Win the Ding 1617

Looking south, you can have a panoramic view of the whole of Guangzhou from the gate of the generals at Zhenhai Tower on Yuexiu Mountain.

As the saying goes, if a mountain is not high, it will be famous if there are immortals.

This Yuexiu Mountain is the best proof.

The altitude is only more than 28 meters. The Guanyin Pavilion is built on the top of the mountain, and another Taoist temple is built on the mountainside. The Zhenhai Tower is built on the top of Yuexiu Mountain, commonly known as the "five-story building".Built in the early Ming Dynasty, local officials built Zhenhai Tower on the top of the mountain in order to strengthen the defense against Japanese pirates.Zhenhai Tower is 30 meters high and 5 meters wide, with [-] floors.The roof and overhanging eaves of each floor are covered with glazed tiles, and the walls of the lower two floors are built of red stone. On both sides of the Zhenhai Tower, there are brick walls with a length of several hundred meters, which are important strategic support points for guarding Guangzhou. .

In the current history, here is the seat of the Guangzhou Museum.

However, at the moment, this is the place where Li Shouhan, General of the Dragon and Tiger, who is ordered to supervise the suppression of the Guangxi Province, is located.

Groups of guard soldiers with spears and sabers hanging from their waists lined up from Zhenhai Tower to the foot of Yuexiu Mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, Guangzhou officials' cars, horses, vehicles, and guards of honor were crowded in a mess. More than a hundred civil and military officials at all levels held notebooks in their hands, each wearing a suit of clothing.

Everyone was worried, and kept weighing the importance of the gift list in the book, wondering if this gift could save their official positions and wealth.

Shou Han led more than [-] troops to Guangzhou in October of the tenth year of Chongzhen. Afterwards, Chen Tianhua, the commander of the second town of the Left Army, ordered Liao Dongzhi and others to immediately take over the defense of Guangzhou's water and land.

It is no wonder that officials are uneasy.Guangzhou has been in peace for a long time, its military equipment has been weakened, and it has become a foreign trade port for many years. The enthusiasm of officials for making money is far greater than that of rectifying military equipment and training soldiers.If it weren't for the lack of armaments, the mere thieves would not have swept across Guangdong and Guangxi, and several armed merchant ships from Wedell would have hit Guangzhou Bay and bombarded Humen.

Since the armed merchant fleet of Weddell of the Yingyi East India Company entered the waters of Guangdong, it immediately discovered that this place and the Ming Dynasty official army in Nanzhong were almost two worlds.

The ships of the navy are small and dilapidated, with thin boards and cannons of different calibers.The shipwrecked cannon has poor potency at close range, and the equipment is so simple and inferior.The level of training is even worse.Compared with the navy of the South China Army encountered when coming to the west, the gap between the navy and the small fishing boats is the same.This is the evaluation of the Guangdong Navy by Wedel and others.

Seeing that the strength of the officers and soldiers here is too weak, there are turbulent thieves everywhere, and small groups of robbing houses.A large number of looting states and counties.Even a separatist party.The gentlemanly demeanor of these Englishmen was blown back to their hometown in Albion with the sea breeze.The pirate blood in his bones began to stir again.

The Weddell fleet arrived at Shizimen, south of Macau, on June 1637, 6.The arrival of British merchant ships made the Portuguese feel embarrassed, because at this time Macau had already belonged to the Portuguese restoration system, and actually belonged to the role of a vassal of the South China Army.The previously engaged Goa and Lisbon trade routes were shared by Dutch and Portuguese revived fleets.And trade routes to Nagasaki and Luzon.It was also shared by the Zheng family and the South China Army.Moreover, the trade with Nagasaki has become very unstable because of the Zheng family.In this way, there is only one place in Luzon that still maintains a close trade relationship, but the trade volume still reaches more than 27 million yuan per year.If the British were allowed to open up the Chinese market and break their monopoly on China's foreign trade, the Portuguese's remaining trade interests would also be lost.Out of consideration for their own jobs, the Portuguese in Macao adopted an attitude of obedience to the instructions of General Gonzalez, the Portuguese restoration governor, and did not allow the British to share Macao's trade privileges.

