As the vanguard of the Second Army, Ma Xianglin was the first to contact the Burmese army.
The terrain in northern Myanmar is very complex, with dense virgin jungles and complex mountainous areas.
The Myanmar Army wants to take advantage of the geographical location to resist the Second Army's attack.
The Second Army and the Burmese Army fought in the mountains and jungles.
In this kind of terrain, large armies cannot operate and can only be dispersed into small groups to fight.
The Burmese army also deliberately chose this battlefield to offset their disadvantage of insufficient firepower.
The Second Army fought in a small scale and completely defeated the Burmese Army.
The Royal Army of Great China trains every day and has more advanced weapons.
Weapons of jungle and mountain warfare such as pistols, shotguns, and grenades cannot be blocked by the Burmese army using bows and arrows.
In the small-scale war in the jungle, the Burmese army was no match for them and suffered huge casualties.
Ma Xianglin led his men to fight their way out of the jungle and mountains. They encountered the main force of the Burmese army in the hilly areas of northern Myanmar.
He looked at the Burmese army, which mainly relied on spears and bows, with only a small number of matchlocks and artillery.
The equipment of these Burmese soldiers is very shabby. Many soldiers do not even have a pair of armor and can only use the cheapest spears.
After Ma Xianglin conducted a test with artillery fire, he ordered the army to attack.
These Burmese troops are not elite soldiers and will collapse if they are killed in battle.
The Second Army's attack on the Burmese Army was like a well-equipped army attacking unarmed farmers.
Ma Xianglin saw the army win, but he didn't have much sense of accomplishment.
Many of the Third Division of the Second Army under his command were from the Tusi tribe and were good at mountain and jungle warfare.
And after rigorous training, large-scale combat is not inferior to other main battle units of the Royal Army of China.
The Second Army captured the city and occupied the mountainous areas of northern Myanmar without any enemy.
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Chai Jin, commander of the Second Army, came to the commander's tent and reported to Qihou Su Shanhui: "Qihou, our army has broken through the Burmese army's defense and occupied the northern part of Burma.
Meng Gong, Mubang, Menggen, Zhengmai and other chieftains in northern Myanmar contacted our army and wanted to join us.
The general will not be able to make the final decision on this matter, so please ask Qihou to take charge of this matter. "
Su Shan is not surprised, as the Yunnan-Guizhou region has developed rapidly in recent years.
The government allocated land to the people, and local factories recruited a large number of workers.
The tribesmen of the chieftain tribes near Dahua would pretend to be the local chieftains of Dahua.
Travel to various places to obtain their own land, or work in factories to make money.
Many of the chieftains in Dahua and Myanmar are from the same tribe, and their languages and cultural customs are similar.
Local officials will not screen carefully, and their merits will be calculated on a per-capita basis.
These officials were eager to educate as many chieftains as possible.
The chieftains in northern Myanmar have a better understanding of Dahua's situation and strength.
When they saw Dahua sending troops to Burma, these people knew that they had no ability to resist, so they immediately moved in and surrounded them. Su Shan was not surprised at all.
In addition to cutting off potential surrounding forces, the imperial court sent troops this time.
The main purpose is to plunder the population and open up the market.
Domestic industrial development requires a large amount of raw materials, workers and markets.
These are the costs that must be paid for industrialization.
His Majesty the Emperor wants the people in the country to live a good life, and the costs incurred by industrialization must be passed on to foreigners.
Su Shan ordered: "Let them send representatives to the military camp to negotiate with me."
He immediately went to the telegraph room and reported the results of the battle via wired telegram. At the same time, he asked Emperor Su He and the court for advice on the relevant policies enclosed by the chieftain.
It was night in a blink of an eye.
After Su Shan read the telegram replied by Emperor Su He, he went to the commander's tent to meet with the chieftain representative.
An old man with a white beard, holding a cane and being supported by others, was waiting outside the handsome tent.
When he saw the arrival of Qi Hou Su Shan, he immediately knelt down and saluted Su Shan and said: "The villain Gu Shan pays homage to the superior official of the Celestial Dynasty."
He speaks fluent Northern Chinese Mandarin and speaks very clearly.
He also served as a high-ranking official in the Toungoo Dynasty for decades and had great influence in the mountainous areas of northern Myanmar.
This is also the reason why he, as a representative, came to meet with the superior officials of the Celestial Dynasty.
The life and death of several chieftains is at stake, and there must be someone who can calm the situation and gain everyone's trust to represent them.
It is best if this person can also speak Chinese proficiently and rely on translation to communicate. Once the translation makes a mistake, they will suffer disaster.
Su Shan said politely: "Old sir, please stand up. Your Chinese is very standard.
Let's go to the account to discuss things. "
Gushan was helped to stand up. He walked towards the handsome tent with a cane on his back, his eyes showing memories.
"I was fifty years ago, during the Ming Dynasty.
Follow the tribute team and go to the capital to spend some time.
