Chapter 1007

Lin’an, the former capital of the State of Chu.

Since the demise of the State of Chu and the disintegration of the Merchant Parliament, this place had taken on a new look under the rule of the court for several years.

Unlike its former prosperity, the current prosperity of Lin’an everywhere exuded an industrial atmosphere.

In recent years, local merchants in Lin’an had flocked to Qingzhou to purchase machinery and equipment and technology. In a short period of time, most of Qingzhou’s goods could now be produced independently here, and with that, industrial products on the market also increased.

“Commander Lei, the Third Division has assembled and is ready for departure, at any time.”

At Lin’an pier, Liu Hongzhi, the Chief Scribe of the Southeast Military Region, saluted Lei Ming and reported on the troop assembly.

Five days ago, they received orders from the General Staff, instructing them to march south to attack Australia, followed by other island nations in Southeast Asia.

Upon receiving this order, the entire Southeast Military Region was invigorated. This was the Empire’s first foreign military operation after the military reform, and the generals all wanted to distinguish themselves in this war.

In addition, the equipping of machine guns also filled the generals with confidence.

“Board the ships!”

Lei Ming looked at the warships in Lin’an harbor and said loudly. This time, the General Staff had given him full authority over the war in Southeast Asia. He dared not be negligent in the slightest and intended to go to Australia with the soldiers to personally supervise the war.

After all, the country’s civil unrest had long been quelled, and his Southeast Military Region was particularly idle. He was a veteran of many battles and was most impatient with such idleness, so he decided to have Chief Scribe Liu Hongzhi stay behind to handle miscellaneous affairs while he led the troops south.

“Everyone board the ships!”

As soon as Lei Ming’s voice fell, the generals quickly relayed the order. Soldiers wearing steel helmets, carrying Han-style rifles, and shouldering machine guns boarded the ships one after another.

And before the soldiers boarded, 120 Imperial Guard artillery pieces had already been hoisted onto the ships.

Lei Ming’s gaze swept over the boarding soldiers, his eyes filled with deep pride. This Third Division was the elite of the Southeast Military Region and had made outstanding contributions in the Guandong War.

It was precisely for this reason that he allocated most of the Han-style rifles, machine guns, and Imperial Guard artillery intended for the Southeast Military Region to this division.

Moreover, for this southern expedition, he specifically reinforced the Third Division. The original 10,000 soldiers were expanded to 12,000, and these soldiers were equipped with the latest equipment, making them the elite of his elite.

After watching for a while, Lei Ming and the officers heading to Australia boarded a warship. After six days of sailing amidst the roaring whistles of the steam warships, the fleet, including eight warships and twenty troop transports, arrived in the waters off the coast of Wales, Australia.

On the warship, Lei Ming was looking at the beach ahead through his binoculars. The appearance of the imperial fleet had already caught the attention of the British. British troops in red uniforms were already running back and forth on the beach, apparently preparing to respond to them.

“According to the information we’ve obtained, Australia was formerly a place where the British exiled prisoners. Most of the people living here are descendants of criminals and some free citizens. The British have always paid little attention to Australia because there are few natives here, so it cannot provide them with enough economic profit.”

Shi Yanjun, the division commander of the Third Division, read the intelligence report on Australia.

Lei Ming had already learned about Australia. There were approximately 100,000 British people living there, with only a garrison of 3,000 soldiers.

It was a bit overkill for the Third Division to deal with such an enemy. However, their goal was not only to eliminate the British army, but more importantly, to escort personnel from the Ministry of Minerals to search for minerals here. They would not invest too much effort in a war without profit.

“Land!”

After a brief thought, Lei Ming gave the order. After so many days of sailing, the supplies on the ship were greatly consumed, and conditions did not allow him to continue waiting at sea.

Moreover, being overly cautious had never been Lei Ming’s style. In the Guandong War, his command was always known for its ferocity.

“Boom boom boom…”

With the order given, eight warships immediately opened fire on the beach. Before landing, they intended to destroy as many British gun emplacements on the beach as possible.

As they opened fire, the British artillery also began to retaliate. Black cannonballs flew towards their fleet of warships, exploding upon landing in the sea, sending up waves several meters high.

“Explosive shells!”

Seeing the way the shells exploded, Lei Ming frowned deeply. It was clear that the British, having suffered losses in the Battle of Dengzhou, had quickly equipped themselves with shells capable of rapidly sinking warships.

Shi Yanjun’s face also looked a little unpleasant. He said to the captain, “Retreat immediately now, Commander Lei’s safety is paramount!”

“Nonsense! I, Lei Ming, have never retreated on the battlefield. Keep firing!” Lei Ming roared, his gaze sharp. The scene before him once again ignited his passion for battle.

Shi Yanjun was scolded, his face covered in dust. Lei Ming’s fanatical gaze made him feel helpless. Once on the battlefield, his superior seemed to become a different person.

On the coast, the British were secretly complaining. After the Battle of Dengzhou, the British forces stationed in Australia had been on tenterhooks, fearing that the Great Yu Empire would attack.

And after Britain sent a batch of special ammunition from its homeland, their worries deepened. The entire population of Wales lived in a state of panic, and what they had worried about finally happened today.

“Lieutenant Alden, I’ve gathered all the best young men from Wales for you. No matter what, we must protect our city,” Kenneth, wearing a black suit and a top hat, said loudly to the blond officer, puffing on his pipe.

“Your Excellency the Governor, I will defend Wales with my life. This is our home,” Alden drew his saber. “I will make these yellow-skinned pigs from the Great Yu Empire understand that we white people are the noble race, and they only deserve to be defeated by us.”

“Very good!” Kenneth laughed loudly. “Although our Wales only has a hundred thousand people, every person’s blood flows with brave blood. The politicians in London all say that we are the descendants of criminals, but only brave people will despise the law, right, lads? Today there will be no law, and these yellow-skinned pigs from the Great Yu Empire are at your mercy!”

“Send them to the guillotine.”

“Cut off their heads!”

“Hang them, hang their bodies on trees to feed the crows!”

“…”

The Welshmen behind Kenneth became clamorous. They wore ordinary British short shirts, and their weapons were a motley assortment, but their faces all showed fierce expressions.

During this time, they had been practicing for an attack from the Great Yu Empire. When the Great Yu Empire’s warships appeared, more than eight thousand young men immediately assembled and, along with three thousand regular troops, constituted the entire strength of Wales.