Dragon Sea Empire

Yang Dacheng looked at the doubts on the faces of his staff officers.He smiled coldly and said, "There is also a possibility. The Jurchen Tartars are luring us to go deep into their important places. Waiting for us to disperse the team because of the fast march..."

A messenger broke into the big tent like a gust of wind.After giving a military salute, he said loudly: "The brothers from the vanguard reconnaissance post report back. Liaoyang City is empty. The Eight Banners soldiers abandoned the city the day before yesterday. The direction is due north. Now the brothers from the reconnaissance post have chased after them."

Yang Dacheng and all the officers looked at each other in blank dismay.He became even more puzzled: "What kind of tricks are these Jurchen Tartars playing? An important town like Liaoyang has also given up."

Yang Dacheng's doubts on the western front.It also existed in Yan Siqi's troops on the Eastern Front.

The Chinese Army on the Eastern Front started after occupying Kuandian.He embarked on the Ming Army's East Route Army in the Battle of Saerhu.That is to say, Kuandian Road is the old road of Kaiyuan Chief Military Officer Ma Lin.Yan Siqi marched towards Saarhu with two divisions.Zhao Tie sits in Kuandian.Coordinating the east and west armies and ensuring Yan Siqi's logistics supply.

In the battle of Salhu.The Ming army only carried 20 days of grain and grass for the expedition.Had to drive straight ahead.The Chinese Army only needs to be able to guarantee logistics.You can move forward steadily.Therefore, seven days after the capture of Kuandian.Yan Siqi's troops only reached the area south of Abdali Hill.Many Jurchen villages along the road were razed to the ground.The sporadic harassment of the Jurchens was of no use.

Yan Siqi, who has always been aggressive and flexible in combat.This battle can suppress the troop speed.Steady progress.Never take any chances.The first division is in front and the fifth division is behind.The reconnaissance troops and brothers from the special battalion dispatched to the mountainous areas on both sides of the road searched carefully.The divisional cavalry battalions of the two divisions opened the cavalry security curtain in front.

Some staff officers suggested sending a cavalry captain to drive straight into the Abdali Mountains for reconnaissance.It was rejected by Yan Siqi.

The eighth day of the attack from Kuandian.Yan Siqi led the East Route Army of the Chinese Army into the Abdaligang Mountains.The marching column of the Chinese Army advanced cautiously.Forward reconnaissance, flank guard, and rear guard.The whole army set up camp after traveling less than ten miles a day.At night, deep ditches were dug around the camp and densely covered with mines, and a warning net made of fishing nets with copper bells was used to surround the camp.

Yan Siqi had never been so careful leading the Chinese army before.But along the way.But not a single enemy was seen.Even the only few stockades have already been burned down.

……

On the vast sea.Three large barques and a clipper were galloping north with the wind.Their destination is the Chinese Navy Navy Base on Phi Island in the Yalu River Estuary.

This is an improved armed Fuchuan.Fuchuan originally had no transverse rib support structure.The lateral force of the whole ship is fully supported by the bottom compartment.Fuchuan is now produced in Taiwan and Fujian.All have reinforced transverse ribs in the style of European ships.Strengthen the overall strength of the ship.Make large naval guns fire on the deck a reality.at the same time.It also makes the hull develop towards a slender type.Speed ​​up.

These three armed Fuchuan belonged to the Merchant Marine Fleet of the Chinese Company.They are the latest three improved blessing ships in the trade transport fleet under Yin Feng's name.This time, the fleet of four ships departed from Taiwan port.Transport the special balloon reconnaissance post directly under the old battalion of the Chinese Army to North Korea.at the same time.The trainees of the newly graduated short-term training course for infantry and navy officers were also sent to the various units on the front line in Liaodong.

Zhang Pan, Zheng Zhihu, and Wang Shuowang, the former commander of the student army, were all in the fleet.

Zhang Pan's heart is like an arrow.Standing on the bow of the boat looking at the northern skyline.Breathing a sea breeze with a fishy smell.

"Brother Zhang. It seems that you are no longer seasick." Zheng Zhihu asked him from the side.

