Next, He Xiwen introduced the three officers behind Xu Dayong.

"This one is Chief of Staff Huang Zhongtong, and this one is Liang Wenying, who commanded the vassal army. When they were in the Pearl River's anti-Tartar court, they both followed me."

"Looking for a long time!" Xu Dayong saluted and laughed: "I heard from King Zhao talk about you two before. He said that when it comes to opposing the Qing Dynasty, you are all seniors."

"I dare not take it, I dare not take it." When Liang Wenying heard the other party say that Zhao Xin praised him, he laughed and seemed very proud. Huang Zhongtong just smiled and shook hands with Xu Dayong.

He Xiwen signaled to Xu Dayong to a thirty-year-old officer beside Liang Wenying and said, "This is Wei Chao, deputy battalion commander and acting battalion commander of Huian Camp, and his name is Shengzhi."

"Hui'an Camp" is just a popular name. The official number is the 1st Battalion of the 201st Regiment of the Infantry of the South China Front Army of the North China Army, which belongs to the South China Army of the North China Army. The battalion has six infantry companies, one artillery company, plus the battalion headquarters and relevant logistics personnel, with a total force of more than 900 people. Nearly 60% of the troops in this battalion came from the Mingxiang people in Hoi'an, and the other 40% came from the security team in Bacheng.

Deputy battalion commander Wei Chao was 32 years old this year. He was a Mingxiang native from Jiading. He studied martial arts since he was a child, thinking of participating in the imperial examinations of Guangnan. Unexpectedly, when the Xishan Dynasty destroyed Guangnan, a "Jiading Massacre" against the Chinese occurred. Wei Chao's family was killed by more than 20 people. Jiading was destroyed, and he escaped by chance and took his surviving family to Hoi'an. Since then, he has made a living by teaching people to learn martial arts.

When Wang Yuanfang recruited soldiers in Hoi'an, Wei Chao also signed up. Because he was both civil and military, he soon stood out among the Mingxiang people and became a backbone. He participated in previous battles of the Northern Navy in various parts of the Southeast Asian region, and participated in two officer training classes hosted by Zhao Xin in Bacheng. Last year, he was promoted to deputy battalion commander.

After Xu Dayong saluted, he showed a concerned expression and said, "You are Captain Wei! I have heard that there is a scholar in Nanyang who is very good at fighting. When I see you today, it is indeed well-known! How is Captain Liu's situation?"

Wei Chao smiled bitterly and said, "It's much better, but I still can't go downstairs. I really didn't expect that this would happen."

The Battalion Commander Liu, who was mentioned by Xu Dayong, was the chief officer of the Huian Camp. He used to be a company commander of the Land Battle Battalion. A few days ago, when he was fighting Lianzhou, the troops were camping in the wild. Who would have thought that a silver ring snake more than one meter long had actually crawled into Captain Liu's tent and climbed onto the marching bed. At night, Battalion Commander Liu got up at night, and maybe his movements were too great that disturbed the snake, and he was bitten on his feet. When the orderly soldiers in a tent were awakened, the two worked together to kill the poisonous snake, and Captain Liu's entire leg had lost consciousness.

You should know that there are many poisonous snakes in Guangdong and Guangxi, and the most venomous one is the silver ring snake. The toxins have a paralysis effect. The injured will develop from local paralysis to general paralysis. Even if you open your mouth and speak, you will eventually be suffocated to death by your saliva.

Fortunately, the army issued snake medicine, and when the military doctor arrived, it took both internal and external application, which saved its life. However, it was still impossible to walk on the ground, otherwise it would not be Wei Chao who came today.

Several people greeted each other in the reception room for a while, and then came to the flower hall in the backyard. At this time, wine and food were already arranged on the Eight Immortals table in the hall.

He Xiwen said: "Your brother is a distinguished guest from afar. I specially asked the chef of the former General's Mansion to make some local dishes. I don't know if it suits the taste. If there is any inappropriateness, please forgive me!"

Xu Dayong smiled and said, "There are meat, chickens and fish, so rich! I'll go to Whale Town one day, and I'll ask you to taste the game and salmon outside the pass!"

Although Hepu is located in a remote area of ​​Guangnan, it is also a thousand-year-old county, so there are still some special dishes. For example, the melon peel vinegar cooked with dried melon peel, pork belly and borneol sugar tastes sour and sweet. There are also steamed fish glutinous rice made of marinated sour plums, white-cut chicken, buckled pork, and a few seafood, river and seasonal vegetables, which are dazzling, and just looking at it makes people enjoy the appetite.

After three rounds of drinking, He Xiwen talked about the General Mansion to Xu Dayong. In fact, the General Mansion was just a common name in the local area, which was set up in the early Kangxi period. It was abolished in the 23rd year of Kangxi. The highest commander of the local green camp was just a guerrilla officer, with 828 soldiers under his command.

