Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 166 Strategic Shift
The situation in Huguang and Jiangxi is deteriorating rapidly.

He Tengjiao favored one over the other and ordered the Loyalty Battalion to be transferred to Jiangxi. The Loyalty Battalion was attacking Changsha fiercely, and Changsha was already in danger. Li Chixin was very unwilling, but he had to lead the Loyalty Battalion to leave Changsha.

When he arrived at Chaling, Li Chixin learned that Li Chengdong had been defeated in Ganzhou and had retreated to Guangdong. Tan Tai led the Qing army to besiege Nanchang three times, and Jin Shenghuan had no hope of breaking out. Li Chixin then stopped in Chaling Prefecture on the border between Hunan and Jiangxi, waiting and watching.

At the same time, He Tengjiao transferred Ma Jinzhong's Zhongkai Camp to leave Changsha and garrison in Xiangtan. He led the Chu Division and the Yunnan Division to besiege Changsha, trying to seize the credit of Changsha.

The Qing troops in Changsha felt puzzled, but they also got a valuable opportunity to gain insight. They took the opportunity to strengthen the city walls and go out to plunder food and fodder.

Li Chixin and Ma Jinzhong were the most powerful armies in the Southern Ming Dynasty, and it was still so difficult for them to capture Changsha. How could He Tengjiao's ragtag army capture Changsha?

The person who was most worrying and frightening to Danchu was Jirgalang, Prince Zheng of the Qing Dynasty.

Jirgalang led his army to pacify the Liuyuan Army in Shandong and arrived at Anlu Prefecture in Hubei in December. He stayed in Jiangbei to feed the war horses and recuperate the soldiers.

In the early Qing Dynasty, the Aisin-Gioro clan produced many outstanding people. Jirgalang was not brave, but he was cautious by nature and tolerant, and he could be called an unshakable figure in the political arena. He was Nurhaci's nephew, raised by Nurhaci, and had a long history in the Eight Banners.

At the beginning of Shunzhi's reign, Jirgalang and Dorgon jointly assisted in the administration of the country, and were collectively called the Regent Uncle Kings. Dorgon was in charge of state affairs, and Jirgalang was in charge of military affairs.

Dorgon showed his arrogance and tried his best to exclude Jirgalang, but Jirgalang took a concessionary attitude. In the first month of the first year of the Yongli reign, Dorgon used the excuse that the base of Prince Zheng's palace exceeded the prescribed size, fined Jirgalang 2,000 taels of silver, dismissed Jirgalang from his position as regent, and removed his title of regent.

In front of Dorgon, Jirgalang was submissive and cautious. Huguang was in urgent need, so Dorgon had to use Jirgalang. This time, Jirgalang was like a tiger out of a cage, and he could show his strength. With his prestige in the Eight Banners Army and his rich military experience, it was easy for him to deal with He Tengjiao.

Danchu lived in seclusion in Nanning, but he had read the Tang newspaper and knew that Jirgalang had left Shandong and went south to Huguang.

The crisis is coming. Although Yong'an Prefecture has a good name, it is not safe. The security environment is far inferior to Nanning. The Red Army must start a strategic shift and move its focus to Nanning. After the war was settled, Danchu began to deploy the relocation of his subordinates.

In March of this year, Emperor Yongli visited Nanning, and the government offices and palaces in the city were all there, which could be used by the Red Army.

Three days before the Spring Festival, the first batch of subordinates boarded the auxiliary soldier's grain ship and arrived in Nanning smoothly. The total number of people was less than 300, mainly teachers and students of Yongan University, and a small number of personnel from the General's Office and the Iron Bureau.

The Yongli Emperor's palace was spacious and was used as a commander's residence by Xu Biao. Now it was used as a general's residence by Dan Chu. As the Spring Festival was approaching, new couplets were posted in front of the general's residence and red lanterns were hung, adding a lot of festivity.

Cao Yu, the commander of the auxiliary troops, Xu Shiji, the secretary of Yong'an University, and Liu Yuchun, the general manager of Jinxiu Ironware Bureau, came to see Danchu together, and Danchu summoned them immediately.

"Did you have a smooth journey?" Danchu asked with concern.

Cao Yu replied, "This trip went relatively smoothly. There was no problem with the Mengjiang section. The Xunjiang and Yujiang sections were Chen Bangfu's territory, so we had to be careful. Fortunately, the Marshal's reputation was so great that Chen Bangfu did not dare to act rashly."

Yujiang River and Xunjiang River are actually one river, which are the names of Xijiang River in different locations. Zuojiang River and Youjiang River meet not far upstream of Nanning, and are called Yujiang River at first. When they reach Xunzhou, they meet Qianjiang River, and are called Xunjiang River from then on. When they reach Wuzhou, they meet Lijiang River, and are called Xijiang River from then on.

