Regarding the predicament encountered by Ding Shijie on the edge of Taihu Lake, in the past two days, Guan Zhuofan discussed with several subordinates in the government office day and night, and finally made up his mind.

The matter is obvious, if the Taihu Lake Sailors of the Taiping Army are not cleaned up, not only will they not be able to sweep southern Jiangsu, but even if they attack Suzhou City in the future, it will become very difficult. If it is said that it is the Hunan army sailor who contacted Li Chaobin, but Li Chaobin has always had no way to take the king of navigation Tang Zhengcai, and this time he may not be able to do it. Now that his Xuan Army Sailor has become an army, why bother to hold a golden rice bowl to beg for food?

In terms of combat power alone, the gunboats of the Xuan Army can naturally run rampant, but the problem lies in how to drive the ships into the Taihu Lake.

"Look, isn't the Pujiang River connected to Taihu Lake?" Guan Zhuofan was full of confidence, and gestured on the map, "Ruchang, your seven boats will go up the Shuojiang River from here and attack into Taihu Lake for me!" ”

"This ......" Ding Ruchang was speechless, throwing his eyes for help to Qian Yunqiu, who participated in politics, "Boss, it doesn't seem to make sense." ”

Qian Yunqiu smiled secretly, this Ding Ruchang, how can he say that the handsome man "doesn't understand"?

"My lord is right, the water system of Taihu Lake is indeed connected to the Pujiang River, and eighty percent of the flood discharge of Taihu Lake is from the Pujiang River into the sea." Qian Yunqiu first covered Guan Zhuofan's face before saying the following points, "It's just that what is connected is not a trunk road, but seventy or eighty small rivers, and there is a roundabout of Dianshan Lake in the middle, so the big boat can't go." ”

I see. Guan Zhuofan knew that he was making a joke, but he didn't care, and muttered: "This is troublesome, there may not be no waterway that can lead to Taihu Lake?" ”

"Naturally." Qian Yunqiu pointed to a zigzag line extending westward from Taihu Lake on the map, "Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal." ”

As the name suggests, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal starts from Hangzhou in the south. North to Jingshi. It passes through Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Zhili and other four provinces. It runs through the five major water systems of the Haihe River, the Yellow River, the Huai River, the Yangtze River and the Qiantang River, with a total length of 3,500 miles. This is the Spring and Autumn period of the Wu State for the destruction of the Qi State and excavated, the Sui Dynasty greatly expanded, the successive dynasties have been intentionally maintained a north-south waterway.

The waterway to Taihu Lake mentioned by Qian Yunqiu is the southern section of the canal.

"In recent years, the northern section of the canal north of Yangzhou, leading to Jingshi, has been poorly maintained. Due to the lack of dredging, it was so blocked that it was almost impassable, so even the grain was changed to sea transportation. He pointed to the map and said to Guan Zhuofan paragraph by paragraph, "The southern section of the canal, now called the Jiangnan Canal, also known as the Guanhe River, connects the Yangtze River in Zhenjiang and passes through Danyang, Changzhou, and Wuxi. Arrive at Suzhou and Wujiang County, and connect with Taihu Lake. This section of the waterway is unhindered to navigation. ”

Although there is no obstacle to sailing, Qian Yunqiu can't say whether the two big ships in the Xuan Army Navy can get by. Another inconvenience is that the road is far away, and a large area in the middle is still in the hands of the Taiping army.

"Maybe it can get through," Ding Ruchang looked at the map, rubbed his hands and said, "Last time I reported to the boss, these two are paddle gunboats, with shallow drafts, and the largest Jintai has a draft of only seven feet and one inch. After all, there is no reef in the canal, as long as the water is more than eight feet, I dare to walk! ”

However, whether the water of the canal is eight feet, Qian Yunqiu can't say, a few people are running out of ideas, and Ren Tianzhu, who is participating in politics next to him, proposes to come alone.

"My lord, there is a general on the river, and he is now in Shanghai to negotiate business. He is Wu Zhijun's brother-in-law, so he must not leak the news, why not call him over and ask? ”

The "Wu Army" in Ren Tianzhu's mouth refers to Wu Tang, the governor of Caoyun, Guan Zhuofan heard it and smiled slightly-he was too familiar with Wu Tang. This talent is mediocre and his ethics are not good, but by mistake, he has a deep relationship with the Empress Dowager Cixi, and he can be the governor of Caoyun because of Cixi's special promotion.

Wu Tang is already like this, not to mention his brother-in-law, that is, his brother-in-law, how good can it be? Even if you call it and ask, it's better than nothing.

