Dominate the Country

It was noon on the third day when Xu Youruo led the vanguard fleet to sail from Wenzhou Port.

"Deputy Commander, we encountered the Qing army." Xu Gui's voice sounded outside the door, and his voice was full of excitement.

In the cabin, Xu Youruo sighed lightly, and then raised his eyebrows with a hint of amusement. "Sure enough, the navy of Fujian will not watch my land and sea forces come together." They would send ships out for reconnaissance. Xu Youruo was like a burden.

As the vanguard fleet, his mission was to wipe out the Qing army's patrol boats on the sea first.

At the same time, Xu Youruo was also confident in the strength of the Fu Han army heading south to Fujian. Seeing the struggle of the Qing army as a fish swimming under the cauldron, the Monkey King in the hands of Tathagata Buddha could not escape from the palm of his hand no matter how much he jumped.

Xu Youruo's fleet was quite strong, with four large and medium-sized thunder ships, four large and medium-sized bird ships, two large-sized silk ships, sixteen watercrafts and shuttle ships, and dozens of sampans.

Such strength certainly could not eat up the main force of the Qing army, but it could definitely sweep away the Qing army's reconnaissance troops.

The current telescope's magnification was still not good enough. Xu Youruo stood at the bow and helplessly put down his hand. He could not see anything in the distance. His eyes were not as sharp as the lookout. Forget it, let's do it according to the original plan. "Let the sampans rush over."

Xu Youruo personally led his ship as the vanguard of the fleet, two large silk ships, four large and medium bird ships formed the middle, sixteen watercrafts and shuttle ships were divided into two teams, each on one side, and one large, two medium and three thunder ships pulled behind, and the fleet was in the shape of an arrow.

Following his order, the neat formation of the leading fleet suddenly dispersed, and the sails were lowered immediately, while the left and right formations filled up the sails and went forward with all their strength. Soon, the left and right formations, which were originally lagging behind, surpassed the central formation in just a quarter of an hour, and the formation changed from an arrow formation to a "V"-shaped ship formation. The left and right formations on both wings were like a pair of open arms, embracing the Qing navy in front.

"What a big appetite, but I don't know if there is a good pair of teeth to match." Haitan Town Deputy General Zhao Kunpeng snorted angrily and threw the monocular telescope to the personal soldiers beside him.

"It's just an ignorant bandit. Why should you be angry with him? You can deal with it after you catch him." Zhao Kunpeng's personal soldiers said. Sure enough, this compliment made Zhao Kunpeng smile.

Zhao Kunpeng is a bannerman, a Han army bannerman, and his ancestors arrived in Fuzhou when they fought in Taiwan. As a person, Zhao Kunpeng certainly hates the Fu Han Army. If possible, he absolutely does not want to see the red flag of the Fu Han Army planted on the tower of Fuzhou. Then, he must do his duty first. Just like the task that Xu Youruo received, he was also ordered to destroy the Fu Han Army's scout patrol boat.

Touching the gun body, Xu Youruo felt a chill, but his heart was hot, like burning charcoal.

The cannon filled him with confidence.

The Fu Han Army's cannon not only has a long range, but also shoots fast. In the ups and downs of the sea, it can fire six to eight rounds in a quarter of an hour, which is a little more than two minutes per round. Xu Youruo talked with many surrendered Qing Navy officers such as Shi Xinxiong and Chai Daji. The level of the Qing Army is that on the largest large-scale silk-driving ship, it is good to be able to fire three or four guns in a quarter of an hour on the sea.

"The enemy has advanced five miles." The shout of the lookout woke Xu Youruo up.

"Five miles." Xu Youruo's narrowed eyes shot out a ray of light. The Qing army did not flee but advanced. This battle was a sure thing. Xu Youruo held more than 20 large and small warships in his hands, and the other side also had 20 to 30 large and small warships, and they were evenly matched.

"The enemy advanced three miles!"

