Chapter 352: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 362: Lightning Cavalry

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Clang-clatter~ clang-clatter!

The Youth Army's tanks moved out, the sound of track friction proclaiming the doom of the Imperial Guard Cavalry.

Baron Kurojima Morita, commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry First Regiment, had long been wounded, lying on his back on the ground, looking weak and powerless.

His beloved mount, a tall Dogu from the Hokkaido Army Horse Farm, was restlessly stomping its hooves beside him, occasionally lowering its head to nudge its master Baron Heishima's body with its muzzle.

Kurojima Morita's scattered gaze struggled to focus; he could hear the increasingly close sound of tracks.

In the distance, steel outlines faintly emerged in the firelight.

"Colonel Kurojima! The Youth Army's tanks... are charging up! What do we do?!" A cavalry second lieutenant covered in smoke and dust ran over, shaking Kurojima Morita's body hard.

Baron Heishima spat out a mouthful of blood foam, painfully propping up his upper body, saying: "We... are Emperor Tenghuang's Imperial Guard Cavalry... the Emperor sent us to fight in China... there is no reason to retreat!"

"Gather the cavalry still able to fight! Launch a final attack on the enemy's position!"

"Hai!" The second lieutenant turned and ran off, shouting hoarsely in the pervasive gunpowder smoke, barely gathering several dozen battered cavalrymen.

Kurojima Morita struggled to stand, walking unsteadily toward his warhorse.

This horse had followed him for many years, from the parade ground in Tokyo to the grasslands of Manchuria, and now to this hell in Central China.

"Old partner... one last time..." Baron Heishima said softly to the horse.

After speaking, Baron Heishima was about to mount the horse.

Boom!

A shell exploded twenty-some meters away.

The usually gentle and loyal Dogu let out a long neigh, rearing its forelegs high, and violently shook its head.

Baron Heishima felt a tremendous force; already weak, he could not hold on at all, and was thrown hard to the ground!

He collapsed on the ground, watching helplessly as his warhorse, regarded as a partner and symbol of imperial grace, without looking back, galloped away in the direction opposite to the approaching tanks, quickly disappearing into the darkness and dust.

"Even you... have abandoned me..." Baron Heishima's eyes were hollow, endless despair like ice water poured over his head.

The dignity of a warrior, the honor of the Imperial Guard Cavalry, the grace of the royal family... before the absolute power of steel and flame, they were so fragile and ridiculous.

Banzai—!!!

Several dozen remaining Imperial Guard Cavalrymen, urging their terrified and exhausted warhorses, launched a charge head-on toward the steel beasts surging like mountains and seas.

Rat-tat-tat-tat—!

The machine guns on the Sanhao Tank in the front and the accompanying armored vehicles opened fire first; cavalrymen fell like cut wheat, the cries of men and horses brief and shrill.

The enemy cavalrymen carried bundles and bundles of bundle grenades, hoping to approach and destroy the Youth Army's tanks.

However, the Youth Army's tanks did not give them this opportunity; horses and cavalrymen were blown to pieces by heavy machine gun bullets.

A Sanhao Tank opened full throttle and drove straight toward where Kurojima Morita lay on the ground.

Tracks rolled up clods of earth mixed with blood and mud, getting closer and closer.

"Victory... ultimately cannot favor the Imperial Guard Cavalry... Emperor Tenghuang... I..."

Creak-creak.

Tracks rolled over, and all returned to silence.

"Quick quick quick! Full speed ahead! ~"

"Annihilate the Japanese cavalry!"

The Youth Army's tank units communicated by radio, quickly passing through the battlefield where Kurojima's cavalry regiment was located, as if nothing had happened.

The sky had already brightened more than half.

At the edge of the temporary cavalry artillery position set up by the Japanese army in the rear, Major General Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo, commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade, put down the binoculars in his hand.

"Brigade Commander!" A staff officer ran over with a pale face, holding a just-translated telegram paper.

"Call from Huangchuan City! Division Commander Iida Sadakata requests you immediately abandon the position, withdraw into Huangchuan City, rely on the city defense works, and join the main force of the Imperial Guard Division to jointly defend Huangchuan!"

The division commander said... please give it careful consideration, preserve the last blood and bone of the Imperial Guard Cavalry!

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo turned around, looking at the remaining hundred-plus cavalry guard company beside him, and not far away, the soldiers of the Cavalry Artillery Regiment who had just barely organized themselves from the panic of the artillery bombardment and were hurriedly packing up the artillery and pack horses.

Iida Sadakata had not sent reinforcements out of the city to rescue them, but instead had Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo return himself; obviously he also feared that troops rashly leaving the city would be intercepted by the Youth Army's tank units, going with no return.

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo also understood this point; returning in utter defeat, his reputation was completely ruined, and he no longer had any thought of survival:

"Reply to Division Commander Iida: the Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade failed to win victory for Emperor Tenghuang, and instead lost men and generals; such an incompetent force, what face is there to shrink back behind the city walls?"

"Pass my order: Cavalry Artillery Regiment, immediately disassemble all key components of the artillery that can be taken, carry the remaining ammunition, and withdraw to Huangchuan City with light equipment at the fastest speed!"

"Then... Brigade Commander, what about you?" The Artillery Regiment Commander asked urgently.

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo did not answer directly, but drew his command sword.

"The Imperial Guard Cavalry First Regiment has already all been loyal to Emperor Tenghuang;

The Imperial Guard Cavalry Second Regiment has also lost eighty percent.

Now, it is the turn of the brigade headquarters.

All who can still ride horses, follow me."

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo mounted a warhorse led by a guard, the sword tip pointing in the direction the Youth Army's tanks were attacking.

"Gain time for the retreating artillery; defending Huangchuan City needs more artillery.

Let those people in Huangchuan City see how the cavalry of the Imperial Guard Division fought in the end."

"But Your Highness! You are a prince! You cannot..." A veteran aide tried to dissuade him.

"Precisely because he is a prince, he must not tarnish the name of the Fushimi Family."

"Execute orders! Artillery, retreat immediately!"

"Imperial Guard Cavalry, attack with me!"

The enemy artillerymen packed up their mountain guns and ran toward Huangchuan City.

More than two hundred cavalrymen gathered around Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo.

War horses snorted heavily, and as Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo brandished his sword forward, the cavalrymen silently spurred their mounts, formed a sparse line abreast, and launched this doomed countercharge with no return toward the source of the steel's roar.

Some cavalrymen even brought spike mines, deciding to use them from horseback.

This battle seemed to return to the age of cold weapons; the enemy cavalry treated spike mines as lances, riding warhorses, and as long as they approached the Youth Army's tanks, they would forcefully thrust the spike mines into the tanks.

"Hope this thing works!" Colonel Morita Go, regimental commander of the Second Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard Cavalry, took a spike mine from his subordinate's hand, mounted his horse, looking exactly like an ancient cavalryman brandishing a long spear.

Both sides clashed on a plain beneath the dawn.

The tank's machine gun spat tongues of fire again, the cavalrymen charged in silence, and men kept falling from their horses.

The distance closed rapidly, yet seemed as far away as ever.