The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 167 Landing in Weihaiwei

On the seventh day of the ninth month of the first year of Taichang, at the western beacon tower port of Weihaiwei.

Weihaiwei Commander Dong Yushi and Baichi Commander Wu Mengqi, accompanied by two night guards from Kaiyuan Army, stared at the rising tide at Yingzui Port.

A group of seagulls foraging for food flew over the heads of the soldiers guarding Baichi Suo and flew quickly towards the distant sea.

Captain Wu looked back at this group of beggar-like garrison soldiers and couldn't help but sigh softly. He didn't know when the Kaiyuan army he was looking forward to would arrive. Yesterday, the Wenxiang Sect had already begun attacking Wendeng County.

The number of followers of the Wen Xiang sect grew like a snowball, from the initial two thousand to fifty or sixty thousand.

After entering Wendeng, the Wenxiang Sect burned, killed, and looted, and even massacred people in Banqiao and Chigou. Their atrocities were comparable to those of the Japanese pirates who plagued Dengzhou during the Jiajing period.

"Master Dong, when will the Fuzhou ship arrive? Has Governor Yuan received any news?"

Dong Qianshi, dressed in an elegant manner, stroked his long and delicate beard. People who didn't know him would think he was a civil servant.

In fact, he was a dignified fourth-rank military officer, and in Weihaiwei, his status was second only to Commander Yang and Li Tongzhi.

The two adults retreated to the city and prepared to hold it for a long time, in fact, to avoid encountering the Wenxiang Sect.

Governor Yuan and the commander-in-chief sent Dong Chenshi to Yingzui Port to welcome the Kaiyuan army.

"The army will arrive soon, Captain Wu, there's no need to worry. The Kaiyuan army can even defeat the Jiannu, let alone a mere Wenxiang demon."

Although Dong Chenshi said this, he was not sure at all.

The two Yebushou nodded and once again assured the two adults that reinforcements would arrive soon.

Ten days ago, they set out from Fushun, passed Shanhaiguan in Fuzhou, traveled day and night, entered the customs by land, and rushed to Weihai.

Seeing that the people of Weihaiwei were in a panic, the two Yebushou had to stay behind to assist in the defense and stabilize Dong Chenshi and Wu Qianhu so that they would not escape with others.

In mid-to-late August, Yuan Keli's standard battalion and Jizhen reinforcements were defeated in succession in Yishui. Xu Hongru led 80,000 Wenxiang Sect followers to advance towards Dengzhou, planning to encircle Jinan Prefecture from the southeast wings.

After the Wenxiang Rebellion broke out, the two armies sent by the imperial court to aid Lu were defeated one after another.

The soldiers from Liaozhen only knew how to rob things, while those from Jizhen fled back to Tianjin after fighting a battle.

Weihaiwei fell into chaos, and many wealthy families moved their families and fled towards Jinan Prefecture.

With Governor Zhao in charge, Jinan Prefecture should be safe.

Dengzhou Governor Yuan Keli knew that the more than 2,000 beggar soldiers in Weihaiwei were no match for the Wenxiang Sect.

So he placed all his hopes on Ping Liaohou.

In order to cooperate with the Kaiyuan Army's landing in Weihaiwei, Dengzhou City invested a huge amount of money.

Merchants shared the burden and civilians contributed their labor. In just one month, they managed to gather two hundred Fujian ships and three thousand shi of grain and fodder for the Kaiyuan Army to use in the sea crossing battle.

Under the coercion of Governor Yuan, Dong Chenshi stood like a lighthouse at Yingzui Harbor, under the stone pavilion on the Hundred-foot Cliff, anxiously waiting for the arrival of the Fu ship.

The soldiers under the jurisdiction of Weihaiwei were also gathered on the beach, standing here and there, each one looking like a skinny water ghost.

Dong Chenshi did not expect these people to be able to resist the Wenxiang Sect. He let them come only to prevent the garrison soldiers from defecting to Xu Hongru and eventually implicating himself.

Suddenly, a cry of surprise was heard from the Hundred-Foot Cliff.

