serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 454: Before the decisive battle

Just as huge political changes were taking place in the capital, the situation in Jinling's counterinsurgency campaign also took a turn for the better.

The last rays of the setting sun splashed on the river surface, sparkling as if coated with a layer of light gold.

Jia Hu stood quietly on the Jinling Pier. In front of him was the boundless sound of waves, and in the distance of the waves were the shadowy Yangtze River naval warships!
Lin San stood beside him, followed by officials from Liangjiang and Jiangxi.

"Here we come." Lin San whispered in Jia Hu's ear.

The fleet is approaching, and the words on the flag on the mast of the main ship are now invisible, but the lanterns on the tall mast can still vaguely see the names of "Jiangnan Camp", "Bolinghou" and "Shi"!

The main ship sailed at the front of the fleet. Bowling Hou Shi Nai walked out of the cabin wearing a cloak, stood on the deck of the bow, and raised his hands to Jia Hu and others who could be seen in the distance at the top of the pier.

Jia Hu smiled and said, "Come on, follow me to meet the Bowling Marquis!" After saying that, he led Lin San and Yiying officials down the pier.

The fleet approached the dock, and the main ship stopped at the dock berth.

Baoling Hou Shi Nai led several generals from the springboard onto the pier.

As soon as he saw Jia Hu coming towards him, Shi Nai smiled all over his face and walked quickly towards Jia Hu.

"Walk slowly!" Jia Hu stopped and looked at him with a smile, "Watch your step."

"My lord!"

Shi Nai answered loudly and walked faster. He walked to Jia Hu and was about to kneel down.

Jia Hu supported him strongly with both hands: "My cousin, you have worked hard all the way."

Shi Nai bent his legs and looked up at Jia Hu's face, which was flushed with cold. He felt moved in his heart, stood up straight and said, "We haven't seen each other for almost five years, right? How is the old lady? How is Girl Yun?" "

Jia Hu: "Okay, everything is fine."

Shi Nai turned back and pointed at the fleet of ships docking one after another: "As soon as I received the letter from the prince, I mobilized [-] elite troops, and arrangements have been made in Guangdong."

Jia Hu looked at the fleet: "What is the situation at the Guangdong Navy?"

Shi Nai's face became serious: "Since the Wu family took charge of the Guangdong Navy, the trend of joining the army has arisen in the local area. The Wu family provides very high military pay. The lowest-level sailors are paid four taels per month and are from the Jiangnan camp. Three times that of the border troops. The Wu family’s navy is very good at fighting, and his soldiers are all soldiers from his hometown. Everyone knows each other, they are either relatives or neighbors, and they live and die together on the battlefield."

After a pause, "The locals have a strong sense of clan. After escorting the entire Wu family to Beijing, the King of Zhennan and I sent troops to arrest the families of several navy generals. We were blocked by local villagers, and even happened. Conflict, fortunately the leading officer handled it properly."

Having said this, he smiled bitterly and shook his head: "To be honest, what the imperial court did was quite unethical. While ordering the Guangdong Navy to go south to attack Annan, it also sent troops to raid the Guangdong Navy's home. Haha, Emperor Governing with a vertical arch, like the sun and menstruation shining down on the earth, the way should be done in an upright and upright way, not through conspiracy and tricks."

Jia Hu asked again: "Will Wu Chengxian rebel?"

Shi Nai smiled: "He doesn't dare. The clans, ancestral temples and ancestral tombs of the Guangdong navy soldiers are all there. If he dares to rebel, those soldiers will tear him apart!"

Jia Hu then nodded: "I've set up a reception banquet for all the soldiers. Cousin, please invite me."

The group walked towards the pier.

As they walked, Shi Nai said to Jia Hu: "Before departure, I went to see King Zhennan and talked about it until the next morning before leaving."

Jia Hu stopped for a moment: "Talking all night? What did you say?"

Shi Nai: "First he talked about the defense of Guangdong, and then he talked about counterinsurgency. Later he talked about the country, the country, the country, and the people's livelihood and suffering."

Jia Hu's feet climbed up the long pier.

Shi Nai continued: "Although King Zhennan didn't say it clearly, his attitude was very clear and he didn't object to it. King Zhennan is not in good health. He is said to be ill from overwork. I'm afraid it will take a year and a half to recover. His I mean I want to go back to Beijing to recuperate."

Jia Hu said "Yeah" and boarded the dock.

Suddenly, Shi Nai grabbed Jia Hu's arm.

Jia Hu was stunned: "What, is something wrong?"

Shi Nai hesitated for a moment and replied: "Xiangyun."

