Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 1082 Mao Chenglu

After adopting this method, the channel leading to the trestle bridge on Qimu Island can still be used barely, and the icebreaker breaks the ice every day and night to basically maintain the smooth channel, ensuring that refugees can be transported continuously.

But such an approach can only ensure the unobstructed channel of the trestle bridge.Not much help with the more serious problem: safety on the island.

After Longkou Bay was frozen, Qimu Island was no longer connected to the mainland by sand embankments, but became part of the coast of Longkou Bay.Under the heavy snow cover, it is almost impossible to see that this is an island.

The small islands off the coast of the Bohai Bay become ice-covered in winter and become undefended flat plains.There are countless similar lessons in the Liaodong War in the late Ming Dynasty.Because the Hou Jin army had no navy, it often dispatched troops to attack the islands stationed by the Ming army when there was a large area of ​​freezing in the Bohai Sea, and often won a complete victory.

The Dongjiang army has suffered from this loss for a long time, and now they will definitely make full use of this advantage when they are the attackers.

Although Longkou Bay is not frozen thick, and there is still a certain gap between the sea ice, it is not difficult for people and horses to walk on it.This made Qimu Island, which was originally facing water on three sides and relying on spy boats to ensure maritime safety, a great worry.

"Under freezing conditions, our ships lose their ability to maneuver." Lu Yang, who hurried over from the Daishuang after hearing the alarm, said, "The warships in the channel can only be used as fixed forts..."

"The power of your five ships firing together is enough." Zhu Mingxia said, "The disadvantage is that there is no maneuvering power, and you can only provide fire support within the channel, and the accuracy is just a little bit worse."

Since the surrounding area of ​​the island is covered by ice, the enemy may not choose the sand embankment as the only attack channel, and they are likely to detour from the ice to launch an attack on Qimu Island.

In this way, all the facilities on Qimu Island may face the direct attack of the enemy.

"I'm not very worried that the enemy will be able to attack. Our biggest weakness is the refugee camp - the defense is the weakest, and there are almost 1 people in the backlog. Once there is a fight, the refugee camp will be very difficult to deal with." Lu Wenyuan frowned.

The refugee camp also has walls, towers, and artillery, but there are too many refugees backlogged inside. Once they encounter a violent siege, it is difficult to "emotionally stabilize" them.What's more, the defense of the refugee camp itself is the weakest, and many places are nothing more than earth embankments and wooden fences, which are used for detention and control rather than external defense measures.

The eyes of several people were projected on Zhu Mingxia. As the chief officer of the northbound detachment, defensive operations were naturally his responsibility.

Zhu Mingxia said: "No problem. The enemy may not be able to land on the island under our firepower. Even if they can land on the island, we can defeat them before they launch a siege battle."

He paused and said, "Don't say that we have a lot of pots and pans on the island. It's really troublesome for them to rush to the island and break some."

Zhu Mingxia believed that his troops were quite sufficient and had sufficient firepower, so there was no need to defend the fortifications.His plan is to stick to the forts with a small number of troops. He leads four infantry companies to form a mobile defense on the island. Cooperating with the artillery on the forts and battleships, the enemy will attack the other side when they attack from that side. Just drive them off the island.

"The enemy is bound to move slowly when they come over the ice. If we keep bombarding their marching columns with cannons, I'm afraid they won't be able to hold on until they reach the edge of the island." Zhu Mingxia said, "Don't worry, the enemy will definitely be defeated. Just to It's a bit difficult to catch more prisoners..."

"If I catch any more prisoners, it will be a hell on earth..." Lu Wenyuan shook his head again and again, "Just drive them away."

Chen Sigen said: "It doesn't matter how many prisoners are taken, the key is to beat the rebels, otherwise they don't know what to do."

At present, they each divided the work. Lu Wenyuan was in charge of the overall work in the village of Qimu Island, and Chen Sigen was in charge of guarding the wicker edge.Zhu Mingxia led three companies to conduct mobile defense, while Lu Yang returned to the fleet.

The security forces of the Northward Detachment and the Shandong Advance Column all slept in their clothes and kept their weapons in their hands.All post plus double posts.Zhu Mingxia pulled out all the cannons on the island and installed them on the cannons—in the past, in order to prevent "horror", some of the cannons were only equipped with cannons and no cannons were installed.

Immediately order the kitchens to cook, boil a lot of water and make dry pancakes - the battle may last for a day, and dry food alone is not enough, and once the enemy lands on the island, it will be very inconvenient to cook and boil water in the camps, Therefore, it is necessary to make reserves in advance.

Zhu Mingxia took care of Lu Yang and dismantled some typewriters from the battleship to reinforce them with wicker edges.Several naval short guns in stock were installed on the bastions with wicker edges.

"Is my bastion armed too much?" Chen Sigen couldn't help objecting, "Now that the roads to the island extend in all directions, the enemy doesn't have to attack from the wicker edge..."

