Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 376: Wu Jun crosses the river, who laughs the happiest?
Chu Bazong was shocked and angry:
"Xi, Mr. Ximen, what are you going to do?"

The tall and burly Ximen official blinked his eyes.

laughed:

"There is a huge fortune, it depends on whether you are willing to seize it. I will not hide it from you now. I am a person sent from the south, and I am a fourth-rank official. Brother Chu, you are a talent, and the mere Green Camp commander has wronged you. Give up the dark and join the light, and when you become successful in the future, don't forget to help me."

"This, this~"

Seeing this guy was surprised and happy, Ximen Daguanren whispered again:
"Tonight you destroyed the stone gate and let the river water flow back in. You will be rewarded 500 taels later."

……

"After the matter is done, Brother Chu will take his family to Jiangnan, where they will eat delicious food, drink delicious drinks, and buy houses and land. This hat is at least a fifth-rank hat."

Chu Bazong hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth and said:

"Row!"

Ximen Daguanren patted his shoulder with satisfaction:

"That's right. Fortune and wealth are sought in danger, and your fortune and wealth are not dangerous at all. In two days at most, my Wu army of one million will land here and rush northward."

Simon is a fake surname.

In fact, he is one of the four capable generals under Director Liu, Xi Gongshu, and is from Songjiang.

Xi, this surname is relatively rare.

It is distributed in Songjiang, Jiangsu, Jianli, Hubei, Changshou, Sichuan and other places.

Xi Gongshu is an atypical Jiangnan person. He is ruthless, tall and fat, and kills people like crazy.

He was originally a gang member from Songjiang, with several murders on his hands and on the run. Later, he was spotted by Liu Qian and taken into the Intelligence Bureau.

……

Before dusk,

General Chu returned to the base with three strange men and a sheep.

The few small shabby houses next to the stone gate are the garrison of this flood season soldiers.

He pulled himself together and shouted loudly:

"Where are the people? We're going to have some meat tonight, why don't you take them away and clean them up?"

A group of soldiers happily led the sheep over, flattering:

"It's better for the adults to love the younger ones."

"This is a reward from the Jiangdu grain station, saying that we have worked hard to guard the river defense. Oh, by the way, these guys are new here, and we will be brothers in the same station from now on. Please take good care of them."

In the midst of joy,

Chu Bazong closed the door and said:

"Three, what should we do next?"

"Pufferfish, Lord Chu, you are familiar with it, right?"

"Yes Yes."

Chu Bazong wiped the sweat off his face and thought: I can only make my brothers suffer and dye the red hat with their blood.

……

"How many people do you have under your command?"

"40 soldiers."

"What about the rest?"

"On duty at the stone gate."

"Call them back."

"Yes."

In the evening, the sun gradually dims.

The station was filled with the aroma of meat.

According to the rules, the first bowl of mutton soup must be offered to Chu Bazong.

He scooped out the meat and ate it, then threw in the puffer fish liver and roe that he had prepared earlier.

Holding the bowl, he walked to the big pot.

Crash, pour down~
He also said:
"Cook it for a little longer, it's still not cooked enough. I've just come back from a full meal outside, so I won't argue with you."

"Such a skinny sheep, there is only a few pounds of meat left after removing the skin and bones. I will personally serve the meat later, it will be fair and just."

……

It's getting dark.

40 soldiers lined up, holding their bowls eagerly.

Chu filled each bowl one by one and distributed it fairly, making sure each bowl had three pieces of meat and plenty of soup.

No one can resist the temptation of delicious mutton soup.

in the yard,
It was filled with the sound of rough eating.

Mr. Chu walked into the house with difficulty and sat at the table in silence.

thump,
There were sounds of people falling heavily to the ground outside.

"Is that all right?"

"Master Chu, please go first."

General Chu slowly drew out his goose-feather knife.

The three strangers also pulled out the short knives hidden in their boots.
……

The four men held sharp knives and looked at the terrified soldiers in the yard.

