Li Yuandu's personality is still disgusted by Wu Chaoyue as always, he is not long-sighted, and he likes to talk exaggeratedly, regardless of Wu Chaoyue being trapped by the impeachment of his right-hand man Zhao Liewen, all he wants to do is praise Wu Chaoyue's high style and bright festival for the country, in a vain attempt to curry favor with Wu Chaoyue with a whisker, so as to facilitate his further shameless scheme. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info Wu Chaoyue's least favorite is people who like to talk nonsense, and directly interrupted Li Yuandu and said: "Ciqing, let's talk about it directly, I am busy with military affairs, and I don't have much time." ”

Quite embarrassed with a smile, Li Yuandu got to the point, and said: "Senior brother, the junior brother is here to discuss with you on behalf of the master this time to deal with the long-haired sailor, and the master knows that you will definitely misunderstand, and the misunderstanding is that he wrote to you to borrow or buy the two English warships at the original price, which is to rob you while the fire is burning." But if you think so, you are very wrong, the teacher really didn't mean that, he had another important reason, so he made this request to you. ”

"Oh, what is the important reason for that teacher?" Wu Chaoyue asked.

"Of course, it is to save your sailors and soldiers and protect the thousands of people in Hubei under your rule!"

Li Yuandu said with a heartfelt voice: "Senior brother, you must also know that the sailor is far more difficult to train than the land division, and there is no more than half a year to practice carefully, so I don't want to let the soldiers be proficient in operating large and small ships and all kinds of water weapons, and even if there is enough time to practice, it is necessary to repeatedly accumulate experience in actual combat, so that it is possible for the sailor to form combat effectiveness." And Senior Brother, your sailors were hastily formed, and it was not until the beginning of May that the fleet was put together, and then because of the lack of manpower, the army was hastily expanded to two battalions, and the quality of the soldiers was poor, and there was no experience in actual combat on the water, so there was no way to give full play to the true power of your two good ships, and it was a waste to have two good ships on board. ”

"And what about the teacher?" Li Yuandu said even more eloquently: "The sailors under his command have been formed into an army as early as the third year of Xianfeng, and they have been carefully trained for nearly a year before they are put into actual combat, and then they have fought fiercely with the long-haired sailors in the Dongting Lake and Yangtze River battlefields many times. The soldiers have rich experience in water warfare and are skilled in handling ships, and no matter whether the good ship or the bad ship is in their hands, they can exert ten percent or even more than ten percent of their power. ”

Speaking of this, Li Yuandu paused for a moment, and then said, "Senior brother, now you should understand why the teacher borrowed a boat from you, right?" If you can lend those two British ships to our army, you can immediately play a complementary effect, good ships with good soldiers, and two ships on the battlefield with a hundred cannons, how mighty and magnificent it is? Why worry that the long-haired sailor is not extinguished, and Hubei cannot be as stable as Mount Tai? ”

After depicting the bright prospect of giving a good ship to the Hunan army, Li Yuandu changed his tone again and said: "Senior brother, here you have to forgive the little brother for his unlucky words, if you insist on letting your sailors drive the Loyalty and Renyi to participate in the water battle, then with their skills and experience, even if the mentor personally mentions the Hunan Army's sailors to return to the army to save Tianjia Town, your two good ships will not play much role on the battlefield, on the contrary, they are extremely dangerous, they are heavily damaged and sunk by the long-haired sailors, and even directly captured by the long-haired sailors, it is very possible!" ”

Li Yuandu's words are actually very reasonable, and it is definitely the best choice for the Hunan Army's naval division and the Wu Army's naval division to join forces, and handing over the two best warships on the battlefield in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River to the Hunan Army's skilled sailors to operate and participate in the battle, can indeed give full play to the advantages of these two good ships and ships, and play the role of the mainstay and pillar on the battlefield. And if Wu Chaoyue wants to let the rookie sailors of the Wu army drive these two good ships to fight, not only will he not be able to give full play to the true power of these two good ships, but on the contrary, it is very likely that he will bury these two good ships that are rare in the inland battlefield in vain, and at the same time, he will have to lose the precious lives of countless Wu army sailors and soldiers.