"Your wicker side will definitely have the greatest pressure." Zhu Mingxia said to Chen Sigen, "the sand embankment is the most convenient way to enter the island, and the road is in the best condition. The enemy will definitely drive a large number of refugees through the sand dike to directly hit the wicker side. At that time, I'm afraid that you will be soft in killing people..."

Chen Sigen expressed doubts: "Are you so sure?"

"Of course. Let's assume that if you were the general of the rebel army, how would you plan to attack Qimu Island?"

"Since I have an advantage in numbers, of course I will attack from multiple directions, forcing the defenders to divide their forces."

"Yes, after the sea is frozen, it is very convenient to choose a breakthrough point. It is the best way to detour from the sea ice to our weak flank. But it is not easy to march in a detour from the sea ice. If my subordinates If most of the refugees are coerced, it is impossible to drive them to do such a complicated tactical operation." Zhu Mingxia pointed to the sand table, "If I were Mao Chenglu, I would drive a large number of refugees to attack the wicker edge directly from the front to attract our attention. Power and firepower. Then choose elite troops to attack on foot from the sea."

Chen Sigen nodded: "But if we strengthen the wicker edge like this, isn't it just in line with their wishes?"

"If I were an army of the same level as theirs, Mao Chenglu's plan would pose a great threat to us." Zhu Mingxia said, "But our army has a generation gap with them-the Dongjiang army is not an opponent of the Tartars in Liaodong. Not to mention the opponent of the Fubo army. On the contrary, the wicker side has to withstand the tide attack of thousands of refugees, so prepare more igniters to disperse the cannon fodder as soon as possible, so as to save a few people from dying."

"I see--"

"I have to remind you of one thing," Zhu Mingxia said, "Information shows that the rebel army has captured a large number of young adults, and there are still many ordinary people in Huang County—they will probably use them as cannon fodder to fill trenches. Use ammunition to attack the wicker edge, then you have to be steady..."

Chen Sigen's face turned pale, he clenched his fists: "I know what you mean, don't worry."

Zhu Mingxia arranged the defense, and non-stop told the personnel of the engineering teaching team to take the security forces to the shore of Qimu Island to lay simple versions of directional mines, and installed barbed wire and planted mines around all the fortresses.

He ordered double ammunition, including bullets and grenades, to be issued to the four infantry companies performing the mobile defense.

After the arrangements were made, Zhu Mingxia dispatched all the special investigation team and scout cavalry to keep abreast of Mao Chenglu's movements.

Mao Chenglu's army set off from Huang County on January 21, the fifth year of Chongzhen, that is, the year of Renshen. The whole army was nearly 1 people—more than half of them were the people of Huang County who came here. Driven off to war without even a stick.

The road was covered with snow, and although the rebels obtained a large number of livestock such as cattle, horses, donkeys and mules due to plunder, the army carried six heavy artillery pieces and many artillery guns of different sizes. The marching speed was not fast, and they did not reach the Longkou Bay area until that night. .

At the beginning, Mao Chenglu didn't even know where the village of "Deer Village Master" was, but only knew that it was probably in the Longkou Bay area.On the way, several groups were dispatched to find out that Zhuangzi was on Qimu Island.

They arrested some people along the way, and they probably knew that there was a village on Qimu Island, and a wall was built on the sand embankment, and the village braves checked every entry and exit, and the guards were very strict.

Mao Chenglu had been to Qimu Island before, so he knew the general terrain.After camping ten miles away from Qimu Island that night, they immediately sent out a few groups of nighters to find out what's going on around them—especially the ice situation in Longkou Bay.

That night, the Special Investigation Team and Yebushou fought continuously around Qimu Island, and gunshots and screams rang out in the dark night from time to time.Yebushou's army was almost wiped out, only less than seven or eight of the dozens of people they sent out returned to the camp.

Early the next morning, Mao Chenglu, surrounded by his generals, boarded Longkou Pier on the side of Longkou Bay-from here, you can have a clear view of Qimu Island.

Mao Chenglu took out the binoculars—this was Sun Yuanhua’s special purchase from missionaries in Europe—to observe the terrain around Qimu Island.

It can be seen that the sand embankment, the only access to the island, is well guarded. In addition, there are three isolated villages on the island.There are walls and towers.

Judging from this, Qimu Island is not an easy fruit to chew on.Mao Chenglu took a breath: he found that these villages were all "Xifa piers", that is, the red-haired people's cities that Governor Sun had always advocated in the past.As a general, he had also communicated with Xilao of Frangjiren Gongsha in Dengzhou, and he generally knew the tactics and tactics of Frangjiren.

"Hey, this stockade is not easy to manage." He muttered, and handed the binoculars to Chen Guangfu, the capital beside him - he was ordered to lead 3000 people to reinforce Mao Chenglu, and now he is a "general".

(End of this chapter)