Jingming

Chapter 117
"My lord, do you really want us to fight? Do you want to fight now?"

Yuan Yao of Qianhu, who guards the Qianhu Office in Dongguan, asked in disbelief.

"I have to fight because I have orders." Wang Hung sat at the head, "The envoy has sent someone to take note. Since the Frangji people ignored them, they can only forcibly annihilate or expel them."

"But my lord, their centipede ships come and go like the wind, and there are three giant ships with more than a dozen or twenty big guns!" Yuan Yao asked, "My lord, in a hurry, how many four ships can you get?" Ships with hundreds of materials? There are less than [-] sentry ships used to patrol the coastal defenses in the village today! Don’t adults in Taiwan give you and the lowly officials more time to prepare for the war?"

"The imperial decree was sent to Wuzhou, and then it will be handled by the Guangdong government office!" Wang Hung stared at him, "Your father was killed by the Franji gun in the past, Yuan Yao, this battle will also be delayed." No!"

Yuan Yao said sadly: "The hatred of killing one's father is unshakable! There is not a single day when a humble official does not want to get rid of the evil animals on Tuen Mun Island. However, many women and children in our prefecture and county have been taken away without a trace, and more and more merchant ships have been robbed. , haven’t they all been suppressed after repeated calls for battle? At this time, an order has been issued, and the warships and soldiers are not ready, so should I let the soldiers go down to die?”

Wang Hung stood up: "Seven days! Warships, I will try my best to adjust them! Not enough, let's recruit some more civilian ships. If you don't have enough elite soldiers, you should also recruit some village warriors first. Before thinking about victory, think about defeat. Nantouzhai and Dongguan defend The Qianhusuo will also leave a defensive force."

"...I really don't want to be defeated just like this!" Yuan Yao clenched his fists tightly, "My lord, you know very well that Francois and..."

"I do know!" Wang Hung interrupted him in a low voice, "I don't know how many times I've been on the road since the day when the Franklin warships fired their guns on the Pearl River! If you act recklessly, I can’t even hand over my memorials! Now that the imperial decree has come, Jiang Bin has surrendered, and the holy will expel Frangji, how can you and I fear the battle?”

"It can be said that with the current military equipment, there is no way to win it! Zhang's fleet, no one escaped, no one was alive, no one was dead, and the wrecked ship was less than a hundred miles away from the city's shipping department. Where did the Frangji know Accurate route? Then there are ministers returning to Beijing with Zhancheng tribute!" Yuan Yao said through gritted teeth, "Did they think that we could win? If they want to wipe them out, why order you to be courteous first and then soldiers? Go and capture Fu The Langji people camp, not to mention whether they can attack the shore, can they win the naval battle?"

"They don't want us to win, so we want to win!"

Wang Hung had already stepped out of the door, and the sea breeze came in and blew his clothes, leaving behind his firm voice: "Even if you lose first, you will win in the end, even if it is not me who wins and wipes out! Mr. Yuan Qian , if we don’t fight this battle, how can my battle report report be delivered to Beijing and go directly to the imperial case? The imperial edict has been issued, do you want to resist the edict?”

Yuan Yao's eyes were wide open, he stood still for a while, then stomped his feet fiercely, and roared angrily when he went out: "School grounds are ordered! School grounds are ordered!"

……

How far is Tuen Mun Island from Dongguan?

It itself is under the jurisdiction of Dongguan County, and now, the area called Tuen Mun Hai Ao has almost become the territory of the Frangji people.

It's a joke to give courtesy first and then soldiers.

The Frangji people knew that the warships patrolling the sea lanes would definitely attack Tuen Mun Island, so they waited for work with ease.

Therefore, there is no need to hide the hasty recruitment of soldiers and ships.

"Master Wang, we can't win with just our ships! Since we want to fight, why don't we build more warships, call out elite soldiers, and gather brilliant troops to annihilate them?"

Wu Yuan, a local squire in Dongguan County, couldn't bear it. Wang Hung stood up and bowed to salute: "Brother Wu Gaoyi, donated three ships. Xuan is very grateful. I still have to travel to Guangzhou, so I won't say more."

How can I say something?
It is said that there are too many vacancies in Haiphong Road and various guards, so there is no reason for the Guangdong Third Division to ask for additional troops?

It is said that the Franji people have camped in Tuen Mun for many years, and it is easy to defend but difficult to attack?

Saying that the Francophones, men, boats, and guns are strong, the Daming Navy dare not say victory lightly if it has ten times the enemy?
It is said that the Franji people have been able to entrenched so far, is it really intricately related to Guangdong and Guangxi?

No way, he can only fight.

For seven days, he traveled between Guangzhou Mansion and the coastal counties, recruiting village braves, civilian boats, and even raising more pension silver in advance.

It was five quarters of the ugly day, and the sky had not yet dawned.

On the Shuizhai school grounds of Dongguan Shouyu Qianhusuo, only a few pots of bonfires were lit on the sidelines, which was no different from usual.

