Chapter 110: Gou Family Manor (Part 4)

That evening, the Military Group convened a brief staff meeting to synthesize the day's reconnaissance and interrogation findings. Wu De presided as operation commander—or, in twenty-first-century parlance, Project Manager for the Gou Manor Demolition. His intention was forcible demolition, and that naturally required manpower. Whether by coincidence or design, the Military Group's key leaders were all absent from Bairren Fortress, leaving He Ming as the sole remaining Army-branch leader—an old soldier known for his obedience and rigid principles who would coordinate smoothly with Navy-branch's Wu De.

The attendees included Military Group personnel alongside representatives from various professional committees. Gou Manor would be their first spoils of war, and though it was merely a petty tyrant's stronghold, it represented the prelude to future captures of county seats, prefectures, and eventually the capital itself. Questions abounded: how to pacify residents after occupation, how to inventory confiscated property, how to conduct propaganda—all demanded preparation.

Based on available intelligence, Gou Manor's defenses were unremarkable even by contemporary standards, and a direct military breakthrough posed no great difficulty. The Military Group proposed the simplest, safest plan: use rifles to clear wall defenders, then have armored construction machinery ram the gate. No wooden gate—even iron-plated—could withstand a multi-hundred-horsepower bulldozer. Yet this approach seemed somewhat extravagant. Engineering vehicles traveling from Bairren Fortress to Gou Manor faced flat terrain that tracked vehicles could handle without difficulty, but the distance was considerable, and besides fuel consumption, the machinery work hours would be significant.

A simpler alternative existed: assault teams using ladders or human pyramids to scale the walls, seize the gate, and open it from within. But after scaling, they would likely face militia counterattacks—possibly close combat. Most Military Group members did not fear bayonet fighting, but any casualties would be irreplaceable losses.

"We can't always play it completely safe," He Ming said, lighting a crumpled cigarette. "Soldiers are forged in battle—not coddled like this."

"The gate isn't a problem." Ji Situi spoke for the Chemistry Group. "We've manufactured some explosives—we can blast the gate open. If needed, grenades too."

"Explosives?" The word surprised everyone. To avoid complications, no explosives or pyrotechnics had been purchased during preparations. Where had explosives come from?

"Is it black powder?" Someone recalled they had captured about a hundred jin from the militia.

"Not that primitive." Ji Situi smiled proudly. These past two months, the Chemistry Group—lacking essential raw materials and energy—had mostly performed infrastructure work, installing production equipment. Now that installations were nearly complete, these highly capable enthusiasts had immediately begun developing that essential of any wormhole crossing: explosives.

Explosives required a chemical industry foundation. Currently, the Chemistry Group possessed equipment and technology but lacked production materials—especially coal and salt—and basic "three acids, two alkalis" production had not yet commenced. Fortunately, the Chemistry Group had anticipated military needs. When purchasing chemicals, they had specially ordered ammonium nitrate fertilizer—not for Wu Nanhai's agricultural use—and from this fertilizer, they had now produced an upgrade: ammonium nitrate explosives.

Anyone who understood explosives knew that ammonium nitrate itself was only a low-power explosive. The Chemistry Group was not satisfied using fertilizer directly—first, it failed to showcase their expertise; second, it wasted limited resources. Upgrading ammonium nitrate to ammonium nitrate explosives meant adding other components. Several formulas existed, some adding high explosives, some adding combustibles. Ammonium nitrate explosives were mostly used in demolition work, also for landmines and grenades. During World War II, the Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army had bought ammonium nitrate from occupied areas for processing into explosives. The benefits: decent power, low sensitivity—bullets, fire, or vibration would not detonate it.

The Chemistry Group's product was ammonium-sawdust explosive—sawdust added. This stuff was everywhere at Bopu's sawmill, no trouble at all. With simple equipment, they had produced about fifty kilograms, not daring to make more since this stuff absorbed moisture easily and became useless when damp. Hainan's humidity was high year-round.

(Note: Ingredient ratios and manufacturing procedures will not be written here. National celebrations are approaching—everyone please avoid discussing sensitive topics.)

For detonators, the Chemistry Group could not produce mercury fulminate without mercury, but black powder served as a good booster. The black powder captured at the Bairren Rapids battle, though poor quality, worked with larger quantities. For reliable ignition, the Chemistry Group had reprocessed this powder, granulating it into paper packets sealed with wood-tar pitch for moisture-proofing.