"The enemy advanced two miles!"

"... Two hundred feet..."

All the data were not exactly accurate. Even if the lookout was the best math genius + the most experienced sailor, he had the best rangefinder of this era in his hands, and the number he could report was only an approximate number.

"Test firing..." As Xu Youruo whispered, a loud shout sounded again on the Ting ship. This Ting ship was named after the word "Jing", which was "Jing Wu". The flag bearer on the dock also waved the small flag in his hand up and down to convey the order.

"Boom... Boom..."

Standing at the bow, Xu Youruo felt the deck under his feet tremble slightly, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. This was the advantage of a big ship.

When he heard the sound of the cannon, Zhao Kunpeng smiled. He knew in his heart that it was definitely the rebels in front of him who fired it. He brought out veterans from the Five Seas this time. They were experienced and could not fire cannons more than a mile away. This time he wanted to severely injure Chen Ni, not just to drive him away. The rebels in front could do such a thing, obviously they were rookies who had just entered the battlefield.

Zhao Kunpeng was not immediately slapped in the face. The cannon of Whale No. 5 was 13 or 14 feet away from the nearest warship of the Qing army.

The cannons of the Fu Han Army were like lit firecrackers, but they always rang one after another. Dozens of warships were sailing in a zigzag shape, and they all fired one by one.

"Go forward, rush in with all your strength, and fight when you get close." Zhao Kunpeng shouted loudly. In this era, Eastern naval battles and boarding battles occurred from time to time. It was impossible to determine the winner with a simple long-range artillery battle. Only by rushing close to "hand-to-hand combat" could you win.

Zhao Kunpeng has been in charge of his fleet for more than ten years, and his Green Camp Navy of Haitan Town is all veteran. Since the order has been given, there is no doubt that they will go.

The Qing warships rushed straight towards the Fu Han Army without slowing down.

"Boom... Boom..."

The calm sea surface echoed with deafening noises, and the cannons sprayed out flames, accompanied by black smoke, and shells whistled out.

Xu Youruo stood quietly on the deck with a calm expression and a confident look.

He must win this battle!

…

The large forces of the Fuhan Army moved south by sea, but the 16th Brigade and the 13th Brigade of the Second Guard Division did not really stop when they reached the border of Zhejiang and Fujian.

Gao Jinghui led part of the 13th Brigade into Jianning Prefecture. A battle at Xianxia Pass was all it took. He captured Pucheng without any bloodshed, and then divided his troops into three groups: one to the west to attack Chongru, and the other to the east to attack Songxi. , he himself led the way from the middle along the Nanpu River straight to Jianning Fucheng. Shaanxi Chief Minister Zhu Xueren, who retired from retirement five years ago and returned to his hometown, organized a group exercise to defend Chongru to the death. As a result, his whole family was killed. Chen Shu even wanted to cast the broadswords and shotguns seized from Chongru County into a kneeling statue of Mr. Zhu, calling him a traitor. Ming Fu [Fuzhou General] was shocked when he got the news. The Fuhan Army actually used such methods, which will be infamy for thousands of years. This is very shocking to scholars and anyone.

"The thieves went deep into Jianning, and it was like entering an uninhabited land, how could it be so good!" He walked around in the study, stamping his feet from time to time and sighing.

"Alas, Huang Shijian is really useless. You have failed me so much!" Mingfu said in his heart, pushing all his resentment on Huang Shijian. If only Huang Shijian could have 30% of the ability of his great-grandfather Haicheng Gong Huang Wu. , why is it that the enemy entering Jianning Mansion is like entering an uninhabited land?

He wrote a rebuke in his pen, accusing Huang Shijian of being afraid of the enemy and avoiding fighting, and that his hard work was in vain. He wanted to find someone to replace Huang Shijian, the governor of Northern Fujian, but he couldn't think of a suitable person. In his mind, Chen Jie and Wu Xiongguang, who had fought in Suzhou and retreated to northern Fujian, were both good candidates, but they were too inexperienced and too young, and Chen Ni had already overpowered them, so slowing down the situation would not help.

