The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 426 Drifting
February 18th, the 15th year of Chongzhen.

Eight days had passed since the fall of Nanjing.

In the study room in the side hall of Chuzhou government office, Chen Wang was sitting behind the desk, holding a document that he had just opened in his hand.

Opposite the desk, Chen Gong and Hu Zhili stood side by side.

"It seems that we still underestimated Li Yan."

Chen Wang slowly placed the document on the desk, his eyes fell on the map on the table, and spoke slowly.

"Our leader of the People's Army is really courageous."

"Li Dingguo crossed the river and headed north into Luzhou Prefecture. Now the area around Nanjing is completely controlled by the Wanmin Army, and order has been stabilized."

After seeing Chen Wang put down the letter in his hand, Hu Zhili took a step forward and reported.

"Most of the Wanmin Army's troops have already crossed the Yangtze River and entered Nanjing."

"News has come from inside Nanjing that the Wanmin Army is preparing to march south. Many troops have already set out, including a 10,000-strong force heading east to Zhenjiang Prefecture."

Hu Zhili follows the army as the chief of the Intelligence Department and now also holds some responsibilities in the Central Military Department.

"The latest news is that Zhenjiang Prefecture was captured by the Wanmin Army yesterday. Zheng Zhilong was just as short-sighted as the general said. He only pretended to resist for a while and then led the fleet to evacuate Zhenjiang Prefecture."

"There were not many soldiers in Zhenjiang Prefecture. After Zheng Zhilong escaped, it was soon captured by the Wanmin Army."

Chen Wang was not too surprised to hear that Zhenjiang Prefecture was captured by the Wanmin Army and Zheng Zhilong escaped.

Many people thought that Zheng Zhilong had great ambitions. He wanted to be the King of Fujian, to establish his own territory, and to dominate the world.

But in fact, Zheng Zhilong's thinking was that of a pirate and his ideas were those of a businessman from beginning to end.

Historically, the reason why Zheng Zhilong surrendered to the Qing court was very simple. The Southern Ming Hongguang regime claimed to have four towns in northern Jiangsu and a million-strong army.

However, in just less than a year, it collapsed under the offensive of the Qing army, the four towns in northern Jiangsu were dispersed, and Emperor Hongguang was killed.

Zheng Zhilong was afraid. He knew that it was impossible to defeat the Qing army relying on his own troops.

He wandered in the open sea for more than ten years, and finally was granted amnesty and became the commander-in-chief of Fujian in the Ming Dynasty, thus gaining an official status.

With the help of the power at sea, a large number of industries and fields were acquired on land.

He couldn't bear to do it, he really couldn't bear to do it.

So when the Qing army was about to march south, Zheng Zhilong chose to surrender.

The reason why Zheng Zhilong surrendered was that he had a clear understanding of himself.

He knew that his talents were not enough and that he did not have the destiny to conquer the world.

But he did not have a clear understanding of the brutality of the Qing army.

This was also the reason why he ended up with his head and body separated.

"Zheng Zhilong now only wants to do his business and make his money."

"The world belongs to the Ming Dynasty, and he is the Fujian General of the Ming Dynasty."

"If the world belonged to the Ten Thousand People's Army, he would be the Fujian General of the Ten Thousand People's Army."

Zheng Zhilong was a calculating businessman and a pirate who had no sense of patriotism.

In Zheng Zhilong's eyes, there were only interests, his vast maritime empire and land properties.

As for who owns the world, it doesn’t matter to him. As long as it doesn’t affect his business, he can change his allegiance at any time.

"Hoarding goods and waiting for a good price to sell, after all, is a businessman."

Chen Wang's expression was gloomy, and he didn't have much good feelings towards Zheng Zhilong.

However, it is precisely because Zheng Zhilong is the most powerful force on the southeast coast that Chen Wang can rest assured.

Zheng Zhilong only wanted to preserve his own piece of land in Fujian and his interests in the open sea.

There will be no conflict of interest between them now and for a long time to come.

"After Zheng's fleet retreated, the Wanmin Army reopened the passage between Yangzhou and Zhenjiang Prefecture. Yangzhou's isolation ended. The Wanmin Army transported a large amount of supplies to Yangzhou and recruited civilians to strengthen the city's defenses."

Hu Zhili frowned, walked closer, pointed to the line between Nanjing and Yangzhou on the map on the table, and said solemnly.

"The Wanmin Army built defense lines in many places from Nanjing to Yangzhou, set up checkpoints and sentries at key locations, and the fortresses they built were similar in shape to the bastions built by our army before."

"The Bastion is no secret, so it's normal for it to be copied."

Chen Wang was not too surprised. The technical content of ordinary bastions was quite low, and it was not difficult to imitate them.

There was no shortage of talented and skilled craftsmen among the Ming Dynasty's artisans, and there was no shortage of visionary people in the world.