But the school field was full of people.Those who were not satisfied with the station continued to stand on the pier, and stood on the bows of large and small boats beside the pier.

Some are warships, while others are merchant ships and fishing boats.

Wang Hung stood on the high platform, besides Yuan Yao, there was also a member of the Haiphong Road, the deputy Qianhu and Baihu of the Dongguan Guarding Qianhu Office.

The morning tide hasn't come yet, but it's coming.

"I, Wang Hung, didn't let many people come!"

He began the final mobilization, with simple words.

"Many folks said that their wives and children must have been eaten by red-haired ghosts! They wanted to come, but they had relatives in their families who were the pillars of the family. I didn't let them come."

"You guys, I can't refuse! You say you want to take revenge even if you die. You just saved your life, or you have brothers in your family. You say you are not afraid. You are only afraid that the red-haired ghost will kill more villagers and kidnap more brothers. Sisters and children!"

"How long has the red-haired ghost on Tuen Mun Island been causing harm here? Yuan Yao, how many years?"

Thinking of his father, Yuan Yao roared sadly: "30 years!"

"These red-haired ghosts don't know etiquette and are cunning and cunning! Now, Your Majesty, who knows their true colors, has issued an edict ordering this envoy to lead the people to wipe out and drive them away!" Wang Hung turned and knelt facing north, "The majesty of the sky, now Soldiers are precious and fast, our big tomorrow army has more than [-] warships, large and small, and more than [-] to [-] warriors. With ten enemies, one will definitely eradicate the thieves, and we will never have future troubles!"

"Eliminate the thieves, and we will never suffer from future troubles!"

After Wang Hung prostrated, he stood up and turned around, looking at the vaguely angry faces below, the corners of his eyes were a little rosy.

The hundreds of recruited braves below all have blood debts to pay.

If possible, Wang Hung wanted to be fully prepared before going into battle.

He knew he was lying, but there was nothing he could do. If the knife was stabbed, there would be blood.

All he can do is to lead the way and live and die with them.

"Today, this envoy will defeat the enemy with you!"

Wang Hung was a man of few words. He knew that he could say something more beautiful now, enumerating the crimes of the Franji people and doing his best to boost morale.

But in fact, these people all know the power of the Fran robot warship, they just must donate their blood and bravery.

Wang Hung didn't say any more, but stepped off the stage first, and when walking through the crowd to the boat, he suppressed his emotions and shouted: "Get on the battleship! Raise the sails! Go to battle!"

The sea breeze was blowing on his face, and he had the determination to die.

He has already written the report for this battle.As soon as his news came back, the people he arranged would be sent to Beijing in an expedited eight hundred miles.

This is the defense procedure and opportunity he bought with his life.

The sky was still pale, and the morning tide was rising. One by one boats rowed out of the water village first, and then gradually opened their sails.

The sea in front of us is an endless mouth between day and night.

The fleet sailed like wings and rushed towards it.

And at the moment in the capital, many people are solemnly dressed and ready to go to the Wenhua Palace.

The day before yesterday, there were more cabinet ministers at the Dachaohui, and yesterday, two Neo Confucian disciples from Jingyan talked about the principles of heaven.

In front of the Wenhua Hall today, Chang Chaohou is not only the second pass for the debating scriptures, but also the chief of the imperial study.

The emperor did not come to the scene to listen to the debate, which makes people imagine.

Did he not want to see Wang Shouren being besieged and refuted, or did he want to show that this was just the second pass for the chief of the Yushufang?
The banquet was as usual, but he didn't come to the occasion of the great debate on psychology and philosophy.

After the Chang Dynasty, the courtiers walked to the Wenhua Hall enthusiastically.

Wang Qiong looked back at the guard of honor who had already driven back to Qianqing Palace, and slowed down to walk with Wang Shouren: "You must not keep your hands today!"

"That's natural."

Wang Shouren also seemed to be fighting alone.

Among the academicians of the Hanlin Academy and those who were recommended, there are only a few people who are really inclined to the study of the mind or are purely the disciples of the study of the mind.

But on the side of Confucianism, in addition to those who had been officials in the court before, there were also some out-of-home Confucian scholars who were recommended and arrived in Beijing at a "bizarre speed".

Among them, there are many people who Wang Shouren has consulted for knowledge.

Outside the Wenhua Palace, the morning light has just risen, and the sky is not yet hot.

Futons everywhere.

"By His Majesty's word of mouth: The debate on psychology and Neo-Confucianism has been spread in Beijing and outside Beijing, so there is no need to hide it. Today's debate, each expresses his own opinion. No matter whether the knowledge is good or bad, those who are quick-witted, the ministers who participate in the national policy conference should not be dismissed because of cultural prejudice. Optional."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Without the important audience of the emperor, the debate would have been more intense and thorough.

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

In the sea outside Tuen Mun Island, the three huge ships moored here by Fran's robot had already ambushed here.But now the Guangdong Haiphong ships are struggling to deal with only two warships called centipede ships.

There are more than 40 oars protruding from each side of the three-foot-wide cabin of this ten-foot-long ship with a sharp bottom, and it slides extremely agilely on the sea.

