Tibet

Ma Lin shook his head, "There is currently no official news about Bohai Country, but some fishermen say that Bohai Country has been destroyed by Japan."

Guo Ziyi frowned, "Do you think it's possible?"

"Almost! I know that the main force of the Bohai Kingdom has surrendered to the Khitan. If there had not been drastic changes within the Bohai Kingdom, they would not have surrendered without warning."

At this time, a soldier came to the tent door to report, "Marshal, there is an urgent message from the Privy Council!"

"Come in quickly!"

Not long after, a messenger officer walked in quickly and bowed, "I have a humble position, Yang Huaiyu, a soldier in the Privy Council, and a soldier in the army. I have been ordered to deliver the letter!"

After speaking, he presented a document. Guo Ziyi took it and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work, Yang Canjun. Do you have any other messages?"

"Then there are a lot of letters from home. The humble position has been given to Mao Sima, and there is nothing else!"

"Okay! Please go down and have a good rest, Yang Canjun!"

Guo Ziyi told his soldiers, "Please treat us well and don't neglect us!"

Yang Huaiyu thanked him again and then retreated. Guo Ziyi looked at the dispatch from the Privy Council and said to Ma Lin: "You are right. Bohai Kingdom has been annexed by Japan. They massacred in Shangjing and killed almost all the nobles of Bohai Kingdom. "Guang, the emperor asked us to send troops according to the original plan, but when making decisions, we must take into account the alliance between Japan, Khitan, and Silla."

Ma Lin breathed a sigh of relief and marched according to the original plan. He was worried that the emperor would stand still and let the three families fight among themselves. Then he didn't know what year and month it would have to wait?

"When will the Liaodong River thaw?" Guo Ziyi asked again.

“Not until early March!”

Guo Ziyi put her hands behind her hands and looked at the sand table for a moment and said, "I remember there seems to be an official from the Bohai Kingdom. Is he still there?"

Ma Lin nodded, "The commander-in-chief is talking about Gao Hongyuan, the former governor of Longyuan Prefecture of the Bohai Kingdom. He has now joined us. He has taken a low-level official position and joined the military under his subordinate Cang Cao. He is indeed very capable and a talented person."

"Where are they?"

"The humble duty brought him here and he was waiting outside the camp."

Guo Ziyi said quickly: "Please come in quickly, I have something important to ask him."

Not long after, Gao Hongyuan, wearing civilian military uniform, walked in quickly. He also heard the news that the Bohai Kingdom had been destroyed. Although it was just a rumor and there was no official confirmation, he believed it without any doubt. He knew the brutality of the Japanese army, so How could the army not go on a killing spree when they entered the prosperous Shangjing?

He was also glad that he escaped with his wife and children. Gao Hongyuan has now joined the Tang army. He is smart, capable, and well-organized in his words and deeds. Ma Lin thinks highly of him, so he appoints him as Cang Cao to join the military. Of course, Cang Cao has several military posts. Gao Hongyuan is responsible for managing military rations.

"Gao Hongyuan, a low-ranking official, meets the commander-in-chief!"

Guo Ziyi smiled slightly and said: "Gao Shenjun must be a Han!"

"The humble post is from Yingzhou Han, and he was born in the Yingzhou Fang of the Bohai Gao family!"

"Then why did you join the army in the Bohai Kingdom?" Guo Ziyi asked curiously.

"Reporting back to the commander-in-chief, after the establishment of the Bohai State, they promoted Chineseization, but there were too few people who could read and write, so they came to Yingzhou to recruit scholars. I took their exams at a humble position. As a result, I passed the first-class exam and was directly appointed as the county magistrate. , I thought it would be good to be an official, so I took my wife and children there, served as a county magistrate, and was promoted to the governor of Longyuan Prefecture. "

"How long have you stayed in Longyuan Mansion?"

"The humble position has been in Longyuan Mansion for almost ten years."

"That's good. Please come over here, Gao Canjun."

Guo Ziyi brought Gao Hongyuan to the sand table. He pointed at Longyuan Mansion and said, "Does Longyuan Mansion freeze in winter?"

Gao Hongyuan shook his head, "Longwan is a very good ice-free port. With Longwan as the center, there is no ice along the coast for about two hundred miles."

Guo Ziyi pointed at Longwan and said: "I guess all the ships in this bay are Japanese!"

"That's right! There are many ships originally owned by the Bohai Kingdom, but now they all belong to Japan."

Guo Ziyi nodded and pointed to Tamna Island in southern Silla and asked: "Tamna Island is now under our control. Do you know how long it takes to sail from Tamna Island to Longwan?"

"I heard that it will take about twenty days."

Guo Ziyi calculated in his mind that there are less than fifty days until March. The fleet departs from Pingzhou and arrives at Longwan in about forty days. If he rests for a few more days at Tamluo Island and replenishes water and food, then It's only a few days away.

"I understand, please continue to work hard, Gao Canjun, I believe there will be a good future!"

Gao Hongyuan was extremely smart. He glanced at Ma Lin and said in a low voice: "If General Ma agrees, I am willing to be the guide and lead the Tang army to Longyuan Mansion. My humble position has high prestige in Longyuan Mansion, and the people there will definitely welcome the Tang army." arrival!"

