Although the number of enemy troops at the Jianshan sentry fort was small, they resisted tenaciously. Zhao Qingshan and Tang Fuguan, surrounded by guards, boarded the shore. From the cliff bank at the northern foot of Jianshan Mountain to the sentry fort on the top of the mountain, hundreds of corpses were lying in random directions.
Wearing the maroon armor of the Zhejiang and Fujian troops, less than eleven people surrendered.
The broken blades of broken guns were scattered, and arrows were stuck on the ground. Under the autumn sun before noon, they showed the cruelty and bloodshed of war.
Tang Fuguan said: "The generals of the She family who are stationed along the east coast of Fujian are quite stubborn in their will to resist..."
"Then use more resolute means to defeat the enemy's last will to resist," Zhao Qingshan pointed to the rolling hills to the west and said, "Ask Li Bai's sword to penetrate westward. Don't be afraid that the Zhejiang and Fujian troops dare to be ambitious.
Even if an ambush is set up, the ambush must be defeated ruthlessly..."
The soldiers who were the first to land ashore, led by Li Baidao, who was a tenant farmer in Yongjia, were chasing and defeating the enemy along the northern foot of Jianshan Mountain. Zhao Qingshan asked him to abandon the fragmented enemy and quickly cross to the west. The ordering soldiers obtained Zhao Qingshan's military order and immediately crossed
The horse went to chase Li Baidao and sent the order.
The coastal plain of eastern Fujian is bounded by the Minjiang River, with more in the south and less in the north.
Luoyuan, Jiaocheng, Xiapu and other counties located along the Sansha Bay on the north bank of the Minjiang River. In addition to the extremely narrow coastal plain, the territory is mostly mountainous and hilly. Most of the mountains run diagonally from east to west. They are also located in places with frequent rains and heavy rainstorms.
, the valley was cut horizontally and vertically between the mountains, causing the terrain to be broken up. This also allowed some Huaidong soldiers and horses to land from Sansha Bay and cut in deep, easily blocking the road for the enemies of Xiapu to escape south to Jin'an Prefecture.
Looking around, there are undulating mountains, crisscrossing ravines, and relatively gentle hills that can be climbed on horseback. Zhao Qingshan was first concerned about whether the scouts had been released, and whether the Zhejiang and Fujian Army might send troops to fight with Huaidong on the west bank of Sansha Bay.
Fighting to the death among the hills and valleys...
Affected by the terrain of eastern Fujian, in the early stages of the war, it was impossible to concentrate all the troops in one place. In addition to the Song clan who changed their banner in the south to contain Xing'an and defend the city, the soldiers and horses attacking Xiapu and other cities were also divided into two groups and landed at Sansha Bay.
In addition to the 15,000 soldiers and auxiliaries of the First Water Battalion, there were also three brigades of infantry led by Tang Fuguan, deputy commander of the Chongcheng Army.
In addition to the infantry troops of the third brigade of the Chongcheng Army led by Tang Fuguan, the First Water Battalion also organized 9,000 soldiers to land ashore as reserve forces to deal with the Zhejiang and Fujian troops that might be reinforced from Jin'an City at any time.
Starting from Cangnan, the troops approaching Fenshui Pass, a key strategic point in eastern Zhejiang and Fujian, via the Guanling Road were led by Lin Fuqin. The nearly 30,000 troops included Chongcheng Army commander Zhou Tong and deputy envoys Chen Zhi and Liu Zhenzhi.
The nine brigade's elite soldiers include Zuo Guangying's 6,000 troops marching to the east of Zhejiang Province, Zhou Pu's 2,000 elite cavalry and auxiliary troops. There is also a part of the Second Water Camp that marches south along the coast, advancing by land and sea, echoing each other from a distance.
Eastern Fujian is located in a rainy area with crisscrossing streams and rivers, many of which flow eastward into the sea alone. The terrain is cut off, making it difficult for the northern army to encounter obstacles when going south, making it difficult to effectively exert its combat effectiveness. Even if the infantry is the main force, it must advance by sea and land.
, so that when streams and rivers separate each other, boats can be quickly filled in and a trestle can be built for soldiers and horses to pass through.
Lin Fu rode on horseback, looked forward and galloped back to report: "Chongcheng Army Deputy Commander Chen Zhe has military information to report: Fenshui Pass has been captured, 600 enemies have been wiped out, and the Guanling Road south to Xiapu has been opened;
It was discovered that the enemy defenders in Xiapu left the city and fled westward along the Jiao River..."
"So it seems that Zhao Qingshan's attack on Sanshawan should not be hindered?" Lin Fu looked at Gao Zongting inquiringly.
"That should be the case," Gao Zongting said, "when Shewenzhuang left Jin'an, there should have been proper arrangements. We can cut off the connection between the cities in eastern Fujian, but there is no way to surround Xiapu and other cities at once, and to control the defenders.