Neurotoxins act quickly.

The limbs cannot move and the throat cannot make any sound.

The few stubborn soldiers who were still able to crawl were killed one by one with knives.

Looking at the corpses all over the yard, Chu Bazong made up his mind:
"Is this okay?"

"Master Chu has a promising future. Once he arrives in Jiangnan, he will surely be promoted to a higher position and make a lot of money."

The four men took advantage of the cover of night to sneak up on the stone gate and open both gates, which were two miles apart.

then,

The device that controlled the gate was also destroyed.

The surging waters of the Yangtze River rushed in madly, constantly attacking the city in the darkness and flooding the surrounding low-lying areas.

……

Far away in the wilderness,

Xi Gongshu paced back and forth, looked at the gate, waved the torch three times on the spot, and felt relieved.

"Report, the first step of the river crossing plan has been completed."

The Qing army artillery was completely unaware of this.
Until late at night,
The military tents in the low areas of the two wings were flooded, and the soldiers were shouting and screaming while carrying their clothes and boots.

Only then did everyone realize that the water was rising from behind.

The officers' first reaction:

"Is Hongze Lake flooding? Or is Huaihe River flooding?"

"That's not right. Huai'an and Xuzhou are both suffering from drought this year. Where did the flood come from?"

After working for an hour,
The Qing army was basically certain that this was not a flood, but rather a waterlogging caused by the backflow of the Yangtze River.

Fortunately, the water level only rose above the knees and below the waist and did not rise any further.

The artillery battery was safe, but the barracks were no longer habitable.

There is a reed marsh 5 miles away.

Suddenly, a fire broke out. The fire was raging, and it was particularly eye-catching in the dark night. Even on the other side of the river, you could see the flames rising into the sky.

……

the next morning,

The Qing army was surprised to find that the lock was broken.

There was no hope of repairing the dam, and what was worse was that all the soldiers guarding the gate were killed.

"Quick, report to the higher authorities. The Wu army will definitely land in Jiangdu."

The garrison of the fort responded in the most correct and timely manner. He sent out 12 groups of messengers, some of whom waded through the water, some rode on horseback, and some took a detour in plain clothes.

There is only one goal, to get reinforcements as soon as possible.

At noon,

The sun was scorching and the crossbowmen were on the verge of collapse.

It's unbearable to have the scorching sun above and the river water below.

The soldiers clamored to retreat and leave the flooded area.

The guards of the fort refused to allow it, but the crossbowmen forced their way out, claiming their bowstrings were soaked in water.

Unarmed, fighting a bird fight.

The crowd cursed and waded away.

"What the hell, if Wu Jun doesn't show up in one day or two days, are we just going to stand in the water and wait?"

……

The fire in the reed marsh at night was the pre-agreed signal for dispatching troops.

Two Ji Kang-class gunboats, two fire support ships, and three transport ships began to cross the river.

The deputy commander-in-chief of the navy, Wei Zilong, was in charge personally.

The navy was the vanguard of the crossing this time and the infantry that landed were the navy marines.

As the fleet approached the north shore,

I saw smoke rising from the beacon towers along the river, and there was no end in sight.

The fleet was observing the fort, and the Qing troops at the fort were also observing the fleet.

however,
However, the fleet did not force its way into the eastern channel of the Grand Canal, but sailed east for another 2 miles and launched more than small boats.

……

Rowing boat, flexible and fast.

After reaching the shore, the soldiers continued to move forward, dragging the boat on their shoulders.

After entering the flooded area, get on the boat and continue paddling.

"Everyone be careful, don't hit the bottom."

Everyone was afraid to row too hard until the Qing army's artillery came into sight and the boats quickly scattered.

The Qing troops in the artillery fort were busy running around and shouting.

Soon, shells whistled in, stirring up turbid water columns. However, the Qing army's poor artillery skills and the flexible dispersion of small boats gradually tilted the balance of the battlefield.