It was during that time that I learned northern Mandarin.
Lao Chan learned about the prosperity of the Central Plains and always wanted to join the Central Plains. "
They exchanged a few simple greetings and immediately entered the negotiation stage.
Su Shan had an absolute advantage. Gu Shan could only agree to the conditions he proposed and had no right to refuse.
The Great Hua Dynasty allowed chieftains to attach themselves to the country, but these chieftains had to implement the process of returning to their native land.
The chieftain is the king of the mountain, and the situation in which he controls the life and death of his people must be broken.
Before the imperial court officially ruled Burma and the chieftains returned to their native land.
The chieftain's private soldiers must be dispatched by the Dahua military.
These are the most important clauses, and there are dozens of other clauses.
Gushan listened to these terms, sweat dripped down his temples.
By agreeing to these terms, they would lose most of their rights.
If you don't agree to these terms, the Chinese army will wipe out all the chieftains.
Gushan weighed the pros and cons in his mind, thinking that many of the chieftains in Dahua who had returned to their native land were living well.
He bent down and bowed, and said respectfully: "The superior officials of the Celestial Empire and the chieftains of the small people agree to the terms of the Celestial Empire."
After Su Shan heard this, he immediately ordered: "Give me a seat and I will discuss it with the old gentleman in detail."
The guard quickly brought over a chair and asked Gushan to sit down.
Sushan spoke in a gentle tone and asked Gushan about the situation in Myanmar.
In the early days, Dahua only collected main military intelligence about Myanmar.
For example, the generals trusted by King Thalong, the combat effectiveness of the Burmese army and the deployment of defenses in various places.
There are many things that are not well understood about Burmese officialdom and power.
Gushan heard Sushan's question. He had been an official in the Toungoo Dynasty of Myanmar for decades and knew the situation in Myanmar very well.
After introducing the situation in Myanmar, he suggested: "Shangguan of the Celestial Empire, there is no need for you to stay in northern Myanmar.
According to you Han people, to capture the thief, capture the king first and go straight to Huanglong.
After breaking through the city of Ava and capturing King Talon, most of the other local forces in Myanmar would choose to surrender.
The remaining stubborn forces have no way to turn things around. "
Su Shan asked Gu Shan in detail about the specific reasons.
Only then did he understand that the Taungoo dynasty in Myanmar had not been unified for long.
After unification, they invaded Siam and returned defeated.
The prestige of the Toungoo dynasty's royal family plummeted.
The Taungoo dynasty's rule was also unstable during this period, and it experienced many internal coups.
After King Thalong came to power through a coup, he reluctantly united various forces in Myanmar.
The local forces in Myanmar were extremely strong, and it was difficult for King Thalung to command them.
As long as the Royal Army of Great China attacks fast enough, it can break through Ava City before King Thalong reaches cooperation with various forces.
Then no one can unite all forces in Myanmar to resist the rule of Dahua.
When the local forces in Myanmar see the power of the Celestial Kingdom, they will definitely choose to surrender.
Qihou Sushan sent troops to manage the chieftains, received private soldiers from the chieftains, and recruited translators and guides from the chieftains.
He also held a military meeting to discuss with the generals the feasibility of attacking Huanglong.
When Su Pengfei heard this tactic, his eyes lit up and he volunteered: "Qihou, the Second Army is scattered throughout the mountainous areas of northern Myanmar.
Our army has been in the Chinese military camp, and now its morale is like a rainbow. The city of Awa is in the north of Myanmar, not far from the military camp.
With a guide leading the way, you won’t get lost.
The general is confident that he will be able to break through the city of Ava in a short period of time.
Even King Thalung summoned the entire Burmese army to serve the king.
The general also had the confidence to lead his army back safely. "
When Chai Jin heard this tactic, he also felt that there was hope. They could break through Ava as quickly as possible and they would have enough time to expand their results.
The Second Army was too spread out and had no hope of obtaining this mission.
Chai Jin supported: "The general also believes that this tactic is very feasible.
Even if something went wrong, it would not cause too many casualties to the Sixth Army. "
Qihou Sushan learned the opinions of the generals and after weighing the pros and cons of combat, he issued a combat mission.
Let the Sixth Army go straight to Huanglong, break through the city of Ava, and destroy the capital of Myanmar. King Thalong tried his best to capture him alive, but he did not care about life or death, leaving the Myanmar army leaderless.
Su Pengfei has been preparing since taking over the mission, and the Sixth Army abandoned all heavy weapons.
The artillery only carries mortars, and its main weapons are grenades and rifles.
He led his troops to set out on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, when other armies were celebrating the New Year.
…………………………
Su Pengfei rode on his horse and watched the Sixth Army forming a pair of long columns and marching quickly towards Ava City.
Many soldiers had their feet blistered and ulcerated due to leather boots covering their feet, so they put on cloth shoes and straw sandals.
The soldiers' calves were tied tightly with leggings and they could march at least fifty miles a day.