This morning, as usual, I got up before dawn. Under the service of a group of maids and maids, I washed myself, put on my regular imperial robes, and then walked out of Yixinzhai to the small Buddhist hall to burn incense and worship the sky. This is a Tathagata that Mingfu invited to the Xichan Temple at the foot of Yishan Mountain in the Jijiuling Mountains in the western suburbs of Fuzhou during the most critical period the year before last. But it was just a coincidence that this small Buddhist hall was completed in the General's Mansion. The British Human cannons and gunpowder were sent into the city from the Min River. With the help of British firearms, Ming Fu really saved the city of Fuzhou. Over the next more than a year, the situation gradually improved until the spring of this year.

After kowtowing four times, praying silently for a while, he returned to the westernmost room of the study. In order to feel depressed, he skipped the usual greetings from his son, grandson, etc.

After changing into Ge cloth, the summer clothes made of Ge cloth were more comfortable than silk. Ming Fu went to the desk again and started reviewing documents. On this desk, he has been reviewing various documents on major military affairs for six years, and has personally issued countless orders, but now he worries about this desk every day. There was a mountain of various memorials, newspapers and documents from various places piling up on his desk every day, but there was almost no content that would make him happy.

Some of these documents reported on the progress of the Fuhan Army, some reported on local food shortages, and some reported on the riots of "Tu bandits". Mingfu called the local Tiandihui rebels in Fuzhou - Tu bandits. There are also reports of tragic military disasters. The officers and soldiers sent out to fight are no longer as brave as they were before. Burning, killing, and looting are common in local areas.

There are also some local officials who have fled, and some local officials have been martyred after their cities were destroyed... He has to read documents like this every day, but he really doesn't want to and doesn't dare to read them. Sometimes, he wanted to kick over the desk, and he was also afraid of coming into contact with the official documents and battle reports related to the war and failure.

Now, his mind was particularly heavy. He did not review the documents immediately. He only looked down at the bronze incense burner on the desk in trance. A maid held a vermillion-gold tray with both hands, with small bowls and a silver spoon on top, containing stewed bird's nests, and walked gently into the study. Another maid took off the tureen and silver spoon from the tray, placed them in front of Ming Fu, and casually opened the lid. Ming Fu didn't even glance at the maids. He picked up the silver spoon, looked at the bird's nest in the bowl, and said in his heart: I don't know how many days in the future I can drink such a product, and slowly finished the bird's nest soup. .

After finishing the bird's nest soup, Mingfu asked someone to prepare a meal. There were large bowls and small bowls, large plates and small plates. There were more than ten dishes in one meal. However, Mingfu had no appetite at all and only took a few dishes at hand. With two chopsticks, most dishes are brought in and out the same way. Leaning on the chair, Beng Fook picked up the list of promotions and promotions presented by the Chief Envoy from under the paperweight. On it were the names of ten people, each with their merits and qualifications.

These are all loyal ministers of the Qing Dynasty, but these are also trivial matters. Now that they have reached this point, what if one of them is given the title of governor?

He picked up the list and read it several times, but his mind went blank. The eyes are on the paper, but the heart is not.

Put the pen down.

At this moment, Ming Fu's chief attendant came in with a booklet and placed it respectfully on the desk. Mingfu was afraid that there would be another bad military situation or famine, so he asked suspiciously:

"What paperwork?"

"General, this is the document handed over by Fu Liang, the deputy commander of Jingkou, who received the contract in the custody room. I will deliver it right away." Fu Liang, the deputy commander of Jingkou, led his people to escape from Jiangnan to Zhejiang, and then from Zhejiang to Fuzhou. Ming Fu threw him aside, thinking that Fu Liang was just a scared rat general.

"Fu Liang...what's the matter?"

