Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 369: Uninvited Guests in Zhoushan Islands

3 days later,

In Jinxi County, Fuzhou Prefecture, 300 Wu troops loaded all the silver and grain in the city onto trucks and began to retreat calmly.

There were more than 2 other people in the city who were willing to follow the retreat, including gang members, craftsmen, scholars, and some small vendors.

In compliance with His Majesty's order:

I am willing to go as far as I can, and I am willing to retreat as far as I can!
This is a good opportunity to screen out some local people who are loyal to the Wu State.

Wu did not have so many civil servants, so the specific execution of affairs still had to be "governing Gan with Gan". When the next time the country came back, these people could serve as grassroots backbones to assist in managing the local area.

……

In a long line.

An officer whispered:
"Commander, we have figured it out. The people of Fuzhou are against us."

"When we entered the city, we killed four gentry who donated more than 4 taels. The rest of the gentry were obedient on the surface, but they were hostile in their hearts. With their private propaganda, how could the people welcome us?"

"I don't quite understand. I understand that the gentry hate us, but why would the common people hate us? The taxes and labor service of the Wu Kingdom are much lighter than those of the Qing Dynasty."

The commander shook his head:

"The common people all trust the gentry."

In fact, he also had some doubts in his mind and was thinking about finding an opportunity to consult the military judge.

Most military judges were scholars from Shaoxing Prefecture. They knew a lot and might be able to answer my questions.

……

The long procession slowly marched along the official road.
The floodwaters around have receded, leaving the area stinking and covered in silt.

Dead animals were everywhere.

Poyang Lake is suffering from severe flooding, mainly due to heavy rains in the upstream mountainous areas and the backflow of water from the Yangtze River in summer, which brings water into Poyang Lake from both the north and the south.

This created the largest freshwater lake, which is vast in area. Although it is not a sea, it is better than the sea.

Jinxi County is far away from Poyang Lake.

Therefore, the water level drops the fastest.

……

The 700 Green Camp soldiers from Nangan Town watched timidly from a distance.

Those who came were not elite troops, but new soldiers recruited from the mountainous areas in southern Jiangxi.

Ma Zhongyi had calculated that if the Wu army used trickery to set up an ambush, the outcome of sending elite troops would be the same as sending new soldiers. If the Wu army did not use trickery, the outcome of sending elite troops and new soldiers would also be the same.

The team was led by his confidant Liu Lu, who also included a captain and a battalion commander of the town.

"Master Liu, you are truly heroic."

Liu Lu took off his sun hat, adjusted the red tassel on it, and said slowly:
"We, the Bannermen, have an old tradition of being happy when we hear about war. We are not as cowardly as you Han people."

The master complimented shyly:
"That's right, that's right, all the Eight Banners disciples are warriors."

Just chatting,

The scout soldiers reported:
"All the bandits from Jinxi County have withdrawn, and the city gates are wide open."

"Okay, brothers, the opportunity to retake the lost territory has come." Liu Lu's expression was ferocious, "Charge into Jinxi City."

"Whoo."

……

The recruits raised their swords and spears high and rushed towards Jinxi with joy.

The city gates were opened and the drawbridge was lowered.

Some quick-witted gentry, scholars, and businessmen have already gathered at the city gate, looking around.

When they saw the familiar green triangular camp flag, gray uniforms, and red-tasseled hats, these people actually cheered.

"The royal army has arrived, and the government troops are back again."

Liu Lu didn't appreciate it at all and said in a low voice:
"Since you have followed the enemy, you cannot be forgiven. Kill him!"

The soldiers, as ferocious as wolves and tigers, brandished steel swords and rushed towards the welcoming crowd at the city gate.

The sword cuts and the spear pierces,
Dozens of people died with their eyes open.

Liu Lu rode his horse slowly onto the suspension bridge, listening to the howlings in the city that were getting louder and louder, and staring at the gentleman on the ground who died with his eyes open.

There is no wave in my heart.

