When Wu Lao comprador led Pei Xing, the general of the Wu Army in Shanghai, was discussing with the foreigners to join forces to meet the enemy, Zhou Tenghu also led Jin Anqing, Deng Siyuan and others to basically finalize the next defensive tactics, and was determined to focus on guarding the Bailianjing stronghold on the Pudong battlefield, cooperate with the mobile artillery team on the west bank, and not give the Taiping Army any chance to establish a battery on the east bank of the Huangpu River to bombard the Shanghai neighborhoods.

On the most complex and important battlefield in Puxi, in view of the fact that the terrain in Puxi was not dangerous to defend, Zhou Tenghu and others agreed that they should hold Qibao, the salient part of the Wu army's defense line, at any cost, and felt that this would not only contain a large number of Taiping forces, but also gain a buffer for the Shanghai battlefield; can also threaten Li Xiucheng's camp in Sijing at the past moment and force Li Xiucheng to gnaw the hard bone of Qibao first.

In order to achieve this goal, Zhou Tenghu originally planned to send two battalions of elites to the Hongqiao stronghold and rescue Qibao when it was in an emergency, but Meng Qi, a veteran of the Wu army, resolutely opposed this and said: "Lord Futai, the last general thinks that the strength of two battalions is too small, at least three battalions, preferably four battalions." It can't just be sent to Hongqiao, it should be directly sent into Qibao and directly participate in the defense of Qibao! ”

"General Meng, not counting the sailors, we only have twelve battalions of elites on land, and Qibao already has one, and sending three or four more is equivalent to putting more than one-third of our elites in one stronghold, isn't it too much?" Jin Anqing asked with some concern.

"Mr. Meisheng, this is not a question of much, it is a question of whether it is necessary or not." Meng Wei said: "Only by stationing enough troops in Qibao can we ensure that Qibao is foolproof, and at the same time, we still have the spare strength to fight back appropriately, forcing Longhair to use more elite main forces on the Qibao battlefield to share the pressure on our other battlefields." ”

"There's another benefit to that." Meng Wei added: "First, when we really have to continue to shrink the defense line and have to take the initiative to give up Qibao, we don't need to send too many troops to respond, and the Qibao defenders alone are sure to break through and retreat on their own, and we don't need to worry about being surrounded by long hairs to send reinforcements, and we don't need to worry about being dumplings made by long hairs and repeating the mistakes of Nanxiang." ”

Hearing Meng Wei say it reasonably, Zhou Tenghu was inevitably a little shaken, but he quickly considered other important issues and said: "Meng Yu, although your words are good, have you considered this issue?" Put a third of the elite on a local battlefield, who will be in command? Xu Dali, the guard general of Qibao, and our elite battalion officer, Huang Jiacai, who can pick up this burden? ”

"Futai, let the last general go to Qibao." Meng Yu didn't think about it and said: "Xu Dali and Huang Jiacai are both subordinates of the last general, and the last general will personally take the elite to reinforce Qibao, and there will be no problems in the command of the battle, and there is no need to fiddle with any personnel and establishment, and the combat effectiveness can be formed immediately." ”

If it is said that Deng Siyuan, who has a stable personality, stood up and recommended himself, then needless to say, Zhou Tenghu must have agreed immediately without even blinking his eyelids - to invest so many elite main forces in the Qibao battlefield, Zhou Tenghu really needs to find an absolutely reliable person to command. However, it is a pity that the person who stood up and took the initiative to ask for Ying was Meng Di, and Zhou Tenghu had to weigh and consider the severity.

