The military intelligence department under the command of Luo Tangyuan is now a cat nest, and there are several special operations teams such as black cats, red cats, blue cats, and green cats under his command, and there is more than one white cat in the intermediate dispatch command, and there are even "flower cats" who are hidden in the enemy camp. In this decisive battle, his "cat demon" released a large group of cats, and at the same time, the sentinels and detectives of various armies were also used by him, and the intelligence of the Qing army on the front line was mainly provided by him.

But he was clearly not confident in the information he had received.

"There is an army of thirty or forty thousand behind Bahuundai, and it should be in Huaiyin right now. There are Shaanxi and Gansu soldiers and flag soldiers, but we are not sure that they are the Shaanxi and Gansu cavalry and the Beijing Banner Firearms Battalion. ”

"Even the military composition of Bahundai and Norbu, we are only speculating, and we dare not be completely sure."

This made Li Xi very dissatisfied, why?

Luo Tangyuan scratched his head: "The green camp is good to be subordinate, but the flag people are a mess. There are forbidden brigade forward battalions and inner three banner forward battalions in Changsha City, there are also forbidden brigade forward battalions and garrison eight banner forward battalions in the north, and there are inner three banner cavalry battalions in the direction of Liuyang in the east. Although it has been roughly screened, the flags are all set up according to the eight banners, and it is impossible to distinguish the difference between the forbidden brigade and the garrison of the eight banners, and it is impossible to distinguish between the Manchurian and Mongolian Hans. When the time comes, there is no way to tell the difference between the frontal fights. ”

Luo Tangyuan not only had to give the military a general outline, but also provide the armies with information on the enemy in person, which was what annoyed him. The so-called strikers and horsemen are only nominal distinctions, but in fact, there are infantry and cavalry bows and guns, and it is difficult to distinguish them from the arms and military flags. When the Qing army moved, the British and Chinese troops were in a dark eye, and they did not know which enemy troops they were, which was not in line with the British and Chinese army's combat tradition, and it was necessary to know oneself and know the enemy.

Shang Jun also looked embarrassed: "Yuezhou is even more chaotic, the forbidden brigade and the cavalry battalion are divided according to each flag, and the king of heaven also said that most of them will not go into battle, and we don't have too much force." But this firearms battalion is too troublesome, there are not only forbidden brigade firearms battalions, but also Xi'an and Jingzhou garrison flag soldiers firearms battalions, and there are also Shaanxi-Gansu Dubiao firearms battalions in the green battalion. The firearms battalion of the forbidden brigade is divided into internal and external firearms battalions, and the newly built firearms battalion of the Beijing Han army at the end of last year is also mixed in, and there is also a firearms battalion built in the three banners under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs......"

Shang Jun's Heaven and Earth will assist Luo Tangyuan in this decisive battle, responsible for exploring the rear forces of the Qing army, and when it comes to the Qing army's firearms battalion that Li Xian is most concerned about, it is simply the first two big.

"What's even worse is that the cavalry battalion has formed a firearms battalion according to each flag. The Qing army on the Huaiyin side was in charge of our investigation, but most of the reports sent by the spies could not be used, because it was not clear which firearms battalion the spies were talking about. ”

Li Xi was also dizzy when he heard it, in his previous life, he was an amateur "brick family" in Qing history and had also seen the Eight Banners military system, but he had a big head at first glance and didn't study it deeply. And now that history is messed up by him, Kangxi has added new ingredients to the old sauce of Eight Banners, which is even more difficult to straighten out.

Figuring out the deployment of the firearms battalion brought by Kangxi is the key to this decisive battle, after all, it is artillery and flintlock musketeers, although the technology, organization and training are far inferior to the British and Chinese army, but it is the only force other than cavalry that can pose a major threat to the British and Chinese army.

In advance, through the industrial and commercial contacts in Beijing, Xi'an, Jingzhou, Shanxi and other places, the Heaven and Earth Society roughly estimated the number of flintlock pistols redressed by the Qing army, which was 30,000 to 40,000. As for how these 30,000 or 40,000 flintlock muskezeers were organized, it is only clear that the Beijing Banner Firearms Battalion was about 20,000 people, and the Firearms Battalion of the Green Battalion was scattered in Xi'an and Jingzhou and the Green Battalion of the Shaanxi-Gansu Dubiao Firearms Battalion.

