Kingdom of America, Virginia Territory.
Harrison, a Virginia militia colonel, accepted Wellesley's appointment and orders.
Ashore in the middle reaches of the James River, they gathered the broken troops who had escaped from Richmond and Petersburg, and quickly established a crude defense line.
Canadian bicycle infantry arrived early the next morning.
In front of Harrison's crude position, they all abandoned their bicycles, drew their rifles, and charged forward in skirmish mode.
The two sides soon exchanged blows.
Under normal circumstances, the chaotic militia organized by Harrison could not withstand the attack of the French elite troops.
Even the actual hysteresis effect is very limited.
They will be defeated quickly.
However, as Wellesley retreated to Norfolk, he sent a message to Nelson.
Nelson arranged for low-level cruisers with shallow drafts to sail directly into the James River and support Harrison with naval guns on the water.
When both sides are fighting with light infantry, the power of the 160mm naval gun is terrifying.
Under the suppression of naval guns, Harrison's troops barely withstood the Canadian attack.
Wellesley worked hard in the rear to build a new line of defense.
On the only way to Norfolk in western Virginia, next to the mouth of the last tributary of the lower James River, outside the city called Suffolk.
Officers from the British mainland commanded the locally recruited militia, and the militia commanded nearby manors to recruit seconded Mexican slaves, dig trenches and lay barbed wire in full swing.
A similar line of defense was being organized outside Williamsburg, upriver from Newport News.
Nelson commanded another part of the low-level cruisers and sailed into the bay next to Suffolk to serve as a sea battery to support the defense line.
Wellesley stood on the floor, looking at the busy construction site with a telescope, and looking at the standard defense line of barbed wire and trenches that had been laid, he felt a little relaxed.
As long as this line of defense that takes into account both land and sea is established, it will be basically impossible for Napoleon to break this line of defense and seize Norfolk Harbor unless he transfers all his heavy artillery.
After securing the Norfolk naval port, the next thing to consider is how to counterattack and where to counterattack.
While Wellesley was thinking, Nelson walked in with several telegrams:
“News from London, the United Kingdom and France have officially requested Ming Dynasty to send troops, and Ming Dynasty’s troops should enter the country soon.
"We must issue an order immediately to let the troops everywhere clear the borders and roads, and allow the Ming Dynasty troops to go to the front line."
Wellesley, who had expected it, sighed softly, and said to himself while taking the telegram:
"Then what's the price..."
After reading a few words, Wellesley's eyes widened:
“Oh my God, there was a territorial exchange between the United Kingdom, France, and Ming Dynasty.
"The Chesapeake Peninsula and Long Island were ceded to the Ming Dynasty..."
Nelson was quite calm and said self-deprecatingly:
"Yes, it was ceded to the Ming Dynasty. From now on, we will have another place of contact with the French and the Ming Dynasty people.
"I hope the French and Ming Dynasties can become closer in the New York area..."
Wellesley slowly calmed down and considered the significance of these territorial exchanges.
After reviewing the contents of the telegram again, Wellesley issued an order to completely open the border to Ming troops.
Then he walked back and forth in the room, frowning and muttering to himself:
“The Ming Dynasty might try to contact Adams and Napoleon, and they might try to take over Long Island and the Chesapeake Peninsula directly.
“The key is, they have a chance to succeed.
“Although Long Island and the Chesapeake Peninsula are important, the threat from the Ming Dynasty is equally significant.
"If I were Adams or Napoleon, I would not conflict with Ming at this time.
"If we continue to think about it, once Ming's troops enter the front line, the fighting may stop..."
Nelson said noncommittally:
"What the politicians asked of Ming Dynasty was just to help us hold the defense line and wait for our troops to arrive before counterattacking.
"In other words, Ming Dynasty has the opportunity to achieve their goals without any harm and directly obtain 400,000 square kilometers of land."
Wellesley fell silent, and the scene fell silent, except for the distant sounds of the street and the construction site.
Wellesley's order to allow the Ming Dynasty to cross the border spread through telegraph lines to the remaining five southern states.
In Florida, Texas, New Orleans and other places, there are already a large number of Ming troops gathered near the borders.
After the emperor's order was issued, the relevant troops immediately entered combat mode and began to communicate with the British across the border.
When Wellesley's order came down, Ming's army troops directly crossed the border between the two sides.
The great market for cotton and slave trade in the western United States, the area east of the lower reaches of the Honey River south of Memphis, which later became Mississippi, is still under the control of the American militia.
The seventh president of the United States in history, Andrew Jackson, now the Major General of the Tennessee Militia, led the local Memphis militia to organize a defense line under the city of Memphis in advance.
The militiamen who had retreated from the front line continued to join together and fought fiercely with the Canadian troops under the city walls of Memphis.
The Ming escort troops in the Ming immigration stronghold on the west bank of the Honey River took a river ship docked in the river and landed on the land on the other side. After landing, they joined the American defense line.
