Dominate the Country

The night has enveloped the earth. A bright moon hangs in the dark night sky, and the stars are like sparkling gems dotted in the night sky. The crescent moon is reflected in the river water. The Yangtze River, which has been rushing all day, looks particularly peaceful under the moonlight.

Chen Ming looked quietly to the north. More than ten miles away, the lights of the Qing army station in Yawosha were only a few faintly visible fire points. Yang Shijin is coming...

At this moment, at the Qing army naval station in Yawosha, Huang Zhenggang looked at the messenger who reported the news below with a face full of surprise and surprise. Chai Daji's troops actually rushed to Wusongkou at this time. This is really a blessing from heaven.

"Report to the general, after leaving Zhoushan, Lord Chai did not lead his troops to take the Yangshan waterway, but took a longer detour. On the way, he did not encounter the main fleet of the Fu Han Army. He sailed safely to the outside of Wusongkou and is now heading towards Yawosha." As for why the Fu Han Army's navy never returned and has not been seen until now, it is not something Chai Daji can know.

"Good, good, good!"

Huang Zhenggang, who was very satisfied, said three "good" words in a row. The three-day battle caused a great loss of his warships, and the morale of the army, which was already scattered, was even lower. Now with the supplement of Chai Daji's twenty or thirty warships, the strength in his hands is stronger than before the war. Morale must also be greatly increased!

"Pass the order down, light up the fire everywhere, and send sampans to lead the way." Huang Zhenggang wanted to announce this news to the whole army.

A bunch of bonfires and countless torches soon lit up on Yawosha Island, which looked like a pile of rekindled ashes from afar. Huang Zhenggang rushed to the shore excitedly and looked forward to it. The Qing navy, which had been dormant, also became lively because of this "surprise". Reinforcements arrived, and they actually had reinforcements!

It was really as happy as "a long drought met with sweet rain". Just as Huang Zhenggang imagined, cheers rang out all over Yawosha, and the morale of the whole team was greatly boosted.

The bright firelight projected far to Wusongkou. Looking at the sky in the north, it was all covered with a layer of fire red. Chen Ming and others on the high platform could see it clearly.

"Your Highness, Huang Zhenggang is looking for death." Liu Wu laughed. Isn't it looking for death? The fleet that still flew the Qing flag just changed to a red "heart" not long ago.

"Is the navy ready?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. Deputy Commander Luo has made arrangements." Liu Wu's face was still serious, but his eyes were full of excitement. When Chai Daji's surrender was passed to Chen Ming, Chen Ming was stunned, and Liu Wu and his group of people around him were even more surprised. But this is always a great thing. And from the surrender to today, more than a day has passed, and those surrendered Qing soldiers have not caused any trouble, and are very obedient, so no matter how much disbelief is extinguished by the indisputable facts.

Now they use their team to earn Huang Zhenggang's headquarters. As long as the fleet reaches Yawosha, isn't it a tiger entering a flock of sheep?

Luo Daliang and his mission is to deal with the Qing patrol fleet at Wusongkou, and then attack Yawosha. The two sides will return and completely wipe out the main force of the Qing navy. Chongming will be solved at dawn tomorrow!

This big worry in Chen Ming's heart has been eliminated!

Chen Ming opened his pocket watch and looked at it. The time just passed half past eight. The cool night wind blew over...

The platform is not just a high platform, but a large place. There are not only chairs, but also a small shed surrounded by tents, and even a place to go to the toilet at the back.

Chen Ming, Liu Wu and others are staying in the shed now, drinking tea, and snacks when they are hungry, staring at Yawosha. Chen Ming has changed the tea in his hand twice, but he didn't touch it. After eight o'clock, he sat there motionless. Although he didn't stand in front of the fence from time to time, his stern face let everyone know how great his expectations for tonight are.

"Boom boom boom..." At 9:20. The rumbling sound of artillery came from Yawosha.

Chen Ming jumped up and slammed his right hand hard on his left hand. "Good, good!" The sound of artillery finally came from the direction of Yawosha.

"Fireboat, set the fireboat, burn the fleet." Yang Shijin, standing on the bow, ordered loudly. The warships of the Qing army were now moored in an orderly manner, but they were all pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered. Looking at the Qing navy that quickly fell from a happy mood into the abyss of hell, and the panic-stricken camp, he felt so happy. Huang Zhenggang, you have this day too!

Because of Huang Zhenggang, because of the Qing navy in front of them, the entire navy is a head shorter than the army!

Speaking of this, Yang Shijin was full of bitter tears.

Chen Ming and others on the high platform then saw the fire in the direction of Yawosha once again, but it was a fireboat that was lit up, illuminating the river surface red, and then followed the night wind straight into the Qing navy's anchorage.

"This matter is finally complete!" The big stone in his heart fell to the ground completely. With this big fire, this battle is stable.