"Let's make a 'No-Conscience Cannon'! Simple to make, powerful." Zhang Bailin was excited. Sending explosive charges seemed insufficient—better to shell Gou Manor.

"Completely unnecessary." He Ming shook his head repeatedly. "Mortar-launched charges have insufficient range and poor accuracy. Who knows where they'd land?"

"Mm, too much collateral damage. If they land in residential areas, we'd cause massive casualties. We're targeting Landlord Gou—ordinary people should be protected as much as possible." Wu Nanhai was firmly opposed.

Zhang Bailin raised a sharp question: "Then who'll deliver the explosive charges? The enemy has bows, arrows, and cannons at range; rolling logs, stones, lime pots, and hot excrement up close."

He Ming laughed. "Fifty SKS rifles suppressing the wall—that's enough firepower."

"But enemies can hide behind battlements!"

"You don't know M43 round power?" Sniper Lin Shenhe smiled. "Within a hundred meters, these can definitely penetrate those brick battlements."

Fifty twenty-round-magazine SKS-D semi-automatics firing continuously—their firepower rivaled that of machine guns. Even invincible Iron Man could not stay, let alone throw rolling logs.

"Still not satisfied without artillery." Zhang Bailin would not give up.

The gate-breaking plan was settled: Military Group provides suppressing fire on the wall; explosive charges blast the gate; everyone assaults into the manor.

"After entering the manor, things aren't finished." He Ming pointed at the map. "The manor interior itself has nothing special—it's just ordinary civilian housing. We just need to hold intersections, patrol the walls, and prevent escapes—this is crucial. The key is the Gou family compound. Once the outer walls fall, all their forces will retreat inside for a last stand. So after entering, first priority: quickly seize the roads to the compound's front and rear gates—prevent scattered retreaters from entering it. The fewer who get inside, the easier to finish them."

Wu De said, "Interrogation revealed Gou Manor has over two hundred militia and guards—mostly mainland fugitives with murder warrants. These people, cornered, will fight desperately—causing us much trouble."

"Is the inner compound very strong?"

"We've drawn a diagram from prisoner statements." Wu De posted it on the blackboard. "Through the main gate, there's an east-west cross street. Along it, seven rows of compounds—some with five courtyards, some with three. Main and side courtyards house Gou family members, plus many annexes, servant quarters, and storage yards. All compounds have their own walls. But once we're inside the manor proper, the Gou family becomes turtles in a jar—nowhere to escape. He'll probably offer heavy rewards for guards to fight to the death, and his kinsmen will likely fight desperately too. The compound has several wells; ample stores of grain and charcoal. If they truly fight to the death, we'll have to assault with manpower."

"Attacking the compound isn't hard—rifles and explosives together, and we'll take it quickly."

"The most valuable things in Gou Manor are all in the inner compound. Destroying it defeats our purpose." Wu De repeatedly emphasized their objective. "Plus, if they grow desperate and set fires—all gold, silver, and grain would be lost."

"Wonder how much treasure the Gou family has," someone said, already daydreaming.

"Haven't you heard? The Gou family also hosts pirates. Loot from sea raids must be enormous. We're about to get rich!"

"Most useful now isn't treasure—it's grain!" Wu Nanhai was more anxious than anyone, knowing the food reserve situation better than anyone else.

"Grain or treasure, once we take it, it's ours." Wu De smiled. "But speed is essential. The scouts killed Gou Second's men today. Even if the Gou family are pigs, they'll know someone's coming for them. They might move or hide assets. I propose starting tomorrow—surround the manor first."

"After taking the manor, there'll certainly be lots of loot. We few can't carry it all. Vehicles—with no good roads locally—can't be used, so we'll need human labor to haul it out. That means mobilizing the masses."

"Right—I'd almost forgotten." Wu De remembered. "The salt villagers are ready-made. Xi Yazhou's doing great work there. Have the work team mobilize all the villagers. We can't count on them for fighting yet, but sentry duty and hauling stuff they can do."

Everyone discussed troop numbers, siege equipment and supplies, medical support arrangements, propaganda proclamations, and civilian relief procedures—deliberating until nearly midnight before settling everything.

(End of Chapter)