Chapter 1154 The Empire can't afford to lose this face
More than a dozen civil and military officials were crowded into the room of Zhu Jiaxiang, the magistrate of Wandan Prefecture. Cheng Zhizhai, the magistrate of Wandan Prefecture, leaned over the bed. After hearing Zhu Jiaxiang's words, he immediately replied: "My lord, not yet." Received news from the fleet!"
Hearing this answer, Zhu Jiaxiang, who was lying on the bed, showed obvious disappointment on his bloodless face, but he did not say anything immediately, but said: "Help me get up!"
"Sir, your body has not recovered yet. The doctor said that you need to stay in bed!" Cheng Zhizhai on the side said: "Sir, if you have any instructions, you can just say it. We are all listening. There is no need to get up!"
"Hel me up!" Zhu Jiaxiang was not moved by his words at all. He repeated his words for the second time, his words full of determination!
Cheng Zhizhai and others looked at each other, then silently stepped forward, and jointly helped Zhu Jiaxiang up, letting him lean half against the head of the bed.
At this time, Zhu Jiaxiang seemed to have moved too much and used too much strength, so his breathing became heavier, accompanied by several coughs!
Everyone immediately wanted to step forward to check the situation, especially Ji Dingfeng, the medical officer of the Bandan Garrison Regiment who was wearing an army uniform. He took two quick steps and wanted to take Zhu Jiaxiang's pulse.
But Zhu Jiaxiang waved his hand with great effort, indicating that he didn't need to come over!
At the same time, he said: "Don't bother with this. How is my health? I know in my heart that I may not be able to overcome this hurdle!"
When he said this, many people among the crowd sighed secretly. Just like what Zhu Jiaxiang said, this hurdle was probably impossible to overcome.
Zhu Jiaxiang fell ill ten days ago, and then collapsed quickly. The doctors in Bandan City were also helpless. The poor place of Bandan was full of all kinds of dangers, and the biggest danger was all kinds of dangers. sick.
Fortunately, Zhu Jiaxiang's disease was not a common tropical infectious disease, and no infectious diseases broke out in the city. Otherwise, Zhu Jiaxiang would not be alone in bed today, but a group of people.
"However, although I cannot return to my homeland alive, even if I die, I will never become the first prefect in the history of the empire to lose a city and land. I wish Jiaxiang's reputation will never be ruined here, and the empire's face will not be ruined." You must not leave it here!" When Zhu Jiaxiang said the last words, he was so forceful that his breathing became even heavier.
As the governor of Banten Prefecture and a fourth-rank official of the empire, although he was frustrated in domestic battles and was finally kicked by his political opponents to this poor place, and because of his health, he may not be able to return to his homeland in this life. .
But he can die, but he can never become a prefect who loses his city and territory. He cannot afford to lose face, and neither can the empire!
Since the Tang Dynasty unified China, it has only captured cities and territories from foreigners, but has never lost any cities or territories!
He doesn't want to break this precedent and be recorded in history. This is not a name that will go down in history, but an infamy for the ages!
Everyone has heard Zhu Jiaxiang’s words and knows what they mean behind them!
Zhu Jiaxiang was still thinking about his posthumous name, but they also had to consider another issue. If the Wandan City was captured, it would be fine if everyone present died in the battle. If they were still alive, then there would definitely be no good fruits to eat. .
The empire is also a traditional Chinese dynasty. It will never tolerate the city being breached by the enemy and the land being taken away by foreigners. Even if they can escape from Wandan City alive and return home, they will probably be arrested, beheaded, or even have their homes ransacked.
end.
At this time, Colonel Yang Hong, the leader of the Wandan Garrison Regiment, said: "Master Zhu can't afford this shame, and I, Yang Hong, can't afford this shame either!"
"I wish you to rest assured. Our army soldiers have been on the battlefield for more than ten years, and there has never been a precedent for the enemy to attack the city. As long as I, Yang Hong, are here, and my army's 500 soldiers are here, this Wandan City will be as stable as Mount Tai!"
Others also spoke one after another, naturally saying that they would definitely defend the city!
But after listening to their words, Zhu Jiaxiang's brows still did not relax. Although he is not a soldier, but a civil servant with a traditional imperial examination background, it does not mean that he is not stupid!
He knew that there were more than 20,000 natives outside that surrounded Bandan City, and these natives also had artillery and muskets, and there were also blond, blue-eyed, and yellow-skinned, black-eyed, black-haired East Asian pirates. On the surface,
, this should be a coalition of pirates and natives, but he knew with his toes that the Portuguese must be behind it.
Otherwise, how could these natives obtain so many artillery and muskets?
Even if the pirates have these things, they won't equip the indigenous people!
The only ones capable of arming the natives on a large scale are the Portuguese!