……

"Master Liu, do you want to restrain these bastards?"

"Restrain your mother! To recapture the lost city, we must kill people and let the blood flow like a river, and the corpses be scattered all over the ground. Do you believe it?" Liu Lu raised his whip. "Since we entered the Pass, every time we captured a city, we have done this. If we don't kill people, how can people be convinced?"

Although it is a hot June day,
The captain only felt a chill on his back. He lowered his head and silently led his horse into the city.

Liu Lu squinted his eyes and glanced at him:
"Do you think I, Liu Lu, am too cruel?"

"Master Liu, you are joking. Absolutely not."

"It's okay if you think so. In terms of cruelty, you and I are nothing. The hearts of the masters are a hundred times crueler than this. Since ancient times, who has been a high official doing great things is not cruel? Take it~"

Liu Lu held back his words.

He originally wanted to use Li Yu as an example, but thought it might offend taboo, so he gave up.

The new recruits in Nangan Town no longer hesitated and were timid as they were when they went down the mountain.

The excitement of massacring a city turns people into devils.

The main road of the county town was littered with corpses, all the shops along the street were smashed open, and silk, silver coins were piled in the middle of the street.

……

Ma Zhongyi paid 7 taels as ransom for the city, which was not a loss.

After recapture of the three counties, if we scrape the land hard, we will definitely get 3 taels. And there is still profit!

Although this flood was severe,

However, the impact on the city was limited and the wealth in the city was basically intact.

For various reasons, the Wu army maintained a certain degree of restraint during the occupation of Champa.

The targets of the killing were limited to gentry who donated enthusiastically, Qing officials, and those who openly opposed the government.

The collection of grain and silver was mainly targeted at the remaining gentry and wealthy households.

The people were only required to obey, and a few were required to perform corvée labor such as providing a meal.

Li Yu specifically emphasized that
For the newly conquered areas, corvee labor did not have to be abolished immediately. It was necessary to observe for a period of time and make sure that the people were on the side of Wu before canceling it as appropriate.

……

When the sun sets,

Liu Lucai ordered:
"Blow the horn and assemble."

The sound of the gathering horns was long and mournful, spreading throughout the city.

The soldiers, who were enjoying the looting, began to gather reluctantly, all of them were in high spirits.

2 quarters of an hour later,
Liu Lu saw that most of the people had arrived and ordered coldly:

"Organize a firing squad. I want to kill people."

Another quarter of an hour later, dozens of people finally arrived.

Their clothes were stained with blood, and as they carried large and small bags, they were discussing their harvest loudly and with smiles on their faces, not noticing that the atmosphere at the scene was not right.

"Disregarding military orders, kill."

Following Liu Lu's order, most of the execution squad members were veterans. They all raised their muskets and knocked down more than half of them.

More than ten people who were not hit by the bullet tried to escape.

Liu Lu raised his whip and said to the group of new soldiers around him:
"Kill them, and their silver will be yours."

……

After all this trouble,
The combat effectiveness of this troop of new recruits has risen by several levels. Although their military discipline is worrying, they are now somewhat like fierce and vigorous soldiers.

From the perspective of this era, it is indeed a usable green camp army.

The population of Jinxi County has dropped by half.

There are countless new graves outside the city~
Liu Lu led this army to successively occupy Dongxiang County and Jinxian County.

Jinxian County is close to the lake area. Standing on the city wall and looking north, you can see the vast Poyang Lake area, which is suffering from serious waterlogging.

“Recovering lost ground” is not ideal!
The soldiers, who were good at looting, broke into houses and robbed dozens of young women. They also fought with the civilians who tried to stop them, killing many people.

There is only the 0th time and the countless times of killing.

When people get used to killing, they become bloodthirsty.

This is also the reason why Li Yu strictly controlled the killing of the regular army and only dared to indulge the 1st Expeditionary Army.

The soldiers were so crazy about killing that they sooner or later regarded military orders as waste paper.

