Crazy at the end of the Ming Dynasty

"How is this boat?" Xue Yong asked Tang Liudao.

"It's okay! Sometimes it's awkward to drive a boat, but you'll be fine if you get used to it." Tang Liu made an inviting gesture, asking Xue Yong to board his flagship.

This time Zheng Zhilong built eight medium-sized armed merchant ships for Wu Shigong.Because it is a sea-going ship, it is always a little different from an inland river ship, and the method of operation is also a little different.However, after Tang Liu's exploration these days, they can still drive in style.

After boarding the ship, under the leadership of Tang Liu, Xue Yong visited the ship very curiously. When he saw the cannons erected on the deck, Xue Yong asked with great interest: "How many cannons are there on this ship?"

"Seven doors!" Tang Liu replied, "One door at the bow is three pounds. There are three doors on each side, one door is three pounds, and two doors are one pound."

"A lot!" Xue Yong laughed immediately.

"It's still too few! It's not very useful." Tang Liu also laughed, "With such a small space, there can't be many cannons. This cannon is fired on the water, the boat shakes, and it's not accurate. It's better to have a cannon. My lord! Look This ship doesn’t even have a place to fire cannons at the stern, so we can only deploy more manpower, ready to help.”

"Why are you afraid of jumping to the gang? When did our Runing Army ever fear real swords and guns?" Xue Yong immediately widened his eyes.But he still patted the cannon affectionately, "It's better to have a cannon!"

"Your Excellency said so!" Tang Liu also laughed out loud.Although he has never participated in any naval battles, Tang Liu is still very familiar with surface warfare, so he deeply understands the role of artillery on ships. Now Tang Liu is already an enthusiastic supporter of large ships and giant artillery.

"Eh?" Xue Yong suddenly thought of something, "When I was with my uncle, I heard what he said about the warship. Aren't the cannons installed in the belly of the ship? My uncle said. Many ships of that kind can be loaded Baimen, why isn't this kind of ship this time?"

"Oh! My lord, what you are talking about should be Fanzi's Western-style ships. Mr. Zong Bing also asked Zheng Guerrilla, but Fujian can't build them. We have been on Zheng Guerrilla's boat and said that even Zheng Guerrilla's own boat There are no Western gunboats. It seems that Zheng Guerrilla did not lie."

The construction technology of ocean-going ships and warships in the Ming Dynasty has indeed lagged behind that of the West. In addition, Zheng Zhilong now only wants to do business and hopes that each ship can load more goods, so he has little interest in building warships and has not carried out any plans. research in this area.

In order to keep it secret, Tang Liu did not tell Xue Yong.In fact, under Wu Shigong's secret order, the Runing Army Navy has secretly built an experimental boat imitating a Western warship in Xinyang.So this time, the commander of the Runing Army Navy——Zhang Rubao didn't come, he was presiding over the sea trial in Xinyang.

Although the ship is quite small, with only three three-pound cannons on each side of the ship, at least it has been built according to this idea.certainly.Turning a small boat into a bigger boat is not simply about increasing the size, there are still many technical difficulties.There is also the issue of timber to be resolved.After all, research has already begun.

Oh Se Kung is someone who likes to take everything into his own hands.The construction of such a small boat not only made the necessary technical reserves, but also trained a group of craftsmen, and it can also increase the right to speak in the communication with Zheng Zhilong, so it is not a disadvantage to do so.Besides, the boat is small.It is still very useful in inland rivers. The navy of the Runing Army can use such warships to effectively control the water network and lakes in the south of the Yangtze River.

On August 28, more than [-] members of the Runing Army officially carried their own navy and hundreds of requisitioned civilian ships.Downstream from Huanggang, officially joined the war.

On the same day, Xiong Wencan, Premier of the five provinces, also handed over to Wang Jiazhen, formally taking over the command of the five provinces.

"Can't you let Xiao Xinzi stay for two more days? He has been married for less than a month, and he is about to go to the battlefield. You are too cruel as a master!" In the inner house, Zhao Ruya and Wu Shigong quarreled.

"Stay two days longer? It's not a few months longer! I knew you, wanted Xiaojie to get pregnant, and then let Xiao Xinzi go out. Don't think I don't know, you two are talking about each other in the room." What."

The door curtain was lifted, and Xiaojie, who was hiding behind, rushed out.She was already dressed like a woman, her eyes were as red as two peaches: "Father! You have so many people, let me let you go this time!" After finishing speaking, Xiaojie wept timidly again stand up.

"Male Gobi!" Wu Shigong was furious.The Huguang battle this time is obviously not very dangerous. Wu Shigong wanted to let Tao Xin make meritorious service, and promoted him logically. Unexpectedly, his scalp became numb when he was entangled with two girls with long hair and short knowledge. Wu Shigong felt that he was kind. Think of it as donkey liver and lung.

But seeing Xiaojie was very sad, Wu Shigong couldn't help but soften his heart, he said in a slow tone: "Girl! A man's ambition is everywhere, it's not good to trap him in a square inch. Could it be that father will harm you? In this way, let Xiao Xinzi bring the new army with him, and I will also distribute 300 soldiers to him, so that he can always protect him! Be good! Be obedient!"

