As soon as the door opened, it was blocked by Cao Zhenghua's figure, and the moonlight, which was already dim through the clouds, could not shine in.
Cao Zhenghua walked into the house leisurely, followed by Jin Shengkui. When he turned around, Liu Xingzuo and others saw the faint smile on his face.
Looking at Cao Zhenghua's expression, no one believed that he had just killed someone without anyone noticing. He seemed to have just gone out for a walk and was in a good mood.
Liu Xingzuo hurriedly saluted, his demeanor becoming even more respectful. However, by killing Wang Bing, he not only cleared the way for his rebellion, but also served as a token of his loyalty, which gave him greater peace of mind.
"In just over ten days, we will launch our major offensive." Cao Zhenghua said solemnly after taking his seat, "General Liu's surrender of Fuzhou is a great achievement. If our troops can land and cut off the Jiannu's retreat and inflict heavy damage, it will be an even greater achievement."
The great prince Daishan led two red flags to defend against the Ming army in southern Liaoning on the Xinjin line. If Fuzhou was suddenly occupied, an attack from the side and rear would likely cause a heavy blow to them.
In this way, Liu Xingzuo's original intention of achieving great achievements was realized.
Liu Xingzuo nodded vigorously and said, "There is also Li Yongfang's eldest son in the city, but if we eliminate him as well, it might arouse the suspicion of the Jiannu."
Liu Xingren continued, "Li Yangeng is a mediocre fellow. Just send someone to keep an eye on him."
Cao Zhenghua thought for a moment and said, "There's no need to make too many arrangements now. Just gather reliable officers. One or two days before the uprising, we can intensify our actions, either by sealing off the city or—"
Seeing Cao Zhenghua's habitual downward movement, Liu Xingzuo hesitated for a moment and said, "Wouldn't it be better if we could capture Li Yangeng alive?"
Cao Zhenghua blinked his eyes, nodded with a smile, and said, "It is indeed a good idea to present the captives to His Majesty and make His Majesty happy."
Liu Xingzuo chuckled and turned to Jin Shengkui, saying, "Mr. Jin is quite familiar with Li Yangeng's documents, so I'll take the trouble of keeping an eye on him."
Jin Shengkui cupped his hands and said with a smile, "It's not a burden to say the least. Just rest assured, General."
Liu Xingzuo nodded, looked at Liu Xingren, and said, "Let my third brother take care of escorting the supplies tomorrow!"
Liu Xingren was about to agree when Cao Zhenghua rolled his eyes and suggested, "General Liu, why not go there in person? It will only take a few days to go back and forth. It won't affect our affairs here and will also reassure the Jiannu."
Liu Xingzuo blinked, observing Cao Zhenghua's expression. Feeling that he wasn't testing her, he cautiously asked, "Is it appropriate for me to kiss her?"
Cao Zhenghua nodded and said, "I think this is a good move. This will demonstrate the general's loyalty. Even if someone notices something unusual, their suspicions will be dispelled."
Liu Xingzuo certainly knew the benefits of personally escorting the goods. As Cao Zhenghua said, appearing loyal and open-minded was indeed very beneficial to the rebellion.
Liu Xingzuo breathed a sigh of relief, having confirmed that Cao Zhenghua wasn't testing him. This confidence in him made him even more certain about his future and the treatment he would receive after his rebellion.
"I would like to send my fifth brother, Xingzhi, to Changsheng Island to cultivate his confidants and prepare for the arrival of the army." Liu Xingzuo consulted Cao Zhenghua, "Master Cao, please send a brother to accompany you and guide Xingzhi."
"Okay." Cao Zhenghua had just thought of this, and seeing Liu Xingzuo was so understanding, he immediately nodded in agreement.
Everyone discussed it in detail before leaving and going their separate ways.
……………………Dividing line……………………
Man proposes, God disposes.
They were thousands of miles apart, and communicating information required both land and sea routes. Zhu Youxiao knew that remote control was impossible.
The saying "planning within the tent and winning a battle a thousand miles away" is either an exaggeration or refers to strategic deployment rather than the implementation of specific tactics.
After deciding on the counter-revolutionary action, Zhu Youxiao entrusted Yuan with the task of formulating a specific plan and directing its implementation. He was only responsible for coordinating the Liao and Jin garrisons for strategic support.
Of course, the supply of weapons, ammunition, and food supplies is even more important. As the saying goes, "An emperor will never send hungry soldiers," and "Strong armor and powerful soldiers"—logistics is the guarantee of victory.
Good news came from the Coal and Steel Consortium again. The subordinate arsenal produced the first batch of flintlock rifles, which passed the inspection of the Ministry of War and have been shipped to Tianjin Port.
The sample gun was presented to the emperor for inspection two months ago, and Zhu Youxiao found it good after trying it out.
However, it took two months to actually mass-produce them. However, this was good news after all: the sooner the Ming army could get their equipment, the sooner they would achieve victory.
The Guangdong Ordnance and Gunpowder Bureau also continued to increase its production capacity, investing all of the revenue from the Guangzhou Maritime Customs Office. Almost all of the muskets produced were sent to Guizhou, which continuously strengthened the Ming army's ability to suppress the rebellion.
The production of the Red Cannon slowed down slightly, which was Zhu Youxiao's intention.
Since he invented the artillery shells with cartridge cases, his thinking extended to the Red Cannon, the navy, and naval warfare. He believed that the Red Cannon needed to undergo changes that had Ming Dynasty characteristics.
The view at the time was that the farther the artillery could fire, the better. This conclusion was not wrong, but it was not entirely correct either.
It is better on land, as the artillery has stable support and the shooting accuracy is relatively high.
But on the sea, the ship was bumpy and it was not equipped with advanced artillery with sighting and adjustment equipment like in later generations. The accuracy of the long-range bombardment of the muzzle-loading musket was very impressive.
The idea of longer range was to create the Red Cannon, a weapon with a long barrel, a heavy charge, and high chamber pressure. To achieve this, the barrel was made long and thick, which made the cannon incredibly heavy.
On a wooden sailing ship, due to the carrying capacity, the heavy artillery can only be installed on the lower deck, and the number cannot be too large. Only light naval guns can be installed on the upper deck.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com