Chapter 1718 - Entering the City
"You can rest assured. For this matter, you are just contributing effort—it definitely won't cost you money. There are benefits too."
The liaison officer secretly groaned. Although the Australians were measured in their dealings, when a large army passed through, it meant grass, grain, and firewood would all be exhausted. A few years ago, the Australians had also occupied Humen and garrisoned troops here. Although they paid for requisitioned items, after the money increased, prices in Taiping Market skyrocketed. Merchants made good profits, but the common people had quite a few complaints.
He didn't dare say much. The Fubo Army didn't rob or kill and bought and sold fairly. As far as soldiers went, they were already like Bodhisattvas; how could he dare haggle over anything else?
Shi Zhiqi smiled and let him withdraw. This liaison officer wasn't very useful, but unfortunately, they had too few cadres. There were only ten prepared to be sent to Dongguan County, so naturally, none could be spared to receive this small Taiping Market.
Subsequently, the Planning Institute's Special Search Team arrived and began a comprehensive inventory and takeover of the official property in Humen Fortress. Shi Zhiqi didn't interfere in these matters; he was most concerned about the progress of the various companies advancing along the Pearl River system.
He looked at his watch. According to the operation plan, the various detachments of the Reconnaissance Bureau's Special Reconnaissance Battalion should have already controlled several city gates in the east and south of the city. The 4th Infantry Battalion, which had infiltrated the Great World beforehand, had also entered the city and started occupying key points. In another three hours, the first batch of squadrons of the National Army Guangdong General Detachment from Hong Kong would travel via the Pearl River to the provincial capital and the first batch of occupied county towns and important market towns.
According to the Urban Work Department, the march from the Pearl River Estuary to Guangzhou would be an armed parade. The provincial river defense system, barely restored after Xiong Wencan took office, was very weak. Having experienced the Pearl River Estuary penetration campaign, the officers and soldiers were all fearful of the Australian military power and unwilling to fight to the death. There were "Leading Parties" everywhere. The Urban Work Department only needed to offer the condition of "guaranteeing personal and family property safety, and those wishing to leave Guangdong can be escorted" to make many people agree to cooperate.
As the commander-in-chief of the first phase, Shi Zhiqi dared not be careless. Plans were never executed one hundred percent. The internal strife at Humen Fortress fully illustrated that having a few high-level "Leading Parties" was not enough. In today's events, Ma Chengzu had actually had a high probability of turning the tables. Although whether he turned the tables or not couldn't change the overall situation, the advance would not be smooth sailing.
"Report the progress of each detachment to me every hour," he ordered, looking again at the map of Guangzhou city. Marks had already been made on the city gates: blue ones were those where work had been done and agreements reached to open gates and offer the city, red ones were those that might need to be resolved by force.
Looking at the map, the several gates in the east of the city—Great East Gate, Civility Gate, and Guide Gate, which served as the boundary between Panyu and Nanhai counties—were all marked in blue. The total number wasn't large, but most were critical points for entering and occupying Guangzhou. There were very few red city gates; most were ambiguous gray ones.
However, once the Fubo Army entered Guangzhou, these ambiguous gray ones would follow suit and "rise up in uprising at the front"—at least that's what Lin Baiguang said. Under normal circumstances, the defender of a city gate was just a Squad Leader, with thirty or forty soldiers at most. Without reinforcements sent from elsewhere in the city, they couldn't stir up any waves.
Dawn was just breaking, not yet the beginning of the hour of the Dragon. Inside the Great East Gate of Guangzhou city, Dai Laochang carried his full set of mason's tools as usual, preparing to go to work at the construction site of the Great World outside the city.
At this time, the city gate hadn't opened yet. A large group of craftsmen and laborers, who also needed to hurry out of the city early, were squatting at the entrance of the moon city gate chatting and eating breakfast. Various snack stalls catering specifically to these poor folks were lined up along the foot of the city wall, steaming hot.
Old Chang didn't go over to join them as usual but walked straight to the military officer on duty at the gate tunnel and said ingratiatingly: "Officer, why hasn't the gate opened yet today?"
He passed through here every day and was familiar with the soldiers guarding the gate.
"What's the rush? The water clock hasn't finished dripping yet. There's still half an hour."
"Still so long?" Dai Laochang murmured in a low voice as if talking to himself, "The tears of the survivors are exhausted in the barbarian dust!"
The officer on duty heard it, stunned for a moment, quickly glanced left and right, and then whispered back: "Looking south for the King's army is just today."
After receiving the code that the city gate was ready, Dai Laochang retreated while laughing. After waiting a while to confirm that no one had noticed him, he went to the front of the Watchtower of the Dongping Great Pawnshop next to the city gate, took out a piece of blue cloth, walked in and asked: "Manager, do you accept this pawn?"
The manager of the pawnshop took the blue cloth, looked at it, and said: "Wait a moment, I need to find someone to check it."
"No rush. I'll wait here."
Not long after, a small blue flag was hung on the watchtower of the Dongping Great Pawnshop.
At this time, the heavy sound of iron wheels suddenly rang out from far to near outside the East Gate. The people living in this area and the commoners who often went to the Great World construction site knew that this was the sound of the Australians' iron rails. This iron track was paved from the entrance of the Great World all the way to the intersection of Yuanyun Street. Because the gentry living in the East Gate Outpost outside the Great East Gate had opposed it, and the streets were narrow, it was not paved to the city gate.
