In the morning, at the mouth of the Tamsui River, the firepower of the Ming army's steamers was too ferocious, and the Huwei sailors were really frightened. Seeing the coast guard ship following behind, the eight sailor ships desperately ran upstream. Escaping to Monga in one breath, the hearts of the water warriors settled down a little.

Monga is not a city, but a large market town, a large market town with four or five thousand homes. Because the Manchu Qing Dynasty did not allow the construction of cities, in order to protect themselves, the Monga people surrounded the market town with deep mansion compounds, and built passes at the entrances and exits of the streets, which were used to control access after dusk or in case of emergency.

Outside the north pass of Monga, Dahan Creek and Xindian Creek converge here to form a freshwater river. The wharf on the riverbank, the merchant ships gathered, and the masts were like forests. In the open space near the river bank in the eastern city, dense military tents formed a large camp.

The merchant ships in the suburbs escorted by Huang Hongshi walked one step earlier than the sailors' ships, and as soon as they approached the river, they met the patrol ships in the suburbs.

Huwei is only thirty miles away from Monga, and the sound of cannons at the mouth of the river has already alarmed the whole city of Monga. As soon as the cannon sounded in the morning, Ding Yuejian and Zeng Yuming immediately ordered to reorganize the army and horses, put the whole city on alert, and assigned Huang Longan to dispatch the big boats in the top suburbs to defend the river, and at the same time sent scout horses to listen to the battle in Huwei.

As soon as Huang Hongshi's ship docked, Huang Longan appeared on the dock, and Huang Hongshi hurriedly stepped forward to say goodbye.

"The Ming bandits' artillery fire was fierce, and the fire hit the battery, and the Huwei artillery was weak, and ten shots could not hit one shot."

"You say, the Ming bandits are powerful, and the fort may not be able to stop them?!" Feeling that Huang Hongshi was very pessimistic, Huang Longan was full of unhappiness, "The enemy is current, and those who disturb the morale of the army will be killed!" ”

Hearing the murderous aura in Huang Longan's words, Huang Hongshi didn't dare to speak.

At this moment, the shadows of several Huwei division ships appeared on the river, and Huang Longan's face suddenly turned pale, "Quick, I want to go to the barracks and see Lord Ding and Master Zeng." ”

The barracks were more than a mile away from the wharf, and Huang Longan sat directly on the sedan chair, ordered the sedan chair driver to run quickly, and left in a hurry.

On the dock, everyone in the suburbs was at a loss, and only Huang Hongshi knew what was going on. He glanced at the guards on the dock with knives and armor, and without saying much, he arched his hand, "Take care, everyone, I'll go back to eat." ”

In the big tent of the barracks, Manchu civil and military officials were discussing the military situation.

Ding Yuejian, the same knowledge of Wupin Freshwater, sat on the red sandalwood high chair in the middle. The Qing Dynasty was a military system based on literature, and Ding Yuejian was ordered to preside over the suppression of bandits, although Zeng Yuming was a military general from the second rank, he could only sit beside him. Li Chao'an, Chen Guanghui, and Markton and other civil and military officials sat in two compartments, and they were all anxiously waiting for the battle report from Huwei.

Hearing that Huang Longan was coming, Ding Yuejian hurriedly invited.

Get off the sedan chair in front of the Huanglongan military camp, and then trot all the way into the big tent. Seeing Ding Yuejian and Zeng Yuming, he hurriedly saluted, "My lord, something is wrong." The Huwei Division's ship group has reached Monga, and the fort may have fallen! ”

Inside the big tent, everyone was shocked.

After a while, several leaders on the division ship were brought into the big tent.

Ding Yuejian and Zeng Yuming just asked a few questions, and the two scouts sent by the two horses, with more than a dozen artillery soldiers, also arrived in a hurry.

The deserters all fell to their knees in the hall and told the details of what had happened.

After hearing this, Ding Yuejian raised his head and asked a few leaders of the sailors, "There are only four ships for the Ming bandits?" ”

An additional foreign commissioner of the sailor replied cautiously, "As far as I can see, there are only four foreign ships that shoot guns and cannons, and there are pirate ships chasing us, and there are probably four or five. ”

"The foreign ship is fierce, how is the combat power of the pirate ship?"

Ding Tongzhi asked this question, and the additional foreign commissioners suddenly became hesitant.

Ding Yuejian's tone was very gentle, "Have you fought with the pirate ship?" ”

"My lord, I'm just concerned about reporting the news." The voice of the extra commissioner suddenly trembled.

Ding Yuejian showed pity, waved his hand and let all the deserters go down on the left and right.

The deserters probably knew that they were going to die, and they desperately cried for mercy.

The foreign commissioner struggled even harder, screaming, "The last general knows that he is wrong, the last general knows that he is wrong, if my lord can spare his life, I am willing to make meritorious contributions to kill the thief, I am willing to kill the thief bravely!" ”

Seeing the tragic scene of these people being dragged down, some people in the tent were moved and wanted to intercede for them.

