Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 596
After nightfall, the main force of the Ming army also entered Fuhekou.

At this time, the scout cavalry of the cavalry station had already inspected every gun platform in the Fuhekou camp, and made sure that there was nothing abnormal, so the main force of the Ming army was able to move in with confidence.

But more than 20 gun platforms cannot squeeze so many soldiers and horses.

Therefore, more soldiers and horses can only be settled in the outer trenches.

Fortunately, the Ming army provided bedding such as tents and felt quilts as standard.

Chongzhen still maintained the hard and simple style before, and did not enter the bunker of the gun platform to rest, but insisted on camping in the trench outside the gun platform.

The emperor was like this, Xu Yingwei, Yan Yingyuan and other scholars naturally rushed to follow suit.

Because the weather is really cold, blankets and quilts alone are still not enough to keep out the cold, so we can only use campfires.

Piles of bonfires ignited from the trenches, illuminating the night sky and warming the bodies of the soldiers of the Ming army.

The iron pot on the fire was also gurgling and steaming, and soon, the air was filled with the aroma of cured pork or mutton.

Compared with before, the Ming army's current supplies are really different.

Meats such as bacon and mutton are also standard.

Of course, it is definitely impossible to eat and drink three meals a day. Each person only has a small piece of bacon per meal, and then they can eat a big meal every ten days. Today is an extra meal every ten days.

Xu Yingwei opened the lid of the iron pot, and took out wooden chopsticks from his satchel to try.

Finding that the bacon had been stewed badly, he hurriedly served Chongzhen with two big chunks in a lunch box.

Iron lunch boxes are now the standard tableware of the Ming army, and they have been blackened and anti-rust.

Although the iron lunch box has been made the lightest and thinnest, it is still a bit heavy in the hand, and Chongzhen can't help but start to miss the aluminum lunch box used in the previous life.

While eating white rice with bacon, Chongzhen asked Hu Guozhu: "Taiyi, how many Jiannu troops retreated to Cangzhou? Are they Jurchens, Mongols, or Han?"

"Your Majesty, the costumes should be those of the Eight Banners Han Army."

Hu Guozhu took the lunch box from Xu Yingwei and thanked him.

After taking a bite of the meal, he continued, "The number should be between [-] and [-]."

"In this case, the situation is basically clear." Xu Yingwei analyzed, "It should be that Jiannu anticipated that we might march by water, and camped at the mouths of various rivers in advance."

"Therefore, if there is no accident, there are Jianshou garrisons at every estuary going north."

Speaking of this, he spread out the map, pointed to the map and said: "Needless to say, Weihe River, there must be Jiannu at the mouths of the Chaohe River, Shahe River, and Dingliu River in the north. Jiannu will light the beacon and call the Jiannu from the rest of the big camps to come for reinforcements."

Yan Yingyuan said: "The intention of Jiannu camping at the mouth of the river must be to block our army on the coast, prevent us from going deep into the inland, and let us not let us approach Beijing. What about withdrawing troops? It stands to reason that Jiannu's army should stay in the Fuhe camp and stick to the reinforcements."

"There can only be one explanation for this." Xu Yingwei said with a smile.

Hu Guozhu was fascinated, and asked subconsciously: "I don't know what to explain?"

Xu Yingwei said calmly: "Jiannu doesn't want to fight our army at Fuhekou, but wants to fight me on another battlefield that is more suitable and conducive to Jiannu."

"Takukou?" Hu Guozhu asked in astonishment, "Or Chaohekou?"

"I don't know." Xu Yingwei shook his head, and then continued, "But one thing is certain, Jianu must have prepared enough means there."

"But it's useless." Yan Yingyuan shook his head and said.

"Because our army will switch to land before Dagukou."

Xu Yingwei smiled and said, "Jianu will definitely be extremely disappointed."

Yan Yingyuan went on to joke: "We will not continue going north even if we are disappointed."

"There's really no way around this." Chongzhen spread his hands and said, "Strength doesn't allow it."

"Strength does not allow?" Xu Yingwei and Yan Yingyuan were stunned when they heard the words, and then laughed.

Xin said that the sage is really, playful, and there is always a classic quote that has never been heard before.

……

Chongzhen was feasting, but Hong Chengchou had no taste for it.

At this moment, Hong Chengchou was pacing back and forth in his big tent.

Hong Chengchou was worried, worried that the Ming army would not continue to march northward according to his "vision".

If the Ming army took the Fuhekou camp and went directly to Cangzhou by the Fuhekou, then all their preparations at Chaohekou would be in vain.

Hou Fangyu looked extremely calm.

"Don't worry Hong Butang, there will be absolutely nothing wrong."

"The Ming army will never go to Fuhe, they will definitely come to Chaohe!"

"Why do you know?" Meng Xueli rarely questioned Hou Fangyu's opinion.

"If the Ming army really planned to march along the Chaohe River, why didn't they cross the North Sea from Dengzhou and go directly to the Chaohe River? But they had to go around along the coast and from Laizhou Bay? You must know that the Chaohe River directly across the North Sea from Dengzhou is only 1000 miles, but it is more than [-] miles along the coast from Laizhou Bay to a big bay!"

"This..." Hou Fangyu was speechless for a moment.

Because he couldn't find a reason to explain it either.

For the first time, Hong Chengchou looked at Meng Xueli seriously.

