SWDnovel Chapter 68, First Batch of Military Rations
Chapter 68, First Batch of Military Rations
On the sixth day of the sixth lunar month in the second year of the Tianqi reign, it was auspicious for travel but inauspicious for burial.
The main branch of Lu Ji Carriage and Horse Shop in the south of Jinan was shrouded in a somber yet bustling atmosphere. The continuous rain that had lasted for half a month had finally stopped, but the sky remained extremely low, like a gray rag soaked with water.
In the huge backyard shed, sparks flew, and the sounds of sawing and hammering mingled into a rough industrial symphony.
"Quickly! Nail this piece of sheet metal in place! Make sure the rivets are red-hot before hammering them in, don't skimp on the charcoal!"
Zhao Tie, shirtless and muscular, was wielding a forty-pound iron hammer and roaring at the axle of a large cart. Behind him, thirty-odd craftsmen were performing final "modifications" on the vehicles, much like workers on an assembly line.
This is no longer an ordinary large vehicle.
Lu Yan stood on the second-floor corridor, holding the hardcover notebook in his hand, scrutinizing the "products" below.
This is a "heavy armed transport vehicle" that he designed by combining the concept of anti-mine vehicles from his previous life with the structure of Ming Dynasty sidecar wagons. Each vehicle is equipped with three-inch-thick elm wood panels on both sides, with the outer layer of the panels covered with wrought iron and the inner layer filled with compacted cotton wadding—this can not only protect against arrows, but can even stop lead bullets from muskets at a distance of fifty paces.
The roof of the vehicle was an arched, movable canopy covered with thick canvas coated three times with tung oil. This served to protect it from rain and prevent the gunpowder from getting damp, and it could also be quickly disassembled and disposed of in the event of a fire attack.
"Boss, this car has been modified to be too heavy."
Fan Fu walked over with the list of supplies, looking pained. "Originally, one cart could carry thirty shi (a unit of dry measure), but now, with these iron planks and planks, it can only carry twenty shi. And the cost... the money to modify one cart is enough to buy three new carts."
"Fan Fu, this time we're not transporting grain, we're transporting lives."
Lu Yan didn't turn his head, still staring at the work shed. "If it were a normal business, we would naturally calculate the load-bearing ratio. But this trip is like going through hell. If the vehicle is hijacked and the people are killed, what use is the little bit of load you save? Remember, in this chaotic world, 'survival rate' is the highest profit margin."
He closed the notebook, turned around, and went downstairs.
"gather."
At a command, the piercing sound of a bronze whistle echoed through the carriages and horses.
In the short time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, 450 fully armed men had already lined up in the courtyard.
This is a mixed force. One hundred and fifty of them are Lu Ji's old guard, the "Special Operations Team" that saw bloodshed at the South Gate; the other three hundred are veteran refugees and scattered garrison elites who were urgently recruited in the past two days with the government's "local militia" approval.
They wore uniform dark gray cotton armor—a color Lu Yan had specifically chosen for its durability and good camouflage at night. Each person had a conspicuous red cloth band tied around their left arm, the identification mark of the "Jinan Militia."
"Brothers."
Lu Yan did not stand on the high platform to give a speech, but walked to the middle of the group, his gaze sweeping over the rough but murderous faces.
"This trip to Yanzhou is three hundred li long, and it's all mud pits and bandits. I know many of you are here for the ten taels of silver to settle down. Yes, I, Lu, am generous with money, but I also have my rules."
He pointed to a large truck that was already fully loaded next to him.
"The vehicles are our life, the vehicles are our death. I'm not trying to scare you. If we lose our military rations, the government will chop off our heads even before the bandits do anything. So we must protect these vehicles as if they were our own wives."
"Set off!"
……
At noon, the south gate of Jinan was opened wide.
The garrison soldiers guarding the city and the onlookers were surprised to find that the legendary "Lu Family Army" had not sneaked away, but instead set up a posture that was almost like a "military parade".
Twenty cavalrymen led the way, all riding tall, imposing horses, their sabers drawn and gleaming coldly.
Following closely behind was a convoy of fifty fully armed armored vehicles. Each vehicle was equipped with four mules and horses, and the drivers wore uniform vests and brandished long whips. On both sides of the vehicles were infantrymen in neat columns, with a forest of spears and a mountain of crossbows.
At the very center of the procession, a huge black flag with red lettering fluttered in the damp, cold wind, bearing six large characters:
Jinan Volunteer Corps
The appearance of this flag evoked complex emotions in Prefect Wang, who was atop the city wall. He knew this was more than just a grain transport team; it was Lu Yan flexing his muscles in front of the entire Shandong officialdom and bandits. From this day forward, this private army finally had a legal "registration."
Once outside the city gate, the official road beneath our feet became muddy and impassable.
"Pass down the order to maintain the highest level of alert for marching."
Lu Yan, mounted on his horse and wearing a straw raincoat, gave orders to Zhao Changying beside him: "The outposts should be set out five li ahead, and the scouts should spread out on both flanks. The caravans should maintain a distance of five paces between each other, and the musketeers' matchlocks must be kept smoldering. Cover them with tarpaulins."
"yes!"
The wheels rolled over the mud, making a dull thud.
The journey was far from peaceful. Just outside the border of Licheng County, the roadside was littered with uncollected corpses, remnants of looting by bandits. Occasionally, a few unsuspecting highway robbers would spot the menacing, well-equipped convoy from afar, but lacking the courage to approach, they would disappear into the woods.
But Lu Yan did not let his guard down.
He knew that the real test was south of Tai'an. That area was the sphere of influence of Xu Hongru's power, and also a vacuum in the strength of the government troops.
As night fell, the caravan camped at this abandoned post station.
Unlike ordinary caravans that are scattered and disorganized, Lu Yan directed the convoy to quickly form a "circular formation." Fifty large carts were linked end to end, surrounding the mules, horses, and people in the middle, forming a temporary miniature fortress.
With the campfire lit, Zhao Tie led the repair team to inspect the vehicles, oiling the axles and checking the spokes. The cooks set up a large pot and started cooking a thick porridge with salted dried meat.
Lu Yan sat on a section of broken wall, using the firelight to look through a map.
"Master, 'Ghost Sorrow Gorge' is just ahead."
The guide, an old postman in his fifties, was holding a bowl of hot porridge, his hands trembling slightly. "That place is surrounded by cliffs on both sides, with a narrow path in the middle, perfect for an ambush. Even in peaceful times, there were bandits, but now... it's probably even more dangerous."
"Ghost Sorrow Valley..."
Lu Yan pointed to the narrow canyon on the map. Judging from the contour lines, it was indeed an excellent ambush point. If he were Xu Hongru's commander, he would definitely choose that place to strike.
"You might see blood when you cross the stream tomorrow."
Lu Yan closed the map, his voice as calm as if he were saying that it would rain tomorrow.
He turned his head and looked at Zhao Changying, who was wiping his musket.
"Changying, move the musketeer team to the front line tomorrow. Also, take out those two boxes of 'special products' and distribute them."
"A local specialty?" Zhao Changying's eyes lit up. "You mean that one Uncle Zhao just made..."
"Yes, a thunderclap bomb," Lu Yan said calmly. "Although it's made using crude methods and doesn't cause much shrapnel damage, the sound is enough. Tomorrow, we're going to give our friends who are blocking our way a little something."
The night wind howled, causing the campfires to flicker. In this wilderness, the convoy, huddled together like a hedgehog, quietly awaited the dawn and the inevitable bloodshed.