Chapter 207: Facing Li Zicheng's Naval Army

After discussion, it was decided that the general principle was that all the ships would advance in formation after they had crossed the throat of the Kaiyuan New River.

Ouyang He emphasized: "Since the south wind is blowing now, it is just a tailwind for the Chuang Wang Navy to come out of the Luo River, and we must prevent them from taking advantage of the number of ships and speed to wash our fleet up at once." ”

Chen Yufeng said: "When we pass from the Yellow River to the mouth of the Luohe River, we will be in a very unfavorable position for us. Why don't we take advantage of the fact that our steamships can sail at night and take the fleet through the mouth of the Luo River at night. After crossing the estuary, the ships could block the estuary to cover the passage of the fleet. ”

Fan Chengkun said: "Yes, there is no night flight ability. At night, their warships did not dare to stay in the Yellow River, where the current speed was so fast, that we could use the small steamboat to lead the fleet downstream, and the big ship would stay at the mouth of the Luohe River to keep guard. After the fleet has all passed through the mouth of the Luo River, it is safe, and then turn back to the mouth of the Luo River to meet the big boat. It depends on the situation and is planning. ”

The fleet stayed in Tongguan for a day, and Zhang Zhimu and other leaders of the kiln gang took time to visit Lu Yun and others in the Tongguan branch. A team of people sent by Lu Chengxiang to get the ticket number also went ashore and lived in the branch. Lu Yun also arranged for people to pull the goods that were to be unloaded to Tongguan to the branch.

Li Zhi also went ashore and arranged Sun Yujiao and them to live in a small inn, and then came to the branch again, brought the person he left behind last time to the inn where Sun Yujiao lived, and introduced this person to Sun Yuejiao. After telling that person, Sun Yuejiao would be responsible for the work of Tongguan in the future, and he would also be led by Sun Yujiao.

This time, the scale of the Tongguan branch has expanded very much, and the original big inn and a small shop run by Lu Yun and them can no longer meet the needs. Lu Chengxiang has already bought a large shop in Tongguan, which can be used as a shop, and can also be divided into a part of the store for ticket numbers. That inn could be used as a station for future transport companies, because the place was already big enough.

This time, the shopkeeper of the ticket number not only brought a lot of silver and gold, but also brought a lot of kiln coins. Sun Yuejiao's activity fee is the kiln gang coin, which can be exchanged for silver or gold at any time in the kiln gang ticket number, of course, the exchange is to pay a certain fee.

This time, Li Zhi was going to take Meng Si'er to Tongguan, but Zhang Zhimu didn't let Meng Si'er come over, but asked Meng Si'er to follow Lu Chengxiang and Yang Jing on the eastern route. This made Li Zhi a little incomprehensible, why didn't Meng Si'er let Meng Si'er come over when he was so familiar with Tongguan. Zhang Zhimu didn't say anything, so Li Zhi didn't ask again. Because the result of Zhang Zhimu and Chen Yufeng's discussion was that the gold and silver under Tongguan would not move now, because it was transported back to the kiln, there was no suitable place to store it, so it was better to put it here first, if no one knew here, it would be safer. Meng Si'er knew about the underground vault in Tongguan, and not letting him come over was to reduce the danger of leakage. This time, the opening of the Tongguan ticket number did not touch the silver in the underground vault here.

In the Yaogang Hotel, Zhang Zhimu rewarded the employees of the branch once. During this time, Lu Yun took care of everything in the Tongguan branch very well. mentioned this in Yaogang, Lu Chengxiang would also smile with satisfaction. This winter, Lu Yun and the others made a lot of efforts to supply the vegetables and other vegetables that were eaten in Yaogang, and several caravans from Sichuan transported mustard and vegetables were all transported back to Yaogang by Lu Yun, otherwise it would be a big problem for the people of Yaogang to eat vegetables this winter.

