More than ten miles downstream of Yiling Water Village, there is an unnamed Jiangxin Island.

The island follows the flow of the great river, and its shape is long and narrow, wide in the west and narrow in the east. The vegetation on it is very lush, and from a distance, there is a lush scene everywhere.

Jiangxin Island is closer to the south shore, and the narrowest point is no more than 100 paces away, so the boats on the river tend to go around the north of the island, and the waterway sandwiched by the south is usually only a few fishing boats.

Because of the dangerous location, Bao Xinyan sent troops to land on the island early in the morning, built an arrow tower, and firmly controlled it in his own hands. And this unsinkable "giant ship" also lived up to his expectations, played an important role in previous water battles, and helped the rebels win victories on the river many times.

The goal that Li Jiangyao used to boost the morale of the naval army was the first to choose this small island in the middle of the river.

"Taking this place can not only boost the morale of the army, but also can resist the rebel fleet here, reduce the pressure on the Yiling Water Village, and at the same time cut off the supply line of the upstream enemy, killing three birds with one stone!"

Li Jiangyao waved his hand and shouted: "Before the enemy's next attack, you must capture Jiangxin Island!" ”

According to his arrangement, it was still the scouts who went first. After a day and a night's work, the white-robed army spies basically figured out the situation on the island.

The enemy was concentrated at the western end of the island, where the terrain was relatively open, and Bao Xinyan had set up a strong fort of wood and stone, as well as three large arrow towers, two to the north and one to the south.

There are more than 2,000 rebels on the island, and it seems that they should be the old foundation of the Xuanjia Army, with strict defense and high vigilance.

In addition, the rebels also arranged more than 20 warships here, constantly cruising around the island all day long, in case the imperial navy approached.

All in all, Bao Xinyan obviously attaches great importance to the strategic significance of Jiangxin Island, so he also guards it very carefully.

It is not easy to take this place.

Li Jiangyao studied the information obtained by the scouts seriously all night, and the next day, he found Wang Wenlie and Yang Li and told him his plan.

The two subordinates were stunned after hearing this, and Yang Li couldn't help but ask, "Metropolitan Governor, how much price are you prepared to pay for this small island?" ”

Li Jiangyao didn't answer and asked: "How much do you think Jiangxin Island should cost me with the value of Jiangxin Island?" ”

Faced with the coach's question, Yang Li was silent, and Wang Wenlie said: "As you said, taking Jiangxin Island will kill three birds with one stone, and it can even directly reverse the unfavorable situation in front of you." Therefore, I feel that it is worth the price! ”

Hearing him say this, Yang Li also nodded lightly.

Li Jiangyao looked at the two of them with a smile and asked, "How is it, is my strategy feasible?" ”

Yang Li looked at him in the eye: "Since the Metropolitan Governor has made up his mind to fight, there is nothing to say about his humble position." Yanwutang martial arts students are willing to be the vanguard of the whole army! ”

"I called you two here, not to let you be the vanguard," Li Jiangyao said with a smile: "I want to ask you to help me judge, from the time our army launched an attack to Bao Xinyan led troops to help, how long did it take in between?" ”

Wang Wenlie and Yang Li are both born in the naval class, a first-class martial arts, a sailor training, whether it is military theory or practical experience, they can be called experts. Seeing that the Metropolitan Governor humbly asked for advice, the two did not dare to slack off, and at the same time thought about it seriously.

"An hour at the earliest."

"An hour or so."

The two men gave similar answers in no particular order.

Li Jiangyao nodded and pondered: "In other words, we must completely take Jiangxin Island within an hour, and have the ability to withstand the counterattack of the rebels." ”

"It's just too hard." Yang Li frowned and muttered.

Wang Wenlie seemed more confident than him: "Dadu Hu, let me go, I promise to complete the task!" ”

Li Jiangyao shook his head: "It's still my previous idea, the landing operation, the white-robed army is in charge, and it is also their task to defend Jiangxin Island." And you, you have to bear the pressure on the river. ”

Yang Li was silent for a while, and said, "Captain Wang and I, a total of four hundred warships in the two banners should be enough." Deal...... Die with the enemy! ”

Li Jiangyao waved his hand: "Hold the determination to fight to the death, it is worthy of recognition; But it is not advisable to die with the rebels. What I want you to fight skillfully and win battles. ”

Wang Wenlie bowed slightly, and responded: "Dadu Hu, you understand what you mean, I will go back with Yang Jiaoxi to carefully study the combat strategy to ensure that the first battle will be won!" ”

-

At night, the river is gentle and quiet.

Five hundred warships and fighting ships, in the dark night, slowly sailed out of the Yiling Water Village, divided into two columns in the north and south, and sailed downstream at the same time.

After walking a distance, when the position of the Jiangxin Island was getting closer, the two columns gradually converged again, forming an echelon formation that almost crossed the river.

Soon, they were spotted by a rebel warship patrolling the river, and while urgently sounding the gong, they lit the cupola cannon to warn their companions.

Wang Wenlie and Yang Li gave orders at the same time, and their respective fleets suddenly increased their speed, and they surrounded the island, and started a fierce battle with the enemy ships defending the island.

