Chapter 27: Shanxi (Part 1)

Shanxi City was located about four or five li south of the Honghe River. Liu Yu and his group moored their boat at the dock on the shore and began unloading under the surveillance of the Black Flag Army.

Obviously, the number of Black Flag Army troops stationed in Shanxi was not large. Although there were many fortifications and gun emplacements, it was not until the appearance of the Xiliu Camp that soldiers from the Black Flag Army could be seen there.

The flag of the “Xiliu Camp” was particularly eye-catching. The Black Flag Army, curious about this force of unknown allegiance, sent people to negotiate, and Deng Cunyu followed the messengers.

The dock was small, making unloading slow, but order was maintained. To prevent a sudden attack by the Black Flag Army, Liu Haohao brought over thirty armed soldiers to form a defense line. Behind them, the Xiliu Camp also began to disembark slowly.

Supplies were piled up on the riverbank, with soldiers armed with Remington rifles standing guard. Jing Shiyi and Colonel Jeken also went ashore. Jing Shiyi was clearly interested in Jeken’s technique of disassembling and reassembling rifles blindfolded. Jeken sat on the sand and taught him the skill step by step.

Liu Yu carefully observed Shanxi City.

It was a Vietnamese-style fortress built on a hill, surrounded by a long bamboo wall for protection. The city itself covered several square kilometers. Not only the Black Flag Army but also Vietnamese troops were stationed there.

Yet the difference in quality between the two was evident even without looking closely. Just like the Vietnamese troops he had seen in Haiyang, these were merely armed peasants. Though they carried rifles and wore blue military uniforms, they lacked any semblance of professionalism.

The Black Flag Army, on the other hand, wore even more tattered clothes than the Vietnamese. Some didn’t even have shoes and walked barefoot. Yet their spirit was truly remarkable—they stood with the composure typical of soldiers, their gazes firm as they stared at these strangers.

Liu Yu noticed that they were all quite old. He couldn’t see a single young person among them. Although each of them had fought through battles of blood and fire, they lacked vitality.

This was the consequence of Huang Zuoyan’s mismanagement. Due to constant shortages in rations and pay, the army had no means to replenish its ranks.

At first, limited visibility prevented him from seeing the full extent of Shanxi City. Now that he could see this formidable fortress clearly, he thought, “Changing history begins here.”

He wasn’t referring to the present but to what would happen five years later—the famous Battle of Shanxi.

The first defeat!

This was the first defeat for the invincible Black Flag Army in the Sino-French War. Before this, they had defeated Li Weiyeh and achieved glorious victories in Huaidan and Danfeng. From then on, though they suffered losses and fought fierce battles that cost the French dearly, they never achieved victory again.

It was in this fortress that they fought against the overwhelmingly superior French forces, who employed all the most modern weapons: machine guns, steam warships, steel cannons, observation balloons…

This battle was crucial in determining the outcome of the Sino-French War. In fact, it could be said that China had already lost the war without even reaching Majiang.

I can change history.

What Liu Yu didn’t know was that among those observing him, besides the Black Flag Army and the Vietnamese troops, there was also such a discerning eye. She stood high up, carefully observing the Xiliu Camp, seeing every detail clearly. She also knew exactly the reasons behind Liu Yu’s troops coming to Shanxi. “Xiliu Camp,” she murmured softly, her gaze as cold as the wind, “A good name.” She saw many things—details that even the veteran soldiers of the Black Flag Army had overlooked. To others, it might have seemed like a huge, fat target, but she could clearly see the hidden danger within. Having observed them from Haiyang all the way to Shanxi, she was already very familiar with this troop, whether it was called the Liu Camp or the Xiliu Camp. “We’ve gathered some information about the situation in Shanxi,” said an aged voice. “But spreading the faith has been very difficult. Although this isn’t a territory for foreign religions, there are still quite a number of believers, and our efforts to spread the faith have been hindered. So far, we’ve only gained two converts…” He didn’t mention that those two converts were still skeptical. With so many key members gathered in Shanxi, it could be said they were squandering their resources, but he showed no signs of complaint. These underground religions had a long history and placed great emphasis on loyalty to their leaders. “All the elders should seek permission…” “No rush!” The woman in men’s clothes remained indifferent. “Chopping wood doesn’t hinder sharpening the knife… Hmm?” After a series of hurried footsteps, someone came up along a side path. “Leader, something’s happened?” The woman in men’s clothes still stood on top of the hill, looking down at the Xiliu Camp. “What is it?” “The Vietnamese troops in the city suddenly left and are preparing to seal off the area.” By this time, Deng Cunyu had returned. As soon as he saw Liu Yu, he bowed and said, “I’m sorry; I didn’t meet Liu Er. I only heard that Huang Er is in Shanxi.” Huang Er was Huang Shouzhong. His troops were part of the Black Flag Army’s vanguard unit and were the second most important figure within the army. He had originally been a general in the Yellow Flag Army. After Huang Chongying’s defeat, he and his thousand-plus men joined Liu Yongfu, but his status within the Black Flag Army was rather ambiguous. The reason was simple: his strength was too great. The Black Flag Army consisted of only two or three thousand men, yet his vanguard unit alone numbered a thousand. His strength even surpassed that of Liu Yongfu’s direct followers. As a result, his vanguard unit operated independently, obeying Huang Shouzhong rather than Liu Yongfu’s commands, although they still followed Liu Yongfu’s overall strategy. Huang Shouzhong was a fierce warrior, second only to Liu Yongfu in the Black Flag Army, which was why he was called “Huang Er.” His vanguard unit was also very strong, but their military discipline was far inferior to that of Liu Yongfu’s direct followers. Liu Yu pondered for a moment before Deng Cunyu continued, “I don’t have any close relationship with Huang Er. I just passed on a message to him.” Unbeknownst to them, Huang Shouzhong was also pondering at that moment. All the key figures of the Black Flag Army in Shanxi had now gathered together, whispering among themselves. “Xiliu Camp? Where exactly did this troop come from?” Huang Shouzhong cut in directly. “Xiliu Camp? Why do they want to join our Black Flag Army?” “What exactly is their background?”