113: Chapter 23 The Southern Warlords' Counterattack

I. Southern Alliance

The news of Yuan Shikai's crushing defeat exploded in the South like a bomb.

The warlords entrenched in Guangxi Province, Hunan Province, Hubei, Sichuan, and Yunnan had originally taken a "sit on the fence" approach, hoping that Li Ling and Yuan Shikai would both suffer, allowing them to profit from the aftermath. Now that Yuan Shikai had fallen, their dreams were shattered.

"We can't wait any longer!" Governor Lu Rongting of Guangxi Province slammed the table. "Li Ling's next target is us! If we don't unite, we will be the next Yuan Shikai!"

"But what good will uniting do?" Zhao Hengti, the warlord of Hunan Province, shook his head. "Li Ling has airplanes, cannons, and elite troops. Can our broken guns and rotten cannons stand a chance?"

"Even if we can't beat him, we must fight!" Governor Lu Rongting gritted his teeth. "Anything is better than waiting for death!"

Consequently, under the secret orchestration of foreign powers (especially Britain and France), the warlords of several southern provinces formed a loose "Southern Alliance," electing Governor Lu Rongting as their leader. They assembled a force claiming to be 500,000 strong, preparing to strike first before the Northern Expedition and eliminate Li Ling's power in one fell swoop.

When Li Ling received the intelligence, he was in the command headquarters at Jiangning Prefecture, studying the war situation in the Northeast.

"The Southern Alliance?" He sneered as he looked at the report. "500,000 troops? Has Governor Lu Rongting rounded up every commoner in Guangxi Province to serve as soldiers?"

"Sir, intelligence indicates that while their army is numerous, their equipment is extremely poor, their training is insufficient, and their morale is low," the Chief of Staff said. "The number of troops who can actually fight is likely less than 100,000."

"We cannot underestimate the enemy," Li Ling stood up and walked to the map. "With 500,000 people, even if each person threw one rock, they could crush us to death. Therefore, we must use the minimum number of troops to fight the smartest battle."

He pointed to the Yangtze River basin on the map.

"The main force of the Southern Alliance is concentrated in Wuhan, Nanchang, and Changsha. Their plan is to attack from these three directions simultaneously, dividing and converging to engage us in a decisive battle in the Yangtze River basin."

"Our countermeasure is—" He drew a line on the map with his finger. "First, use the Navy to blockade the Yangtze River and cut off their water supply lines. Second, use the Air Force to bomb their troop assembly points and logistics warehouses. Third, use the Special Forces to destroy their communication hubs and command systems. Fourth, set an ambush with our main force on the outskirts of Wuhan, take out their strongest flank first, and the remaining two will collapse without a fight."

II. Yangtze River Blockade

After Li Ling's orders were issued, the First Fleet's six Dreadnoughts and three Pre-dreadnoughts immediately set sail from Jiangning Prefecture port, heading upstream along the Yangtze River directly toward Wuhan.

This was an unprecedented military operation. Prior to this, no fleet had ever dared to sail so recklessly on the Yangtze River. But Li Ling was not afraid, because his Dreadnoughts had a shallow draft, fierce firepower, and high speed, making them invincible on the Yangtze River in this era.

The fleet sailed westward, passing through cities such as Anqing, Jiujiang, and Huangshi along the way. The commoners on the banks were stunned to see those massive warships sailing across the river.

"Whose ships are those? Why are they so big?"

"It's Li Ling's fleet! I heard he can build ships even bigger than the foreigners!"

"Who are they going to fight?"

"I heard those warlords in the South want to rebel, and Li Ling is here to suppress the rebellion!"

When the fleet reached the outskirts of Wuhan, its path was blocked by the Southern Alliance's coastal defense batteries.

The batteries were located on the hills by the river, equipped with four old-fashioned coastal defense guns. Although their caliber was not small, their range and accuracy were far inferior to the main guns of the Dreadnoughts.

"Sir, an enemy battery has been spotted ahead," Lin Yongsheng, the captain, reported. "Should we destroy it first?"

Li Ling stood on the bridge, raised his binoculars, and took a look. The battery on the hill was clearly visible, its barrels pointed at the river like the eyes of a monster.

"Fire," he said, lowering his binoculars. "Leave no survivors."

The 305mm main guns of the six Dreadnoughts fired simultaneously, shells streaking across the sky and landing precisely on the battery.

In the first volley, two coastal defense guns were blown away, and the fortifications around the battery were razed to the ground.

In the second volley, the remaining two coastal defense guns were destroyed, and the battery turned into a ruin.

In the third volley, the shells landed on the ammunition depot behind the hill, and the violent explosion sliced off a section of the entire hill.

After the battery was destroyed, the Southern Alliance's river defense completely collapsed. Li Ling's fleet drove straight in, sailing all the way to the foot of Wuhan city.

