First Minister of Ming Dynasty

And Zhu Yuanzhang has gradually unified the Haozhou Red Scarf, and has completely reached a new level in terms of military strength and development momentum.

Owning Chuzhou and Hezhou territories, he can be regarded as having a place among the heroes!

"Sir, come with us!"

Zhu Yuanzhang did not enter Hezhou City, but rode his horse south. Zhang Ximeng vaguely understood what Lao Zhu meant, and his heart suddenly moved.Quickly followed, they ran for dozens of miles, and finally stopped.

What suddenly appeared in front of him was a natural moat, the Yangtze River was rolling eastward, and the waves were blooming, full of heroism.

Looking at the vast water and sky, and blowing the wind from the river, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart was full of excitement. Suddenly, he pointed out, "Sir, the opposite is Taiping!"

Zhang Ximeng raised his eyes and looked into the distance, all he could see was a cloud of gray.

He and Zhu Yuanzhang had seen a map of the Yangtze River more than once and engraved it in their hearts long ago.

Conquer Jiqing and consider it the career of an emperor!

Before Feng Guoyong proposed, Zhang Ximeng told Zhu Yuanzhang about a similar idea.

Now that Hezhou has been won, it is finally a big step closer to this goal!It can even be said to be at your fingertips.

Although it is necessary to plot Jiqing, it is too difficult to attack Jinling City head-on.

The ancient capital of the Six Dynasties is not empty talk after all.

Therefore, the monarchs and ministers gradually formed a consensus that the Taiping Road was the best choice to cross the river from the upper reaches.

Zhu Yuanzhang was high-spirited and waving his arms. Zhu Yuanzhang, who had always been deep and introverted, turned red at this moment, as if he was drunk, and his emotions were unrestrained, just like a tumbling river.

"Sir, what is the purpose of our painstaking planning and mobilization of troops and horses? Isn't it just to cross the great river, occupy Jinling, and become an emperor!" Zhu Yuanzhang said loudly.

Zhang Ximeng galloped forward, looking at the river, his face also flushed.

It has been independent development for almost two years.

Hundreds of days and nights, exhausted, painstakingly.

Especially Zhu Yuanzhang, who handles official duties every day, trains soldiers, reads books, summons the people, and occasionally goes to accompany his wife. All the time is full, from morning to night, without a moment of rest.

Isn't it for the emperor's great cause to pay so much!

Zhang Ximeng suppressed his excitement, and said to Old Zhu, "My lord, Jiqing is an ancient capital, a place of great shape, where tigers dominate dragons. As long as Jiqing is won, we will make drastic reforms, eradicate bad governance, and win people's hearts. Dare I Guaranteed, after three to five years, the lord will have the capital to fight for the world!"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "Sir, you know things like a god. Of course we know it. It's just that we never thought that a beggar begging everywhere, a young monk in a temple, could be what he is today! Is this God's will?"

"Returning to the lord, I think the lord deserves everything!" Zhang Ximeng said with a smile.

Old Zhu was stunned, and couldn't help laughing: "Mr. is also so good at flattering?"

"It's dragon fart!" Zhang Ximeng corrected.

Old Zhu simply shook his head and remained silent... He finished off Sun Deya and rode over immediately, intending to experience the feeling of drinking a horse from the Yangtze River.

As for Zhang Ximeng, he belonged to the confidant who had the honor to share the joy, so far the only one, the others are not qualified.

Lao Zhu led the horse again, walked along the river for a while, and was about to return.

But Lao Zhu's gaze was attracted by one place, and gradually, Zhu Yuanzhang's face became less pretty.

It turned out that on the distant river, several huge Yuan court warships passed by.

There was a fishing boat trying to dodge it, but a warship bumped into it on purpose.

Huge warships are like mountains, and small fishing boats are no better than duckweed.

When the two collided, the fishing boat was directly crushed.

An old fisherman was full of grief and indignation, struggling in the river and calling for help.

And Yuan Ting Navy on the deck just laughed wantonly, very happy.They took pleasure in ramming fishing boats and slaughtering fishermen!

Zhu Yuanzhang was burning with anger, but gradually, he felt a chill down his back and shuddered.

"Sir, cross the river, cross the river! Can we really cross it?"

Although Yuan Ting's rule collapsed and its power was not as good as before, the navy was still invincible and had the double advantages of quantity and quality.

So what about drinking horses in the Yangtze River?

Can you really get by?

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at those behemoths, and he felt such a sense of powerlessness!

"Sure!" Zhang Ximeng said firmly, "My lord, we may not be able to build such a big ship for a while, but as long as we work hard on firearms, we should be able to sink these hateful ships!"

Chapter 95 Naturally Born General

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was in high spirits, returned from the riverside, and returned to deep and introverted, and his frowning showed that the worries in his heart had deepened.

According to the original idea, by capturing the ferry along the river and crossing the river by boat, Jiqing can be taken directly, but now it seems that Yuan Ting's navy is too powerful, with many ships and soldiers, straddling the river.