"Meng Qi's temper is occasionally a little reckless, and if he is not careful, he is easy to speak and do things impulsively, such a character and temper are nothing in normal times, and it is not a big problem when the strength is equal, even if he makes a mistake, he can't suffer any big losses, let him lead an army alone to resist Li Xiucheng's main force, if he is reckless, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Call Deng Siyuan to go? Troublesome, Xu Dali and Huang Jiacai are both Meng Yu's factions, and they will not be as obedient to Deng Siyuan as they are to Meng Ji, and there must be problems with the command. Also, Meng Wei is also an old man in our army, and he kindly wants to share the pressure for me, so if he refuses directly, it will hurt his face too much. ”

Although it is clear that Meng Wei and Deng Siyuan are not the kind of people who can only engage in fighting, but considering the personnel command and the feelings of his subordinates, Zhou Tenghu still chose to focus on unity, nodded to Meng Qi, and said: "Then it's hard General Meng, you take three battalions of elites to Qibao to sit in the town, and bring five breech guns over, and I will ask you all on the front line." ”

When Meng Wei heard the great joy, he hurriedly thanked Zhou Tenghu, and also patted his chest and promised to keep Qibao and never let the Taiping army step into the Qibao camp. Zhou Tenghu sighed and said, "No need to guarantee, with Meng Yu here, I will never worry about Qibao." But you also have to be careful, don't underestimate the enemy just because you bring the main elite, and give Longhair a chance. ”

Speaking of this, Zhou Tenghu added another sentence and said, "Also, be careful and attack cautiously." ”

Meng Wei personally led the army to sit on the front line of Qibao's tactical adjustments, and some other trivial matters were agreed, and the meeting ended quickly. As a result, after Jin Anqing, Deng Siyuan, Meng Yu and others said goodbye one after another, Zhou Tenghu, who had been working hard for days, sat down and didn't have much rest, but there was news outside the door that Wu Lao comprador and Pei Xing wanted to meet, Zhou Tenghu, who was not in good spirits, sighed, but he immediately went out in person to welcome Wu Lao comprador into the hall and sat down, and respectfully performed the junior salute.

Wu Lao comprador came to convey the suggestion of He Bo, the commander of the coalition forces in the concession, to ask Zhou Tenghu to consider using gunpowder ship tactics to blow up the Taiping Army steam gunboat that was currently parked on the dock of Chongming Island, but Zhou Tenghu smiled bitterly when he heard it, and said: "Master Wu, do you think that the younger generation has not considered this method?" But Changmao's fleet is moored at the wharf of Chongming Island, and Changmao has been operating in Chongming for many years, so is it easy for our gunpowder ships to approach? ”

"Of course the old man knows this." The old comprador Wu said: "The old man is so intended, can you send some people to disguise themselves as fishermen and use the fishing boat to load gunpowder to blow up the long-haired steamer?" ”

Zhou Tenghu pondered for a moment, shook his head, and said: "The hope is very small, Changmao's side is also very familiar with the steam gunboat, when it is moored on the dock, it will definitely protect the gunboat very closely, no matter what kind of ship it is, it will definitely be difficult to get close to the longhaired steamer." ”

"Can't you give it a try?" Old comprador Wu insisted, pointed to Pei Xing next to him, and said: "On the way back from the concession, General Pei has already told the old man that as long as you agree, he will immediately pick something that is not afraid of death to do so." ”

Knowing that Old Comprador Wu had good intentions, but after careful consideration, Zhou Tenghu shook his head and said: "Master Wu, you still can't do this, first, it is really too small to do this, and there is almost no certainty of success; The second is that after doing so, Longhair has a precaution, and it will definitely be more difficult for our powder ships to have a chance to get close to their steamships. So this trick is better to save until the end and then use it, when the long-haired steamboat really entered the Huangpu River, and our sailors really can't stop it, then use this trick to fight with long-hair. ”

Seeing that Zhou Tenghu insisted on refusing to accept it, and the old comprador Wu who still wanted Zhou Tenghu to be a cow and a horse for his grandson had to shut up, but at this time, Wei Wencheng, the spy leader of the Wu army in Shanghai, hurriedly walked up to the hall again, and while saluting Zhou Tenghu and Wu Lao compradors, he gave Zhou Tenghu a look that he wanted to keep secret, Zhou Tenghu understood, and immediately asked Wu Lao comprador for guilt, Wu Lao comprador was also very knowledgeable and knowledgeable, and quickly said goodbye and left, and Pei Xing also quickly said goodbye and returned to the sailor camp. Zhou Tenghu first led Wei Wencheng to his signature room, and then asked, "What's the matter?" ”

"Lu Shunde sent someone to send it just now." Wei Wencheng took out a letter sealed with fire paint and said, "The messenger has changed people, but he is still the person who used to secretly contact us for Lu Shunde. ”

While receiving the letter, Zhou Tenghu suddenly remembered the current new location of Lu Shunde's army, the east of Li Xiucheng's Sijing camp, which happened to be blocked on the road of Qibao Wu's army to Li Xiucheng's camp. I couldn't help but look forward to it......

