bayedsolid Chapter 877 First Show of Strength
Chapter 877 First Show of Strength
Hebei, Zhao Prefecture.
Several powerful clans, led by the Cui family, launched their attack after receiving a secret order from the "main altar" in Luoyang. Under the pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials and eliminating treacherous ministers (referring to officials like Xiao Mingyue who supported the Empress's reforms)," they rallied some unsuspecting villagers and, using their privately hoarded armor and weapons, quickly seized Zhao Prefecture and cut off grain and trade routes to Luoyang. Leading the charge was Cui Hong, the head of the Cui family, a self-proclaimed "hereditary noble family" and a staunch anti-Empress's new policies.
When the news reached Luoyang, Empress Liu Qian immediately ordered Lin Ping, who had just established herself in Qingzhou, to lead her "Night Owl Guards" and "Night Shadows," along with her Qingzhou garrison, northward to quell the rebellion in Zhao Prefecture.
"Night Shadows" is a unit trained by Lin Ping, comprised of female martial artists from her direct and collateral branches of the Lin family, as well as those from subordinate families. Now, "Night Shadows" has expanded into a modern special forces unit of 1,250 women, all at least at the Lesser Earth Realm level. They are equipped not only with some single-shot rifles and a small number of machine guns procured from modern times, but also with modern small mortars. More importantly, this army is the Lin family's own direct female force, each member a top-tier expert at the Lesser Earth Realm level; any one of them could easily take on a hundred soldiers. They are loyal to the Lin family, disciplined, and unified in thought, and also loyal to the Empress and the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Lin Ping received the order without hesitation. She knew this was the first real test for these young female generals. She left the main force of the Qingzhou Prefecture troops to guard Qingzhou and guard against any unrest from other powerful clans, while she personally led the "Night Owl Guard" of 2,500 cavalry and infantry and the "Night Shadow Guard" of 1,250 modern female soldiers (for absolute security, Empress Liu Qian only allowed female warriors from the five major families of the court, including the Lin family, to be equipped with modern firearms, so the original Lin family's "Night Shadow" female squad was expanded into the "Night Shadow Guard" of 1,250 people. Author's note) to Zhao Prefecture, traveling day and night.
Outside Zhao Prefecture, Cui Hong surveyed his "vast" army of tens of thousands, many of whom were incited peasants, and felt quite pleased with himself. He firmly believed that the Cui family's century-old foundation and accumulated wealth in Hebei were enough to contend with the imperial court's "rabble." He even used clandestine channels to acquire over a dozen old matchlock guns at high prices from "overseas" (in reality, a front for other powerful clans), believing himself to be well-equipped.
"Lin Ping? A mere greenhorn dares to try and stop a chariot?" Cui Hong sneered from the makeshift platform.
However, when the ranks of the "Night Shadow Guard" female soldiers appeared on the horizon, Cui Hong's smile froze. It wasn't the chaotic army he had imagined, but a disciplined, synchronized, and impeccably arrayed steel force. The female soldiers wore brand-new black leather tube tops and shorts, their rifles gleaming with metallic sheen, dazzling in the sunlight.
"What...what kind of weapon is that?" a strategist beside Cui Hong asked in a trembling voice.
Lin Ping didn't give them much time to observe. She stopped three miles away from Zhao Prefecture and quickly set up her position. After a few crisp bugle calls, the female soldiers of the "Night Shadow Guard" quickly lay down, forming a skirmish line, their dark gun barrels pointing towards the city walls.
"Attack!" Cui Hongqiang composed himself and ordered the charge.
Thousands of villagers and Cui family soldiers, who had been coerced into joining the fray, charged toward the "Night Shadow Guard" female soldiers' position with knives and guns, shouting under the influence of simple incitement.
Lin Ping calmly watched the enemy approach until they were within effective firing range. "Fire!"
"Bang bang bang!"
A burst of gunfire erupted, like popping beans. The Cui family's private soldiers at the forefront fell in droves, and those behind them were terrified by the unprecedented firepower. Their formation collapsed instantly, and they fled back, crying and screaming.
Cui Hong watched in stunned silence from the city wall. His proud charge proved as fragile as paper in the face of enemy gunfire. "Impossible! This is impossible!"
Lin Ping didn't stop. She ordered, "Artillery, suppress the fire on the city walls!"
Several light mortars purchased from modern times were pushed up. After a few muffled booms, clouds of dust rose from the crenellations of the Zhaozhou city wall, instantly suppressing the sporadic firing of the Cui family's old matchlock guns.
In their initial battle, the expanded "Night Shadows"—now renamed the "Night Shadow Guards"—easily routed Cui Hong's first attack, demonstrating the immense power of modern weaponry without suffering a single casualty. Lin Ping knew this was just the beginning; the real battle was yet to come.