Chapter 71

Grenadiers, these were a special troop active in 17th century Europe. These brave warriors, who threw grenades and incendiary devices, once reigned supreme on the battlefield, and even the populace took pride in the grenadiers.

During that period, gunpowder technology was not yet mature. Any powerful grenade was as large as a small cannonball, and its heavy size was not something an ordinary soldier could throw. Therefore, only the strongest soldiers in Europe could serve as grenadiers. Moreover, grenadiers had to get close to the enemy and attack from the shortest distance, which tested the soldiers' courage even more.

Gradually, grenadiers became synonymous with 'strong' and 'brave' in the minds of the people. Later, with the development of gunpowder technology, grenades became smaller and more compact, eventually reaching a point where every soldier could easily throw them, thus ending the history of grenadiers.

Today, when Xiao Letian called out the grenadiers, it could be said that this was the most luxurious special force in human history. Damn, they were all high-flying martial arts experts. Over a dozen guards with excellent lightness skills tore off their thin outer clothes, revealing bamboo tube grenades tied around their waists, and swiftly rushed to the shops on both sides, dancing on the rooftops.

No cinematic montage could describe the bizarre scene at that moment. Over a dozen strong men actually flew through the air with a lightness, as if they were floating in the air. The incense in their hands burned brightly in the wind, and the bamboo tube grenades were ready to be ignited.

The grenadiers quickly flew to the front of the cavalry. These silent warriors pulled out their grenades without a word, lit them, and threw them into the cavalry. The explosions happened instantly, with thick smoke rising to the height of a two-story building.

"What is this thing?" Marshal Nine was stunned, as he only heard the muffled explosions and dim flames, which were not the normal visual effects.

Before Xiao Letian could answer, over twenty bamboo tube grenades were thrown into the cavalry in an instant. The street was filled with thick smoke, and the sounds of intense coughing and the neighing of horses in distress echoed together.

"Cough, cough, cough... chili powder... cough, cough, cough... it's choking me to death..."

"You... this despicable and smoky... cough, cough, cough..."

"Ah! The horses are spooked... cough, cough, cough... my horse is spooked..."

At this moment, everyone realized that what Xiao Letian used was not ordinary. These bamboo tube grenades were actually filled with chili powder and pepper. When the smoke rose, even if humans could endure it, the horses absolutely could not withstand the stimulation.

The galloping horses, with their large lung capacity, inhaled about two ounces of chili powder with each breath. Such a stimulating sensation would make the horses spooked if they didn't. In an instant, over a hundred Mongolian horses went mad, jumping around wildly, and no longer moved forward, causing people to fall off and horses to collide.

"Ha ha ha! It's so refreshing..." Xiao Letian was excited, jumping and shouting, "Explode, all of you, explode to your heart's content! Eagle, I have three more here, take them to get your fix... ha ha ha..."

Xiao Letian, like a child whose plot had succeeded, pointed at the disordered horses in the distance and cursed, "Stupid, you're so tough, you sent the cavalry to charge at me? Are the hundred and more pigs you sent not enough?"

Marshal Nine looked at Xiao Letian helplessly, shaking his head with a bitter smile, "It's a lucky shot. Your move is too risky, it can only be used here. On the battlefield, such a trick would be useless..."

Zeng Guoquan, after all, was a military man, and he saw through it at a glance. This chili grenade attack could only work in a relatively narrow environment. First, the weather was good today, with no wind, rain, or fog, and the dry air helped the smoke and dust rise and spread.

Additionally, the shops on both sides of the street served as a barrier, concentrating the smoke and dust in a relatively narrow space. If it were on an open battlefield, Xiao Letian's plan would be useless.

Xiao Letian, the second devil, didn't bother to listen to Zeng Guoquan's criticism, "I don't want to be a great general. Large-scale field battles are your specialty. I just want to save my life. As long as it works today, that's enough... Brothers, give them three volleys, make them scram..."

Before Xiao Letian finished speaking, Luo Huo was already impatient, "Prepare for three volleys... first volley... second volley..." Under his command, thirty musketeers fired in rotation, with iron shot flying everywhere.

This battle didn't require aiming. The opposite side was just a thick cloud of smoke, and the musketeers only needed to fire calmly. After nine volleys, the smoke and dust from the chili and pepper finally dissipated, and the street was already silent.

When the smoke and dust finally cleared, people found that the once invincible cavalry had already disappeared. On the ground, there were only over twenty horse carcasses and over ten cavalry corpses. Looking further away, a black shadow was fleeing, with each person deeply regretting their parents for not giving them two more legs.

"Really boring, they ran away so quickly?" Xiao Letian's complaint made the surrounding merchants shudder. Ancestor, you defeated the Green Standard cavalry, and you still say it's boring? You're not satisfied with over ten lives lost on the street, do you want to kill all the hundred and more cavalry to satisfy your heart?

