Chapter 1060: Baishui Encirclement and Suppression
Cao Guang ignored one point. Since his sentinel ship could detect the opponent's fleet, couldn't the other party detect his fleet?
Several scouts from the north and south sides followed Cao Guang's fleet until they entered Baishuitang, and then they turned around and headed for Shanyang County.
Baishuitang is today's Hongze Lake, but the area of the lake is only one-third of today's Hongze Lake. It forms a lake south of the Huaihe River. It is filled with endless reeds, crisscrossing and crisscrossing, like a maze. The fleet is in the reeds.
It is easy to hide in waterways.
A few hours later, the Jin fleet sailed into the Huaihe River.
Some soldiers used the sentry boat to pick up the scouts on the shore onto the big ship. The scouts reported to Luo Ziyu, "Report to General, the enemy fleet has hid in the Baishuitang. There are more than 200 warships in total!"
Luo Ziyu hurriedly asked someone to bring Lu Zhan, the marching commander, for discussion. Luo Ziyu had been involved in officialdom for many years and was no longer the fool he once was. He knew that Lu Zhan was a confidant of His Highness the King of Jin, and there was no harm in listening to his opinions.
Not long after, Lu Zhan came over from the cabin and said with a smile: "General, did you discover the enemy's traces so quickly?"
Luo Ziyu explained with a smile: "The scouts discovered that the fleet had entered Baishuitang, and specially asked Sima to discuss countermeasures."
"I don't know much about water warfare. You can just decide for yourself how to fight General Luo."
"I still want to hear Sima's opinion."
Luo Ziyu's attitude made Lu Zhan happy. He stroked his beard and thought for a moment: "Your Highness attaches great importance to the naval warships. If you can make this navy surrender and defeat the enemy without a fight, it will be better than annihilating them all."
I want to satisfy His Highness King Jin."
"Thank you Sima for the reminder!"
Luo Ziyu immediately ordered: "The entire army enters Baishuitang!"
An army of more than 600 warships stormed into Baishuitang.
The water surface of Baishuitang is vast. Looking up, it is a vast expanse of smoke. In the far distance are large reeds. Inside, there are actually pieces of land above the water surface. They are covered with reeds, forming criss-crossing waterways. The entire reed pond has at least
Covering hundreds of hectares, a fleet is hidden in the reeds and is difficult to spot.
But the Jin army had a way. An eagle slave released an eagle. This eagle has undergone rigorous training and is more sensitive to large-scale military gatherings. However, it is only more suitable to play a role in sparsely populated wilderness. If it is in
In densely populated areas, it will treat ordinary villages as enemies. The whistle eagle flaps its wings and hovers in the sky, and soon it starts chirping in the southwest.
"General, there is something discovered in the southwest!" Eagle Slave excitedly pointed to the southwest and shouted.
The eagle discovered something in the sky, but it was not necessarily an enemy, it could also be fishing boats gathering together. At this time, a scout was needed for a second confirmation.
"The sentry ship is dispatched!"
Luo Ziyu gave an order, and several sentinel ships sailed to the southwest, and the army followed them from a distance.
The Ziqing military fleet was now hidden in a reed marsh. It was like a maze, with hundreds of large and small waterways intertwined together. If you are not familiar with the terrain, you may get lost in the reed marsh.
However, the Ziqing army did not intend to stay for a long time. They only planned to stay for two days. When the Jin army's fleet headed west, they would sail away from Shuidang.
Cao Guang also saw an eagle circling in the sky, but he did not realize that the eagle was actually a sentry eagle trained by the Jin army, nor did he realize that danger was quietly approaching him.
Half an hour later, a Jin army sentry ship took the lead in discovering the enemy troops hiding deep in the reeds. The sentry ship quietly withdrew and quickly returned to the fleet to report to the commander-in-chief Luo Ziyu.
Luo Ziyu stood on the bow of the ship and looked to the southwest. He pondered for a moment and said to several sentry ships: "You can light fires on three sides, leaving only the north side!"
"Follow the order!"
Several sentry boats immediately turned around and sailed toward the reed swamps.
Luo Ziyu immediately set up a dragnet and waited for the enemy fleet to come out. Luo Ziyu was very experienced. Water battles are not like land battles. In land battles, if the general dies, his deputy will continue to command. In water battles, they only need to capture the enemy's first ship.
If the enemy commander is captured, the other warships will surrender without a fight.
Not long after, thick smoke billowed from the reeds in the distance, and groups of quails and teal ducks flew out of the reeds in panic and flew into the distance.
Soon, fires and smoke also broke out on the east and west sides. Thick smoke filled the entire reed marsh, and flames shot into the sky. Cao Guang learned in panic that there was no fire in the north, and immediately shouted: "Evacuate to the north! Evacuate the reed marsh!"
Warships scrambled to flee northward one after another. Cao Guang's Qianshi warship took the lead and rushed out of the reed swamp. With a handsome flag hanging on his bow, he was immediately discovered by the ambushing Jin fleet. Dozens of warships
Surround it from all sides.
The soldiers shouted: "Those who surrender can be returned to their hometowns!"
There were more than thirty soldiers on Cao Guang's boat. They were desperate and the other party promised to let them return home. The soldiers jumped into the water one after another and swam to the other side's ship to surrender.