"Alas!" Ding Yuejian shook his head and sighed, "Although I am a civilian official, I also know that there are seventeen prohibitions and fifty-four beheadings in the army, in order to behead the greedy people; Those who escaped from the battle were killed. At the moment of the great enemy, they are killing themselves, and I have taught them how to spare them. ”

Ding Yuejian's gaze swept over everyone, and everyone in the tent suddenly felt a pang in their hearts.

Zeng Yuming's face was gloomy, "There's nothing to spare!" Cutting off a few heads and affirming military discipline is a must. ”

Thinking of the lost Huwei, he couldn't help but scold, "Everything is ready, just wait for tomorrow to set off on the expedition, I didn't expect that this Ming bandit actually came to a sneak attack and ate the Huwei Fort in one go." This damn Chen Yiqing, damn Xu Ruisheng, it's really useless, in less than an hour, the fort will be gone. ”

"The past is gone, the past cannot be admonished, and the coming can still be chased!" Ding Yuejian turned his face sideways and looked at Zeng Yuming, "The Ming army's ships are strong and the guns are sharp, and it is imperative that we hold Monga and stabilize the decline of northern Taiwan." ”

The defenders of Huwei Fort are the soldiers and horses of the North Road Association, even if they are all dead, and Ding Yuejian's responsibility is not great. But the next step of the Ming army is to come to Monga, and if Monga is gone, Taipei will fall into the hands of Ming bandits. At that time, no matter how many heads he has in Ding Yuejian, he can't stand being chopped.

"Lord Ding, rest assured, although Monga does not have a high city and deep pool, it is definitely impregnable. Although the Ming bandit is strong and sharp, he is a short-legged wolf, and he is fierce, but his legs are short. ”

Zeng Yuming has been fighting for many years and is very experienced in dealing with the bandit party. When he was the general manager of Qian at the beginning of 1841, he was rewarded by the Qing court for his meritorious service in suppressing bandits. From the mouth of the deserter just now, he admitted that he had discovered a weakness of the Ming army.

Ding Yuejian thought thoughtfully, "Lord Xietai said that the Ming bandits were using pirate ships to pursue the Huwei division ship. ”

The Manchu adjutant was also known as Xiezhen, Xietai.

"Lord Ding's eyes are really like torches." Vice Admiral Zeng laughed, "The Ming bandits used pirate ships to pursue our sailors' ships, this is because their foreign ships have a deep draft and can't enter the Tamsui River. Back then, the Yingka people were so strong, they could only swim in the chicken coop. ”

Ding Yuejian nodded slowly, with a smile on his face, "Yes, that's true." ”

"Lord Xietai is right." Everyone below praised one after another, and the atmosphere in the big tent suddenly relaxed.

"The Ming bandit comes from the sea, it should be the same as the knife bandit, although the sea is dominant for a while, and he comes ashore to fight, in fact, he can't draw many people. In addition, the draft of the foreign ship is deep, and it cannot enter the Tamsui River. As long as these 8,000 athletes under my Monga City deal with it properly, they will definitely be able to drive the bandits and thieves into the ocean in one go. ”

Zeng Yuming's words reached the bottom of Ding Yuejian's heart, and he nodded again and again. Although Ding Yuejian is a civilian official, he has also experienced war. This summer, Xiaodao will invade Keelung Bay, and it is he and Zeng Yuming who each led a group of men and horses to capture Keelung in two ways. So what Zeng Yuming said, he agreed very much, "Lord Xietai is worthy of being a veteran general for many years and is familiar with military aircraft." Although the Ming bandits were strong and sharp, they were the same as the knife bandits, although they succeeded for a while, they were eventually defeated. ”

At this moment, the Malay newspaper showed that the bandits had crossed the Keelung River and were slowly advancing towards Monga.

"How many, say it again!" Ding Yuejian didn't believe his ears.

Tanma repeated again, "There are four red single boats on the water, and there are dozens of people on the shore. ”

Zeng Yuming couldn't help but stand up, his eyes glared, revealing a fierce light, "Ha, the Ming bandits want to use four red single boats and dozens of infantry to capture Monga?!" ”

Suddenly, he hesitated and glanced up at the north. Zeng Yuming thought to himself, the Keelung River is north of Monga, will the Ming bandits make a false shot, land along the Keelung River from the north, and copy Monga from behind?

"Keelung? Lord Zeng, it seems that we still have to divide our troops into two ways to meet the Ming bandits. Ding Yuejian is very smart, he can see Zeng Yuming's thoughts. Yes, the Keelung River to the north has to be defended. However, there is only a fifteen-mile road from Guandu to Monga, and the Ming bandits cannot be allowed to drive straight into the city and come to the city.

