In the early morning of the 28th, the dark gray sky was already overcast. On the surface of the Qianjiang River, there is a fog and no wind.

Several small boats side by side, with glass lanterns lit on their masts, looming in the mist, flashing orange and yellow lights, looked like flickering ghost fires from a distance. The wood pulp is paddled in the water, making a crisp water sound.

The boats in front of them were leading the way, because the line of sight was still very unclear.

Behind the boat, a light lit up in mid-air. Where the light was, a huge black shadow slowly swam forward through the mist, and the scale of the mountain was intimidating, like a dark monster, giving people suffocating pressure at first glance. This is the outline of a treasure ship.

The sound in the rear was also louder, and the ends of the long oars on both sides of the boat moved like propellers. Many sergeants were in the cabins, struggling to shake the oars.

There are several treasure ships, plus various large and small warships, which are meeting along the wide Qianjiang River, advancing in a dragon-like formation.

The rowing sergeants took turns to rest, but the general, Chen Xuan, did not sleep almost all night.

He stood by the railing of the treasure ship, and the cool, humid air of the early morning had sobered him up a bit. He said, "The fog may be a good thing for us." Then he turned around and walked into the official hall.

On the wooden case are some maps and files. The map of Zhenla was not personally explored and drawn by the official army, after all, the army had just arrived in Zhenla.

Most of the maps are from the Old Port Propaganda Envoy Shi Jinqing, as well as old maps collected from Thang Long Castle in the Kingdom of Annam, which may not be very accurate. However, Chen Xuan can only refer to these drawings for the time being.

There are many rivers along the coast of Chenla. In the vicinity of Saigon Port, the estuaries of the larger rivers on the map have been recorded, from north to south are the Dong Nai River, the Tien Giang River, and the Mekong River.

The Tongnai River and the Qianjiang River were combined dozens of miles from the coast, and the officers and soldiers of the Zhu Zhenbu and the Zhenla Army confronted each other in the vicinity.

The Qianjiang River is the widest and deepest river under the water, and the main force of the Ming Navy at present came in from the Qianjiang River. From yesterday evening to early this morning, Chen Xuan's warship did not run aground at all.

To the north of the army camps of both sides, there is a tributary of the Dong Nai River, which flows from the northwest, which can completely cut off the northern retreat of the Chenla army. However, if the Ming army's treasure ship wants to enter this tributary, it may encounter a shoal and can only keep sailing in the middle of the river at all times, and may not run aground and block the river.

Chen Xuan temporarily decided to send sand boats and Monchong battleships into that tributary.

In addition, the Mekong River, which flows into the sea in the south, forms a large semicircle shape on the map from the mouth of the sea to the city of Phnom Penh. If the Ming army can control this section of the river, it can completely encircle the main force of the Zhenla army.

However, such a thing seems unrealistic, because the river is too long. According to the information provided by Shi Jinqing, this semicircle is estimated to have a diameter of more than 300 miles, which is far beyond the control of the official army. Therefore, Chen Xuan only sent a detachment of divisions to find an opportunity to attack the rear of the Zhenla army.

Chen Xuan repeatedly speculated, thinking that the main force of the Zhenla army could still escape. It's just that the raiding fighter plane is right in front of him, and if he doesn't try, he can't be reconciled.

Yesterday, the Zhenla Manchu plus coalition army attacked the Ming army from the sea, thinking that the Ming army was unprepared. As a result, Chen Xuan ambushed the counterattack and caught the enemy off guard.

Isn't the fog of war just like the fog in front of us?

…… Before dawn, the sentinels of the Zhenla people discovered a large number of enemy ships on the Qianjiang River. The sentry ran into a village where the Chinese army was located, claiming that there was an urgent military situation to report to the commander, and was able to meet An En in a round straw hut.

Two dark-skinned ladies huddled on blankets with their clothes in their arms. They were surprised by the sergeant who suddenly broke in, and the local villagers had not seen much of the world, and the village girls looked very frightened.

The handsome Ahn sat up naked, looking tired and sleepy-eyed, and asked, "What happened?" ”

The sergeant recounted the situation on the front river. An En seemed to be dreaming at first, but when he woke up a little, he was a little unconvinced: "The coalition navy only raided the fleet of the Ming people yesterday, how could the Ming warships appear in Qianjiang?" Could it be that the generals didn't succeed, but the people of the Ming Kingdom wouldn't come so quickly......"

The sergeant who reported the news repeatedly explained that he had to find someone else to testify, because he was not the only one who saw the huge warship.

That's when Ann probably believed it.

Ann realized that something was serious, and he hurried to get up from the blanket and look for the laundry he had thrown all over the room. While he was in a hurry to dress, he said, "Go and give the order, and tell the generals to go to the big tent to obey the orders." ”

The little ladies from the two villages hurriedly asked him where he was going and if he could take them away. Ann was a little impatient, but kissed one of the young ladies on the forehead anyway, telling her to wait here, and to come to them when she was done with her big business.

