***

In this world, no one is a fool who can become the overlord of one party.

Qin Mu is calculating Zheng Zhilong, and Zheng Zhilong is also calculating Qin Mu. It's a game of praying mantis catching cicadas, yellow finches behind, or a hunter hiding in the bushes.

In Shuangyu Port, the 20 battalions of the East China Sea Fleet and 129 warships have all entered a first-class combat state, the warships are full of ammunition, and the soldiers have wiped their swords and guns, and the atmosphere is extremely tense and solemn.

Gu Rong, Zheng Sihai, Zhang Mingzhen, Shi Dasheng and others couldn't get up easily, and the sentinel ships sent to patrol had not found any traces of the Zheng family's fleet so far, let alone determined whether there was a more powerful fleet behind Zheng Zhilong.

According to the news received at night, Zheng Zhilong dispatched 20,000 troops from Fuzhou, and there were still troops assembled in Kinmen.

According to Qin Mu's analysis, it is impossible for Zheng Zhilong to start a war with other forces at this time, and the troops gathered on Kinmen Island are likely to secretly follow Zheng Zhilong to the north, preparing to have a praying mantis to catch cicadas, and the yellow finch is behind.

The problem is that now everything is based on an analysis of uncertain news, so far, not to mention whether there are yellow sparrows behind Zheng Zhilong, even Zheng Zhilong's fleet has not found his whereabouts.

Gu Rong's scalp was numb, and Qin Mu's trust in him made him very moved. In this battle, Qin Mu also handed over the command to him.

But the enemy is strong and I am weak, and if it is an ambush, there is still a certainty of victory. But now, judging from Zheng Zhilong's reaction, Zheng Zhilong is obviously on guard, in this case, is it still possible to defeat Zheng Zhilong?

Gu Rong was under a lot of pressure, and Shi Dasheng and the other camp generals were not easy, "Lord Admiral, what should we do?" There's no way to just do it and wait! ”

Fei Zhiwu, the commander of the second battalion, also said: "Lord Admiral, this time we are the main force, how can we wait for the news in the harbor, in case Zheng Zhilong touches it and blocks the passage out of the port." Then we'll have to shrink into a turtle shell. ”

Zhang Mingzhen said: "Don't worry, everyone, this rush will be chaotic, now the front has not yet detected the accurate enemy situation, and it is not a way for us to rush to sea, according to the itinerary, Zheng Zhilong should have one day, and he can still reach the Zhoushan area, let's wait patiently for half a day to see if there is accurate news to come back and then make plans." ”

Gu Rong looked at the situation outside, and it was estimated that there was still an hour. It was about to get dark, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Then wait another hour, everyone get ready, no matter whether there is accurate news coming back when it gets dark, the fleet will go to sea." Damn, it's a big deal to fight with Zheng Zhilong, if he is blocked in the port, everyone will only have to carry a knife to kill themselves. ”

An hour's wait seems like a long time. But it was so short, in this hour, not a single sentinel ship came back, and Gu Rong didn't get Zheng Zhilong's exact whereabouts after all.

According to the plan. He decided not to wait any longer, he first sent someone to inform Di Zhongxing's North Sea Fleet to cooperate, and then at night, the East China Sea Fleet 129 warships. All sailed out of Shuangyu Port and headed for the open sea.

On the periphery of the fleet, the boats resemble rangers on the steppe. Leaping over the sea, taking on the task of vigilance, the fleet that seemed very large in the harbor was as small as a wandering spirit on the vast sea at night.

On each ship, there are lights flickering from time to time, keeping in touch with each other, and there are many islands around Zhoushan, which seem to be black and swarthy giant beasts lurking on the sea in the night;

The sound of the waves crashing is strange, some are like wild ghosts wailing, some are like night trees screaming, some are like women singing, some are like heavenly sounds echoing;

The sea surface under the moonlight is undulating, the waves reflect the silver light, and the big fish jump up from time to time on the water surface, like the dance of the fish and dragon. The night wind whipped the sails and crackled.

"Order, turn the rudder left, and sail to Ghost Island." Gu Rong's voice was firm and powerful.

The herald on the mast sounded his lights, and the fleet began to turn slowly.

Zhang Mingzhen, the chief servant, walked to Gu Rong's side and reminded: "Admiral Gu, the sea conditions of Ghost Island are complicated, we haven't been there at night, isn't it too dangerous to go now." ”

"Don't worry, Lord Zhang, you haven't been there, but this governor was in the Ghost Island for a while a few years ago, and once he escaped the pursuit of the Zheng family by hiding in the waters of the Ghost Island. Now that the enemy situation is unknown, everyone is like a cat catching a mouse, and whoever reveals his position first will be a mouse. ”

Gu Rong's voice was much calmer, he had been on the sea for more than ten years, not only did he not have the fear of ordinary people in the sea, on the contrary, after returning to the sea, he had a feeling of going home, and his mood was miraculously calm.

