The idea of using the sea to control the land has been around for a long time, and Zhu Yongxing has been making preparations. He may win over, join forces, or purchase, and then gradually attack the enemy, strengthen himself, and finally annihilate the Qing naval forces in Guangdong and Fujian.
After the division, taking advantage of the civil strife in the Zheng family, the strength of the navy was finally able to turn the plan into reality.
The three fleets deployed in Fujian, Zhejiang, and the Yangtze River respectively, either to harass or to attack directly. They effectively contained the Qing forces in the southeast, and the Qing court's intention to increase troops in Fujian and resist the Ming army was mostly in vain.
The fleet led by Yang Yandi was based in Zhoushan and rushed into Hangzhou Bay without waiting for rest. In the first battle, he defeated the Hangzhou Navy of the Qing Army and pretended to attack Hangzhou. He then withdrew at night and suddenly landed in Jinshan in the early morning, breached the county seat and plundered the official treasury.
Then they sailed away with thousands of volunteers and their families who voluntarily followed. On the third day, after settling the people in Zhoushan, the fleet appeared in Xiangshan Bay again, landed in Ninghai County, and followed the same pattern as Jinshan.
The fleets of the Ming army came and went suddenly, and their attacking and plundering tactics made everyone along the coast of Zhejiang panic. The long civil forts built to move the border were vulnerable. The Qing troops responsible for guarding were scattered and had no combat effectiveness. How could they withstand three thousand equipment?
Excellent marines. The blank areas along the coast also brought concealment to the Ming army's landing. They were often discovered by the Qing soldiers only when they reached the earthen base. Most of the Qing soldiers hurriedly lit up the smoke and fled, and they did not dare to fight with the Ming army.
Engage in battle.
After the Ming army broke through the long fortress, with just a little publicity, the suffering people came out in droves and boarded boats at the beach. Zhoushan soon had 5,000 to 6,000 people, building cities and houses, and the base became more consolidated.
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The Yangtze River Navy led by Chen Shangchuan continued up the river and successively defeated Fushan, Yangshe, Jiangyin, Jingjiang, Menghe and Yongsheng's flood troops along the river, totaling more than 2,000, and arrived at Guazhou.
Zhang Mingzhen and Zhang Huangyan's several battles into the Yangtze River made the Qing government aware of the fragility of the Yangtze River defense. To remedy the situation, the Qing government sent Gushan'e Zhenshi Tingzhu as the Zhenhai general to lead the Eight Banners troops to garrison at the Jingkou of Zhenjiang; it also re-established Jiangnan Fushan and Yangshe
, Jiangyin, Jingjiang, Menghe, Yongsheng and other battalions flooded their troops along the river, and moved the red cannon stored in the Jiangning warehouse to Jingkou.
But in the 16th year of Shunzhi, Zheng Chenggong led thousands of warships to enter the Yangtze River again and smashed the river defense fortifications that the Qing government had worked hard to build. Zheng's army conquered Guazhou and Zhenjiang, and reached the foot of Stone City. Although they failed in the end because they underestimated the enemy, the Qing army
The Zheng army also suffered heavy losses. All the artillery deployed in Jiangyin, Guazhou and Zhenjiang were destroyed or captured by the Zheng army.
In recent years, the Qing army has rebuilt river defense fortifications, but its strength has not returned to the level of the 16th year of Shunzhi. Especially for artillery, the Qing government's finances have been tight. There is not much money for casting, and now it is only half of what it was back then.
The fleet led by Chen Shangchuan mainly moved westward and did not go ashore to attack and plunder. It only attacked the Qing army on the river. The march was not unpleasant. In Guazhou, the Yangtze River Navy ushered in a big battle. Facing the Qing army's river defense fortifications
.As well as the Qing Navy and the Yangtze River Navy in Guazhou and Zhenjiang, they fought bravely with full firepower. The battle was extremely fierce.
The superiority of the Ming army's firearms was fully demonstrated in the river and sea battles. More than 300 large and small artillery were farther than the Qing army. In a day of fierce battle, the Yangtze River Navy cut off the Qing army's iron chain and the lock formed by connecting ships.