"Pengfei, what do you think of the prisoners captured by our army?"
Zhu Shi Yuan Qingpeng pointed to the rear of the army, where there were about 10,000 Burmese prisoners.
These are the Burmese soldiers they encountered on the road.
They were easily defeated by the Sixth Army. Many Burmese soldiers fled, but more than half were captured by them.
Su Pengfei frowned and said: "We must rush to Ava City as quickly as possible.
At least it is faster than the Qinwang Army assembled in various places by the Burmese Army.
These prisoners are all a drag.
Disarm them and send them away.
This war has shattered the confidence of these Burmese troops. Facing our army, they probably don’t even have the courage to carry a knife. "
Yuan Qingpeng nodded and said: "After capturing Burma, these prisoners are very good and strong laborers.
It would be a shame to kill them all.
Given the current situation, the only option is to dismiss them. "
After the Sixth Army dismissed the prisoners, the march became faster.
They carried enough supplies without having to take care of logistical supplies, and their marching speed had already broken the record of the Royal Army of China.
…………………………
January 21, 4338 (AD 1641).
The Sixth Army of the Royal Army of China has surrounded the capital of Myanmar, Ava.
After several battles, they captured more than 30,000 Burmese soldiers near Ava City and the Burmese soldiers who rushed out of Ava City.
Su Pengfei looked at Chief of Staff Zhu Qiansheng and asked: "Chief of Staff, our army does not carry heavy weapons. Even if Ava City is a city with not very high walls, we have no way to break through it in a short time.
If we continue to delay, we will wait until all forces in Myanmar reach cooperation and jointly send troops to serve the king.
In order to reduce casualties, we can only cooperate with the main force and occupy Myanmar through the tactics of gradual encroachment. "
Zhu Qiansheng knew what Su Pengfei meant. According to his itinerary, Min Guogong Zhang Yuliang had not yet reached Nanyang.
They can understand the movements of other armies through wired telegrams. Wei Guogong Su Hu has not yet launched a war.
As long as they can capture Ava City in a short time, they will definitely be the first army to achieve their goal.
With this achievement, the Sixth Army will be able to feel proud in the entire army from now on.
Zhu Qiansheng looked at Ava City, which was about the same size as the domestic capital.
Myanmar has a good relationship with the Portuguese, and there are more red cannons on the city of Ava.
The Sixth Army did not carry heavy weapons, so it would be difficult to break through Ava City in a short time without suffering too many casualties.
Zhu Qiansheng looked at the Burmese prisoners, his eyes lit up, and he said: "The groundwater here in Myanmar is too shallow. If you dig a little with a shovel, water will come out of the ground.
It is simply impossible to use an authentic attack method.
But we can use these Burmese military prisoners.
Let them fill in the moat of Ava City and consume the cannonballs on the city.
Our engineers used explosives to blow open the gate of Ava.
As long as the city gate can be blown open, the casualties during the charge will not be too great. "
When Su Pengfei heard this idea, he added: "We carry several hot-air balloons, and we can use the hot-air balloons to drop cluster grenades to interfere with the artillery on the walls of Ava."
After they discussed their tactics, they immediately took action.
In the preparation stage for the siege, the soldiers served as a supervisory team and allowed Burmese prisoners to fill in the moat.
At the same time, hot air balloons were sent to interfere with the artillery on the city.
The Tatmadaw took prisoners and completed their mission at heavy casualties.
The moat was filled in, and Su Pengfei commanded the prisoners to attack the city in traditional ways, in order to attract the attention of the defenders.
The engineers carried explosive bags, mixed in with the Burmese prisoners, and began to approach the city gate.
The city gate was blocked, and it was also the weakest point in the wall.
All four walls were attacked simultaneously, with the east facing the smoothest progress.
The engineers buried explosives under the city gate and detonated the explosives after retreating.
The huge explosion directly blew open the closed gate of Ava City.
The Sixth Army immediately launched a charge and entered the city of Ava.
Facing the wolf-like Sixth Army, the Burmese army was able to resist with the city wall before, but after the city was broken, it was completely unable to resist.
The Sixth Army quickly cleared away the resisting enemies in the city, captured the palace and captured King Thalong.
The capital of Myanmar was captured and the king of Myanmar was captured alive.
The resistance in various areas of Myanmar weakened sharply. Qihou Sushan commanded the army and soon controlled the entire territory of Myanmar.
He left two divisions behind to defend Burma.
Su Shan sent the Sixth Army eastward into Siam. Send the Second Army to expand its power westward.
Sushan learned from the merchants that the west of Myanmar was the Indian peninsula that Emperor Suhe had longed for.
The princely states on the Indian peninsula next to Myanmar are not very strong, so he wants to go explore the way.
With the success of the second army, Qihou Sushan could gain a considerable amount of merit and catch up with other princes.
Even if he fails, as long as the Second Army does not suffer too many casualties, it will not affect his meritorious service.
(End of chapter)
