On November 8, after the crossing team occupied Keelung, the news reached Taiwan the next day.

Taiwan Daotai Yuduo is afraid and angry, why did the Ming bandits repeatedly run to Keelung to make trouble! The Little Knife Society in Xiamen and Shanghai has just been wiped out, and the Cantonese bandits are still causing chaos in Jiangning, so Taiwan must not have an accident. He immediately severely punished Ding Yuejian, the same knowledge of Tamsui, and Zeng Yuming, the deputy general of the North Road Association, to do their best to completely eradicate the bandits in Keelung.

Tamsui Tongzhi is responsible for the internal affairs of Northern Taiwan, and is the local magistrate stationed in the Tamsui Department, with jurisdiction over the area from Keelung to Hsinchu in Taiwan, so he is actually the de facto ruler of Northern Taiwan.

The Taiwan North Road Association is the highest military unit north of Tainan, Taiwan, and is divided into the middle battalion, the left battalion, and the right battalion. The garrison of the North Road Association is Changhua, which is also the center of the North Road Association; The left battalion of the North Road Association was stationed in Chiayi, later known as the Chiayi Battalion; The right battalion of the North Road Association was stationed in the bamboo trench, and later called the bamboo trench battalion. The strength of the North Route Association is about 3,000 officers and soldiers, and the area under its jurisdiction is more than 300 kilometers, covering from Chiayi to Keelung, covering three-quarters of Taiwan's western land.

Zeng Yuming, formerly known as Zeng Lantian, Yuming is its character. In 1841, he was the president of Qian, and he contributed to the suppression of bandits and rewarded Lan Ling. Later, he successively served as a garrison of the Chiayi Battalion, a guerrilla in Fengshan County, and a deputy general of the Taiwan North Road Association.

Ding Yuejian immediately urged Zeng Yuming, the deputy general of the North Road Association, to move his troops into the suppression, and personally rushed to Monga to take command, collect money and food, and recruit and mobilize the brave assistants of various townships to suppress the bandits. Ding Yuejian repeatedly issued strict orders, and more than 5,000 townships and towns in Tamsui bravely went to Monga City one after another. Zeng Yuming dispatched 2,000 men from the North Road, Xie'nan Road, Middle Road, and North Road, and brought two heavy artillery pieces to Monga on the 20th.

More than 6,000 people from the Manchu Qing Dynasty gathered in Monga, and it was known as an army of 20,000 to the outside world. People outside Monga City shouted and neighed, and the camps were one after another. Ding Yuejian felt that victory was in sight, and discussed with Zeng Yuming and others, planning to choose an auspicious day to raise troops to attack Keelung.

While stepping up infrastructure construction in Keelung, the crossing team has also been paying close attention to the movements of the Qing army. During this time, the unmanned aircraft of the Ming army have been photographing and reconnoitering the entire northern region of Taiwan at high altitude. The headquarters keenly discovered that the Qing army was basically gathered in the areas of Monga and Huwei, and that the strength of the Qing army was empty in the area of Zhuqian City, the political center of northern Taiwan.

Therefore, the Keelung command formulated the "Taipei Autumn Hunting Plan", planning to divide the troops into three routes, use the strength of one company to cooperate with the coast guard, occupy and control the Huwei area, and block the passage of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to the sea; Use a battalion of troops to occupy the location of the Tamsui Department - Zhuqian City, control the bamboo trench, cut off the north-south passage of Taiwan, and block the road for the Manchu Qing to flee south; In the direction of Keelung, two companies were arranged to climb over Lion Ball Ridge, occupy Nuan Nuan from the west, and approach the foot of Shuiban. In this way, the main force of the Qing army was besieged in the Taipei Basin and annihilated in one fell swoop.

On the morning of 25 November, as soon as the warship formation left Keelung Bay, it immediately launched a maritime exercise.

In the artillery command post, Xue Bingding, the gunner of the Keelung ship, according to the data sent by the rangefinder, made a quick calculation while constantly reporting the parameters to the microphone, "12′ left rotation, 33° angle of fire"

In 1854, when the steam engine paddle steamer was still in place, the ship's control center was generally located on the platform between the left and right port paddle wheel guards. After the Keelung and Kaohsiung ships were renovated, the ship's control center was changed back to an open-air command platform above the wheelhouse. The original control center was converted into a gun command post.

