Taiwan is hot and rainy in summer, and the southerly wind is gentle and smooth, which is conducive to the boatmen crossing the sea. Taking advantage of the light southerly wind and smooth waves, June and July are a good time to march troops.

Zheng Jing had completed preparations and personally led Zhou Quanbin, the Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army, and Feng Xifan, the bodyguard, to discuss joining the army and Chen Yonghua's invasion of Taiwan. Zheng Tai was stationed in Xiamen, just in case.

The Ming army was advancing steadily in Fujian Province. Even with the new soldiers and surrendered troops, it already had 60,000 troops, and with the help of tens of thousands of volunteer villagers, it began to attack the outskirts of Fuzhou.

On the fifth day of July, Fuqing was captured; on the seventh day of July, Yongtai was liberated; on the eighth day of July, the Minqing army surrendered, and the Ming army took it without a fight. At this point, the Ming army completed the semi-encirclement of Fuzhou from south to west, leaving only Geng Jingzhong. Got off a road to escape north to Zhejiang.

On the second day of July, Deng Yao and Yang Yandi joined forces, first attacked Taizhou, and then suddenly went north to the Yangtze River Estuary. On the eighth day of July, they entered Huangpu Port and entered Shanghai County. The county magistrate paralyzed with fear. The people in the city spread the word "The king has arrived" To", there were those who held on to the stilts to block the government, some who wore net scarves, some who lied to confuse the public, and some who were afraid of shouting at the government. Zhou Guozuo, the governor of Jiangning in the Qing Dynasty, quickly led his troops to help, but was met with more than 6,000 well-equipped soldiers in Qingpu. The Ming Army's Marines ambushed the Qing army, almost all of the five thousand Qing soldiers were destroyed, and Zhou Guozuo was also beheaded in the formation.

On the tenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Ming army attacked Shanghai County with the power of victory. The county government officials held knives against the magistrate's neck and forced the county magistrate to escape from Kaicheng. After resting in Shanghai County for two days, the Ming army arrived at Chongming Island in the north of the Yangtze River. The Qing army had limited troops and did not dare to go to war. It allowed the Ming army to occupy the rice-producing hometown of Chongming - Pingyangshan in the east and Fusa in the west.

On the third day of July, the Yangtze River Navy arrived in Jiujiang. There were only a few hundred sailors in the Nanhu Camp of the Qing army, and they did not dare to fight and hid away. Mao Erban, a poor fisherman in Poyang Lake, took the opportunity to stir up trouble and gathered thousands of people to board a boat and break through the Nanhu mouth for inspection. Si, entered the Yangtze River and defected to the Ming army. The Yangtze River Navy was guided by fishermen. It sent twelve warships and thousands of soldiers into Poyang Lake, forced the Nanhu Camp sailors to land, and then lightly captured Duchang County in the lake area, plundered the treasury and sailed behind the And back.

"The people of Haiyi listened to his foolishness. They were all happy for the thieves to come. No one was guarding the city, but some actually wanted to open the door to welcome the thieves."

"Pirates come and go like the wind, river boats are burned, shore markets are plundered, and the wealthy areas are ridiculed to do this. This is because the defense is not tight and the warnings are not heard."

"But when we heard that the thieves were coming, the people were happy and prosperous. The subordinate servants and others also openly set up the net. If the people's sentiments are like this, there is a danger of internal changes."

…………

The letters written by local officials to superior officials and the memorials sent by senior officials to the imperial court were all complaining and lamenting. The chaos seemed to be everywhere along the southeast coast and along the Yangtze River. The Ming army seemed to be everywhere. The Qing army was exhausted and complained endlessly.

Attacking and plundering is like the wind. Once the navy's mobility is brought into play, even if they lose their legs on land, they will not be able to catch up, but will be exhausted. And the intelligence bureau's painstaking efforts, intelligence stations, and intelligence agents have been secretly planted In various places in the south of the Yangtze River, there was also the response and support of the coastal people. The navy's attacks were more accurate and more ruthless, hitting the Qing army's weak points everywhere, making the Qing army unable to defend itself.

