In the Bay of Bengal area, the rainy season is from April to September every year.
Especially here is the lower reaches of the Ganges River. It can be said that when the rainy season comes, it is a vast ocean. Not to mention that in this era, there was no infrastructure at all and no drainage and irrigation. Even in later generations, it basically became a swamp country.
The only means of transportation is the boat.
If it were not for Liu Weichao's help, the Ming army would have encountered many problems during its foreign campaigns. For example, the climate problem would have greatly troubled the Ming army.
But with Liu Weichao here, everyone from Emperor Chongzhen to the ordinary soldiers of the expeditionary force would have psychological expectations for this. The soldiers who went on the expedition were mainly soldiers from Yunnan who were more suitable for the Nanyang climate.
According to the prior plan, after the imperial army defeated the invading Mughal Empire army, the army advanced with light equipment and invaded the Mughal Empire's Bengal Province.
In addition, food, grass, baggage, heavy weapons, etc. were all transported by sea. This is why Zheng Zhibao's army sent more than a thousand warships to the expedition.
Seize Chittagong, occupy Dhaka, and build this place to become a military base for the Ming Dynasty, serving as a base for further advancement.
Attacking the Mughal Empire is no better than bullying those small countries in Southeast Asia. You can attack them no matter what. The Mughal Empire is a huge empire and it was still in its heyday. If you are careless, you may have accidents.
After the court's decision, and of course Liu Weichao's participation as a consultant, the final strategy was to use the Ganges River as a road and attack the Mughal Empire along the Ganges River.
By doing this, we can take advantage of the Ming Dynasty warships and use water transportation to greatly reduce logistical pressure.
Furthermore, the Ganges River almost runs through the northern part of the Mughal Empire, making it very convenient to reach directly near their capital.
There is another reason. The richest and most populous area of the Mughal Empire was the area along the Ganges. Especially the Ganges Delta area was fertile and rich in products.
The Ming Expeditionary Force launched an attack along the Ganges River towards the interior of the Mughal Empire, which was considered the best way to attack the Mughal Empire from the east.
Once the Chittagong Port is well built, the Ming Navy will be able to continuously get supplies along the way from the Malacca Strait to Daguang, Chittagong, etc., which will also help the Ming Navy further expand its power westward.
At this time, Zheng Zhibao's troops did not care about Chittagong and immediately led troops to attack Dhaka.
The attack of the Ming Expeditionary Force was completely different from the attack of the Western colonists.
The attack by the Western colonists was already a large-scale attack if the troops could be measured in thousands.
However, the strength of the Ming Dynasty Expeditionary Army all started in units of 10,000. It can be said that they were not of the same level at all.
In addition, when the Western colonists came to South Asia, they were already very far away from their home country. However, it was not far away for the Ming Dynasty Expeditionary Army. Especially after the Ming Dynasty captured Dongwu and directly governed Dongwu,
South Asia has almost become the doorstep of the Ming Empire.
Not to mention this, the influence of the Ming Empire still exists here. Ming people who make a living have been scattered in every country since ancient times, and they can provide local news to the Ming Dynasty very well.
Not many years after the Mughal Empire conquered Dhaka, the Ming Dynasty was still influential.
The most critical thing is that such a large-scale attack by the Ming Expeditionary Force far exceeded Shashuja's expectations, and the governor who actually governed Bengal was not there yet.
When the Ming Dynasty army launched an attack on Dhaka by land and water, Shashuja directly appointed a close confidant to guard the city and ran away first.
No one is a fool. All the troops in Bengal were led by the governor to attack Dongwu, and they were unable to withstand the Ming army's attack. So Shashuja ran away, and the high-ranking officials and nobles in Dhaka followed suit.
.
The poor Governor of Bengal fled back in one breath, but saw the king's flag changing on the city wall and it was still occupied by the Ming army, so he had no choice but to flee back to the Mughal country.
Fortunately, the Ming army had no intention of pursuing them at all, and immediately occupied the Dhaka area, ransacked the homes of the indigenous leaders, confiscated their land, and established a plan to pacify the people.
In addition, with the arrival of the army, there were also a number of craftsmen from the cement factory. Under the protection of the Ming army soldiers, they immediately selected a suitable location to build the cement factory.
In about a month, this place will face the invasion of the rainy season. And the infrastructure here is in shambles. To build barracks, ports, warehouses, etc., the best way is to use cement to build them.
All heavy work was done by prisoners, and for lighter work, local indigenous people were recruited to work. Only those who performed well and cooperated with the Ming army could be converted into Ming civilians. If they worked again, they would receive rewards.
