Chapter 10: Expedition

When he first entered the Brave Camp, he served as a platoon leader. Soon, due to his adaptability, he gained the attention of Lin Zhe. Subsequently, he demonstrated a remarkable ability to absorb various tactics, quickly grasping the strategies of Professor Hunter William, and soon he was able to command the troops in a competent manner

Among the more than ten first-term students at the Su Ying Academy, their personal qualities are relatively high, so they were selected to successively serve as company commanders

Lin Zhedao: "However, Mr. William, do you think that with the current range of our equipped rifles, there is still a possibility for the enemy to fire the first shot before us?"

As of today, Lin Zhe is already twenty-three years old, while the daughter of the Chen family is twenty this year. In this era where it is common for people to marry in their teens, they are considered to be of advanced age among the remaining single men and women.

Regarding the assertion that volley fire can create an unending barrage of firepower, Hant William stated: a single thunderous salvo far surpasses three rounds of volley fire

However, range is range, and it has nothing to do with whether it is a volley or a round of fire. Therefore, Hunter William stubbornly refuted Lin Zhe's words: "General, the essence of war never changes, which is to pursue maximum firepower and strive to defeat the enemy in the shortest time possible. Since volleys are essential, if our equipped Mini rifles have a longer range, then we can conduct more volleys, and this point has little impact!"

Although Lin Zhe himself is quite averse to wearing this official robe, it is customary for officials to dress this way in these times. Moreover, people place great importance on ceremonial norms, especially regarding attire. If Lin Zhe were to wear casual clothes instead of the official uniform, it would create a negative impression. If he were to don a suit, he would likely be immediately criticized as a fake foreigner.

Currently, Lin Zhe is severely lacking qualified officers under his command, and he naturally stands out, becoming the captain of the First Company

While speaking these words, Lin Zhe was dressed in an official robe, resembling a corpulent old lady. If one were to observe him moving, he would appear just like a zombie from a Hong Kong movie

Lin Zhe did not intend to say much in today's meeting, after all, he spends every day in the *Tu* Book Camp, and he is aware of what is happening in the camp. The officers are also aware that there is an expedition planned for the near future.

Thus, the Yuyiao County militia in this year is very similar to the Xiang Army, in that it is led by scholars, and the officers are not traditional military generals, but rather scholars.

Thus, by the time of Lin Zhe, there was only one son, Lin Zhe himself. As for the three daughters born of concubines, in Madam Lin's view, they were no different from strangers and could hardly be considered members of the Lin family. In the few months since Lin Zhe arrived in this era, he had hardly seen those three younger sisters.

After stepping out, Lin Zhe gazed at the pitch-black night sky, recalling the words of Madam Lin from earlier. In this vast Lin family, he was the only remaining descendant. If he were to die, it was likely that his mother, Madam Lin, would lose her pillar of support in life

The tactics employed by the British in warfare these days are very simple and brutal, which consist of firing back only after the enemy has shot. Often, they advance despite enduring the enemy's initial volley, and then, after delivering their own volley, they charge forward.

Upon arriving at the military camp, Lin Zhe and Huang Peizhi ascended the makeshift podium and delivered eloquent words of oath to over five hundred personnel in the camp, emphasizing how wicked the Taiping Army was and asserting that their expedition represented justice.

When more than 500 members of the Yuyao County militia marched in formation down the street, carrying their rifles, they attracted the attention of the crowd. The Yuyao County militia had been the talk of the town for the past few months, and now people were finally seeing this militia for the first time.

Lin Zhe is not particularly knowledgeable about military affairs; whether in his past life or this one, he is a typical outsider in this field. His involvement in the current training is merely to observe the excitement, and he is unable to discern much beyond that.

The military uniform of this county's brave battalion is quite similar to that of other contemporary Qing army uniforms, consisting of a long robe and a horse coat, prominently featuring the character "勇" (brave) on the chest. To describe it in Western terms: it includes a pair of baggy trousers, a brightly colored yet ill-fitting battle jacket, and on the head, a scarf or a round, hammer-shaped hat as depicted in illustrations. They often carry a fan or an umbrella, and the jacket has a large target-like character "勇" on the front.