Zhang Zhimu also invited Princess Anping to go ashore and went to the Yaogang Inn to taste the fish soup and steamed Yellow River carp. Princess Anping said: "In Kaifeng, we often eat fish from the Yellow River, why is it not as delicious as what you make." ”

Everyone laughed and said, "That's because Mr. Zhang didn't come to your palace to teach the cooks." ”

At this time, Princess Anping knew that these were the results of the cooks' true inheritance of Zhang Zhimu, and she kept thinking about what Zhang Zhimu couldn't do, as if she knew everything.

Before leaving Tongguan, Zhang Zhimu and Li Zhi had a meal with Sun Yuejiao and others. During the banquet, Zhang Zhimu said to Sun Yujiao and his wife: "The two of you are engaged in this profession, and you are destined to live this stormy life. Thank you so much. ”

Sun Yujiao said: "Compared to being in Wild Boar Ridge, I think it's a human life now. Although I didn't dare to make a public appearance when I returned to the kiln this time, I was really happy to see how quickly our kiln has changed. I don't think our efforts have been in vain, and I hope that there will be more places like our kiln in the world. It would be great if my hometown could do the same. Speaking of this, Sun Yujiao's eyes were a little moist, she was thinking of her parents.

Zhang Zhimu said: "After this mission is completed, you and your wife will go back to work in the kiln." We need a large number of loyal fighters like you to fight with us, and you can come back to assist Director Li in training more people. With your practical work experience, bringing new people can play a better role. At that time, you can also bring your parents to the kiln. Tell them that they haven't been home for all these years because of work needs. ”

Sun Yuejiao understood that Zhang Zhimu wanted her to forget the past, and her history began in the kiln. This touched her heart.

Sun Yujiao didn't show more emotion, she was no longer the lady of the wild boar Lingsan. She said with a firm gaze: "Mr. Zhang, don't worry, after we are familiar with the situation in Tongguan, we will infiltrate Henan as soon as possible." King Chuang has just been crowned king in Xiangyang, and now he is encouraging agriculture and commerce so that we have a chance to infiltrate it. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "This matter is easy to stabilize and not easy to rush. If you don't know sure, you don't have to take risks. ”

Sun Yujiao nodded yes.

This time, when the fleet left Tongguan, Ning De personally sent it to the dock. When Zhang Zhimu was about to get on the boat, Ning De said in Zhang Zhimu's ear: "Things are not good. Zhang Yishi's trip south is easy to return quickly. The imperial court had already issued an order ordering the governor of Sun Chuanting to go south to attack the enemy. The decree appointing Governor Sun as the secretary of the military department was about to arrive. Governor Sun can't do it if he doesn't attack. I think this matter is more auspicious, you can go and return quickly. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "If Governor Sun sends troops south, he loses the power of Tongguan's topography, and the thieves are in full swing, it is easy to consume the strength. Governor Sun should understand this truth. ”

"Alas, where would Mr. Sun not know. But how can those civil officials in the imperial court pay attention to our reasoning. Governor Sun can't go if he doesn't go. Ning De said with a long sigh.

Zhang Zhimu also shook his head helplessly and said, "My lord, you have to worry more about Tongguan." Tongguan must not be lost. Then say goodbye to boarding.

On the waterway to Kaiyuan Xinhe, Zhang Zhimu, Chen Yufeng, and Ouyang He studied this matter.

Ouyang He said: "Things came a little fast. If it were a little later, as long as we had 5,000 musketeers, plus enough mortars, to ensure the supply of the kiln, even 100,000 thieves would not be enough to worry about. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "I must get enough manganese ore when I go south this time, and I must ensure a continuous supply." With enough manganese ore, back our rifled guns can be produced in large quantities, and new types of artillery can be produced. We still need time. ”

Ouyang He said: "Mr. Zhang, we have to prepare to take over several big city officials as soon as possible. Once the Tongguan court can't hold it, we must take it over. This position is too important to lose. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "The literati we invited back from the smelter are all former officials, can they be used? ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "I have been thinking about this problem, and they have undergone great changes during the time they have been in the kiln. And our ideas are also beginning to get closer. I want to return to Yaogang and instill some of our ideas in them in the name of running a management study class, and I think these people can be used. It's also an opportunity for them. You see, didn't Duan Jingzhong and Tang Jingyao integrate with us very well during this time. Those of them who don't have a chance will look at it, and I don't think anyone will want to come out and show their talents. Besides, this is also a matter of fame and fortune. ”

Ouyang He and Chen Yufeng both laughed.

