Chapter 203: Breaking Through (Part 2)

“Get ready to launch the final attack!”
Willow-leaf battle flags were raised one after another, and determined officers patted each other on the shoulders. “See you at Guilin!”
“See you again at Guilin!”
The soldiers were already itching to fight, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on Zhenan Pass, which had once again been ravaged by artillery fire, ready to charge at any moment.
Their guns were loaded, grenade pouches were tightly sealed, and they had already drunk their farewell drinks—everything ready to spur them on. Only a few veteran soldiers who had endured countless battles closed their eyes, savoring this symphony of blood and fire.
The artillery fire grew more intense, enveloping the entire Qing army’s artillery in clouds of white smoke and yellow dust. Amidst the smoke and dust were the blood and cries of countless Qing soldiers. Suddenly, the telephone rang. An officer squinted at his watch while picking up the magnetic phone, repeating loudly, “The artillery fire is about to end. Now it’s the infantry’s turn!”
“Attack!”
“Attack!”
“Attack!”
With little need for encouragement, the entire infantry battalion moved like steel machinery. The officers were among the first to charge out, while the soldiers moved swiftly like leopards. Along with the artillery and sniper guns firing almost simultaneously, they cleared all obstacles in their path.
Behind them, Sima Tai’s voice echoed: “The Xiliu Battalion will always be first!”
The addition of three elite infantry battalions split the Qing army’s positions apart. After waves of fighting, they charged forward with bayonets, toppling one Qing flag after another.
“What… what kind of bandit army is this?”
A local militia leader was on the verge of crying. “It’s over! It’s really over!”
It indeed was over. He too was a veteran who had experienced fierce battles in the past. During the chaos caused by the rebels, Guangxi suffered the longest and most severe disasters. He, Chen Zhengrui, had fought in hundreds of battles, earning a worthless title, believing he had seen it all.
But today, he was shocked to realize there was always more beyond what he knew. These Black Flag rebels used both heavy artillery and rapid gunfire, as well as coordinated assaults—nothing he had ever encountered before. Hundreds of shells rained down mercilessly, destroying several battalions at the front line before they could even engage the enemy.
Seeing rows of scattered corpses, hearing of veteran generals dying in battle, and facing the ubiquitous Black Flag rebels everywhere, he regretted having been blinded by greed.
His descendants would have their own fortunes. Why abandon a comfortable life as a wealthy man just to fight for glory? What foolishness in old age!
Chen Zhengrui regretted it deeply, but there was no remedy for regret in this world. The Black Flag Army continued to fire relentlessly, injuring several Qing soldiers hiding under rocks.
“Third uncle! Third uncle!” A descendant of the Chen family ran over from Su Yuanchun’s troops, almost crying. Without stopping to catch his breath, he knelt at Chen Zhengrui’s feet and shouted, “General Su ordered us to charge. He said the outcome depends on us. We’re betting everything—our future wealth depends on it!”

Chen Zhengrui glanced at him and saw that the young man’s eyes were filled with tears—fear and joy alike. “Marshal Su ordered our Chen Regiment to charge forward! Leave none behind!”
Although Chen Zhengrui’s militia was assembled hastily, his reputation in the countryside gave it a strength of over nine hundred men. They were temporarily equipped with more than two hundred rapid-fire guns and over a hundred foreign-style guns, including some desperate fighters willing to fight to the death. It was a formidable force. Yet when Chen Zhengrui looked around, he saw faces—some familiar, some unfamiliar.
Each of them clutched their arms tightly, awaiting his decision with eyes filled with fervor, fear, and hope. Chen Zhengrui could hear their thoughts as clearly as the roaring of cannons. He knew many of them—they were his blood relatives. He bore the hopes of everyone, for he was the most renowned gentleman in a hundred miles around.
“You old fool who’s had your fill of comfort, come out!” Chen Zhengrui’s voice drowned out the noise of guns and cannons. “Take the best rapid-fire guns and follow me. Get lost!”
He kicked several of his nephews out of the fighting line. “Get lost, all of you! Old men like you have had enough comfort and are just here for fun. What do we need you scum for? Get lost!”
Out of the original nine hundred men, only about fifty remained—mostly desperate men with no family ties, their eyes filled with murderous intent. They were all armed with foreign-style rapid-fire guns, their waists stuffed with copper bullets. Several of his nephews clung to Chen Zhengrui, crying bitterly.
“Get out!” But Chen Zhengrui was at a dead end. He didn’t believe the Black Flag rebels would win, nor did he think they could seize the Qing dynasty’s throne. The Qing had ruled for over two hundred years—how could their throne be lost so easily? Even when the Manchus, Heaven and Earth Society, Nian rebels, foreigners, and Muslims caused chaos and reached as far as Tianjin, the dynasty still survived. Defecting meant certain death.
He had invested all his life’s efforts into this army, only to face such terrifying opponents. At the thought of it, cold sweat broke out on Chen Zhengrui’s back. He wanted to turn and run, but he didn’t dare.
Others might run—people like him, powerless and weak, would surely become easy targets if they fled in battle. But seeing these familiar faces, he lacked the courage to perish with them. Instead, he fiercely kicked them in the rear. “Get lost! Go as far as you can!”
Before leaving, Chen Zhengrui added, “Be smart. If things go bad, go back to your hometown and gather more troops. And… find a good schoolmaster. Don’t forget my contributions! They’re all you have left!”
With that, Chen Zhengrui turned around. “Brothers, follow me! If we win, you’ll get women, high-ranking positions, and piles of silver. I’ll reward you with a hundred ingots!”
…
“Reporting to the marshal! Chen Regiment and Bai Regiment charged but were routed, with many killed or wounded!”
The situation on the battlefield had reached a desperate stage. The three infantry battalions sent by the Black Flag army had shattered any hope of the Qing army turning the tide. The Qing positions were red with blood, like the setting sun.
“The Chao Yong troops can’t withstand the Black Flag rebels’ fresh forces and have collapsed again!”
“Three hundred men dead or wounded in the Dingzi Battalion…”

