The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 592: The Plan to Recover Liao
Juehua Island is located about six kilometers southeast of Ningyuan City and about nine kilometers from the shore. It is within sight and covers an area of ​​14 square kilometers. It is shaped like a dumbbell with large ends and a small middle. It is six kilometers long from north to south. There is fresh water and vegetation on the island, making it suitable for human habitation.

Xiong Tingbai originally stationed 3,000 people on the island to support Ningyuan City. However, when Xiong Tingbai abandoned Ningyuan City, he also withdrew the garrison on the island.

When Jia Huan and Sun Chengzong landed at the port on the north side of Juehua Island by boat, it was already afternoon. Probably because it was surrounded by the sea, the island was obviously warmer than Ningyuan City.

After Jia Huan and Sun Chengzong inspected the north side of the island, the sun began to set, so they decided to stay overnight and continue inspecting the south side of the island the next day.

Since there were 3,000 people stationed on Juehua Island for a long time, it was equipped with barracks, granaries, etc., and even a small city was built. The barracks and granaries of the garrison were built in the small city. It can be seen that Xiong Tingbai was really attentive, and no wonder he spent money like water.

As night fell, candles were lit in the barracks, each one a tiny light. Jia Huan and Sun Chengzong ate bread with water for dinner, and the latter asked casually, "Ziming, if I gave you 20,000 troops and asked you to guard Ningyuan, what would you do?"

Jia Huan thought for a moment and said, "It should be similar to what Xiong Tingbai did. In terms of field battles, our army is not yet a match for the Jiannu. We need to slowly accumulate strength before we can counterattack."

Sun Chengzong's mind moved, and he asked, "How to accumulate strength? At what level of strength can we counterattack?"

Jia Huan smiled and said, "Just six words - store up food and build high walls. For example, this Juehua Island has an excellent geographical advantage, but Xiong Tingbai did not make full use of it. His vision was limited to Ningyuan City, which was too short-sighted."

Sun Chengzong immediately became interested and said calmly, "Ziming, why don't you tell me more about it?"

Jia Huan raised his eyebrows and said, "Xiong Tingbai's garrison on the island is limited to cooperating with Ningyuan City on the opposite bank. I think this is far from enough. We should focus on the overall situation of Liaodong and build Juehua Island into a naval and granary base."

Sun Chengzong's eyes flashed, and he nodded and said, "Go on!"

Jia Huan continued, "The Jurchen cavalry is indeed invincible, but they are not used to naval warfare. They think that the island is surrounded by the sea and is safe. Moreover, Juehua Island is not far from the shore and has a port for ships to enter and exit. Therefore, we can expand the granary on the island by ten times or even dozens of times, and transport military rations and supplies to the island by sea for storage. This is safe and time-saving. By then, not only Ningyuan City, but also the cities and fortresses along the coast can obtain a stable and sufficient supply.

At the same time, we should build a strong navy to support the cities of Ningyuan and to spy on Liaodong. When the time comes, we can attack by land and sea to recapture Liaodong. Of course, this is easier said than done. It requires patience to accumulate strength and a lot of energy, time and money.

Sun Chengzong stroked his beard and nodded slightly, looking at the dim light, as if he was lost in thought. After a long time, he came back to his senses and asked, "Ziming's strategy is good, but it may not be enough to defeat the Jiannu. After all, our army's combat power is not as good as the Jiannu cavalry."

Jia Huan nodded and said, "The Jiannu are tall and strong, and are skilled in riding and shooting. This is an innate advantage. To make up for this, we must work on equipment. After all, no matter how brutal their physique is, or how skilled their riding and shooting are, they will ultimately be no match for strong ships and powerful guns.

For example, when I was fighting against salt pirates in Yangzhou, I captured a batch of Western heavy artillery from the red-haired Westerners. The artillery was called the Red Cannon. This heavy artillery has a long range and amazing power, far exceeding the Portuguese cannon currently used by our army. Unfortunately, the court did not pay much attention to it and it was left idle in Haimen County. If it was copied and installed on the top of the city, it would definitely be a heavy weapon for defending the city. If it was installed on a chariot, it could easily crack the stone city and blow up the city gate. "

Sun Chengzong nodded and said, "Master, I have heard of this kind of heavy artillery. I will give advice to the emperor later."

Jia Huan's mind suddenly moved, and he simply took out his flintlock pistol and handed it to Sun Chengzong, saying, "Teacher, please have a look. This is the musket made by my foreign maid. It is called a flintlock rifle. It is easier to use than a matchlock rifle. It does not require open flames, and it is more concealed and waterproof. It can be used normally even in light rain."

Sun Chengzong took the flintlock and played with it for a while. When he understood the principle behind it, he couldn't help but exclaimed: "This thing is indeed much better than the matchlock. If the army is equipped with a large number of them, it will definitely greatly enhance our military's combat effectiveness."

Jia Huan continued, "The matchlock rifles currently used by our army are all smoothbore. If spiral rifling is added, the range can be greatly increased, and lead bullets can even penetrate iron armor."

"Really?" Sun Chengzong blurted out.

Jia Huan said confidently: "I am not lying. My foreign maid once made one. Its range is more than ten feet longer than that of an ordinary matchlock gun, and its power is much greater."

Sun Chengzong couldn't help but say happily: "Ziming is really good at hiding things. Since he has such a treasure, why didn't he present it to the emperor earlier?"