Because Li Zicheng's navy cut off the east-west passage of the Yellow River. In the past, the number of ships in Kaiyuan Xinhe was very small, and the fleet of Yaogang slowly drove into Kaiyuan Xinhe directly under the tow of steam ships. Because it was smooth and there was power to tow, it was only to inform the sailors on the boat who were being dragged behind to let them use the anchor rod to tap the river bank frequently to ensure that the wooden boat did not collide with the stones on the shore.

The two teams of boats passed through the Kaiyuan New River smoothly. The officers and soldiers of the chief and the guards of Kaiyuan Xinhe have never seen a steam-powered ship. They knew that it would not be useful to go downstream, but if they went upstream, the fleet would save too many slender men, and it would greatly increase the capacity of the canal.

According to the previous plan, after the fleet crossed the Kaiyuan New River, they all docked on the shore and prepared to go downstream at night.

The officers and soldiers of the Kaiyuan Xinhe chief and the guards all came to the steamship to open their eyes.

When they heard that these boats in Yaogang were going to challenge Li Zicheng's sailors, they all shook their heads. Some people say, "No, no, no." I've heard that the thieves' warships lined up on the river and filled the entire river, and you boats are definitely not going to do it. ”

When they heard that the fleet of Yaogang insisted on moving forward, a thousand households of the official army said: "If you really can't defeat them, you will retreat, there is a fort on the bank of our canal, and the thieves have suffered our losses here, and they dare not come." ”

After dark, the boiler of the steam ship began to blow air and coal, and after a while, the pressure of the boiler came up, and the steam turbine began to "sizzle" and continue to accelerate, at this time, the searchlight on the steam warship suddenly turned on, and the pillar of light shone far away at once. The officers and soldiers on the shore opened their eyes this time, and they knew that Yaogang must have their own magic weapon to deal with the thief army and the water army, so they came to deal with them. The officers and soldiers on the shore lit many torches to see off the flotilla of Yaogang. Looking at the long string of torches on the shore that were gradually moving away, Zhang Zhimu was a little excited, that was because the officers and soldiers were looking forward to their fleet coming back from a winning battle. It seems that the army of the imperial court will no longer win the battle.

Regarding this battle, not only these officials and soldiers are concerned, but also Emperor Chongzhen of Beijing City.

Before Zhang Zhimu left the kiln, he sent a letter to Gonggong Li, saying that he was going to meet the arrogant Li Zicheng's army. This letter was quickly delivered to Emperor Chongzhen's table.

As long as it is news about Zhang Zhimu and Yaogang, Emperor Chongzhen likes it very much.

Last time, Zhang Zhimu gave the spies sent to Yaogang by the cabinet ministers as a person from Jinyiwei to Gonggong Li, and Gonggong Li suddenly died in the process of sending this person back to the capital. When Emperor Chongzhen found out about this, he laughed and said, "There is no smarter person in the world than Zhang Zhimu." ”

Because of Zhang Zhimu's hand, he did not kill people to offend the cabinet ministers, but also achieved the purpose of killing. At the same time, he also notified the emperor that the ministers of the interior had taken action against the kiln, in order to weaken the external force that the emperor had been relying on. When this matter reached the capital, both Emperor Chongzhen and the cabinet ministers treated it as if it was nothing, and no one mentioned it again. In fact, the more no one mentions it, the more it shows that everyone takes it too seriously.

