At about one o'clock in the morning on August 3, 1536, the fleet led by Zhou Rui finally arrived in the waters outside Jingsheng Port.

In the bridge of the Zhenhai, the flagship of the coastal defense fleet, Zhou Rui said to Song Limin in a deep voice: "Old Song, send a telegram to Mu Si'an and tell him that we have arrived. ”

Song Limin nodded solemnly, and immediately instructed the telegraph operator in the bridge to contact Mu Si'an by radio according to the previously agreed frequency.

Shortly after the telegram from Zhenhai was sent, dozens of bonfires suddenly lit up in the port of Jingsheng Port, illuminating the port wharf.

Song Limin hurriedly walked to Zhou Rui's side with a telegram at this time, "Major General, Mu Si'an called back, Jingshengcheng has been completely controlled by him, please land immediately!" ”

Zhou Rui's face was happy at first, but then his brows furrowed slightly, "Old Song, do you think there will be fraud in this?" Jingsheng City is inevitably too calm. ”

"Major General, you can let some of the army brothers land in rowboats first, as long as we can take over the two batteries in Jingsheng Harbor, even if there are any conspiracies, we can't help it."

Considering the possibility of a landing battle, the 12 freighters carried more than 260 wooden rowboats, each of which could carry about 15 people.

"Good! Send a telegram to Wang Biao, the commander of the Second Infantry Regiment of the garrison brigade, asking the Second Infantry Regiment of the garrison brigade to send two infantry battalions to land in rowboats immediately! ”

What reassures Zhou Rui is that there are no traps in Jingshengcheng.

By dawn on August 3, most of the officers and men of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Garrison Brigade and the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the 22nd Independent Brigade had already entered Jingsheng City.

All military facilities, including the two batteries in Jingshenggang, have basically been taken over by the two infantry regiments of the Zhou family.

With the overall situation decided, the all-steel battleship Zhenhai docked directly at the wharf of Jingsheng Port.

Zhou Rui came down from the Zhenhai, and Wang Biao, the commander of the Second Infantry Regiment of the Garrison Brigade, and Ma Tiezhu, the commander of the Second Infantry Regiment of the 22nd Independent Brigade, came over with a middle-aged soldier wearing the rank of colonel.

"Major General, this is Commander Mu Si'an." Wang Biao introduced to Zhou Rui.

Mu Si'an immediately saluted Zhou Rui, "Mu Si'an, the commander of the Fourth Infantry Regiment of the Second Mixed Brigade of the Humble Zhenwei Army, has seen General Zhou!" ”

After Zhou Rui returned a military salute, he said to Mu Si'an enthusiastically: "Our Zhou family can occupy Jingsheng City thanks to the help of Head Mu.

Please rest assured that the remaining 5 million silver coins can be paid to Head Mu at any time. ”

Mu Si'an hesitated for a moment and said, "General Zhou, I am tired of my military career, and I just want to take my wife and children to Ganyang City to live a peaceful life.

However, those brothers under my command will do nothing but be soldiers, and I wonder if the major general will be able to take them in. ”

"Commander Mu, rest assured, as long as those brothers under your command are willing to join our Zhou family, they can not only retain their original military ranks, but also enjoy the high military salary set by our Zhou family.

The military salary of our Zhou family's ordinary army soldiers is 25 silver coins every month, and there are also allowances and various benefits during the New Year's holidays. ”

Early in the morning of August 4, in an office of the headquarters of the Second Mixed Brigade of the Yuan Zhenwei Army.

Wang Biao, the commander of the Second Infantry Regiment of the Garrison Brigade, reported to Zhou Rui: "Major General, the Fourth Infantry Regiment of the Second Mixed Brigade of the Zhenwei Army, the Jingshengcheng Coastal Defense Battalion, and the Jingshengcheng Urban Defense Battalion, except for a few officers who were killed by Mu Si'an, the remaining more than 2,800 people have expressed their willingness to join our Zhou family's army. ”

After another day yesterday, the Zhou family's army had completely taken over the entire Jingsheng City.

Being able to receive Jingshengcheng without a single shot made Zhou Rui very excited.

Jingshengcheng has a population of about 130,000, and the villages and towns on the outskirts of Jingshengcheng have a population of about 50,000.

These 180,000 people will be truly under the rule of the Zhou family in the future, of course, provided that the Zhou family can hold Jingsheng City.

Zhou Rui is very confident in defending Jingsheng City.

Jingsheng City is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and there are only two roads to enter Jingsheng City from the outside, and these two roads are blocked by several dangerous barriers.