III. Outskirts of Wuhan

The Southern Alliance's general headquarters in Wuhan was in total chaos.

Governor Lu Rongting sat in the main seat, his face ashen. Before him lay a pile of messy reports, each one containing bad news.

"Leader, Li Ling's fleet has reached the foot of Wuhan. Our coastal defense batteries have been destroyed, and the river defense has completely collapsed!"

"Leader, Li Ling's Air Force has bombed our armories and ammunition depots, causing heavy losses!"

"Leader, our communication lines have been cut, and contact with Nanchang and Changsha has been severed!"

"Leader, the frontline troops are mutinying. The soldiers say they don't want to fight anymore and want to go home!"

Governor Lu Rongting stood up abruptly and slapped the table: "What are you afraid of! We have 500,000 troops, how many people does Li Ling have? Aren't they just a few broken boats? Move the troops from the riverside and use artillery fire to suppress his fleet!"

"Leader, our artillery range is not enough; we can't reach his ships!" a general said with a mournful face.

"Then use ships to ram them! Use fishing boats and civilian vessels, load them with explosives, and ram his ships!"

"Leader, this... this is suicide!"

"Better to commit suicide than to wait for death!" Governor Lu Rongting gritted his teeth. "Pass the order: requisition all usable ships, load them with explosives, and carry out the operation tonight!"

However, before his order could be executed, Li Ling's troops had already attacked.

IV. Besiege the Center, Strike the Reinforcements

Li Ling did not choose to attack Wuhan directly; instead, he attacked the outskirts first.

His plan was simple—besiege the center and strike the reinforcements. He used a portion of his troops to surround Wuhan, cutting off contact between inside and outside the city, and then set an ambush with his main force outside the city to eliminate the enemy reinforcements coming from Nanchang and Changsha.

The first to arrive were the troops of Hunan Province warlord Zhao Hengti.

Zhao Hengti brought 50,000 men, departed from Changsha, and marched north along the railway line. His march was fast, and he arrived at the outskirts of Wuhan in five days. But speed came at a price—his troops were exhausted, their supply lines were stretched thin, and logistics could not keep up.

Li Ling's Reconnaissance Balloon had long discovered their movements. The Second Army Group's three armies, totaling 90,000 men, laid an ambush in the hilly area fifty miles east of Wuhan.

By the time Zhao Hengti's troops walked into the ambush circle, it was already evening. The sky was darkening, and the soldiers were tired and hungry, lacking even basic vigilance.

"Fire!" At Li Ling's command, sixty 105mm howitzers fired simultaneously, and shells rained down on the enemy formation like raindrops.

The sound of explosions was deafening, and flames soared into the sky.

Zhao Hengti's 50,000 men were dazed and confused. Before they could organize a counterattack, they were covered by the dense artillery fire.

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" Zhao Hengti roared hoarsely.

But it was useless whether he shouted or not. His troops had completely disintegrated. Soldiers dropped their weapons and fled in all directions. Some ran east, some ran west, and some knelt directly on the ground to surrender.

The battle lasted less than two hours. Of the 50,000 men, over 3,000 were killed in action, over 30,000 were captured, and fewer than 10,000 escaped back to Changsha with Zhao Hengti in a pathetic state.

V. Fall of Nanchang

When the news of Zhao Hengti's defeat reached Nanchang, Jiangxi Province warlord Chen Guangyuan was so scared he nearly fell out of his chair.

"50,000 men, gone in less than two hours?" His voice was trembling. "How many soldiers does Li Ling have? How many cannons?"

"General, Li Ling doesn't have many soldiers, but his firepower is too fierce," the officer who delivered the message knelt on the ground. "Their cannons can fire dozens of miles away. One shot, and everything within dozens of meters is wiped out. We can't even get close."

Chen Guangyuan gritted his teeth: "Retreat! Retreat into Nanchang and hold firm based on the city's defensive fortifications!"

But he didn't know that Li Ling's target was not his army, but Nanchang city itself.

Nanchang was an important stronghold of the Southern Alliance. Inside the city were armories, grain depots, ammunition depots, and a railway hub connecting the north and south. Taking Nanchang meant cutting off the Southern Alliance's north-south connection.

Li Ling did not have his main force attack the city; instead, he used another method—Air Force bombing.

Twelve aircraft took off from the temporary airfield, each carrying four 100kg aerial bombs. The targets were the armory and ammunition depot outside Nanchang.

The bombs landed precisely on their targets. Explosions rang out one after another, and flames soared into the sky. The armory was bombed into ruins, and the ammunition depot was detonated, with the explosions continuing for a full half hour.

Chen Guangyuan stood on the city wall, looking at the flames in the distance, his face pale.

"It's over... everything is over..." he muttered to himself.

Without the armory and ammunition depot, his troops couldn't even fire a single bullet. How could this battle be fought?