Water warfare is different from land warfare. On a big river, more boats are better than fewer boats, and larger boats are better than smaller boats. Compared with land warfare, it is much more brutal and direct.

Not only does Zhu Yuanzhang have no ships here, but he doesn't even have a decent navy!

"Sir, we thought we were advancing by leaps and bounds these days, and our troops were strong and strong, but we didn't realize we were still far behind when we got to the riverside!" Old Zhu and Zhang Ximeng sighed.

Zhang Ximeng also felt helpless, Yuan Ting's navy was indeed ridiculously strong.

Mongol rule was a mess, but one thing is worth talking about, and that is foreign trade.As the Mongols laid down an unprecedented territory, a large number of Semu people who were proficient in business came to the Central Plains to engage in commercial activities.

They transported goods back to their hometowns by sea, earning huge profits, and the developed trade gave birth to a powerful fleet.

The Prime Minister of the Yuan Dynasty, Boyan, once suggested that grain should be transported by sea. It was this suggestion that a total of 300 million shi of grain could be transported into Dadu in spring and summer every year to supply expenses.

It was by relying on the huge sea transportation that the operation of the Yuan court was maintained.

In fact, as early as Zhang Shicheng had just captured Gaoyou, someone had judged that Yuan Ting would go south, but it had been more than a year since Zhang Shicheng became king, and Yuan Ting hadn't moved.

In addition to the internal chaos of the Yuan court and the difficulty of sending troops, it is also related to shipping.After all, when tigers and wolves are still full, they are always reluctant to move.

It's just that shipping can't solve all problems after all, and once the Red Turban Army captures the Jiangnan and Zhejiang provinces and cuts off the source of food, there will be no use for many sea-going ships.

Therefore, it is still imperative for Yuan Ting to go south.

"My lord, after seeing Yuan Ting's navy, I thought of one thing... What should Yuan Ting do if he surprises us with a navy?"

Old Zhu pondered for a while, and his face changed!

Yes, the Yuan court has a powerful navy, which can not only prevent them from going south, but also take the initiative to send troops to attack Hezhou and other places, making Zhu Yuanzhang and the others exhausted!

Does the Yuan army have this strength?

Not only is there, but it is also very strong!

Taiping, Jiqing, Suzhou, these places are rich places, the lifeblood of the Yuan court.Not only is there a powerful official army, but there are also many armed landlords, conservatively estimated to be more than [-].

The main force of the Yuan court, most of them went south along the canal, and the Yuan army crossed the river to attack in Jiqing.

They are getting stronger and the enemy is getting stronger.

Although there is Zhang Shicheng from Gaoyou standing up, but he can't hand over his life to others, not to mention that once Zhang Shicheng wins, he will become a serious problem... We can't wait, we must act!

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Ximeng discussed all night, and even the old man Jia Lu was invited, how should we deal with the navy of the Yuan army?

"Boss, what I mean is to go all out and develop firearms. Our ship will definitely not be able to build that big, and time will not allow it. If we can use powerful firearms to kill the Yuan army, we will have a better chance of winning!"

As a master of technology, Jia Lu shook his head, "You think things are simple, the old man asked you, what kind of firearm should you use to deal with the Yuan army?"

"Use...cannon!" Zhang Ximeng tentatively asked.

"Cannons? Do you have that much copper? What's more, cannons are easy to damage. What if the chamber explodes after firing a few shots?"

"Then, how about using a trebuchet, or a ballista?"

Jia Lu said again: "Of course these things are possible, but the old man asks you, does Yuan Ting have one? Besides, Yuan Ting's ship is big, its deck is high, and it is condescending. Against your small boat, who has the best chance of winning?"

Zhang Ximeng was stunned, this doesn't work, that doesn't work, is there no other way?

Jia Lu scratched his beard, looked at Zhang Ximeng anxiously, couldn't help laughing again, "It's a young man after all, I can't hold back, the old man didn't say that your idea is wrong. Firearms are indeed good things, but after all, , It depends on the person!"

"people?"

"Yes!" Jia Lu said decisively: "When the Jin soldiers went south, they wanted to cross the river by quarrying stones. As a result, the soldiers and horses of the Southern Song Dynasty feared the enemy and avoided fighting, and did not dare to meet them. Only Shao Qing drove a boat and led [-] warriors to fight against the strong on the river. The enemy, with seventeen arrows in his body, is still fighting to the death, and the Jinren are also terrified. Finally, the blood of Han Jiaerlang is preserved!"

When Jia Lu said this, he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

"Small boats against big boats, with fewer soldiers and more soldiers, are of course disadvantaged. But as long as the courage and the human heart are still there, there is still a way to defeat the enemy. You think about developing firearms to meet the enemy, but this old man thinks that you should train soldiers and dare to fight hard on board , not fearing life and death, being able to cut generals and seize ships, make use of strengths and avoid weaknesses, this is the real way to win!"

