On July 3, after a day's rest, Sun Wu left Jiujiang with the Jinling detachment, aiming directly at Jinling, the core of Jiangnan.

Accompanying them were intelligence agents operating in the Jiangnan water towns. They disguised themselves as various professions and destroyed the telegraph lines, the few modern infrastructures in this land.

In the Qing Empire, which had few radio stations and no high-power radio stations, if the telegraph line was lost, the only option was to return to the original method of transmitting messages by humans.

As a result, the Qing Empire did not know that the revolutionary army was moving down the Yangtze River, rushing to Jinling day and night.

…

"July 7th, sunny.

It has been more than a month since the revolution broke out in the three towns last month. I heard that the revolutionary army is making slow progress, and I feel anxious inside. The warriors are fighting bloody battles, but we cowards are hiding...

Yesterday, the Second Infantry Association arrested a few more people. It was said that they were accused of plotting rebellion. They should be revolutionaries. We cowards do not have the courage to recommend Xuanyuan with blood, so at least we must be able to help a group of these people with lofty ideals...

The sound of cannon! It’s the sound of cannon! I don’t know where the cannon was fired, but the sound of cannon is extremely dense. It must be a revolution somewhere in the city. What should I do?”

Huang Fucheng finished writing the last word, threw the paper on the table, put on his clothes and hurried out.

"I heard the sound came from the west of the city. What happened?" Huang Fucheng looked to the west in confusion after going out.

"Fucheng also came out? The sound of gunfire was fierce. It should be the fort in the direction of Lion Rock in Xiaguan." Huang Fucheng's friend Ma Guoliang said calmly.

PS: Due to force majeure, this fort, referred to as the Xiaguan Fort, don’t be disgusted, the Japanese one will be blown up by them in a while.

"In the direction of Xiaguan? Isn't that the upper reaches of the Yangtze River?" Huang Fucheng was stunned when he heard that the fort was firing.

"Who knows? Maybe the revolutionary army came? Anyway, it is impossible for the fort defenders to dare to fire on the British and French warships crossing the Yangtze River. It is impossible to attack foreigners." Ma Guoliang said angrily.

"Okay Guocheng, let's go ask your brother and see what's going on." Huang Fucheng shook his head, thinking he was talking nonsense.

Boom boom boom...

Suddenly, the sound of artillery became very dense, and Ma Guoliang also wanted to know what the fort was doing, so he nodded and led the way to the home of his brother, who was in charge of the New Army.

…

After walking for about half an hour, the sound of cannons became more and more intense, and they could already see the smoke from the city to the west, which was several kilometers away.

"There should be a fire on the mountain. Since the fire has reached the mountain, I don't know what happened to the forts on the shore." Ma Guoliang clenched his fists.

Although he hated the cowardice and corruption of the Qing Empire government very much, he hated the invaders even more.

It's not that he didn't think about the arrival of the revolutionary army, but after thinking about it, he put aside this ridiculous idea.

From Jiujiang to Jinling, the river stretches for thousands of miles, and there are several important military towns on the way. Even if the revolutionary army is coming, they should attack them one by one, otherwise won't the retreat be cut off?

"And with the Qing Empire's sense of confidentiality, if the revolutionary army really came, news would have already appeared in the city. Now..." Ma Guoliang murmured softly, which happened to be the residence of the commander.

The door to the residence of the commander of the first town of the Jiangnan New Army was opened, allowing Ma Guoliang to clearly see the situation inside.

Although there was some confusion, some children in rich clothes could still be seen. If the revolutionary army really came, Ma Guoliang would not believe that these high officials would not send their families and property away.

"Guocheng, what are you talking about?" Huang Fucheng vaguely heard what Ma Guoliang said.

"Nothing, the city is in chaos, no one is here to maintain order? Huh! Corrupt and incompetent bureaucrats!" Ma Guoliang shook his head.

Huang Fucheng didn't ask any questions and strode forward.

A few minutes later, the two of them arrived at a small building and happened to meet an officer who looked a little like Ma Guoliang and was wearing a straight New Army uniform as he went out.

"Brother!" Ma Guoliang shouted when he saw this. It was not that he wanted to shout, but that the officer had already touched the horse. If he didn't shout, he would get on the horse.

"Guocheng, Fucheng? Why are you out? Go back quickly! You can't get involved in this matter, just leave it to us!" Ma Guodong looked at the two of them in surprise and said seriously.

"Brother Guodong, what happened? Why is the artillery fire over Xiaguan so fast?" Huang Fucheng asked, cupping his hands as a salute.

Ma Guodong looked around. Except for his own soldiers, no one else paid attention to them.

"The revolutionary army has arrived and has landed on the riverside outside the city. They are shelling the fort. The Yangtze River Navy has surrendered to the revolutionary army and is shelling the fort on the river.

There are not many garrison troops in the fort, so the Governor sent us to support them." Ma Guodong said selectively.

"Guocheng, I know what you are thinking, but this matter is not something you can interfere with. Don't worry, I will not be a filial son and grandson of those people." Ma Guodong knew something was wrong when he saw the excitement on Ma Guoliang's face.

"No! Brother, I want to go, take me there, I want..." Ma Guoliang was too excited.

"Shut up, Guocheng. Brother, I won't hide it from you. I have joined the Revolutionary Party a long time ago. Most of our battalion is our own people. When we get to the fort later, we will defect before the battle."

