The Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas are not really a place where war horses gallop. It is located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The river network waterways are crisscrossed, especially where the official roads are blocked. You usually have to go around a long way to find a bridge after crossing the river, and sometimes you even have to take a ferry.

Because of this, Xie Erjian's speed of chasing the Japanese pirates was severely slowed down. He had to worry about one man and two horses. Fortunately, this group of Japanese pirates was large in number, and the fleet consisting of dozens of large and small ships was quite targeted, so they could find out their whereabouts along the way. Xie Erjian led a hundred brothers to bite their tails and chase them.

Speaking of Dongtai County, Rugao County, and Tongzhou (Haimen County) are coastal salt-producing areas under Yangzhou Prefecture. They are connected by canals. The Japanese fleet flew along the canal to Rugao County and Tongzhou Haimen.

On March 18th, near noon, Xie Erjian and others finally arrived outside Rugao County. However, the city gate was locked at this time, and there were yamen runners and civilians patrolling back and forth with weapons on the top of the city, with high alert.

Xie Erjian showed his identity under the city. After repeated confirmation, the defenders at the city gate opened. Since the Five Hundred Battalions were under the command of the imperial envoy, the local officials of Rugao County did not dare to neglect them. The county magistrate went out of the city to greet him and invited everyone to the city for dinner.

Speaking of which, Xie Erjian and others arrived in Dongtai County yesterday evening. Without even having time to take a sip of water, they immediately followed the Japanese pirates along the canal. They only rested for two hours on the road, and were trapped in the horses. So Xie Erjian did not refuse, and led a hundred brothers to the city to rest for meals, and the horses also had their own people feeding them.

"General Xie, you are one step late. The Japanese pirates arrived here last night. This morning, they robbed the villages outside the city, causing many harm. They left about an hour ago." Rugao County Magistrate told Xie Erjian with heartache.

Xie Erjian couldn't help but sneer in his heart. It turned out that people died for money and birds died for food. These Japanese pirates even robbed everywhere while running away. It turned out that when our Ming army was a waste, I was really ignorant of life or death.

About half an hour later, the 500 battalion of 100 brothers were full of food and food, and immediately got out of the city and continued to pursue the Japanese pirates along the canal.

Rugao County Magistrate stood on the top of the city and watched Xie Erjian and others leave. He couldn't help but sigh: "I am worthy of being the elite of the Beijing camp. Not to mention the combat power, this courage alone is not comparable to the local garrison troops. A mere hundred people dare to pursue hundreds of vicious Japanese pirates. I hope it is not a silver-like wax gun head, and a waste of a meal in the county."

drive……

Xie Erjian rode his horse and his lips were pursed into a cold line. At this time, he was like Zhu Wan, the one-armed county magistrate, with anger in his chest and abdomen waiting to vent.

Everyone chased after 70 or 80 miles in one breath. Just as Xie Erjian was a little anxious, a scout sent out to fight the front station finally returned and reported excitedly: "Boss Xie, the fleet of Japanese pirates was found ten miles ahead, and the two brothers were still staring at the front."

A cold light flashed in Xie Erjian's eyes and he shouted decisively: "Switch horses!" After that, he jumped and landed steadily on the empty horse that was running beside him.

At this time, the other five hundred battalions of soldiers also changed their horses in the mercedes, and their movements were neat and neat. This kind of skill was not something that ordinary soldiers could do. They had to go through long-term training. The five hundred battalions of soldiers were also so skilled after practicing hard for a year last year.

drive……

Two hundred war horses galloped away with their four hooves. The spring grass on the canal was trampled into pieces by the horse's hooves. The sound of hooves roared, as if there was a substantial murderous aura that shocked the nearby birds flapping their wings and flying high.

About ten minutes later, a fleet finally appeared in sight. The fleet consisted of dozens of ships, with several or dozens of people on each bow. Moreover, these guys were dressed in messy clothes and carried weapons, which was the group of Japanese pirates in Dongtai County.

At this time, the Japanese pirates on the ship obviously also discovered Xie Erjian and others. The noisy voices suddenly became quiet. The thieves stopped their actions and looked to the shore in surprise.

Ergouzi is Chen Dong's number one confidant. After Chen Sipan died, Chen Dong was already the leader of the thieves on Dongsha Island, and Ergouzi's status naturally rose and rose.

At this time, Ergouzi stripped away a captured village girl. She was about to press the village girl on the cabin and rape her in front of everyone, but suddenly became quiet around her. Ergouzi noticed something was wrong, so she let go of the village girl who was struggling and crying, stood up straight to the shore, and her face changed and said, "Where did a cavalry come from my grass?"

Bang……

As soon as Ergouzi finished speaking, a gunshot came from the shore. A bloody flower splashed on the man's temple, and then he fell over on the board, twitched for a few times and stopped moving, just in response to the words "Dead Birds" facing the sky."

On the shore, Xie Erjian hung the flintlock rifle that was still emitting smoke on Desheng hook, and took off the Ershi bow on his back. One hundred fierce soldiers tied their horses one after another, raised their flintlock rifles to aim at the thieves on the ship and hooked the machine. The sound of gunfire sounded like a bean-like gunfire sounded...

This canal is not wide at first. Even though the Japanese pirate ships were sailing in the center of the river at this time, they were still within the effective range of the flintlock rifle.

Bang bang bang bang...

The lead bullets poured into the pirate ship like raindrops, and more than a dozen thieves were shot and injured in an instant. The order was immediately in chaos. Several small boats lost their stability and overturned. The thieves who fell into the water swam to the other side in a sneering and howling.

"What happened?" Five thief leaders who were discussing in the cabin of one of the large ships hurriedly ran out to inquire.

When he saw the situation on the shore, Monk Pujing couldn't help but change his face and blurted out: "No, it's Wubai Camp that is chasing him."

Miko Orishinobu stared at Xie Erjian on the horse's back and gritted her teeth and said, "This person is Xie Erjian." After that, she immediately bent her bow and shot at Xie Erjian with a bang.

Xie Erjian also saw Miko Orishiko and others on the ship at this time. He immediately had a murderous intent. He waved the bow in his hand and drove the arrow shot from Miko Orishiko, and then fought back three times.

Takeshu Hosokawa gave a light exclamation, and the Japanese sword swung three times in a row as fast as lightning, knocking down all the three arrows shot by Xie Erjian, and asking, "Miss Miko recognizes this person?"

Miko Orishinobu nodded and gritted her teeth, "This person is under the command of that despicable imperial envoy. She has great martial arts skills. I was captured and humiliated by this person that day."

Takesho Hosokawa's eyes narrowed and said proudly: "There are only one hundred people, why don't we defeat them by the dock, and we can cut off the head of this person to avenge Miss Miko."

Miko Orishinobu shook her head and said, "No, this Ming munitions are powerful and their combat power is not comparable to local troops. It is not suitable to fight hard. Let's avoid its edge first."

After panic, the thieves on the boat began to raise their oars and row hard, trying to lean towards the other side of the canal. In this way, the damage caused by the flintlock rifle was greatly reduced.

Xie Erjian led his men to chase the river for several miles, but was cut off by a small river ditch five or six meters wide. He could only watch dozens of pirate ships leaving.
Chapter completed!