Zhang Pan nodded.He shook his head helplessly: "It would be great if I could get on that communication ship. I heard that the speed of the clipper ship is twice as fast as our ship."

Zheng Zhihu smiled and said: "When the clipper ship is sailing downwind, the whole hull is tilted. It is extremely bumpy. If you are on a communication ship, you may have to vomit a few times to get used to it. Don't worry. The battle is not over so quickly. When we left Taiwan Harbor, the Eastern Route Army had just crossed the Yalu River."

"That's the news from Feige. It's at least 20 days ago. I don't know what the battle is like."

Zheng Zhihu lay on the bow of the heavy gun.Confidently said: "The West Route Army must have taken Liaoyang by now. When I get to the Sixth Division, I guess Shenyang City has already been taken. Don't worry. Listen to the sailors. Tomorrow we will see land."

……

Zhangzi Island in the mouth of the Yalu River.Zhang Pan broke up with Zheng Zhihu and others.Zheng Zhihu and others went by land to the West Route Army via Phoenix Fort.Zhang Pan took a small transport ship from the logistics department.Up the Yalu River.

After the Yalu River passes through Jiulian City.The river is getting narrower and narrower.On both sides of the river, Korean people can be seen everywhere, driven by the bayonets of the Chinese army, transporting various supplies.two days later.Zhang Pan and a dozen newly graduated officers from the military academy abandoned the ship and went ashore.Zhao Tie, the general manager of the Liaodong March of the Chinese Army who went to sit in Kuandian, reported.

All the roads in this area have just been repaired and expanded.From time to time, patrol troops formed by the "Pioneering Group" patrolled the road on guard.Batches of weapons and ammunition, food and supplies were carried by thousands of horse-drawn carts and ox carts.With the efforts of tens of thousands of Liaodong civilian husbands and Korean coolies.It is continuously being transported to Kuandian Daying.This is the logistics base of the Eastern Route Army.It is also the gathering place for the follow-up troops of the Eastern Route Army.

Zhang Panyi arrived at Kuandian Camp.I didn't even see Zhao Tie's face.He was assigned to the Fifth Division Independent Battalion as the battalion commander by the Battalion Affairs Office of the Operation Department.He found that the entire Kuandian camp was in a state of emergency.Everyone is very busy.Troops entered the camp from the south.and left the camp from the north.Countless vehicles transporting military supplies passed through the camp.Stop for a while and continue north.

The legend of the camp.Under the city of Hetuala.Yan Siqi was in a bitter battle with the Eight Banners Army.Therefore, a large number of heavy weapons need to be transported there.Zhang Pan's battalion was used as an escort to escort the troops northward.

"This is the heavy artillery of the [-]rd Artillery Regiment. Ten thousand jin-class siege guns. Here are twenty ten-jin field guns. Twenty honeycomb guns. There are also fifteen large and small mortars. They are all urgently needed on the front line. Zhang Battalion Commander. On this road. There are many Jurchen Tartars in Abdaligang. They keep harassing our army transport team. You have to be careful." An officer of the logistics department said to Zhang Pan: "But don't be nervous. These barbarians Most of the Tartars have bows and arrows and swords. They often attack our camp at night. As long as you follow the regulations and do a good job of security, you don’t have to worry too much about these barbarians making trouble.”

Yan Siqi passed through the mountains around Abdaligang.Go straight to the old city of Hetuala, the original capital of Houjin Kingdom.This is the old den of Jianzhou Wei Nuzhen.Nurhachi has been operating the base for many years.

At the beginning, there were Eight Banners cavalry attacking the marching column of the Chinese Army.But soon suffered a big loss in front of the Chinese army's dense bullets and shells.Soon the Eight Banners soldiers changed their tactics.No more field battles with the Chinese army.Instead, stick to the various hilltop fortresses.At night, the Manchurian Eight Banners soldiers launched a night attack.They rushed towards the Chinese army camp in all directions.Night raids often start with the Eight Banners soldiers stepping on landmines or causing the bells of the protective net to ring loudly.In the end, it ended with the Eight Banners soldiers lying dead all over the field under the scorching firepower of the Chinese Army.

but.The Eight Banners soldiers in the Hetuala area do not seem to be the main force of Nurhachi.Most of the Eight Banners soldiers who attacked were soldiers with red and blue flags.The elite "Ba Yala" soldiers of the Eight Banners could not be seen.

