Chapter 306 Cut off braids and go out to welcome you
Zhu Yihai had no intention of confronting Tan Tai head-on, but still wanted to be the first to demolish Huai'an.
The troops advanced in two directions, one by land and water along the canal, and all the way out to sea along the Yangtze River and then north along the coast. In addition to the several troops who had previously stationed at Hongze Lake and Gaoyou Lake, as well as at Miaowan at the mouth of the Yellow River, Zhu Yihai this time
It can be considered that all the elites are out.
There were even volunteers from the rural regiment formed in Jiangbei, who carried the Yan River northward along the east side.
In the eyes of others, Jian Guo reacted violently to Tan Tai's insult to his ancestors by removing his grave, and wanted to take revenge.
The canal from Guazhou to Huai'an is called the Li Canal. It was called Hangou in ancient times and commonly known as Li River. It is about 300 miles long. The Ming Dynasty attached great importance to the canal and dredged it many times. The Yue River was excavated between the Jianghuai River and the East Embankment was built.
Carry out the lake-cao separation project.
Because of this canal, many water transport towns emerged on both sides of the strait. Because of the grain and salt transported by water, handicrafts and commerce developed rapidly. However, in the last years of Chongzhen, wars were also encountered on both sides of the canal. The prosperity was due to the canal, and the failure was due to the canal.
Soldiers came and went like bandits, and both sides of the canal were devastated by war.
The canal is not very wide, about five to ten feet wide, and the water is not very deep. However, because the imperial court dredged it almost every year to ensure water transportation, even now, it is still very convenient to sail on the canal.
Even because of the war, the canal that was often blocked by queues is now very wide.
Zhu Yihai's naval fleet sailed on the river very conveniently, and even the latest Big Bird three-story gunboat was not affected.
However, compared with the Yangtze River, the navy in the canal is still not safe enough. The river is too close to the shore. If there are enemies ambushing both sides of the river, they can directly attack the ships in the river with rockets. If they intercept them upstream and downstream, it will be even more difficult.
Catching turtles in an urn.
Fortunately, Zhu Yihai also brought the Jinwu town cavalry with him this time. They accompanied them on the shore, going out to conduct reconnaissance and warning, and to ensure safety.
Huama Liu had not gone south since he ran to Huai'an last time. After Chen Tai came, he mobilized thousands of troops to regain Yangzhou, and also sent people to restore the rule of the towns on both sides of the canal. However, this rule was too fragile. Without Qing troops stationed, the local area
Those gentry and common people would not resist the Ming army.
Facing the Ming army passing through the border, some large households chose to run away to avoid it. Most ordinary people had calmed down and stayed at home. Some even continued farming when they should, and still had the mood to run to the shore to watch the excitement.
There were also those who came and volunteered to join the army, and some who came with some local products to sell.
This scene is just like a normal boat crossing.
For them, they are now numb to soldiers, and life must go on.
Zhu Yihai did not stop along the way. Ruan Jin and Huang Binqing had already swept through the canal line last time. They demolished the Huaiyang area of more than 300 miles. Now many canal towns are still missing a section in the east and a section in the west.
The cities and towns are now empty, and there is no money or food stored in them. There is no need to waste time. Except for a few strong squads in various places, Baojia is maintaining law and order, and there are no Qing troops.
They marched all the way north.
Marching at a speed of a hundred miles a day.
Three days later, we arrived at Huai'an Fucheng.
After the Yellow River captured Sihuai and entered the sea, Huai'an Prefecture, a city originally named after Huai, has now become a city on the south bank of the Yellow River, with Hongze Lake to the west, the Yellow River to the north, and the sea to the east.
The Ming Dynasty originally established Dahe Guard here.
During the peaceful years when the canal was prosperous, the wealth of Huai'an Prefecture was not much worse than that of Yangzhou. It is said that 20,000 watercraft and tens of thousands of merchant ships passed through every year.
In the Ming Dynasty, the Yellow River was diverted from the Huaihe River to the sea, which affected the canal. The Ming Dynasty spent a lot of manpower and material resources to separate the Yellow River and the canal from Xia Zhen in Weishan Lake, Shandong Province to Huai'an, and opened the Bakou Canal and opened the Ji Xin River.
, Zhonghe and other canal projects.
Huai'an is connected to the Li Canal in the south, the Zhong Canal in the north, and the Huai River and the Yellow River pass through our door, so it has become a connecting hub between the north and the south.