On July 16, Deng Yao and Yang Yandi led two fleets with hundreds of warships into the Yangtze River estuary, and passed through Langshan (now an important town along the river south of Nantong City, Jiangsu) and Fushan (separated from Langshan), which had been crippled by the Yangtze River Navy. Jiangtai), Jiangyin, Jingjiang, Menghe, Yangshe, Sanjiang and other river flood control areas of the Qing army. Passed Jingkou (in Zhenjiang) and went straight to Yizhen (now Yizheng). Hundreds of salt and grain ships were captured outside Yizhen City. Afterwards, one group returned eastward with the captured ships, while the main force continued westward, sailed through Jiaoshan, and arrived at Yanziji on the outskirts of Nanjing on July 20th.

"The pirates committed a direct crime against Yizhen and failed to prepare in advance, resulting in the loss of hundreds of salt and grain ships and the loss of hundreds of thousands of business tax. The delay has not yet been announced by the two Huaihe Transportation Departments. How to make up for it?

.If you sit back and watch businessmen become exhausted and classes fail, it will be obvious that you are careless.”

"Jiangning is so close, so powerful."

"Zhenjiang is the gateway to Guazhou. Now that the thieves have penetrated deeply into the palace, how can they fly over?"

"Fortunately, Governor Ma Guozhu and Admiral Guan Zhongzhong commanded the Manchu and Han soldiers stationed in Nanjing to 'bravely intercept and kill' them, and took advantage of the victory to pursue them outside the mouth of Sanjiang. Otherwise, the north and south of the Yangtze River would have been in danger."

The southeast was shaken, and there were countless memorials. Fortunately, it seemed to be good news for the Qing court in the end. On July 26, the Ming fleet, which was "bravely intercepted and killed" by the Manchu and Han soldiers on land but "failed" to return, was

On the way back, he landed at Lusi Field in Yangzhou Prefecture, defeated the defending Qing army, captured the garrison seal of Dahe Camp, and showed off his power on the Guazhou River, blocking the entrance of the canal for more than ten days before returning to Changxing at the mouth of the Yangtze River and stationed on the two islands of Hengsha.

Continue to threaten canal water transportation.

At this point, the Qing army in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River has been completely mobilized, and it is necessary to strengthen the troops deployed along the river. Especially in Guazhou and Zhenjiang, as key stations for canal water transportation, the Qing army had to station heavy troops and spend money to build new buildings.

River damming works.

Perhaps the Qing army was a little lucky. Fortunately, the Ming army was not strong on land and could only raid along the river and could not land to attack important towns and famous cities. But this luck would soon come to naught. A Ming army was launched on July 13th.

Departing from Guangzhou, we are driving on the sea, heading straight north.

The effect of the navy's harassment was very significant, and the people wherever it passed responded positively. However, it was difficult to expand the results due to the weak land warfare force. Zhu Yongxing and the staff realized this and made up their minds to mobilize the Guangzhou Garrison Division and Hainan Garrison Division that were not full.

The army was stationed on the island, and a 6,000-strong northward marching regiment was formed, with Yiguo Gongma Zide as the main general, and the generals Li Chengjue, Lei Qisheng, and Gao Yingfeng as assistants. They boarded the ship from Guangzhou and headed north.

After this deployment, there were only more than 2,000 regular troops defending Guangzhou, and there were almost no troops on Hainan Island, with all the security forces maintained by the garrison. It was extremely empty.

Seize the opportunity, quickly invest forces, use the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the canal as a breakthrough, firmly grasp the enemy's vital points, and accelerate the tilt of the war. Compared with these, the empty rear at this time is no longer a big problem. The Qing army is fighting

Unexpectedly, Zheng Jing was busy attacking the "rebellious ministers and traitors" in Taiwan and did not dare or have the ability to take action.

…………

The south wind is soothing, and the ships are rising and falling. In the distance of the sea, the water is so blue and so clear, yet it is so deep. Under the gentle blowing of the hot wind, it is shaking, a layer of fine wrinkles,

Reflecting the brilliance of the sun dazzlingly.

The stallion Ma Zide of Yi Kingdom was a little seasick. Although his face was pale, he seemed to be in good spirits. He refused the advice of his guards to sleep in the cabin and insisted on standing on the deck, looking at the beautiful scenery of the sea and sky, breathing in the salty water.

moist air.

He had the patience to study in the martial arts hall for half a year. Seeing other people's achievements, a young man would inevitably be jealous. But Ma Zide did not regret the days when he left the army and the battlefield. As the son of a general, he had experienced war and was familiar with it.

