Wang Zhuo's face showed a look of grief and indignation, and said: "My subordinates saw the enemy army pouring into the North Acropolis, and they wanted to rescue but they were powerless!" Immediately, there was an earth-shattering bang from the North Acropolis, and the smoke and flames engulfed the entire Acropolis! Presumably, Zhao Jun ignited the powder magazine at the last moment and perished with the enemy! ”

Guan Shan frowned.

Wang Zhuo continued: "I saw that the South Acropolis was about to be unable to hold it, so I led everyone to break through and leave. Before leaving, I lit the powder magazine. Soon after, there was a violent explosion. All the ordnance should have been destroyed, but I don't know if it killed the enemy. ”

Guan Shan thought that he had heard a series of violent explosions when he was marching towards Xiou City before, and he didn't understand what was going on at the time, but now he finally understood. ……

Guan Shan led the remnants of the defeated army to catch up with the brigade retreating eastward. Deng Mingqi and the others couldn't help but be shocked when they saw the heavy losses of the soldiers and horses, but Guan Shan came back safely and felt a little comforted.

That night, the party camped in the wilderness, and the bonfires were scattered among the mountains, corresponding to the stars in the sky; No one spoke this night, and the sound of crying sounded from time to time in the night wind.

Guan Shan, Deng Mingqi, Zhang Hong, and Wang Zhuo gathered in the tent. Guan Shan asked Deng Mingqi, "Has the situation here been reported to Your Majesty?" ”

Deng Mingqi shook his head and said, "That night was chaotic, the carrier pigeons were lost, and I couldn't report it to His Majesty." Guan Shan frowned and said: "We must find a way to report to Your Majesty, otherwise Your Majesty will continue to come to help without knowing the enemy's situation, I am afraid that they will be in danger!" If Your Majesty has three long and two short, even if we die ten thousand times, it will not be enough to atone for our sins! Everyone couldn't help but nod their heads, their faces worried.

Deng Mingqi said: "I don't know if the fleet has broken through?" If they break through, they can send a ship to report to His Majesty. ”

Guan Shan said: "If they break through, they should also go to the supply depot in the east, maybe they can meet there." Even if they hadn't broken through, the supply depot would have had ships. We are walking very slowly with the people, but this matter must not be delayed. I would like to send someone to the supply depot and sail out to report to Your Majesty. Everyone nodded, and Wang Zhuo said worriedly: "I'm afraid that the supply station has also been attacked!" When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but worry. Since the Tamils and Sinhalese have colluded with the English, I am afraid that they have really attacked the supply station, and if the supply station also falls, not only will they not be able to send ships to inform Your Majesty, but they will also be in a very terrible predicament.

Guan Shan said to Wang Zhuo: "Commander Wang, you immediately lead a hundred people under your command to rush to the supply station as quickly as possible. Whatever the case may be, send someone back immediately. Wang Zhuo clenched his fists and promised, got up and ran out of the big tent.

However, before Wang Zhuo could set out, many ordinary people fled from the east. Seeing this scene, Guan Shan and the others couldn't help but have a bad premonition in their hearts, and after asking, it was really the supply station on the east coast that had an accident. Tamils and Sinhalese with a total of 10,000 horses and many Tamils and Sinhalese people, totaling tens of thousands of horses, suddenly attacked the supply depot a day earlier. Seeing that the supply depot had only 500 defenders, the commander of the supply depot told the people to flee for their lives, but because the sea was blocked by the enemy fleet and could not escape, the people fled for their lives by land. The Ming army remained in the supply depot to fend off the enemy. According to those who fled, when they fled, the enemy had not yet breached the supply depot, but it is not clear what the situation was now.

After Guan Shan got this information, he had to change his plan to retreat to the supply station, leaving Deng Mingqi in charge and bringing the people into the nearby mountains to wait for rescue. He led hundreds of sergeants towards the supply depot. In his mind, if the supply depot had not yet been lost, he would rush into the city to join the defenders of the city and hold the supply depot. In this way, you can also save the next bridgehead for your side.