The sound of iron-wheeled carts in the morning light immediately attracted the attention of the officers and soldiers on the gate tower. They stuck their heads out one after another, trying to look at the intersection of Yuanyun Street not far away.
The sound of iron-wheeled carts disappeared, replaced by a burst of chaotic footsteps. A team of people wearing blue-gray jackets, iron helmets on their heads, leather boots on their feet, and holding muskets ran quickly toward the East Gate.
"Quick, quick, faster! Behind, keep up!"
After the officer in the lead finished shouting, he looked up at the top of the watchtower. It was a blue flag, which meant everything was going smoothly—proceed according to plan.
"All company, alert." After giving the order, the officer shouted toward the city gate: "Fellow countrymen, open the door! Express delivery!"
Inside the gate tunnel, the squad leader of the officers and soldiers guarding the gate hurriedly commanded the soldiers to remove the crossbar, opened the city gate, and lowered the drawbridge.
The Fubo Army passed through the city gate and entered Guangzhou City without expending a single soldier. At this time, a group of people in civilian clothes with blue cloth strips tied to their arms ran out of the pawnshop next to the city gate. The leader shouted loudly to the Fubo Army officer: "Quick, this way!"
"Good, the guide is in place! All platoons proceed according to plan." The officer ordered: "1st Platoon, occupy the Drum Tower. 2nd Platoon, the Bell Tower. 3rd Platoon defend on the spot, ensure the city gate communication line, and receive friendly forces."
"Messenger!"
"Here!"
"Report to the Forward Command: Great East Gate, the King's Army has landed."
Clang! A wine cup fell to the ground. Sha Zhifu, the Da Guan Squad Leader guarding the Civility Gate, fell to his knees, clutching his stomach in pain. A pair of eyes stared hatefully at Pu Fuchang, and he questioned intermittently with a hoarse voice: "You... you, why did you poison..."
"I'm sorry. I was also forced." Pu Fuchang stood up nonchalantly and swept all the wine vessels on the table onto the ground. "I don't know if the Great Ming will fall, but Guangzhou City will be broken in an instant. I won't stop you if you want to die for your country, but if you want to die, don't drag us along with you."
"You... since you didn't... want to... then why... why did you agree, and even swore an oath..."
Pu Fuchang smiled. "If I didn't swear an oath with you, how would you be willing to drink this poisoned wine? What if you went to drag others in? The Da Guan soldiers have been in the City of Five Rams for several generations, all with families and dependents. Just because you are loyal to the Great Ming, we have to go die together?"
Before his voice fell, Sha Zhifu vomited blood and fell on the floor, motionless.
Pu Fuchang smiled at the corpse again and said: "I will soon send your family to reunite with you, so you can go in peace."
He looked at the sky outside the window, took his saber from the wall, and shouted: "Someone come!"
Two personal guards entered in response.
"Master Sha Zhifu has died for the Great Ming," he said sternly. "You men encoffin his body."
The guards responded. Pu Fuchang walked out of the gate tower. The sky was already fully bright, much later than the expected time to open the city gate. However, this didn't matter. The Australian troops should have entered the city from the Great East Gate and Civility Gate area early in the morning. He just needed to hand over the city gate to the arriving Australians according to the original plan.
A trusted aide walked over quietly and reported in a low voice that Sha Zhifu's personal soldier nephews at the Civility Gate had all been "disposed of."
Pu Fuchang nodded slightly and whispered: "Cut the weeds and dig up the roots. Dispose of them cleanly."
"Yes, this small one understands. People have already been sent..."
"You go personally." Pu Fuchang said viciously. "Don't let a single one escape. They will be trouble in the future."
"Yes, this small one will go right away!"
After sending away the trusted aide, he leaned nervously against the parapet, watching the street. There were no pedestrians, and the shops hadn't opened—the strange phenomenon of the Civility Gate not opening on time had already alerted the nearby residents. Although they didn't know that Guangzhou City had changed masters, they instinctively decided not to go on the street or open their doors.
Pu Fuchang looked at the sky. It was probably past the beginning of the Dragon hour. The Australian army should have arrived. But he hadn't seen them appear until now, and he couldn't help but worry. He was the defender of the Civility Gate. Theoretically, the officers and soldiers here all obeyed his command, but the Sha Zhifu family had multiplied here for several generations and had many friends and old acquaintances. If someone refused to obey and started a clamor, whether it could be suppressed quickly was uncertain.
The greatest danger wasn't just this. There was a drill ground for the Training Guerrilla in the east of Guangzhou City, where nearly a thousand troops of the Front and Rear Battalions were stationed. If the news leaked out, and the Training Guerrilla General counterattacked directly before the Australians arrived to take over, attacking from both inside and outside, he would instantly end up with no burial place.
He had already sent his own trusted aides to lead personal guards and family servants to control various places inside and outside the Great East Gate, but these people were few. Most ordinary soldiers had no bonds of gratitude or loyalty with the officers. The art of command for officers, besides severe punishments and harsh laws, was deception. At critical moments, without heavy rewards, they were definitely unreliable.
(End of Chapter)