At the end of Song Dynasty: I want to be the master of ZTE

Chapter 216
With a flutter, a pigeon fell from the sky. Two pigeon messengers ran over to catch it. One fed it and the other untied it and took off the letter from its feet.

After several years of hard work, we were finally able to meet the communication needs from the front line to the capital.

The envelope is a small bamboo tube with a number and a red seal. After being registered by the Imperial City Secretary, it is handed over to the Privy Council. There are corresponding procedures during the process.

Lu Xiufu read it and personally took the letter and sent it to the emperor.

In just over a hundred words, the cause and effect are explained clearly.

"The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people. What does the prime minister think?" Zhao Shi asked.

"I don't know if this is true in part or as a whole. Maybe I can ask Zhang Tiju to answer." Lu Xiufu replied.

"Send troops in advance. Since the matter is serious, Prime Minister Xuan and the six ministers will come to discuss it." Zhao Shi ordered.

After a while, everyone arrived.

Zhao Shi showed the secret letter to everyone and asked, "After reading Yang Zhenlong's report, what do you think?"

Li Tingzhi looked at Zhang Shuangguo and asked, "Zhang Tiju, does he have any information about the north?"

"Your Majesty, gentlemen." Zhang Shuangguo replied: "Since the Zhao Dynasty recurred in the north, the Yuan Dynasty has been increasingly strict with the search for Xi Zuo. Whether it is sending or contacting Xi Zuo, it is full of dangers. Currently, there are only more than thirty Xi Zuo infiltrated, and their main responsibilities are It’s just to spy on the military situation, and it doesn’t pay much attention to the public situation.”

"Your Majesty, I think we can send troops." Li Tingzhi said: "The Mid-Autumn Festival has just passed, and we will send troops at the end of September. If we cannot capture Jiaoxi in half a month, we will withdraw our troops. If we can capture Jiaoxi, we will hold on and continue to use troops after the spring."

According to the intelligence inference, Jiaozhou Bay will not freeze and there will be no logistical problems. Even if the inference is wrong, as long as the baggage is sufficient, it will not be difficult to hold on. "

"The key to this battle is speed and surprise. Now that the north is getting colder, the Yuanlu have never expected that the imperial court will send troops at this time, so there will definitely not be many defenders in Jiaoxi." Lu Xiufu said.

"When the army is dispatched, can the logistics be guaranteed?" Zhao Shi asked.

Ma Tingluan replied: "There are enough supplies such as grain, grass, fish and oil. It depends on whether they can be transported there. One hundred thousand sets of winter clothes are being distributed, all made of cotton from Qiongzhou Road, which is relatively warm."

"In that case, the troops are sent to Jiaozhou!" Zhao Shi stood up and said: "Master Wang has guns and artillery to rely on, and he is in an invincible position. Why worry about it?"

"Your Majesty is wise." Everyone flattered him.

Of course it is very hasty to send troops just because there are people in Shuyang who cannot escape, but they are confident.

The gunboats docked, but the Yuan army did not dare to approach. No matter whether they landed or retreated, they were all unimpeded. It might be in vain if they encountered setbacks, but it was unlikely to turn into a rout. This was the greatest confidence to send troops.

After the imperial edict was issued, all ministries immediately took action.

The first to receive the order was the main force of the naval division stationed on Chongming Island. The ships pulled anchor one after another and headed north to Yancheng to join the squadron. The transport ships would be slower to load supplies and soldiers before heading north.

Not even a few hundred years later, Yancheng County is by the sea and has a seaport. Qian Yi, commander of the Jiangbei Naval Division, led the squadron to station here.

After joining the main fleet at the mouth of the Yangtze River, it has fifty gunboats under its command, carrying [-] large and small guns, [-] traditional warships, transport ships, and [-] specialized transport ships.

The Jiangbei Navy was divided into three parts. The gunboats went north to patrol the sea, and a part of the transport ships went along the Yellow River to Chuzhou to pick up Yang Zhenlong and command the cavalry army. The [-] troops stationed in Yancheng were embarked on the spot.

By the time the fleets from all the fleets converged, Zhang Shijie, Yang Zhenlong, and Qian Yi met. It was already October 22, which was a little later than expected.