Emperor Chongzhen said in his heart that your little trick is okay to play with others, and you can be regarded as finding an opponent by playing with Zhang Zhimu.

When the cabinet ministers heard this, they were naturally displeased, and they were worried that they would really annoy the emperor and make him angry. Fortunately, the emperor didn't mention this matter again, and they felt even more glad that there were still three undercover spies who were not discovered by Yaogang, and these three people had no accident, which means that the dead people didn't say anything to save that person.

This time, Emperor Chongzhen received a letter from Zhang Zhimu that he wanted to go to the Yellow River to open up a waterway and challenge Li Zicheng's water army, which made Emperor Chongzhen feel both happy and very unpleasant. I am glad that Zhang Zhimu can take the initiative to attack at the most difficult time, which is really rare, and it is really another send-off. Zhang Zhimu is always there in the most critical place and when it is most needed.

I don't feel that the Ming Dynasty naval army, which was once invincible in the world, couldn't even beat the miscellaneous naval army that Li Zicheng hastily formed, and this battle on the Yellow River was beaten to death. What made Emperor Chongzhen most depressed was that when the imperial court sent people to arrest the families of those surrendered generals, nothing was found, and it seemed that these generals of the imperial court had long been ready to surrender.

What's more, Emperor Chongzhen is still a little worried about Zhang Zhimu, although Emperor Chongzhen already knows that the Yaogang people have tested the steam ship, but it is still unknown whether they can fight. Li Zicheng's navy defeated the Ming army's naval division, captured many warships, and gathered many surrendered officers and soldiers. After all, there are too few ships and people in Yaogang.

Li Zicheng, who was more concerned about the warships of the Yaogang people, kept getting news from Lingshui Wharf, and until the ship of Zhang Zhimu and others set sail from Lingshui Wharf, Li Zicheng's camp was the first to get the news. In fact, this is also the news that Zhang Zhimu deliberately wanted Li Zicheng to get, because Zhang Zhimu went south this time not only to protect the fleet through the Yellow River, but to solve the waterway safety of the Yellow River once and for all. So this battle must be fought, let Li Zicheng know that he is waiting for him.

Li Zicheng is also not ambiguous, his intelligence system has been tracking the fleet of Yaogang almost the whole time from Lingshui Wharf. As soon as they set off from Tongguan, there were flying pigeons that passed the information to Li Zicheng's army. The suffocating navy is thinking of taking advantage of the power of the big victory and making new contributions to the people of Yaogang. Although the boats in Yaogang are not in the eyes of these people, the reputation of the Yaogang people is too great, and the impact on them will be greater, especially when they sabotaged the siege of Kaifeng by King Chuang, which made the officers and soldiers of King Chuang full of hatred for the people of Yaogang. They will never let go of this opportunity for revenge. This time, when they got the news from the flying pigeons in Tongguan, the excited sailors and soldiers arranged their warships at the mouth of the Luohe River and waited for the fleet of the Yaogang people. Their plan was the same as Ouyang He's estimate, first taking advantage of the current and wind direction, rushing out at once and scattering the Yaogang fleet, and they also specially organized several warship groups to deal with the Yaogang warships. It should be said that Li Zicheng's naval army is very well prepared, but there is one thing, their preparations are all prepared for victory, and no one will think that they themselves will be defeated. It is here that the root of the tragedy is sown.

The arrangement made before the departure of the Yaogang fleet was that a steam warship dragged a warship to open the way in front. The flat-bottomed steamer dragged all the remaining ships down the river. Because it is a smooth water, although the power of this flat-bottomed steamer to tow these ships is not strong enough, but its main role is to lead the way in front when sailing at night, and as long as the speed of the ship is greater than the speed of the current, because the ship has a relative speed with the current, the ship has maneuverability. Since it was a southerly wind, the boats were heading east, and all the boats could be half-sailed and dragged by the fleet, so that the boats could be more maneuverable. At the same time, a provision was also made that if something unexpected happened, all the ships could go down the river on their own and assemble again when they arrived in Kaifeng.