War. But during his study period, he broadened his horizons and changed his ideas. He gained many new understandings about war.

War is not as simple as fighting. If a general who only knows how to fight knows the role of initiating and inspiring, and learns how to grow stronger, how to take advantage of the situation, and how to cooperate with the overall situation, then his level will rise to more than one level.

"These six thousand soldiers and horses are mainly to open up the situation. Weapons and equipment will be supplied as much as possible, but the expansion of the army will depend on your local recruitment. Don't always count on transportation from the rear. The ratio of soldiers and civilians in the rear cannot be too unbalanced, otherwise who will do it?

Food, who will make the supplies? Not only will it be difficult to transport troops from the rear, but they may also need to be mobilized from the front in the future. This is your task to develop and grow while fighting the war. To complete the task well, you must cooperate well with the dispatched civilian officials and

The place is well run…”

"Battles must be fought. But in the early stages, we must plan carefully and try not to fight battles that are uncertain. Try not to fight battles that have no harvest. As for the harvest, there are people, money, and materials. We must fight harder and stronger, and we must take a long-term view.

To achieve healthy rolling development..."

Zhu Yongxing's words are still in his ears, soothing the hot temperature in Ma Zide's heart that is eager to make achievements. He has thought about it and figured it out. It is not enough to rush for quick success, but to strive for the long term. Now there are 6,000 people. In the future, there will be 10,000, and one person is worthy of the name.

As a combat division, what about the future? If you only focus on happiness and lose your foundation after a few big and bad battles, you will definitely have credit and reputation, but your military career will probably come to an end here.

I am still young. As long as I am determined, I am afraid that I will not have the opportunity to make contributions. Among the generals of almost the same generation, the most outstanding ones are Wei Junzhong and Li Sixing. His Highness Min's intention of promoting newcomers is obvious. He has this opportunity to stand out.

But you must never live up to your grace.

The Duke, well, maybe it was because of this official title that he got the position of commander-in-chief. Isn't it rare for me? Is inheriting it from my fathers considered my own merit? Lieutenant colonel, colonel, major general...that's it

A road to promotion that proves one's abilities. In the future, only with this rank can one stand tall in the military.

After Fuzhou is captured, Wei Junzhong should be promoted to major general, right? I definitely have no chance to surpass him now, but what about in the future? There is still a long way to go, can't I catch up from behind? Even if I can't be the first, then I can become the second.

A general with the third military rank is also quite dazzling, right?

In the blue space between the sea and the sky, the sound of joyful waves is turbulent. This sound, and the brilliance of the sun, are reflected in the sea in thousands of twists and turns, forming a constant movement. Ma Zide's mind is also constantly turbulent, and it seems to be in harmony with everything around him.

Sounds and things are also full of lively joy.

…………

Breathing deeply the fresh sea breeze, Tang Ji's eyes never left the direction of the land for a moment. It seemed that Deng Xiu was staring expectantly there.

Military operations must be kept secret first. The military camp was closed in advance. The order above only said to be prepared and to march to a distant place for training. Even an officer like Tang Ji did not know where he was going until he boarded the ship, let alone

Let's have a farewell scene with Deng Xiu.

Is she worried? Tang Ji smiled bitterly and shook his head. Even the garrison, which was also a soldier, was not guaranteed to fight. But Deng Xiu naively thought that the garrison would only stay near Guangzhou. Suddenly,

The change will definitely make her a little confused and a little panicked.

He could only get to his destination, ask someone to send a message back, tell her where he was going, and comfort her some more. Thinking of this, Tang Ji couldn't bear it, so he turned around and went back to the cabin to write a letter to the girl far away.

……………

A sudden cool breeze blew from the sky, causing a shiver on the sea surface, as if the setting sun was letting out a sigh of contentment.

Weiyuan General Weng Qiuduo let out a long sigh. Hearing similar sounds around him, he couldn't help but retract his gaze from looking at the sea.

Tongshan, also known as Dongshan Island, is the second largest island in Fujian Province. It is located between Xiamen and Shantou, at the southern end of Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Quan, bordering the Taiwan Strait to the east, and Zhao'an Bay and Zhao'an Water to the west.

It is separated by the Bachimen seawall to the north and borders Yunxiao County. Its geographical location is unique. There is Tongshan Ancient City, one of the five major water villages in the Fujian Sea, which is one of the important bases of the Zheng family.