They can replicate the same weapons in a short time based solely on the salvaged weapon wreckage.

Even better than the original.

And most importantly, Chen Wang knew.

Zheng Zhilong also had private contacts with the Wanmin Army.

What Zheng Zhilong is doing now is waiting for the right price to rise and hoarding goods at a high price.

"Over the years, we have recruited a large number of craftsmen through Zheng Zhilong's channels."

"One quarter of the artillerymen at the Bugalao Cannon Foundry built by Portugal in Macau have now moved to our Hanzhongwei Military Equipment Bureau."

The internal and external troubles of the Ming Dynasty have not affected Zheng Zhilong now.

Today, Zheng Zhilong still firmly holds the power of the Eastern maritime world.

"As long as you are willing to pay, Zheng Zhilong dares to sell anything."

"And it just so happens that the Ten Thousand People's Army is not short of money right now."

Zheng Zhilong was able to get along with everyone and place bets everywhere.

He thought that no matter who took over the world, in the end they would not offend him, a prince who controlled foreign powers.

The Wanmin Army occupied Nanjing as a logistics base and traded with Zheng Zhilong, so they were bound to be able to obtain a large number of craftsmen.

In so many wars, the Wanmin Army has suffered from guns and cannons. If they do not develop guns and cannons, it can only be said that Li Yan and all the officers of the Wanmin Army are fools.

The next step for the Wanmin Army must be to vigorously develop firearms.

"The Wanmin Army has now annexed most of the Western Army, and its military strength has been greatly boosted. It has also secretly joined forces with Zheng Zhilong."

"If we improve the skills of the People's Army, obtain a large number of artillery and muskets, and build bastions along the route, it will probably cause us a lot of trouble in the future."

Hu Zhili frowned. The Wanmin Army was now gradually getting out of control, which was not a good sign.

"It doesn't matter."

Chen Wang raised his head and stopped Hu Zhili's worry.

"Sometimes, you have to give others a little hope..."

"I have my own plans for the Southern Kingdom. The Intelligence Department only needs to continue to lurk and collect information."

Chen Wang changed the subject and asked.

"How is the reorganization of the navy going?" Hu Zhili replied.

"The reorganization of the navy has been basically completed. Now the navy has three large Fuchuans, ten No. 1 Fuchuans, twenty-six No. 2 Fuchuans, and a total of forty-seven other small boats. The rest of the boats that do not meet the standards have been eliminated according to the rules."

"The total number of naval officers and soldiers is 2,967."

"By September this year, Xiangyang Shipyard can deliver 15 No. 2 Fuchuan ships."

Hu Zhili pulled out a piece of information from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and continued.

"The navy's staff reported that they had observed many battles between the navy and found that very few ships were sunk by artillery fire, and the efficiency of destruction was extremely low."

"In inland river battles, it is inconvenient to move to many places, especially in places with fast currents and narrow river channels. In many cases, the role of naval guns is limited, and in many cases, boarding and hand-to-hand combat are still necessary to determine the outcome."

Chen Wang frowned slightly, but soon relaxed.

He didn't understand the ins and outs of naval warfare. He only knew that future developments would be dominated by giant ships and cannons until the emergence of aircraft carriers.

But there is one good thing about Chen Wang: he is very clear about one thing.

Practice is the only criterion for testing truth.

The feedback given by frontline generals based on battlefield practice may lead to misunderstandings due to unclear expression, but it is basically useful information.

Chen Wang glanced at the written war report written by the General Staff in his hand.

The battle report was written in great detail, from the initial artillery battle, to the subsequent melee, and then to the subsequent pursuit battle.

The navy led by Sun Shenwu still used the old tactics of the Ming navy.

First they launched a long-range artillery attack, then when they got close they fired muskets at the enemy's deck, and then the soldiers on the ship boarded and slaughtered them all.

"What does the General Staff mean?"

Chen Wang asked, tapping the tabletop with his fingers, making a regular sound.

Hu Zhili lowered his head slightly and replied.

"The Wanmin Army has defeated the Southern Kingdom's navy in succession and seized a large number of ships. This time, they have annexed the Western Army and their strength has increased again. According to the intelligence department, the Wanmin Army's navy now has more than 300 large and small ships and more than 8,000 naval officers and soldiers."

"From the perspective of paper strength alone, the Wanmin Army's navy is much stronger than our navy."

"So our army still needs to continue to strengthen the navy's combat power. The production cycle of large ships is too long and it costs too much money. The budget will be seriously overspent."

Hu Zhili did not directly put forward the final opinion of the General Staff, but first elaborated on the General Staff's considerations in detail.

"The General Staff suggested that since the outcome of naval battles is still mainly determined by boarding and hand-to-hand combat, we can start from here to strengthen the combat power of our naval forces."