Although Meng Xueli and the others were once one of the Qinwang scholars in the scholar camp, to be honest, Hong Chengchou didn't think highly of Meng Xueli and the other three scholars because he felt that they had no vision.

Given the current situation between the Ming and Qing Dynasties, how stupid would it be to betray the Ming and surrender to the Qing?
But Meng Xueli and the three of them rebelled against the Ming Dynasty and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty at this time.

But the words just now made Hong Chengchou realize that Meng Xueli still has some knowledge.

At that moment, Hong Chengchou asked sincerely: "About this matter, what advice does Meng Gejian have?"

"My lord, I think there is only one explanation." Meng Xueli said with a serious face, "This is the Ming army's strategy of attacking the east and attacking the west. Those who marched along the coast were only partial divisions of the Ming army."

"Because Nanming's new army has a total of 27 people!"

"However, there were only more than [-] Ming troops on the coastline of Laizhou Bay."

"Hitting east and west? The Ming army is biased?" Hong Chengchou's face changed drastically.

Hou Fangyu's face was ugly at first, but when he heard this, it turned cloudy in an instant.

"Yes, this is the Ming army's strategy of attacking the east and attacking the west!" Meng Xueli continued, "Most of the main force of the Ming army has already crossed the North Sea and headed straight for our army's camp at Chaohekou."

Hou Fangyu Chijie echoed loudly: "It must be so."

Hong Chengchou actually believed it, and shouted: "The order is sent down to the cloud, and no one is allowed to sleep tonight!"

When the military order was handed down, Hong Chengchou ordered the captain of the family, Hong Dao: "Ada, come and put on the armor for the master!"

Taking advantage of the time when Hong Da put on the armor for himself, Hong Chengchou said to Hou Fangyu and Meng Xueli: "Hou Canjun, Meng Gejian, you also hurry back and put on the armor, there may be a big battle tonight!"

"Resign in this way." Hou and Meng turned around and left the account.

……

That night, including Hong Chengchou, governor of Jiliao, the [-] Banners Han troops, [-] Green Battalion soldiers, and [-] Banners Mongolian troops stationed in the Chaohekou camp were all in their armor and ready to fight.

However, when the sky brightened the next day, there was no movement on the sea.

However, there was another military report from the south that Dingnan King Shang Kexi had retreated to Cangzhou with [-] troops from the Fuhekou camp. Although the Ming army cavalry launched a chase, they returned because of the tight defense of the Qing army.

Now it is still gratifying that the army is stepping up to build the blunderbuss platform outside Cangzhou City, preparing to hold on.

In addition, there is another news that I don't know if it is considered good news. After the Ming army captured the Fuhekou camp, they did not march along the Fuhe River, but continued to march north along the coastline.

This really confused Hong Chengchou, what the hell is the Ming army doing?
"I don't understand it at all." Facing the map, Hong Chengchou fell into deep doubt.

If it was what Meng Xueli said about attacking the west, after the Ming army captured the Fuhekou camp, it should decisively march westward along the river course of Fuhe, because this would not only attract the Qing troops from other directions, but also prevent the Qing army from moving forward. Let the Qing army in other directions stay away from the Chaohe River as much as possible, so that the Qing army has no time to rescue.

Well, if it's not about making a lot of noise, it's completely unnecessary.

If the Ming army went further north, they would almost reach Dagukou, and the straight line from Dengzhou to Dagukou would only be [-] li. Would it be necessary to go around Laizhou Bay to a big bay?Did the Ming army have too much strength and no place to use it?

Chongzhen, the dog emperor, what kind of medicine is sold in the gourd?
At this time Hou Fangyu suddenly said: "Let him Chongzhen have many tricks, we only need to be sure of one thing, that is, the Ming army must and can only march along the waterway, so it is either the Fuhe River, the Wei River or the Chaohe River! We are only waiting at the mouth of the Chaohe River. Just follow the Ming army, and the Ming army will never be so stupid as to completely disregard logistical support and take land instead of water."

"Logistics support?" A light bloomed in Hong Chengchou's mind.

"I understand, I understand!" Hong Chengchou's face suddenly turned red, as if he was drunk, "I understand why the Ming army went to Laizhou Bay to make a big circle!"

"My lord, what do you want to understand?"

Hou Fangyu asked in a daze, "Can you tell me?"

Hong Chengchou ignored Hou Fangyu, and instead told Hong Dao: "Hong Dao, immediately send flying cavalry to inform King Dingnan, and ask King Dingnan to send Ye Bushou to conduct in-depth spying along the coast of Laizhou Bay to see if the Ming army is in Laizhou. Is there a camp built at a certain distance along the coast of the bay? After finding out, send flying cavalry to report back immediately."

"Hey!" Hong Da swung a thousand with one hand, turned around and rushed out of the tent.

This time, Hou Fangyu also came to his senses: "Master Department Hall said that the Ming army marched along the coastline of Laizhou Bay in order to build a camp for storing grain on the seaside of Laizhou Bay, so as to transfer grain and grass?"

"Exactly." Hong Chengchou sighed, "It's a pity that we ambushed so much gunpowder on the ice of the North Sea."

"This is impossible!" Hou Fangyu jumped up like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on. "This is absolutely impossible. The Ming army would never have guessed that we would set up an ambush on the ice!"

(End of this chapter)