This kind of intelligence obviously has no actual combat value, but to completely sort it out, it is estimated that only at the level of the Minister of the Guard, the cronies of the army around Kangxi can do it.

Li Xi also had a headache, this is the bizarre place of the Taqing Dynasty, the Eight Banners system of the slave society and the state system of the imperial dynasty are kneaded together, making the military system extremely complicated. The so-called "battalion" has both a permanent and fixed establishment and a temporary wartime combat unit, and there are three eight banners of Manchuria, Mongolia and Han Dynasty behind it, and there are three internal banners directly under the emperor, that is, the internal affairs office and the outer eight banners. Mixed together, it's no wonder that the intelligence services are also getting smoke on their heads.

"Do we have anyone with a relatively high status who is familiar with the military affairs of the Eight Banners?"

This matter can only be found by experts, Yinghua has arrested many Qing court officials for more than a year, many of them are Manchurian, and it is more appropriate for them to explain.

Luo Tangyuan said hesitantly: "Originally, Zhang Chaowu, the governor of Guangxi, was in charge of the Shaanxi-Gansu Governor Standard Firearms Battalion, and later served as the deputy commander of the Han Army Banner, and he knew all the military affairs and flag affairs, but he ......."

Li Xi secretly said hey, but he was let go by himself, what a stupidity.

Shang Jun said a name, and Li Shi even patted his forehead, this person had long been forgotten by him to the clouds, Tong Fahai! The political envoy of the Qing court in Guangdong, the original member of the trio in Guangzhou. I arrested that guy when I occupied Guangzhou, and I've been locked up until now. Although that guy doesn't understand military affairs, he should know about flag affairs. By the way, isn't the Guangzhou guard Oro Dai his brother? It's just that he was locked up in the White City of England and Germany, is it too late?

Luo Tangyuan nodded: "He is under the supervision of our military intelligence department, and this decisive battle is also listed as a reference for studying and judging the enemy's situation, so he brought it over, and the king of heaven also signed his relocation order." ”

Li Shi rolled his eyes, how could he remember such a trivial matter...... In this way, Tong Fahai was mentioned to the Great Tent of the Heavenly King and accepted the "Three Sessions of Trial".

was imprisoned for a year and a half, although this guy was not abused, he ate and drank, and often let off steam, but his complexion was very bad. It's no wonder that he is a Manchurian, unlike Tang Youzeng and Shi Yizhi, if he changes his mind, he can be reused by Li Xian. He also put on a steadfast and unyielding posture, and felt that life was better than death.

However, the methods used by the Military Intelligence Department to rectify people are full of tricks, and Tong Fahai has to cooperate to a limited extent to prevent himself from concocting an unjust case such as "defecting to the enemy." It doesn't involve too much detail and too secret, he answers all questions, and has become an intelligence pet raised by the Military Intelligence Department.

Seeing Li Shi, Tong Fahai's emotions were a little out of control, he ripped open his collar, patted his neck, and shouted with red eyes: "Come on!" Kill me! Kill me! ”

Luo Tangyuan's words calmed him down, "Your brother Oro Dai is in Changsha City, how about letting you show up and spilling your signed persuasion leaflet into it?" ”

Tong Fahai said in a snorting voice: "I'm just a concubine in the family, if you want me to help you deal with Oro Dai, it's hopeless, that guy doesn't treat me as a brother." ”

Li Shi smiled, this guy still has his own careful knot.

Hearing that Kangxi was in person, Li Xi asked him to introduce the Eight Banners military system, and from this deduced the details of the Eight Banners soldiers in person, especially the firearms battalion, Tong Fahai Gege sneered: "The emperor is personally conscripted, and the defeat has arrived!" ”

Luo Tangyuan snorted coldly, Tong Fahai's body shook, and he started to speak honestly. Li Xian looked at Luo Tangyuan in slight surprise, and said in his heart that Tong Fahai seemed to be an upright person in history, rising as a concubine, and was still very important in the Yongzheng Dynasty. Luo Tangyuan, this kid, what means did he use to torture him? Looking at Luo Tangyuan's smiling expression, it was like a cat looking at a mouse, Li Xian smiled again, why should he care. If there is no means, how can this kid be called a "cat demon" by everyone.