……

The transport ships shuttling between Tongling and Ma'anshan (Yangtze River section) unloaded their cargo on the spot and went upstream. Fortunately, they were empty ships.

The first group to board the ship was eight battalions from the 2nd Army.

Their target was: Anqing Prefecture.

The fleet sailed from the Yangtze River into Pogang Lake in the eastern suburbs of Anqing and landed at a chosen location. After landing, they immediately began a forced march, aiming for Anqing Prefecture, which was about 50 miles away.

Most of the 2nd Corps are from northern Anhui, and some soldiers have been to Anqing.

Combined with the information provided by the Intelligence Agency, this landing site was finally decided.

As a large number of soldiers were boarding the ship, someone suddenly shouted at the top of his voice:
"Go back home, bring honor to your family, and return home in glory."

One call and a hundred responses.

Zheng Heanquan was wearing his armor and bowed solemnly:

"Your Majesty, I am willing to issue a military order. If we cannot quickly capture Anqing, I will commit suicide to thank Your Majesty."

Li Yu nodded:
"I have coordinated with the Military Industry Department to ship a heavy siege gun to you. The caliber is enough to knock down the Anqing city wall. As for the rest, it's up to you."

……

When the first wave of troops boarded the ship to cross the river, several major and minor events occurred in the territory of Wu.

The two survivors of the Saxon mission, Staunton and Hong Renhui, were finally "escorted" to Suzhou Prefecture.

The Intelligence Agency was vigilant and careful along the way.

The two men's yellow hair was dyed black, their faces were painted to look like beggars, and they were dressed in ordinary people's clothes. When they traveled by land, they were stuffed in the interlayer of the carriage, and when they traveled by water, they were stuffed under the cabin.

To be on the safe side, they were given a rather expensive "calming soup" every day.

In the words of the escort:

"This is a recipe from the Imperial Palace. Drinking it will calm your nerves, help you sleep better, and stop making noises."

The main ingredient of Anshen Soup is lead frost, which has a great calming effect.

So that
The two of them slept for eight hours a day. They were well-behaved and quiet, and their sleepy habit did not return until they arrived in Suzhou Prefecture.

Li Yu had already warned:

The barbarian envoy is of great use! Eat well, drink well, and watch carefully.

As a result, the two were secretly sent to Xishan for house arrest.

……

The two Saxon warships that escaped from Dagukou experienced severe sea conditions caused by a typhoon in the Yellow Sea.

The food on board was completely consumed, and the hull was damaged in many places.

Fortunately, we finally saw the outline of the Zhoushan Islands.

The captain sent sailors ashore in small boats holding white flags and contacted the Wu army artillery in Zhoushan, which was on full alert.

After a long and difficult negotiation, the two sides finally understood each other's meaning.

The Zhoushan garrison has one battalion.

A ship was urgently sent back to the land to ask for instructions on how to treat these strange visitors.

Out of caution,

The defenders did not allow the two powerful foreign ships to enter the port.

……

Captain Andrew of the Lion and Captain Howard of the Hell stood on the deck.

The sky was cloudless and the sun was scorching hot.

Through the telescope, you can clearly see Zhoushan's topography and its sturdy artillery positions.

The fort is located on the hill, and at the foot of the hill there are large tracts of cultivated farmland and fruit trees, and there is smoke from cooking in the village.
From a sailor's perspective,
Zhoushan is a mature and complete military port island, which can be regarded as a boon for the ocean-going navy.

"Are these Han Chinese rebels in the south hostile to us?"

"God bless you."

Although Andrew was sweating profusely, he was still wearing a complete navy blue uniform.

He ordered the ship's doctor:
"Go to the shore again and discuss with the Han soldiers whether you can give them some fresh water and food first. Many of our wounded can no longer hold on."

……

Half an hour later,
The fort defenders cautiously gave a small amount of food and two wooden barrels of fresh water.

even though,
Currently, the State of Wu is doing business with foreign merchants from Southeast Asia. Every month, one or two merchant ships pass through Zhoushan and go to Jinshanwei for trade.

