Zhu Yuanzhang did not guess correctly this time. The person who suggested setting up ambushes in Xishui and Qishui was not Zhang Bixian, but Kang Maocai.
After Chen Youren received Chen Youliang's order, he asked his brother to recruit several generals who were good at water warfare, including Kang Maocai.
Kang Maocai was not only good at water warfare, but also fought against Jiangdu's army when defending Jiqing.
He knew best that the opponent's advantage lay in range, so he came up with this strategy.
It was a pity that the artillery he was fighting was old-style artillery. He thought that even if the ambush was discovered, he could persist until the rescue.
So when Chen Youren learned that the Xishui fleet had been discovered, he listened to his advice and led an army of 60,000 people straight to Xishui!
Zhang Bixian stood on the deck, looked at the river, and suddenly asked: "What kind of wind is blowing now?"
Chen Youren stretched out his hand, felt it, and said: "It seems to be the south wind."
Kang Maocai hurriedly said: "Commander, the wind is blowing from the northwest now, which is more beneficial to our army!"
Chen Youren suddenly felt embarrassed and changed the subject: "I heard that the commander-in-chief of the enemy army is Zhu Yuanzhang. This man is brave and good at fighting. Will he use some tricks to wipe out the Xishui fleet before we arrive?"
Kang Maocai said: "Zhu Yuanzhang is only good at land warfare, not water warfare. The commander-in-chief does not need to worry too much."
Chen Youren was silent for a while and then asked: "Since Zhu Yuanzhang was on guard, why did he only check Xishui and let Qishui go?"
Kang Maocai sneered and said: "This person is too greedy. He must be thinking that if we have ambushes in both places and only explore Qishui, the men and horses in Xishui will escape! That's why we didn't explore in Qishui!"<
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Zhang Bixian suddenly said: "Since he dared to plan to ambush two troops, it means he is quite sure. Should we be more cautious?"
He looks rough, but he is actually thick on the outside and thin on the inside.
Kang Maocai hurriedly said: "Soldiers need speed, and fighting on the water is even more so! We can't hesitate now. Only by rushing to the battlefield before Zhu Yuanzhang destroys the Xishui fleet can we have a chance to win!"
Zhang Bixian said with a stern face: "This battle is of great importance, how can we not give it more consideration? Wasn't our defeat in Jiangzhou painful enough?"
Kang Maocai cursed in his heart, but his official position was too low and he did not dare to curse out loud.
Chen Youren squinted his one eye and said: "I think General Kang is right. When we meet on a narrow road, the brave will win. Zhu Yuanzhang is betting time with us now! Whoever hesitates first will become the loser!"
Zhang Bixian said coldly: "His Royal Highnesses the Five Kings regard our army's life-and-death battle as a game of gambling. If the soldiers hear this, I'm afraid they will be chilled!"
Chen Youren knew that Zhang Bi first brought this team from Huguang, so he did not dare to despise his opinion, so he asked: "What should we do according to Zhang Shuai's wishes?"
Zhang Bixian pondered for a long time and said: "Immediately return to the river area of Dazhi County, and then send scouts to investigate the situation!"
Kang Maocai couldn't help but said: "The soldiers of Xishui are fighting bloody battles, waiting for us to arrive. Only these words from Marshal Zhang will chill the hearts of the soldiers!"
Zhang Bixian said coldly: "It's possible that they have been eliminated!"
"What about the Qishui fleet? They are also rushing to Xishui!"
"Let them abandon the ship and come ashore to join us in Dazhi County!"
While the two were arguing, a scout came running from the shore.
Chen Youren asked the scouts to get on the boat and inquire about the military situation. The scout said: "The Jiangdu fleet withdrew from Xishui and went downstream. It will collide with the Qishui fleet soon."
Kang Maocai was shocked and stared: "How is this possible? How could they defeat the Xishui fleet so quickly!"
Zhang Bixian said coldly: "How? Are you right?"
Chen Youren suddenly asked: "What are the casualties of Jiangdu Navy?"
The scout said: "There are only more than forty warships left, and nearly half of them have been damaged!"
Chen Youren's single eye flashed with light, and he said loudly: "They must have won by dying together! Now that they have lost more than half, they must be planning to escape!"
Zhang Bixian pondered for a long time, nodded and said: "It seems that the soldiers of Xishui fought to the death. Your Highness, the Five Kings, please send the order to pursue us!"
Chen Youren gave an order, and more than 40 large-scale boats chased directly downstream at full speed.
Half an hour later, the fleet passed Xishui.
After another half an hour, the scouts came with news that the Jiangdu navy defeated the Qishui fleet in a short period of time!
Kang Maocai was in disbelief and said angrily: "This is impossible! The Qishui fleet also had 20,000 ambushes. How could Jiangdu's 10,000 troops defeat them?"
Chen Youren was also stunned and asked: "What are the casualties of Jiangdu Army?"
The scout swallowed and said, "No, no!"
Chen Youren grabbed his collar and said sternly: "What did you say?"
The scout said tremblingly: "Jiangdu's army still has more than 40 warships, and it seems that they have not been damaged!"
Zhang Bixian's face seemed to be gloomy and he was about to drip water, and he said sternly: "Send the order, and the whole army will turn around immediately!"