Tong Fahai said: "The Eight Banners are the system of our dynasty, which can be known in detail from Feier and other grass people, and the national political and military systems such as Guaner are vulgar and shabby......"

I don't know if it's to vent, or if I just think so in my heart, this guy is squirting about the Anglo-Chinese national politics and military system, especially the military system. In Tong Fahai's view, the Anglo-Chinese army is all "recruited by sea", the army is the army, and the battalion system is rigid, and the number of personnel and weapons is "a tree without roots". Like the Eight Banners, the generals, the government, the people and other aspects are integrated together, out of the army, scattered for the people, is "the eternal good system".

He sprayed and brought out the Eight Banners military system and flag affairs, and Li Xian, Luo Tangyuan and the others did not stop them, so they listened quietly. For him, a guy who doesn't understand what is the great division of labor and professionalism in society, and is full of people, but is deeply influenced by the way of Confucianism, he only listens to jokes about what he sprays.

"The Forward, Guardian and Cavalry Battalions were set up after the Eight Banners were first established to meet the needs of the war. One flag is divided into such points, and several flags are also divided into such points. Originally, it was self-unified by each banner, and later directly commanded by the commander of the unified army and even the emperor, with battalion positions such as commanders, staff leaders and assistant leaders, which are different from the leaders in the flags. ”

"I set up the Central Plains in the Qing Dynasty, set up the Eight Banners of the Forbidden Brigade, and garrisoned the Beijing Division. The battalions of forwards, guards, horsemen, and firearms are firmly under the economic system. Most of the eight banners stationed in various places are Han army flags, and the forwards, guards and cavalry battalions are temporarily set up. If the Beijing flag is in battle, no matter which flag battalions are transferred, it must be divided in this way. However, the temporary camp is determined by the commander, and the battalion called in the correspondence is the wartime subordination, and the specific person is the original garrison belonging. ”

"For example, the 5,000-flag battalion led by the general is drawn from the cavalry battalions of various banners in Beijing, but under this army, there are also forward battalions, guard battalions, and cavalry battalions."

"You and other Anglo-Chinese puppet countries, because of the military generals, I don't understand our Qing military system. Although the foundation of our Qing Dynasty is the Eight Banners, the military system is because the generals set up camps. The cavalry battalion is the general name of my eight banner soldiers, shouldering the responsibility of destroying the formation and attacking the fortifications, after Manchuria became the Qing Dynasty, the cavalry battalion was led by the banners. The guard battalion was originally the main soldier of each banner and was responsible for guarding the commander, and the forward battalion was the soldier who opened the way for the army, which was especially brave. These two types of battalions are commanded by the banner master. After the Central Plains was settled, the Eight Banners of the Forbidden Brigade also set up camp in this way. The guard camp guards the palace, and the forward camp opens the way for patrolling. ”

Tong Fahai was too addicted and began to explain the Eight Banners camp in depth, but the more people listened, the more confused they became. In order to save everyone's brain cells, and at the same time to focus on the current battle situation, Luo Tangyuan "guided" Tong Fahai to only talk about the firearms battalion.

"The firearms battalion started from the old Han army set up by my Taizu, and when the emperor set up the firearms battalion inside and outside the Beijing Banner, this is a separate battalion, which is different from the forwards and horsemen. However, I heard that each banner also has its own firearms battalion, and even the inner three banners also have a firearms battalion, which should be the emperor's determination to innovate, and the soldiers from the Xiaocai battalion of each banner and the inner three banners are divided to specialize in muskets, so as to refer to these soldiers, not the single reading battalion. ”

As soon as he said this, everyone suddenly realized that those "firearms battalions" were just a name, not a separate formation, and they were mixed with cold-weapon infantry and cavalry, just like the composition of ordinary green battalions.

In this way, the total number of firearms battalions inside and outside the Beijing flag held by Kangxi is estimated to be more than 10,000, plus the green battalion firearms battalion of Shaanxi, Gansu and Dubiao, among the more than 100,000 people of the Qing army opposite, there are less than 20,000 musketeers who are really reading and fighting together.

Using this as a context to sort out the intelligence, the current military situation will be much clearer, and Luo Tangyuan will have a judgment on the spot. The Qing army under the Huaiyin Division, with Nersu as the commander, led the Shaanxi-Gansu garrison flag battalion, the green battalion firearms battalion and the Shaanxi-Gansu horse team, while the Jingqi firearms battalion was still in Kangxi's hands.