But the two ships in front of us are pure warships! Not armed merchant ships!

This is a serious matter. The commander ordered:

"All personnel at the fort are on alert. No one is allowed to leave their posts. All gunpowder and shells are moved to their locations just in case."

Until the afternoon of the third day,
Finally, I got the approval from Suzhou.

"The Saxon warships lowered their sails and closed their gun ports, and can enter Zhoushan Port to rest. At the same time, we invite them to go ashore and recuperate in Ningbo Prefecture."

……

The Lion and the Hell,
All the crew members voted, and finally almost unanimously passed the decision to accept the goodwill of the "Southern Resistance Army of the Qing Empire" and go ashore!
The two captains knew very well that

The Qing Empire had vast maritime territory and a long coastline.

Without food, fresh water supplies and medical assistance, the warship will not be able to safely cross the South China Sea.

If you can,

It would be better to buy some tea from the Han resistance army.

When passing through Southeast Asia, they sold tea in exchange for some gold to make up for losses and boost morale.

There was not much gunpowder on the ship, and it also needed to be purchased to prevent encountering strong enemies during the voyage.

even though,
Ordinary pirates did not dare to rob warships, but the Saxon Kingdom had many enemies, such as Frank and the Netherlands.
The current gunpowder reserves on the ship can only support a low-intensity naval battle.

……

Captain Andrew of the Lion carefully trimmed the collar of his navy blue naval uniform and polished his boots.

Comb your hair neatly and tuck it into your tricorn hat.

He hung up his sword, tidied his appearance, and sprayed some perfume.

Emphasize to everyone:

"Gentlemen, please pay attention to your clothing and behavior after you land. This is the first official contact between the Royal Navy and the rebels, and you must leave a deep impression on them. Let them know that the Saxon Kingdom is worthy of respect and is an ally that all the weak and just forces in the world desire. Remember, it is the rebels who need the help of the Royal Navy more."

"Come on, boys."

……

The defenders of Zhoushan Fort were on high alert.

I watched vigilantly as the two huge warships retracted all their guns, closed their side gun ports, and slowly sailed into the port.

then,

Lower all three sails.

And drop the anchor and lower the gangplank.

During this process, there was actually a band playing music on the deck.

Wu Jun didn't understand this etiquette, he just thought it was quite humorous.

You shake hands, I bow.

You said the weather was nice, and I said let’s eat quickly.

Seeing the prepared banquet,
The Royal Navy sailors collectively broke down their defenses, frantically grabbed the wine jugs and drank them, grabbed the fruits and ate them, and their eating manners were not gentlemanly at all.

Andrew and Howard blushed slightly.

Then, as the captain, he was invited to have dinner with the highest commander stationed in Zhoushan.

The food and drinks are relatively exquisite.

The translator is of Southeast Asian descent and can speak Chinese but cannot write it.

In this stumbling language environment, the two sides finally cleared the fog of war.

……

The next day,

Four large sea vessels departed from Ningbo Port and arrived in Zhoushan.

Andrew recruited 20 sailors and 10 marines to stay on the ship and promised them a salary of £4 per week.

after all,

Watching their companions go ashore and enjoy themselves happily is absolutely torment for sailors who have been drifting on the sea for a long time.

Its pain,
It is no less than eating delicacies from land and sea in front of a beggar.

For this,

The Zhoushan Fort was very confident that only twenty or thirty people could not drive away the warship, let alone pose a threat.

They stayed quietly on the deck of the berth, and could also walk around, but were not allowed to leave the ship more than 50 meters away. Three meals a day were provided by the garrison.

A civil servant who came with the ship,
Quietly told the artillery commander:
"Get on good terms with the remaining foreign soldiers, and ask and record all useful information, especially the hydrology of the route from Dagukou to Zhoushan."

For this purpose, 30 barrels of fine wine were shipped on board.

I believe that a drunken sailor would even be willing to tell the captain what age of goats he likes.

……

(End of this chapter)