When the people heard the news that the supply depot in the east had also been attacked, they were even more panicked, and the scene was chaotic. Deng Mingqi: It took a lot of effort for them to calm down the people. Early the next morning, Deng Mingqi and the others escorted the people to retreat towards the nearby mountains. Guan Shan, on the other hand, had already led hundreds of soldiers and horses to the supply depot last night.

Hurry up, the supply depot is finally in sight. However, all you see is billowing black smoke, and the entire supply depot is covered in smoke. Guan Shan frowned, and Wang Zhuo said angrily: "We're late!" Guan Shan calmed himself down and ordered: "Retreat!" ”

Xiao Tianci led the forward fleet all the way to Xiou Island, and in the evening of that day, a report suddenly came from the front, saying that there was a fleet in front of him.

Xiao Tianci immediately ran to the lookout and looked ahead, only to see that under the dim light, there was indeed a fleet sailing towards this side. However, the light is not good at this time, and it is impossible to distinguish the identity of the other party. Xiao Tianci's son Chopin frowned and said, "Is this our fleet left behind in Xiou Island?" ”

Xiao Tianci shook his head and said, "No, it's the enemy!" Then he hurriedly ordered: "Send the order to go down and prepare for battle!" The flagship immediately gave the order, and the forward fleet immediately set up a geese attack formation.

At this time, on the opposite side of the Ming forward fleet, the English general Marconot also discovered the Ming fleet, and judged their identity, and immediately ordered the herald to order the fleet to prepare for battle, and at the same time sent a signal rocket.

The fleets of the two sides continued to approach, and then a huge roar broke the silence of the sea, and the smoke and flames on the sea surface were seen, and the water column in the middle of the two fleets soared into the sky. Gradually, the English fleet could not resist it, and the soldiers panicked, and some ships fled the battlefield without orders. Xiao Tianci was very excited when he saw that the enemy was invincible, and urged the fleet to chase after him, and in the sound of rolling cannons, he saw one by one English warships sinking into the sea.

However, at this moment, Xiao Tianci suddenly found that a huge enemy fleet appeared on the left and right flanks, and the enemy fleet in front was overwhelming. ……

Yang Peng was sitting in the cabin reading a book, and Yan Ji and Wang Rong hurried in. Narijo heard footsteps and looked up. Wang Rong stepped forward to present the flying pigeon biography and said, "I just received the flying pigeon biography of the forward fleet. ”

Yang Peng unfolded the note, read it again, frowned, and muttered, "The vanguard fleet has failed?" ”

Wang Rong said: "They should have encountered the main fleet of England!" But the strange thing is, how could the main fleet of England appear in the waters east of Seagull Island? ”

Yang Peng frowned and said, "The situation may be much more serious than we expected!" Maybe Seagull City has been lost! ”

The two women were startled, and Yan Ji said, "This is impossible!" If something happens to Seagull City, we should receive a message from the flying pigeon! ”

Yang Peng said: "Maybe there is some reason why your secret agents can't send a message." There are many possible scenarios, and the loss of the West Gull is the worst-case scenario. In any case, since the enemy's fleet is coming at us, let's go up and fight them. I'd like to see if the English fleet is as powerful as they boast of it. ”

The main fleet continued to march westward, and since the enemy fleet had already appeared, Wang Hai Wang Rong did not dare to be careless at all, and sent all the sentinel ships to be on guard.

In the middle of the night, the forward fleet retreated. Soon after, Xiao Tianci stood in front of Yang Peng and pleaded guilty with a face of shame.