Guo Ziyi was overjoyed and smiled at Ma Lin: "It shouldn't affect it!"

Ma Lin nodded, "It doesn't affect it at all!"

After Gao Hongyuan left, Guo Ziyi said to Ma Lin: "Your Majesty said that in order to prevent the Khitan, Japan and Silla from colluding, I am considering sending troops to Longyuan Mansion, attacking the Japanese navy from the waterway, occupying Longyuan Mansion, and containing it from the east. The Japanese army also cuts off the connection between Japan and Bohai! "

Ma Lin gave a thumbs up and praised: "A very smart strategy, where is Silla?"

"It's easier here in Silla. I will also send a navy army to hang out in front of their capital, which is enough to make them cautious."

Ma Lin thought for a while and said: "There is a problem here. As far as I know, there are two factions in Silla. In the past few decades, the hardliners have had the absolute upper hand, so they continue to annex the Andu Protectorate. If there are 30,000 navy troops, maybe they will consider it, but our main force is going to Longwan, and the remaining troops may not be enough to deter the hard-liners of Silla Kingdom. "

Guo Ziyi smiled slightly and said: "Be polite first! They don't know what to do, and my remaining navy is enough to blockade the Liao River!"

In the morning of the next day, Guo Ziyi led thousands of cavalry south, and Gao Hongyuan also followed. In the evening, Guo Ziyi arrived at the mouth of Ruhe River, where the main force of the Tang Army's navy was moored, with a total of 30,000 sailors and more than 800 warships, including More than 20 Wanshi sea-going ships, these more than 20 Wan-shi sea-ships have been modified and installed with hidden wheels.

The paddles of a vehicle or ship are installed on both sides of the outside, which is called a paddle wheel. However, if the paddles are installed below the hull and are covered by the hull, it is called a hidden wheel.

Compared with paddle wheels, which are easily damaged by the enemy's fishing nets, wooden sticks, etc., hidden wheels are much better. The Ordnance Supervision and Ship Administration ordered Wang Zhan to lead thousands of people to comprehensively renovate Wanshi warships in Fuzhou and Quanzhou. After two years of unremitting efforts, nearly 30 ships have been successfully modified. This time, 24 modified Wanshi Yinlun ships have been deployed to Liaodong.

This time the navy commander was Li Chengshi. He led 30,000 navy troops and 800 ships and stationed them at the mouth of the Ruhe River. This was also where Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty and Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty attacked Goguryeo and where the naval forces of the Sui and Tang Dynasties were stationed.

The Navy Army does not belong to the Liaodong Army, but it falls under the jurisdiction of Marshal Zhengdong Mansion. As deputy marshal, Guo Ziyi is Li Chengshi's boss.

Li Chengshi left the camp to welcome Guo Ziyi's arrival. Guo Ziyi was so busy that he didn't have time to take a sip of water. He immediately said: "I brought a sand table. Wait until I lay out the sand table for you!"

A sand table was placed in the big tent, and Guo Ziyi first asked: "How long can the navy's current food last?"

"It will take about a month to report back to the marshal!"

Guo Ziyi asked again: "If you were to lead an army of 20,000 people to sea and sail on the sea for a month, how many ships would you need?"

Li Chengshi thought for a moment and said, "We need to bring all the 10,000-stone warships. Another hundred 3,000-stone warships will be enough."

Guo Ziyi then pointed to the Bohai National Road: "At present, the Bohai Kingdom has been annexed by Japan. The world is worried about the alliance between Japan and Khitan, so I am considering sending the main force of the navy to attack the Japanese warships in Longyuan Mansion, completely annihilating the Japanese navy, and cutting off Japan at the same time. The local support for the Japanese army in the Bohai State restrained the Japanese army in the Bohai State and prevented them from joining forces with the Khitan. "

Li Chengshi bowed and said, "I humbly obey my orders!"

Guo Ziyi pointed to Tamluo Island and said: "This island is about twenty days' voyage from Longyuan Mansion. You can use it as a logistics supply place. When you arrive at Longyuan Mansion, a supply fleet will be sent here. to support you."

Li Chengshi nodded, "I understand, but I'm not familiar with the terrain of Longyuan Mansion and need a guide!"

Guo Ziyi smiled, "I've already thought of it for you!"

He waved, and Gao Hongyuan walked up quickly and clasped his fists: "General Li, long time no see!"

Li Chengshi was overjoyed and quickly said to Guo Ziyi: "If I want to be a guide for my humble position, I mean Gao Jianjun!"

Guo Ziyi nodded, "Then we coincidentally agree. Time is tight. The army will prepare for the day tomorrow, and the navy will set off the day after tomorrow!"

On the 20th day of the first lunar month of the first year of Jiaxing, an expedition team composed of twenty-four thousand-stone hidden wheel warships, two hundred three-thousand-stone warships, and one hundred five-thousand-stone warships was led by the naval commander Li Cheng. Shi personally led the army, loaded with 20,000 sailors, and left the mouth of the Rushui River, sailing toward the distant Bohai Sea.