This arrangement is really a bit strange, why is the new firearms battalion that Kangxi worked so hard to pull up still like a treasure behind him?

Tong Fahai shook his head and sneered: "The sharp weapon of the country should be used to help supervise the war, how can it be put out first and sharpened?" The emperor's sacred heart is lofty, how can you speculate if you are a clown? ”

Li Shi said to Luo Tangyuan angrily: "Get this guy out and clean up!" ”

Luo Tangyuan nodded and beckoned his subordinates: "Locked up in a small black room!" ”

disposed of Tong Fahai, but Li Xian's face was heavy, Tong Fahai's words reminded him that Kangxi really put the hope of defeating him in the firearms battalion and on the musket cannon?

Obviously not, Kangxi put his hope on himself. Just as the Manchurians stole and occupied China, he drummed up a new firearms battalion, which should have other plans. For example, let the "inferior soldiers" such as the Green Battalion and the Han Army Banner feel that the Manchurian army behind them also has sharp guns like Yinghua, which is not only a psychological support, but also a deterrent who must fight desperately.

Thinking about it so deeply, Kangxi regarded this war as a political matter to stabilize the hearts and minds of the military under his rule. Regardless of victory or defeat, he must establish the image of the Manchurian court as still indestructible.

"If I show defeat, Jingqi will come up to pick up the bargain, and by the way, let the firearms battalion practice. If I win, against more than 100,000 troops, I should no longer be able to march north, at that time he took the main force of the undamaged Beijing flag to slap his ass and retreat north, everyone in the world should be the green battalion and the Han army banner people without fighting, and in the end it was the Manchu people who blocked me, Kang Mazi...... It's a good calculation. ”

After pondering for a long time, Li Shi filmed the case, and when it came to the ability to make people's hearts, or the ability to paste the wall, he was really ashamed that he was not as good as that Kang Mazi.

Yuezhou, Kangxi also had a similar feeling churning in his heart.

"Taiwan is also in chaos, then Li Shi, good situation! Good game! ”

He was admiring, but Zhao Hongcan was sweating in fear.

"Your Majesty, ...... over there in Changde"

The Yulin army was rushing into Changde, but Kangxi ignored it, Zhao Hongcan was just frightened, and the court's civil and military forces were already in a hurry. Sichuan, Hunan and even Qinghai used troops, Hubei to Shaanxi, Gansu and even the west of the Zhili line, the army is extremely empty, if the Yulin army goes north, it is really possible to hit Guanzhong in one go. When the time comes, it will go straight to Shanxi and Hebei, and it will be a place of erosion.

"General Fuyuan entered Guizhou! Nian Qianyao entered the arrow furnace and stuck to the southern Sichuan thief army! If the southern Sichuan thief army is transferred to Guizhou, it will go straight to Yunnan! Rear-end to the end! ”

Kangxi's eyes were calm, and he was already confident.

"Nanban is not a rogue, coupled with sharp guns, especially the grain road! Looking at its use of troops, it has always been based on stability, and the back road is uncertain, and it will never advance lightly. This time, he wanted to march north, but he wanted to divide the army in Hunan and affect the battle situation in Changsha. Can't follow their footsteps anymore! If he wants to go north, let Yinzhen go south! Cut off the back road of the Yulin army, see if he continues to go north, or turn back to keep the back road! ”

Kangxi said decisively, Zhao Hongcan was relieved, the emperor was really ruthless, and he was also worried that this exchange was actually full of flowers. In Fujian, there was chaos in Taiwan, and Shi Shibiao was too late to put out the fire. I don't know if Sichuan Yungui has a trick.

"I don't care about the two sides of the East and the West anymore!"

Kangxi stared at the map, Fujian, Sichuan and Yunnan-Guizhou are just side battlefields, and what really determines the general trend of the world is the battle in Hunan in front of him.

"Changsha! That is, from now on, all flags are unified, all battalions are commanded, and the green battalion is above the general army, and all the secret folding rights are granted! In addition to the battlefield military report, everyone will report one in three! The relevant excerpts will be delivered in an expedited manner of 800 miles, straight into the front of my drive, without a moment's delay! ”

On the map, dense small flags are surrounding Changsha, and a few are erected from the west of Jiangxi, pointing directly to Hengzhou.

(To be continued)