Madam Lin hopes to hold her grandson, but she will have to wait until next year when the mourning period for the Chen family’s daughter ends. Only then can Lin Zhe marry the Chen family’s daughter, and it will be the year after next before she can hold her grandson

After enduring for more than two years, just as the time to complete the three-year mourning period and marry was approaching, the father of the Chen family's daughter, who was also a scholar, passed away due to illness. Consequently, the daughter of the Chen family had to observe mourning again, which further delayed the situation.

Now, it is merely to inform that the moment has arrived

This era belongs to me, Lin Zhe

With the addition of these three hundred laborers, the soldiers of Lin Zhe's county militia no longer need to divert their attention to manage logistical affairs

The governor has urged us multiple times, and we can no longer delay. Therefore, I have decided that we will set out the day after tomorrow. You must be prepared

In Yuyao County, the troops engage in daily formations, followed by training in loading and shooting, gradually shaping a military unit.

Although the Lin family has been a prominent lineage for several hundred years, with a considerable number of collateral descendants, the direct line has experienced a significant decline in bloodline continuity over the past two generations. Lin Zhe's father had three brothers; however, the eldest brother passed away in childhood, and the third brother tragically drowned at the age of sixteen. Only the second son, Lin Zhe's father, married and had children. Yet, from the time of his marriage until his death, his wife only bore him one son, Lin Zhe. Despite having several concubines, none bore him a son, only three daughters.

What sets the soldiers of the Yongying in Yuyao County apart from other Qing troops is that they all have a cloth strip tied around their legs: the leg bindings

Including the first squad leader Xu Yanqing, this individual was originally a guard at the Lin residence. As a guard, his skills were naturally commendable, and he was one of the few who charged into battle alongside Instructor Wang during the initial assault.

Upon seeing the attire of this soldier, one immediately recognizes that he is merely cannon fodder

Lin Zhe naturally responded affirmatively to Madam Lin's words, and then after listening to her a few instructions, he withdrew. Before leaving, he noticed that Madam Lin had taken out the prayer beads again.

On the day before departure, Lin Zhe met with Huang Peizhi. The reason for their meeting was not to express feelings of separation or to engage in the usual farewell theatrics like other ancient figures.

As time passed, by the end of May, with the Zhejiang Governor Huang Zonghan sending yet another urging letter, Lin Zhe also realized that he could no longer afford to delay.

As for the other students of the training camp, six have been assigned as deputy company commanders, while the remaining individuals have been allocated to various departments within the battalion headquarters, such as the supervision office, administrative office, supply office, and ordnance office

The conscripted laborers are not paid; however, the brave battalion is responsible for their rations

Not wanting to deal with these household matters, Lin Zhe, after spending a night at the residence, set off early the next morning with Wang Luyun and a group of personal guards to the military training grounds.

The remaining company commanders, Qu Panyun of the Third Company, Lin Anfei of the Fourth Company, Shen Chiyun of the Fifth Company, and Shi Langyi of the Sixth Company, were all students of the military academy. They were previously earnest scholars who, after years of diligent study, failed to pass the examination for the title of Xiucai. In the end, they gritted their teeth and chose to join Lin Zhe, abandoning their scholarly pursuits to take up arms.

However, one must prioritize their own safety in the face of danger! Mrs. Lin said this with a softened tone: "You are the only descendant of the Lin family, and I am still looking forward to the day when I can hold my grandchild!"

However, the marriage of this couple did not go smoothly. When Lin Zhe was nineteen and preparing for marriage, his father passed away, and he had to observe a period of mourning. Consequently, it was naturally impossible for him to marry in the following three years

Rather, it is because Yuyao County still needs to conscript approximately 300 laborers to serve as long-term soldiers in the county's militia, tasked with the logistical transportation duties of the army. Lin Zhe must accept these individuals from Huang Peizhi.