That night, Chen Guangyuan sent someone out of the city to submit a letter of surrender to Li Ling.

"I surrender," he wrote in the letter of surrender. "Please, Li Ling, treat my soldiers well; they were all forced into this."

After reading the letter, Li Ling was silent for a moment, then picked up a pen and wrote two words on the back: "Accept surrender."

VI. Battle of Changsha

After Nanchang surrendered, two of the Southern Alliance's three routes of troops had collapsed, leaving only Hunan Province's Zhao Hengti's troops struggling to hold on.

After fleeing back to Changsha, Zhao Hengti immediately gathered the remnants, reinforced the city defenses, and prepared for a desperate defense. He knew Li Ling's next target was him.

"General, Nanchang has surrendered." The adjutant ran in, his face deathly pale.

Zhao Hengti's hand trembled, and his teacup fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"What? Chen Guangyuan surrendered?"

"Yes. Li Ling's Air Force bombed his armory and ammunition depot. His troops don't even have bullets, so they had to surrender."

Zhao Hengti slumped into his chair, his face ashen.

He knew he had no way out. Changsha was not like Nanchang; although the city's defensive fortifications were solid, the garrison's ammunition and food were limited. Once besieged, they wouldn't last long.

"Send a telegram to Governor Lu Rongting," he gritted his teeth. "Tell him to send reinforcements. Say that if Changsha is lost, Guangxi Province cannot be saved either."

After the telegram was sent, Zhao Hengti waited for two days, but Governor Lu Rongting's reinforcements did not arrive.

On the third day, he finally received news—not reinforcements, but bad news.

"General, Governor Lu Rongting has run away!" The adjutant ran in, his voice trembling. "He took his trusted aides and fled back to Guangxi Province overnight. The Southern Alliance... has disbanded."

Zhao Hengti closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

"Pass the order: open the city gates and surrender."

VII. The System's "Lucky Draw"

When the news of the Southern Alliance's total disintegration reached Jiangning Prefecture, Li Ling was in his study looking at a map.

"Sir, a great victory!" The Chief of Staff ran in excitedly. "The Southern Alliance's three routes of troops have all been routed. Governor Lu Rongting fled back to Guangxi Province, Zhao Hengti surrendered, and Chen Guangyuan surrendered. A 500,000-strong army, wiped out in a flash!"

Li Ling took the telegram and read it once, his face showing little expression.

"Casualties?" he asked.

"Our side: over 800 soldiers killed in action, over 1,200 injured. The Air Force lost one aircraft, and one pilot was killed in action. The Navy had no losses. The enemy side: over 10,000 killed in action, over 150,000 captured, and the rest scattered."

Li Ling was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Pass the order: properly bury the fallen soldiers and double the pension payments. Arrange the best medical treatment for the injured brothers. For the prisoners who are willing to stay, incorporate them into the garrison troops; for those who are not willing to stay, give them travel expenses and send them home."

"Yes!"

After the Chief of Staff left, Li Ling leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

"System," he whispered in his heart.

"I'm here," the System's voice appeared rarely on time. "What is it?"

"The threat of the Southern Alliance has been lifted, and the next step is the Northeast. Do you have any suggestions?"

The System was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Host, I suggest not to rush. Although the South has routed the warlords' coalition, regions like Guangxi Province, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan have not yet been subdued. If you attack the Northeast now, the rear will be unstable, which might cause problems. It is better to spend half a year first to subdue the southern provinces, consolidate the base area, and then head north."

Li Ling nodded: "That makes sense."

"Additionally," the System continued, "Host has completed the minor achievement of 'Rout the Southern Coalition' and obtained one lucky draw opportunity. Do you want to draw now?"

"Draw," Li Ling said.

"Drawing... Congratulations, Host, for obtaining 'Radio Encryption Technology Upgrade'. You can produce more advanced encrypted radios, doubling communication range and significantly improving anti-interference capabilities."

"Good stuff." Li Ling's eyes lit up. "With this, my troops can coordinate more efficiently."

"Of course." The System's tone carried a hint of pride. "This is the rhythm control technology I learned from the singing and dancing system, applied to communication encryption, and the effect is very good."

Li Ling was speechless: "If you want to flirt with the mother system, just do it; don't drag everything into work."

"Host, I am serious," the System said righteously. "The rhythm control technology of the singing and dancing system does indeed have reference significance for our military communications. For example—"

"Alright, alright, you're amazing." Li Ling interrupted it. "Hurry up and send the blueprints to the Production Base. I want to replace all the radios within three months."

"Understood."

Outside the window, the footsteps of spring were gradually approaching.

Li Ling stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the willow branches turning green in the distance. He knew that there were still hard battles to be fought in the South, strong enemies to deal with in the Northeast, and the road to unifying the country was still long.

But he was not in a hurry.

One step at a time, he would eventually get there.