Rise From the Humble

  Chapter 1703 Rich and powerful

  Zhu Ping'an sent off Shangzhifu and his party, and after properly arranging the whole battalion, he led Liu Mu and others on horseback to observe the topography and landforms around Suzhou Prefecture, especially the mountains and rivers outside Changmen.

  Zhuge Wuhou once said: To be a general without understanding astronomy, geography, strange gates, yin and yang, ignoring the formation map, and ignoring the military situation is mediocrity. If you are stationed in Suzhou, how can you not know the geography of Suzhou? Only by knowing the geographical situation inside and outside Suzhou can you deploy troops and plan strategies.

The city of Suzhou has a radius of twelve miles, bordering Songjiang River in the east, Jiaxing in the south, Taihu Lake in the west, and Yangtze River in the north, with old streets, ancient houses, alleys, rivers, and stone bridges. It is a typical double chessboard pattern where land and water run side by side and rivers and streets are adjacent. .

  Beauty is beauty, but it is a pity that there is no danger to defend, especially in the Changmen area, except for the intertwined rivers and canals, and a flat river, there is no danger to defend.

  While observing the mountains and rivers of Suzhou, Zhu Pingan also saw the prosperity and prosperity of Suzhou, which overwhelmed the two capitals.

Beautiful scenery, rich products, thriving industries, and a collection of humanities; there are mountains of goods, pedestrians and streams, and shop signboards, splendid like clouds, frequent water and land exchanges, silver Le leads proud horses, and flower boats carry beauties. place.

  Especially in the Changmen area, it is the most prosperous and affluent place in Suzhou, accounting for at least 70% to 80% of Suzhou's wealth.

  There is no danger to defend here, and it is overwhelming the prosperity and prosperity of the two capitals. For Japanese pirates, this is paradise.

   After seeing the mountains and rivers in Suzhou, Zhu Ping'an was convinced that Xu Hai and other Japanese pirates entrenched in Tuolin and other places in Songjiang Prefecture must have long coveted the city of Suzhou, the most prosperous place in the Ming Dynasty.

  The area outside Changmen, which has no danger to defend and occupies 70 to 80% of the wealth in Suzhou City, must be the first and most important target of Japanese pirates.

  If Japanese pirates attack Suzhou, the Lumen area will definitely bear the brunt. This is an undoubted proposition.

  Shang Zhifu said that Japanese pirates often spy on and investigate during this period, so it is obvious that Japanese pirates have already set their sights on this place.

  After the investigation, the Japanese pirates should start, and there is not much time left for the Zhejiang army.

  Zhu Ping'an returned to Fengqiao after observing the mountains and rivers of Suzhou with a strong sense of crisis.

Fengqiao is the most important bridge in the northwest of Suzhou City. The ships below it, the goods on the bridge, and the south and north, east and west, all go up and down through this bridge. Proudly saying "If you want to know the price of Doumi, ask about the price of Fengqiao", it is a clear proof.

  In order to facilitate transportation, the canal under the Fengqiao was dug deep and wide, which is convenient for large and small ships to pass. Two lanes were specially dug on the steps of the six-meter-wide Fengqiao bridge to facilitate the passage of horse-drawn carriages.

  It can be said that Fengqiao is not only Suzhou, but also the throat of Changmen.

  The Japanese pirates plundered and attacked Suzhou from Songjiang Prefecture. It was the most convenient way to go by water, and it was also the best for the Japanese pirates who came across the sea. Japanese pirates can travel from Songjiang Mansion to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal along the Yangtze River, and through the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, they can go directly to the northwest of the surrounding cities.

  If you go by land, you have to pass through multiple states, counties, towns, and villages. No matter in terms of speed or confidentiality, it is not as good as going by water.

  Therefore, if Japanese pirates plunder and attack Suzhou Changmen area and Suzhou City, the possibility of going by water is more than 90%.

  Fengqiao is the transportation hub and throat of Suzhou waterway. Whether it is passing through the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal or the Fengjiang River, it must pass through Fengqiao. Therefore, if Japanese pirates rob Changmen and Suzhou by water, they must pass through Fengqiao.