The Zheng family's fleet is very strong, but is it weak itself?

Zheng Zhilong came with 20,000 troops, and although he only had 10,000, he had 22 gunboats and more than 500 large and small artillery, surpassing Zheng Zhilong.

The 10,000 navy recruited this time are all old sailors, and their proficiency in supporting ships and sails may not be worse than that of Zheng Jun.

In the past two months, the East China Sea Fleet has practiced live firing every day, which has cost countless amounts of silver, and the number of live firing of the Zheng family's 10-year veterans may not be more than that of the gunners of the East China Sea Fleet in the past two months.

Of course, Gu Rong also knew where the defects of the East China Sea Fleet were, that is, actual combat experience, among the 10,000 troops, only his original 3,000 subordinates had actual combat experience.

There is a question mark over whether the remaining thousands of soldiers can bring into play the level of their peacetime training in actual combat.

In order to keep those junior brothers as safe as possible in the first battle, Gu Rong put in a lot of effort, and the first, second, and third battalions concentrated the strongest firepower, all composed of his old birds, and took on the role of frontal sprint during the war.

The other battalions take the form of veterans leading new recruits, with a veteran by their side, the situation will be very different, and the situation of new recruits will be at a loss for the first time.

In addition, there is a very mysterious 18th battalion.

The 18th Battalion is also known as the Night Stalker Battalion. The whole battalion of 510 people usually had only two Fu boats, and they were not equipped with artillery, and the two Fu boats were loaded with a lot of small courts. The training of the past ten days or so was also separate from the other battalions, and except for the Night Owl Battalion, the soldiers of the other battalions did not know what they were training.

*****

About 200 miles northeast of Zhoushan, the main waterway to Japan passes through here, the island of flowers and birds mountain is 600 feet high, the mountain is densely wooded, there are many apes, it is said that this is the Huaguo Mountain in "Journey to the West".

After nightfall, the apes on the mountain cry incessantly at night, like ghosts. On the sea north of the island, under the faint moonlight, hundreds of ships were quietly moored, and the lights on the ships were silent, and the voices of people were silent.

Suddenly, in the direction of Lion Reef in the southwest, six red fireworks burst into the night sky, bursting into brilliant light. The apes on Bird and Flower Island were frightened for a while, but the fleet on the sea suddenly came alive, with lights lit up and people talking.

Di Zhongxing woke up Qiu Bingzhang, the Imperial History of the Zuo Du of the Imperial Procuratorate, and said to him: "Lord Qiu, the situation has changed, you immediately lead the mission and the caravan to the west and retreat to Chongming Island, the sooner the better." ”

Qiu Bingzhang exclaimed: "Master Di, what's wrong? Something went wrong. ”

Di Zhongxing replied in a deep voice: "What we have received is the most urgent fireworks summons, the specific situation is not very clear, we have to go south immediately, you don't need to be bait anymore, and return to Chongming Island immediately." The matter is urgent, Lord Qiu should leave quickly. ”

In fact, the mission and caravan led by Qiu Bingzhang have lost their role as bait, and it is very dangerous to stay at sea any longer, so it is very necessary for Gu Rong to send a message to warn and let the mission withdraw to Chongming Island as soon as possible.

After a pillar of incense, the hundreds of ships moored under the Flower and Bird Island were divided into two, Qiu Bingzhang's thirteen merchant ships headed west towards the mouth of the Yangtze River, while Di Zhongxing's Beihai fleet, two hundred warships, sailed south, from the west side of Shengshan Island, through the big and small Huanglong Island, to Qushan Island

The shipping route chosen by Di Zhongxing mainly follows the island, and each island it passes through is guided by lights, which can not only ensure that the fleet will not lose its course in the night, but also facilitate timely contact with the East China Sea Fleet.

From the Zhoushan Islands to the east of the mouth of the Yangtze River, there are dense islands stretching, plus some fishing boats specially responsible for transmitting messages, which constitute the fastest channel for the East China Sea Fleet to communicate with the North Sea fleet.

Fireworks go up on an island and can be seen by fishing boats or islands from ten miles away, and in this way, a simple message can be delivered as quickly as possible.

The six red fireworks just now meant that Di Zhongxing should urgently go south.

Due to the very limited amount of information transmitted, Di Zhongxing didn't know what was going on over there in Gu Rong, and on the way south, he was always very uneasy in his heart

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PS: The big war is coming, you need passion, ask for a recommended ticket, recommend a monthly pass!.

(To be continued......)