Twenty thousand people besieging the city would be nothing if it were a normal situation, because usually, there would be a fleet, 300 marines and a thousand army soldiers here in Bandan City, in addition to at least 500 militiamen stationed there.
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Not to mention the fleet, just the navy's 300 marines and a thousand army officers of the Bandan garrison, plus the 500 militiamen who can be recruited at any time, can ensure that Bandan City is safe and sound, even if there are two
Don't be afraid of any natives coming to attack you.
But last month, Banten City received news that the indigenous people in the eastern part of Banten Island were gathering troops to attack Banten City. In order to gain strategic initiative and to eliminate the indigenous people in the eastern part of Banten Island in one fell swoop,
In order to completely wipe out the indigenous military forces on Banten Island and completely control the entire Banten Island, the top civil and military officials of Banten City at that time decided to strike first and directly dispatched a fleet and a large number of ground combat troops.
Including 300 marines, 500 army officers, and 200 militiamen serving as logistics troops. According to the plan, the fleet will directly arrive at the eastern part of Banten Island to land, and then this thousand-strong army will rely on absolute firepower to sweep away the local indigenous people.
If they can successfully capture and annihilate the local indigenous forces, they will directly establish a colony there!
But half a month after the fleet left, they were besieged by natives and pirates!
And more importantly, because the incident happened in a hurry, the enemy approached at night and directly blocked Banten Port early in the morning, so that they failed to successfully send out a communication ship. In other words, the fleet currently on the expedition
There is a high probability that an enemy is unknown to attack Wandan City.
Now all they can count on is that the communication ship sent back by the expedition fleet can detect the abnormality and report it to the fleet for support.
If there is no major accident, the fleet will return sooner or later. But how long will it take? Three days and five days? Ten days and a half month? And Bandan City can support the fleet to return.
That day?
Zhu Jiaxiang doesn’t know!
He had already received a report that the natives and pirates outside had not been idle in the past half month, building forts and other preparations for siege. Apparently they also discovered that they could not siege the city alone.
Damn Wandan City.
As a military fortress, Bandan City has accumulated a large amount of weapons and ammunition. There is also a separate well for water supply in the city, and there is no shortage of food. The design at that time ensured that Bandan City could stand alone for more than a year, waiting for reinforcements sent from the country.
If the enemy does not attack but just besieges it, Bandan City can hold on for at least one year!
However, the enemy is not stupid. They will not besiege them stupidly. They will definitely attack by force. And according to the officers' speculation, the attack by force will not take too long. It is estimated that it will only take two or three days.
Zhu Jiaxiang sighed secretly at the thought that Wandan City might be breached under the attack of 20,000 natives and pirates!
As the first governor of Wandan Prefecture in the Tang Empire, Zhu Jiaxiang could be considered an unlucky man. He failed in the political struggle at home, so he was sent to an overseas place like Wandan Prefecture, thousands of miles away from the mainland.
Well, not just him, but actually every civil and military official present, most of them had a similar situation.
If he is an official with great future, regardless of the civil and military affairs, how could he be assigned to serve in a poor place like Wandan Mansion? They usually stay in the country to serve, even in remote areas, but it doesn't matter, basically they only offend
Only those who have lost their jobs or have no hope of promotion will be assigned to such a miserable place.
Banten Prefecture is the third overseas cabinet-directed prefecture established by the empire after Luzon Prefecture and Ryukyu Prefecture. The grade of the prefect is the fourth grade.
Before the empire established the Wandan Prefecture, the Tang Dynasty Western Company had de facto controlled Bandan and nearby areas, and had also killed the local indigenous princes. Only with this foundation in place was the Wandan Prefecture officially established.
According to the relevant regulations of the cabinet, the jurisdiction of Banten Province includes the two main islands of Banten (Java Island) and Sumen Island (Sumatra Island). It also includes surrounding islands, such as Makassar.
, Little Australia (New Guinea Island), etc., are all nominally within the jurisdiction of Banten Prefecture.
Of course, most of these jurisdictions are nominal. In fact, the Tang Empire actually controlled and implemented rule in this sea area. The only area for immigrants was the western area of Banten Island, that is, the area around Bandan City, plus
Upper minority western area of Sumatra.
Or to be more precise, Datang's actual control area was only the coastal areas on both sides of the Sunda Strait.
The Sunda Strait is the strait between Banten Island and Sumen Island. It is also an important channel for the Tang Empire to enter and exit the Indian Ocean. The fleet of the Tang Dynasty Western Company and even the ships of other Western countries such as Spain came to trade with the Tang Dynasty.
Teams all use this strait.
The importance of the Sunda Strait is self-evident, so the expansion of the Tang Empire in the Banten Islands also gradually unfolded around this strait.