"The navy's current equipment is too complicated. It would be best if the Ordnance Bureau developed several new firearms suitable for water combat to completely replace them."

"At the same time, continue to expand the navy."

Chen Wang frowned slightly and heard this.

"There's nothing wrong with the new firearms, but didn't the General Staff just say that the production of large ships takes too long and the budget is insufficient? Why is the next suggestion to expand the fleet?"

Hu Zhili explained.

"Giving up on building large ships does not conflict with expanding the navy. We just need to change the general's previous plan for the navy and use the shipyards that build large ships to build fast small and medium-sized boats to deal with boarding operations."

Chen Wang shook his head and rejected it.

"Navy training is not something that can be done overnight. Naval combat and boarding soldiers need to be trained for a long time before they can be combat-ready. Small boats are easy to build, but where do the sailors come from?"

Hu Zhili already knew that Chen Wang would object, so he said immediately.

"The Intelligence Department received news that at the end of the first month, Zheng's fleet wiped out several groups of Japanese pirates in the outer sea. Now they should have a lot of slaves under their command. We can use the money to buy some to serve as sailors."

"Although the Japanese pirates are short in stature, they are fierce and have been living on the sea for many years. They have good skills and are perfect for boarding."

"and……"

Hu Zhili smiled slightly and spoke calmly.

"The Japanese pirates are cheap, and we don't feel bad when they die. They eat little but work hard, and the harder your fists are, the more obedient they will be."

"The General Staff draws up a plan, and if the Central Military Department deliberates and approves it, the Navy can move in this direction."

Chen Wang waved his hand. At the current stage, the navy only needed to avoid falling behind. There was no need to invest too much energy in it.

Moreover, compared with the things happening in the South, the current situation in the North is what is truly important.

"What's the situation in Shaanxi?"

When Hu Zhili heard Chen Wang asking about the situation in Shaanxi, he subconsciously turned his head to look at Chen Gong.

In the Central Military Department, the person in charge of northern affairs was Chen Gong.

Chen Gong immediately stepped forward and reported with a serious expression.

"On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Li Chuang led his troops to break through Dasan Pass and invade Fengxiang and Pingliang. The soldiers of the two prefectures were unable to resist and were defeated and fled. Fengxiang and Pingliang fell one after another."

"On the 18th day of the first lunar month, the Chuang army entered Xi'an. Qin Governor Fu Zonglong led his troops to fight with them in Xingping and defeated the Chuang army with a chariot camp battle formation."

"However, the Chuang army was not seriously injured by the defeat at Xingping. After the defeat, Li Zicheng adjusted his strategy and did not actively engage the Qin army. Instead, he harassed its follow-up food supply route."

"The Qin army lacked cavalry and manpower, so Fu Zonglong was forced to lead his troops back to Xi'an on the 25th day of the first lunar month."

"As of now, except for the three important places of Xi'an, Tongguan, and Shangnan, all the major cities in Xi'an Prefecture have been controlled by the Chuang army."

"As of today, the siege of Xi'an has lasted for a full twenty days."

Chen Gong's tone was heavy.

"The Intelligence Department reported that the siege troops totaled 80,000 soldiers and horses, with more than 50,000 cavalry, mostly from the Han, Mongolian, Qiang, Tibetan, and Hui ethnic groups. The remaining infantry were mostly surrendered soldiers from the three borders."

"The rebels plundered the territories of Xi'an, Fengxiang, and Pingliang, and drove the people to attack the city. They recruited young and strong men into the army, and had more than 100,000 soldiers. They also used the old and weak to dig and add trenches. The trench outside Xi'an had already been filled up."

Chen Wang already knew about the emergency in Xi'an.

On the fifth day of February, the imperial court sent an order to Hanzhong Town, ordering the garrison troops in Hanzhong Prefecture to rush to Xi'an without any mistake.

However, Hu Zhiyi naturally did not obey the imperial edict and went north to provide assistance to Shaanxi.

Li Zicheng now had an army of nearly 100,000 men, including a large number of cavalrymen, and had come all the way from Hanzhong Prefecture. Once his food supply was cut off, his defeat would be imminent.

Now most of the soldiers and horses left in Hanzhong Prefecture are infantry, and they lack the ability to pursue.

And most importantly, there is no need to return to Xi'an for support at the moment.

The Ming court was already on the verge of collapse. Songshan in Liaodong had fallen, and the last isolated Jinzhou was about to fall.

The tenth day of the second month was the day when Nanjing fell.

The Jinzhou defenders sent out a cavalry unit, who fought their way out of the encirclement and delivered a letter.

There was only one piece of letter paper, and only two words were written on it - "Fu Tu".

The ink for writing is blood.

The siege of Jinzhou lasted for a long time, and the food and grass in the city were about to be consumed. It was a matter of life and death.

If we continue to defend it, we will only repeat the mistakes of Daling River...