The Rise of Ming Dynasty 1646

Chapter 773
Twelve miles south of Rufeng Mountain.

In the camp of the Ming army, almost everyone was chatting and laughing happily. It took less than three days to conquer the Tashan defense line that Jianlu painstakingly managed. It is no wonder that everyone's mentality is quite relaxed.

Moreover, this battle seemed tragic, with more than 400 casualties, but most of them were Japanese soldiers, and the Ming army had only less than [-] casualties.

Therefore, the Northern Expeditionary Army was not worried about the few bastions in front of them, and some people were even discussing whether they could reach Shenyang before the first lunar month.

However, Zhu Linmei, Zhang Jiayu and other high-level generals were discussing on a low hill overlooking Songshan, and they all frowned slightly.

"This Hauge has been in trouble in Sichuan and Shaanxi, but he has learned how to build bastions." Zhu Linmi shook her head and said, "This time, Beizhen's intelligence is also a little slower, so we were not able to prepare for it earlier."

Zhang Jiayu continued: "Your Majesty, the captives have been plotting for a long time, so they must have done a lot of cover-ups. Besides, there are quite a few accidents in this. If Haoge's coup had not been successful, with Dorgon's habits, he would probably have confronted our army head-on."

"That's right, the manpower that Jinyiwei sent to Liaodong was a bit short." Zhu Linmi raised her binoculars again, "Although these bastions are not densely built, they are all stuck in critical places, and most of them can interact with each other. Support. This place is very close to Jinzhou, and it is very convenient for the rebel army to replenish food, grass and weapons."

Deng Shan still said carelessly: "Your Majesty, we broke Baitai Mountain in two or three days, and now we are still doing the same thing. It only takes a few days for the Songshan thief to be captured."

Zhu Linmi shook her head secretly, it was indeed very neat to take down the Baitai Mountain Bastion, but after he learned about it afterwards, there was a lot of accident in it.If the nitrocellulose brought by Uesugi's army hadn't exploded accidentally, raising a large amount of rocks and soil to cover a battlement on the bastion, weakening the enemy's firepower there, the Shimadzu family might not be able to approach the bastion smoothly.

Even the Ming army storming the inner wall of the bastion later had a certain element of luck.If Jianlu did not lose morale due to the explosion, the Ming army would have to pay hundreds of people to capture the bastion.

Yu Xin also said, "General Deng probably doesn't know. After the battle of Baitai Mountain, the Japanese soldiers were scared out of their wits. No one dared to bomb the city anymore. If we go with our army..."

Just kidding, although the Japanese have the spirit of a fool who wants to die, but there are dozens of catties on their backs that can explode at the touch of a touch. up.

Deng Shan patted his chest, "I'll take some Japanese soldiers to rely on. I've done it once in the city of Nanjing, and I'm familiar with it."

Zhu Linming raised her hand to stop it and said, "No way, too many casualties."

He pointed to the mountains in the distance, "To pass through the Songshan line, at least the two largest bastions must be taken, and the smaller one on the west side. According to the casualties of Baitai Mountain, I am afraid that at least four to five thousand soldiers will be lost."

Zhang Jiayu agreed: "Your Majesty sees it clearly. The captives in Baitai Mountain didn't know that our army would bomb the city with nitrocellulose, so they could break it quickly. The enemy in Songshan must be prepared, and the casualties must be even greater."

Just as he was talking, a messenger soldier rushed over and whispered something in Yu Xin's ear.The latter hurriedly turned around and reported to Zhu Lin: "Your Majesty, it is reported that the two 42-pound guns are approaching Yongping Mansion, and they will arrive within a month."

Zhu Linmei nodded, "This is the only way right now. It's a little less cast at the beginning, and only six or seven gates can be used."

The structure of the bastion is very suitable for defending against shelling. Even though the 42-pound cannon is amazingly powerful, it may take half a month to continuously bombard the bastion's outer wall with two cannons.

Speaking of heavy artillery, he also instructed Yu Xin: "Prepare for a rainy day and order the Ordnance Bureau to cast three more 42-pound guns in advance. Even if they can't keep up with the battle in Liaodong, they can be used as fortress artillery in the future.

"Also, cast five sixty-pound mortars."

When bombarding fixed fortifications such as bastions, mortars capable of curved fire are more lethal.Anyway, now that Daming is no longer short of copper, it doesn't cost much money to build these giant cannons.

"Yes!"

"By the way, the Ministry of Industry reported a few days ago that the long-stem boring drill is ready for use, and they can use it to make mortars."

Daming's metallurgy and finishing technology has made considerable progress in the previous half a year. With the help of refined high-carbon steel and precision measuring instruments, the earliest breakthrough in Zhu Linmi's "Peak" scientific research plan was the boring rig.

In fact, he had a long-term plan for the Ordnance Bureau to use newly-made boring drills to make mortars.Because the Caron cannon, the "artifact" of naval warfare in the nineteenth century, needs to be manufactured with boring and drilling technology.This kind of gun has good airtightness and light weight, and can even be deployed on the open deck. At the same time, it has extremely strong firepower. Once it appeared, it changed the pattern of naval warfare in that era.

This opportunity to continue to manufacture large-caliber mortars allows the Ordnance Bureau to practice their hands and get familiar with boring and drilling techniques.

Afterwards, Zhu Linmi discussed with several generals again, and decided on the basic strategy of waiting for the 42-pound gun to be in place before launching a general offensive.

When the group returned to the Ming army camp, Zhu Linmi was about to order Zhang Jiayu to gather the officers to hold a staff meeting to study the details of the battle, when Zhao Shichao came with more than a dozen hussars.

"Your Majesty," Zhao Shichao stepped forward to salute, but his expression was a bit strange, and his voice was very low, "There is a Tartar who came to ask for an audience, and she was a woman."

"Oh?" Zhu Linmei raised her eyebrows, "Do you know what she wants to do?"

"This, the general asked, but she said that she must report to the Holy One."

Zhu Linmei nodded, "Take her to my camp."

"Yes!"

The emperor next to Songshan made a temporary camp.

Shi Lin led all the soldiers of the imperial battalion as if they were facing a big enemy, their arrows were on the string and their guns were loaded.

Zhu Linmi, however, seemed quite relaxed, looking up and down at the woman in front of her with slightly dark complexion, but with delicate and handsome features and strong lines like a little female leopard, "Who are you?"

The woman stepped forward and knelt down, "The daughter of the people is the Donghai Jurchen, Aruna, the daughter of Qitai of the Varka tribe. Long live my emperor."

Donghai Jurchen?Zhu Linmi's heart skipped a beat, isn't this a savage Jurchen?Just now the woman called him Long Live, which made him suddenly think of something.In history, there was a branch of barbarian Jurchens who were very loyal to Ming Dynasty. They still secretly believed in the orthodoxy of Ming Dynasty after Jianlu entered the pass, but they had many disagreements with Jianzhou Jurchen.

Is she from this branch?

"Pingshen." He raised his hand and said, "Jianlu has fortified layers of defenses along Songshan Mountain. If you ventured south here, you must have something important to do. Tell me."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Aruna got up and kowtowed, "The daughter of the people is guilty of death. She was forced by thieves before and tried to assassinate Your Majesty many times... I was the one who hijacked the current king of Tang and sent him to Huguang. Half a year ago, I plotted to rescue I was also the one who escaped Hauge and helped him become the Thief Chief..."

(End of this chapter)