All the way back? Zhejiang Governor Zhu Tingbiao heard this, how to say that the recovery of Dinghai is also a great achievement, according to the usual practice, Guangdong sailors at least in Dinghai for half a month, not to mention the emperor's decree to praise, Fujian and Zhejiang Governor Deng Tingzhen and Zhejiang Governor Wu Ergong must be indispensable for a reward.

He glanced at Guan Tianpei suspiciously, why did the Guangdong sailor leave Dinghai in such a hurry? Retired after success, this is not the atmosphere of the green battalion, even if Guan Tianpei, the commander of the high wind and bright festival, the generals below will not agree, he is also experienced in the battlefield for a long time, old in the battle formation, he reacted after a while, and immediately said in a deep voice: "Yingyi will kill back the horse gun soon?" ”

"It's possible." Guan Tianpei said without hesitation: "The strength of the main fleet of Yingyi has not been damaged, and it is indeed possible to counterattack Dinghai." ”

Hearing this, Zhu Tingbiao's heart sank, if Yingyi came to attack again, how could he defend Dinghai with his men and horses? Could it be that Dinghai will be lost in his hands again one day, then this time it will not be as simple as dismissal and retention, and after a slight groan, he said: "Brother Zhong Yin can't bear to watch Dinghai fall again." Guangzhou is empty, Brother Zhong Yin wants to return to defense, and we don't dare to force it to stay, but can we leave Yuanqi Tuanlian to help us defend Dinghai? ”

This abacus is really good, Guan Tianpei laughed secretly in his heart, but said seriously: "Don't look at us as the Admiral of the Water Division, the matter of Yuanqi's group training is not something we can call the shots, this matter, Brother Huchen has to go and discuss with Yuanqi's big shopkeeper Yi Zhicontent." ”

Although Zhu Tingbiao didn't know that the recovery of Dinghai was entirely the credit of Yuanqi's group training, when he looked at Dinghai City and Daotou Port, there were Yuanqi group training in strange costumes inside and out, and there were not many soldiers in the Guangdong Navy Division, and most of them were stationed in Daotou Port, how could he not understand what was going on? But he thought that Yuanqi's group training was under the control of the Guangdong Water Division.

Hearing Guan Tianpei's words, he couldn't tell for a while whether the other party was prevaricating or telling the truth, and immediately said with a smile: "The big shopkeeper of Yuanqi, I am not familiar with it, can I bother Zhongyin brother to introduce it on my behalf?" ”

"Done." Guan Tianpei said briskly: "Yi Zhixin should be in the county office, let's go over." ”

In the flower hall in the backyard of the county government, Yi Zhizhi carefully examined the large fortification map on the wall, considering whether there were any omissions, although Yuan Qi's regimental training would not defend Dinghai, but he also did not want to see the British army easily seize Dinghai from the hands of the Zhejiang Green Battalion, although the Zhejiang Green Battalion was not good, but it was not that he could not fight.

In the original history, the battle of Dinghai Guardian was the most intense! Tragic! Ge Yunfei's three general soldiers were killed on the same day, and there was not much left of the 5,000 green battalion. He is not able to change all this now, but he will make a contribution to let the British army lose more troops in Dinghai.

"Report." Wu Kedao, commander of the guard company, reported aloud outside: "Guan Junmen and Zhejiang Admiral Zhu Tingbiao and Zhu Junmen came to visit. ”

Hearing that the two admirals were coming, Yi Zhifen hurriedly greeted him, and before he went out, he saw Guan Tianpei and Zhu Tingbiao walking into the courtyard side by side, he took a few steps forward and arched his hand: "I am content with Yi Zhi, I have seen the two military gates." ”

"Contentment is not needless to be polite." Guan Tianpei said and introduced sideways: "This is Zhu Junmen, the governor of Zhejiang. ”

