"How's the ship?" Xue Yong asked Tang Liudao.

"Ok! Sometimes it's a little awkward to sail, but it's good to get used to it. Tang Liu made a gesture of invitation, and invited Xue Yong to his flagship.

This time, Zheng Zhilong built eight medium-sized armed merchant ships for Wu Shigong. Because it is a sea vessel, it is always a little different from an inland river vessel, and the operation method is also a little different. However, after Tang Liu's exploration these days, they can still drive well.

After getting on the ship, Xue Yong, under the leadership of Tang Liu, visited the ship very curiously, and when he saw the cannons erected on the deck, Xue Yong asked with great interest: "How many cannons are there on this ship?" ”

"Seven Gates!" Tang Liu replied, "The bow of the ship is a three-pound one." There are three doors on each side, one door is three pounds, and two doors are one pound. ”

"Quite a few!" Xue Yong immediately laughed.

"It's still too little! Not very useful. Tang Liu also smiled, "In such a small place, there are not many cannons." This is a cannon on the water, the boat is shaking, and there is no accuracy, how good is the cannon. My lord! Look at this ship, there is no place to put guns on the stern, so you can only arrange more manpower and prepare to jump to help. ”

"What are you afraid of? When did our Runing Army ever be afraid of real swords and real guns? Xue Yong's eyes immediately widened. However, he still patted the cannon lovingly, "It's good to still have a cannon!" ”

"That's what your lord said!" Tang Liu also laughed. Although he had not participated in any naval battles, Tang Liu was still very familiar with surface combat, so he deeply understood the role of artillery on ships, and now Tang Liu was already a fanatical supporter of big ships and giant artillery.

"Huh?" Xue Yong suddenly thought of something, "When I followed my uncle, I once heard him talk about the battleship, wasn't the cannon in the belly of the ship?" Uncle said. That kind of ship, many can be loaded with hundreds of doors, weishenme is not this kind of ship this time? ”

"Oh! My lord, you are talking about a Western ship of Fanzi. The general soldier also asked Zheng Guerrilla, but Fujian could not build it. Those of us who have been to Zheng's guerrilla ships have also said that even Zheng's own ships do not have Western gunboats. It should be that Zheng Guerrilla didn't lie there. ”

The construction of ocean-going ships and warships in the Ming Dynasty has indeed lagged behind the West, and now Zheng Zhilong wants to do business and hopes that each ship will carry more goods, so he has little interest in building warships and has not conducted research in this area.

For the sake of secrecy, Tang Liu did not tell Xue Yong. In fact, under Wu Shigong's secret order, the Runing Army Naval Division has secretly built an experimental boat imitating a Western warship in Xinyang. So this time, Zhang Rubao, the commander of the Runing Army and Naval Division, did not come, he presided over the trial voyage in Xinyang.

Although the ship was quite small, with only three three-pounder guns on each side, at least construction had begun along these lines. Of course. Changing a small boat into a big ship is not a simple increase in size, and there are many jishu difficulties. There is also the problem of timber that needs to be solved. But after all, the research has already begun.

Wu Shigong is a person who likes to take everything into his own hands. The construction of such a small boat not only carried out the necessary jishu reserves, but also trained a group of craftsmen, and was able to increase the voice in the interaction with Zheng Zhilong, so it was not a disadvantage to do so. Besides, the ship is small. It is still very effective in inland rivers, and the sailors of the Runing Army can use such warships to effectively control the water network and lakes in the south of the Yangtze River.

On 28 August, more than 13,000 troops of the Runing Army officially carried their own sailors and 100 requisitioned civilian ships. Descending from Huanggang, he officially joined the war.

On the same day, Xiong Wencan, the premier of the five provinces, also handed over to Wang Jiazhen and officially took over the command of the five provinces.

"Can't you just let Xiao Xinzi stay two more days? He has not been married for a month, and he is going to go to the battlefield, you are too ruthless as a master! In the inner house, Zhao Ruya and Wu Shigong quarreled.

"Two more days? Not a few more months! I know you, I want Xiao Jie to get pregnant, and then let Xiao Xinzi out. Don't think I don't know, you two are talking about something in the room. ”

As soon as the curtain was lifted, Xiao Jie, who was hiding behind, rushed out. She was already dressed as a woman, and her eyes were red like two peaches: "Daddy! You have so many people, just let your husband go this time! After finishing speaking, Xiao Jie sobbed timidly again.

"Malegobi!" Wu Shigong was angry. This Huguang battle is obviously not very dangerous, Wu Shigong thought about letting Tao Xin make meritorious service, and naturally promoted him, but he didn't expect to be entangled in the scalp by two women with long hair and short knowledge, Wu Shigong felt that he was kind enough to be a donkey's liver and lungs.

However, seeing Xiaojie was very sad, Wu Shigong's heart couldn't help but soften, he slowed down and said, "Girl! The man has ambitions in all directions, and it is not okay to trap him in a square inch. Will Dad still hurt you? In this way, let Xiao Xinzi bring the new legion, and my personal army will also give him 300 people, so that he can always be guarded! Shrewd! Obedient! ”

"It's ......, but it's ......." Xiao Jie also forgot to wipe the tears on her face, looking anxious.