There were continuous gunfire and huge flames. Chai Daji had done Huang Zhenggang a heavy blow.

Chen Ming had just stepped to the fence when the gunfire outside Wusongkou also rang out. Luo Daliang personally led ten fast crab boats out of Wusongkou. The Qing warships there were panicked by the sudden changes in Yawosha and had no fighting spirit at all.

——Reinforcements had just arrived and morale soared. Why is it that now... is there a rebellion?

From the high platform, Chen Ming looked at the Fuhan army's crab boats as if they were fiery snakes gliding across the river. The Qing army's warships also all lit up their torches, and as soon as the two sides touched each other, the latter would burst into flames. After retreating, two ships were finally surrounded by the large sampans that followed, and they actually seemed to surrender without any resistance. Chen Ming couldn't see clearly from a distance. He only knew that the morale of the Qing army had been reduced. But seeing that the two warships were sandwiched between the front and rear of the large sampan boat, and there was no sound of cannons, he knew that it must be a surrender. No doubt.

Huang Zhenggang was not killed by the first wave of shells, he was not dead yet. While he was waiting on the shore, he was surrounded by a large group of people. The torches and fires illuminated them very clearly, like a big signal light. Yang Shijin ordered all ships to concentrate their firepower and shoot there with the first shot.

The artillery shells roared and exploded, and iron bullets and shrapnel flew everywhere. But Huang Zhenggang was surrounded by too many people, and at the same time, he was lucky enough to survive. He was only injured by two shrapnel. But how could the wounds on his body be more painful than the pain in his chest?

Betrayal, this is betrayal!

"Chai Daji, Chai Daji..." Huang Zhenggang shouted these two names sadly. All his expectations were completely destroyed by this man. "Your Majesty, I have a blind eye but a blind eye..."

Huang Zhenggang, who was carried to the back, cried bitterly. Looking at the water camp burned by the fire, he knew in his heart that they were completely finished.

"Stop fighting and surrender. Send my order and the entire army surrenders..." The overall situation has been lost, why bother trying to sacrifice your life anymore?

After Huang Zhenggang, who was stabbed severely by someone with high hopes, gave the order for the entire army to surrender, he wiped his neck and died loyally to his Da Qingguo. The sound of gunfire disappeared, just like Huang Zhenggang's deep resentment disappeared into the world with his death.

The entire battle lasted for forty minutes.

When Huang Zhenggang's body was brought to Chen Ming's eyes, looking at the body with blood stains covering most of his body, and looking at the sixty-five-year-old Jiangnan admiral who was still causing him endless troubles, what did Chen Ming say? Not saying that he would chop it into pieces and feed it to the dogs, he waved his hand and said, "Find a good coffin and go down and bury it."

Looking at Chai Daji again with his head lowered and his expression somewhat downcast, Chen Ming nodded even more in his heart. At this time, if Chai Daji showed a hint of joy towards Huang Zhenggang's body, Chen Ming would actually regard him as a villain.

Yang Shijin told him that Chai Daji was going back to his hometown.

"Quzhou can be conquered soon, but now the Tartars are rampant in sticking sticks and acting viciously. What you have done is a great service to me, a great man, and a great evil to the Manchus. If you return home with your family, you will lose your official position." How can we ensure the safety of our entire family if we are not on guard duty?”

What Chen Ming said was the same old words he used to persuade Duan Xiulin, but it didn't matter whether he was old or not, as long as it was useful. Chai Daji's expression immediately changed.

"If you don't want to go to the battlefield again, I can find two good places for you. One is the Navy Recruitment Camp and the other is the Navy Academy." One of them is a coach and the other is a teacher. The college is planning to be located in Shanghai. With Chai Daji's ability, Chen Ming feels that he can do both of these tasks well.

He was really surprised that Chai Daji surrendered. When Chai Daji fought against the Fuhan Army, his performance was quite eye-catching. Especially the small battle with Chen Dai. There were not many warships fighting on both sides, but the fighting was extremely fierce. Chai Daji's ship was almost destroyed, but he still refused to retreat.

Chen Ming had always regarded him as a member of the Qing Dynasty, so how could Chen Ming not be surprised by his sudden surrender.

"The villain also had some literary experience in his early years, and he is willing to enter the Naval Academy." Chai Daji didn't even know what the Naval Academy was for. He only understood it literally, it was a place to train naval officers. He had heard about the colleges founded by the Fuhan Army, and he was already a teacher at least.

Chai Daji really doesn't have the courage to go into battle now. It's a blessing to be able to spend the rest of his life holding a pen. He responded immediately.