Xue Bingding is 26 years old this year, a native of Fuzhou, Fujian Province, with an outgoing personality, especially able to speak, and likes to analyze and research. He had very good eyes since he was a child, and he was the only one in his class who didn't wear glasses when he was in college. On Mingxing Island, Xue Bingding practiced several target trainings, and his shooting results were very good. Later, he has been learning to operate with You Nanzhe, and now he has finally embarked on the position of trainee gun commander.

The commanders of the two main guns in the front and rear wore headphones and repeated the shooting data loudly. The gunners quickly rotated and adjusted the guns, and the muzzles of the two 60-pounder rifled guns quickly pointed at the sea targets designated by the command.

"Jingle bell, jingle bell" two short alarm bells reminded the attention of all the ship's personnel, and then the voice of the ship's duty sounded on the radio, "Lift the combat alarm for the exercise and transfer to the second level of combat readiness." ”

Although it was said to be an exercise just now, it was also a first-level combat state, and now that it has been transferred to second-level combat readiness, then you can breathe a sigh of relief and take a little rest. Xue Bingding wiped the sweat from his forehead, raised his eyes and saw that the coastline was faintly in the distance, and the formation was almost close to the mouth of the Tamsui River.

At this time, the Xuanwu landing craft left the sea formation, loaded with two companies of troops, and continued to sail south, rushing to the Zhuqian Port outside the Zhuqian City. The formation began to turn and head towards the mouth of the Tamsui River.

The Tamsui estuary is the mouth of the Tamsui River, the widest part of the two banks is close to one kilometer, the water depth of the estuary is seven meters, and the fortune boats and Guangzhou boats in the coastal area do not need to wait for the tide, and can enter and exit the Tamsui River at any time.

In the middle of the 19th century, the rivers in Taiwan were not blocked due to soil erosion, and navigation was blocked. At this time, the freshwater river has abundant water and stable flow, and the river section below Monga can sail the large sea ships from southern Fujian. The prosperity of shipping led to the prosperity of the northern Taiwan region, and the benefits of the Tamsui River and its tributaries have led to the development of many coastal settlements such as Monga, Dadaocheng and Xinzhuang in the lower reaches of the Tamsui River.

There is Guanyin Mountain in the south of the Tamsui estuary, and there is Datun Mountain in the north. On the south bank, Guanyin Mountain protrudes towards the estuary, and goes far into the center of the wide estuary, guarding the estuary like a tiger's teeth.

The top of Datun Mountain on the north bank is surrounded by a circle of city wall pheasants, this is the castle built by the Spaniards during the Ming Chongzhen period, and then repaired again in the Yongzheng period, it is now the location of the Huwei Fort of the Qing Army, and there are more than 700 officers and soldiers of the Huwei Water Division Battalion stationed. Forty guns were on the west side of the battery facing the mouth of the river, and twenty guns on the south side of the battery were facing the channel of the Tamsui River.

Huwei Street is located at the foot of Datun Mountain on the north bank of the Tamsui River, Huwei Street in this era is one of the more prosperous towns in northern Taiwan, and all the large and small warships of the Huwei Water Division Battalion are docked here.

At the mouth of the Tamsui River, the waves and the river crash on both banks. A ship full of cargo was heading towards the mouth of the river, and the yellow and red stones stood on the slipway, the sea breeze gently brushing his face.

Although the crossing group occupied Keelung, the ships had been operating in the waters off Keelung and around Dunan Island, and had never penetrated deep into the Taiwan Strait. These ships are so bent on making money that they almost forget about the possibility of the Keelung Ming army coming to intrude.

This is a merchant ship in the top suburbs of Sanyi, and Huang Hongshi is a member of the same clan as Huang Longan, the big man in the top suburbs. Huang Hongshi has a thin physique since he was a child, and he has not been able to learn martial arts, and he has read many miscellaneous books. He couldn't read the Four Books and Five Classics, thinking that it was difficult for him to move, shaking a fan every day, mixing around Huang Longan to eat a leisurely meal.

Huang Hongshi is also a little knowledgeable, he inquired in detail about the Ming army's attack on Keelung, knowing that the Ming army is strong ships and artillery, which should not be underestimated, and has always persuaded Huang Longan that it is best to plan and then act, and it is the best strategy to protect himself and strike later.