Chen Youren turned his head suddenly, stared at him, and said, "Turn around? Are you afraid of ten thousand sailors?"
Zhang Bixian ignored him and just ordered the messenger to convey the order quickly.
When the fleet began to retreat, he explained: "Your Highness the Five Kings, you have seen that the Jiangdu army of 10,000 can wipe out our army of 20,000, and the Xishui fleet cannot wipe out half of them!"
Chen Youren was stunned: "Then why do they only have half of the ship left?"
Kang Maocai turned pale and said in a trembling voice: "I understand, the remaining half will stay in Xishui!"
When the Han fleet returned to Xishui, the scouts discovered that a group of men and horses appeared at the mouth of Xishui.
Chen Youren's face was ashen. He originally wanted to attack the opponent from a double flank, but he was unexpectedly attacked by the opponent!
If these 100,000 troops were lost in the hands of the opponent, it would almost spell the demise of the Han army.
There are only more than 20,000 defenders left in Wuchang, and it is impossible to stop Jiangdu's army.
Moreover, without the restraint of these 100,000 people, the civil servants and generals in Wuchang will have different ideas, and the entire Han army will collapse from within!
Just when his heart was sinking, he suddenly heard a scream.
Chen Youren raised his head suddenly and saw Kang Maocai lying in a pool of blood.
Zhang Bi first wiped the bloody long sword on his gauntlet, then put the sword back into its sheath and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, there is only one way out now."
At this moment, Chen Youren had no time to care about Kang Maocai's life and death, so he quickly asked: "What way?"
Zhang Bixian said coldly: "Abandon the ship and go ashore, return to Wuchang by land, and still be able to defend Wuchang!"
Chen Youren took a deep breath and said: "The matter has come to this, it can only be like this!"
However, when the boat stopped, the two had another disagreement.
Zhang Bi first wanted to dock the boat on the north bank. Chen Youren wondered: "How can we cross the river if we dock on the north bank?"
Zhang Bixian said: "There are still more than 20 large ships in the three shipyards in Huangzhou. Let's go to Huangzhou first, and then some soldiers will return to Wuchang by boat for rescue. It will be faster!"
Only then did Chen Youren agree with him.
After Zhu Yuanzhang learned that Tianwan's army had abandoned the ship, he did not go ashore to pursue him. He joined Yang Sanqiang and headed straight for Wuchang.
One day later, the fleet arrived outside Wuchang.
Chen Youliang had already known that Chen Youren was defeated and that Chen Youren was on his way back with an army of 60,000 men, so he issued a strict order to defend the city.
When Zhu Yuanzhang came to the water gate, the Han army was already ready and even put the captured Yuan army cannons on the city wall.
Chen Youliang originally didn't like using firecrackers, but after seeing the power of Jiangdu's artillery, he had no choice but to change his mind.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew that Chen Youren would rush back soon, so he didn't waste much time and immediately sent an order to attack the city.
"Boom, boom, boom!" A salvo of artillery fired at the city wall.
After the sound of cannons rang out outside the city, the people in the city became even more panicked. They closed their doors and households one by one. No one was willing to help defend the city.
In the Earl's Mansion, Liang Rong heard the sound of artillery outside the door, and was overjoyed, knowing that his mission was finally coming to an end.
A few days ago, he visited Mrs. Wang and stole the handwriting.
Later, he wanted to work with Huang Qianhu to connect those generals with different intentions and overthrow Chen Youliang.
Unexpectedly, Huang Qianhu sent someone to send him a message using covert means, saying that Chen Youliang had re-intensified surveillance on him.
Liang Rong knew that his visit to Mrs. Wang might have aroused Chen Youliang's suspicion.
So I stayed at home obediently these days, not meeting anyone except when summoned by Chen Youliang.
On the third day when Jiangdu Army attacked the city, Huang Qianhu sent someone to deliver news.
The secretly planned coup failed, all the generals with ulterior motives were wiped out, and many spies from the Military Intelligence Agency died.
Liang Rong was secretly disappointed, but had no choice but to wait for Zhu Yuanzhang to attack the city.
On the fourth day of the siege, at noon, Liang Rong was having lunch at home when a group of sergeants suddenly broke into the house and took him away straight to Caishikou.
Liang Rong felt a chill on his back.
A execution ground was actually set up in Caishikou. Dozens of civil servants and generals were kneeling on the execution ground, with death cards stuck behind their backs, waiting to be executed!
Liang Rong was also taken to the execution ground and given the death card.
He was shocked and angry. He was not sure what was going on now. When he looked around, he actually saw Chen Youliang's nephew Chen Guangqian!
"General Chen, what is going on? Why does Your Majesty want to execute us?" he asked urgently.
Chen Guangqian looked lost and did not answer his words. He murmured to himself: "No... Uncle Wu will not betray... No..."
Liang Rong was secretly shocked. The fifth uncle Chen Guangqian was talking about should be Chen Youren, the fifth king.
Could it be that Chen Youren also betrayed Chen Youliang?
Just as more and more people were being taken to the execution ground, another group of sergeants suddenly came running on the street.
The leading general said loudly: "The Queen has an order to summon Liang Rong to see you!"
General Jianzhan walked over and exchanged a few words with the leading general, and then Liang Rong was transferred to the Queen's men.