Chapter 448 Southern Dynasty Firearms

On the same day that the Mongolian Kublai Khan announced the change of the name of the country, about 2,500 soldiers of the first batch of the Luzhou Army of the Jianghuai Military Region were stationed in Suizhou under the leadership of General Wang Sheng, the commander of the 11th chamber. On 26 February, 1,000 officers and men of the East China Sea Fleet arrived in Yingzhou, and Li Zengbo, the commander of the fleet, arrived with the ship and took over the command of Chen Yi, the commander of the fleet along the Yangtze River, in the Hanshui Valley. According to the order of the Military Affairs Yuan, Chen Yi went to Chongqing to sit in the town and command the main force of the Yangtze River Fleet stationed in Chongqin. At noon on 1 March, Zhang Shijie, commander of the Second Division of the Imperial Forest Army, led about 2,000 men and horses of the Sixth Brigade to Yingzhou and stationed in the barracks of the former General Zhang Shun, who had already gone to Junzhou.

The day after the banner of the Imperial Forest Army appeared in Yingzhou City, it immediately caused a sensation in the Mongolian military camp outside Xiangyang City, and the generals were surprised and speculated about the reason for the appearance of the Royal Forest Army. As soon as he received the news, Marshal Ah Shu summoned a group of generals to discuss the matter.

"The arrival of the Imperial Forest Army of the Southern Dynasty does it mean that the emperor of the Southern Dynasty will come to Xiangyang in person?" Ah Shu threw the question out with excitement.

"Well, isn't it likely?" Attahai objected first.

"If not, then how can we explain it?" Zhang Hongfan spoke up.

"Great marshal, the last general thinks that the emperor of the Southern Dynasty will send some of the imperial forest army here to try it first, if there is no risk, the emperor may really come here to supervise the battle." Pioneer Asahan said.

Shi Tianze said: "Marshal, first report this matter to the Great Khan immediately, and at the same time, send more scouts to inquire about the news. General Liu Quan, you are familiar with the Southern Dynasties, what do you see about the appearance of the Imperial Forest Army in Yingzhou? ”

Liu Quandao: "Dashuai, Shi Jian Army, the Imperial Forest Army of the Song Dynasty was formed after the last general left, so the last general did not know the purpose of the Song Dynasty's establishment of the Royal Forest Army. However, since it is the Imperial Forest Army from Lin'an, then according to the practice that the Imperial Forest Army will generally be with the emperor or people in the imperial family, this possibility exists, although the last general does not dare to assert it, but his intuition believes that this possibility is not small. ”

Ah Shu said "um" softly, looked down at the map on the table, and then thought for a while before saying: "Generals, judging from the recent movements of the Southern Dynasty army, Zhang Shunjun stationed in Junzhou, Wang Shengjun stationed in Suizhou, and the Navy Division Li Zengbo reinforced Yingzhou, coupled with the appearance of this Imperial Forest Army, can it be inferred that the Southern Dynasty wants to surround our army outside Xiangyang City?" ”

Shi Tianze nodded and said: "The marshal is reasonable, our army implements the strategy of besieging the city and sending reinforcements, while the strategy implemented by the Southern Dynasty is counter-encirclement, it seems that this battle is becoming more and more interesting." ”

"Yes, the intentions of the Southern Dynasty court and the Great Khan's idea seem to be quite similar, both want to use the two cities of Xiangfan, so that the battle between Song and Mongolia may be simpler, but the battle of Xiangyang will be unprecedentedly fierce." Speaking of this, Ah Shu's face suddenly became a little serious and said, "Everyone, the Great Khan once said that the Imperial Forest Army of the Southern Dynasty was mainly based on firearms, but I don't know how powerful this firearm is?" Will it have a detrimental effect on our army? ”

"Dashuai Hugh has to bother with this." There was a rough sound outside the door.

"Ali Hague?"

"I've seen the big handsome." Ali Hague, who had just arrived from outside Fancheng, said with a smile.

"The last general, Kong Yuan, has seen the marshal." Kong Yuan clasped his fists and saluted.

"Yes, please be seated, two generals."

Ali Hague sat down and said: "Dashuai, the last general thinks that the so-called firearms of the Southern Dynasty are just a gimmick, nothing more than assault muskets, watermelon runs, or similar to the earth-shattering thunder of the Jin Kingdom, iron artillery and the like. Still unable to save the end of the destruction of the Jin Kingdom. It's okay to bluff people with this kind of weapon, but it seems that it is far from being able to fight against my invincible army. As for the emperor of the Southern Dynasty, it is better to come, so that I have to go to Lin'an to find him. ”

Zhang Hongfan agreed: "Marshal, General Ali Hague is right, it is people, not weapons, that decide the war. ”

Liu Quan's brows furrowed, and he seemed to stop talking.

Ah Shu said: "The two generals are reasonable, but for war, if you can't know yourself and your opponent, it's really a taboo for soldiers." In short, as soon as there was news of the use of firearms by the army of the Southern Dynasties, it should be reported to the commander. ”

"Yes, Marshal."

"General Asakhand."

"The end will be."

"Your department will send a team of 1,000 people to be stationed in the area of Longweizhou and Guanzitan in the south of Lumen Mountain, and at the same time send additional scouts to see if there is a chance to detect the situation of the Southern Dynasty Imperial Forest Army."

"Yes, the last will obey."

"General Shi, you draw up a battle report, six hundred li expedited, no, eight hundred li expedited, and report the situation of the Southern Dynasty Imperial Forest Army appearing in Yingzhou to the Great Khan."