The river defense line "rolled the river dragon" and destroyed three floating camps (also known as wooden cities) of the Qing army on the river. They captured dozens of Tanjiazhou cannons and defeated two river divisions of the Qing army.
There is still the smell of nitrate and sulfur in the air, and when the river wind blows, it is mixed with the smell of burning and blood. The surface of the river is covered with broken wooden boards, and corpses are either lying on their backs or lying on their backs, floating and sinking in the water.
Wisp after wisp, spreading in the water.
"Our army sank eight ships. Nine ships were seriously damaged, 23 ships were slightly damaged, and there were more than 600 casualties among officers and soldiers."
After listening to the rough battle report, Chen Shangchuan sighed softly. A great victory, but also a lot of losses. The Yangtze River Navy has more than 200 ships and more than 130 combat ships. The rest are transportation.
Ships. But the losses were all combat ships and combat personnel, so he couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
"Step up to deal with the aftermath." Chen Shangchuan gave the order with some seriousness. He turned his gaze to Guazhou City and narrowed his eyes slightly. A cold light flashed through his eyes.
The river was busy. Ming soldiers transferred ships, gathered the bodies, and moved the artillery on the seriously injured ships. Although the ships were damaged, many Qing ships were also captured. Although most of them were small boats, they could not move.
This also prevented the Ming army from worrying about a shortage of ships.
"The Qing army has even dispatched sampans, and will no longer be able to stop our army's advance." Seeing that Chen Shangchuan was unhappy, a staff officer comforted him in a low voice.
"Yes, the Qing army in Zhenjiang can only huddle in the city." Chen Shangchuan forced a smile, regained his composure, and sent an order: "Order the forward fleet to set off immediately, without giving the Qing army time to prepare for defense."
After breaking through Guazhou and Zhenjiang in front, the Qing army's river defenses were completely dismantled. Although the Yangtze River Navy did not yet have the strength to capture targets on the shore, the obstacles on the way forward were already very small. Flood troops along the river in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River
, and the weak naval forces in various provinces are no match for the Yangtze River Navy.
Is the journey smooth? At that time, Zhu Yongxing had promised that in case of setbacks, he would retreat to Zhoushan and wait for Deng Yao or Yang Yandi's fleet to complete the containment mission before joining forces to enter the Yangtze River.
Now, Chen Shangchuan was confident of achieving his strategic goal, but he did not underestimate the enemy's pride. The forward fleet had already set off, but he waited for the fleet to be completely reorganized before heading westward under the gloomy gaze of the Qing soldiers in Guazhou City.
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The Ming army did not slow down its offensive because of the withdrawal of the Zheng family's civil strife, but the land war in Fujian Province seemed to have slowed down. Attacking cities and plundering territory, making camp step by step, the Ming army calmly approached Fuzhou, taking advantage of Geng Fan's
The army shrank and many counties were easily recovered.
The noose slowly tightened, and Geng Jingzhong abandoned the surrounding prefectures and counties, gathered nearly 30,000 troops, and huddled in Fuzhou. However, the long-awaited reinforcements were disappointing. The Zhejiang Qing army had arrived in Wenzhou, but was harassed by Yang Yandi's fleet.
, most of them were recalled by the anxious Hangzhou General Ga Chuha. Under the strict orders of the imperial court, Jiangxi also sent reinforcements, but they turned back three times at a time and walked very slowly. When Li Sixing's troops came out of Meiling and pretended to attack Dayu,
The reinforcements quickly turned back and stationed themselves in Ganzhou, never moving again.
The Yangtze River is in danger, and Nanjing needs to increase its troops; the coast of Zhejiang is in danger, and it also needs troops to defend. Compared with Fujian, Zhejiang is more important to the Qing court. It is the land of wealth, the land of grain and rice, and the beginning of water transportation. That is absolutely unacceptable.
Lost.
Poor Geng Jingzhong, he looked for the stars and the moon, but he only looked forward to the Manchu Taijun and his entourage who were dictating and forcing him to fight to the death. These hundreds of uncles made Geng Jingzhong want to cry without tears.