Shanghai, Daoya, study. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

After reading the pigeon letter from Macao, Yi Zhi's content expression was a little solemn, and he lit a cigar after a long silence, and slowly paced out of the study and paced back and forth in the courtyard, not only the scale of the British reinforcements exceeded his expectations, but the time was also beyond his expectations, the scale and time course of the war have completely changed, will the British army attack Jiangning as before?

Eight capital battleships - third-class battleships, the size of the fleet has reached eighty, not counting steamships, the total number of troops is more than 30,000, and more importantly, the time, it is only late April!

For the first Opium War, the British fleet did not attack Tianjin, but attacked Jiangning, he believed that the most fundamental reason was not the number of troops deployed in Tianjin and the strength of the defense, but the time and climate, in the original history, Pu Dingcha arrived in Macao at the end of June, and then launched an attack, and only attacked Wusongkou in August, and during this time period, it was impossible to attack Tianjin, because the Bohai Sea entered the ice period in October (lunar calendar).

However, now that Pu Dingcha arrived in Macao two months earlier, and there was enough time to attack Tianjin, would he abandon Jiangning and attack Tianjin? After all, Tianjin is only 240 miles away from the Beijing Division, and it is more direct and effective for the troops to be close to the Beijing Division.

After pacing in the courtyard for a while, he returned to the study and wrote a letter to Lin Zexu and Chen Huacheng, which was delivered quickly.

The Jiangnan Admiralty is in Songjiang Fucheng, not far from Shanghai, but a hundred miles, worthy of an hour, Chen Huacheng received a letter from Yi Zhicheng, Yingyi increased his troops by 20,000 and 40 warships? Although he knew that it was impossible for the other party to deceive him about such a big event, he was still suspicious and hurried to Shanghai.

Shanghai county, the western suburbs, outside the Xilin Monastery, the camp of volunteers.

On the newly built playground, 2,000 newly recruited volunteers are training in full swing, and Xiao Mingming, the head of the third regiment, is sitting in a temporary grass shed to supervise the training of volunteers.

"Report." A regiment hurried to the front and reported, "The big shopkeeper is here." ”

As soon as he heard that Yi Zhizhi was coming, Xiao Mingliang hurriedly stood up and turned to look, and saw more than ten horsemen galloping at a glance, and hurriedly stepped forward to meet him, Yi Zhizhi took the lead, galloped, and turned over and dismounted neatly after half a circle, Xiao Mingliang stepped forward to salute, and he handed over the reins to a regimental brave, and then asked: "How is the training?" ”

In the past two months, Yiyong's training was mainly physical fitness and queue training, Xiao Mingliang hurriedly stood up and said: "Back to the principal, in terms of physical fitness and queue, although it is not as good as the Yuanqi veteran, the difference will not be too much." ”

Yi Zhizhi nodded, strode towards the grass shed, for the physical fitness of this batch of volunteers, he was not too worried, the selection was very strict when recruiting, and the poor physical fitness could not enter at all, he was concerned about the queue training, the quality of the queue training was directly related to the combat power of this batch of volunteers, and the two-month queue training time was still a little short in his opinion, and the Yuanqi regiment generally trained recruits for three months.

After entering the grass hut and sitting down, watching the training on the playground for a while, he spoke: "The British reinforcements have arrived in the Grinding Knife Ocean, and there are forty new warships and 20,000 troops. ”

So fast? Xiao Mingliang was also a little surprised, this news meant that for him, the time for the training of the volunteers was shortened, and after a little hesitation, he said: "What does the principal mean is to speed up the training progress of the volunteers?" ”

Yi Zhishu nodded and said: "The limited stockpiling of guns and ammunition makes it impossible for them to conduct large-scale live-fire training, but the shooting steps of muskets, shooting essentials, etc. can be trained first, and the training of digging trenches and building fortifications must also be carried out at the same time." ”

"Yes, mark and obey." Xiao said brightly and loudly.

With a slight groan, Yi Zhizhi continued: "In addition, take turns to go to Wusongkou Fort in batches to familiarize yourself with the terrain and environment. ”

The battlefield of the righteous and brave is in Wusongkou? Xiao Mingliang couldn't help but sigh, that is the first line of defense on the Yangtze River, and it is also the most important and largest battery, it should be the place where the battle is the most intense, can you count on these volunteers who have only trained for two months and have never even been on the battlefield? He asked tentatively: "Will the first regiment also move to Shanghai?" ”

Hearing him ask, Yi Zhixiang glanced at him, and did not say a word, a regiment had arrived more than a month ago, stationed in Changxing County, Huzhou Prefecture, less than 400 miles away from Shanghai, and more than 400 miles away from Jiangning.