In just a moment, Cao Guang was the only one left in the main boat. Even the boatman jumped into the water and ran away. The boat was spinning on the water with no one driving it.
At this time, two Jin warships approached. Dozens of soldiers held crossbows and aimed at Cao Guang, who was standing on the bow. Luo Ziyu, who had white hair and beard, shouted sharply: "I am a cavalry general under the command of the King of Jin. The water of the Yangtze River
Military Commander Luo Ziyu, if General Cao doesn't surrender yet, when will we wait?"
Cao Guang held the sword in his hand. When he saw the opponent's crossbows pointing at him, he knew that the situation was over. He had no choice but to sigh, put down the sword, and raised his hands to surrender to the Jin army.
As the white flags of surrender were hoisted on the main ship, the warships of the Ziqing navy also hoisted white flags of surrender.
In this battle, neither side lost a single soldier. Luo Ziyu took advantage of the terrain and defeated the enemy without fighting. Luo Ziyu immediately sent him to Jiangdu to report his merits to His Highness the King of Jin. A few days later, Guo Song sent a letter to commend him.
He acknowledged the merits of Luo Ziyu and his men, and promised that as long as Luo Ziyu could intercept Zhu Si's troops heading south, he would be promoted to a noble rank after the war.
At the same time, Guo Song granted Cao Guang the title of General Hu Benlang and gave him a viscount. The other generals who surrendered retained their original positions, and the surrendered soldiers were designated as first-class soldiers.
While Guo Song was pacifying the surrendering Ziqing navy, Li Na personally led an army of 40,000 to Haizhou.
Li Na wanted to seize Yangzhou for more than a day or two. As early as his father's time, they had coveted the wealth of Yangzhou. However, when he attacked Hebei, he was defeated by Guo Song and returned. The losses were so heavy that he did not dare to do so for the time being.
Consider Yangzhou again.
In the past two years, his vitality gradually recovered, and he began to eye Yangzhou again. Li Na not only wanted to capture Yangzhou, but also wanted to capture the entire south of the Huaihe River. He began to sharpen his sword and prepare to attack Yangzhou next spring. Unexpectedly, Li Na suddenly got
According to the news, Guo Song led a large army to destroy Liu Pi and Ma Sui, and unified the south of the Yangtze River.
Li Na suddenly became a little anxious. He immediately made plans in advance and ordered the naval general Cao Guang to lead 300 warships and 5,000 naval troops to go south to blockade the Huaihe River. He himself led an army of 40,000 to go south, preparing to seize Yangzhou in one fell swoop.
Li Na led his army to Shuyang County and stationed 40,000 troops on the north bank of Shu River. He ordered the soldiers to rest for two days. On the other hand, he also had to wait for the logistics and grain transport army to follow.
That afternoon, Li Na paced back and forth anxiously in the Chinese army's tent. He had just received news from Shuyang County that Chuzhou had been captured by the Jin army.
This news made Li Na extremely worried. Chuzhou was captured by the Jin army, but what about Yangzhou? It is impossible that Chuzhou was captured and Yangzhou was safe and sound! This news really upset him.
At this time, there were soldiers outside the tent reporting: "Your Majesty, His Highness the King of Jin has sent an envoy!"
Li Na was startled and said quickly: "Please come in quickly!"
Not long after, a scribe led the scribe into the big tent. The scribe bowed and saluted, "In Lu Zhan, the marching commander is under the tent of His Majesty the King of Jin. See His Majesty the King of Qi!"
The position of the Marching Sima is not low. After he became a court official, he was at least the governor of Shangzhou. Li Na said politely: "It turns out to be Sima Lu. No need to be polite. Please sit down!"
Immediately, a soldier brought a chair. Lu Zhan sat down and took out a letter. The soldier quickly took it and presented it to Li Na.
Li Na was not in a hurry to read the letter. He asked tentatively: "His Royal Highness, Prince Jin, is in Jiangnan now?"
"His Royal Highness King Jin is in Jiangdu now!"
This sentence was like a basin of water, extinguishing the last hope in Li Na's heart. The smile on his face was a little dull. For a long time, he lay back on the wide chair like a deflated ball, motionless.
Lu Zhan said calmly: "If the prince doesn't go back, I'm afraid Zhu Si's cavalry will step into Prince Qi's palace!"
Li Na's body froze. He sat up suddenly and asked anxiously: "How do you say this?"
Lu Zhan pointed to the unopened letter on the table. Li Na suddenly woke up and quickly opened the letter and read it hastily. The content of Guo Song's letter was very simple. They had received the exact news. After the spring of next year, Zhu Si would make a big move.
In the Eastern Expedition, I hope Li Na can actively prepare for the war and not have any undue thoughts, so as not to lose more than the gain and delay the war opportunity.
Li Na pondered for a moment and then asked: "Did you occupy Huainan?"
"Exactly, the next step is to seize Huaixi, surround Wei and rescue Zhao, and disperse Zhu Si's troops from the eastward expedition."
"Other than that, what other methods of assistance can His Highness King Jin have?"
"It's hard to say now, but one thing is certain, His Highness the King of Jin will never sit back and watch Zhu Si destroy Qi."