The Governor of Water Transport was stationed in Huai'an.
Shanyang, the prefectural city of Huai'an, is also known as the city of rush, complexity, tiredness, difficulty, and leaning. Here there is not only the Caobiao Camp, but also the Canal Pass.
After passing Baima Lake and Jinghe River, we entered the southern border of Huai'an Prefecture.
The vanguard Ming army from Hongze Lake came to greet him, and Liu Liangzuo's son Liu Zehan also came to greet him.
"Liu Shixun, the deputy admiral of the navy, paid a courtesy visit to His Royal Highness the Supervisor."
"I heard that you just captured Sizhou. How were the casualties?"
Sizhou is located in the southwest corner of Hongze Lake. It is also the end of the eastern section of the Huaihe River after the Yellow River captured the Huaihe River. The Huaihe River disappeared after it poured into Hongze Lake in Sizhou.
Sizhou is an important town on the Huaihe River, but at this time Liu Liangzuo directly dedicated Sizhou to the Ming army. His old troops were stationed in Sizhou, so he sent a letter to him to open the city and surrender to the Ming army.
Liu Zehan came up to meet him and explained his identity.
"Last time you came to me as President Qian, but now you are Hua Ma Liu's son, Lieutenant General,"
"The guilty minister concealed his identity, please forgive me." Liu Zehan quickly explained his purpose of coming. His father was willing to offer Huai'an anyway, and had already persuaded the old troops stationed in Sizhou and Haizhou to surrender together with him.
Zhu Yihai met Liu Zehan on the canal boat, and it seemed that Liu Liangzuo was not surprised at all at this time.
"I heard that your father has been dismissed from his post by the Qing government for losing Yangzhou and other places, and he is going to Beijing to investigate. Your Liu family surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, and your father even led 100,000 troops to surrender to the Qing Dynasty. It's really hard to end up like this.
It’s really sad.”
Liu Zehan thought that the Ming army did not know about this for a while. He only said that his father was in a good mood and had joined the Ming Dynasty anyway, so he would have more status in the supervisory country. Who would have expected that all the details would be known to the supervisory government of Lu.
It was completely different from taking the initiative to taking action now that I had no other choice.
"Of course, no matter what, you father and son are willing to abandon darkness and return to light, and you are even willing to persuade the old men to join us anyway. I am still very happy."
After some beatings, Zhu Yihai asked Liu Zehan to return to Huai'an City and asked him to bring an imperial edict back.
Zhu Yihai granted Liu Liangzuo the title of Count of Huai'an, the Commander-in-Chief of the Left Army and the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, and he remained the Admiral of Jiangbei.
Liu Liangzuo was originally the Earl of Guangchang and was conferred by Hongguang, but now the Lu Jianguo court has abolished Hongguang's throne, so there is no such thing as the Hongguang dynasty and the official titles and titles conferred by the Hongguang dynasty.
The main reason for giving him an earl is that this is still a special period. Although Liu Liangzuo is incompetent, he is one of the original four towns after all. Now he can lead his men to invest in military territory, so he must be given two dates.
Huang Binqing was awarded a count, and Zheng Zhilong was also awarded a marquis. Zhu Yihai was still willing to give up an empty title.
Liu Zehan was also granted the title of Baron of Shanyang County by Zhu Yihai and was given the title of General Military Rank.
After thanking him profusely, he hurried back to Huai'an City. After hearing this, Liu Liangzuo held the imperial edict with mixed emotions.
"Summon the city's civil servants and military generals to come and read the imperial edict!"
Set up a table and burn incense.
The imperial edict is on record.
The officials and generals in the city gathered together, and Liu Liangzuo asked for the imperial edict to be read out.
"All of you, please follow me out of the city to welcome His Royal Highness!"
Everyone responded.
After Liu Liangzuo decided to go any other way, he took the initiative and killed the supervisors, censors and other officials sent by the Qing court in the city, as well as some die-hard Tatar loyalists. The rest were either his old troops or
It's those who lean on both sides, and no one objects to voting Ming anymore.
The flag of the Ming Dynasty was raised again on Huai'an City.
The city gate slowly opened.
The officers and generals of the army in Huai'an City who had cut off their braids were led out, followed by Liu's soldiers and horses, who also had their braids cut off.
They threw away the green flag and went out of the city to meet His Highness the Supervisor of the Ming Dynasty!