"You are a student with weak limbs. You can even hurt yourself with a gun. When you get up there, I have to send someone to watch you. It's a waste of force. Just wait at home and keep an eye on your nephew and wait for my good news."

Ma Guodong had no intention of saving face for his younger brother. After speaking, he turned around and got on his horse and ran towards the military camp.

"Brother! I'm still here, brother! Take me with you..." Before Ma Guoliang could react, Ma Guodong was already riding his horse.

"Guocheng, tell me, when did your brother join the Revolutionary Party? From which club? How come we don't know about it?" Huang Fucheng quickly diverted his attention.

Ma Guodong was under military control and had great power. The two of them also used this power to play with guns.

Ma Guoliang likes pistols and plays with revolvers, Huang Fucheng likes rifles and plays with Hanyang products - this thing has been discontinued.

The outcome was that Ma Guoliang dislocated his wrist, Huang Fucheng's face was bruised, and his shoulders could not move for several days.

So Huang Fucheng knew that Ma Guodong was right. Taking them up would not only be ineffective, but also send people to protect them, which would be a waste of troops.

"I don't know either. My brother won't lie to me, right?" Ma Guoliang thought for a while, and indeed he had not heard his brother's name in various social activities.

Of course he didn't hear that Ma Guodong was a member of the Revolutionary Party, or a member of the Revolutionary Army, and was only instigated by the intelligence agency this spring.

Also with the help of the intelligence department, he was promoted from team officer to leader two months ago.

…

"Ma Guandai, Biaotong ordered your troops to immediately support the Xiaguan Fort. The military situation is urgent, so there is no need to delay." The third guard captain of Biaotong came to convey the order. It can be seen that the relationship between the two is not bad.

The third standard is based on the current tradition of the Qing Empire's new army. The bannermen and guards captains appointed are usually their servants.

"Captain Liu, you have also seen that I have just arrived at the military camp. Don't worry, I will straighten up my brother and set off immediately!" Ma Guodong bowed his hand to him, expressed his attitude, and then began to inquire about the news.

"Captain Liu, is the war ahead so urgent?"

"Hey! Stop talking. I looked at it from a distance. The artillery fire of the Revolutionary Army was so fierce, as if the artillery shells were free of charge.

There are also large-caliber heavy artillery! The forts can’t withstand it, and the river defense forts on the bank have been turned upside down.”

"So fierce? Then if we go up at this time, aren't we just cannon fodder? Where are the fort defenders?"

"Who says it's not the case? Most of the fort defenders ran away, and the rest were bombed on the mountain.

The revolutionary army attacked very fiercely, and those revolutionary soldiers didn't know what they were trying to do. They rushed towards the fort despite the shelling, and they couldn't stop it."

"Alas! What kind of world is it that it's so difficult to live in peace for two days?" Ma Guodong sighed.

"Who says it's not?" Captain Liu shook his head.

"Captain, please sit down first. I'll greet the brothers and set off immediately to suppress the rebellion! It will make Mr. Biaotong look good!" Ma Guodong said with a very formal bow.

"Okay! I will tell Mr. Biaotong what you said. You are busy, I will go back first." Captain Liu turned around and left, and the fool was with them.

Biao Tong is a bannerman, so he only needs to command from behind. But what about Ma Guodong? A leader, or a Han, who has to go to the front line in person.

He went with him. What if he didn't find Biao Tong when he went up the mountain? If he left, he would be embarrassed. It would be his master's face that would be embarrassed. If he didn't leave, he would lose his life...

…

After cleaning up for a while, Ma Guodong set off with about 500 people, carrying guns and galloping towards the Xiaguan Fort.

Their battalion of five hundred infantrymen was a newly established force in the prosperous land south of the Yangtze River, but they did not have a single heavy weapon.

There are only rifles, grenades, and explosive packs. Apart from this, there are no other thermal weapons, and there is not even a machine gun - this is also the current situation of most of the new troops.

When we ran down the mountain, both sides were still shelling back and forth.

"You guys are here! Our Ma Zi Battalion has suffered more than half of its casualties. We really can't hold it any longer. The fort will be handed over to the brothers of the New Army!" Before he had time to observe, a smoky garrison (level) caught him.

He held Ma Guodong's hand and said kindly.

"Ma Ziying, withdraw! Hand over the fort to the brothers of the New Army!" After the guard finished speaking, he didn't care what Ma Guoliang said, turned around, waved his hand, and left with hundreds of people.

"Ma Ziying? Ma Ziying is not far from us, and they are very hungry. I remember there were only two or three hundred people. Isn't this more than four hundred people?" A team officer under Ma Guodong muttered to himself.

Ma Guodong led his men and climbed to the top of the fort. There were many cannons here, but they were all old-fashioned front-loading artillery.

The artillerymen are loading the cannon with round shells. If nothing else, they are solid shells. The field of view here is wide and the shooting range is extremely wide. If the artillery has enough range, it can easily block the river.

Ma Guodong and three of his four team officers looked at each other and nodded.

"Brothers! The court is immoral, ignorant and incompetent. It flatters the outside world and disrupts the law inside! It treats the people like thieves and bandits!"

"Today's puppet dynasty is nothing more than chaos caused by fate. It has stolen my artifacts and enslaved my race. It has been two hundred and sixty-eight years. It's time to end! I, Ma Guodong, today rebelled against this dog court!"

"Reverse!"

"Rebel this puppet dynasty!"

"Give me back my mountains and rivers!"

"Restore China!"

…
Chapter completed!