It is precisely because of such a little truth, so even if he understands that Li Yuandu is actually intimidating and blackmailing himself for Zeng Guofan, Wu Chaoyue is not in a hurry to get angry, and after thinking about it for a long time, Wu Chaoyue is even a little shaken, and said hesitantly: "Ciqing, you go down to rest first, I'll think about it." ”

Seeing that Wu Chaoyue's attitude was shaken, Li Yuandu was of course ecstatic, and when he hurriedly got up to say goodbye, Li Yuandu continued to intimidate Wu Chaoyue and said: "Senior brother, time is running out, please make up your mind as soon as possible, junior brother is waiting for your good news." Also, the little brother must remind you again, the long-haired thief Shi Xiangzhen opposite you is not a good person, during the Jinggang Water War, this thief not only killed the fledgling Hunan army sailor, but also almost killed our teacher's life! (It was to force Zeng Guofan to commit suicide by throwing himself into the water for the first time.) ）

Wu Chaoyue didn't say anything, just nodded again, and Li Yuandu was even more overjoyed, so he came out of Wu Chaoyue's Chinese army tent in a big way. As a result, as soon as Li Yuandu left on his front foot, Wu Dadao, who had already heard the anger in his stomach, rushed to Wu Chaoyue with an arrow step, and asked anxiously: "Young Master Sun, do you really want to lend those two good boats to the Hunan army?" That is the lifeblood of our sailors, and we must not borrow it! After your teacher borrowed it, it would be impossible to return it to us! ”

"Competition, is your young master Sun so stupid?" Wu Chaoyue asked quietly and rhetorically.

"Then why don't you refuse and say you want to think about it?" Wu Dadao asked.

"Of course there are my reasons." Wu Chaoyue showed a cold smile and commanded in a low voice: "Go, release this news immediately, let all the sailors and soldiers know that the sailors of the Hunan army look down on them, and they must force me to give the Loyalty and Benevolence to the Hunan army in vain, otherwise the Hunan Navy will not come back to save Tianjia Town, and let Changmao kill our sailors and annihilate the whole army!" I have been shaken in order not to let them die in vain. ”

In the end, he has been following Wu Chaoyue for many years, although he was once surprised by Wu Chaoyue's request, but after a little pondering, Wu Dadao quickly guessed Wu Chaoyue's shameless purpose of doing this, and hurriedly gave Wu Chaoyue a thumbs up, and then immediately ran out to arrange people to spread the news.

…………

Li Yuandu is indeed a man who hates dogs, and as soon as he settled down in the Wu military camp, Li Yuandu immediately went to meet Fu Aji and Yan Jingming, the two deputy envoys of the Qin Mission, and also said good things to the Wu army soldiers in the name of Zhao Liewen. However, when he saw Fu Aji and Yan Jingming, who were checking Zhao Liewen's accounts one by one, Li Yuandu immediately gave Fu Aji a look, asking Fu Aji to leave Yan Jingming aside and talk to him alone, Fu Aji understood, and casually found an excuse to lead Li Yuandu into the back account, leaving Yan Jingming in the front account to continue to check the stacked accounts.

When there were no outsiders, Li Yuandu, who had already saluted before, bowed to Fu Aji again, and said respectfully: "Xiaguan Li Yuandu, meet Lord Qinchafu, Lord Fu forgives his sins, although Xiaguan came to greet Lord Qincha on the order of his teacher, but because of the long hair blocking the road, he missed the time, and he couldn't go to the dock to greet you in person, and because he was in someone else's camp, he couldn't be too public, and he couldn't entertain Lord Fu with the etiquette of receiving VIPs, and Xia Guan should die." ”

"Get up, get up." Fu Aji smiled and picked up Li Yuandu with his own hands, and said with a chuckle: "This is not Zeng Butang's military camp, can I blame you?" Besides, I've been treated to a lot of hospitality by you on the way, and I already feel like I'm a puppet. ”

"Your Excellency is modest." Li Yuandu took out a few silver tickets from his sleeve and said with a smile: "Lord Fu, the current silver is too eye-catching, this is the silver ticket issued by the Rishengchang ticket number in the city of Wuchang Mansion, which can be cashed in full in Wuchang Mansion, a little tea money, Lord Wanwang Fu smiled." ”

Fu Aji pretended to excuse himself, but of course accepted it disrespectfully in the end, Li Yuandu desperately complimented Fu Aji, and then asked in a low voice: "Fu Daren, how is it?" What did you find out? ”

Fu Aji shook his head in distress and said: "The officials are a little suspicious that these accounts are fake accounts that Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen have prepared for future investigation from the beginning, and Yan Jingming has checked until now, and there is not even a discrepancy between the eldest son. These two dog mongrels are as clear as water and as cheap as a mirror. ”

Li Yuandu was disappointed, but he still refused to give up, so he asked in a low voice: "Master Fu, then Wu and Zhao didn't mean anything to you?" Both of them came from wealthy families, and they never skimped on money, and if they sent you anything, it would be ironclad evidence! ”

"Sensei, those two iron cocks that don't pull out a hair!"