The Ba Yala soldiers are the personal guards directly under the commander-in-chief composed of elite fighters selected by Nurhachi from among the Eight Banners.That is.At least Nurhachi himself is not in the old city of Hetuala.

Zhang Pan has been promoted to captain.This level can already get some battle reports.

He skimmed through the intel before hitting the road.made his own judgment.The main force of the Eight Banners should be in the direction of Shenyang.Nurhachi himself may have been there as well.Nurhachi opened the door to his home in Houjin.It should be intended to contain the main force of the Chinese Army's East Route Army with a small amount of troops.The main force of the Eight Banners should be gathered in Shenyang.It is probably intended to concentrate on defeating the Chinese Army's West Route Army first.Then return to help Hetuala.To deal with the Eastern Route Army.

This is an old strategy that Nurhachi used in the Battle of Sarhu.But dare to open the door of his old nest.Used to contain the enemy.That kind of magnanimity and determination is truly remarkable.

Firearms against the Chinese Army.The policy adopted by the Eight Banners Soldiers is to defend the city walls with high fortifications and not to fight.Plus mobile and cunning harassing guerrillas.

Their knowledge of firearms.Still use Ming army firearms as a reference.The fiasco of Xianglan Banner deeply shocked Nurhachi and others.But their way of thinking is difficult to change in a short time.In addition, those who can come back alive from the Xianglan Banner are all members of the rear guard.He did not see the fierce firepower of the Chinese Army with his own eyes; Amin, who had seen the firepower of the Chinese Army with his own eyes, was thrown into a dungeon.Therefore, Nurhachi instinctively believed that the Chinese Army had only defeated Xianglan Banner by tricks.In the Battle of Sanshilipu, the pirates only relied on firearms.Lure the blue-banner cavalry into the preset position and attack suddenly.This is a lucky win.It turned out that Nurhachi had long wanted to send troops for revenge.But the emerging Manchu clan had a population of only one million at this time.This still takes into account the population of Han Chinese who were captured and looted.A true post-Golden Manchurian.Counting the conquered tribes and some Mongols and Hans, it is only 80 million.Those who can fight are not counted as surrendered troops of the Ming Dynasty.Only [-] to [-].

All of a sudden, nearly [-] warriors of the Xianglan Banner were lost.For the Eight Banners of Manchuria, it wiped out one-seventh of its main force at once.Such a loss is simply too great.Nurhachi is now in charge of thousands of miles.There are many places to guard.Concentrating troops is much more difficult than during the Battle of Salhu.

Nurhachi saw the ambition of the Chinese army: to use southern Liaoning and North Korea as bases.Compete with his Houjin Kingdom for Liaodong.to this end.On the one hand, he sent someone to communicate with Yin Feng.Trying to maintain a temporary truce; on the other hand, they sent people to the tribes of Haixi Jurchen and Savage Jurchen to recruit troops and train new Eight Banners soldiers to supplement their main force.As for the development of firearms.He thought about it too.However, the captured craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty could only make the Ming army's standard bird guns or the first-class old-fashioned firearms of the Frangji.City defense can be used.But it is not suitable for the mobile cavalry operations of the Eight Banners soldiers.

Stick to the wall of the fortress to delay the plan of the Eastern Route Army.It worked a bit at first.The heavy weapons that Yan Siqi's troops carried with them while repairing the road.That is, dozens of light bronze field guns and six-shot rapid-fire guns that can be carried by manpower.

in the surrounding areas of Hetuala.Later Jin Eight Banners drove 10,000+ Han Chinese slave labor.In the past six months, many masonry fortresses have been built on hills, mountain passes, and rivers around the old city of Hetuala.