"Marshal, please pay attention," Cao Yu said. "Chen Bangfu's attitude has become cold. When I led the auxiliary troops through Xunzhou, Chen's army was cold. They also cut off the supply of money and grain. This time, our army has few grain ships, and the auxiliary troops can still cope with it. If we need to move the Red Army's families, craftsmen, etc. later, there will be a lot of people, horses, and equipment, and we will need a lot of ships. The momentum is great, so we must strengthen the protection."

After Chen Zengyu came, Danchu and Chen Bangfu had fallen out. Chen's army had been besieging Hengzhou for a long time, and the Hengzhou defenders simply raised the banner of the Red Army. Chen Bangfu did not dare to treat the Red Army as an enemy, so he led his troops to withdraw.

The two armies became enemies, and Dan Chu ordered the Intelligence Bureau to send additional spies to Xunzhou to monitor the movements of Chen's army.

Intelligence showed that Chen Bangfu was unwilling to accept this. Although he did not dare to start a war, he was stepping up his conspiracy and trying to find external aid.

Danchu was afraid of this. On the one hand, he instructed the Intelligence Bureau to intensify intelligence gathering, while on the other hand, he made secret preparations and thought about countermeasures.

"The family and craftsmen moved from Yong'an to Nanning. There were so many people, horses and equipment that they could only go by water. I have ordered Ruan Tingfeng to build a navy, but I am afraid that distant water cannot quench the thirst. At that time, I will let the infantry guard along the two banks of Xunjiang River." Bi Fangji was the general manager of Yong'an University in name only, but Xu Shiji was actually in charge of the work. Xu Shiji participated in the Fushe Society in his early years. After the fall of the Hongguang Dynasty, he went to Guilin to join Qu Shisi. He was knowledgeable, energetic, and very capable in running the school.

"Marshal, Yongan University has been ordered to relocate. All teachers, students, and teaching aids have been moved here."

"Very good, Yongan University has called you and you have lived up to my expectations. I have asked someone to vacate the prefectural school and use it as the campus of Yongan University."

Liu Yuchun, the general manager of the Iron Bureau, brought a sample flintlock rifle and a sample paper shell bullet and said, "Marshal, we have developed the paper shell bullet as you ordered. Please take a look."

As the name suggests, paper shell bullets are made of paper shells, filled with gunpowder and bullets, and can be used in matchlock guns or flintlock guns. This seemingly insignificant invention can significantly increase the firing rate of muskets.

The method of using paper shell bullets is very simple. The musketeer can bite the paper shell with his mouth, pour a little gunpowder into the firing port, close the firing port, and pour the remaining gunpowder into the gun chamber. Finally, put the bullet and the paper shell into the gun chamber and use a ramming rod to compact it.

Before this, the Ming army used bamboo tubes and tin boxes to pack gunpowder and bullets separately, and the loading procedure was cumbersome.

Danchu took the paper shell bullet and took a quick look at it. He found that the paper shell was thick, so there should be no problem in packaging gunpowder and bullets. However, if the paper shell did not burn completely, it might affect the next ignition.

"Does this kind of paper shell bullet leave much residue after firing?"

This question was very professional. Liu Yuchun smiled knowingly and answered, "Not much. We added saltpeter into the paper pulp, and the paper shells burned very fiercely."

Considering that musketeers do not have many opportunities to shoot in a battle, this kind of paper shell bullet with added saltpeter should be reliable.

"How much has the musket's firing rate increased?"

"About half. The same shooter, under the same circumstances, can fire three rounds after using paper shell bullets instead of two."

In this way, a skilled shooter can fire three paper shell bullets per minute. A well-trained shooter may even fire four or five bullets per minute.

The bayonet and paper shell bullet will become the force multiplier of the flintlock. The key is to have a reliable flintlock!

Danchu turned to the flintlock-like gun, installed and removed the bayonet by himself, and found it quite convenient, and asked, "How is the firing rate?"

The firing rate depends on two things: saltpeter and hammer. The hammer depends on the quality of the spring. The spring is ultimately a metallurgical issue.

"The firing rate is over 80%, but less than 90%. After testing, it is found that for every 100 shots, about 85 will fire."

In contrast, the matchlock musket had a misfire rate of only about half. The flintlock musket was significantly more reliable than the matchlock musket.

“What is the spring life?”

"It's already up to fifty times."

"Well, it's a big improvement. However, it must reach 100 times before it can be finalized for production." Dan Chu said to Liu Yuchun earnestly, "Tomorrow, you will accompany me to visit the Xinning Iron Mine. The Ironware Bureau is also preparing to move to Nanning."

"promise."

(End of this chapter)