Daming Greedy Wolf Star

Chapter 484 The War in Winter Has Its Way of Playing in Winter

After meeting two Gong Juren, and to stabilize the impact of the lack of knighthood after the Gong Ju, Zhu Zhanhe met with Wang Zuo again.

Zhu Zhanhe didn't have much impression of Wang Zuo, but Zhu Zhanhe still believed in Xia Yuanji's vision, especially in the household affairs.

However, even so, seeing Wang Zuo was just a formality, to calm the opponent's heart.

After all, whether Wang Zuo can succeed Xia Yuanji as the new Minister of the Household Department depends on his future performance. If his performance is not good or fails to meet Zhu Zhanhe's expectations, even Xia Yuanji's recommendation is useless of.

After meeting Wang Zuo, Zhu Zhanhe temporarily put down his official duties and handed them over to his father and younger brother, while he spent a short but warm time with his wife and children .

This period of time is enough to soothe Zhu Zhanhe's heart soaked in the war all year round, but for Hu Shanshu, no matter how long such days are, she will feel short.

However, she also knows that her man is someone who will do great things, and she has also been taught by Princess Wu to know what to do and what not to do.

Saying goodbye to his family, Zhu Zhanhe took one last look at Zhu Qiming, who was still in his infancy, and turned around to board the boat back to Europe.

……

Europe, Krakow.

When Zhu Zhanhe left last year, he led people all the way to Krakow. After confirming that Jian Xiao and Zhu Sanfeng surrounded Wilno, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Wang Jinghong and Qian Yong blocked Krakow, the capital of the Kingdom of Poland. Afterwards, Zhu Zhanhe left for Suncheon.

Less than half a month after he left, the capitals of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland were successively breached by four people including Jian Xiao.

Since then, the battlefield in Eastern Europe has settled down. Zhu Sanfeng stayed in Wilno to deal with the survivors of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Wang Jinghong returned to the Baltic Sea and waited for the spring to return to the English Channel. Qian Yong and Jian Xiao stayed in Krakow.

As early as when he conquered the Timur Empire in the west, Zhu Zhanhe asked Zhu Sanfeng to handle the affairs of Youpei people. At that time, Zhu Sanfeng performed very well, and even made the survivors in Central Asia frightened.

Wang Jinghong had nothing to say. Zhu Zhanhe had long promised that he would enter the English Channel to block the English from going south. Later, because of Yolanda of Aragon's secret tricks, Zhu Zhanhe postponed this matter.

This push is a year, and it is time to go back.

As for Qian Yong and Jian Xiao...

There is nothing to say about these two, they are both generals under Zhu Zhanhe's command, and the reason for occupying Krakow is also very simple, just to wait for the spring to continue attacking the Holy Roman Empire.

Others may not know, but Zhu Zhanhe had already told Qian Yong and the other three about the specific situation in Europe.

The Hundred Years War between Britain and France is still going on, and the Kingdom of France is so weak that it takes almost no effort. As for England, as long as they guard the English Channel, they are nothing.

Although the Grape Sprout Kingdom was the first world empire in history, its sea strength is far inferior to that of Ming Dynasty. Although the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Castile are powerful, they cannot beat Ming Dynasty at sea. Blocking the Pyrenees, they are equivalent to turtles waiting to die in the urn.

In addition, the Kingdom of Denmark in Northern Europe is also easy to solve. The Scandinavian mountains are cold all year round. As long as the straits between the Kingdom of Denmark and the Scandinavian Peninsula are stuck, it will be a matter of time before they are eaten.

Therefore, the biggest difficulty in attacking Europe is the Holy Roman Empire dominated by Catholicism, and the most important goal is Eastern Europe, which has rich black land.

Today, Eastern Europe has been settled, and the Holy Roman Empire has also been driven to the north of the Ore Mountains, the Sudeten Mountains, and the Carpathian Mountains. The Ming army has occupied more than two-thirds of the territory of the Holy Roman Empire. It can be said that victory lies in In front of my eyes.

However, Zhu Zhanhe did not expect, nor did Qian Yong and the others, that this was a better and better battle situation, but it changed this year.

"What should I do?" Jane looked at Qian Yong with a smile, a little undecided.

"Do you want to send troops?"

"I'm not sure..." Qian Yong looked to the northwest, and his tone was very hesitant.

"The Holy Roman Empire sent 16 troops this time, so it should be regarded as an all-out force, right? Even if not, these should be their last remaining force."

"If this battle is won, even if the Holy Roman Empire continues to send troops, it may be formed temporarily by some people who were forced to come here, and they will not have much combat effectiveness."

"However, how do you fight this?"

Following Qian Yong's last words, Jian Xiao also fell silent.

Yes, how to fight?
The main advantage of the Ming army is firearms. Since the beginning of the Western Expedition, firearms are also the weapons they rely on most. However, this time they cannot use firearms.

There is only one reason. The latitude here is too high, and the Little Ice Age is getting closer and closer, which makes the winter here extraordinarily long and the time covered by snow is longer.