With a slight groan, Yi Zhizhi said: "The best and fastest training method is actual combat." ”

While the two were talking, a company commander walked over quickly and saluted: "Report to the chief treasurer, Jiangnan Admiral Chen Huacheng is ...... outside the camp gate." ”

He didn't come slowly, Yi Zhizhi got up and asked, "Stopped outside the camp gate?" ”

"Yes!" The company commander said loudly.

Yi Zhizhi glanced at Xiao Mingliang and said, "Come with me to Yingying, I may have to deal with it in the future." ”

Stopped outside the camp gate, Chen Huacheng didn't get angry, he spent a lot of time pacing to the side to look at the situation in the barracks, he had been here twice, both accompanied by Yi Zhixiang, but he didn't expect to come alone, these volunteers were not allowed to enter, which really surprised him.

The entire volunteer camp occupies a large area, all of which are enclosed with a two-person high wooden fence, and covered tightly with reed mats, and the outside can't see what the situation inside the barracks is, not far away, there is a sentry tower, what makes him rare is that the sentry on the sentry tower is actually looking into the distance with a telescope, he can't help but secretly say to himself, Yuan Qi is worthy of often dealing with Westerners, the telescope is like a treasure in his hands, Yuan Qi is good, even the sentry is equipped with.

Liu Guobiao, the deputy general who followed him, said angrily: "Junmen, this Yuan Qi is not an ordinary magnanimity, can you ask Yuan Qi to donate a batch of telescopes to us?" ”

"I'm afraid it's hard to give it away for free, but it's okay to buy a batch with them." Chen Huacheng said, "Shanghai Yiyong is not a Yuanqi group training, and all expenses are supervised by the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, not just given by Yi Zhixiang." ”

"We're asking Yuan Qi, not Shanghai Yiyong."

"Hmph, you are so good at talking as Yuanqi." Chen Huacheng snorted coldly and said, "Yuanqi gunpowder is all sold, and you may not be able to buy it with silver, so you really dare to think about giving away a batch of binoculars for nothing." ”

When it comes to Yuanqi gunpowder, Liu Guobiao can't help but slander his stomach, Yuanqi gunpowder has stable performance and great power, and it is not a loose powder, it is a compacted cylindrical shape, and it is a lot easier to fill, but Yuanqi not only sells at a high price, but also refuses to sell more, which is really annoying.

"Master Yi is here." A personal soldier came over to report.

Chen Huacheng turned around, and saw Yi Zhishu walking out quickly with a young man, and immediately said with a dissatisfied face: "This righteous and brave camp has strict rules and is extraordinary. ”

Hearing this, Yi Zhizhi smiled, "The Fujian volunteers recruited last time did not fight against the Yingyi but robbed the people, and these volunteers were recruited by the gentry and businessmen in Shanghai, and the rules are not strict." As he spoke, he arched his hand and smiled: "Chen Junmen, please." ”

When he entered the camp, he saw that the volunteers on the playground were still training in a queue, Chen Huacheng was a little surprised: "It's been more than two months, and I've been training this thing?" ”

Yi Zhizu said slowly: "These righteous warriors are not children of military families, they are all children of peasant families, I don't know what military regulations and orders are, and if they don't strengthen training, they are useless at all." ”

This is reasonable, Chen Huacheng nodded, he could see the benefits of queue training at a glance, not only can standardize the movement but also can cultivate a strict sense of discipline, so that these volunteers can develop the habit of obeying orders, however, he did not come today to inspect the training of volunteers.

As Yi Zhixiang walked into the grass shed and retreated the people around him, Chen Huacheng spoke: "How did you know the news of Yingyi's increase in troops? ”

Yi Zhizu said casually: "Humen Guanjunmen flying pigeons pass the book." ”

As soon as he heard that it was Guan Tianpei's flying pigeon handbook, where would Chen Huacheng still suspect it, and immediately asked: "Are you content sure that Yingyi will attack Jinling?" ”

"The military situation is changing rapidly, how can it respond to all changes with the same?" Yi Zhizu said slowly: "However, have you thought about it in the military gate, the Yingyi fleet is at sea, and we don't have the slightest chance to ......." ”

"What about Tianjin?"

"Tianjin's inland waterway has nine bends and eighteen bends, and the distance from Haikou to Tianjin is not far, but one hundred and fifty miles, even if the Yingyi fleet attacks Tianjin, the chance is not great, and it cannot be compared with the Yangtze River." Yi Zhizu said in a deep voice: "If you want to inflict heavy losses on the Yingyi fleet, luring the Yingyi fleet into the Yangtze River to attack Jinling is the only chance. ”

Glancing at him, Chen Huacheng said in a sullen voice: "If the Yingyi fleet attacks Tianjin, it will not attack Jinling again. ”

"That's why we have to lure Yingyi to attack Jinling." Yi Zhixiang didn't want to argue with him, so he slowed down and said, "Let me make a little arrangement, let's go to Jinling early the morning after tomorrow, Lin Butang will definitely convene us to discuss......." ”

"The general's intelligence has been sent to Jinling?"