All the warships and flat-bottomed ships in Yaogang pulled very little cargo this time, and when they set off again, they all mounted mortars on the ships. The artillerymen were all in high spirits next to the gun position, and this time Li Wei brought almost all of their artillery, leaving only a dozen artillerymen to cooperate with Li Yunhe and them to experiment with a new type of weighted artillery shell. Li Wei's artillerymen who had gone through actual combat were all assigned to each ship and mixed with the artillery newly trained by Fan Chengkun, so as to give full play to the power of each gun as much as possible. They also held back their strength and wanted to give Li Zicheng's navy a little color.

Li Zicheng's navy waited for Yaogang's fleet at the mouth of the Luohe River for a day, but did not wait for Yaogang's fleet. Slowly it was already dark, and the tired sailors who were waiting knew that the fleet of Yaogang did not dare to come over today, but it was impossible for a fleet of their size to turn around and go back, although they were afraid to come, but they would not wait too long, and they still had to come. The leaders of the navy told the ships not to slack off, and the fleet of the kiln gang would definitely come. However, at night, it was assumed that the Yaogang fleet would not take the risk of sailing in the Yellow River at night, because it would be very dangerous if the boat accidentally ran into the rocks and shoals on the river. Due to carelessness, some of the sailors' boats threw their anchors in the river and attached them to the trees on the shore with ropes.

The steam warship of Yaogang dragged an ordinary warship slowly towards the mouth of the Luohe River, and the searchlight column on the boat illuminated the swept river surface and riverbank, and from time to time startled flocks of wild ducks and various resident birds.

In fact, before the warships of Yaogang reached the mouth of the Luo River, Li Zicheng's sailors at the mouth of the river heard a faint "boom" sound in the distance, which they had never heard before. But the generals of the navy could not take any action at night just because they heard an unknown voice. Therefore, after hearing the report, the generals ordered to find out the source of the voice as soon as possible. In fact, they also speculated whether this sound was the sound of the steam ship in Yaogang, but guessed that it could not be transformed into a military operation of a large group of sailors. Before their dispatchers could understand the source of the sound, the sound of "boom" was getting louder and louder.

The generals of the ships came to the deck, and one of the warship's lookouts quickly climbed to the lookout on the mast of the sailboat, and the lookout immediately reported that there was a strong pillar of light on the upper reaches of the river that was constantly shaking to the banks. Now the generals understood that no matter what the light pillar was for, it must be the fleet of Yaogang. So immediately ordered the warships to anchor and wait for battle. For a while, the horn sounded constantly on the Luo River. This is a means for the fleet to transmit signals at night.

The sound of the horn informed their warships to prepare for battle, but at the same time, they also notified the Yaogang warships that were searching for the advancing warships, telling them that "the mouth of the Luohe River is coming, there are a large number of warships at the mouth of the Luohe, and they are sending signals to inform each other to prepare for battle." ”

Li Yunhe, Fan Chengkun and other generals on the Yaogang warship knew that Li Zicheng's naval warship in the Luohe River had lost the opportunity to prepare only now. You must not wait for them to be ready to act.

Fan Chengkun gave an order: "Accelerate forward." The speed of the "steamboat" boom and "boom" continued to speed up, and the boat also rushed to the mouth of the Luo River under the impetus of the propeller. As soon as they arrived at the mouth of the river, on the steamboat, the generals of the kiln gang all gasped. On both sides of the Luo River near the mouth of the river, there are many warships of all sizes that cannot be seen, and the lanterns on the warships on both sides illuminate the two banks like a street that never sleeps in a prosperous city. When the searchlight of the kiln passed, the sailors on the ship who were panicking to anchor were so frightened that they dodged the dazzling light.

Once again, the god of fate favored the Yaogang people.

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Calculus formulas, tables of chemical elements; Conquer Japan in the east and attack Mayi in the south; Penicillin, syringe. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".