The fire in Yawosha burned until dawn before it was extinguished. The Fuhan Army had completely taken control of Yawosha, and had seized seven large and small sailing ships, four watercrafts, two Ting ships and two shuttle ships from the Qing army. They were the main warships and the rest. There are many, but they are not recorded. Those small boats are either taken to the logistics force or taken to the shipyard for dismantling. In addition to the thirty-two cannons on land, there are more than 6,000 barrels of gunpowder in stock, but each barrel weighs fifty kilograms. There are two warehouses of various types of artillery shells. The account books cannot be found. The captured warehouse clerk said that there are at least 15,000 large and small iron shells, plus three to four thousand shotgun shells and explosive shells. As well as canvas, ropes, wood, jute, lime, tung oil, nails, copper bars, tin bars, etc. for repairing ships, this made a huge fortune.

"Your Highness, the Qing army surrendered 6,000 people, and 1,800 people were killed. Only a few people fled to Chongming by boat."

After working for most of the night, some data was counted and reported to Chen Ming.

There were more than 10,000 Qing troops in Chongming. After deducting several thousand Lu Yong, the navy only had eight or nine thousand men and two to three hundred ships. Seven thousand were killed in this battle, plus the previous casualties, the main force of the Qing navy was absolutely doomed.

Chen Ming didn't attach much importance to those captures. After seizing Hangzhou Bay again, would the Fuhan Army still be short of gunpowder?

The Zhang family and Zheng family in the Taiwan Strait, as well as the Tiandihui on both sides of the strait, have all prepared the best sulfur to be sent north by now, right? They don't need to go to Hangzhou Bay anymore, as long as they can land in Ningbo Port. What Chen Ming cares about is to solve the major problem of Wusongkou. Regardless of whether Chen Dai and his men can succeed in attacking Zhoushan, the big stone weighing on Chen Ming's heart has been lifted.

Chen Ming's thoughts are clear, and he has a thorough understanding of what he has been looking forward to for many days and nights tonight. He is a little excited and can't help himself. This feeling is stronger than when Changzhou was taken, because in order to deal with Huang Zhenggang, he has wasted much more time and energy than Changzhou. Naturally, he is extremely happy that his efforts have paid off.

"The major problem has been solved, Chongming Island is like a fish swimming under the cauldron, and the southeast has all belonged to my Han Dynasty." Chen Ming's voice was full of emotion and sigh, but more of it was incomparable determination. He looked at the civil and military officials standing on his left and right, and encouraged them: "When our army is free to sweep Fujian and Jiangxi, and march down to Nanling, Guangdong and Guangxi will change hands, and the southern country will stand side by side. At that time, it will be easy to repeat the old story of Zhu Ming and repeat the rivers and mountains of the Han Dynasty." Chen Ming spoke in a plain tone, but the lofty ambitions in his words made the people around him shake their hearts.

"Everyone, work hard! Don't miss this great opportunity to make merit and receive awards."

"Please rest assured, Your Highness, we dare not not try our best!" The loud voice made Chen Ming's ears buzz. He looked at the vigorous fighting spirit of the group of people in front of him and nodded with satisfaction.

The singing and chorus on the Yangtze River is like the sun rising from the eastern sky, with thousands of rays of light shining down and the endless darkness receding!

The ending of this naval battle outside Wusongkou was also accompanied by the summer sea breeze, spreading rapidly from Songjiang to the north and south of the Yangtze River.

…

Shandong, the news of the great victory of the Fu Han Army Navy reached Shandong, and it was already late April. The weather was getting hot, and the wheat was almost ripe.

“Amitabha, Amitabha, Huang Laogou is finally dead.”

In the mountains, Fan Wei, the military advisor of the Qingshui Rebel Army, Wang Lun’s friend and counselor, and the former abbot of Xianqing Temple, clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha’s name twice. Although he followed Wang Lun in the uprising, he still did not change his monk nature.

Across from Fan Wei was Guotai, another military advisor under Wang Lun. He was born as a salt merchant, traveled all over the country, and his vision and horizons were among the best in the entire Qingshui Rebel Army. He was also the chief leader of the military intelligence of the rebel army. Every time the Shandong secret camp contacted Wang Lun, it had to go through Guotai’s hands. "Yes, Duke Lu will no longer be constrained."

The Fu Han army won a great victory at Wusongkou, and the Qing army Huang Zhenggang was completely wiped out and committed suicide. At the same time, Zhoushan, which was in a panic, was easily captured by the Fu Han army. This news spread all over the country. Everyone with a discerning eye knew that the Qing Dynasty's sea and land passages in the north and south were tightly locked by the Fu Han army.

Once this news was passed to the Qingshui Doctrine Army in the Taiyi Mountain Area, Wang Lun was delighted, and his leaders and capable generals were all encouraged.

"Without this navy, the Tartars can attack Shandong at any time. The navy of Dengzhou and Jiaozhou has been drained, and the navy camp in Tianjin is useless. How can they resist? The Qing army must transfer troops to the east to guard." In this way, the pressure on them will be relieved.