"It will take four days to enter Jiaozhou Bay. The battleships will go out first. It will take one day to defeat the Yuanlu Navy. Jiaoxi County is within the range and there is no need to unload the artillery. In other words, Jiaoxi County can basically be captured in November." Do you have any questions?" Zhang Shijie said.

"General Manager, ordinary people's hands and feet will feel weak after landing in a boat. I'm afraid they won't be able to take action immediately, and I'm afraid one day for the troops to disembark is not enough." Qian Yi replied.

"Choose two thousand elites and musketeers to go down first and enter Jiaoxi City to rest. If the weather is fine, we will sweep away the movement in Jiaohe River." Yang Zhenlong said. "Inappropriate." Qian Yi said: "The Jiaohe River is frozen, and Yuanlu's horse army can move freely. Our army only has two thousand horse troops, so it may be difficult to stop them."

"The commander-in-chief just sent me ashore and I will be responsible for the fighting between the cavalry and the army." Yang Zhenlong said.

"What Qian Dutong said is right. This battle should be based on caution. The most important thing is to contain the Yuan captives and create opportunities for other directions. I would rather miss the opportunity than rush forward." Zhang Shijie said.

Perhaps feeling that these words were not enough, Zhang Shijie added: "Since His Majesty came to the throne, there have been setbacks, but there have been no major defeats. Don't let your first major defeat be caused by you."

"Don't worry, the manager, the general will never make mistakes." Yang Zhenlong assured.

The three discussed the tactical details and separated.

Qian Yi returned to the gunboat flagship and met with the navy generals.

Tang Yongqin, who returned to the sea after the Battle of Xiangyang, was already the royal artillery officer Du Yuhou and the artillery instructor. At this time, he was also the deputy capital commander of the Jiangbei Marine Division.

"Marquis Chaozhou, how did the discussion go?" Tang Yongqin asked.

After the warships of the Jiangbei Navy had a fight with the Yuan Navy, Qian Yi was given the title of Marquis of Chaozhou. Even though he was still the commander of the capital, his actual rank was indeed second grade, comparable to that of a general manager.

In fact, all four naval divisions in the dynasty were headed by marquises. This was a reward from the emperor, which fully proved the importance of naval divisions.

"Act as planned." Qian Yi replied.

The strategy set at the beginning of the year was deduced back and forth by various departments. Every general knew it by heart, so there was basically no need to say more.

"As long as the horse infantry doesn't hold back, it will be easy to capture Jiaoxi." Deputy Commander Yan Gang chuckled.

"Well, if the cavalry and infantry troops are not strong enough, we will go into battle personally. We must not let down His Majesty's trust." Qian Yi said.

"Don't worry, Commander. If necessary, I will personally lead the team into battle!" Yan Gang said, patting his chest.

There is no airtight wall in the world, and Gu Zhizhang's confession and the emperor's handling were somehow leaked out. The people on the list hated Yuan Lu for his cunning, but they also became more loyal to the emperor.

Yan Gang felt that the best way to prove his innocence was to kill a few more Tartars. Now that the opportunity was in front of him, of course he was eager to try.

Qian Yi knew what he was thinking and warned: "You are a veteran at sea, don't be impulsive."

Yan Gang nodded and said: "Don't worry, Commander, the navy does not need the courage of an ordinary man, I will not act recklessly."

Tang Yongqin said: "Don't mess around when you go ashore. Land battles are not the same as before. They are all led by thunder, and personal bravery is not important."

He was afraid that the naval division would suffer losses if he did not know that the land battle would occur, so he explained.

In fact, it is too much to worry about. Each battle report will be distributed to each general for reference and improvement. Although Qian Yi and others have not seen it with their own eyes, they also know that times have changed.

The huge fleet headed north along the coast. Although the wind was in the wrong direction, there were no waves, so it was smooth sailing.

But at 25, thin dots of snow suddenly fell in the sky.

Zhang Shijie, however, was not worried but overjoyed, saying: "There were many famous generals in ancient times who raided on snowy nights. Now if I follow my example, how can it be in vain?"

(End of this chapter)