As the only son of the Lin family, Lin Zhe was arranged for a good marriage early on. His fiancée is the daughter of the Chen family from Shanyin County, a family that is a typical scholarly household with a rich literary tradition. The father of the Chen family’s daughter is a juren, but despite decades of attempts, he has never succeeded in passing the imperial examination to become a jinshi

As a stubborn former British officer, Hunt would not easily abandon the habits he had developed over many years of combat, thus he held no fondness for the multi-barrel firing method mentioned by Lin Zhe

Upon hearing Lin Zhe's words, Hunter William was also taken aback. Indeed, the army led by Lin Zhe is not equipped with the old-fashioned smoothbore guns that have a range of only about 200 yards, but rather with rifled guns that fire Minié balls. The effective range of these is at least double that of the old smoothbore guns.

After leaving the city of Yuyao, Lin Zhe led his contingent of the Yuyao County Brave Battalion directly north. As he rode on horseback, he looked at the army in front and behind him. Although this army consisted of only a few hundred men, it was the foundation for his future achievements. Lin Zhe rarely felt a surge of ambition; no matter how renowned the Xiang Army and Huai Army were, given time, he too could lead a formidable Zhejiang Army. This was indeed the foundation for his future accomplishments, and Lin Zhe felt a rare surge of pride. No matter how great the reputations of the Xiang Army and Huai Army, with time, he could certainly establish a Zhejiang Army of great renown.

On that day, he held the first military meeting of the county's brave camp. The number of participants was not large; besides Lin Zhe himself, there were Hante William, the former instructor of the Lin family’s guards, and now the captain of the county's brave camp's personal guard, Wang Luyun. Additionally, there were officials and military officers whom Lin Zhe had recently recruited or promoted.

Upon hearing Lin Zhe's words, some people displayed expressions of fear, while others showed signs of excitement. However, Hunter William's eyes sparkled as if he saw countless gold and silver beckoning to him.

Not only did Lin Zhe wear an official robe himself, but even the soldiers and officers under his command wore traditional military uniforms

The effective range of 500 yards, even if reduced to 400 or even 300 yards in actual combat, is sufficient for our troops to fire several volleys at the enemy before launching a charge. If one still foolishly waits to shoot at a distance of over 100 yards as before, wouldn't that be foolish?

Subsequently, there was the second company commander, Xu Peng'an. He was a natural-born son of the Lin family. Before Lin Zhe organized the county's brave battalion, he became one of the guards during the expansion of the guardhouse. Later, due to his outstanding personal qualities, he was appointed as a platoon leader. He then audited the courses at the battalion school, rapidly enhancing his military knowledge. Therefore, Lin Zhe promoted him to serve as the commander of the second company

Upon hearing Hant say to be at a sufficiently close distance and to fire only after the enemy has shot, Lin Zhe couldn't help but mutter to himself that these British people fight without regard for their lives

One is the legitimate daughter of a family of literary prestige, while the other is the only son of the wealthiest family in Yuyao, which can be considered a match in social standing

My son, in this battle, you must not bring shame to the prestige of the Lin family. " Madam Lin continued, "Bring honor to our Lin family and carve out a future for us!

Hearing Lin Zhe's words, Hant shook his head and said, "No, no, General, the most critical moment in battle is at the very beginning. We must deliver the hardest blow right away; it is essential to fire the maximum number of bullets in the first round. As long as we are close enough, if we fire after the enemy has shot, a single volley will surely cause them to collapse! After that, we only need to use bayonets to deal with the remaining enemies"

Among those present, to be honest, apart from Hunter William, who is a genuinely qualified soldier, the others, including Lin Zhe and the six company commanders, are all half-baked, having been exposed to formal military knowledge for just over a month. Lin Zhe is essentially a businessman, while the others are all intellectuals

After handling all the necessary preparations before departure, Lin Zhe returned to the Lin residence that evening. When he arrived at the backyard, Madam Lin was already waiting.

However, they did not notice any difference between this army and the armies of other courts. Perhaps the only impression was that this county militia seemed to rarely use swords and guns, with the exception of the more than twenty cavalrymen who wielded sabers, while the others mostly carried a musket.

After the oath-taking ceremony was completed, Lin Zhe ordered the entire army to mobilize. Consequently, more than five hundred individuals left the military camp and then set out onto the streets towards the city gate

Among them, Lin Anfei is still a collateral descendant of the Lin family. Although many generations have passed, according to the lineage, he still has to address Lin Zhe as "uncle".