Yang Peng said with a smile: "Victory and defeat are common. Besides, it's not a shame that you defeated the enemy's vanguard at the beginning, but you were not defeated by the opponent's main fleet. Xiao Tianci said gratefully: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" ”

Yang Peng stood up, walked up to Xiao Tianci, and said, "Tell me in detail about the situation of the enemy's fleet." ”

"Yes. The size of the enemy's fleet is very large, and I don't know if what the Admiral saw was all of the enemy's fleet, but in terms of the size of the Admiral alone, it surpassed our fleet. ......" Wang Hai Wang Rong couldn't help but show disbelief when she heard this.

I only heard Xiao Tianci continue: "The performance of the enemy's warships is no worse than ours, all kinds of gunboats, all kinds of assault clippers, and they really have heavy artillery that can match our giant python cannon!" Almost half of the more than 20 ships destroyed by the last general's men were destroyed by this heavy artillery! ”

Yang Peng snorted, his face thoughtful. Then he said to Xiao Tianci: "Very good." You've worked hard, go down and rest. Xiao Tianci responded and left.

Yan Ji frowned and said, "It's unbelievable that the English people have the same sharp weapons as us!" ”

Yang Peng smiled: "That's nothing. It is men who fight wars, weapons are secondary. Yan Ji said worriedly: "That's right, but I'm afraid this battle is very difficult to fight!" Yang Peng smiled, "Our navy is always at war with opponents who are far weaker than ourselves, and it is time to compete with an opponent of equal strength!" It is difficult to truly be strong without experiencing such a war! Yan Ji said angrily: "According to what my husband said, this is a good thing!" Yang Peng smiled. Wang Hai clenched his fists with a proud face and said, "The last general will not disappoint Your Majesty!" No matter how strong his enemy is, our Ming Navy will definitely be able to completely destroy him! Wang Rong also nodded confidently. Yang Peng smiled and praised: "That's what you want!" ”

The English navy, after encountering the Ming forward fleet, also immediately sent sentinel ships, and at the same time, the main fleet followed behind the sentinel ships and slowly searched and advanced to the east. The English did not know the specifics of the Ming fleet, but they had absolute self-confidence, confident that no force on the sea could challenge their supremacy, not in the West, nor in the East.

Two of the most powerful maritime powers of this era are approaching, and a naval battle of unprecedented scale is about to break out.

The next morning, the sun shines on the sea, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the air is refreshing. Such good weather is a good time for a big battle.

Suddenly, an alarm came from the front-line sentinel ship, saying that the enemy fleet had been spotted and that it was very large. At about the same time, the sentinels of the English fleet also sent a report to their fleet that they had discovered a large enemy fleet.

The fleets of both sides formed a battle formation and continued to march forward. About half an hour later, Yang Peng stood on the lookout and saw a black line on the horizon, and after a while, the black line became clear, covering the sky and the sea, and it was a very large fleet. Various orders were transmitted, and all the officers and men of the navy were ready for battle. Everyone was excited, this was the most powerful enemy fleet they had ever encountered since their military career.

The fleets of both sides were approaching, and the details of the opposing ships and the sailors on them could already be clearly seen. Boom, boom, boom, boom......! A violent roar suddenly rang out, and the water column in the middle of the two fleets soared into the sky, and in an instant, the entire sea seemed to be boiling! The ballista warships of both sides rushed towards each other, entangled in the gunboat formation, and fought fiercely! Huge spears and arrows flew in the sky, and from time to time spears and arrows swept the sailors on the deck into the sea, and flesh and blood flew everywhere; From time to time, sailors jumped onto the opponent's boat and fought hand-to-hand, and the shouts and screams of the fighting rang out in one place; Sailors on both sides continue to fall into the sea, and the soldiers on both sides who fall into the sea are still fighting with their lives; Cannonballs whistled overhead, the warships on both sides collapsed, sawdust flew sideways, and the warships that were badly damaged by the artillery fire slowly sank into the sea with a mournful roar!

Just when the two fleets were inseparable, a Ming fleet suddenly came down from the north and stormed the flank of the English fleet, and the flank of the English fleet became chaotic. The main fleet of the Ming Dynasty took advantage of the situation to attack fiercely and began to slowly occupy the initiative on the battlefield.