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "When I was in the south, I was still a commoner. It was illegal to make firearms privately, so how could I dare to take them out? Moreover, this matter involves my favorite maid, so it is even more difficult to make it public."

Sun Chengzong stroked his beard and said, "I see. Then I shouldn't present it to the emperor hastily. I'll wait until the time is right. By the way, how much does it cost?"

Jia Huan stretched out his palm and said, "Fifty taels!"

Sun Chengzong sucked in a breath of cold air and shook his head repeatedly, saying, "That's too expensive. It costs fifty thousand taels of silver to make one thousand poles, and five hundred thousand taels of silver to make ten thousand poles. There is no way the national treasury can afford it, and it's not worth it!"

Jia Huan smiled and said, "That's the price of a single one. If we produce in batches, the cost will definitely come down. When the technology matures, the cost will not exceed ten taels of silver."

Sun Chengzong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's about right, although it's still a little expensive." Jia Huan nodded and said, "It's a little expensive, but if 10,000 rods can destroy the Jian Nu, do you still think it's expensive, teacher?"

Sun Chengzong was so excited that he nearly broke several strands of his beard and almost exploded - Of course it's not expensive, it's really fucking worth it!

A flintlock rifle costs ten taels of silver, and ten thousand rifles only cost one hundred taels of silver. In recent years, the imperial court has spent several million taels of silver on military expenditures in Liaodong. One hundred thousand taels of silver can destroy the Jiannu. Is there any deal more profitable than this?

For a moment, Old Sun was so excited that his face turned red and his heart became hot, as if he was drunk. He coughed lightly and said, "Ziming, please go down and have a rest. Let me calm down for a while."

After Jia Huan left the barracks, Sun Chengzong immediately took out the memorial and began to write furiously until the middle of the night. Then he put down his pen, blew out the candle and went to bed.

In this way, the strategic master Sun Chengzong's plan to recover Liao was written overnight. After returning to the shore tomorrow, it will be delivered to the desk of Emperor Qiansheng by fast horse.

Of course, Sun Chengzong was only inspired by Jia Huan, and did not copy Jia Huan's ideas completely. The strategic master's level was not so low, and he had his own ideas. For example: use Liao people to defend Liao land; use Ningyuan City and Juehua Island as fulcrums to gradually build the Guanningjin defense line.

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, Sun Chengzong and Jia Huan continued to patrol the southern end of Shihua Island. As they were checking the reefs on the shore, a soldier suddenly pointed to the northeast sea and warned, "There's a ship!"

When everyone looked up, they saw several wooden boats slowly approaching the island. Wu Sangui immediately ordered everyone to be on alert.

At this time, the boat was getting closer and closer, and everyone could see clearly that the boat was packed with people, including men, women, young and old, all of them were ragged, unkempt, like beggars, but they could still be recognized that some of them were wearing the uniform of the Jin army, wearing a straw hat and carrying a standard sword!

At this time, the people on the boat also saw Jia Huan and others standing on the shore. They hesitated at first, but after confirming that they were the Jin army, they immediately rowed the boat to the shore, crying and waving their hands to signal: "Please don't shoot, we are refugees who escaped from the front line!"

Sun Chengzong hurriedly ordered Wu Sangui and others to put down their bows and arrows and muskets, and go forward to help rescue the refugees on the boat to shore.

After these refugees came ashore, they all burst into tears. After asking, Sun Chengzong and Jia Huan learned that these refugees had actually escaped from the Thirteen Mountains. It was said that there were more than 800 people when they fled together, but in the end only these thirty or forty people escaped here. The others were either caught up and killed by the Jiannu cavalry, or drowned in the sea when their boat capsized.

I saw a young woman who was still breastfeeding, holding her long-dead baby in her arms, crying bitterly, crying: "My child, don't blame your mother for being cruel, I hope you can be reborn into a good family in your next life!"

A shirtless man shivering with cold was squatting next to the woman, wiping his tears. He was probably her husband. The refugees around him lowered their heads with sad looks on their faces.

Sun Chengzong stepped forward and asked, "Why is this child gone?"

A refugee nearby said with red eyes: "She suffocated herself to death."

Everyone was shocked and asked about the matter immediately. They found out that the baby kept crying while the woman was running away. She was worried that the baby would be pursued, so in order not to implicate everyone, she cruelly suffocated her own child to death.

When everyone learned the reason, they were all sad and sighed.

"May I ask what are your names, gentlemen?" a refugee asked cautiously when he saw Sun Chengzong and Jia Huan wearing official robes.

Jia Huan hurriedly introduced, "This is Lord Sun, the new governor of Liaodong. I am Jia Huan, the director of the Ministry of War."

Upon hearing this, the refugees knelt down and kowtowed, crying and begging, "There are still nearly 100,000 soldiers and civilians trapped in the Thirteen Mountains. The situation is critical. We beg you to send troops to rescue us immediately."

Sun Chengzong's face was solemn and his heart was heavy. All the soldiers present lowered their heads silently, with expressions of grief, anger and shame.

"Everyone, get up quickly. The General is trying to find a way to rescue the soldiers and civilians in the Thirteen Mountains. He will never give up any of his compatriots." Jia Huan said.

Upon hearing this, the refugees couldn't help but show joy on their faces and kowtowed again.

Sun Chengzong glanced at Jia Huan, seemed to be hesitant to speak, and finally waved his hand, asking Wu Sangui to resettle the refugees first and provide them with food, accommodation and heating.

(End of this chapter)