After hearing Jia Lu's words, both Zhang Ximeng and Zhu Yuanzhang were greatly shocked.

That's right, even if the Yuan court stretches its hips, it is still a court with a huge family background.

It is not impossible to compete with them in technology and equipment, but it will take time.

Zhu Yuanzhang's real weapon should be the bravery, wit, and courage of the soldiers... Small boats beat big boats. It happened in rivers and inland waters, and it also happened in the South China Sea. In order to protect the island, he faced destroyers with a tonnage several times his own. The small boats and boats on the side also rushed up, approached the bloody battle, and won!

Of course, if you want to fight big with a small one, courage alone is not enough, you must also have sufficient training, be able to maximize your strengths and avoid weaknesses, and make the most of your own advantages... Otherwise, you will just go forward rashly, and that is to give snacks to others.

The conversation with Lao Jia corrected Zhang Ximeng's thinking weapons in time, and the development of firearms and the training of soldiers to walk on two legs cannot be ignored.

And more importantly, what conditions and what battles to fight.valley

Everything is ready on your side, and you are 100% sure. The enemy has long retreated and avoided the battle. No one has the intention to take the initiative to die.

And Jia Lu made another suggestion.

"The old man is thinking that the Yuan army in Jiqing may cross the river to respond, or even take the initiative to attack Hezhou... At this time, it is best to build a beacon tower by the river, send soldiers and people to garrison, and find the Yuan army. Immediately report the beacon fire, dispatch cavalry here, and quickly meet the enemy. Only by strictly guarding against death can we rest easy!"

As expected of an old man of science and engineering, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Ximeng were particularly impressed by Jia Lu's meticulous thinking.

Nothing else to say, hurry up and implement the old man's suggestion...

If you want to train sailors, you need to recruit sailors, and if you want to build a beacon tower, you need civilian workers.

In conclusion, it is still necessary to mobilize the power of the people.

No matter at any time, you can rest assured to rely on the common people!

As long as you are willing to do things for the people, the people will not let you down!

"Clean up unjust prisons, divide the land evenly, and clean up bandits! When we go to Hezhou, we will do these three things!"

Lao Zhu posted his notice, twelve bright characters, showing his determination.

Thanks to the accumulation of experience in Chuzhou, it became logical when he arrived in Hezhou... A gust of wind blew up.

The injustice of the yamen was uncovered, and the people who were framed were brought to justice. The corrupt officials who bullied the people, as well as the local gentry, all fell to the ground.

The common people in Hezhou have never seen this before. In the past, they only heard that there was a man named Zhu in Chuzhou who was a good official and a master of Qingtian.

But when they saw him now, they realized that this is not the master Qingtian, he is simply a living Bodhisattva!

They gave Chuzhou soldiers the title of Zhu Jiajun.

In the hearts of the common people, this is a soldier and horse that can be compared with the legendary Yue Family Army.

Some elderly people would even call Zhu Jiajun Bodhisattva Soldiers.

Hezhou is not lucky here. Not long ago, Tian Wan and Yuan Bing had a little friction.

Disasters of war, rebellious soldiers, and bandits took turns to ravage this fertile land along the river.Hezhou bandits, more air than a certain brand of potato chips.

After Zhu Yuanzhang entered Hezhou, he immediately appointed Hu Dahai to cooperate with Xu Da and Tang He to suppress bandits.

They started from the old bandit's nest in Jilong Mountain, and in less than half a month, five groups of bandits were uprooted.The army is approaching the west of Hezhou.

Liu Ju, the biggest bandit leader, was also scared.

On this day, he called all his brothers over and served a meal of wine.

"Brothers, this time we ran into a tough guy. The guy surnamed Zhu is a ruthless man. Sun Deya asked him to kill him, and Hu Dahai, a black-faced guy, was also his lackey. In the area of ​​Hezhou, We probably won't be able to gain a foothold."

Liu Ju suddenly laughed, "It doesn't matter if we can't get a foothold, let's go! Go to Luzhou, to Xinyang, anyway, there are good places, the sky is big and the earth is big. We have so many brothers who can fight and kill. Wherever we go, we can eat Meat! We are wolves! A pack of howling wolves!"

As he spoke, he raised the wine bowl, drank it in one gulp, and turned his head to look at a sturdy man.

Liu Ju smiled kindly, and even had a hint of flattery, "Brother Chang, gather your subordinates and act as the forward for the big guy. In three days, we will leave for Luzhou?"

The big man didn't agree immediately, but lowered his head and drank silently. Just when everyone was almost impatient, the big man suddenly raised his head and asked silently, "Boss, are we going to rob the house?"

The corner of Liu Ju's mouth twitched. Can the bandits not rob?

"Brother Chang, this is what we do, do you have other ideas?"

The big man groaned for a while, didn't speak, got up and went straight out, leaving behind a group of astonished bandit leaders, is Chang Yuchun out of his mind?