Yi Zhishu nodded and said, "Six hundred miles urgent." ”

Jinling City, Liangjiang Governor's Palace.

After receiving the military intelligence report sent by Yi Zhizhi 600 miles, Lin Zexu did not dare to delay at all, and hurriedly repaired the book to inform the three ministers of Xuzhou and Jiujiang at the speed of 600 miles, and at the same time repaired the book Chen Huacheng and Yi Zhizhi immediately came to Jinling.

Four days later, Chen Huacheng and Yi Zhishu rushed to the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion and were led straight to Lin Zexu's study, as soon as they entered the door, Yi Zhishu found that there were not only Lin Zexu in the study, but also three people, one was very old, with white hair, one was very well maintained and looked like a middle-aged man in his forties and fifties, and there was a thirty-thirty or so Kong Wu Li, the four of them were pointing around a map spread out on the table, and he reacted when he thought about it, these three people should be Yang Fang, Yishan, and Seng Lingqin - one is two and three ministers.

Seeing the two people come in, Lin Zexu raised his head, stretched out his hand and introduced: "This is Lord Qincha, Lord Yi ........" ”

Chen Huacheng and Yi Zhishu hurriedly saluted, Yishan's attitude was quite gentle, and after receiving the salute, he said with a pleasant face: "No need to be polite, get up." ”

After getting up, Yi Zhizu glanced at the monk Lingqin, he was very impressed by this famous monk king in the future, he didn't want the other party to be so old at this time, and he was already up-and-coming, otherwise Daoguang would not have sent him to Jiangning as the deputy envoy of the Qin Mission.

Monk Greenqin was also looking at him, and couldn't help but smile when he saw his eyes glance over, "Contentment with the famous Jingshi, it is rare to see him in leisure, and today is also a blessing." ”

Yi Zhizhi didn't sell the accounts of the princes and ministers of the Jingshi at all, and pushed countless banquets, and when he heard him mention this stubble, he immediately smiled, "Yuan Qi Bo has a slight name, and he entered Beijing as the chief treasurer of Yuan Qi, how dare he hand over the princes and nobles?" ”

Yishan and Yang Fang were also looking at him, listening to him speak so directly, they were secretly happy in their hearts, this kid didn't know how to mess up in the officialdom, you must know that Monk Greenqin is not only the deputy envoy of the Qincha, but also the identity of the county king - the prince of Zasakdoro County, who inherited the left wing of Horqin, is the most noble among several people, and this kid replied in this tone, it seems that he doesn't understand etiquette at all, and it is completely equal.

Yishan attaches great importance to this errand, and also knows the role of contentment, not to mention the rest, just the five thousand yuan odd group practice, you have to envelop the other party, this little guy is a donkey at a glance, and he can't force it, so he immediately smiled and said: "Yingyi has increased his troops in a big way, how do you look at contentment?" ”

Lin Zexu hurriedly stretched out his hand and said, "Everyone doesn't need to be formal, please take a seat." ”

Xu Li sat down, but Yi Zhizhi didn't answer, but glanced at everyone and said, "Yingyi has increased his troops in a big way, I don't know what you adults think?" ”

Lin Zexu glared at him and reprimanded: "Contentment must not be rude." ”

The meaning frowned and quickly stretched out, and waved his hand at Lin Zexu, and he said in a calm tone: "Yingyi has increased his troops on a large scale, confirming that the information and analysis before contentment are correct, but the scale of Yingyi's increase in troops is very large, and contentment does not worry about Yingyi directly attacking Tianjin?" ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him and said, "Your Excellency has the courage to ask why you came to Jiangning as a messenger?" ”

"Presumptuous." Monk Grinqin scolded.

Yishan said slowly: "Can contentment know the current situation in Xuzhou? Now Xuzhou has gathered troops from Shanxi, Henan, Tibet......., Gansu, Shaanxi five provinces, with a total force of more than 30,000. ”

Yang Fang, who had never spoken, added: "I heard that the speed of the Yingyi fleet is very fast, and it only takes a few days to reach Tianjin from the sea of Wusongkou, and from Xuzhou to Tianjin, it is at least more than 1,300 miles, even if it is transported on a large scale by canal, it will take as long as a month. ”

"And." Lin Zexu continued: "With such a large scale of the Yingyi fleet, is it possible to divide the troops into two routes and attack Tianjin and Jinling respectively? After a pause, he said in a deep voice: "Contentment said that this battle is related to the fortune of the Qing Dynasty, and it is not trivial to know that if there is a mistake in judgment and the war is defeated, everyone here is afraid that it will be difficult to escape the blame." (To be continued.) )