Besieged in the city. As long as the defenders of Xiapu and other cities do not aim to withdraw to Jin'an Prefecture, they can retreat westward along Jiaoxi, Huotong River, Jiulong River and other valley paths, all the way to the hinterland of Eastern Fujian.
It would be difficult for us to pursue..."
"Damn thieves, the She family is really cunning, they slipped away so fast." Zhou Tong cursed angrily. The war in Eastern Fujian has begun, but there is no big war to fight. Doesn't that make him depressed after all the experience?
"The She family abandoned the city, the baggage, and the people, and only the light soldiers fled through the dangerous path of the valley. Do you think they are willing?" Lin Fu chuckled, and ordered to record his military orders casually, "Take Chen Zhi, sir."
Lead the troops to regain Xiapu, clear the road for the army to advance to Yanpu Bay, and lead the second water battalion warship to station in Yanpu Bay to receive the army across the sea. Follow Zhao Qingshan and Tang Fuguan to recover Jiaocheng and Luoyuan. Wait for me.
After the troops rushed to meet up, they marched to Jin'an City together..."
Although they wanted to destroy more effective forces of the Zhejiang and Fujian armies, the She family was determined to preserve their strength and did not compete with the Huaidong troops on the eastern front, so Lin Fu had nothing to do.
Eastern Fujian is mountainous and the terrain is dangerous, but throwing away the baggage and withdrawing light troops to the west does not necessarily mean traveling along the Min River to enter the hinterland of western Fujian.
The Zhejiang and Fujian armies have support in western Fujian, so they can throw away all their baggage, even if they are hungry, as long as they walk to the counties of Jian'an; but the soldiers and horses in Huaidong have to carry sufficient food and grass, and they are not familiar with the hinterland of Min County.
Keep chasing despite the terrain...
Since the Zhejiang and Fujian armies have abandoned the city and retreated to the west instead of retreating to Jin'an City, there will not be many soldiers and horses left in Jin'an City, but they must also be on guard against the She family deliberately showing weakness and luring the enemy. Everything must be carried out according to the steps. First
Clear the outer barriers on the north and south sides of Jin'an City, and finally join forces with the Song family's troops at the mouth of the Min River. After clearing the obstacles at the mouth of the Min River, the Huaidong warships can sail directly to Jin'an City.
Huaidong was in Xing'an and Xiapu successively opened the prelude to the war in eastern Fujian. Meng Yishan also led his troops to march west from Fuyang to attack Tonglu, the east gate of western Zhejiang.
Compared with the Huaidong troops who captured Xiapu and other cities with almost no effort, the interception encountered by the Hanghu army when entering Tonglu was exceptionally tenacious and bloody.
The Hanghu Army marched westward in two ways. The naval force, led by Su Pinxiao, marched westward along the Yangtze River, went upstream, forcibly broke through the river barriers, and attacked Tonglu; the other way was led by Mengyi Shan personally, marched westward from Fuyang along the west valley road of the city, and arrived at Baifeng Mountain.
Arrive at the banks of the Luzhu River, then go south along the Luzhu River, the largest branch on the north bank of the middle reaches of the Qianjiang River, and directly approach the Dengcheng Village where the Zhejiang and Fujian troops were stationed on the north bank of the Qianjiang River.
The entire section of the Luzhu River is less than a hundred paces wide, while the Qianjiang River at its branch is as narrow as less than three hundred paces. Although the Qianjiang River flows rapidly in this section, the terrain on both sides is relatively open. Only the northwest corner of the branch has a
The hill is less than fifty feet high and can be said to be the best place to cross the Qianjiang River in Tonglu County and regain Tonglu.
But first we must conquer the Dengcheng Walled City on Dengcheng Mountain at the northwest entrance of the Luzhu River located on the north bank of the Zhejiang-Fujian Army.
The Zhejiang and Fujian armies deployed less than 10,000 water infantry troops in Tonglu, including the remnants of the eastern Zhejiang Navy of about 5,000. Su Pinxiao led the Hanghu Navy Infantry of 10,000 men and attacked from the lower reaches at Jiangxinzhou in the east of Tonglu County.
The navy in eastern Zhejiang fought fiercely.
Meng Yishan personally led the soldiers and horses who went south along the Luzhu River to attack the gated city wall on the north bank of Tonglu County. They were the elite of the Yuan Ning Navy, with more than 18,000 troops.
As long as Xie Chaozhong sends troops from Yuling Pass as scheduled, the Zhejiang and Fujian armies in western Zhejiang will not have the extra troops to go east to aid Tonglu. Although the Tonglu defenders have a terrain advantage, Mengyi Mountain will crush them with nearly three times the force. Naturally, there will be
Definitely crush the Tonglu enemy to pieces!
Wang Yue, the general magistrate of Hangzhou, was appointed to serve as an envoy to observe the army and accompany the army into battle.