Zhu Tingbiao, who saw it, also had a white beard, and looked like he was older than Guan Tianpei, and Yi Zhizhi secretly wondered how the senior generals of the Qing Dynasty were all old, and they were all boiled out by qualifications? He didn't want to be rude, so he immediately waved his hand and said, "I have heard for a long time that I wish the military gate its prestige." ”

Zhu Tingbiao didn't expect Yi Zhizhi to be so young, he glanced at it, and said with a smile: "Don't be cold old man, the general of the defeated army, what kind of prestige is there." ”

The three of them greeted each other a little and entered the house, and after sitting down, Zhu Tingbiao didn't go around in circles, and said straightly: "I came to visit today, I want to ask Yuanqi Tuanlian to assist our Zhejiang Green Battalion in defending Dinghai, the Yingyi fleet heard that Dinghai was recovered, and it must quickly return to attack Dinghai, and the old man is really not sure that he can defend it." After a pause, he continued: "Rest assured, during the period when the Yuanqi regiment is stationed in Dinghai, all the expenses will be supplied by Zhejiang, as long as it can hold Dinghai, the first merit is none other than the Yuanqi regimental training." ”

Glancing at Guan Tianpei, seeing that he looked like he had nothing to do with himself, Yi Zhizhi couldn't help but scold secretly, and then said with a smile: "I wish the military gate a warm welcome, I am grateful, and I hope that I wish the military gate to forgive my sins, it is really difficult to obey my fate." After a slight pause, he said in a deep voice: "If it weren't for the fact that Yuan Qi Tuan Lian was unwilling to help defend Dinghai, there was really nothing he could do."

Yuan Qi regiment training to assist the Guangdong naval division, a defeat of the British army in the Modaoyang, and then defeat the British army in Dinghai, the main fleet of the British army returned to the army, the attack on Dinghai failed, it was inevitable to turn the spearhead, the front of the army pointed directly at Guangzhou, and it was even possible to abandon Dinghai and directly attack Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is the foundation of Yuanqi, Yuanqi set up a group training, the purpose is to protect Yuanqi's industry in Guangzhou, if the main force of Yuanqi group training is stationed in Dinghai and ignore Guangzhou, it is difficult to explain to many shareholders of Yuanqi, not to mention, Yuanqi group training itself will also be unstable. ”

Hearing him say this, Zhu Tingbiao was speechless for a while, what people said was right, high-sounding, he couldn't open his mouth at all, he knew that Yuan Qi was rich, and he was content to be young when he saw it, and he was tempted by that fame at the beginning, but the other party didn't care, he didn't even mention it, and he didn't know what else could impress the other party for a while.

Seeing that Zhu Tingbiao was silent, Yi Zhixiang smiled, took the cigar box from the table, let it go, and took out one by himself to light it, and then said slowly: "In my humble opinion, as long as Zhu Junmen is ready to fight, the British army may not dare to attack Dinghai with all its strength, at most it is a test, after the two battles of Sharpening the Knife and Dinghai, the British army has actually lost more than half of its strength, and before the reinforcements arrive, the British army cannot withstand the big attrition."

Furthermore, if the British army came to Dinghai, Zhu Junmen could also send an envoy to submit a letter, saying that the Guangdong Navy Division had returned to Guangzhou, and all the British prisoners of war were also escorted to Guangzhou and asked them to come to Guangzhou. ”

Hearing him say this, Zhu Tingbiao felt a little relieved, but Guan Tianpei was anxious, and couldn't help but say: "Good boy, you don't catch lice and put them on your body - it's okay to find trouble, I'm afraid that the British army won't attack Guangzhou, right?" ”

Yi Zhizhi smiled contentedly, "It's better to let the British army attack Guangzhou than to fight Dinghai, the defense of Humen is not comparable to Dinghai, besides, let's recover Dinghai on the front foot, and let the British army take it back when we turn around, we have no light on our faces, and this credit will be greatly discounted, right?" ”