After the Chinese army arrived in the area around Hetuala.At the beginning, attack the largest southern fortress guarded by the Eight Banners soldiers.The soldiers of the Chinese Army had no battles to fight along the way.Doing all the physical work of opening mountains and roads.Already suffocated to death.Now Yan Siqi ordered: After the Chinese army captures the city walled area around Hetuala.Soldiers were allowed to take all the loot as their own.So the morale of the soldiers was high.The first impact successfully climbed the city wall.The Houjin Eight Banners soldiers defended the city desperately.Under the intensive musket fire of the Chinese army, it was impossible to counterattack at the top of the city.They lay in ambush behind the wall and waited for the soldiers of the Chinese Army to go up the wall.Then protrude and fight with it.

In the rear of the formation.Supervising officer Luo Yi reminded Yan Siqi in a low voice: "Half of all the seized items must be handed over. Then they will be distributed publicly. This is the stipulation of our army's military law."

Yan Siqi, who was watching the battle with a binoculars, said indifferently: "The combat commander has the right to dispose of the spoils in an emergency. This is also allowed by military law and discipline. Brother Luo. Didn't you see how active the brothers were fighting? Look. Ascending the castle. Tonight we can spend the night in this castle... what."

Right in front of Yan Siqi.The soldiers of the Chinese Army who climbed to the top of the city suddenly encountered a counterattack from the Eight Banners soldiers ambushing behind the city wall.In close combat.The musket bayonet is obviously not suitable for the armor and broadswords, heavy hammers, and maces of the Eight Banners soldiers.then.The soldiers of the Chinese Army were beaten to the top of the city one after another.The soldiers of the Chinese Army who desperately climbed up the city wall failed to maintain the line of defense at the top of the city.Got kicked out of town.

The soldiers of the Chinese Army under the city quickly fired their guns to cover their brothers from retreating.Then there was a burst of artillery bombardment.Gunpowder smoke filled the entire castle.Then the second charge.The Chinese army ascended the city in one fell swoop.But after reaching the city wall, he was attacked at close range again.Still can't get a foothold.Hit the city head again.

Yan Siqi scolded while jumping.He ordered the only two large mortars "Hang Tianlei" to be pushed up to bombard the city.Thunderbolt Rocket Force fires rockets.However, the castle is made of stone except for the watchtower.Nothing to burn.The Eight Banners soldiers hid behind the city wall and in the cellar.Dodged a burst of shelling.

In the next few days.This is how the Eight Banners soldiers competed with the Chinese Army for manpower consumption.Time and time again, the Chinese army was repelled by hand-to-hand combat on the narrow city wall.Until the Eight Banners soldiers in the fort died very few remained.The castle was captured by the Chinese army.

Yan Siqi's troops killed nearly 300 people when they captured the first castle of the Eight Banners of Manchuria.It has never been a "huge" casualty.It was the battle that captured Nanjing City.The loss of the Chinese Army is no more than this number.

When Zhang Pan escorted the heavy firearms to the old city area of ​​Hetuala.Yan Siqi in order to reduce casualties.Tactics have been changed: concentrate all field artillery to bombard the gates of the walled city.Then dig tunnels to ambush the city with explosives.

In this way, he has laid down more than a dozen fortresses in the east, west, south, and south directions of Hetuala.but.After the wall collapsed or the gate was broken.The resistance of the Eight Banners soldiers was still crazy.Fight back desperately one by one.In the beginning, the Chinese Army also lost a lot of people in street fighting.Zu Guangxian, head of the First Regiment of the Fifth Division, was originally from the Nanyang Brigade.Now Yan Siqi wants to be his team leader.He saw that the Eight Banners soldiers were still desperately fighting back after breaking through the city.Very few surrendered.The cannon were thus ordered to be pushed into the fort.All the buildings in the castle were destroyed.Completely destroyed all the counterattacks of the Eight Banners soldiers.

after.This method is used to capture the fortresses everywhere: first use firepower to block the top of the city.Then the cannon blasted open the city walls and gates at close range.Or ambush gunpowder and knock down the city wall; then use infantry fire to cover the cannon into the city.Bomb all buildings.Then the infantry stepped forward to do the final search and suppression work.

Such tactics reduced the casualties of Chinese soldiers.But the consumption of ammunition increased dramatically.And the speed of capturing the castle can't be fast.