However, at this moment, an English fleet suddenly appeared in the south, and from the south it rushed towards the Ming fleet and attacked the flank of the Ming fleet. The Ming fleet didn't expect them to have such a move, they were defenseless, and the flanks were also impulsive, and the advantage they had just occupied was gone.

The two fleets fought fiercely on the sea, with gunboats bombarding each other's fleets and clippers and ballista ships clashing across the battlefield! The sea surface has completely boiled, and the originally blue sea cannon fire and blood have been dyed red! A great battle lasted from morning to noon, and from noon to evening, and it was never decided.

Exhausted, both sides invariably stopped their offensive and slowly withdrew from the battlefield. All that remains is the shocking wreckage of the battlefield. Unarmed clippers were sent into the battlefield to recover the bodies of their soldiers and rescue the wounded. The men on both sides went their own way, and there was no fighting.

In the flagship cabin, Wang Hai Wang Rong pleaded guilty to Yang Peng: "Your Majesty, the last general is incompetent and has not defeated the enemy!" ”

Yang Peng smiled: "You did a good job, even better than I expected, but the enemy is not an ordinary person, and you are not to blame for not winning!" Then he muttered: "I originally thought that the English people were all brainless pigs, but I didn't expect this generalissimo of the English navy to have some intrigues!" Wang Hai Wang Rong nodded sympathetically, Wang Hai said: "My sister came up with a way to attack head-on and attack on the flanks, but I didn't expect those Western barbarians to think of this method as well!" ”

Yang Peng said: "The enemy is not simple, you have to deal with it carefully, but you don't have to tie your hands and feet, you have to sway freely according to your own intentions and characteristics!" The two bowed down and agreed, and Wang Hai said: "Please rest Your Majesty, we are leaving!" Yang Peng nodded, and the two exited the cabin.

After Yan Ji waited for the two of them to leave, she said with some concern: "The concubine is worried that the two of them are not each other's opponents, or Your Majesty personally commands the navy to be safe!" ”

Yang Peng smiled, waved his hand and said, "Don't overstep your responsibilities, believe in your generals." "From ancient times to the present, almost all wars in which the Supreme Leader interferes with front-line commanders end in defeat. This has happened in almost every dynasty, the most famous of which was the Anshi Rebellion, and if it weren't for Tang Xuanzong's interference in Ge Shuhan's command, that war might have been a different situation. Perhaps the Tang Dynasty would not have to abandon the capital Chang'an and flee westward, the Anshi Rebellion might be pacified soon, and Tang Xuanzong himself would not have to say goodbye to his beloved concubine Yang Guifei at the foot of Ma Wei Slope.

Yang Peng said: "I don't know much about the way of water warfare. Although I understand the tactics of besieging the city and sending reinforcements and attacking the east and the west, I don't understand the characteristics of the navy, and I can't use them. Therefore, it is better not to interfere in the matter of water warfare. Besides, I also hope that Wang Hai and Wang Rong can go through some more tempering and become truly invincible blades on the sea. ”

Yan Ji said with a smile: "Husband's open-mindedness is naturally unmatched. It's just that Your Majesty doesn't worry about them losing the battle? ”

Yang Peng said with a smile: "The last thing a country should be afraid of is to lose the war. Don't be afraid to lose battles, and have the determination to keep fighting the enemy. If you fail, learn your lesson, and make a comeback in the future. As long as we don't have the self-righteous idea of benevolence and righteousness like Confucianism, then the loss of ten fiascos only needs one victory to earn back. Yan Ji nodded thoughtfully.

