The idea of using the sea to control land has been in place for a long time, and Zhu Yongxing has been making preparations. After annihilating the Qing army sailors in Guangdong and Fujian respectively, taking advantage of the civil strife in the Zheng family, the strength of the sailors could finally turn the plan into reality.

The three fleets were deployed in Fujian, Zhejiang, and the Yangtze River, either attacking and harassing or directly attacking, effectively containing the forces of the Qing army in the southeast, so that the Qing court's intention to increase troops in Fujian and resist the Ming army was mostly frustrated.

The fleet led by Yang Yandi took Zhoushan as a base, and entered Hangzhou Bay without waiting for rest, and defeated the Qing army's Hangzhou naval division in a battle, and feinted to attack Hangzhou; Then he withdrew at night, suddenly landed in Jinshan in the early morning, broke through the county seat, looted the official treasury, and then sailed away with thousands of righteous villagers and their families who volunteered to follow; On the third day, after the people were settled in Zhoushan, the fleet appeared in Xiangshan Bay again, landed and attacked Ninghai County, and it was concocted like a golden mountain.

The Ming army's naval divisions came and went suddenly, attacking and plundering like the wind, and the coastal areas of Zhejiang were in a hurry, and the long civil fortifications built by the relocation were vulnerable, and the Qing troops responsible for guarding were scattered and ineffective, where could they resist the 3,000 well-equipped marines. The blank space along the coast brought concealment to the landing of the Ming army, and it was often discovered by the Qing soldiers when they arrived at the earthen fortress, and most of the Qing soldiers hurriedly lit the wolf smoke and fled, not daring to engage the Ming army at all.

After the Ming army broke through the long base, with a little publicity, the suffering people flocked out to the sea and boarded the boats. Zhoushan soon had five or six thousand people, building a city and houses, and the base was further consolidated.

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The Yangtze River Naval Division led by Chen Shangchuan continued to march up the river, successively defeating more than 2,000 flood soldiers along the Yangtze River in Fushan, Yangshe, Jiangyin, Jingjiang, Menghe, and Yongsheng, and arrived in Guazhou.

Zhang Mingzhen and Zhang Huangyan's several battles into the Yangtze River made the Qing court also aware of the fragility of the defense of the Yangtze River. Close the stable door after the horse has bolted. The Qing court sent Gushan Ezhen Shi Tingzhu as the general of Zhenhai and led the Eight Banners to garrison Zhenjiang Jingkou; He also re-established the battalions of Fushan, Yangshe, Jiangyin, Jingjiang, Menghe, and Yongsheng in the south of the Yangtze River, and moved the red-coated cannons stored in the Jiangning warehouse to Jingkou.

However, in the sixteenth year of Shunzhi, Zheng Chenggong led a thousand warships to re-enter the Yangtze River, smashing the river defense fortifications painstakingly operated by the Qing court. Zheng Jun connected Guazhou and Zhenjiang and arrived at the foot of Stone City. Although in the end it was defeated by the light enemy. However, the Qing army also suffered heavy losses, and all the artillery deployed in Jiangyin, Guazhou, and Zhenjiang was destroyed or captured by the Zheng army.

In recent years, the Qing army rebuilt the river defense fortifications, but its strength did not recover to the level of the sixteenth year of Shunzhi. Especially for artillery, the Qing court's finances have always been tight, and there is not much money to mint, and now it is only half of the number it was back then.

The fleet led by Chen Shangchuan mainly advanced westward, and did not go ashore to attack and plunder, but only attacked the Qing army on the river, and the speed of movement was not unfast. In Kuah Chau. The Yangtze River Naval Division ushered in a big battle. In the face of the Qing army's river defense fortifications, as well as the Qing army's naval divisions in Guazhou and Zhenjiang, the Yangtze River naval division opened full firepower and fought bravely, and the battle was extremely fierce.

The superiority of the Ming army's firearms was fully exerted in the river and sea battles, and more than 300 large and small artillery pieces far surpassed the Qing army. In a day of fierce fighting, the Yangtze River Naval Division cut off the "Rolling River Dragon", a defense line on the river that was connected by the Qing army's iron chains and ships, and destroyed three floating camps (also known as wooden cities) on the river of the Qing army. Captured dozens of Tanjiazhou cannons and defeated the Qing army's two Jiangshang water divisions.