Dong Chenshi shuddered and subconsciously lifted his robe to mount his horse and escape.

"The Fuzhou ships are coming! The Kaiyuan troops are coming!"

On the sea east of Yingzui Port, hundreds of Fujian ships were lined up in a line, cutting through the waves and heading towards Yingzui Port with a suffocating and intimidating momentum.

Flags covered the sky and masts were like a forest.

The sound of powerful drums rang out on the sea, like thunder in the clear sky. The golden drummers stood shirtless on the tall watchtowers and beat the marching drums.

The fleet slowly sailed into Yingzui Port. The black gold-woven banner of Ping Liaohou and the red command flag of Liaodong General fluttered in the wind, and were particularly dazzling on the blue sea.

There were tiger-crouching cannons and field guns fixed on the deck. The artillerymen stood around the cannons, looking defiantly at the garrison soldiers on the Hundred-Foot Cliff.

At the bottom of the Fu ship, the soldiers' armor and flintlock rifles shone with a cold light, bright and eye-catching.

"Marquis Ping Liao is here!"

Dong Chenshi clenched his hands, his expression excited, and gestured twice with his fat hands. He quickly called a servant and said loudly to him:

"Hurry to the Acropolis and ask Governor Yuan to come quickly and welcome the Marquis of Ping Liao!"

~~~~~
Eighteen thousand Kaiyuan troops arrived at Yingzui Port in batches.

The Marquis of Ping Liao, the Governor of Deng Lai, and the Commander of Wei Hai Wei discussed matters such as the stationing of the army and the provision of food and fodder.

After a few pleasantries, Liu Zhaosun hurriedly said goodbye and turned to summon his captains and officers from the cavalry battalion and artillery battalion to arrange the stationing of the Kaiyuan army and formulate a battle plan for two days later.

September was the peak of the Liaohai Sea's windy season, and many soldiers were seasick and vomiting, requiring immediate rest. That day, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th thousandth headquarters rested at Dengjiasai, Samago, and Shangmatai, respectively, near Yingzui Harbor.

The 1,000th headquarters consisted of 4,000 combat troops stationed at Wu Menglin's Baichi Guard Station. Most of the 4,000 men were veterans of the bloody battle of Hunhe River. They were under the direct command of Liu Zhaosun and were the main force of the 4,000-man headquarters.

That night, Ping Liaohou personally led 4,000 cavalrymen from the cavalry battalion to the Weihaiwei city, 20 miles away, and rested in the city wall of the garrison.

Each camp sent out night patrols, and each night patrol team leader summarized the intelligence of the Wenxiang Sect in the surrounding area and then reported it to the three captains.

The next morning, Ping Liaohou left a thousand cavalrymen to guard the Weihaiwei city, and personally led the main force of the cavalry battalion and marched rapidly towards Yangting Town.

Yangting Town is located 20 miles southeast of Weicheng and 60 miles from Wendeng County, between Weihaiwei and Wendeng.

According to the latest report from Ye Bushou, the members of the Wenxiang Sect are heading north, slaughtering villages, taking civilians with them, and are approaching Yangting Town.

The day before the Kaiyuan Army landed, members of the Wenxiang Sect in Yanzhou attacked from both inside and outside, broke through the Wendeng County, captured the Wendeng Camp Commander Chen alive, beheaded the Wendeng County Magistrate, robbed all the wealthy families in the city, and abducted thousands of women.

On September 7, the Wenxiang Sect gathered followers from surrounding areas and joined forces with bandits from Yaoyao Mountain, Mazi Mountain, Xie Mountain, Moer Mountain, Qiaozibu and other places, numbering over 100,000 people and with overwhelming arrogance.

On September 8, Emperor Xu Hongru of the Restoration of Fu ordered the vanguard general Wang Haoxian to lead 100,000 believers to pacify Dengzhou.

On that day, General Wang raised his troops from Wendeng County and divided them into two groups, marching along Caomiaozi Town and Gushan Town respectively, and launching an attack on Dengzhou from the east and south.