Now the fortifications built on the various dangerous passes have been taken over by the troops of the Second Infantry Regiment of the garrison brigade, and with these dangerous passes, even if the Zhenwei army gathers tens of thousands of troops, it may not be able to hit the city of Jingsheng.

As for the direction of Jingshengcheng facing the sea, Zhou Rui didn't have to worry about it, with the Zhou family's coastal defense fleet guarding Jingshenggang, it was impossible for the Zhenwei army to attack Jingshengcheng from the sea.

In order to sell Jingshengcheng to the Zhou family, Mu Si'an gathered the main officers of the coastal defense battalion, the city defense battalion and the Zhenwei naval fleet in Jingsheng City on the grounds of entertaining guests.

After Mu Si'an announced that the Zhou family would take over Jingsheng City, several officers who opposed it were immediately shot and killed, and then Mu Si'an sent his troops to control the coastal defense battalion, the city defense battalion and the Zhenwei naval fleet.

Zhou Rui pondered for a while and said: "Immediately temporarily organize those more than 2,800 people into the Second Infantry Regiment of the Garrison Brigade and the Second Infantry Regiment of the 22nd Independent Brigade, and they must be mixed!"

As for the establishment, Uncle Wang and Uncle Ma, the two of you have discussed and decided, I have only one request, and there must be no defection! ”

Wang Biao and Ma Tiezhu both nodded solemnly, and Ma Tiezhu immediately said: "Young General rest assured, after the more than 2,800 Zhenwei troops are mixed into our two regiments, there should be no chaos." ”

Song Limin, deputy commander-in-chief of the coastal defense fleet, said at this time: "Rear Admiral, the remaining more than 900 naval officers and men of the Zhenwei naval fleet are also willing to join the coastal defense fleet.

In addition, five iron-ribbed wood-hulled warships and two offshore gunboats of the Zhenwei naval fleet also fell into the hands of our coastal defense fleet.

It's just that these five iron-ribbed wood-hulled warships and two offshore gunboats are all more than ten years old, and the ships are in average condition, so they can no longer be incorporated into the sequence of the coastal defense fleet. ”

As soon as the salaries and various benefits of the Zhou family's navy and army were announced, the Zhou family incorporated the Zhenwei army troops in Jingsheng City, and it didn't take much effort at all.

"Old Song, although the possibility of the Zhenwei army counterattacking Jingsheng City from the sea is very small, the coastal defense fleet must not be careless, the patrol is still patrolling.

As for the seven broken copper and iron, they will be scrapped directly. ”

"Major General rest assured, the second formation and the task force will take turns patrolling the waters near Jingsheng Port, and will never give any ship of the Zhenwei Army a chance to approach Jingsheng Port."

Zhou Rui nodded, "Uncle Wang, Uncle Ma, Old Song, you go and get busy, please come in!" ”

After Wang Biao, Ma Tiezhu and Song Limin left the office, a middle-aged man with a thin body walked in.

This middle-aged man is Peng Hongchao, the city lord of Jingsheng City appointed by Zhenwei Jiedu Mansion.

After the Zhou family took control of Jingsheng City, Peng Hongchao immediately ran to Zhou Rui and expressed his willingness to take refuge in the Zhou family.

Zhou Rui learned that Peng Hongchao's reputation in Jingsheng City was not bad, so he asked Peng Hongchao to continue to serve as the city lord and help the Zhou family pacify the people in Jingsheng City.

In fact, it is not okay not to let Peng Hongchao continue to be the city lord, if you want to say that there are generals who can fight, there are many people in the Zhou family, but there are talents who can govern the place and handle government affairs, and only Zhou Rui's second uncle Zhou Xiaorong is barely one on the Zhou family's side.

"City Lord Peng, what is the reaction of the people in the city?"

"Major General, you still call me Lao Peng!

At present, the mood of the people in the city is quite stable, and because the major general sent people to sell rice, flour, and rice melons at affordable prices, the price of grain in the city has not changed much, and other prices are also stable. ”

Before Zhou Rui set off from Ganyang Military Port, he considered that after the Zhou family's army took over Jingsheng City, it might cause panic among the people in the city, and there would be a rush to buy food.

So the 12 cargo ships carrying troops added up to 1,000 tons of rice, 1,000 tons of flour and 3,000 tons of melons.

"Lao Peng, you have been working hard a little bit lately, to ensure that Jingsheng City can't make trouble.

Of course, your hard work will not be in vain, you should understand this truth. ”

Peng Hongchao patted his chest and said: "Young General, rest assured, as long as the price of grain does not rise, Jingshengcheng will not be in chaos." ”