The smell of nitrate still lingers in the air. The river breeze blew, mixed with the smell of burnt and blood. The surface of the river was covered with broken wooden debris, and the corpses were lying on their backs or lying on their stomachs, floating and sinking in the water, and the blood was spreading in the water.

"Our army sank eight ships. Nine ships were seriously wounded, 23 ships were lightly wounded, and more than 600 officers and men were killed or wounded. ”

After listening to the rough battle report, Chen Shangchuan sighed softly, a big victory. But there is also a lot of loss. The Yangtze River Naval Division has more than 200 ships, more than 130 combat ships, and the rest are transport ships. And the losses are all combat ships and combat personnel, so he can't help but feel pain.

"Intensify the aftermath." Chen Shangchuan ordered with some heaviness, his gaze turned to Guazhou City, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a little cold light flashed.

The river was busy, and the Ming soldiers changed ships, collected the bodies, and transferred the artillery on the seriously wounded ships. Although there were some losses of ships, many Qing ships were also captured, although most of them were small boats, but the Ming army did not have to worry about the lack of ships.

"The Qing army has even dispatched sampans, and it will no longer be able to stop the advance of our army in the future." A staff officer saw that Chen Shangchuan was unhappy, and comforted him in a low voice.

"Yes, the Qing army in Zhenjiang can only shrink into the city." Chen Shangchuan smiled reluctantly, regained his spirits, and ordered: "Order the forward fleet to set off immediately, and don't give the Qing army time to prepare for defense." ”

After breaking through Guazhou and then Zhenjiang in front, the Qing army's river fortifications were all destroyed. Although the Yangtze River Naval Division did not yet have the strength to capture targets on the shore, the obstacles on the way forward were already very small. The flood troops along the Yangtze River in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as the weak and small naval divisions in the provinces, were no match for the Yangtze River naval divisions.

Was it all the way? At that time, Zhu Yongxing had confessed that in case of setbacks, he would retreat to Zhoushan, and after Deng Yao or Yang Yandi's fleet completed the containment task, they would work together to fight into the Yangtze River.

Now, Chen Shangchuan is confident that he will achieve his strategic goals, but he is not proud of his enemies. The forward fleet had already set off, but he waited for the fleet to be completely put in order, and then he marched westward under the gloomy gaze of the Qing soldiers in Guazhou City.

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The Ming army did not slow down the offensive because of the withdrawal of the Zheng family's civil strife, but the land fighting in Min Province seemed to have slowed down. Attacking the city and plundering the land, step by step, the Ming army approached Fuzhou unhurriedly, taking advantage of the contraction of Geng Fan's soldiers and horses, and easily recovered many county seats.

The noose was slowly tightened, Geng Jingzhong abandoned the surrounding prefectures and counties, collected and gathered nearly 30,000 horses, and retreated in Fuzhou. The long-awaited reinforcements were disappointing, and the Qing army in Zhejiang had arrived in Wenzhou, but because of the attacks of Yang Yandi's fleet, they were recalled by most of the anxious Hangzhou general Kachuha. Jiangxi also sent reinforcements under the strict orders of the imperial court, but it turned back three times in one step and walked very slowly. When Li Sixing's troops came out of Meiling and feinted to attack Dayu, the reinforcements quickly turned back and stationed in Ganzhou, and then did not move.

The Yangtze River is in an emergency, and Nanjing wants to increase its troops; Zhejiang's coastal area is in an emergency, and troops are also needed to defend it. Compared with Fujian, Zhejiang was more important to the Qing court, the land of wealth, the land of grain and rice, and the beginning of Cao Yun, which could not be lost.

Poor Geng Jingzhong, looking forward to the stars and the moon, but only looking forward to the Manchurian Taijun and his entourage who pointed fingers and forced him to fight to the death. There are hundreds of uncles in this area, which makes Geng Jingzhong want to cry without tears. (To be continued......)