Huang Longan is stubborn and self-serving, where can he listen to the words of a helper. In the first two days, Huang Longan could still endure Huang Hongshi's chirping, and in the past two days, seeing more and more Qing soldiers and horses coming to the aid of Monga City, Huang Longan directly drove him to escort the cargo ship.

"The Ming bandits have strong ships and cannons, and they must have other intentions if they don't move." Huang Hongshi looked at the boats coming and going on the river, and sighed, "If the Ming bandits come suddenly, I'm afraid it will be another disaster." ”

Looking at Huang Hongshi's appearance of worrying about the country and the people, the boat boss with old seniority in the suburbs was very disdainful. This poor measure is not enough, and the martial arts are not enough, what kind of power is there here!

"Sir, don't worry!" The boat boss patted Huang Hongshi on the shoulder hard, "Look, the merchant ships and fishing boats at the mouth of the river are shuttling back and forth, how can there be any disaster." ”

Feeling that his shoulder was hurting, Huang Hongshi just rubbed it a few times with his hand, and looked at the tiger tooth in front of him worriedly, "People have no long-term worries, but they must have near-term worries." The freshwater estuary seems to be calm, but blessings and misfortunes depend on each other, maybe when~~" He shook his head and didn't say any more.

As soon as the merchant ship bypassed the tiger's teeth, it saw a Qing army sentry ship approaching from the north like an arrow. The boat boss gasped, not good! The sentinel ship was aimed at the merchant ship, and the distance was only one chain.

The sentinel ship was menacing, and it was about to collide with the merchant ship.

"Flip the rudder!"

"Pull the sails!"

The sentinel boat grazed the side of the ship and went straight into the Tamsui River.

"Hold your mother! Hurry up and reincarnate! ”

Almost collided! The sailors on the merchant ship had palpitations in their hearts, and they scolded one by one. The boss of the boat also broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead, in the past, this sailor was lazy in the boat, how did he change his temperament today, and the lazy insect has become a dragon?!

Huang Hongshi blurted out, "It's not good, it must be the Ming army coming!" ”

The boss of the boat was nervous, and saw that the fishing boats and merchant ships on the sea outside the mouth were all speeding towards the mouth of the river, and there were wisps of smoke on the sea in the distance.

"Oh no, this Ming bandit has really broken into the mouth of the Tamsui River!" The captain of the ship hurriedly ordered the ship to turn around and return to the sea.

Sanyi elder Huang Longan issued a reward order, which has long been a household name. The top suburbs and the Ming bandits have become a fire and water, and the sailors are afraid of being implicated, so they make every effort to turn around and adjust the sails.

As soon as the Ming warship formation arrived off the Tamsui River, it immediately began to blockade the Tamsui River. The four steam ships "Keelung," "Kaohsiung," "Dinghai," and "Dunan," together with 10 coast guard ships, formed an arc from north to south, like a big net, pressing the ships on the sea to the mouth of the river.

"Gun Chief, we don't shoot guns, and we don't lean on to jump into the gang." The rangefinder was a pirate-turned-pirate, and he looked at the various ships rushing on the sea, and his eyes were very hot, "Look, these ships have all run away!" ”

"The morning combat mobilization forgot! Our main task was to smash the Huwei Fort. Xue Bingding patted him on the head.

The soldier touched his head and muttered, "Seeing that these merchant ships have all run away, I'm not in a hurry!" ”

"These boats run into the Tamsui River, aren't they turtles in the urn!" On the side of the gun command post, a soldier picked up the conversation.

Two M2 heavy machine guns were erected on the platform, and a gun artilleryman who controlled the M2 heavy machine gun said with a smile, "Only as soon as the Huwei Fort is opened, we can catch it as much as we want!" ”

It is only one nautical mile away from the mouth of the freshwater river. The large arc-shaped net is divided into two parts. Ten coast guard ships slowly lagged behind, scattered on the sea outside the mouth to conduct a vigilance. The four steamers went forward, slowed down, moved closer to each other, and formed a battle formation at the mouth of the Tamsui River, with the two main guns in front and rear of each ship slowly aimed at the Huwei Fort 1,500 meters away.