"Brother Xu, the Guo family sent troops to attack Lianzhou many times, and fought with the Qing army eight times on Longmen Island alone. Do you know why?"

"But for the sake of sea trade?" Xu Dayong gave the answer without thinking.

"I hit the nail on the head!" He Xiwen raised his thumb, raised his glass to signal, and waited for everyone to drink the wine in the cup, then said: "I only learned after I captured Lianzhou. The local area has been a major maritime trade center since the Han Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, there was a trade with Annan here. It was the Tartar court that banned the sea, which made people's livelihood declining."

It is said that as early as July of the fourth year of Shunzhi, just four months after the Qing army captured Lianzhou, the Qing court issued an order requiring that private ships near the coast of Guangdong were strictly prohibited and that all private ships were not allowed to go to sea. Hepu was born in Guangdong at the time, so it was naturally also included.

In the seventh year of Shunzhi, in order to open up contact with the Li Dingguo tribe of the Southern Ming Dynasty, Zheng Chenggong sent his generals to lead more than 100 warships to capture Longmen Island, intending to restore the two states of Lianqin. Later, the Qing army and Zheng tribe fought repeatedly in Lianzhou Bay, fighting for more than ten years of tug-of-war.

In the 18th year of Shunzhi, the Qing court issued a new "sea ban" order. The purpose was to prevent Zheng Chenggong's troops from contacting the shore and obtain material assistance. Since then, coastal residents of Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces have moved 30 miles to the inland, banned fishing boats and merchant ships to sea, and all the houses and villages outside the border were burned.

This was the notorious "Sea Transfer Order" in the Qing Dynasty, which was not abolished until the 23rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi.

I won’t talk about the disastrous impact of the “Sea Relocation Order” on the people of the coastal areas of the four provinces. For Hepu alone, the originally prosperous sea trade has suffered a heavy blow, and the once glorious "Maritime Silk Road Starting Port" will no longer flourish.

This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content later! In the 24th year of the Kangxi reign, the Qing court established Guangdong Customs, and Lianzhoukou Customs was also established here. Although one-way trading was implemented in the Qianlong era, in fact, there were 43 ports under Guangdong Customs, and Lianzhou Customs was one of them. Since the commodities traded here included rice from Annan and Siam, it became a grain turnover reserve for Guangdong and Guangxi.

Four years ago, Deng Fei and his friends attacked Jiangping Town, wiped out the pirates in the West Mountain supported by Ruan Guangping, and bombarded and even robbed the Hue Palace. Ruan Guangping, who was so angry that he sent an envoy to ask the Qing court for help.

The Qing Dynasty was full of conspiracy by Beihai Town and had no time to pay attention to Ruan Guangping. However, given that the North Navy's activities in the South Ocean became more frequent and the water camps in Guangdong were unable to resist at all, in the 55th year of Qianlong, Sun Shiyi, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, requested the court to formulate a "sea ban" again: all the sea trades with Annan and Siam were turned to the Hai'an General Port of Leizhou Peninsula, and at the same time, all the unregnant poor living on the islands such as the Qingzhou and Xingyang under the jurisdiction of Lianzhou Prefecture were returned to their hometowns, and all the houses were burned.

As a result, the local shops engaged in maritime trade have closed down and moved elsewhere, making the local people in Lianzhou even more declining.

Xu Dayong said: "When I came, I saw that shops on the street were open to do business, and people were coming and going, and it was quite prosperous!"

Huang Zhongtong interrupted: "After the battle of Hepu, Commander He first sent someone to send an announcement on the peace of the people inside and outside the city, and asked the county magistrates to serve as guides, leading our people to explain to those merchants, and exempting all vendors and shops from duty for one year. Don't look at the prosperity of business now, the market was depressed ten days ago."

Xu Dayong didn't expect that He Xiwen had such a move, so he couldn't help looking at him with admiration. What he didn't know was that He Xiwen took hundreds of ships and more than a thousand subordinates to occupy Kunlun Island and scattered across the sea. He not only robbed the passing merchant ships, but also secretly did business with Siam.

A few people then turned the topic to the rebellion in the capital and the death of Qianlong. Although the Political Department of the North Navy had specially informed the heads of various troops on this matter, the content that the telegram could carry was limited after all.

Originally, the troops on the southern front attacked Guangxi to attack Yunnan and help Heshen brothers control Yunnan. So Xu Dayong told the story of Heshen’s defection from beginning to end. He Xiwen and the other two took a breath from time to time.

Liang Wenying shook her head and sighed: "It's so cruel! The dog emperor was also blind and actually trusted him so much."

He Xiwen said disdainfully: "There is not a good thing for this Qing court official!"

The next morning, He Xiwen, who was having breakfast, received a telegram from the North Navy General Staff.