However, the Portuguese thought to themselves that they had no ability to drive away the English people who came from afar and were determined to win, so they sacrificed a magic weapon, "In order to fight ghosts, use Zhong Kui."

The Portuguese sowed rumors in front of the officials of Xiangshan County in the Ming Dynasty, saying that the British who were anchored overseas were Dutch, who came to harass them in order to avenge the defeat of Luowan, and should be expelled.The Portuguese sent patrol boats from Macau to patrol near the British ships to prevent the British from conducting trade activities.

Seeing that the trade in Macau was hopeless, Wedel decided to set off for Guangzhou at the end of July. On August 7, the British ship arrived at Anunghai in Humen, and the defenders of the Humen Fort fired a warning.Weddell deliberately provoked the incident, ordered the St. George's trade flag to be torn down, and the British King's flag to be raised. He assumed a posture of preparing for battle, and then commanded the fleet to bombard the Humen Fort.After attacking the fort, the British army tore down the Chinese flag, hung the king's flag, removed 8 cannons, and moved them to the ship as trophies.

As a result, the situation cannot be cleaned up.

No matter how good-tempered Governor Xiong is, how can you not fight back if others hit your door?

However, considering that I will leave my post soon, this mess should be left to others to clean up!

Originally, things seemed to be developing on the positive side. However, I don’t know if Wedel’s guy has spied on something false or true, or someone informed him of the emptiness of the Ming army near Guangzhou City, and led the fleet along the Pearl River. Go upstream and drive directly to Guangzhou.

As an important provincial capital, Guangzhou naturally cannot tolerate the rampant rebels.Although the Guangdong navy is not as powerful as the Fujian navy, but because the South China Army is suppressing bandits near the provincial capital, it is quite courageous. It dispatched large and small ships to drive away the English fleet, and bombarded the east of Yingji with artillery. Indian company fleet.

The navy was dispatched on land, and the governor's yamen of Guangdong and Guangxi also mobilized more than [-] people near the provincial capital to deploy defenses on both sides of the Pearl River, intending to prevent the English from landing and force them to retreat.

Due to the situation, the Weddell fleet had to withdraw from the waters of Guangzhou.Wandering back and forth in the Pearl River Estuary, Humen, and Macau.And taking advantage of the southward transfer of Liao Dongzhi Department of the South Central Army, they captured the Humen area, looted and burned wantonly, burned ships and houses even more, and even destroyed the Humen Fort after capturing it.

This time, there is no room for both parties to change.

Wedel's fleet entered a state of combat readiness in the Humen area, and the Governor's Office of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Governor's Office of Guangdong even mobilized tens of thousands of officers and troops to surround the Humen area.

However, no one dared to fire the first shot.

Weddell came from thousands of miles away.Every barrel of gunpowder, every shell is extremely precious.What's more, the manpower is not so sufficient. If the loss is too large in the battle, then the trade of this trip will be ruined.Had no choice but to gradually sail the fleet to Macau, trying to ask the Portuguese to mediate.Allow yourself to complete trade activities in the East.Sell ​​the Nanzhong goods transported on the ship.

The two sides confronted each other nervously during the Portuguese messenger exchanges.

Until the guard Han led the army and horses to come.

Looking at the thousands of soldiers and horses entering the city.It can't help but make the chief minister and the following officials frightened.Looking at his military appearance and his team, they are far from being comparable to the battalion soldiers, servants, and chieftain soldiers that everyone is used to.

but.According to the law of officialdom, the troops that can fight are generally not well disciplined, and the combat effectiveness is often directly proportional to the barbarity of the troops.

However, after this army entered the city, apart from taking over the city defense, resting and training in the camp, there was no movement.Every day, only a few purchasers come out with white silver dollars and yellow Tongbao to purchase all kinds of fresh vegetables, fish, meat, etc., which makes the small merchants in Guangzhou make a small fortune.

However, not disturbing the people does not mean that the combat effectiveness is not good.

On the streets of Guangzhou, more than a dozen family members of the governor’s yamen criticized the armor and military appearance of the South China Army, and conflicts broke out between the two sides, and finally turned into a gang fight between the governor’s Fubiao battalion soldiers and the South China Army’s heavy soldiers.