After hearing this, Jia Hu looked at him doubtfully: "Didn't the old lady ask Xiangyun and Baoyu to make a good marriage?" He himself was startled when he said this. Lin Daiyu's letter had just arrived yesterday, and Shi Nai had drifted on the boat. For half a month, I definitely didn’t know about this.

Shi Nai was startled at first, then immediately became anxious: "This old lady, how could she do this? No! I don't agree." After saying that, he looked at Jia Hu: "Your Highness."

Jia Hu was also stunned for a moment, not knowing how to answer him. He coughed awkwardly and said, "Let's talk about it later. Let's go, I'll wash the dust for my cousin." After that, he walked straight forward.

Shi Nai: "Your Majesty."

Lin San smiled secretly, took a few steps forward, then came back and whispered: "My cousin, please write a letter to the princess." After saying that, he hurriedly chased after her.

Shi Ding became happy again and trotted after him.
Piles of huge bonfires have been lit in the rebel camp.Teams of armed rebels patrolled back and forth in the camp.

Chinese army camp
Li Chengyang sat in front of the imperial examination case with his eyes closed, and the flickering candlelight made his angular face look uncertain.

The old Prince of Nan'an County walked in anxiously. Seeing Li Chengyang's expression, he was startled for a moment, then walked over and asked softly: "Commander, why are you calling me here in such a hurry?"

Li Chengyang then opened his eyes, took out a piece of paper from the official document, and handed it over.

The old Nan'an County Prince took it and looked at it, his heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Li Chengyang in surprise.

Li Chengyang: "The spies said that there are at least two to three hundred Yangtze River Navy warships on the river."

The face of the old Nan'an County Prince immediately became serious.

Li Chengyang looked at him: "Do you have any good ideas?"

"We can't sit still and wait for death!" The old Nan'an County Prince replied very definitely.

Li Chengyang: "Go to Suzhou to fight?"

Old Nan'an County Prince: "I will be trapped to death."

Li Chengyang: "How about withdrawing it?"

"A narrow escape from death!" Old Nan'an County Prince made his judgment.

Li Chengyang: "Capture Jinling City."

"Take Jinling City." The old Nan'an County Prince repeated Li Chengyang's words, but it was more than just a repetition.

"How should we fight this battle?" Li Chengyang stared closely into the eyes of the old Nan'an County Prince.

The old Nan'an County Prince seemed to understand something and asked tentatively: "Siege the city?"

"Siege."

"But Jinling City has high walls, thick walls, and a moat."

"No but!"

Li Chengyang waved his hand and interrupted the old Nan'an County Prince, "Tell me, where should this battle be fought?"

The old Nan'an County Prince was silent, and after a while he replied: "It's not easy to fight. We attacked Zijin Mountain, the only place we could attack directly, for a whole day, but we lost nothing except losing troops and generals!"

After a pause, "Let's wait until Jia Hu leaves the city for the decisive battle in two days."

"He was stalling for time, waiting for reinforcements!"

Li Chengyang was still very stubborn, "Since there is no better choice, then continue to attack Zijin Mountain and capture the Zhou army's camp on the top of the mountain!"

Old Nan'an County Prince: "If we continue fighting like this, our military strength will no longer be superior, and we will have no chance of winning!"

Li Chengyang sighed: "How can I tell you so that you can understand? Let me tell you, deserters have already appeared."

The old Nan'an County Prince was shocked.

Li Chengyang whispered: "After the plunder of Waiguo City yesterday, some soldiers began to abscond. Today, more than a hundred people in the entire team have defected. If this continues, it will be over without fighting!"

Only then did the old Nan'an County Prince understand.

Li Chengyang looked at him deeply: "Instead of sitting back and waiting to die, it is better to fight hard! Even if we die, we must die standing! Besides, we may not be defeated by him."

The old Nan'an County Prince nodded: "Let's fight! Fight him to the death!"

Li Chengyang stood up from the dragon chair: "This time, we must set up a decisive battle with Jia Hu. Either we can invade Jinling City and fight Jia Hu, or we can force Jia Hu to leave the city and fight in one battle. You command the troops to attack Zijin overnight. Shan, let me make arrangements here, move to Xiaoling Guards in the middle of the night, and personally supervise the army to attack Taipingmen!"

Old Nan'an County Prince: "Then do it!"

Li Chengyang looked at him deeply: "Go."

The old Nan'an County Prince clasped his hands before turning and leaving.

"Come on, let's send all the second-rank and above lieutenants to the commander's tent. I will be promoted to the commander's office to discuss matters!" Li Chengyang shouted the order, immediately breaking the silence of the winter night.

(End of this chapter)