"My daughter is afraid that Xiao Xinzi will bring the woman back from outside." It was Zhao Ruya who said Xiao Jie's heart.

"He dares!" Wu Shigong is full of domineering spirit, "There is no child's play in the army, who dares to touch women?" ”

"Aren't you like that?" Xiao Jie muttered on the side.

"How?" Seeing Wu Shigong stunned on the spot, Zhao Ruya hurriedly played a round, "Why don't you go out quickly?" ”

Seeing Xiao Jie return to the inner room, Wu Shigong, who was extremely thick-skinned, also felt a little blushing. He explained without words: "I haven't brought a woman back these few times. ”

"Who knows?" Zhao Ruya glanced at Wu Shigong, "Didn't the two flowery girls from Jinling City just write to you?" ”

"Nima's, whose tongue is chewing wildly?" Wu Shigong suddenly became angry. When Wu Shigong received the letters from Liu Rushi and Gu Hengbo, he was indeed a little fluttering. But he was also afraid of the restlessness of the house, so he hid the two letters well.

"Humph!" Zhao Ruya ignored Wu Shigong at all, turned around and walked outside the house.

Wu Shigong was also a thief, so he didn't put the two letters in the study, but hid the two letters in the inner house. But there are so many leather boys and crazy girls playing around in the inner house, what hidden things can't be found?

As a compromise with his daughter Xiaojie, Wu Shigong added another 3,600 troops to Nanzhili. Under the leadership of Tao Xin, they went straight to Chuzhou by land through Fengyang Mansion. And the new corps dispatched this time was newly formed by the Runing Army, and the corps commander was Yuan Shizhong. Compared with the other main battle legions, this legion is slightly weaker, and the equipment of firearms is relatively lacking.

"Free time? Where do you go for free time? Jin Xiong asked.

"You ask me, who do I ask?" Liu Guoneng looked angry, "Anyway, let's move forward!" You can't turn back, you can go wherever you go. ”

"Then go to Nanjing, let's get a ticket." Jin Xiong looked gearing up.

"Nonsense!" Liu Guoneng immediately laughed and scolded: "General Wu is still a member of the imperial court, if he defeats Nanjing City, he won't be able to protect us at that time!" ”

"Isn't that just going to Chuzhou?" Jin Xiong is depressed, and after talking for a long time, there is only one choice for this free activity!

After receiving Xue Yong's order, Liu Guoneng went straight to Chuzhou. Since the nearby Ming troops were all transferred to Nanjing, Chuzhou's defense was quite empty.

But Liu Guoneng no longer wants to fight this state city. In the battle with Huang Degong, Liu Guoneng's old foundation was too lost, and he was unwilling to lose his strength for siege warfare.

So Liu Guoneng first swept away the countryside of Chuzhou, and because there was Hongze Lake in the northeast, they went east, through Lai'an, towards Yangzhou.

The salt merchants in Yangzhou City did not expect that the flames of war would burn to their doorstep, they were shocked, and immediately mobilized all kinds of officials and troops to help. They first withdrew the officers and troops of Yangzhou Wei into Yangzhou City, and then went to Nanjing to mobilize reinforcements from Nanjing City.

However, Liu Guoneng's ministry was too close to the city of Nanjing, and Nanjing itself was too busy to take care of itself, so it could not manage Yangzhou on the other side of the river at all. So the salt merchants could only use money to open the way.

They first rushed to Xuzhou and asked the officers and troops of Xuzhou Wei to come to help. But when he heard that he was fighting against a huge peasant army, Xuzhou Wei was not sensitive. This has a life to take money, and it has a life to spend money!

So the Yangzhou salt merchants began to rush to the doctor, and they spent 30,000 taels of silver and gathered more than 1,000 horse bandits to stop Liu Guoneng. And after those horse bandits received the money, they went straight to Liu Guoneng with great professional ethics, and then all took refuge in Liu Guoneng.

Now those Yangzhou salt merchants are out of line. But at this time, they suddenly thought: There are two salt merchants who are friends with Wu Shigong of Runing, so they immediately summoned Guo Zeng'an and Lu Jianchen to discuss.

"Both! This time, it's going to be a big job. I want to implore Wu Runing to come to my aid soon! A salt merchant said politely.

"But far water can't quench your thirst?" Guo Zeng'an said embarrassedly, "It takes at least a month to go back and forth from here to Runing, and this doesn't count the time for transferring troops?" ”

"It's going to hold up here! We have spent so much money over the years to feed those Qiu Ba and Yanding, and the dogs we have raised for so many years have to help take care of the home! ”

"Tell both! The shopkeeper under the younger brother reported that Wu Runing had arranged an army in Huanggang. As long as the two of you say that they are moved, I will guarantee here that next year's salt introduction will be given priority, and we will give Wu Runing another 50,000 yuan in opening fees. And in the future, Wu Runing's salt goods will be given priority to supply in Yangzhou. ”

"Then let's try it!" Guo Zeng'an and Lu Jianchen said. (To be continued......)