The Qingshui Sect is located in the central part of Shandong. Jinan, Zibo and other wealthy places are all on the edge of the Taiyi Mountain area. They entered the Taiyi Mountain area, and the Qing army paid more attention to them than the Hunyuan Sect in the southwest of Shandong. And the most important thing is that the "strength" of the Fu Han Army gave them hope for "rebirth".

As long as the Tartars sit on the throne, they will not be well. But if the Chen family sits on the throne, they will be the great contributors of Chen Han. Not to mention the future dukes and earls, at least glory and wealth are inevitable.

"Morale can be boosted but not let down. I think we should take advantage of the momentum and fight outside." Also take the opportunity to grab some food.

Meng Can also interrupted. He is a horse dealer. How could a horse dealer have never seen blood on his hands? Since the uprising, Meng Can has been the number one general under Wang Lun.

Wang Lun himself is a martial arts expert, and his group of apprentices and nephews are not ordinary powerful. For example, Yang Lei, who was born with supernatural power, was known as "the enemy of ten thousand men" in the rebel army after the uprising. He rode a white mule and held a white wax pole gun in every battle, and there was no opponent. These children are usually called 18 people, but in fact there are far more than that. However, these people are only strong in personal martial arts, and the deployment of troops still depends on Meng Can and Wang Jinglong [Wang Lun's adopted son]. Although the latter two are also wild.

There are also Wu Zhaolong, a martial artist, Yang Ronggui, a literary student, Liu Tao, and Xing Chengde. After being threatened by the Qingshui Rebel Army, they participated in the battle of the rebel army to attack Tai'an. After getting their shoes wet, they were no longer "innocent people", so they worked for the Qingshui Rebel Army with all their hearts, and played a great role in the subsequent battles.

It's just that these people played a significant role in the battle, but they didn't have a high status within the Qingshui Rebel Army.

The main branches of the Qingshui Sect all came from Liaocheng, Yanggu and Shouzhang. These three counties and nearby areas suffered from disasters year after year after the 30th year of Qianlong. Yanggu County suffered from a flood in the autumn of the 32nd year of Qianlong, and from a severe drought and famine in the autumn of the 33rd year and the summer and autumn of the 34th year. Liaocheng County suffered from a flood in the autumn of the 32nd year of Qianlong, and from locusts in the autumn of the 33rd and 34th years. There was also famine in Shouzhang, where the grain harvest in summer and autumn was almost total. These successive years of famine must have brought great difficulties to the lives of the people. But on the other hand, the government has intensified its exploitation of the enemy people. Since the 13th year of Qianlong, Emperor Qianlong has passed through Dongchang on four of his tours. Because of the canal, Yanggu Shouzhang is a must-go place for him. Every time he went on a tour, he was accompanied by many officials. Officials along the way extorted the people's fat and blood in many ways, spent huge sums of money to welcome and send off the emperor in order to please him. Yanggu Shouzhang has suffered for a long time.

Once it breaks out, it means uprising!

After the Qingshui Sect started the uprising, there were already 30,000 to 40,000 people when the team entered the Taiyi Mountain area. This is also a poor place. After more than three months in the mountains, the number of people has increased instead of decreased. The people of Shandong have suffered from disasters for years, and local officials have often imposed additional taxes. It is really hard. This is just like the end of the Ming Dynasty. The court was in trouble and had no money. The more you deduct money from the people and farmers, the more you can't live in peace.

"The Chen family is powerful and has the advantage of the navy. It is easy to attack Shandong. Even if you just fire a few cannons, Shandong will be shaken." Which one is more damaging to the Qing court, taking the initiative to mobilize troops or being defeated to mobilize troops? This is obvious.

If the Qingshui Sect's righteous army hides in the mountains and quietly watches the Qing army outside being mobilized, it will indeed reduce the pressure on the Qingshui Sect, but their "merit" in front of Chen Han will also be much less.

Wang Lun and others would rather continue to bear more pressure now, and give the Fu Han Army a "convenience".

Whether it is the Qingshui Sect or the Hunyuan Sect, due to the limitation of geographical location, their development is far from comparable to the Tiandihui on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. With weak strength, their ambitions are naturally much less.

Wang Lun never thought about becoming an emperor. Compared with that unrealistic ambition, he hoped that the Fu Han Army would enter Shandong as soon as possible, and then he would hand over the military power and enjoy wealth and honor. Let the entire Wang family enjoy the happiness.

"I will send someone to contact them [Dark Camp] right away. The Shandong Navy has been drained into an empty shell. The Fu Han Army Navy is strong and powerful. If a force is withdrawn to Shandong, it will cause fear in Beijing and Tianjin. Your Highness Duke Lu has no reason not to agree."