"The imperial court is so powerful that it's amazing." Lin Guoliang, the commander-in-chief, saw Weng Qiuduo's glance and plucked up the courage to speak up.

For this operation, Zhu Yongxing recruited hundreds of large and small merchant ships from Halong, Haiphong, Saigon and other commercial ports. They not only carried troops, but also a large amount of grain and grass supplies. He also invited British and French warships to escort them. It was a mighty operation.

There was a lot of momentum.

But Weng Qiuduo knew that Lin Guoliang's explanation was not true. It was just a cover-up for everyone. The Ming army continued its offensive in the southeast and recovered a large area of ​​land. However, Zheng Jun and his family still lived on the island and only owned a few land areas.

, for the soldiers who were mostly from Fujian and Guangdong, they missed their homeland more and more intensely. This was an uncontrollable emotion. In addition, the policies implemented by the Nanming government to bring peace and benefit to the people further aroused their desire to return to their homeland.

At that time, Taiwan was a barren land for most people, and the soldiers of the Zheng Army who first arrived in Taiwan did die a lot because they were not acclimatized to the climate. Historically, after the Zheng Army retreated to Taiwan, the soldiers of the Zheng Army showed their attachment to their relatives in their homeland.

As a result, the Qing government's recruitment and surrender achieved remarkable results. You must know that 50-60% of the Zheng army had no family members. The lonely soldiers would naturally miss their homeland, so their military morale was bound to be unstable. Zheng Jing finally gave up the Jin army.

The people in Xiamen and Xiamen concentrated on managing Taiwan because they considered that "even if Zheng's officers and soldiers wanted to surrender," they would not be able to go because "there is no land route and there are no boats to cross."

Now, the Zheng Army soldiers are also filled with this desire to return to their homeland. And because they are going to the land occupied by the Ming Army, the psychological burden is much less than surrendering to the Qing Army.

Weng Qiuduo opened his mouth and sighed again helplessly. The Ming army was getting stronger and stronger, and the court headed by Min Fan was becoming more and more prestige. Even if they were not missing their homeland, they were planning for the future. Many generals also wanted to surrender.

Zhongyong Hou Chen Ba is a good example, and placing him to guard Quanzhou is probably one of the ways to divide Min Fan to attract Zheng Jun.

"The outcome has not been determined yet, let's just wait and see!" Weng Qiuduo felt very conflicted. He understood the generals' feelings but was unwilling to betray the Zheng family, so he had to comfort him in an ambiguous way.

"The Fujian Navy of the Qing Army has been destroyed, and Geng Ni is trapped in Fuzhou. The overall situation of Fujian Province seems to be certain!" He Yi, the commander-in-chief, said: "His Royal Highness Min keeps moving troops to the north, perhaps in accordance with the intention of the late king, directly into the Yangtze River

, restore the sacred capital and think of it as the state of the country."

"There are too few soldiers and horses to succeed." Weng Qiuduo shook his head repeatedly and said: "Back then, the king gathered tens of thousands of troops and thousands of ships, but he failed to do so. Now the Ming army is far behind."

"What if the imperial army conquers Fuzhou and sends troops to Jiangsu and Zhejiang?" Lin Guoliang seemed to be refuting Weng Qiuduo, but also seemed to be making random guesses. "With the cooperation of water and land, the Qing army may be worried about one thing and lose the other, and it will be difficult to resist, right?"

"The imperial court has several provinces in ruins, tens of thousands of troops, and nearly a thousand large and small warships. I'm afraid its strength is no less than that of the late king, right?" What He Yi said was very reserved. On the one hand, it was out of respect for the late king Zheng Chenggong, and on the other hand

It’s also not good to speak too openly in public.

In fact, at that time, the number of thousands of warships was almost as exaggerated as the hundreds of thousands of troops. Of course, if you include small sampans, it was indeed a sufficient number. However, the actual installation of artillery has the ability to engage in water warfare.

The capacity is only a few hundred ships.

Regarding He Yi's words, Weng Qiuduo did not comment. He showed the majesty of a superior officer and gave orders to his trusted generals to take strict precautions. All ships entering and exiting must have his approval. Who is being guarded? Everyone knows in their hearts that it is one of their own.

They were not allowed to go ashore, and they were not allowed to defect to the imperial court.
To be continued...