Under these three different governance methods, especially under the supervision of the heavily armed Ming army, the day after the Ming army captured Chittagong and Dhaka, vigorous infrastructure construction began.
At this time, there is also a benefit.
For example, when the official road is expanded, the fields and houses on both sides of the official road will be flat, and there will be no fixed households.
With enough labor, this area is changing rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
It's as if the Ming army captured this place just to transform and build it.
Suddenly, the local indigenous people were filled with fear, but also with curiosity and expectation. They didn't know what this place would look like in the end.
About five days later, the Ming Dynasty army on the land route also arrived in Dhaka. They were mainly cavalry and infantry, with about 20,000 people.
The arrival of this army made some people who originally thought that the Mughal Empire army might come over no longer have any hope. This also made the local indigenous people obey the orders of the Ming army wholeheartedly.
The cavalry did not stay here, but spread out. While declaring this place to be the territory occupied by the Ming Dynasty, they also began to detect the movements of the Mughal Empire, and at the same time opened up space to prevent the Mughal Empire's army from counterattacking.
, and there is enough time to deal with it.
In short, ever since the Ming Dynasty Navy appeared in this bay, red military uniforms can be seen everywhere.
The weather here has changed!
……………………
Besides, after Shashuja fled back, he was restless and finally waited for the Governor of Bengal who also fled back.
With an almost cannibalistic look, Shashuja grabbed the Governor of Bengal by the collar and shouted angrily: "What's going on? Didn't Donggo get killed right away? How could it be like this?
?”
With such a huge defeat here, it is almost foreseeable that he has nothing to do with the throne, which he cannot bear.
The eldest prince at least has a status. The third prince has a good reputation for leading troops in wars. He, the second prince, cannot get up or down, which is already very embarrassing.
He was originally expecting that his success in attacking Dongwu and expelling the Ming army would allow him to advance further, but the result was a complete defeat!
"I don't want to either!" The Governor of Bengal broke free from Shashuja's hand and asked, "Why was Dhaka lost? How can the Khan explain it?"
Dongwu was not originally a place of the Mughal Empire. They fled there after being defeated. Dhaka was a place of the Mughal Empire, but now it has been occupied by the Ming army. This is a loss of city and land.
, the sin is also very big, it can even be said to be bigger!
Of course, the Governor of Bengal, as the highest local governor here, will not be able to escape if he is questioned.
After questioning each other, the two finally calmed down a little. The two of them were like grasshoppers on a rope!
After calming down, the Governor of Bengal said angrily: "I finally understand. Previously, the Ming army was pretending to be pigs and eating tigers! The Ming army in Ava alone is enough to fight with me.
We fought, but in the end we were unable to retreat, and we had to wait for reinforcements to arrive before we came out of the city to fight!"
After hearing this, Sha Shujia also said with hatred: "The Ming Dynasty actually sent more than a thousand warships, large and small, and there was also a kind of iron-clad warship that could emit smoke. How could we fight this?
?”
"I have seen that the firearms of the Ming army are very sophisticated. Not to mention flintlock guns, their range is longer than our matchlocks. Their artillery is even more powerful than ours. If we want to defeat such a Ming army
, It’s difficult!” The Governor of Bengal recalled his battle with the Ming army and confessed to Shashuja.
Shashuja heard this, but was unwilling to do so, so he reminded the Governor of Bengal: "We were defeated in Dongwu. It was a complete defeat. Now even Dhaka has fallen into the hands of the Ming army. The court will definitely investigate. I am the prince."
, no matter what happens, there will be no fear of life. But it is different for you. Under the wrath of my father Khan, you may not be able to save your head!"
Why doesn’t the Governor of Bengal know this truth?
He is also worried!
The Ming army was powerful, and he had no confidence in defeating it. Not only that, Shah Jahan would definitely ask for guilt, and he would not be able to pass this level.
After Shashuja threatened the Governor of Bengal, he said to him: "No matter what, you have to find a way to defeat the Ming army and recapture Dhaka. We will keep it secret from the court and report it after Dhaka is recaptured."
If you do so, you can offset your merits."
After a pause, he thought for a moment, and then continued: "I can mobilize troops around and gather tens of thousands of troops for you, but the key point is that you must defeat the Ming army, otherwise, you will not be able to save your head.
!”
After hearing this, the Governor of Bengal began to sweat on his forehead. This matter was really too difficult!
Even if there were so many warships docked in the bay, he couldn't even win against the Ming army opponents he met in Dongwu!
However, he also admitted that the path mentioned by the second prince was his only way out!
Perhaps he was really anxious, and he responded to the saying, which is called wisdom in haste. Suddenly, the Governor of Bengal slapped his thigh and said excitedly: "Yes!"