The current total strength of the Liberation Army, even including those recruits who have just entered the recruit camp and failed to complete the recruit training, is only over 20,000.
Facing the Qing army's huge Eight Banners Green Camp military group, it looked quite weak!
Even compared with Shang Kexi, King of Pingnan, one of the three vassals of the Qing Dynasty, Zhu Hongyu's strength cannot have an advantage.
The Liberation Army is not afraid of infantry fighting!
But the cavalry team of 10,000 people in Shang Kexi's hands was unable to be dealt with by the Liberation Army.
You know, even in the era of breech-loading guns, cavalry is still stronger than infantry!
Even after the Great Compassionate Gatling Bodhisattva was invented, cavalry still had an advantage over infantry.
Even if the cavalry just relies on the speed advantage of turning in on horseback, it can beat the crap out of the infantry.
Unless Zhu Hongyu can have 50,000 or 60,000 elite soldiers, or he can defeat the cavalry and cavalry in Shang Kexi's hands.
Otherwise, he would not really start a large-scale counterattack on the mainland.
"Your Highness Jianguo, the last group of people willing to go with us have already boarded the ship!"
Wang Ruxian came to Zhu Hongyu and said.
Zhu Hongyu nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.
The people have evacuated, but the Liberation Army will not leave yet!
The construction of the fortress along the coast of Leizhou has not yet been completed, only some trenches have been dug and some surface buildings have been built.
For now, Leizhou City is still an indispensable part of the entire defense system!
If the Qing army invades at this time, the Liberation Army will need to rely on Leizhou for defensive operations.
Zhu Hongyu still needs to stay in Leizhou to preside over the construction of the fortress and the subsequent war.
At this moment, a messenger suddenly ran up from outside and reported breathlessly.
"Reporting to His Majesty the Supervisor, our army's sentinels discovered a large number of Qing cavalry fifty miles north of Leizhou City!"
"The Qing cavalry is coming to Leizhou!"
The expression on Zhu Hongyu's face remained unchanged, and he asked calmly.
"How many Qing cavalry are there? Which troops are they from? Who is leading the army?"
The messenger gasped and spoke.
"Reporting to His Royal Highness, the Qing army's sentry cavalry is very powerful. Our army's sentry cavalry cannot get close to the Qing army's formation. I don't know how many cavalry the Qing army has invading."
"However, judging from the size of the sentry cavalry and the smoke caused by the Qing cavalry's galloping, the size of the Qing cavalry invading this time will not be less than ten thousand."
There was obvious shock on Zhu Hongyu's face.
I really want to scold my mother!
Just now he was muttering in his mind that the Qing army's cavalry was difficult to deal with, but when he turned around, the Qing army's cavalry came to kill him.
What the hell kind of luck is this?
What are you really afraid of? What's coming!
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Hongyu spoke.
"Send the order, all the troops will withdraw from Leizhou City and prepare defenses at the coastal strongholds!"
"Command the fleet to prepare for the evacuation of the Leizhou Peninsula!"
Logically speaking, facing the invading Qing army, the Liberation Army should defend the city and give the Qing army a head-on attack.
This was Zhu Hongyu’s original plan!
But it is a pity that the plan could not keep up with the changes.
Since all the Qing troops who were killed were cavalry, Zhu Hongyu's plan came to an end before it could be launched.
If the Liberation Army held Leizhou, the Qing army's cavalry would most likely not be able to break through Leizhou City.
However, there is no need to attack the city!
As long as the Qing army relied on its cavalry superiority to blockade Leizhou City, it would be able to trap the defenders in Leizhou City to death.
Leizhou City is not far from the sea, only twenty or thirty miles at most.
However, this distance of twenty to thirty miles, under the threat of a large number of Qing cavalry, will become a nightmare distance for the Liberation Army, whether it is withdrawing troops or sending supplies.
…
As Zhu Hongyu's order was issued, the Liberation Army began to evacuate from Leizhou City!
A large amount of food supplies, ordnance and weapons were transported out of Leizhou City and headed for the defense lines built by the Liberation Army along the coast.
A raging fire broke out in Leizhou City!
A large number of wooden structures were destroyed in the fire.
The Liberation Army is carrying out an operation to strengthen the walls and clear the country!
All we can say now is that fortunately the Liberation Army has focused its energy mainly on the construction of coastal fortress defense lines during this period.
We haven’t had time to start building Leizhou City yet!
Otherwise, it would really be an advantage for the Qing army!
Zhu Hongyu also left Leizhou City with the army, and the Liberation Army began to deploy defenses at the fortress stronghold, relying on the trenches and parapets.
When those trenches were first built, the scene of a cavalry attack was anticipated.
Therefore, although the trench is not very deep, it is quite wide. There is a parapet on the enemy side, with an average width of two feet, and there are a lot of horse traps behind the trench.
It will ensure that ordinary war horses cannot jump over it.
Even if you jump over, you will still be trapped in a horse trap and fall to death!
It can greatly slow down the impact speed of the cavalry!
The Liberation Army had just withdrawn from Leizhou City, and there were still more than a thousand people. Probably a team of troops had not had time to withdraw to the coastal fortress, and the Qing army's cavalry rushed over.
The first thing that appeared was the sound of galloping war horses, like muffled thunder.
Then there was the visual discovery. At the end of the horizon, a dark cloud appeared!
Like the shadows cast by clouds on the ground!
A large banner was flying high, and everything seemed to be shaking as the war horses galloped.
The Qing army's cavalry came on horseback with great force, making strange screams.
"Enemy attack, enemy attack!"
"Everyone is ready to form a formation to meet the enemy!"
The Liberation Army, which retreated into the fortress defense line, began to set up positions and prepare to meet the enemy.
The Liberation Army, which was lagging behind, also responded in an orderly manner!
Although the soldiers' faces were full of panic, long-term training made them subconsciously follow military orders.
In just the blink of an eye, a regiment of the Liberation Army quickly transformed from a marching formation, with battalions as units, into three circular formations with the best defense.
The heavily armored infantrymen carried shields at the outermost edge of the array, and the musketeers were inside the array, quickly loading and preparing to fire.
Maintaining this defensive formation, move slowly towards the fortress on the seaside!
The Qing cavalry in the distance galloped on the ground, heading towards the three circular formations of the Liberation Army.
Their purpose is quite obvious!
"kill!"
"Kill the thief!"
"Ouch..."
"..."
The Qing army's cavalry made strange noises and quickly entered the scene.
Taking advantage of his cavalry, he surrounded the circular formation of the Liberation Army and galloped around the circular formation.
Collapse! Collapse!
The sound of bowstrings trembled continuously, and arrows were shot mercilessly towards the circular formation of the Liberation Army.
Dang! Dang!
The arrow missed the shield, and the sound of the armor and stomach kept ringing.
However, arrows kept missing and piercing the stomach of the armor, hitting vital points.
People kept falling to the ground!
The Liberation Army also began to fight back!
Bursts of volleys of guns were fired continuously, and as the smoke filled the air, the Qing cavalry galloping around the circular formation of the Liberation Army were continuously shot off their horses.
One grenade after another was thrown out of the circle!
Amidst the explosion, the Qing army's horses were frightened, causing some confusion among the Qing army's cavalry.
While the circular formation of the Liberation Army was fighting back, it was still moving towards the coastal fortress.
Everyone knows that if this continues, he will never be able to withstand the Qing army's cavalry and shooting!
However, as long as they can retreat to the defense line, they can get support and survive!