I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 221 Zhang Juzheng puts down the rebellion with ruthless tactics

Zhang Juzheng led a naval force from the Dinghai Camp, with about 150 large and small ships, and a battalion of naval marines, about 2,500 people, upstream.

As we drove to the Guabu River, we suddenly saw black smoke rising from Nanjing City.

Zhang Juzheng's face changed.

This is not a good thing.

He immediately gave the order: "Inform all teams to speed up their journey and get to Nanjing as soon as possible."

"Yes!"

Half an hour later, we could see a speedboat coming towards us from the Shangxin River wharf west of Nanjing. It shouted from a distance, "It's the honor guard of Lord Zhang!"

A navy speedboat came to meet them, "It's the honor guard of Lord Zhang, who are you?"

"I am Zhang Shiyuan, the director of the Nanjing Military Department. I am on behalf of Minister Liu of the Ministry of War. I am sending a fast boat to report to Lord Zhang about the riots in Nanjing."

"Come with me."

The naval academy brought Zhang Shiyuan to Zhang Juzheng's official ship. The Jinyiwei academy searched him first, and then the attendants brought him to Zhang Juzheng.

"I am Zhang Shiyuan, the head of the Nanjing Military Department, and I am here to see Mr. Zhang."

"Get up without ceremony."

"Thank you, Lord."

"Hurry up and tell me about the situation in Nanjing."

"Yes! To answer your question, three days ago, the Zhenwu Camp was instigated by someone, and some military students came out to demand the payment of the six months of overdue food and wages. The Nanjing Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue sent officials to negotiate, but they were detained by the Zhenwu Camp, who then blocked the camp and confronted the troops sent by the garrison.

Yesterday evening, thousands of soldiers from Zhenwu Camp suddenly rushed out of the camp and entered the North City, burning, killing and looting. Minister Liu hurriedly led more than 2,000 soldiers from the Garrison and Yingtian Prefecture to drive the chaotic soldiers back to the Zhenwu Camp and sealed the gate of the camp.

Now Minister Liu has ordered people to watch over the Zhenwu Camp, while organizing people to put out fires in the northern city. At the same time, he has ordered all the prefectures to organize young and strong men to form volunteers to guard the streets and alleys and investigate the traitors.

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and asked, "Liu Bingbu led his men to confront Zhenwuying for a whole night?"

"Yes."

"What's the situation in the city now?"

"To reply to your words, there was no major riot. Yesterday at dusk, the Zhenwu Camp rushed into the North City, and the North City and the East City were in chaos. Minister Liu and Governor Yang of Yingtian Prefecture closed the city gates, imposed a curfew on the entire city, and patrolled with soldiers, beheading dozens of people and finally maintaining order."

Zhang Juzheng nodded. "Now the Zhenwu Camp is no longer a dispute over military pay, but a mutiny! Liu Shunchen, Li Guoan."

He called out the names of the Dinghai Camp Navy Commander and the Marine Battalion Commander.

"My subordinate is here!"

"The Marine Battalion will go ashore and attack the Zhenwu Battalion. First, disarm these rebels and capture them. Anyone who dares not to disarm will be killed without mercy! The Dinghai Battalion Navy will dispatch 1,000 men ashore to help take over the defense of the North City.

The rest of the sailors and crew should stand guard and be careful to prevent the rebels from seizing the ship or escaping by water."

"Yes!"

Zhang Juzheng called out to Li Guoan, the commander of the Marine Battalion.

"Commander Li, the Zhenwu Camp claims to have 3,000 soldiers, but in reality, the full quota is only 2,000. They have been roaming around and their military preparations have long been in disarray.

You have 2,500 soldiers. If you can't handle them, go see Cao Futai and Qi Fengning yourself."

The main force of the Marine Corps was the Yiwu soldiers trained by Qi Jiguang. When they heard what Zhang Juzheng said, their faces turned red and they answered loudly: "I will definitely live up to your expectations!"

Zhang Juzheng stood on the bow with his hands behind his back, watching the navy warships dock one by one, and the teams composed of the Marine Corps and sailors went ashore one after another.

They wore red mandarin duck jackets, iron helmets, held guns and knives, and lined up in the open space following the officers' orders.

Several war horses neighed, and some were led from the warships to the land, and soon formed a reconnaissance team. They jumped on their horses, spurred their mounts, and sped forward. Zhang Juzheng stretched out his hand, and his attendant immediately handed him a monocular telescope.

