Section 3, The Failed Surprise Attack (1)

The troops set off at the Dog Hour. Liu Yucai arrived at the departure point just as the three battalions were chaotically assembling after a sumptuous dinner. The sun had long set, and the open space in front of Guangming Temple was crowded with soldiers dressed in a variety of colorful uniforms. The Spring Festival had passed, but spring had not yet truly arrived; the chill on the mountaintop after nightfall was biting. Liu Yucai and Zhou Huanan were inspecting the troops that were lining up, and Zhou Huanan sighed softly, "The Eighth Battalion was established the latest, yet it has already surpassed our Third Battalion. Just look at them..."

Regarding the arrangement of the leader, none of the leaders expressed any objections

Under the cover of darkness, the attacking troops launched a surprise assault on the government forces stationed at the foot of the mountain

The external campaigns of the bandits are generally led by the third leader, Sun Deming. This has been the case since Sun Dewang occupied Mengshan. Faced with formidable enemies, it is only natural for Sun Deming to personally lead the expedition. Zhou Huanan suggested sending another battle team, but Sun Deming believed that a night raid is a surprise attack, which relies not on the number of troops but on the element of surprise. As long as they can defeat the vanguard of the imperial army through a sudden assault, they would have already won half the battle

The first strike team is the trusted squad of the Sun brothers, while the third team consists of Liu Yucai's old associates from Mengshan, along with an eighth team formed recently from miscellaneous soldiers who have just come up the mountain. Such an arrangement highlights the doctrine of moderation that is deeply ingrained in the Chinese ethos

Regarding the leader of the attacking troops, Zhou Huanan proposed that Long Qian, the captain of the Eighth Team, take the lead. However, Sun Dewang rejected Zhou Huanan's proposal, citing Long Qian's insufficient qualifications and his inability to command respect due to his lack of experience. Zhou Huanan nominated Long Qian because, despite his short time with the group, he had demonstrated outstanding abilities and achieved numerous military accomplishments. In Zhou Huanan's view, although the Eighth Team was the last to be formed and had the worst equipment, its actual combat effectiveness was the best among the group. However, apart from Zhou Huanan, no one acknowledged this assessment.

Zhangjiazai is a small village at the foot of the mountain. Once home to over a hundred households, it now has fewer than a hundred residents, and the village walls are in a state of disrepair. However, Mengshan Zhai holds significant importance, as this village is located at the critical point of exit to the west from the mountain.

His qualifications are too shallow, and his background is unclear. It is normal for the leader to have concerns. Liu Yucai focused intently on what Long Qian was saying, but the wind had picked up on the mountain, and they were downwind, making it impossible to hear clearly. For some reason, Liu Yucai did not move closer; after standing for a while, he tightened his leather coat and turned to walk towards his old unit, Team 3.

According to the results of the military discussion chaired by Sun Dewang, the main force of the Mengshan stronghold took the initiative to launch an attack before the government troops ascended the mountain

According to Long Qian's self-description, his ancestral home is in Taiyuan Prefecture. Several years ago, during the severe drought that swept through Zhili and Shanxi, his entire family perished from starvation. He fled with the villagers to Shandong, but became separated from them until he encountered Leader Zhou. However, from Zhou Huanan's perspective, Long Qian's account is riddled with inconsistencies. During the Guangxu period, the "Dingchou Famine" indeed struck Shanxi hard, reportedly causing the death of one-third of the population and livestock. Yet, the flaws in Long Qian's narrative are glaringly obvious. Firstly, his accent does not resemble the soft and slurred Shanxi dialect; instead, it sounds more like the official Mandarin of the capital. Secondly, his robust physique hardly resembles that of someone who has been fleeing and begging for food.

Zhou Huanan thought that once they passed this hurdle, he would definitely let Supervisor Long Qian take charge of the training camp, and what would it matter to give him a leadership position? If one wants to achieve great things, one cannot be petty.

Zhou Huanan remained still. "Unknown origin?" He pondered Liu Yucai's words, thinking about Long Qian, the young man who always brought him surprises. Long Qian had joined the gang in early summer last year, initially as his nephew, and was brought to the mountain by Zhou Yi, the current captain of the third team. When Zhou Yi went down the mountain on business, he encountered the lost Long Qian, and a conflict ensued between them. Long Qian single-handedly defeated several of Zhou Yi's men, showcasing his exceptional martial skills. However, he was forced to surrender when confronted by several foreign guns. Zhou Yi, who was watching from the side, was immediately impressed by his talent. After a conversation, he surprisingly brought this seemingly formidable man to the stronghold, making him a member of Meng Mountain Stronghold.

