On the North River of the Rongjiang River, ten big bird boats have furled their sails, lowered their long oars, and are slowly moving forward on a section of water flowing from south to north near Jieyang County, relying on human power.
The Rongjiang River Beixi generally flows from north to south, but near Jieyang County, there is also a waterway about four miles long that runs from south to north - the Rongjiang River Beixi turns a corner here and flows north for a while. Afterwards, it turns again and flows to the southeast.
Therefore, the fleet that came all the way with favorable wind and countercurrent turned into headwind and countercurrent when approaching the destination, and could only be driven by oars.
When the cry of "retract the sails and lower the oars" rang out on the leading large bird boat, Qiu Rong, his sister Qiu Shuzhen and his little brother Qiu Hu, were already standing on the cocked stern deck of the bird boat, holding up their hands. A telescope, looking in the direction of Beixi Pier.
At Beixi Pier, a group of "Confucian disciples" in cloth clothes and scarves have gathered, and a painted archway to welcome the distinguished guests has been set up. There were people beating gongs and drums on the pier, which was very lively.
Obviously, the men of the third prince Zhu and the third grandson of Zhu were still vigilant and did not take it lightly just because of the New Year, so they were able to spot the fleet coming from the lower reaches from a distance.
Sure enough, it’s a bit new! Dao Scarong nodded slightly, then held up his telescope to look for Zhu Heji among the group of "Confucian disciples".
Because all of these "Confucius disciples" are wearing "Confucius uniforms" and are all bearded men, they look similar from a distance. So Scarrong didn't find Zhu Heji for a while, but he saw Da Bo Ling in red... and then he saw Zhu Heji standing next to Da Bo Ling, talking and laughing with Da Bo Ling. .
Scarrong's scarred face suddenly darkened!
This Cannon Zhu is so outrageous. He doesn't even know what day it is, and he comes to the dock with Da Bo Ling in such an open and aboveboard manner.
Did he really think he was the master of the Dahao Qiu family?
In addition, this Da Bo Ling really looks down on herself. With her status, she can even be Cannon Zhu's first wife! Why did he "give" himself to Cannon Zhu at such a low price? Does she really think that Cannon Zhu can restore the Ming Dynasty and become emperor one day?
When he was really assessing Zhu Heji's future "space for growth", his sister Shuzhen's joyful voice suddenly came to his ears: "Brother Pao, I saw Brother Pao. He is with Mrs. Su. Mrs. Su So beautiful!”
Dao Scarong put down his telescope and looked back to glare at the girl. Why is this girl so heartless? Da Bo Ling was her rival for men, and she even praised her for her beauty! Alas, the more beautiful the person is, the easier it is for you to stay alone in an empty room!
Oh, by the way... Dao Scarong suddenly remembered, "It seems that no one has told this stupid girl that Da Bo Ling has become Cannon Zhu's woman! Then should I tell her? This girl is stupid Yes, even if you know how powerful Da Bo Ling is, I’m afraid you can’t beat her, right?”
...
When Dao Scarong was caught in an ideological struggle, on another big bird ship sailing to Jieyang Beixi Pier, Charlie Gough and Ji Dabao of the British East India Trading Company were also looking around with telescopes.
However, they haven't discovered the group of "Confucius disciples" yet. They are observing the "Jieyang Bastion"!
"My God, is this a bastion?"
After all, Charlie Gough was an original British profiteer, well-informed. He had participated in wars on the European continent when he was young, so he naturally knew what the renovated Jieyang County was like.
This is a quite simple bastion!
Straw bags filled with soil were piled outside the city wall, and slopes were also built - this kind of "sandbag wall" has extremely strong anti-cannon capabilities. Not to mention the Hongyi cannon, even if it brought in a 20th-century "Idiot" Sharp gun", nothing can be done!
Outside the east, south, and north gates of Jieyang County, sandbags were used to build "triangular tower forts"... which is a "triangular tower-shaped" fortress with a large area and a small upper level. The anti-gun ability is also incredible!
In the northwest and southwest corners of Jieyang County, two forts, also with strong triangular towers, were built.
In the northeast and southeast corners of Jieyang County, two small triangular fortresses were piled up with straw bags.
Although Ji Dabao has never fought in Europe, he is a Filipino Han and has lived outside the "Centennial Fortress" in Santiago in Manila since he was a child. When he was in Taiwan, he could see the Anping Castle every day.
So I immediately continued what Charlie Gough said: "Consul, this castle must be built in the style of Rezhelan City, right? It is somewhat similar, but after all, there is no guidance from Western engineers, it is just a mere tool. shape."
"No guidance from Western engineers?" Charlie Gough put down his telescope and looked back at Ji Dabao, "You know?"
Ji Dabao nodded and said firmly: "Of course, Mr. Consul, I have been paying attention to the situation in Jieyang."
Charlie Gough frowned, "This fortress only uses the cheapest building materials and the most labor-saving construction methods... Maybe it cannot stand for a hundred years in the wind and rain, but in the face of enemy artillery fire, its The performance will definitely be better than Fort Rezhelan and Fort Santiago that has not been repaired for a hundred years."
"Yes, is it that strong?" Ji Dabao still couldn't believe it.
But Charlie Gough nodded very firmly. He pointed to the nearest triangular tower castle and said to Ji Dabao: "Look at that triangular tower castle... its shape is not a triangular tower (but a triangular tower)." A ridge was built, trenches were dug around the fort to delay the enemy's advance, and wooden palisades were erected.
In addition, the distance between each two triangular forts is very reasonable, which can form cross and covering firepower!
So I can guarantee that the engineer who designed the renovation plan for this castle must be proficient in mathematics! "
Ji Dabao thought for a while and said to himself: "That person must be Zhuge Sanhe..."
As he said that, he saw the group of "Confucian disciples", so he quickly put down his telescope, then raised his hand and pointed, "Consul, look over there...those wearing robes and headscarves, wearing The man with the big beard and the sword is probably the Confucian scholar who designed the renovation plan for Jieyang Castle."
What? Wearing a robe, a turban, a beard... and carrying a sword? Charlie Goff immediately had a very bad premonition!
Because in his career, whenever he met such a man wearing a robe, a turban, a big beard, and carrying a sword, he was usually not easy to talk to!
It would be even more unreasonable if they happened to possess powerful "Sky Thunder"!
Thinking of this, he quickly raised his telescope and looked in the direction of Ji Dabao's finger. He soon saw a group of hard-working and simple "former Confucian scholar-officials", so his expression became even more ugly.
"Why are they dressed like this?" Charlie Goff asked, "They seem to be different from the Confucian scholars we saw in Ping'an Town!"
Taiwan under the rule of Zheng Jing also had Confucian scholars and Confucian academies. Zheng Jing himself also dressed as a scholar-official who looked easy to bully.
And how come these Confucian scholars who appeared on the Beixi Pier in Jieyang are all carrying swords for cutting people, and there seem to be terrifying grenade hammers hanging on their belts, and everyone is unshaven, and they look very fierce!
"Of course it's different!" Ji Dabao smiled contemptuously at this time, "These people claim to be original Confucians, and they also say nonsense that the Ming Dynasty fell because the scholar-bureaucrats in the world were corrupt and degenerate, and did not have the martial arts and courage of their ancestors to kill people! So they want to Act like the Confucian scholars in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods and even older, resolutely opposed to extravagance and waste, and want to save every penny and use it wisely... It’s really annoying!”
"Oh God," Charlie Gough took a breath, "They, they are actually Confucian Puritans!"
This style reminded him of the group of Puritan madmen back home in Britain who were reluctant to eat or drink, and were enemies of Catholics and even Protestants!