"Yes, Marshal."

"Everyone, that's all for today's meeting, General Liu Quan, you stay."

After the generals left, Ah Shu smiled slightly: "General Liu, the first batch of warships will be built soon, right?" ”

"Back to Dashuai, by the end of this month, two medium-sized warships and ten small warships can be delivered first."

"Well, General Liu, the commander of the naval division of the Southern Dynasty who lived in Yingzhou was changed from Chen Yi to Li Zengbo, the commander of the East China Sea Fleet, do you understand this Li Zengbo?"

"Dashuai, Li Zengbo is very deep in the city, although on the surface, he and Jia Yidao are good friends, but secretly the two have a very bad personal relationship, Li Zengbo once stationed at the border pass, knows the soldiers, has good governance, is good at poetry, and has a unique way of water warfare, and his ability should be above Chen Yi."

"General Liu, Ben Shuai has heard that you have commented on the envoys of the four fleets of the Southern Dynasties, and this Li Zengbo is ranked third, is there such a thing?"

"Yes, Dashuai, among the generals of the Southern Navy, Li Beiyang is the leader, Ruan Sicong is the second, and Chen Yi is the last."

Ah Shu said with a smile: "Haha, General Liu, with your ability, if you are still in the Southern Dynasty, you should be ranked first among the four major systems, but it is a pity that the Southern Dynasty court is extremely incompetent, and it is actually the leading eagle in the world's water division to rebel, this is the sorrow of the Southern Dynasty, but it is also the blessing of our dynasty." ”

Liu Cheng smiled, and didn't know how to answer, so he only heard Ah Shu continue: "General Liu, Ben Shuai saw that you seemed to have something to say just now, at this time, you and me, can you tell me?" ”

Among all the Mongolian generals, Liu Cheng still has a lot of respect for Ashu.

"Dashuai." Liu Cheng hesitated for a moment and said, "The last general's understanding of the Southern Dynasty is still limited to the Song Lizong period, so the last general once proposed to the Great Khan that he should first take Xiangfan, and then go straight to the hinterland of the south of the Yangtze River. Today, the Southern Dynasty has changed dramatically, since its new emperor ascended the throne and determined to change, its national strength has gradually increased, and the most puzzling thing is what its new emperor did, and its ability seems to be not under the Great Khan. Judging from the layout of the battle of Xiangyang, the Southern Dynasty army obviously implemented the anti-encirclement tactics, this tactic will think about it for a long time, logically speaking, our dynasty has become a castle outside Xiangyang City, with the ability of the Southern Dynasty army, it is simply unable to conquer the fortress of our army, and its encirclement strategy is bound to fail, but its army is as always, if the last general is not bad, the Southern Dynasty must have something to rely on, and this support is likely to be its so-called firearms. ”

Ah Shu couldn't judge whether what Liu Quan said was reasonable, and said, "General Liu, have you heard of firearms before?" ”

"Dashuai, the last general knows that the Southern Dynasty has had a gunpowder division a long time ago, but it has been doing nothing, at most it is just making some fireworks for people to play."

"The firearms of the Southern Dynasty, Ben Shuai once heard the Great Khan mention, although I have made many inquiries, but I only know that they are divided into muskets and artillery. It is said that the musket was developed on the basis of the original assault rifle, and although it was somewhat powerful, it was slow to fire at a rate that could not be compared with the trained archers. As for artillery, it is only known by name, but it is not known what it is. ”

"Marshal, it won't help for me to speculate here, the last general thinks that he can divide his troops to attack Yingzhou, and see if there is a chance to try the firearms of the Southern Dynasty."

"Well, this matter is also under consideration."

Liu Quan praised: "The marshal asked Ah Tinghan to send troops to Longwei Continent, does he have this plan?" ”

Ah Shu smiled: "Those who know me, General Liu also." ”

Liu Quan was quite useful in his heart, but he still said humbly: "The big handsome has won the award, the big handsome, although the Southern Dynasty has the uncertain factor of firearms, but General Zhang Hongfan is also right, it is the people who decide the war, not the weapons." However, our army must not be careless, and must find out the power of firearms before taking further action. ”

"Well, Ben Shuai understands this."

Since ancient times, almost all military strategists have agreed that the outcome of a war depends on who is on both sides. However, if these ancient military strategists had known about the process of the United States attacking Iraq in later generations, they might have changed their minds. During the US-Iraq war, the Iraqi Republican Guard, known as the elite division, was defeated by the opponent's modern scientific and technological weapons before even touching the edge.

Of course, the modern scientific and technological weapons of the United States were also developed and invented by man, so it is still man who decides the outcome of the war, but it does not entirely refer to the soldiers of the opposing sides.

Dadu Palace.

"What? The Imperial Forest Army of the Southern Dynasty was also dispatched? After Kublai Khan read Ashu's battle report, he was surprised.

Boyan nodded and said: "Your Majesty, Marshal Ah Shu did say so in his battle report, and it is an eight-hundred-mile expedited, so there must be no mistake." ”

Like the thoughts of the generals of the Mongolian Middle Route Army outside Xiangyang, Kublai Khan's first reaction was that the emperor of the Southern Dynasty wanted to conquer Xiangfan in person? Is this a possibility?

"Boyan, map."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Kublai Khan pointed to Yingzhou on the map and said: "Since the Imperial Forest Army is stationed in Yingzhou, if the emperor of the Southern Dynasty personally conquers, he will use Yingzhou as his temporary palace to command the battle of Xiangyang." ”

Boyan asked, "Your Majesty, does this possibility exist?" ”