Without the cover of the infantry, the artillery's disadvantage of being afraid of close combat was fully exposed.

The Marines successfully reached the base of the artillery at the cost of only four small boats.

……

Gunfire, climbing and counter-climbing.

After fighting for a cup of tea,
The Qing army was frightened~
It is not realistic for the Green Camp soldiers to resist the enemy alone.

Most people surrendered on the spot, while a few escaped by wading into the water.

The Marines took control of the battery and hoisted the navy flag.

Half an hour later,
Wei Zilong climbed up to the artillery position and counted the losses.

In this battle, a total of 31 Marines were killed and 22 were injured, which was a tragic battle.

Fortunately,

Finally, we took control of a landing site and achieved our goal.

"Repair the gate! Build a defense line!"

"Identify no fewer than four places where large ships can land, quickly."

……

Xi Gongshu put his arm around Mr. Chu's shoulders and said goodbye to him reluctantly.

Watching his whole family board the ship, waving goodbye~
"Brother Chu, we'll meet in Jiangnan after the victory."

"Brother Ximen, I'll slaughter pigs and sheep and wait for you."

The script seems very familiar, similar to the one Hu Zhihuang got at the beginning~
however,
The plot is always ever-changing.

When the boat reaches the middle of the river, the scene changes suddenly.

Under the threat of four muskets, Chu Bazong and his family were driven to the bow deck and forced to kowtow repeatedly.

Gunshots rang out~
The smoke was blown away by the river breeze.

Several intelligence agency spies loaded their muskets while observing the river surface with their peripheral vision.

……

suddenly,

Someone popped his head out to breathe air and was instantly hit by a shotgun, with blood gushing out.

"It's taken care of."

"Go back and recover."

The men chatted and laughed as they rowed the fishing boat back to Jiangbei.

For them who have killed people like crazy, this mission is too easy.

Xi Gongshu is a smiling tiger.

He didn't intend to fulfill his promise at all.
500 taels of silver as reward? And the whole family moved to Jiangnan? Are you worthy of this, Chu?

There is really no need to take him seriously as just a captain.

If you instigate a prefect or a great gentry to rebel, you still have to keep your promise. Not to mention 500 taels, even 5 taels can be fulfilled.

The finances of Wu are tight now, and the funding for the Intelligence Agency is even tighter. It would be a good idea to keep 500 taels to share with the brothers who have been through thick and thin together.

Even if the director knew about it, he wouldn't blame me.

Xi Gongshu knew Liu Qian's temper very well. He was okay with silencing someone, but he would get furious if the silencing was not done cleanly and ruined his reputation.

……

at dusk,

One gate was repaired.

The dozen or so iron chains that the Qing army used to block the entrance to the river were softened in the charcoal stove and then chopped off with huge axes.

The navy warships can finally sail into the canal with confidence.

Wei Zilong ordered:
"Except for the necessary sailors, all others will go ashore, distribute muskets and bayonets, and quickly build positions."

That night, no one dared to sleep.

It was not until the morning when I saw the white sails on the river behind me that I breathed a sigh of relief. The most dangerous moment was over.

Hailancha's reaction was unexpected.

After he knew that the vanguard of the Wu army had landed, he simply issued a series of orders, including preparing the army for battle, requiring soldiers to sleep with their clothes on and not to put down their weapons.

Including reaffirming the reward standards and battlefield discipline.

As well as sending sick soldiers to the north, improving the soldiers' food, and increasing the proportion of high-quality war horses.

alone,

Unlike what Li Yu worried, "a large number of cavalry were dispatched, assisted by artillery, to frantically compress the landing area and drive the vanguard of the Wu army down the Yangtze River."

……

From Hangzhou to Jingkou, the Jiangnan Canal was unprecedentedly busy.

Countless ships, their white sails blocking out the sky.