"But..., but...." Xiaojie also forgot to wipe the tears off her face, looking anxious.

"My daughter is afraid that Xiao Xinzi will bring women back from outside." It was Zhao Ruya who spoke Xiaojie's heartfelt thoughts.

"He dares!" Wu Shigong was full of arrogance, "There is no child's play in the army, who dares to touch women?"

"Aren't you like that?" Xiaojie murmured from the side.

"How did you talk?" Seeing Wu Shigong stunned on the spot, Zhao Ruya quickly smoothed things over, "Why don't you get out sooner?"

Seeing Xiaojie returning to the back room, Wu Shigong, who was extremely thick-skinned, also felt a little blush.He explained without words: "I haven't brought a woman back these few times."

"Who knows?" Zhao Ruya gave Wu Shigong a white look, "Didn't two beautiful girls from Jinling City write to you just now?"

"Damn it, who chewed their tongue?" Wu Shigong immediately became angry.When Wu Shigong received the letter from Liu Rushi and Gu Hengbo, he was really in a trance.But because he was afraid of unrest in the inner house, he hid the two letters well.

"Hmph!" Zhao Ruya ignored Wu Shigong at all, turned around and walked out of the house.

Wu Shigong also had a guilty conscience, so he didn't put the two letters in the study, but hid the two letters in the inner house.But there are so many brats and crazy girls playing around in the inner house, what hidden things can't be found?

As a compromise to his daughter Xiaojie, Wu Shigong sent another [-] troops to Nanzhili.Under the leadership of Tao Xin, they went straight to Chuzhou by land via Fengyang Mansion.The new army that was dispatched this time was newly formed by the Runing Army, and the commander of the army was Yuan Shizhong.Compared with other main battle legions, this legion is slightly weaker, and it lacks firearms and equipment.

"Free activities? Where do you go for free activities?" Jin Xiong asked.

"You ask me, I ask who is going?" Liu Guoneng looked annoyed, "Anyway, we are moving forward! You can't look back, so it counts wherever you go."

"Then go to Nanjing, and we will finally get a vote." Jin Xiong looked eager to fight.

"Nonsense!" Liu Guoneng immediately laughed and scolded: "General Wu is still a member of the imperial court. If Nanjing City is captured, he will not be able to protect us at that time!"

"Isn't that the only way to go to Chuzhou?" Jin Xiong was full of depression. After talking for a long time, there was only one choice for this free activity!

After receiving Xue Yong's order, Liu Guoneng went straight to Chuzhou.Since the nearby Ming army was transferred to Nanjing, the defense of Chuzhou was quite empty.

But Liu Guoneng no longer wants to fight this state city.In the battle with Huang Degong, Liu Guoneng's old foundation was too depleted, and he was unwilling to lose his strength for siege battles.

So Liu Guoneng first wiped out the Chuzhou countryside, and because there was Hongze Lake in the northeast, they headed east, passing through Lai'an towards Yangzhou.

The salt merchants in Yangzhou City never expected that the flames of war would reach their doorsteps. They were shocked and immediately mobilized various officials and troops to help them.They first withdrew the official army of Yangzhou Guard into Yangzhou City, and then went to Nanjing to use their connections to mobilize reinforcements in Nanjing City.

But Liu Guoneng's department was too close to Nanjing City, and Nanjing itself couldn't take care of itself, so it couldn't manage Yangzhou across the river.So those salt merchants can only use money to open the way.

They rushed to Xuzhou first, and let the officers and soldiers of Xuzhou Wei come to help.But when they heard that they were fighting against the mighty peasant army, Xuzhou Wei was not sensitive.This is life to take money, but also life to spend money!

So Yangzhou salt merchants began to seek medical treatment in a hurry. They even spent 3 taels of silver and gathered more than 1000 horse bandits to stop Liu Guoneng.And after those horse bandits collected the money, they went straight to Liu Guoneng with professional ethics, and then all of them took refuge in Liu Guoneng.

Now those Yangzhou salt merchants are at a loss.But at this time, they suddenly thought: there are two salt merchants who are friends with Wu Shigong of Runing, so they immediately recruited Guo Zeng'an and Lu Jianchen to discuss.

"Both of you! It's going to be a lot of work this time. I beg Wu Runing to come to help quickly!" A salt merchant said politely.

"However, the long-distance water can't quench the near-thirst?" Guo Zeng'an said in embarrassment, "It will take at least a month to go back and forth from here to Runing, and that doesn't include the time for dispatching troops?"

"It can last here! We have spent so much money over the years to feed those Qiu Ba and Yan Ding. The dog that has been raised for so many years must help look after the house!"

"Tell the two of you! My younger brother's treasurer reported that Wu Runing has arranged an army in Huanggang. As long as you two persuade them, I will guarantee here that next year's Yanyin will be given priority, and we will give Wu Runing another [-] troops." And in the future, we in Yangzhou will give priority to supplying Wu Runing's salt."

"Then let's try it!" Guo Zeng'an and Lu Jianchen said. (To be continued..)