A total of more than [-] cannons mounted on both sides of the ship kept bombarding the warships on Haiphong Road.

In the distance, there is a larger battleship swimming around, and the cannon on it has a longer range.

"Come over and grab the red-haired ghost's car! Make a semaphore and let Yuan Yao and the others entangle these two centipede boats!"

Wang Hung watched with tearful eyes as a civilian ship was blown up by the centipede ship's shells, and two Xiangyong were smashed into the sea.

In front of the Wenhua Hall, Yang Shen talked eloquently: "The sage's temperament is extremely clear, and his mind is self-evident, so he doesn't need to be poor about things. Ordinary people's spirit is cloudy, and their hearts are full of selfish desires. Is this reasonable?"

Wang Shouren asked him seriously: "Brother Yang, do you want to be the head of the imperial study?"

"...Am I doing this?"

"This is the selection of the Chief of the Imperial Study. Brother Yang is not for this, why don't you retreat?"

"That's the topic of the debate, brother Wang, this is sophistry!" The besiegers came.

"Today's debate is to understand whether everyone is quick-witted or not. If you can argue sophistry, brother, you might as well refute it."

"Brother Wang's actions make people laugh at the apprentice Xin!"

"If I am a better brother, I will help you by learning from my heart; if I am the chief assistant of the imperial study to assist Mingjun to achieve prosperity, this will also help you to learn from the country. Those who laugh at me will only increase their laughter."

In front of the Wenhua Hall, Confucian scholars in wide robes and long sleeves tried their best to argue, although their eyes were fierce, they pretended to be polite.

On the sea outside Tuen Mun Island, Wang Hung's hair was disheveled and his face was scorched. He only drew his knife and moved forward: "Rush over! Rush over! Get on board!"

"boom!"

Another shell rubbed against the ram of his ship and smashed into the sea beside him, and the splashed water exploded in the morning sun. Wang Hung wiped his face, but felt that his eyes were getting redder.

"Standard Taiwan, two centipede ships, a giant ship, and a cargo ship have arrived."

An urgent shout came from the top of the ship.

Wang Hung turned his head and looked to the side, and sure enough there were two centipede boats sailing towards Nanyang direction with all their might.

"My lord! Morale has been exhausted, and the casualties are heavy! Mingjin withdraws troops!"

Wang Hung held the knife, and saw that even the "elite soldiers" on the boat who were about to board the ship with pistols were also cowering with fear on their faces.

On the deck, there are still remains whose heads have been scraped off by shells.

When he wiped his face, his eyelids were blurred by the bloody eyesight, there were only about [-] warships left in the [-]-odd warships, and they barely fought.

Most of those civilian ships and merchant ships have been destroyed, and Shangxiang Yong...

Wang Hung looked desperately at the four ships that were being reinforced by the Fran Robots, and shouted angrily with tears streaming down his face: "Ming Jin withdraws troops, and the ships circle the rear!"

"My lord, you can't die here!"

"If you don't drag this centipede boat, you won't be able to escape!" Wang Hong hissed, "Turn the rudder and block its path!"

The huge ship of the Fran robot was not fast, and Wang Hong's ship had been chasing it, and actually pinned down a centipede ship that was escorting it.

The other ship was only seriously damaged under the siege of so many Ming navy ships, but it tried its best to row back to the port of Tuen Mun Island.

Can't chase it, there are giant cannons on the shore.

The ship that was heading straight for the flagship of Fran's robot suddenly turned its rudder and approached an approaching centipede ship.

"Fire! Fire!"

There are more than fifty enemies and four, can't even one be sunk?
Wang Hung's heart was cold, he only felt that the rising sun was like the setting sun before a winter night.

But at this time, the atmosphere outside the Hall of Culture became more enthusiastic. The finalists had already become Wang Shouren, Yan Song, and Yang Shen, and the few Confucian scholars looked pale and defeated.

Yang Tinghe looked at Liu Long, Zhang Fujing, and Huang Jin who were writing and writing at the side, and looked up in the direction of Qianqing Palace.

In the Central Palace, Zhu Houcong turned his back to his eyes that could not penetrate the palace.

In front of him was the map of the Great Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong lowered his head, looking at the mouth of the Pearl River below.

His eyes were cold and painful.

The secret report from Luo An's side came over, and the situation in Guangdong was even more outrageous than imagined.

To drive away the foreign invaders is to fight!

Zhu Houcong issued the imperial decree to the three halls in Guangdong, Guangxi, and now it seems that it may not attract the attention of those officials guarding one side.

How will they arrange this battle?
Because of the inside information reported by Luo An, can they win like a lion against a rabbit?

Knowing that there was nothing wrong with the Zhongyuan Hall today, Zhu Qingping, who came to deliver the transcripts of the current debate on Gao Zhong's behalf, saw the emperor clenched his fists tightly and his chest heaved.

"Your Majesty?" she asked in a low voice.

"Go and pass on my oral order: Have you debated enough?"

(End of this chapter)