The bright yellow flags of "Military Supplies" were hung on the masts in uniform order.

along the way,
Whenever the fleet arrived at a pier, countless people would come to set up stalls to sell water and food to do business.

A Hangzhou businessman stood on the side of the ship, waving his hands excitedly:

"This is a prosperous era, the most prosperous era in 3000 years."

The merchants on the other ships echoed this.

There were countless military supply orders, and there was no end to them. It was as easy as picking up money. All you had to do was produce the goods and deliver them to the destination, and you would get paid.

"My dear, how much is your cargo worth?"

"Not much, 5000 taels."

"Then you can earn 1500 taels on this trip."

"more or less."

They were so frank not because they were sincere, but because Wu's military supply list was relatively transparent.

Economic Minister Fan Jing once said publicly:

"Your Majesty has issued an order to guarantee merchants 3% profit. More is not good, and less is not good either."

……

"How much food do you have left at this stall? I'll take care of it all, sir."

"Sir, here is enough for 20 strong men. Can I charge you three taels for the total? There are meat and oil, and it tastes delicious when paired with white rice." The vendor was very enthusiastic and opened the lid of the pot to show his food.

"Carry it aboard."

"okay."

There were bowls and chopsticks on the boat, and the sailors each filled their bowls with food and started eating.

When the host makes money, the food will be generous.

Before sailing,

He also bought all the freshly baked sesame cakes from a vendor.

Around the dock, everyone was busy and smiling.

During this period, many nearby villagers earned enough income from farming for several months.

"Let's go."

The captain gave a long shout and the sailors responded in unison.

When the fleet arrived in Jingkou, the atmosphere was different.

Cavalry patrolling the shore, soldiers standing guard at the dock, artillery batteries guarding the river mouth, and the fluttering flags of the Wu army.

All of them are telling everyone that war is not far away~
……

A cavalry officer shouted:

"Is there anyone willing to sail across the river? It's 2 taels per person for a round trip."

Everyone looked at each other, and the atmosphere became silent for a moment.

Several ship captains were whispering.

"Old Gu, can we go?"

"It's hard to say. Jiangnan is the territory of our Wu Kingdom, and Jiangbei is still in the hands of the Tartars."

"It only takes half a day to go back and forth. Two taels is not a small amount!"

A few people were undecided and decided to ask the knowledgeable owner of the goods.

The owner of the goods was in a good mood as he just received the receipt with a bright red seal on it.

After listening to everyone's concerns,
He pointed to the boat moored nearby and asked:
"This ship should be full of military rations, including salted meat, dried vegetables, and baked naan. How much do you think it's worth?"

"At least 800 taels."

The owner lowered his voice:

"Do you think the cargo on the ship is worth anything if you are all tied together? Do you think the officials are stupid? Are you throwing money away?"

Everyone suddenly realized.

He immediately signed up to participate in this river crossing operation.

……

Tan Muguang was stationed in Jingkou.
The first batch of supplies for crossing the river included light artillery, gunpowder bullets, engineer shovels, and chevaux de frise.

The fleet consists of 20 ships, half of which are old and half are new.

Two navy warships escorted from the front and back.

After leaving Jingkou and entering the Yangtze River, the fleet sailed downstream and drifted with the current.

After floating for dozens of miles, it adjusted its direction and entered the eastern waterway of the Grand Canal in Yangzhou.

There are many difficulties in transportation on the Grand Canal, one of the most critical ones is the problem of crossing the river - do the north and south estuaries need to be aligned?

This is how the ancients solved it.

The Grand Canal splits in Yangzhou, into the East Waterway and the West Waterway.

The ships sailed northward, and after leaving Jingkou, they took advantage of the force of the river flowing eastward and entered the East Waterway.

When ships sail south, they take the West Waterway to enter the Yangtze River, and then use the force of the river flowing eastward to enter the Jiangnan Canal.

The design is very exquisite!

[The author is not good at drawing, so he can only provide a hand-drawn diagram for children]

(End of this chapter)