…………

By the way, let's take a look at the situation on the side of Wu Lao compradors, although he did not insist on Zhou Tenghu adopting the sneak attack on the dock tactics proposed by the foreigners, but Wu Lao comprador was still a little unwilling, and he had been thinking about this matter after returning home, even Zhou Xiuying took Wu Nian more and more to greet Wu Lao comprador , Wu Lao comprador was absent-minded, and his words did not match when he spoke.

Seeing that the old comprador Wu had something in his heart, Zhou Xiuying obediently quickly grabbed Xiao Nianyue, who was coquettish, and wanted to leave, but the old comprador Wu casually moved in his heart, and hurriedly stopped Zhou Xiuying, and said: "Daughter-in-law Sun, you have also been on the battlefield, you can do this for the old man." ”

After that, Wu Lao comprador told Zhou Xiuying about the sneak attack on the Taiping Army wharf and Zhou Tenghu's opposition, and also consulted his granddaughter-in-law who had fought a war and was a female long-haired woman, but unfortunately, Zhou Xiuying also felt that the tactics of sneaking up on the wharf were very difficult to succeed, and said: "Grandpa, grandpa granddaughter-in-law thinks that Lord Zhou's words are reasonable, the steamer is so important, Changmao will definitely watch it very closely, no matter what kind of ship it is, it is difficult to get close, and it is even more impossible to get on the ship directly from the wharf, and Changmao will definitely send a lot of soldiers to watch the wharf." ”

Old comprador Wu was completely disappointed, and said, "So, there really is no way to get close to the long-haired steamer?" ”

"Of course, you can't say that there isn't." Zhou Xiuying said: "If it is replaced by my granddaughter-in-law, I will have a way to get on the boat." ”

"Granddaughter-in-law, how did you get on the boat?" Old comprador Wu hurriedly asked.

"Swim on the water." Zhou Xiuying replied casually: "My granddaughter-in-law has good water quality, so if you take a bamboo pipe and launch it in a place near the dock, you can swim close to the long-haired steamer and touch it quietly." ”

Old comprador Wu opened his mouth wide, looking at Zhou Xiuying's eyes motionless, Zhou Xiuying was a little embarrassed by Old Wu comprador, and hurriedly turned his face slightly sideways, and said: "But this does not necessarily guarantee that you can blow up the long-haired steamer, because the boat on the water can't carry much gunpowder, unless you can find the cabin where the long-haired ammunition is placed, and directly bomb the powder compartment, otherwise you can only blow up the long-haired steamer with some minor injuries by relying on the gunpowder you carry." ”

Old comprador Wu looked at Zhou Xiuying's eyes straighter, and when Zhou Xiuying was even more embarrassed, Old comprador Wu suddenly opened his mouth and yelled, "Someone! Come! Someone coming soon! ”

"Here, sir, what's the matter?"

The butler and the captain of the pro-soldiers rushed in at the first time, and the old comprador Wu shouted again: "Go to the dock immediately, find the gang bosses who are eating on the water, and ask each of them to pick five of the best subordinates in their own gang and bring them to meet the old man!" ”

The housekeeper and the captain of the pro-soldiers agreed, and hurriedly went out to give the order, Zhou Xiuying also vaguely understood what Wu Lao comprador meant, and hurriedly asked: "Grandpa, why don't you go directly to our sailor?" ”

"With our sailor, you have to find Zhou Tenghu first, not to mention whether he will agree, even if he agrees, it is inconvenient for the old man to interfere in the command."

Old comprador Wu explained, and said viciously: "It's still convenient for the old man's apprentices and grandchildren, and what the old man tells them to do, they have to do it!" The old man told them to die, and they had to die obediently! ”