Who knew that he was called, and at first sight, there was a big surprise - Wu Tang, the brother-in-law surnamed He, behaved steadily and decently, first asked Guan Zhuofan to be safe, and waited for inquiries.

"General He, according to your statement, the gunboat must be able to cross the canal?"

"Yes, the shallowest section of the Xicheng River is more than eight feet deep." General He said respectfully, "However, in order to prevent Huang Yisheng's Yangtze River sailors from entering the canal, Changmao has built more forts and forts on both sides of the river, even if the foreigners' warships are not afraid, but first they have to go around the Yangtze River from Shanghai, go up 700 miles to Zhenjiang, and then from Changzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, and so on hundreds of miles of waterways, and they are tired and tired." ”

His words could not be said to be unreasonable, and everyone fell silent for a while.

"Great Marshal," General He said hesitantly, "I have a little insight in my humble position, I don't know if I should say it or not?" ”

"Why shouldn't you say it?" Kwan Cheuk Fan encouraged him, "Just say it! As long as this battle is won, I will protect you according to military merits! ”

"Xiexie handsome cultivation!" Hearing that he could be promoted according to his military merits, General He's eyes lit up, "What does it mean to be humble, why don't you try Wangyu River?" From here, the waterway is only a hundred miles. ”

*

*

The bell rang ten times in the large study of the Yamen of the Domain, and a few people who were discussing realized that it was so late. Hu Qingqing, the back office, never slept, took the maid, boiled sugar water in the small kitchen, and sent it over to the adults as a supper at the moment. After drinking the steaming sugar water and listening to General He's words, everyone was in good spirits.

He Shenjiang became the center of attention, and he said more energetically, drawing a short line from Taihu Lake to the northeast on the map with his hand, passing through Changshu County and reaching the Yangtze River.

"From the mouth of Shadunkou of Taihu Lake in the south, to the Gengjingkou of the Yangtze River in the north, this one hundred and ten miles of waterway, called Wangyu River, has it since the Spring and Autumn Period, it is said that it is still built by Fan Li, the doctor of Yue. Because the tanker never goes here, it is not very famous, in fact, although the river is a little narrower, the water depth is enough. General He still pointed to the map and said, "It's just a section of waterway across Yangcheng Lake in the middle, with a slight twist and turn, and someone you know must lead the way." ”

Everyone thinks this method is good, from Wusongkou down the Yangtze River to Changshu, but two hundred miles of waterway, from Changshu to Taihu Lake, it is only one hundred miles, compared to the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal thousands of miles of travel, that is too strong.

However, there is also a question, Changshu is also in the hands of Changmao, is there no artillery blockade on both sides of the Wangyu River?

"Naturally." General He lowered his voice and said, "But with a little idea of humility, since you want to counterattack Changmao, where is it not to fight?" Kunshan is only sixty miles away from Changshu County......"

What he meant was to simply take Changshu and knock it down. This is a matter of military affairs, Qian Yunqiu and a few others don't understand, Guan Zhuofan looked at Zhao Jingxian to see if he had anything to say.

"Where does the river not wash the boats? Xuan Shuai, I think General He's idea works! Zhao Jingxian thought about it repeatedly, nodded and said, "Now Changmao's thoughts are still in southern Jiangsu and Taicang, and most of them didn't expect that we would go to Changshu." If it is a troop from Kunshan, it can be arrived in one day, and there is always seventy percent certainty of a surprise attack. ”

Guan Zhuofan weighed it in his heart for a moment, nodded his head, and the matter was a foregone conclusion. He was not busy with other affairs, and first said to General He: "Brother is worthy of being a talent under Wu Dashuai's account!" I just don't know, is your brother familiar with this section of waterway? After all, the people who can lead the voyage don't know where to look for it for a while. ”

"Dashuai, after Changshu was occupied by Changmao, not only was the official boat of the Wangyu River broken, but even the ordinary boat, who would dare to go? Only the smuggling boats, in order to seek profit, are willing to take this risk, and they are most aware of the twists and turns along the way. If you want someone to lead the way, they have to do it. ”

Guan Zhuofan's eyes flashed, and he already had an idea in his heart, but he was not in a hurry to say it, but asked Zhao Jingxian with a smile: "Brother Zhusheng, according to General He's statement, I have an idea, I don't know if you can guess it, you can't guess it?" ”

"Xuan Shuai naturally wants to find a smuggling ship to lead the way." Zhao Jingxian smiled slightly and said, "And if you talk about the size of the private ship, who can compare to the Songjiang Cao Gang?" ”

*(To be continued......)