This thing is becoming more and more popular in the army. Zhang Juzheng had inspected the nine borders twice and knew the benefits of this thing. When he left Beijing, he asked someone to buy one for him.

Zhang Juzheng took the monocular telescope and opened it to point it at the north city gate.

The reconnaissance team was seen galloping all the way to the city gate. The team members were holding up their badges and Zhang Juzheng's imperial commissioner's flag and shouting loudly at the city wall.

After a while, a basket was hung from the city wall. The reconnaissance team was putting their badges, command flags, and a letter with the imperial seal into the basket and slowly pulling it up.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, the north gate was slowly opened a crack, and a group of soldiers came out. They negotiated with the reconnaissance team for a while, checked the badges and tokens, and then the gate was completely opened.

The reconnaissance team waved their flags, and the Marines and Sailors marched forward in neat steps.

The Marines wore round helmets and light armor, and were fully equipped with spears, shields, and steel swords, as well as teams of soldiers carrying heavy matchlock guns. Some also carried submachine guns.

The sailors were much simpler, wearing cloth armor, bamboo hats, carrying spears, holding steel knives, and some carrying bows and crossbows. They were usually responsible for boarding battles in naval battles. Their armor was simple, but they were the most courageous.

Two clearly different armies quickly rushed into the north gate. The sailors quickly took over the north gate and erected a flag of Dinghai Camp on the city wall.

After waiting for half an hour, I suddenly heard fierce gunfire from the city, one after another, as dense as a storm. Then there were several more cannon shots, like spring thunder.

Zhang Shian was so frightened that he trembled all over. He turned around and saw Zhang Juzheng calmly put down the telescope and handed it to his attendant, and he sighed in his heart.

He is indeed a senior minister, fearless in the face of danger.

After two quarters of an hour, the sounds of gunfire and artillery gradually became less frequent, and the cavalry of the reconnaissance team came with a report: "Report! Commander Li has taken control of the Zhenwu Camp, and all the disorderly soldiers have been disarmed and taken into custody."

"Let's go! Tell me what happened as you go." After walking two steps, Zhang Juzheng turned to Zhang Shian and said, "Master Zhang, let's go together."

Zhang Shian quickly bent down and followed behind him.

Zhang Juzheng got on a horse and rode side by side with the cavalry of the reconnaissance team. Zhang Shian was embarrassed because he was the head of the Ministry of War and he didn't know how to ride a horse.

He had no choice but to move forward and follow Zhang Juzheng who was jogging all the way.

"Lord, Commander Li led his troops to block several gates of Zhenwu Camp and surround the area. Then he ordered the shield team to lead the way, and the musket team and artillery team to slowly enter the camp.

When they saw the rebels, they immediately opened fire. When they encountered those who used obstacles to resist, they fired their cannons. They fought their way out and rushed straight to the tents in the military camp. After capturing more than a dozen rebel leaders, the Zhenwu Camp collapsed and everyone threw down their weapons and surrendered.

Zhang Juzheng nodded, looked at Zhang Shian who was running breathlessly behind him, and pointed at a horse-riding attendant, "Take care of him!"

"Yes!"

Zhang Juzheng, escorted by a team of cavalry, headed straight for the Zhenwu Camp.

Behind him, Zhang Shian's boss, Nanjing Minister of War Liu Cai, as well as Duke of Wei Xu Pengju, Marquis of Longping Zhang Tong, Earl of Xincheng Zhao Zuzheng and others were sitting in the sedan chair, desperately urging the bearers to go faster.

By the time Liu Cai and others arrived at the Zhenwu Camp, Zhang Juzheng had already dismounted and was inspecting the Zhenwu Camp under the escort of soldiers and horses.

The camp was in a mess, with discarded weapons and armor everywhere.

Hundreds of dejected soldiers, escorted by sergeants from the Marine Corps, loaded corpses onto vehicles and cleaned up the debris.

There were also dozens of people wearing white coats with a gourd printed on them, carrying medicine boxes, walking among the wounded who were gathered together to treat the injured.

Occasionally he waved his hand and asked the soldiers to carry out the seriously injured people who were hit by lead bullets and leave them aside to die.

Nearly a hundred officers and generals were held in a circle, closely guarded by hundreds of fully armed soldiers.

Zhang Juzheng stood far away, looked at them for a while, as if he was looking at a group of dead people, then turned and left.

After taking a few steps, he met Liu Cai, Xu Pengju and others who were running in hurriedly.

(End of this chapter)