Fu Aji was even more angry, not only told Li Yuandu that Wu Chaoyue and Zhao Liewen were a dime a dime, but also said that he deliberately sent someone to hint that he had not received half of the copper plate. When Li Yuandu heard this, he secretly complained, and knew that Wu Chaoyue, who had always liked to use silver to open the way, must be on guard against Fu Aji taking bribes as evidence of the crime, but Li Yuandu still refused to give up, and whispered to Fu Aji: "Then the lower official will also give it a try, and persuade Wu Chaoyue to take some silver to settle this matter, and ...... when the time comes." ”

"Don't worry, as long as Wu Chaoyue comes out with the silver to bribe the official." Fu Aji interrupted Li Yuandu's words and said viciously: "Even if it is a hundred taels of silver, this official will play the Ming court and send him to prison with Zhao Liewen!" ”

"No, no, no." Li Yuandu hurriedly waved his hand and said in a low voice: "Lord Fu, it doesn't matter whether you knock down Zhao Liewen now, the important thing is that Wu surpasses those two good ships, and his two ships are taken out casually, and the firepower is also several times that of the master's flagship, and now our warships have lost a little too much." Therefore, the teacher implored the adults to help, if the adults got the handle of Zhao Liewen, they would still help us force Wu Chaoyue to hand over the two good ships ...... first. ”

Li Yuandu and Fu Aji discussed for a long time in the back account before returning to the front account, Yan Jingming also carefully checked Hubei's money and grain accounts in the front account, and almost never raised his head from beginning to end, even Li Yuandu saluted him, Yan Jingming only snorted and replied. Knowing that Yan Jingming had a tough personality, Li Yuandu didn't dare to show any dissatisfaction, but just pouted and quietly scolded the ugly donkey and offered his farewell.

It was also a coincidence that after leaving Fu Aji's residence, there was another rumbling cannon sound on the river, and it was obvious that the Taiping Army Naval Division had launched an attack on the iron cable defense line that was already extremely weak, and the camp of the Wu Army Naval Division was in a panic, the flagship Loyalty hurriedly raised its sails and prepared to leave the port, and the Wu Army gunners on the battery were also desperately charging and reloading ammunition, covering the river with artillery fire. However, the Taiping Army's naval divisions were very cunning and acted separately and fought flexibly, and it was extremely difficult for the Wu Army's artillery to hit, which only had a frightening effect on the Taiping Army's naval divisions, and the results were very small.

Seeing this scene, Li Yuandu, who also knew a little about water warfare, was of course happy and happy, knowing that if there was no strong naval division to participate in the battle, the Wu army fort would never be able to play its maximum role, and the iron cable defense line that the Wu army naval division relied on to cover would be completely broken through by the Taiping naval division sooner or later. Under the schadenfreude, Li Yuandu also quickly made up his mind, and decided to go to the senior brother who fell in Pingyang in the evening to intimidate and threaten, lure the next set, and force the unlucky senior brother to hand over the two coveted powerful warships as soon as possible.

Just do it, when the sky was about to fall into the night, Li Yuandu really ran to the Chinese army camp of the Wu army and came to see Wu Chaoyue, but what surprised Li Yuandu was that as soon as he got closer, he saw that the front of the Wu army's Chinese army camp was full of dense Wu army sailor soldiers, led by Wang Fu, the chief general of the Wu army's sailor who was wearing the color of the battalion officer's uniform, and many Wu army sailor soldiers kneeling on the ground, Wang Fu's face was also full of tears, and tears kept flowing.

Confused, he got closer again, and Li Yuandu was immediately even more dumbfounded to see that there was a huge white sail in front of Wang Fu and the others, and the sail was densely packed, all of which were red imprints of different shades. Li Yuandu was extremely surprised, and hurriedly asked the Wu soldiers standing guard next to him, "What's wrong?" What are they doing here? ”

The soldier ignored Li Yuandu, and Li Yuandu, who thought highly of himself, was furious, and asked the soldier, "Are you deaf?" This official is the alternate magistrate of the imperial court, or your junior brother Wu Futai, the envoy sent by Zeng Dashuai, why don't you answer? ”

Li Yuandu quickly regretted shouting these words, and after the Wu soldiers looked at him angrily, they actually yelled at the soldiers of the Wu Army who were kneeling in front of the gate: "Brother Shuishi, it's him!" It's this bastard who forced Wu Futai to dedicate your ship to the Hunan army! ”

A sentence stabbed the hornet's nest, and the soldiers of the Wu Army who were wiping their tears suddenly jumped up as if they were crazy, roared and rushed up to pick up Li Yuandu and punched and kicked him, and scolded Li Yuandu while beating him, "The son of a bastard!" I want the warship of Lao Tzu, dream! I'd rather die with Changmao than hand over the ship to you! That's the fate of Lao Tzu! The lifeblood of Lao Tzu! ”

If Wu Chaoyue hadn't arrived in time, Li Yuandu would definitely have been smashed into meat sauce alive by Wu Junshui, but even if Wu Chaoyue came in time and drank the soldiers of Wu Junshui, when Wu Chaoyue's personal soldiers lifted Li Yuandu out of the crowd of Wu Junshui soldiers, the bones on Li Yuandu's body had been broken by more than ten or twenty, nearly half of his teeth were knocked out, and there was hardly a piece of intact place on his body.