Hundreds of soldiers and family members who used to be violent in the streets on weekdays were chased and beaten by more than 70 supply soldiers from various departments of the South Central Army and the like in Guangzhou City, which opened the eyes of the people in Guangzhou city.

The dignified Biao soldiers were chased and beaten along the Pearl River on the streets of Huacheng by dozens of men with aprons tied around their waists and carrying poles. This scene became a big topic that countless Guangzhou people talked about after dinner.

Therefore, when it was learned that there were more than [-] such soldiers and horses outside the city, the officialdom in Guangdong was really shaken.

Early in the morning, officials from all yamen gathered in front of the governor's yamen, and followed the governor to go to Yuexiu Mountain to worship the general.

What frightened the Guangdong officials was that only when they had close contact with and observed the soldiers of the South China Army did they know how elite and powerful this army was.

Although due to the geographical environment, people in Guangdong, Guangxi and Nanzhong are generally not tall, and their bones are small.The overall feeling is relatively thin.However, the soldiers of the South Central Army in front of them were red-faced and muscular. They felt that the body under the armor was full of strength and spirit.

Compared with Chen Tianhua's troops stationed in Guangzhou not long ago, there is a big gap.Although Chen Tianhua's army is much stronger than the local Guangdong army.

"The servant! It must be the servant!"

In their minds, they weighed the difference between these soldiers in front of them and Chen Tianhua's soldiers not long ago, and the officials quickly made a reasonable judgment.

But with the result of this judgment, another jaw-dropping question was placed in front of the officials.

"Since there was a family system in the Kingdom, it is said that the one who has supported the largest number of family members and has the strongest combat power is none other than Li Chengliang, Li Chengliang, the uncle of Guangning in Liaodong in the past. But it is said that there are only 8000 people, and now the Zhenhai Tower is stationed. There are more than three thousand people, there are thousands of people in various parts of the city, and there are thousands of people outside the city. How many family members does General Li have! "

There was a careful official who peeped at the breastplates of the soldiers. Although they had been wiped and oiled, and under the sunlight of autumn, they shone with metallic light, but upon closer inspection, some subtle scratches could still be seen on the breastplates. From the marks and dents, it is obvious that these breastplates and the people who wear them are veterans who have experienced battles and seen blood.

Except for a set of breastplates on these veterans, most of them wore a bag made of buffalo leather diagonally.From the left shoulder to the right crotch, the breastplate was divided into two halves. On the ocher red leather belt were several small and bulging bags. I don't know what was inside.

These soldiers with belts are all holding a gun.The muzzle of the firecracker is carefully covered with a cloth cover made of fine cotton cloth to prevent dust and moisture from entering.

A long dagger hangs from the waist belt of the musketeers. There is no scabbard, but the handle of the knife is covered with a leather sheath and tied around the waist.

Because of its geographical location, Guangdong has been exposed to Western firearms for a long time, and many iron factories are also processing and manufacturing various firecrackers and even artillery. Guangdong soldiers are famous for being good at using firecrackers.Many of these officials and servants use firecrackers, and they also have their own ability to judge the quality of firecrackers.

but.Among the more than 3000 households.There are probably 2000 people using firecrackers, and the firecrackers are all finely made, strong and thick, and there is absolutely no risk of explosion.If such firecrackers were purchased in Foshan, it would cost a lot of money.If it is equipped for two thousand families.I'm afraid it will cost more.

That official has already decided; he must join General Li as a running dog.

There is no other reason.The soldiers are strong and the horses are strong, the number is large, and the money and food are abundant.Such a master.Even the elders of the cabinet have to curry favor.

However, an officer of the Guards who came out of the Zhenhai Tower politely accepted the manuscripts and name cards from everyone, and then told them, "The general left the city early in the morning and took people to Humen. I am afraid that at this time We have already arrived at Humen, and the commander led the water and land armies to fight the British and barbarians."

Zhang Jingxin, who had just taken over from the post of Secretary of Guanglu Temple in Nanjing in the leap April of the tenth year of Chongzhen, took over the official position of the right servant of the Ministry of War, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, is a typical literati and scholar. Books such as "Yin Tang Ji" and "Yu Jiao Ji" reflect his attainments in the Book of Changes, poetry, and how to select officials.However, for things like fighting with soldiers, it is very lacking.

