Chapter 177: Hit the Ironclad Ship (Second update, please subscribe)
King Li Zhong is here!
Originally, the army of hundreds of thousands seemed to be heading towards Shanghai. The people of Shanghai were in panic. When Governor Li led the troops to deploy defenses, he never thought that the army of hundreds of thousands would need to make a feint, return to Suzhou, and then head towards Tianjing along the river.
After hearing the news, Governor Li said proudly.
"Alas, teacher, the good strategy of besieging Wei to save Zhao has been completed. Once Li Ni leaves, the military forces in Suzhou and Hangzhou under his rule will be empty. I can lead the troops to take Suzhou directly, Zuo Zongtang can lead the Chu army to take Hangzhou directly, and Bao Chao can lead the Hunan Army to enter southern Anhui. The overall situation is settled! The suppression of the bandits is just around the corner!"
No wonder Governor Li was so proud. Whether he led troops to support Shanghai as the Governor of Jiangsu, or Zuo Zongtang led the Chu army into Zhejiang as the Governor of Zhejiang, they were all carefully planned by his mentor Zeng Tietong. He was not only good at "building strong camps and fighting stupid battles", but also a master of strategy. He used the tactic of "encircling Wei to save Zhao" to make the Qing Dynasty's chess piece come alive.
"I originally thought that Li Ni would firmly reject Hong Ni's order and attack Shanghai first to solve his worries. I never thought that in the end, he still couldn't withstand Hong Ni and the pressure."
Governor Li breathed a sigh of relief and said again.
"The fake king Li who occupies Suzhou and Hangzhou is the last mobile force in the hands of Fafei in Jiangnan. Once he leads his troops to Jiangning, the so-called "Sufu" and "Tianzhe" provinces of the Fafei bandits are empty of troops and completely vulnerable. After Zuo Zongtang and I recapture the two places, the Fafei bandits can only be trapped in Jiangning. They have no food and no people to serve as soldiers. How can the Fafei bandits not be defeated! My dear teacher, you are really worthy of being my dear teacher! My dear teacher's strategy is indeed a good strategy for pacifying the country!"
When Governor Li praised his mentor with admiration, he didn't know that someone was playing a "joke" on him. In history, Zeng Tietong's strategy of "besieging Wei to save Zhao" and recovering Jiangsu and Zhejiang by besieging Tianjing was indeed successful. From then on, Tianjing became an isolated city without food, money or soldiers. Just two years later, the mighty Taiping Rebellion ended with the destruction of the city and the country.
But who would have thought that history would go a little wrong here. King Li Zhong did not lead his troops to attack Shanghai to relieve his worries, but led his troops directly to Tianjing. After the heavy losses in Shanghai, the guards had tens of thousands more troops and even tens of thousands more muskets. Whether it was the Huai Army or the Chu Army, they faced the Taiping Rebellion with more troops and better equipment.
But this is all later. What really made Prince Li Zhong decide to rush to Tianjing's aid was the "Taiping" ironclad ship. When Prince Li Zhong made a feint and Governor Li was nervously preparing to fight him, the "Daping" ironclad ship sailed upstream in the night.
"I hope this ship can live up to everyone's expectations!"
When passing through Zhenjiang, King Li Zhong took a special look at the "Taiping" on the river. Staring at the thick smoke spewing out of its chimney, he felt a pang of pain in his heart.
"Six hundred and fifty thousand taels, you are such a wicked man!"
Six hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver was just for one ship, the Taiping. The employees on the ship needed another five thousand taels of silver a month.
King Li Zhong's words made Liu Kunpeng laugh.
"What Prince Zhong said is surprising. Once you pass Zhenjiang, you will know how this ship is worth the money..."
"I hope so, Mr. Liu. After Jiaoshan, the river is full of Qingyao's navy."
In fact, as early as when Zeng Tietong's troops arrived at Tianjing, Li Xiucheng quickly held a military meeting after receiving the first imperial edict from the Heavenly King to discuss whether to directly rescue Tianjing City, which was besieged by the Hunan Army. At that time, the area around Tianjing City was surrounded by the Hunan Army, and almost all the warships were lost. The Hunan Army led by Zeng Tietong was all navy, and once a battle broke out, the Taiping Army would be extremely passive.
Li Xiucheng, who had fought for many years, knew very well that Zeng had shaved his head and sat in Anqing, while simultaneously attacking the Heavenly Kingdom with four armies:
First, Zeng Tietong led the Hunan Navy to attack Tianjing. At the same time, Bao Chao led the Hunan Army to enter southern Anhui. Zuo Zongtang led the Hunan Army to enter Zhejiang, and Li Hefei recruited the Huai Army to rescue Shanghai. These four moves were all fatal.
What was the result of the various armies returning to support Tianjing?
He even persuaded the Heavenly King to move the capital, but the Heavenly King was unwilling to leave Tianjing. The reason why he wanted to conquer Shanghai again and again was to solve his worries before returning to Tianjing. Only in this way could he save Sufu Province and the granary of the Heavenly Kingdom.
But now this ironclad ship has given him hope - Zeng Tietong and Zeng Laojiu are leading the navy, the navy... Can those wooden boats withstand the ironclad ship?
I wish...
Staring at Jiaoshan in the middle of the river, King Li Zhong knew that beyond Jiaoshan would be the area controlled by the Hunan Army. As long as the "Taiping" could defeat the Hunan Army's navy and drive them out of the Yangtze River, the two armies in the north and south would be able to merge into one!
"Your Highness, just wait and see!"
Liu Kunpeng said confidently.
Why is he here? Not only is he here to find his family in Tianjing, but another reason is... he is a hostage.
If a ship like this is sold for 650,000 taels of silver and there is no effect, would people be willing to pay the money?
"Hehe, if this ironclad ship can really sweep away the Qingyao navy, when you get to Tianjing, not only will you get every penny of silver, but you can also buy five or six more of this ship!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Kunpeng's face lit up with joy and he smiled.
"If there are a few more, this Yangtze River will be the Yangtze River of Heaven!"
In an instant, in Liu Kunpeng's eyes, the surging river was not a river at all, but a Milky Way! A Milky Way flowing with silver!
While they were talking, the Daping had already passed Jiaoshan.
The ship had just passed Jiaoshan when it encountered several patrolling Hunan Army speedboats. The Hunan Army on those speedboats seemed not to see it and didn't even glance at it.
A foreign ship with smoking coming out of it, a foreigner's ship, what's there to see?
As for the Changmao, all the Changmao's boats that could be launched into the water had been cleaned up by them long ago. Now on the river, there was no boat, not even a Changmao board.
Just as the Hunan Army on the crab boat was basking in the sun and yawning lazily, the steamship actually accelerated and rushed straight towards them.
"This ship?"
The Hunan Army leader sensed something was wrong and squinted his eyes at the rapidly approaching foreign ship. Before he could figure out what was going on, the ship had already rushed to him.
"Why is this ship rushing over here..."
The others looked at it with some confusion.
"Hurry up, make some space for the foreigners..."
Suddenly, someone shouted.
"It's the long-haired ship... He, he hit us..."
I have set up a book club: 335260551. Everyone is welcome to join and discuss and deduce the plot together.
(End of this chapter)
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