Su Yuanchun’s eyes were on the verge of bleeding, but he stood up: “Gentlemen, I, Su Yuanchun, swear to never coexist with these traitors!”
It was as if he had returned to that bloody evening—seeing his father lying in a pool of blood, the arrogant Manchu invaders, and his father’s final words: “Our Su family swears never to coexist with these Manchu traitors!”
He had already resolved to die: “These traitors must be punished. Even if Su Yuanchun dies in the chaos of battle, he will leave a good name for future generations!”
No sooner had he made up his mind when a messenger rushed over: “Commander, Commander! General Ding is right in front of the troops! He orders us to lay down our weapons! Lay down our weapons!”
These words suddenly filled his guards with hope: “Commander, Commander! General Ding orders us to stop resisting!”
Su Yuanchun’s fervor instantly turned cold. He shouted loudly, “Is it Pan Dingxin? It really is General Ding!”
“That’s right!” Everyone was willing to die like this. A few guards said solemnly, “Look, the Song Regiment has already surrendered to the Black Flag Army!”
Pan Dingxin’s arrival came at just the right time. The already crumbling Qing lines suffered another huge gap, and four or five hundred soldiers surrendered on the spot. As the battle continued, more and more Qing soldiers laid down their weapons.
Su Yuanchun also saw this. It was clear that Zhenan Pass could no longer be held. Several of his trusted relatives and nephews cried out, “Commander, let’s retreat! We’ve done our best for the Qing Dynasty!”
“We won’t surrender! We’ll retreat!”
They knew well Su Yuanchun’s temperament, but he still roared, “I will never side with the traitors! Never!”
Suddenly, he saw his father’s bloodied, furious face again: “Fight to the death with me!”
He drew his saber and prepared to charge, but someone suddenly grabbed him: “Hurry, take the Commander away!”
Instantly, six or seven people surrounded him: “Hurry, get the Commander away! Away!”
“Let me die!” Su Yuanchun could hardly breathe, but he would never forget his father’s words: “I, Su Yuanchun…”
But he was already pulled away by several young, ambitious officers: “Hurry, get the Commander out!”
Before long, Su Yuanchun was lifted onto a horse. The battlefield grew increasingly chaotic, with after-action units and militia raising surrender flags in despair.
They might not have truly surrendered, but in such a situation, they had no choice!
Watching Su Yuanchun disappear from sight under the protection of his guards, a man in his thirties said to those around him, “The Commander has left. It’s time for us to serve him in return!”
“The Commander will take care of our families!” Though young, he had already secured a seventh-rank official position through Su Yuanchun’s connections. “Brothers! We must live up to the Commander!”
Food, drink, women, houses—everything they had was thanks to Su Yuanchun. Though Su Yuanchun had lost this battle, as long as he was alive, he would have to take care of these old subordinates’ families for life.
“Brothers!” said this promising young scholar. “My surname is Su, Su Zida. I’m the Commander’s nephew. After having enough fun and indulging in pleasure, I’m offering my life to the Commander today!”

As the core force of Su Yuanchun’s team, these over a hundred people finally united their hearts at this moment: “Let’s fight together! We must protect my uncle and help him break through!”
Opposing them were thousands of Black Flag Army soldiers, who were unstoppable. But Su Zida shouted loudly, “Show the flag! Brothers, let’s fight together!”
This group of scholars and ruffians charged forward under the guidance of a large flag, shouting in unison.
This was the last resistance at Zhenan Pass.