Zeng Yuming shook his head and sat down slowly, "It's three roads, and you have to go all the way on the water." ”

Ding Yuejian nodded and looked at Huang Longan, "Premier Huang, how many warships can you produce in the suburbs now." ”

"Four big ships are already on the river." Hearing the sound of artillery at Huwei in the morning, Huang Longan hastily prepared four large ships to patrol the river.

There were also eight sailors in the navy, plus three in Huang Longan, for a total of twelve warships.

Zeng Yuming felt that it was not very safe, and was slightly dissatisfied, "There are too few warships, can the fire attack ships hurry up and prepare?!" In order for the fire attack to be effective, at least twenty or thirty fire attack ships must be used at the same time. ”

Ding Yuejian and Zeng Yuming all knew that the naval division ships were not as good as the merchant ships, and the water warriors were not as good as the elite guards on the ocean-going merchant ships.

"Lord Qiyu, the fire attack ship needs small boats, bamboo rafts, firewood and grass, and sulfur, these are not problems, but in a hurry, it is impossible to prepare so much."

Ding Yuejian snorted coldly, "When will the preparation be completed?" ”

Huang Longan's eyes jumped, and he hurriedly replied, "Around evening, it will be completed." There are also ten large cargo ships on the dock, which have just been prepared by them. It is available around evening. ”

In order for a merchant ship to be converted into a warship, it was necessary to empty all the cargo and add a lot of defensive equipment.

"Then get on the twelve warships first, and if it doesn't work, then attack at night." Zeng Yuming looked at Li Chao'an, "Lord Li, this dispatch on the water will be up to you." ”

"The last will never give up!" Li Chaoan is a general of the water division, and he is not ambiguous about the water war at all. In his opinion, twelve big ships, against four pirate ships, this is also too easy.

"The Ming army on the land route, I will lead the green battalion soldiers to meet the head-on attack." Zeng Yuming looked at Chen Guanghui, "General Chen, although the Ming army is small, it should not be underestimated. You lead your men into battle carefully. I will lead a large team of men and horses to answer for you. ”

Chen Guanghui arched his hand, "The last general will never give up." ”

Zeng Yuming nodded, and arched his hand towards Ding Yuejian, "Lord Ding, the Ming bandits are advancing by land and water, but the bandits have always been cunning, beware of them having a third group of men and horses to go to the Keelung River and go straight to the north of Monga." For the safety of Monga, the adults worked hard and led 5,000 villagers to watch the Keelung River and defend Monga. ”

"Don't worry! I will lead 5,000 villagers to guard under the city of Monga and provide you with logistical support. If the bandits dare to go and copy them, you will lead the victorious army and outflank them. ”

The discussion stopped, and Ding Yuejian immediately ordered, "Sacrifice the flag and start a war!" ”

There is a large open space in Dongcheng near the river, which has now been leveled into a school military field.

On the earthen platform, the flags are flying, and the 3,000 green battalion soldiers and 5,000 villagers under the stage are wearing armor one by one, and the swords and spears are neatly waiting for the battle.

The horn sounded, Ding Yuejian and Zeng Yuming rode into the school military field together, and Li Chao'an, Chen Guanghui, Markton, Huang Longan and others followed.

On the high platform, Ding Yuejian roared directly, "We were supposed to sacrifice the flag tomorrow, but the Ming bandits have already called today, they captured the Huwei Fort in the morning, and sent dozens of people to kill the Keelung River in the afternoon, and four pirate ships followed along the river." ”

"Isn't it a joke that there are four sailboats on the river, and dozens of people on the shore want to kill them in Monga?!" Ding Yuejian pointed at the 8,000 soldiers in the audience, "Sons, can you agree?!! ”

"Don't agree, never agree, kill the past, kill the past, defeat the Ming bandits, and recapture Huwei!" The 8,000 soldiers in the school military field all roared.

Hearing that the bandits had strong firepower, many soldiers were afraid, but when they heard that the bandits wanted to come to Monga to invite them to fight, everyone's mood suddenly rose.

Ding Yuejian didn't talk nonsense, and waved his hand directly.

The eight minor leaders of the sailors' ships and the seventeen men who had fled from the fort were tied up.

The trumpet sounded, and twenty-five bloody human heads fell to the ground one by one and hung on the head of the city. Everyone on the school military field was shocked.

At the riverside wharf, the sailors of the ships are all neatly arranged on the deck. The heads of the ships were all beheaded, and their hearts were heavy. Although the sailor battalion only killed a few captains, the sailors all knew that although their capital crimes were spared, if they were afraid of the battle and escaped from the battle, it would still be a dead end.

Seeing the solemnity of the scene, Zeng Yuming immediately ordered, Li Chaoan led twelve warships down the river, and Chen Guanghui led 700 soldiers of the Monga battalion to take the land route, and the water and land went hand in hand to meet the Ming bandits.