Although you don't have to rush to the front line to lead the troops in battle, you can still feel the unusual stubbornness of the defenders from behind, as if they are like a rock, unmoved by the strong winds and waves.
The highest point on Baishan Mountain is only fifty feet. It borders the Qianjiang River to the north and the mouth of the Luzhu River to the east. However, both the west and the north sides can be used by the generals of the Hanghu Army to climb up and attack from above.
Considering that the navy led by Su Pinxiao might not be able to forcibly break through the river barrier as scheduled, defeat the remaining battle of the navy in eastern Zhejiang, and advance to the hinterland of Dengcheng Mountain, instead of attacking Dengcheng Village, when they reached the upper reaches of the Luzhu River, Meng Yishan ordered his sergeants and craftsmen to cut down huge trees and throw them to
In the Luzhu River, he went down the river and forced the remaining warships of the Eastern Zhejiang Navy at the mouth of the Luzhu River away so that he could attack the Dengcheng Wall without interference.
There were less than 2,000 defenders in the fortress. The fortress was only built by the Zhejiang and Fujian troops after they abandoned Fuyang. It could not be said to be very strong in a hurry, but when they actually fought, they realized that it was a tough nut that could not be cracked.
More than 18,000 infantrymen of the Hanghu Army were stationed on both sides of the Luzhu River. They used trestles to connect the river surface that was less than a hundred steps wide.
No one was killed, and even a breach in the walled city was not broken.
Meng Yishan also fought bloody hard. He put on his armor and rushed to the front line to supervise the battle. He suppressed the generals and attacked the mountain without stopping. Meng Yishan always prided himself on being a veteran general. If there are less than 2,000 defenders in one place, the terrain cannot be said to be dangerous.
If you can't conquer the entire city, how can you face the elders of Hanghu?
The Hanghu army carried large shields and carried ladders to climb the slopes. The enemy's arrows were dense like rain. Occasionally, giant crossbow arrows with sharp sounds came through the air, piercing people and shields, and suddenly they were again
Crash the shield formation into a gap and cause more soldiers to be injured by the arrow rain.
Meng Yishan prepared trebuchets before the battle, but could not find a suitable location to attack the fort on the north slope. The only six crossbows he had brought nearby were destroyed by the enemy's counterattack - until this point.
This step further confirmed that those guarding Tonglu, the gateway to the west and east of Zhejiang, were the real elites of Fujian and Fujian who were loyal to the She family, and were not just ordinary soldiers.
The water battle in the Qianjiang River was also extremely fierce. The remnants of the Eastern Zhejiang Navy set up a large number of river barriers on Jiangxinzhou in the east of Tonglu County. There were as many as eight river-blocking iron locks.
The Hanghu navy was also well prepared and built dozens of giant axes before the war.
The warship went upstream. Su Pinxiao ordered his soldiers to stand on the bow of the ship holding a giant axe, facing the giant rope. He also ordered the sergeants on both sides to clamp it, and the soldiers to hold a giant ax and slash it fiercely.
The iron cable locking the river was as huge as an arm, and could not withstand the continuous slashing of the giant sword. However, after breaking the giant cable, the remnants of the Zhejiang Navy, relying on the Jiangxinzhou Water Village and storming down along the current, were greeted.
Although the Hanghu Navy purchased a large number of sturdy warships from Chongzhou, the warships of the Eastern Zhejiang Navy were not at a disadvantage among the inland river ships. They were also blocked in the Qianjiang River for a long time, and they were holding back their strength, so it was abnormal for the war to begin.
Tragic.
Although the Hanghu Navy had an advantage in the number of warships and troops, it was against the current and its combat power was not as good as the elite of the East Zhejiang Navy. After a day of fierce fighting, it could not withstand the pressure and retreated towards Fuyang, intending to kill the East Zhejiang Navy.
The remaining troops were led to open water, and then the Huaidong water camp was invited to attack together.
The remnants of the Eastern Zhejiang Navy did not pursue it relentlessly. They just blocked the Qianjiang waterway and prevented Su Pinxiao from going up to the mouth of the Luzhu River to join Mengyi Mountain.
The results of the two-day attack were like this - Su Pinxiao checked the battle damage and found that more than one-third of the warships were lost in two days, and the generals who died in battle or fell into the water before being rescued were unbelievable.
Several.
Although the Hanghu Army is only half a step away and is blocked outside Tonglu and cannot go further west, it is true that a large number of elite Zhejiang and Fujian troops are restrained by the Hanghu Army in Tonglu and cannot participate in the war between Chun'an and Wuyuan.
——The envoy of the Hanghu Army Observation Army, the secret letter from Wang Yue, the general judge of Hangzhou, followed the special envoy personally sent by Xie Chaozhong to inspect the war situation on the eastern front, traveled over the mountains and ridges, returned to Yuling Pass, and truthfully reported the war situation in Tonglu to Xie Chaozhong.