“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
As the battle began, Ye Zhi Chao’s artillery battalion launched its attack.
Several Krupp 75mm field guns began to bombard the defensive lines held by the Beiyang Army's 1st Infantry Division.
Shell after shell landed on the Beiyang Army's defenses, creating craters one after another.
However, the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Beiyang Army's 1st Infantry Division and other units directly under the division were mostly stationed within Dongguang City. Furthermore, the city walls had been specifically reinforced with sandbags.
In addition, the Qing army’s artillery skills weren’t very good.
Therefore, they didn’t inflict significant damage on the Beiyang Army.
Naturally, the Beiyang Army wouldn’t just take the beating without fighting back.
Even though the divisional artillery regiment was hiding its strength and didn’t open fire immediately, the field artillery platoon under the 1st Infantry Regiment immediately retaliated.
The 1st Infantry Regiment's artillery platoon was equipped with six of the newest Krupp 75mm field guns, their range and rate of fire exceeding those of the Qing army’s similar guns.
Of course, since they were all old-style recoil-operated guns, their rate of fire couldn’t compare to that of breech-loading guns.
Li Jing Yuan planned to start mass production of breech-loading guns after some time to equip his troops.
This would minimize the risk of technological leaks and allow the guns to be used more effectively in the upcoming war against the Japanese.
Li Jing Yuan had always considered the Japanese to be the main threat in the next stage.
He had to do everything in his power to defeat the Japanese to ensure the safety of the entire country and nation.
Otherwise, if they were defeated, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
After the Beiyang Army's artillery began to return fire, they quickly suppressed the Qing army's artillery positions by relying on their superior gun performance and artillery skills.
They even used their range advantage to cover the Qing army's artillery positions for a time, destroying several of their guns.
This outcome was like a dagger to Ye Zhi Chao’s heart.
After all, the Qing Dynasty didn’t have the capability to produce these types of artillery, and all of them were imported from abroad. Every lost gun was one less, and getting replacements might be a long shot.
"Commander, the rebel artillery fire is too fierce, and the artillerymen are suffering heavy losses. If this continues, they will likely all be lost here soon,” said Deputy Commander Liu Kun with worry.
"Order the artillery battalion to cease fire and withdraw from combat!" Ye Zhi Chao ordered.
These troops under his command were his lifeblood.
Even if he wanted to defeat the Beiyang Army and gain merit before the Manchu Qing masters,
He couldn’t risk losing his entire fortune!
Without these troops, would the Qing court still favor him?
That was obviously impossible.
"Order the various battalions to launch an attack. The first soldier to climb the city wall will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver!" Ye Zhi Chao commanded.
"Yes, sir!" Liu Kun replied.
After Ye Zhi Chao's orders were given, the Qing soldiers roared and launched their attack.
For these impoverished soldiers, one hundred taels of silver was a huge sum.
Many of the soldiers’ eyes turned red with greed.
However, although the courage of the Qing soldiers was ignited,
Their attack formation was a sight to behold.
Or rather, there was no formation at all, just a chaotic charge.
Although these soldiers were very brave,
This chaotic charge was simply suicidal.
Remember, every infantry platoon in the Beiyang Army was equipped with a Maxim machine gun. Each infantry company’s heavy weapons group was even equipped with two Maxim machine guns and two 82mm mortars.
This level of firepower was top-notch in the world, let alone compared to the Qing army.
Facing such powerful infantry firepower from the Beiyang Army, the Qing army’s chaotic charge was simply asking for death.
Ye Zhi Chao and the other Qing commanders were quite pleased with this aggressive, even reckless charge.
In their view, warfare demanded fearlessness.
Or rather, courage was the most important thing.
Cowardly soldiers were useless on the battlefield.
However, they soon paid a heavy price for their ignorance.
"Fire!"
When the Qing soldiers were less than one hundred meters from the city wall, Colonel Li Ben Tang, commander of the Beiyang Army's 1st Infantry Regiment, who was directing the battle from the city wall, gave the order to open fire.
"Da da da!"
The twenty Maxim machine guns deployed on the city wall opened fire immediately.
Orange flames blazed from the muzzles, and dense bullets rained down on the Qing soldiers like a storm.
Countless Qing soldiers charging forward were hit by bullets, screaming as they fell to the ground.
Soon, a large pile of Qing soldiers' corpses formed beneath the city wall.