From that day on, the merchants in Tanggu City submitted to the command of Letian Trading Company. No matter how much the merchant group changed in the following years, the terrifying legend of Letian Trading Company spread wider and wider. The commercial circle of Tanggu was already unified by Xiao Letian, and there was no rebellion until his death.

After dealing with the cavalry, there was no time to care about the frightened Ma Bao, who was muttering in the distance. They turned into a small alley, took a shortcut, and quickly rushed to the Tanggu wharf. The Lucky was right in front of them.

Now, the Lucky was the only merchant ship at the Tanggu wharf with the gangway open. Captain Corsica was pacing anxiously on the deck, his brass telescope already sweating in his hand.

"Look, Captain! Isn't that Mr. Xiao Letian? They finally broke through..." The lookout, who had seen Xiao Letian before, excitedly shouted as soon as he spotted the breakout team.

"Oh, God bless, respected Eastern scholar Xiao, the goddess of luck is by your side, get on the ship quickly... sailors, take your weapons, go down to welcome our guests..."

All the sailors on the Lucky were now fully armed. At the captain's command, over fifty musketeers descended the gangway and formed a small defensive musket formation at the gangway entrance.

In no time, Xiao Letian's team finally reached the gangway entrance. The frightened merchants were the first to board the ship. On the high deck, Corsica was waving, "Eastern scholar Xiao... get on the ship quickly, I have the best wine prepared for you, no ruffian will harm you... children, show our guests our strength..."

As he spoke, two black cannon barrels suddenly extended from the gunports on both sides of the deck. These were two 18-pound cannons, the most powerful weapons on the merchant ship.

Xiao Letian quickly waved his hands and said in fluent English, "No, no, Captain Corsica, this is an internal affair of the Great Qing. If you fire, it will cause diplomatic disputes. I can handle this..."

However, before Xiao Letian could finish his assurance, chaotic footsteps and a few muffled gunshots echoed from the street outside the wharf. And there were faint shouts. Everyone was puzzled when suddenly, six or seven hundred Green Standard soldiers rushed out from the alleys and streets, led by Colonel Ma Bao.

This injured colonel was already tied to a horse. His face was full of tears and snot, and he was trembling with fear, but he was still shouting and commanding his soldiers to advance.

"Brothers... I, Ma Bao, have treated you well over the years. This time it concerns everyone's life and death. I am willing to break my home to reward you. For the sake of our long-term relationship, charge forward and kill Xiao Letian and the bandits around him..."

Ma Bao was now in a desperate situation. His position as colonel was obtained by borrowing 60,000 taels of silver from his family and selling his property, and by going through the door of eunuch An Dehai. Although he had paid off the debt in recent years, his family was still poor. If he lost his position due to this riot, he would have no other way out but to die.

More importantly, Tanggu was a newly opened commercial port four years ago, and the court regarded it as more important than their eyes. They were afraid of any trouble, and there was also the issue of the empire's face. If he handled this poorly and lost face in front of the foreigners, even as a Manchu, the emperor, the master of the Eight Banners, would personally order his beheading.

There was an even more terrifying possibility. If this riot escalated and harmed the foreigners' property, it would give the foreigners an excuse to intervene. If the foreign soldiers opened fire and the merchant ships fired their cannons, not only would Ma Bao's life be insufficient to pay, but his entire family would also be ruined.

"Xiao Letian, you are so cruel. It's all because of you, you scoundrel. Why are you so stubborn? Why don't you stand there and let me kill you properly? I will die, but I will take you down with me..."

"Brothers, they are only two hundred men, with only thirty muskets. We have four hundred muskets, all imported from abroad. I don't believe we can't beat them. Charge!"

Seven hundred Green Standard soldiers against over a hundred private soldiers, four hundred musketeers against thirty ordinary muskets. This battle was a sure win for the Green Standard soldiers, especially with Ma Bao's generous rewards, which had already been raised to 40,000 taels of silver, enough to make these Green Standard soldiers fight to the death.

"Brothers, I, Ma Bao, swear that after suppressing the rebellion, the 400,000 silver dollars in Letian Trading Company will not be taken by me, but will be divided among all of you..." This made the Green Standard soldiers go completely mad, charging forward with a roar.

Captain Corsica, standing on the deck with a clear view of the battlefield, was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. "Mr. Xiao, please board the ship immediately. We must defend ourselves... Cannons ready, musket team ready..."

"Stop, Captain Corsica, stop. This is an internal affair of the Great Qing. I will not allow you to fire a single shot, even if I die. Retract your gangway, I won't board your ship..."

At this moment, Xiao Letian looked at Marshal Nine Zeng Guoquan with a cold expression. "Marshal Nine, things have come to this. If it gets worse, it won't just be a civilian uprising. Do you really want the Great Qing to sign another humiliating treaty with the foreigners? If you don't act now, you will definitely be on the list of historical sinners..."

"Hisss