The team is led by the third leader, Sun Deming. The attacking forces consist of the first, third, and eighth infantry squads, along with three auxiliary teams of black soldiers, totaling five hundred combat soldiers and nearly four hundred black soldiers. They carry approximately one hundred eighty foreign rifles, while the rest are traditional weapons such as broadswords, spears, bows, and crossbows. Not everyone among the black soldiers possesses weapons, including broadswords and spears; they are prepared to follow the combat soldiers into the village to loot. The stronghold survives by plundering and raiding, and the government troops are the best targets for robbery. Not to mention firearms and ammunition, military uniforms and leather boots are also in high demand in the stronghold. According to the stronghold's rules, except for military equipment like foreign rifles, general items are claimed by whoever seizes them. It is said that the black soldiers would not be able to obtain much, but Sun Dewang and Liu Yucai reasoned that since the government troops had designated Zhangjiazai as a forward base for attacking Mengshan, they would inevitably stockpile a large amount of food, which is the most scarce resource for the stronghold. Therefore, the three black soldier teams accompanying the combat soldiers not only brought necessary stretchers but also carried ropes, shoulder poles, and bags, preparing to bring back food and other supplies from Zhangjiazai.

Wherever there are people, there exists a community; wherever there is a community, there are factions. The Mengshan stronghold, with over 2,000 members, is essentially divided into two major factions: the local faction led by the Sun De-wang brothers and the external faction represented by Liu Yucai and Zhou Huanan. Nong Mengfu, the fifth leader, originally came from a wealthy family in Mengyin. When he brought a large sum of money to join the Mengshan stronghold, Liu Yucai and Zhou Huanan were still wandering in Henan, so Nong Mengfu can also be considered part of the local faction

Sun Deming's views received unanimous approval from all the leaders. In this era, warfare is fundamentally a battle of morale; a victory in the first battle significantly boosts the morale of the victor. Conversely, the defeated side will inevitably feel disheartened, making it highly likely that they will fail in the subsequent engagements

Liu Yucai's gaze had long been fixed on the assembled Eighth Team. To say it was chaotic is not entirely accurate; Long Qian's Eighth Team was quite orderly, with over a hundred people lined up in rows of three. Long Qian was standing at the front of the team, discussing something, likely the precautions for tonight's operation.

These are all trivial matters. What impresses Zhou Huanan the most is Long Qian's ability to lead troops. For someone like him, achieving merit is not difficult at all. Since Long Qian ascended the mountain, he has completed every task assigned to him without fail. When the Eighth Squad was established, even Sun Dewang nominated Long Qian as the captain. This Eighth Squad, which was considered the weakest by the leaders, has, under Long Qian's command for just five months, likely become the most elite infantry unit in the stronghold. Zhou Huanan finds Long Qian's training methods for the Eighth Squad simply incredible, yet those incredible methods have indeed yielded results; just look at the military appearance of the Eighth Squad to see the outcome. This Eighth Squad, which was considered the weakest by the leaders, has, under Long Qian's command for just five months, likely become the most elite infantry unit in the stronghold. Zhou Huanan finds Long Qian's training methods for the Eighth Squad simply incredible, yet those incredible methods have indeed yielded results; just look at the military appearance of the Eighth Squad to see the outcome

It turns out that everyone joked about Xiao Longzi practicing drills all day long as a way to pass the time. In my opinion, this is the secret to military training. Those who know nothing about it have managed to make him practice in an orderly manner. Truly a remarkable talent. The speaker is Zhou Huanan, who said, "It would have been better to let Xiao Longzi take charge of the bandit training earlier."

Long Qian possesses an extensive knowledge base; he is familiar with court officials and is well-versed in many foreign matters. When it comes to firearms, he can identify whether they are imported or produced in Hankou, and he can even specify the country of origin for imported foreign guns! This leaves Zhou Huanan utterly perplexed. Regarding foreign countries, Zhou Huanan only knows about the British and French who invaded Beijing forty years ago, and the Japanese who defeated the Beiyang Navy a few years back. In contrast, Long Qian's knowledge clearly far exceeds this. How does he know so much? Not only that, Long Qian is also literate and articulate; his demeanor and speech are certainly not akin to those illiterate ruffians in the village who cannot even write their own names. He must have read many books, and those ruffians enjoy listening to Long Qian tell stories, discussing ancient and modern events, which greatly entertains them and makes them feel more exhilarated than watching a grand performance in front of Guangming Temple.

Thus, the decision to raid the camp was made. Sun Dewang dispatched someone to summon the captains of each team for a military council, instructing them to slaughter a pig so that the soldiers embarking on the expedition tonight could enjoy a hearty meal

However, despite her doubts, Zhou Huanan still decided to keep Long Qian. Many people in the village were somewhat reluctant to speak about their criminal records, after all, they were notorious bandits.

In the days to come, Long Qian gradually entered the sights of Liu Yucai and Zhou Huanan. Both Liu and Zhou were somewhat educated, making communication with the well-versed Long Qian much easier. Zhou Huanan was astonished by Long Qian's abilities; not only was his martial skill outstanding, but ordinary people from the bandit camp could hardly last a round against him. Moreover, his displayed martial arts were practical and did not reveal any particular school of thought—he excelled in boxing, wrestling, and throwing knives, yet he was unwilling to disclose his lineage. It is not surprising, as there are always some skilled wanderers in the martial world who refuse to reveal the secrets of their schools. What amazed Zhou Huanan even more was Long Qian's exceptional proficiency with firearms; his marksmanship was simply remarkable. Not only that, but this young man could also repair foreign guns, effortlessly disassembling and reassembling them, which instilled a sense of awe in everyone. Zhou Huanan speculated that Long Qian must have spent time in the imperial army, though he was unsure what crime had led him to escape from the military.