by thousands of guns and tens of thousands of Nationalist Party members and militia. Acting heroically in such a situation is nothing but foolishness

What is happening, who am I

Young man, did you come alone

This is a yellowed military bag, certainly not the kind of double-shoulder bag that came later, but rather resembling a single-shoulder crossbody cloth bag from the 1950s or 1960s, adorned with a red five-pointed star. Every soldier in the new army was issued one, which could be used to carry personal belongings during marches

Is it the birth of a group of anti-Qing heroes, or a batch of Manchu cannon fodder lying dead on the streets of Chengdu? In a state of confusion, Yang Qiu slowly leaned back, suddenly feeling as if something hard had poked him in the buttocks, and he instinctively reached with his right hand

Betrayal, immediately betray, and join the revolutionary party! ... Wait a minute ...! ... It seems the Democratic Party has no future either!

Moreover, the black-faced Xiao Anguo is also confused. Why not simply pull out a fully-staffed battalion, with Maxim machine guns leading the way and mountain artillery providing flanking support? Instead, they insist on using some sort of undercover escort. Is this what they call military logistics? It's almost akin to the underground party.

Come, come, let's help him over to rest for a while, we are not in a hurry now

The military backpack is not the key issue; rather, it is the contents inside that are truly surprising. According to Old Yang Qiu's memory, the bag only contained a few changes of clothes at the time of departure. However, now it not only has two Colt M1911 pistols and a book labeled A1, along with several magazines, but also an object resembling a PDA.

Indeed, coming with a group is called tourism, while coming alone is truly a form of worship

Yang Qiu is still Yang Qiu, but his identity has changed to that of a soldier in the Eighth Town Transport Battalion of the New Army in Hubei. It is a typical case of bending down and crossing over, but the question is, what use is it for him to come to this era

Just straightforwardly provide me with the equipment and manpower to produce them!

Awake, awake!

The man with the big beard is named Ma Kui, a lifelong comrade of Yang Qiu. The burly man with the dark face is the leader of the group, the logistics battalion commander, Xiao Anguo. The young man with the baby face beside him is named Bingwen, who is only 17 years old and enlisted in the same year as Yang Qiu. The two are the best of friends in the army. However, it is curious that Ma Kui, a man from Hebei, has come all the way to Hubei to serve in the military, and he has joined the Hubei New Army, which is relatively more educated compared to the current standards in China.

Yang Qiu was not afraid of battle; upon touching a gun, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and excitement within him. This was because he had also served in the military in his previous life, specifically in a frontline reconnaissance unit stationed in the perilous Karakoram Mountains, where he had captured drug lords in the rainforests of Myanmar and fought along the China-Afghanistan border. He was later forced to retire due to a leg injury sustained during an operation to eliminate separatists. Fortunately, under the personal care of his division commander, he was awarded the title of combat hero. After his injury healed, he was assigned to a mid-level management position at the Shanghai Volkswagen factory, receiving treatment commensurate with that of a professional officer.

Shaking his head and casting aside these distractions, Yang Qiu was suddenly captivated by two old guns in the distant display window

... ...

Tiger, you are rather weak; you cannot even withstand this little bit of sunlight. I truly do not understand how you managed to join our new army

When it comes to the current situation in Sichuan, Ma Kui also appears quite tense. Despite this big-bearded man speaking excitedly and eloquently, Yang Qiu, who has served as a reconnaissance soldier and is meticulous in nature, can easily see that this guy's thumb unconsciously shrinks every time he mentions the revolutionary parties and militia over there

After Bingwen handed the kettle to Yang Qiu, he also lost interest in speaking, leaning against the stone wall with his Mauser in hand. Yang Qiu found it even more difficult to swallow the charred steamed bun, thinking about tomorrow

The bearded Ma Kui stood up and patted Yang Qiu and Bing Wen on the shoulders: "You two, one has just returned from the foreign school in the Shanghai concession, and the other is a student of the new learning. You are still unaware of the affairs outside, so don't blame old Ma for being long-winded. On this journey, be sure not to show off your abilities. Don't think that just because we have a few guns, it will be enough. If we truly enter Sichuan, it won't be enough for others to chew on!"

Browning M1911

This scene greatly surprised him. Could it be that a film crew is shooting at the Wuhan Honglou Xinhai Revolution Museum?

Thank you, Brother Ma

Hmm. Yang Qiu nodded without reservation; as long as one is a military enthusiast, it is likely that no one would provide a second answer

However, this so-called advanced device that can be used simply by basking in the sun and can withstand close-range bullet shots not only failed to make Yang Qiu happy, but instead made him furious

Tiger, Tiger!

"What are you thanking me for? You also didn't rest after being seriously ill a few days ago, and you ran with us roughnecks for three days and nights without stopping, which is exhausting." After making a few off-color jokes, Ma Kui comforted, "Get a good night's sleep, it's nothing. I, Ma Kui, may not have much else, but I have plenty of strength. At worst, I can carry you to Chengdu."

Two months ago, the Qing government ordered the nationalization of the Hanchuan Railway, which led to large-scale protests in Sichuan. With the encouragement of revolutionary parties, this spark has turned into a raging fire. Ten days ago, the railway shareholders' meeting even clamored for armed resistance. The newly appointed Governor of Sichuan, Zhao Erfeng, urgently sought assistance from the court. Upon receiving the news, the court immediately ordered the Hubei New Army to escort 1,000 Hanyang-made rifles into Sichuan

The cart bore no markings, and the individuals escorting it were mostly dressed in simple shirts, resembling the porters of a security agency. However, this group of "guards" each carried long rifles, with their long braids coiled around their necks. They had sturdy builds and sharp eyes, appearing quite formidable.

Old photographs, yellowing documents, fleeting before my eyes, etching into my mind, silently narrate the courage and pioneering spirit of the revolutionary pioneers during those tumultuous years

He only remembers that he went on a business trip to Wuhan and, on a whim, visited the Red Mansion Xinhai Revolution Museum, where he encountered a middle-aged man who asked why he was visiting alone

But the problem is that in this day and age, there are neither Kevlar vests nor advanced communication equipment, not even helmets. In the summer, one is left with only a single layer of clothing. A militia force of over fifty members can barely be considered a militia, while the numerous militia groups are armed with at least several thousand guns, charging into the muddy pits of Chengdu with the support of local Tibetan chieftains. What is the difference between this and seeking death

After the handwriting, there follows a series of instructions, and then a succession of miniature blueprints, ranging from a standard revolver to aircraft carriers and everything in between