  Fengqiao is the focus of defense in Suzhou.

  Zhu Pingan walked back and forth along the Maple Bridge a few times, stood on the Maple Bridge and looked around, closed his eyes and thought for a moment, and formed a plan in his heart.

  Since there is no danger around Fengqiao, let's create one that can be defended.

   Without further ado.

Zhu Pingan returned to the camp and quickly drew a sketch of Fengqiao's deployment. The sketch was very simple. A three-storey sentry fort was built in front of the east **** of Fengqiao Bridge, which is the new station of the Zhejiang Army—Fengqiao Camp. Hole, can launch firecrackers and small artillery.

  The sentry fort doesn’t need to be very big, it only needs to be able to garrison 200 people, and it only needs to cover an area of ​​about 400 square meters. The top floor is made into a terrace with brick stacks.

  Zhu Ping'an plans to use masonry as the main material for the sentry fort, and use lime mixed with glutinous rice and mud to speed up the construction progress and toughness of the sentry fort. Although there was no concrete at this time in the Ming Dynasty, there was lime. Craftsmen mixed lime, fine sand, glutinous rice juice and other materials together. The effect is not much worse than modern concrete. It is extremely strong when applied on masonry. Although the price of local method concrete is a bit more expensive, but who makes Suzhou government not short of money?

  The Zhejiang army can usually board the sentry fort to look out, patrol and guard. Once Japanese pirates are found, they raise a beacon to call the police, warning Changmen Shili Street and Suzhou City, and at the same time they can block, defend, and fight Japanese pirates according to the fort.

  In addition to the sentry fort, Zhu Pingan also built a brick wall more than 100 meters high and one person high along the direction of the river on the east bank of the canal under Fengqiao, which is the Fengqiao camp, as a fire gun position for the Zhejiang Army.

  In this way, the Zhejiang army can form a military defense line along the sentry fort, Fengqiao, river wall, and river to guard the west gate of Suzhou.

  Once this line of defense is built, Zhu Ping'an is confident that the Japanese pirates will be defeated in the future, and he is afraid that there will not be enough Japanese pirates.

  After the plan of the Fengqiao defense line was formed, Zhu Pingan took Liu Dadao and others into Suzhou city non-stop regardless of the lateness of the sky, visited Suzhou prefect Mr. Shang, and showed him the plan of the Fengqiao defense line.

"That's great, Master Zhu is worthy of being Master Zhu. A sentry fort and a 100-meter river wall have created a pass for the defenseless city of Suzhou. This plan alone is far superior to that of our Suzhou Military Preparedness Division." A few streets away."

  Shang Zhifu saw the plan of the Fengqiao defense line, and after listening to Zhu Pingan's explanation, he was very surprised and praised the Fengqiao defense line.

   "Sir Shang is more familiar with the geography of Suzhou, what advice do you have for this?" Zhu Pingan asked for advice.

"Lord Zhu's plan is very good, I have no objections, but I wonder if the sentry fortress can be built bigger to accommodate more soldiers, and the river wall can be built longer and higher, after all, I am not bad in Suzhou All money, regardless of manpower or material resources, shall be borne by our Suzhou Mansion, after all, it is all to protect our Suzhou city."

  Shang Zhifu was old Versailles as soon as he opened his mouth, fully embodying the four words of wealth and generosity.

"Master Shang's opinion is very good, but since Japanese pirates may launch an attack on Suzhou at any time, the size of the sentry fort and the city wall should not be too large, so that it can be completed and put into use quickly. After this fort is completed, another fort can be built nearby. Forming a corner, this sentry fort can be built bigger." Zhu Pingan replied.

   "Well, Mr. Zhu is right. The Japanese pirates may attack my Suzhou city at any time. The sooner the pass is completed, the better."

  Shang Zhifu nodded repeatedly when he heard the words.

   "It's not too late, I'm going to make preparations, laying the foundation with lights overnight, and building an anti-Japanese fort."

  Shang Zhifu said that he summoned his subordinates and assigned them to build outposts and river walls.

  (end of this chapter)