The nobles and generals of Zhenla made a noise in the Chinese military camp. It was so sudden, and everyone hasn't figured out what happened in the sea of Saigon Bay, and the only thing people know is that the Ming sea ship has entered the Qianjiang River and is approaching the camp of the Chenla army.

One of the nobles almost shouted out his throat and shouted loudly for Ahn to give an order at once, and the whole army should be broken into pieces and run to the northwest immediately. He was simply coercing Ahn, which made Ayn very uncomfortable.

"Calm down, Commander. As soon as you heard the news of the Ming army, you wanted to escape, how can this work? Ann looked at the nobleman in disappointment.

Another suggested: "We should send someone to investigate the tributaries of the Qianjiang River immediately." That river is too close to us, and if the Ming people come from this river, our flanks will be in danger. If we find an enemy, we should retreat as soon as possible. ”

Ayn agreed to this suggestion, and immediately sent his guards and brought people to visit him to the west.

There were also some aristocrats arguing, but in Ahn's opinion, they were all useless quarrels.

Several of them believe that the main strength of the Ming army is indeed in dozens of military camps on the other side of the Dong Nai River. Based on this speculation, they decided that the enemy army would use boats to cross the river at the confluence of the Dong Nai River and the Qianjiang River to attack the Chenla army.

The nobles who were ridiculing them felt that the enemy's sea ships were moving strangely, and began to suspect that the main force of the Ming army on land was a deception!

At this moment, an old man with gray hair and beard stepped forward. After a glance, Ann and the others recognized the old man as the king's envoy, the official in charge of the Buddhist scriptures and history books of Angkor City, and the presiding officer of the royal temple.

The king's envoy's remarks also made Ann uncomfortable. Because the king's messenger spoke in a loud tone and spoke slowly, it was felt that he could not distinguish between the important and the important, and was only interested in showing his wisdom.

The envoy said, "This morning's time is very important, and General Ann must be cautious. Perhaps this will determine the future of the Zhenla royal family and the fate of countless countries in the South China Sea. ”

An En didn't want to offend such a character, so he endured his unhappiness and nodded yes. Then An En immediately raised his hands, signaled everyone to be quiet, and said decisively: "Gather the army immediately and bring the elite elephant soldiers." We lined up on the opposite bank of the enemy's camp to block the enemy's crossing of the river and drive the enemy troops from the Dong Nai River! ”

The nobles who had previously tried to "coerce" An En immediately shouted frantically: "Don't forget, our strategy is to lure the enemy deep and drag down the Ming army. You're calling the shots! ”

Ann was furious, stared at the nobleman and said, "I am the general, so I am the master, otherwise I will listen to you arguing here all day?" Moreover, the current situation is not clear, and it is time for us to stabilize our position and find out the situation, rather than act rashly. ”

The nobleman wanted to say something, but Ayn immediately spoke impatiently and spoke loudly and gagged him: "If you are not convinced, you can leave with your followers." But what awaits you will be the king's severe punishment. ”

Finally no one spoke.

So Ahn ordered the battalions to gather their forces, and personally led the elite soldiers to the east to control the banks of the Dong Nai River.

After some preparation and manoeuvre, the sun has risen over the horizon. The fog had not yet lifted, and a halo of light was shrouded around the red sun.

On the west bank of the Tongnai River, flags are everywhere, and the swords and soldiers are bright. The stout and tall elephant soldiers, pacing their big feet a little restlessly, and from time to time let out a low trumpet-like sound. The elite elephant soldiers are covered with a layer of hard leather armor on the outside of their rough skin, which can be described as invulnerable, impermeable to bows and crossbows, and has always been an expert at charging into battle.

After a while, An'en was on the river, and he saw with his own eyes that many Ming soldiers were gathering on the other side of the misty bank. Their land forces seem to be waiting for warships to pick them up.

Ann's mood gradually calmed down from the panic and shock of the early morning.

However, things didn't seem to go his way, and after a while, there was another unexpected military situation. The spies came to report that on the tributary of the Tongnai River in the north, the warships of the Ming army were found.

Ahn felt that there were only ships over there, and there were no troops on land. He cautiously asked a specific question, and sure enough, it was not true.

The nobleman next to him reminded: "There may be soldiers and horses on the ship." ”

Ann immediately gave the order very happily and decisively: "Order the left flank to go north and reinforce the northern riverbank." Tell the nobles who are hiding in the camp to take their men to the north. ”

Not long after, I saw the crowd of enemy troops on the opposite bank, and some small flat-bottomed boats were boarded one after another. It seems that they will soon land and storm the west bank.

Ayn shouted and told the guards to go to the battalions to give orders, telling the generals to prepare their troops and horses for battle.

(Tianjin)