"He said that the traitors were deeply entrenched and Jianning was corrupted. As a bannerman of the Manchu Army, he had the unshirkable responsibility. He begged the general to send him to supervise the war in Jianning."

Ming Fu was suddenly overjoyed: "What? He is willing to go to Jianning to supervise the battle?" It was really an unexpected surprise.

"Yes, General."

"Read it to me! Read it to me!"

Chang Sui had already read Fu Liang's letter, and he didn't stutter at all when reading it. The words in Fu Liang's letter are not impassioned, nor are they full of passion for loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. They are just very straightforward and frank. They, the banner people in the southern country, have reached the end of their life, and they have nowhere to escape. reached the point. Are we going to surrender without mercy, have sex with Chen Ni, and be humiliated at will? It is better to fight to the death and die.

Such straightforward words touched Mingfu's heart the most at the moment. He was really deeply moved, and his eyes were filled with tears. "Rare! Rare!" His throat started to choke and his voice trembled. It's rare that there is such a sensible person as Fu Liang among the bannermen. Even if Fu Liang asks him for silver, one hundred and eighty thousand taels is not too much, and one hundred and twenty thousand taels is not too little. Jianning is a typical place with many mountains and little land, with eight mountains, one water and one farmland, that’s where I’m talking.

Fu Liang was prepared to leave his life in Jianning. He doesn't need to bring many people, just the two to three hundred Nanjing flag soldiers beside him.

Fu Liang knew the situation in Fuzhou very well. He still had some firearms, but they still had to keep them to defend the city. When arriving in Jianning, it would be an absolute dream to expect Fuzhou to support ammunition and firearms. Fu Liang relied more on swords, guns and cold weapons.

So Fu Liang only wanted money and a lot of money to sue. A military attache of the sixth or seventh grade can submit himself.

Ming Fu had already made his decision and decisively ordered:

"Go back to Fu Liang in person and ask him to replace Huang Shijian as governor of the Northern Fujian army."

"Where is Huang Shijian?" The entourage was shocked. Is this going to capture the land admiral before the battle? Isn't this a change of generals on the spot, he asked timidly.

"Take him to Fuzhou!"

The attendant secretly glanced at Mingfu's face. He knew that Huang Shijian was quite incompetent, but Huang Shijian had deep roots in Fujian. Since his great-grandfather's generation, the Huang family has been involved in various branches and branches in Fujian. The Huang family has friends not only with military and political officials, but also with numerous maritime businessmen and wealthy businessmen. When Huang Shijian himself was the admiral, he often took the inland river to transport tea and raw silk to the mouth of the Minjiang River.

But the General had already made a decision. He did not dare to say another word, so he had no choice but to follow Mingfu's instructions and go out to do it. He turned around and retreated respectfully.

Although Fu Liang, the deputy commander of Jingkou, was not a suitable commander in Mingfu's eyes, because he was already very dissatisfied with Huang Shijian and was eager to change the military situation in northern Fujian, he decided such a major issue very hastily. He has always been a thoughtful person, and he firmly believes that the bannermen are more reliable than the Han people at this time.

He stood up and walked around the room. I couldn't calm down for a long time. "By the way, there is Wu Bida." The Wu Bida clan has a sworn hatred between heaven and earth. Mingfu can still trust him, and the standard of the bannermen at sea is even worse. Neither Mingfu nor Ening, the governor of Fujian, had any intention of ostracizing Wu Bida. Now Mingfu felt that he needed to give Wu Bida some relief.

Then Mingfu sighed in his heart and said:

"I hope that by replacing Huang Shijian with Fu Liang, the governor-general and the army can change the current military situation!"

The army led by Chen Ni had not taken action yet, but they had only captured Yu Yong, a traitor in Zhejiang, leaving northern Fujian helpless. Mingfu did not think that the Fuhan army was really unstoppable, but only thought that Huang Shijian was stupid and the morale of the army was low, which made the situation in Jianning so embarrassing.