Andrew Jackson has received the news and knows that the Ming people are now his allies.
Although it sounds very weird, this news is really gratifying.
Although Chen Huacheng, the Ming general who came to join him, was a young colonel who was only thirty years old, Jackson did not dare to be negligent. After hearing the news, he immediately ran outside the city to greet him.
As soon as Jackson saw Chen Huacheng, he greeted him very warmly:
"It's really great. With the help of tomorrow's soldiers, we will definitely be able to hit the home of the Canadian traitors!"
Chen Huacheng was not interested, waved his hand helplessly and said:
"Although I personally do want to do this, the order we received is just to help you defend the line..."
Jackson was obviously taken aback, and then said with some embarrassment:
"It doesn't matter if you hold the line of defense, or if you hold the line of defense, these Canadians are running too fast on bicycles."
Meanwhile, outside Memphis.
On the Canadian side, the commander in charge of the western operations and one of the most famous marshals under Napoleon in history, Jean de Dieu Soult, heard the news that the attack on Memphis was blocked.
Just as he was thinking about how to respond, the guard sent new news:
"The Ming troops entered Memphis? The Ming troops began to deploy defenses together with the British?"
The adjutant beside him was also obviously stunned for a moment:
"General, what should we do? Should we attack the Ming army?"
Sirte waved his hand directly and said:
"No, according to the plan, we will try our best not to conflict with Ming."
The adjutant said somewhat uncontrollably:
"But the Ming people are obviously siding with the British! They are already our de facto enemies!
"If there are Ming people wherever they are, we won't attack anywhere. Then if the Ming people stand in a line on the border, should we just stop?"
Sirte shook his head and said:
"Your Majesty will communicate with the Ming people. Now that the Ming people have entered the defense line, our first phase of operations should be over.
"Pass my order, the troops under the city of Memphis should stop attacking on all fronts, hold the current battle line, and wait for new orders.
"Anywhere east of Memphis where no Ming troops have entered, continue to advance at full speed.
"When will Ming troops appear at the front of the battlefield and when will they stop attacking.
"Then start to organize the defense line and wait for the heavy weapons from the rear to catch up."
Soult's adjutant was a little aggrieved, but he still accepted Soult's order and passed it on quickly.
Above Memphis, the area on the east bank of the upper and middle reaches of the Honey River is an area controlled by the Canadians.
The Ming troops on the other side did not cross the river immediately. Instead, they increased the size of the troops patrolling the river. At the same time, they began to communicate with the French on the other side, asking them to stop attacking the United States.
In northern Canada, all the border lines adjacent to the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty's garrisons have also entered a state of combat.
The Honglu Temple of the Ming Dynasty also officially issued a diplomatic note to Napoleon and Adams, requiring the other parties to immediately stop their offensive operations against the United States, otherwise the Ming Dynasty would join the war as an ally of Britain and France.
Adams was basically only responsible for logistics affairs. The war was organized and directed by Napoleon, so after receiving the news, he immediately sent it to the previous Napoleon to ask for his opinion.
Zhu Jingyuan also sent a message directly to Napoleon through Xichang and put forward Ming's request.
Zhu Jingyuan directly told Napoleon the promises he had received from Britain and France.
Napoleon was asked to transfer these lands directly to the Ming Dynasty.
In the military camp under Richmond, Napoleon stood in his big tent and read a brief telegram.
Across the table in front of me, sat a young man in his twenties, an Englishman, George Thomas Staunton.
He showed himself his identity. He was working for Daming's West Factory, and he was a fan, a real fan.
He seemed a little nervous, but he was not afraid, but excited.
Standong drank a cup of tea and looked at Napoleon opposite with a smile:
"Well, General Bonaparte, have you decided what to do?"
Napoleon sat across from Staunton and placed the telegram on the table:
"If Ming Dynasty can publicly recognize and protect Canada's independent status, publicly declare its recognition of my monarchy.
"At the same time, I promise to never attack our country, and then I can accept Ming's conditions."
Standong chuckled and said:
"The general wants too much. The news that Prince Dashi asked me to tell you is actually the condition offered by Ming Dynasty.
"The Ming Dynasty has made deals with Britain and France, so it must maintain its political credibility. The Ming Dynasty is the most honest.
“Until Britain and France recognize Canada’s independence and your status as monarch, Ming Dynasty will not publicly recognize your status.
“If Canada were to become independent in fact, its territorial scope would not extend beyond the current front lines.
“Because the current front is the defense line that Ming Dynasty promised to help Britain and France maintain.
“If your troops forcibly protrude this border, then Ming will actively participate in the war to maintain its credibility.
“But at the same time, if your troops do not exceed this limit, Ming will not take the initiative to attack.
"Because Britain and France did not offer enough conditions in exchange for Ming's help in suppressing the rebellion."
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