"It's still the shopkeeper who sees it thoroughly." Zhu Tingbiao hurriedly took over the conversation and said: "Brother Zhong Yin doesn't need to worry, there are thousands of prisoners of war in hand, and the British army will have some rat traps, it's a big deal, behead the prisoners before the battle, and see if the British army dares to ignore thousands of prisoners of war." ”

Kill the prisoner before the battle? What a bad idea! Yi Zhixin couldn't help but secretly slander himself, this is not enough for the exciting British army? If you really dare to do this, England and the Qing Dynasty will definitely be an endless situation, he quickly diverted the conversation and said: "Dinghai is the bridgehead for the British army to invade our Qing Dynasty, and it is also the supply port of the British fleet, which is why the British army invaded, and the first target of attack would be Dinghai."

Although the current British army is greatly injured, may not dare to attack the fortifications, but as soon as the reinforcements arrive, Dinghai will still become the target of the British army, these days under the Dinghai defense system has made a simple plan, Zhu Junmen can be used as a reference, the British artillery is dense and fierce, and the trenches can effectively greatly reduce the damage of artillery, I hope Zhu Junmen attaches great importance to it. ”

"Rest assured, both of you." Zhu Tingbiao said solemnly: "I will definitely try my best to urge the defenders of Dinghai to complete the entire fortification of Dinghai as soon as possible." As he spoke, he paused slightly, looked at Guan Tianpei and said: "I heard that the Guangdong Navy Division has a lot of Western artillery, can you give us Zhejiang, don't worry, let's buy it at the market price." ”

Guan Tianpei himself thinks that there is not enough artillery, where is there anything to sell? When he shook his head like a rattle, "Brother Huchen, everything else is easy to say, but this artillery, there is no discussion, there are still more than 200 artillery pieces in the Humen Fort, and now there is no place to buy Western artillery." ”

Seeing that he refused so simply, Zhu Tingbiao knew that there was no room for maneuver, and couldn't help but sigh lightly, and said, "Without artillery, how can you resist the attack of the British army just by relying on these fortifications." ”

"I wish the military gate to underestimate these fortifications." Yi Zhizhi said: "These trenches are aimed at the artillery attack of the British army, or, when you leave the port tomorrow, you will fire a salvo of battleships, so that the military gate can see the defensive effect of the trenches?" ”

"Okay." Zhu Tingbiao hurriedly nodded and said, "The old man wants to see with his own eyes the power of the artillery of the Western warship, how powerful it is. ”

Yi Zhisuff said with a smile: "Okay, tomorrow I will let the military gate see it, but the actual combat training necessary, the officers and soldiers of the green battalion must stay in the trenches, and there will be casualties, but the casualties should not be large." ”

Zhu Tingbiao was stunned when he listened, and let the officers and soldiers of the green battalion stay in the trenches and let the battleships open fire and bombard? There will be casualties? What kind of combat training is this? He said coldly: "Guangdong sailors are trained in such actual combat? ”

Guan Tianpei coughed dryly, what are you kidding, if the Guangdong sailor dares to train in such a real combat, I am afraid that he would have mutinied a long time ago, Yi Zhixiang glanced at the two of them, and said unhurriedly: "Yuanqi group training is such actual combat training. ”

Hearing this, the two of them rolled their eyes at him, obviously not believing it, how could there be such a leading army, there is no reason for this, easy to be content and lazy to waste lips and tongues, groaned slightly, and then said: "Water can carry boats, but also can overturn boats, I wish the military gate not only to supervise the construction and improvement of Dinghai's fortifications, but also to be able to hold it, once Dinghai falls into the hands of the British army again, these fortifications can become the British army's dependence, we want to recover Dinghai, but it is not so easy." ”

Zhu Tingbiao nodded solemnly and said: "If these fortifications can really effectively resist the shelling of the British army, the old man is confident that he will hold Dinghai, but he also said that the British army will increase its troops in a big way, and Dinghai does not have enough artillery, I am afraid that it will be difficult to block the British army's large-scale attack." ”

"Even if the British army increases, it should be next year." Yi Zhishu said slowly: "Western artillery, not reluctant to give to the military, but to the military, Zhejiang's green battalion is also difficult to give full play to the true power of Western artillery, besides, Western artillery has high requirements for gunpowder, all kinds of shells - solid shells, flowering shells, explosive bombs, etc.