At this time, the rebels on the island were also awakened, and the military forts and arrow towers fired giant crossbows and arrows at the imperial warships on the river.

One hundred ships carrying the commandos of the White-robed Army bypassed the waterway where the fierce confrontation was raging, turned to the southern area, and carried out a landing operation from the middle of Jiangxin Island.

In the blink of an eye, four thousand ghost-faced white-robed soldiers jumped off the warship, waded through the river, rushed to the beachhead, and launched an attack on the Arrow Tower Fortress. Seeing this, the rebels stationed on the island hurriedly formed a formation to block the white-robed army from the fortress defense.

Today, the combat power of the Zhenjiang Army is definitely the top position among the contemporaneous armies, and the white-robed army is a well-deserved peak in the Zhenjiang Army. Thousands of white-robed warriors, even if they don't have war horses to gallop on, are still extremely strong.

In the dark night, they set off a white gust of wind, and directly swept into the rebel group, rushing left and right, as if entering a no-man's land.

It's not a fair fight, it's a one-sided slaughter!

Li Jiangyao jumped onto the beachhead and shouted: "Brothers, we only have one hour to sweep away the remnants of the enemy outside as soon as possible and knock down the military fort for me!" ”

The ghost-faced white-robed army, which already had an absolute advantage, became even more furious when they heard the order, and attacked the rebel defense line several times, and directly attacked the front of the fortress.

When Bao Xinyan set up this military fort before, he definitely never imagined that such a strong fortification, plus two thousand elite soldiers, would not even survive a meal, and would be beaten by the opponent in the face.

A group of white-robed soldiers armed with strong crossbows broke into the gate of the fortress and went up the stone stairs. When they ran out of arrows, they drew their long knives behind their backs and slashed at the remnants of the fort. In less than a quarter of an hour, the banner of the Jin army on the top floor of the military fort was kicked off, and then the eagle flag of the Zhenjiang army fluttered high.

Similarly, the three tall arrow towers in the north and south were quickly captured by the white-robed army, and the huge crossbow machine turned around and began to shoot at the rebel warships.

At this time, the more than 20 enemy ships outside the island had almost been sunk or damaged by Wang Wenlie and them. On the entire river, the dense turns are full of sails of the imperial court sailors.

While ordering his subordinates to reconstruct the defense line of Jiangxin Island, Li Jiangyao asked people to convey instructions to the naval army with a light signal: Quickly adjust the formation and prepare to meet the enemy's counterattack!

Nearly 400 warships moved on the order, relying on the small islands, forming six clusters on the north and south sides, and at the same time anchoring the ships and stabilizing the hull. Each cluster is composed of dozens of warships, arranged in a staggered manner according to certain rules, and looks strict and orderly, secretly in line with the art of war.

Soon after, the sound of war drums came from the lower reaches of the river. In the blink of an eye, heavy sail shadows appeared from the darkness, and as far as the eye could see, there were as many as five or six hundred!

Obviously, after Bao Xinyan learned of the attack on Jiangxin Island, he was really angry, so he dispatched the main fleet under his command to meet the battle, intending to make the imperial court sailors pay a heavy price.

Wang Wenlie stood on the flagship platform, calmly looked downstream, and said nothing. The subordinate general next to him reminded: "Captain, the Metropolitan Governor sent a signal to ask us, when will we start acting?" ”

"Don't panic." Wang Wenlie stared at the front with his eyes dead, and said in a deep voice: "Let the enemy come closer!" ”

With his words, the rebel warships on the river in the distance moved forward a lot, and at the same time, the entire fleet began to speed up and change formations, and as it went upstream, it spread horizontally, gradually covering the entire waterway.

Seeing that the rebels' ships were finally less than a mile away from him, Wang Wenlie suddenly waved his hand: "Pass my order and release the floating raft!" ”

The horn sounded suddenly, and the six clusters acted together. A few bamboo rafts were laid down on each warship one after another, and they drifted downstream along the river.

More than 1,000 square rafts, piled with hay, oil jars and a large number of fireworks, floated and floated in the dark river, drifting closer and closer to the oncoming rebels.

Suddenly, white smoke and flames appeared in a bamboo raft, as if someone had specially lit it. Immediately after that, the second, the third, the fourth...... More and more bamboo rafts lit up on their own, burning large and small open flames.

It turned out that these were the secret weapons invented by Wang Wenlie - "Flowing Fire Light Boat".

The bottom of the square bamboo raft is padded with a layer of cowhide or felt cloth that is waterproof, and then various flammable materials are stacked on it. The most important thing is to place a small paper bag of white phosphorus in a haystack drenched with fire oil, and when the raft is released, use a knife to cut the paper bag and expose the white phosphorus to the air.

As long as the time is calculated, the white phosphorus will spontaneously combust, and at the same time, the hay next to it can be lit.

Because the river is dark at night, it is difficult to find the bamboo raft without getting close enough.

Moreover, the entire rebel fleet is swimming against the current, which is equivalent to walking lightly against those flowing fires, and when the bamboo rafts automatically burn one after another, they are already close to the enemy ships!