In the following period, the Ming fleet and the English fleet continued to fight, each with its own strange schemes, and the battle was in full swing. However, neither side was able to take advantage of anything, and the war entered a stalemate. However, the overall situation was very unfavorable for the Ming army. On the vast sea, naval conquest needs a base that can be docked and repaired as a support in order to maintain combat effectiveness. Now that Xiou City has fallen, the Ming Navy has no base support and can no longer hold on. As a last resort, Wang Rong and her brother Wang Hai made a request to Yang Peng to retreat. Yang Peng only said: "You are the commander-in-chief of the navy, and it is up to you to decide how to fight, whether to advance or retreat." So the navy began to retreat eastward.

Yang Peng stood on the deck and looked at the vast sea and the huge fleet, and the whole person fell into side contemplation. Suddenly, a cloak draped over his shoulders, and a familiar fragrance came to his nose. Yang Peng smiled slightly, "Wife." Yan Ji appeared beside Yang Peng and said angrily; How do you call a concubine's wife? Could it be that the concubine is very old? Yang Peng held Yan Ji's slender hand and said with a smile: "This is the local dialect of our hometown, only a husband who loves his wife very much will call it that!" Yan Ji's beautiful eyes were full of brilliance, and she said softly: "The concubine also loves her husband very much!" Under the four eyes, the affection is lingering, and everything is in plain sight.

Yan Ji couldn't help but lean into her lover's arms and said softly, "Is your husband worried about the current war?" In fact, there is no need to worry at all, the enemy has not taken advantage of anything at all! ”

Yang Peng smiled bitterly; "Is this still called not taking advantage? We even lost Nishigull Island! Yan Ji snorted and said proudly: "Just let those barbarians be proud first, or it won't be long before our army will make them regret provoking us!" ”

Yang Peng said: "The war has developed to this point, but it was also what we expected at the beginning. The enemy's forces are huge, and it is difficult to hold on to Nishigull Island. It's just that I later had some illusions, wanting to keep the important strategic stronghold of Xiou City so that I could counterattack in the future. The Guan brothers don't know whether they are alive or dead, and the people in the city don't know what happened. These are the result of my bad decisions. I am no more now than I was at the beginning, and any decision is related to the life and death of thousands of people. ”

Yan Ji shook her head and said, "It's not my husband's fault. Any judgment, any decision, there will always be a time when it is not satisfactory, how can everything be judged correctly? Yang Peng smiled, and then said: "Today I will cook myself, stir-fry two side dishes, let's have a good drink!" Yan Ji's eyes lit up and said, "That concubine is blessed!" ”

The English fleet won for the time being, but it also lost the spirit of attack, and the fleet stayed at Seagull City to rest.

Soon after, more than 200,000 Heavenly Kingdom expeditionary forces arrived on Xiou Island. Tamils and Sinhalese could not help but panic when they saw the sudden influx of hundreds of thousands of blonde, blue-eyed and vicious Westerners. The King of Tamil and the King of Sinhala sent emissaries to the Westerners, but the response was terrifying. The commander of the heavenly army gave the Tamils and Sinhalese an ultimatum to pay their respects to God by giving five million quintals of grain and grass and fifty million taels of silver within three days. Otherwise, they will be punished for heresy.

The Kingdom of Tamil and Sinhalese are just small countries on the island of Siou, where can they get five million quintals of grain and grass and fifty million taels of silver? Even a tenth of the amount can never be taken out. The two kings were frightened and sent envoys to negotiate, but they didn't expect that the envoys sent this time would be sent back by the other party! Immediately, the Celestial Coalition from the West attacked the Tamils and Sinhalese, and the army of more than 200,000 invaded the island like 200,000 vicious wolves. Tamils and Sinhalese were slaughtered, corpses piled up in towns, creeks filled and smoke billowed everywhere! The wealth accumulated by the two kingdoms over the centuries has become the spoils of God's war!

Guan Shan and others, who were hiding in the mountains, couldn't help but gloat when they got the news, but at the same time, they were worried that those Westerners would come to the mountains to search. If this happens, it will be impossible to protect the people with the little combat strength that is currently left.

After all, what happens next, let's see how it will be broken down next time.