Hearing that General Li, who was ordered by the imperial court to oversee the suppression of appeasement in Guangdong and Guangxi, had gone out of the city to fight against the adversary, he couldn't help being moved.

"There is no time to warm the table, and the sword is as good as the shoes, which is the duty and ethics that the ministers of my generation should do."

However, all the civil and military officials under him are not too impressed with this nerdy governor who has just taken office for less than half a year.

General Li went out of the city to fight against the barbarians. If we officials from Guangdong Province were not on the scene, how would we report to the court in the future?

General Li won, and his military exploits were not even one iota of ours.The victory report document does not have the size of my Guangdong officials. The big bosses of the court have seen it, so they want to vigorously warn my Guangdong officials to fear the enemy like a tiger, and don't think about how to report the favor of the king and go down to Anlishu?

If General Li is defeated, then when he shirks responsibility, he can also blame all the blame on the officialdom in Guangdong, such as the lack of food and grass, the lack of backup, and so on.Anyway, the imperial court doesn't dare to do anything to the generals leading the troops, but they are merciless when it comes to killing us civil servants.

Besides, with these tigers in the hands of General Li, how can there be any reason to be invincible?

How can I miss this military achievement?

"Governor, General Li is worried about state affairs and has already left the city to fight against the rebels. We can't just sit idly by. My subordinates suggest that our Guangdong officers and troops immediately come out to help General Li destroy the rebels!"

"My subordinates immediately collect pigs, sheep, cattle and wine in the provincial capital, and prepare to reward the victorious teacher!"

"The bid is willing to lead the troops to Humen and wait for General Li's dispatch!"

"Please make a decision early! It's too late, Lord Li's troops are about to start a war with Niyi!"

This is already very naked.

It's time before the start of the war, you are fighting together, even if you help Wu Song pick up the whistle stick when someone else is fighting the tiger, when the time comes to write the victory document, you can arrange it well.

Arriving at the time of the battle, it is regarded as a reinforcement, and the quality is not as good, but it is also a military exploit.

When others finish fighting and win and you arrive, at most it can be regarded as the part with strong protection.Military exploits?Excuse me, what's the matter with you?

Although Zhang Jingxin is a scholar, he still has some understanding of these ways in the officialdom. (Nonsense, if someone who doesn't understand, can get into the position of governor?) If he doesn't act at this time, I'm afraid the court and his subordinates will be offended up.

"Alright! According to what Er and others said, all ministries and yamen should work hard according to their duties!"

After giving instructions to the civil and military officials under him, he turned around and bowed his hands kindly to the officer of the Guards. "This general."

"I don't dare to be the officer of the Guards Brigade, Lin Kexin." Lin Kexin looked at Zhang Jingxin's scarlet official uniform and the crane patch on it, and knew that this person should be the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.

"My lord, please tell me something."

Seeing Lin Kexin's neither humble nor overbearing appearance, he didn't knelt down and saluted to sign up, Zhang Jing felt that Governor Zhang was very unhappy, but at this time and here, he could only bear it.

"I don't know when the general will go to Humen, and which road will he take?"

"I went to the Pearl River Wharf early in the morning, and I was going to board a boat to Humen to meet with the land and water troops near the Pearl River Estuary. At this time, I am afraid that I have already passed Dongguan and are approaching the surface of Shiziyang?!"

As a result, the civil and military officials in Guangdong's officialdom gathered together intensively.

Master Zhang Jingxin personally led the Supervising Biao Battalion and more than ten thousand land and water soldiers to Humen to help General Li Shouhan's troops.The prefect of Guangzhou is collecting pigs, sheep, cattle and wine, preparing to reward the three armies.The streets began to organize and build colorful archways, ready to welcome the triumphant soldiers.

Without the majestic expedition ceremony and wine pouring ceremony, Governor Zhang hurriedly took a boat along the Pearl River and chased him down.

The governor's fleet had just passed Huangpu Island, and they met the Dongguan county magistrate who came to report the news and took the boat.

"Your Excellency! Lord Li's troops are distributing documents and posting notices everywhere. This is their letter of rebellion posted in Ji County!" (To be continued...)

ps: The plot of farming is over, and the pig's feet start the journey of conquest.