Glancing at the dying Li Yuandu very indifferently, Wu Chaoyue yelled at Wang Fu and other sailors: "Brothers, I know everything!" Don't worry, even if I accompany you and the long-haired fleet to the end, I will never hand over the Loyalty and Benevolence to others! That is your lifeline, and it is Wu Chaoyue's lifeline! ”

Cheers erupted, and countless soldiers of the Wu Army Navy Division cried with joy, and then Wang Fu knelt down on one knee to Wu Chaoyue in public, clasped his fists and said loudly: "Wu Futai, you are mistakenly loved, and the general will be promoted from a low-level sentry commander to the high position of the chief battalion officer of the Hubei Navy Division!" The last general was incompetent and failed to immediately train the Hubei Navy Division into an army, but the last general had the courage to ask the commander to lead the Navy Division into battle, and fight to the death with Changmao! I'd rather die with the long-haired sailor than let the long-haired sailor cross Tianjia Town by half a step! ”

"Please allow me to fight!" Countless soldiers of the Wu Army also knelt down to Wu Chaoyue, clasped their fists and said loudly: "We would rather die with Changmao than let Changmao cross Tianjia Town by half a step!" ”

"Lord Futai, that's a joint petition from the brothers!" Wang Fu pointed to the sail covered with red marks again, choked up and said: "Most of the brothers can't write, not even their own names, so they cut their arms and smeared blood on them as ...... signatures. ”

Looking around at the densely kneeling soldiers of the Self-Army Sailors, and seeing the faces of eagerness, excitement and anger, Wu Chaoyue knew that the effect he wanted had been obtained, so he nodded and said, "Okay, I promise you!" Tonight, you rest in peace and prepare for the war with all your might, and tomorrow morning, Ben Futai will personally board the Loyalty and go with you to fight to the death with Changmao! ”

"Order!" The soldiers of the Wu Army's naval division cheered and agreed.

Wu Chaoyue nodded with satisfaction, pointed at everyone with his hand, and said loudly: "This Futai needs eighty people to serve as a death squad, perform a mission of nine deaths, come back alive, and reward one hundred taels of silver!" For those who died in battle, the family members who mourned him tattooed three hundred taels of silver! Let his parents, wives and children not worry about food and clothing in this life! Who is not afraid of death? Stand up for Benfutai! ”

"Me! I! I! In the roar of thunder, one after another Wu Jun sailors stood up, straightened their waists and agreed, the expression on their faces was also a race of firmness, a race of death!

At the same time, Fu Aji, who was standing in the distance and watching the excitement, was already dancing with his eyebrows, and he was so excited that he couldn't help but lean into the ear of Yan Jingming, who was five short statures next to him, and whispered: "Danchu, do you see it?" The evidence is like a mountain, the evidence is like a mountain, and the soldiers are connived at in public to beat the alternate officials! If you don't investigate or investigate afterwards, this Wu Chaoyue is simply lawless and lawless in Hubei! We must fold the bullet impeachment, we must fold the bullet impeachment! ”

Yan Jingming nodded, with a mysterious smile on the corner of his mouth, and said in a low voice: "Yes, it is indeed lawless, and it is necessary to be impeached." ”

That night, the Taiping army came to destroy the Wu army's iron cable defense line again, but the Wu army's sailors did not attack to stop this time, and even the fort was full of artillery fire, allowing the Taiping army's sailors to smash with axes and hammers, easily cutting the last two iron cables, and opening a large section of the navigable road. The news was reported to Shi Xiangzhen by the clipper, although Shi Xiangzhen once wanted to take the opportunity to attack, but considering Wu Chaoyue's tricks and unfavorable wind direction, Shi Xiangzhen still dispelled this idea.

"Tomorrow. Beyond the little demon, knowing that you are scheming, Lao Tzu be careful, I would rather miss the fighter than fight at night, and I will settle accounts with you tomorrow to see what tricks you can play in broad daylight! Without the iron cables blocking the road, Lao Tzu's small boat will surround your two good boats ....... Hehe, there is hope for a good flagship. (To be continued.) )