In short, in one sentence, how to transport the firearms to the place?
Although it is also possible to fight in Krakow or Vienna, there is a problem in this way, that is, it is impossible to take advantage of the situation to expand the results when the war is won.

If the firearms can be transported out, not to the banks of the Rhine, but to the banks of the Elbe, Qian Yong and Jian Xiao can guarantee that they will go straight to Aachen after the victory of the war.

Tuk Tuk Tuk…

Just when the two were at a loss, there was a sudden knock on the door, making them turn their heads to look at the same time.

As the guard opened the door, a head poked in.

It's Qian Zhong.

"What are you doing here?" Qian Yong frowned.

Although Zhu Zhanhe once led Qian Zhong into a battle, Qian Yong knew that Zhu Zhanhe was not satisfied with Qian Zhong's performance, so he never regarded Qian Zhong as a soldier.

Even, in Qian Yong's view, Qian Zhong is not even a qualified soldier.

"Father, are you and Uncle Jian discussing the matter of attack?" Facing Qian Yong's father who was away all the year round, Qian Zhong didn't have much fear, but he still had respect.

"It's none of your business." Qian Yong frowned and stood up, while motioning for the guards to take Qian Zhong out.

"Hey..." Seeing the guards approaching, Qian Zhong hurriedly spoke.

"I have a way!"

"Wait." Jane smiled, and stopped the guards, who also stopped Qian Yong.

"come over."

Waving to Qian Zhong, Jane looked at this unconvinced child with a smile on her face.

"Do you know what we are discussing? You have a solution?"

"Of course!" Qian Zhong cocked his neck, looking very unconvinced, wanting to prove himself.

"For a long time, our Ming army has always taken the initiative to attack and rarely fought defensive battles. The few times we did not take the initiative to attack were still in ambush."

"A few days ago, Uncle Jane, you and my father ordered Krakow to fully prepare for battle, but the snow has not yet melted, and at least it will take nearly two months, so it is obvious that the enemy has made some moves."

"However, since then, you and my father haven't given any other orders. They obviously wanted to attack but couldn't take the initiative due to the weather!"

"Oh?" Jian Xiao's eyes lit up, looked at Qian Yong at the same time, and then asked again.

"Then do you know what your father and I are worrying about? What is the solution you mentioned?"

"Of course!" Qian Zhong knew at a glance that he had guessed right, and he was determined.

"Last time, His Royal Highness took me to attack Przemysl. Although I used the traditional siege method, I knew it was training me. Then the way you and my father attacked Krakow also proved this. a little."

"Firearms are our advantage, so normal sieges are mainly based on firearms. Cavalry and infantry mostly surround the fleeing enemies at the city gate."

"So, I think the reason why you and my father ordered preparations for war but didn't take the initiative to attack is that the transportation of firearms is a big problem in this weather."

"Especially artillery!"

Jian Xiao and Qian Yong looked at each other, and they both saw surprise and relief in each other's eyes, but they didn't interrupt Qian Zhong's words.

"Although most of the artillery used by our Ming army are small-mouth cannons, they are relatively light in weight. With dozens or hundreds of cannons added together, transportation on the snow is also a problem."

"And if the kerosene bombs and white phosphorous eggs are not launched by artillery, they can only be launched by people. If this is the case, the loss will be too great."

"So, I have a solution to the artillery transportation problem!"

"What way!?" Jian Xiao and Qian Yong said in unison.

"Uncle Jian, Dad, you two come with me." Qian Zhong didn't directly explain, but motioned for the two to come to the door.

"Here, that's it."

Qian Zhong pointed to something in the yard.

"Sleigh, you both know about it? Although I grew up in Xiangzhou Mansion since I was a child, I have never seen this thing, but there is this thing in Vienna. I heard from His Royal Highness that this thing is said to be on the snow. It's the same as a carriage."

"Yes!" Qian Yong slapped his thigh bravely.

In fact, among the people present, only Qian Yong had seen this thing.

Sleds, not to mention in Daming, are not a rare thing in this era, but the problem lies in the experience of the few people present.

Zhu Zhanhe basically never fought in places too far north. The only two times he went to the north with Emperor Taizong, but he returned in July, and the other time was in Wa Kingdom.

At the beginning, Qian Yong was stationed in Japan for a long time, and sleds were used for the ore transportation of Iwami Ginzan and Sado Jinshan.

But Jian Xiao is different. What kind of wars did he mainly experience?
Burn Annan, destroy Siam and Nanzhang and other countries, surrender Delhi Sultan, and then go west to conquer the Timur Empire and Europe.

Therefore, Jian Xiao has never touched the sled at all.

Because of this, Jian Xiao immediately turned to look at Chen Yong after seeing the reactions of Xue Xue and Qian Yong.

"Is it possible?"

"It's possible!" Qian Yong nodded fiercely.

"This thing is easy to make. Even if all the sleds in Krakow were burned because of kerosene bombs, it's not difficult to make some!"

"It was difficult to transport ore with this thing at the beginning, because the amount of ore was too large and too heavy, but it is no problem to transport artillery!"

"A hundred cannons and twenty sledges are definitely enough!"

(End of this chapter)