~~~~~~~~
Xiaobeishan Village is five miles south of Yangting Town.

Ping Liao Hou reined in his horse and stood still, his angry eyes reflecting raging flames.

This quiet village had just been ravaged by the Fragrance Sect. The thatched roofs were on fire, and thick smoke billowed into the sky. There were corpses covered in mud lying on the ground, and the cries of babies could be faintly heard.

Two miles away, several scouts wearing red scarves were holding torches and burning crops.

The scouts noticed the Kaiyuan cavalry coming in, and only when the Kaiyuan army approached did they calmly drop their torches and retreat to the northeast.

Three thousand elite cavalrymen looked together in the direction where the Wenxiang Sect's scout horses had retreated. In the northeast sky, billowing smoke and dust rose, and a sound like muffled thunder was heard, and the earth seemed to be shaking slightly.

The warhorse smelled the scent of iron and blood, became a little restless, and kept snorting. Liu Zhaosun gently stroked the horse's mane, and the hanging bells made crisp sounds, as if the god of death was ringing the death bell.

He turned to look at Jin Yuji and pointed at the burning village:
"Take two people with you to the village to rescue people. If you find any injured, bring them back to the camp."

Jin Yuji hesitated, and when she heard the shrill cry of a baby, she hurriedly rode away.

From afar, Liu Zhaosun was heard shouting:

"Don't drink the well water, it's poisonous."

Jin Yuji smiled slightly, and disappeared behind the dense cavalry formation with two guards.

A group of cavalry appeared in front. They all wore red scarves and held spears and axes in their hands. Their formation was a little chaotic.

Ye Bushou had already discovered the tactics of the Wenxiang Sect's cavalry, which were basically dog fights, with no formations to speak of.

Liu Zhaosun lowered his helmet with his left hand, raised his lance, shouted loudly, and directed the teams to prepare to charge.

The Yehe cavalry on both wings were the first to charge out and fight against the Wenxiang Sect cavalry who rushed to the flanks.

Burhanggu, protected by several Yehe riders, also rushed out with the team.

After Du Du surrendered to Kaiyuan, the Jurchen cavalry under the command of Xicheng Beile was joined by more than a dozen elite cavalrymen of the Bordered White Banner. Together with the recruited Mongolian riders, the number of this foreign cavalry reached more than 500 people. Equipped with flintlock pistols and grenades, their combat power should not be underestimated.

This cavalry unit is independent of the cavalry battalion and is responsible for dogfighting and sabotage missions on the battlefield, acting as a flank cover.

This foreign cavalry suddenly appeared on the battlefield, and the opposing cavalry was obviously not mentally prepared.

Seeing these Tartar cavalrymen coming roaring and making strange noises that did not sound like human voices, the Wenxiang believers who had come from Yuncheng and were used to fighting with favorable winds began to feel a little timid.

Although their head of the cabinet, Xu Hongru, is the reincarnation of the ancestor Chen Zhuan, he is protected by the Mother of Mount Li.

However, these ferocious foreign Tartars before them seemed to be beyond the control of Lishan Laomu and her men.

We must worship Changshengtian.

The red-turbaned cavalryman who was in the front was hacked to death by a wave of flying axes. A fellow believer behind him was still hesitating when he was hit by a whistling iron bone ball, followed by a dense burst of short arrows.

The foreign cavalry rushed within twenty steps, and the Wenxiang Sect believers in the front row threw flying axes.

These believers were all soldiers of Yanzhou Prefecture and servants of the masters. They were good at cavalry dogfighting. After surrendering to the government, they became the cavalry vanguard of the Wenxiang Sect.

The sound of muskets exploding could be heard all around, and men fell off their horses on both sides at the same time. The Red Turban Army had no armor and only had magical powers to protect them, so the casualties were even more severe.

Under the attack of the foreign cavalry's muskets, none of the Wenxiang cavalry who rushed forward to fight were spared and were all killed by flintlock rifles.

Burhanggu waved his sword and silently prayed to Changshengtian in his heart, hoping to kill the evil man Xu Hongru today.

(End of this chapter)