Dinghai wants to add a large amount of artillery, and if necessary, send gunners to the Guangdong Navy Division to study and train with live ammunition, and Yuan Qi can try to buy Western artillery from Citigroup and strive to send it before next summer; as for gunpowder and all kinds of artillery shells, the Guangdong Navy Division has an ammunition bureau that specializes in production, and the order will be completed. ”

As he spoke, he smiled, "Whether you order artillery or gunpowder shells, you must pay a fifty percent deposit in advance, and as for training gunners, that is the matter of the Guangdong Naval Division." ”

Guan Tianpei immediately reacted and said: "The Guangdong Navy Division invited retired Western officers to train gunners, as well as live-fire training, gunpowder, shells, and artillery wear and tear, which don't need silver." ”

Zhu Tingbiao looked at the two of them with some doubts, how did it become a business discussion? After I groaned, he said: "The matter is very important, the old man has to tell the governor to restore the two." ”

"It's nature." Guan Tianpei said with a smile: "This is not a small expense, the price of Western artillery is expensive, when Yuan Qi purchased artillery for the Humen Fort, he donated two million taels of silver in one fell swoop, and if the Dinghai Defense wants to reach the point of the Humen Fort, I am afraid it is only a lot more." ”

Two million taels of silver! Zhu Tingbiao couldn't help but be stunned, Zhejiang is rich, and he can take out two million taels of silver to increase the defense of Dinghai, which is simply impossible, seeing that he was stunned, Yi Zhishu couldn't help but remind: "In addition to Dinghai, the British army in Zhejiang is also likely to attack, nothing more than Zhenhai, Zhu Junmen also needs to be strictly fortified against Zhenhai." ”

"Satisfied with the good words of gold and jade, the old man must truthfully tell Lord Tufu." Zhu Tingbiao said and stood up and arched his hand: "The two of you will return tomorrow, and the old man will prepare a banquet for a little wine, not only to express his gratitude, but also to make a good trip, and I hope that the two of you will not refuse." ”

Yi Zhishu hurriedly got up and saluted back, and said: "I wish the military gate a warm invitation, how dare you not obey in the next place, you must arrive." ”

Sending Zhu Tingbiao away and turning back to the flower hall, Guan Tianpei smiled and said: "Contentment, this is planning to knock Zhejiang hard?" Now the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang is Deng Butang, but I am afraid that it will be difficult to get his wish. ”

Yi Zhisuff smoked a cigar and said slowly: "The Guangdong Navy Division has recovered Dinghai, if Dinghai is lost again in the hands of Zhejiang Green Camp, the governor of Zhejiang, the admiral is afraid that it is not as simple as dismissal, who will be knocked if you don't knock them?" As for Deng Butang, we have a maximum of 20% discount. ”

"No business, no treachery." Guan Tianpei teased him before saying: "This time to recover Dinghai, we only need to stay for a few more days, and Zhejiang will definitely prepare a heavy gift to send us back." ”

"Don't let a small mistake be a big one." Yi Zhizu shook his head slightly and said: "I wish the military men all know that we will help defend Dinghai, how can the governor of Zhejiang, Wu Ergong, not have this intention?" For us, Dinghai is a dangerous place, if the expectation is good, the main fleet of the British army will inevitably rush back to Dinghai at full speed to rescue the British army in Dinghai.

If we still stay in Dinghai, it may be a vicious battle, and the British army will inevitably attack our fleet with all our might. Besides, what is the situation of our fleet being caught up by the main British fleet at sea? ”

Hearing him say this, Guan Tianpei nodded and said: "It's still thoughtful and thoughtful, and it is the best policy to return to Guangzhou as soon as possible." (To be continued.) )