The Eastern Crusade, ostensibly, was to capture the coastal areas and rescue the people who had suffered from the relocation. But in Zhu Yongxing's view, the key to victory and defeat for both sides is at sea, not on land. As long as the Qing army's naval division was severely damaged or annihilated, and the sea control was seized, the Qing army in Guangdong would be completely passive. Not only to confront the Ming army on land, but also to beware of the landing of the Ming army's naval division behind its flank, how to fight this battle?

Li Dingguo, the king of the Jin Dynasty, marched into Guangdong twice, but did not have the cooperation of a strong naval division, so he could only rely on the army to fight with the Qing army city by city, and in the process of advancing forward, he not only lengthened the supply line, but also stopped under the fortified city for a long time, so that the soldiers were exhausted. It must be said that this is one of the important reasons for failure. Of course, this is caused by Zheng Chenggong's selfishness, blind procrastination, and empty words.

Therefore, although Zhu Yongxing also issued an edict to the Zheng family in this expedition, he did not include the Zheng family when formulating plans with the General Staff. Since its establishment, the South China Sea Fleet has successively integrated the fleets of Deng Yao, Chen Shangchuan, Yang Yandi, and Zhejiang, which were originally loyal to King Lu, and has been tempered and expanded in the battles of Jin and Xia, and the battles against the Nanruan Naval Division. In addition, the number of ships and artillery has surpassed that of the Qing army's Guangdong naval division.

Winning with a decisive battle at sea was the greatest hope of Zhu Yongxing and the General Staff. For this reason, Zhu Yongxing did not hesitate to sacrifice some economic interests and attracted warships from Britain and France to come to help in the war. Although Britain and France had little influence in Asia, and although the two countries sent only five warships in total, the balance of power was clearly tilted in favor of the Ming army.

It's just that naval warfare is more difficult to grasp than land warfare, and it is not simply a matter of one plus one. Although Zhu Yongxing tried his best to unite all the forces that could be united, he was still nervous about the outcome of the battle.

However, things in the world are so wonderful that they don't follow a designed trajectory. Even Zhu Yongxing knows a lot of things that have happened in history. And try his best to guide and use it, but there are many things that he did not expect.

Now, an opportunity to win has suddenly been delivered to the South China Sea Fleet, but it is a little unexpected, I don't know whether to believe it, whether to seize it?

Guangdong's Qing army naval divisions were stationed in Zhelin Village, Jieshi Village, Nantou Village, Beijin Village, Baige Village, and Baisha Village, and managed the sea surface around Qiongzhou from Xuanzhong Port in Fujian Province to Leizhou Hai'an. Among them, the most effective is the Qing army of the three towns under the jurisdiction of Su Li, the general soldier of Jieshi, the general soldier of Raoping, Wu Liuqi, and the deputy general of the Nanyang Naval Division, Xu Long.

The Qing troops in these three towns were stationed in the coastal areas for a long time, and they were the only units in the Qing army that were more familiar with naval warfare. And. They had many encounters with Zheng Jun and accumulated a lot of experience in naval warfare, and were focused on by the South China Sea Fleet.

And when one of the objects of this attention, Su Li, the general soldier of Jieshi in Guangdong, sent a messenger to negotiate the conditions of surrender, and sent an opportunity to inflict heavy damage on the Qing army's sailors. Naturally, people will be suspicious and have to be treated with caution.

"It's a rare opportunity. But if it is a trick of the Qing army. What about leading our army into an ambush? "Jing Haibo Deng Yao, as the commander-in-chief of the South China Sea Fleet, is well aware of Zhu Yongxing's ardent expectations, and is naturally cautious and abnormal about the fleet's actions.

Linghai General Chen Shangchuan didn't dare to be sure, but just made his own analysis, "If it is said to be a trick of the Qing army. It is unlikely that Sully would have offered such a surrender condition. Only His Royal Highness has the right to allow such conditions, and others will never dare to accept them without permission. ”

"This is also in line with Sully's consistent character, short-sighted and mercenary." Zhenhai General Yang Yandi pursed his lips. Although he also came from a reckless background, his current identity is different, and he despises this former colleague.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, in the surrounding areas centered on Chaozhou Mansion and Huizhou Mansion, there were five major pirates who opposed the imperial court, and the world was commonly known as the thief in the north and the thief in the south. Among them, there are five tigers, namely Wu Liuqi of Sanheba in Taipo, Su Li of Jieshi (now Lufeng Jieshi Town, Shanwei City), Raoping Huanggang, Huang Hairu, Haishan Zhu Ayao, Chenghai Nanyang Xu Long, known as "Five Tigers Tide" in history.

At the beginning of the seventh year of Shunzhi, Pingnan Wang Shang Kexi and other troops led troops from Nanxiong to Shaozhou, and Wu Liuqi of Sanheba and Jieshi Suli went to the province to surrender. Because Su Li and Zheng Chenggong formed a deep grudge when they competed for power at sea, Su Li after the surrender of the Qing Dynasty not only repeatedly attacked and robbed Zheng Chenggong's generals who came to Haifeng to transport grain and recruit troops, but also broke through Zheng Chenggong's Huilai camp.

Zheng Chenggong hated Su Li to the core, scolded him as a traitor and repeatedly sent generals to attack Jieshi City, including Gan Hui, one of the "Five Tiger Generals", but they were all repelled by Su Li with the strong city of Xiongzhen with negative mountains and seas.

After the Qing court issued the "Boundary Relocation Order", Su Li was very dissatisfied with the Qing court's policy, and secretly instructed his subordinates to obstruct the relocation officials. However, as the Qing court sent ministers to the provinces to inspect the "border migrants", all localities became more vigorous and resolute in driving coastal residents into the interior, and Haifeng County was no exception.

One had to strictly implement the imperial order, but the other sent people to destroy the boundary pillars and stone tablets for relocation, and the relationship between Ruan Shipeng and Su Li suddenly became tense in Haifeng County. Ruan Shipeng's repeated sabotage of Su Li can be described as extremely corrupt. On the one hand, he threatened to send troops to attack Su Li, and on the other hand, he complained to Shang Kexi and the governor, preparing to completely subdue Su Li, so as to "relocate and resettle" smoothly, so that his political achievements could be scored a few more points.

Historically, Su Li finally met with Ruan Shipeng's sword soldiers, and then established his own kingdom, with the national name "Long Fei", and privately built a royal palace, openly opposed the relocation of the Qing court, and displayed the banner of anti-Qing righteousness. At that time, Nanming was about to perish, and Su Li and Zheng Chenggong had an old grudge that could not be resolved, so they could only do it alone.

Now Su Li still wants to rebel, but he has the choice of asking for help. It's just that, as Yang Yandi said, Su Li is short-sighted and very arrogant, and he actually regards Hai and Lufeng as his own things, and puts forward similar conditions for separatism.

As for Su Li's anti-Qing Dynasty, it is not in Zhu Yongxing's memory, and this historical fact is not covered in many historical materials because its influence is not very great. Zhu Yongxing's omission because of this is also understandable. Therefore, not only did he not warn the officers of the South China Sea Fleet, but when granting Deng Yao and others the right to make decisions on the spot, he only limited his power to the combat aspect.

"Report this matter to Your Highness, and let Your Highness decide!" In the end, Deng Yao did not dare to be proficient, and decided to hand over the matter to Zhu Yongxing to deal with.

"Then let's make a plan first, so that His Highness doesn't make a decision and can't take action in a hurry." Chen Shangchuan had no objection to Deng Yao's decision, but he did have a plan.

"Do you think Your Highness will agree to such conditions?" Yang Yandi was a little disapproving, "It's just a Su Li, if the group of people who come to Toucheng to follow suit in the future, it will be difficult to deal with." ”

"Let's not say whether Su Li Toucheng is true or not, I don't think His Highness will set such a bad example." Deng Yao nodded approvingly, but then said, "However, it is true that you should be prepared." Your Highness - there are always wonderful ideas, and we can't speculate lightly. ”

"I'm afraid it's too late?" Chen Shangchuan still had some doubts, but it was related to the safety of the fleet, and he didn't dare to act rashly until the truth was confirmed.

"It's better if it's too late." Yang Yandi smiled, "Just to see if this Su Li is really sincere." is so arrogant just according to Jieshi, do you really think that you can resist the Qing army in Guangdong with your own few men? Do you really think we can't do without him? ”

Deng Yao thought so, nodded again and again, the substantial increase in strength made him full of confidence, and he very much wanted to win a big victory, and win the favor of His Royal Highness Min, or take another step higher.

Chen Shangchuan suddenly looked at Yang Yandi thoughtfully, and said meaningfully for a long time: "Our South China Sea Fleet lacks Su Li and is not afraid of the Qing Army's Guangdong Naval Division, if the Guangdong Naval Division does not have Su Li, then what can it do?" ”

Deng Yao and Yang Yandi glanced at each other, stunned, and vaguely felt that there was an opportunity to take advantage of it, but they couldn't think of it at once.

"The Qing army is assembling sailors in the water village of Baigemen (now Tongming Fishing Port, Mazhang Taiping Town, Zhanjiang City)." Chen Shangchuan smiled slightly and explained: "If Su Li has the heart of righteousness, he will not be honest and obedient, and he should save his strength; If it is a deception and an ambush, we should also determine the place with our reply. In this way, our army can plan as planned, and while sending someone to report to His Highness, he asked Su Li to return, only saying that he needs to wait for His Highness's decision to paralyze the Qing army. Then, our army can dispatch the whole division to surprise attack the Baigemen Water Village and severely damage or annihilate the Qing Army's water division. ”

Deng Yao and Yang Yandi fell into thought, and then they looked at the map in unison, and their eyes slowly stayed on the Qiongzhou Strait.

The key to the surprise attack is here, the Qiongzhou Strait is about 80 kilometers long, and the narrowest point is only 18 kilometers.

Maybe you don't have to avoid the Qing army sentry ships? Deng Yao raised his head with some suspicion, just met Chen Shangchuan's gaze, blinked, and said tentatively: "Rush straight over, see the ship hitting the ship, see people killing, and rush to the White Pigeon Gate Water Village before the Qing army calls the police?" ”

Call the police or take the land route, or take the sea route, the fastest way is naturally the sea route. If the Qing army sentry ship is sunk, or closely followed by the Qing army sentry ship, how much preparation time can the Qing army sailors have?

"My lord." Chen Shangchuan nodded in agreement, and said in detail: "Our army can be divided into three divisions one after another, even if the Qing army sentry ship can escape the alarm, it will only detect the ships and troops of our army's forward, so that the enemy will miscalculate. The worst result is that the enemy's entire division will come to meet him, and a decisive battle at sea is also what our army wants, so what is there to fear? ”

"yes, it's just a decisive battle." Deng Yao was moved, he turned his eyes to look at the two deputies, and they were greeted with eager eyes.

"My lord, my subordinates are willing to be pioneers." Yang Yandi couldn't bear his temperament and took the lead in asking for help.

……………… (To be continued......)