According to news from Guangzhou, Zhu Gui, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi of the Qing Dynasty, and Fuchang, the general of Guangzhou, had arrived in Zhaoqing with 5,000 troops and horses, and planned to rush to Wuzhou after the Mid-Autumn Festival. In addition, Guangxi Admiral Peng Chengyao led the raising of the standard troops and horses to Xunzhou Prefecture, Liuzhou Prefecture, and Guilin Prefecture's Qing army is being dispatched south to assist Wuzhou and Xunzhou respectively.

After reading the telegram, He Xiwen asked someone to inform Huang Zhongtong, Xu Dayong and others, intending to hold a meeting to discuss the combat plan.

The biggest problem with the troops in the South Line is that there are not enough ships. The Nanliu River and Beiliu River are not connected. After the troops departing from Lianzhou arrived in the northern part of Yulin City by boat, they had to travel more than 40 miles to Beiliu by land and board the ship from Shajie Wharf. However, when the troops attacked Yulin, the magistrate of Beiliu County, which was close to the nearby Beiliu County, heard the news and sent troops to confiscate all the ships that had not had time to leave at the docks such as Wangfushan, Toutang, Shajie, etc., and sprinkled tung oil and burned them. When the people who were in the camp arrived at Beiliu, the wreckage of burned ships could be seen everywhere on the river.

Although the troops later collected ships everywhere, they might have found small fishing boats with only four or five people, and there was no cargo ship with hundreds of materials. If a small group of troops penetrated at close range, it would be fine. There was no chance to transport troops on a large scale for a long distance. There was more than 500 miles of water from north to Teng County! He Xiwen had no choice but to let the people from the Huian camp recruit craftsmen locally and make every effort to build bamboo rafts. The problem of the boat was taken to Teng County.

Now more than twenty days have passed, and nearly a hundred large bamboo rafts have been prepared. He Xiwen’s only concern is whether the Qing army in Wuzhou and Teng County will set up ambush and intercept the narrow river channel after the army is dispatched. The bamboo rafts are not covered or blocked. Once the Qing army hides in the hidden place on the shore, it will definitely be enough for the soldiers to drink a pot.

When He Xiwen listened to the report from Huang Zhongtong and others, he had already made a decision in his heart, and his originally frown gradually let go.

"I decided to go out on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It was still the same rule. Wei Chao took the men from the Huian camp first. If the Qing army along the way did not stop it, they would ignore it. Leave it for Liang Wenying to solve it later. The primary goal is to take Teng County."

Huang Zhongtong nodded and said, "Take Teng County and control the Xunjiang River waterway. The Qing army in Wuzhou will not dare to act rashly, so we will not be attacked by both ends."

At this time, a young adviser said with concern: "The army was dispatched, and it was quite a bit of noise on board the ship. We were building bamboo rafts in Beiliu these days, and the spies of the Qing army must have seen it. The defenders of Rong County are not worth worrying, but if Wuzhou knows, will they reinforce Teng County?"

Huang Zhongtong said indifferently: "Since that's the case, let's sing a big show for them."

He Xiwen knew that Huang Zhong had the most ideas, so he asked, "What are you going to do?"

"We might as well..."

As Huang Zhongtong expressed his ideas, a intensive drama began to be staged in Yulinzhou.

First of all, on the morning of the 10th day of the eighth lunar month, the dim sum shops in Yulin City and outside the city received a large-scale mooncake order from the North Haijun as soon as they opened the door. The total number was as high as tens of thousands. Moreover, the people from the North Haijun who came to order paid a deposit of 50% in advance, which made the dim sum shops both happy and worried. What was happy was that it was the first time that they had received such a large order in these years. What was worried about is that if they could not deliver the goods on time?

In the morning, there were crowds of people inside and outside the grain shops, dried fruit shops, and butchers. Those who came to buy were the owners and friends of various snack shops. They were like crazy, sweeping away flour, nuts, pork, sugar and other items.

At noon, hundreds of surrendered green camp prisoners, led by soldiers of the North Navy, drove several ox carts full of wood, and walked through the streets and alleys to the small schoolyard located on the east side of Chenghuang Temple. At dusk, a huge wooden platform frame appeared in the center of the schoolyard. While building the platform, the prisoners also demolished the wooden fences on the west and south sides.

"I dare to ask Jun Ye, what are you going to do?"

Because the Northern Navy did not disturb the people these days, nor did it ever forcefully buy blackmail, the people inside and outside the city also let go of their hang and were no longer afraid of the Northern Navy. So passers-by came forward curiously to ask.

"This? This is the stage." The soldiers of the Northern Navy who answered them explained with a smile. "The Qing Dynasty's accompanying capital Shengjing was defeated. Our superiors said that the military and civilians would have to have fun together this Mid-Autumn Festival. From August 14th to Mid-Autumn Festival, they would have to sing a big show for two days in a row. In addition, all the people who come to listen to the play will each give a piece of mooncake and ten dollars."

"Ah! I'll give money to mooncakes in the air?"

"I dare to ask Jun Ye, what kind of play is going to be performed?"

"Nan Opera. A team invited from Lianzhou." Guangxi had not yet been born in this year. The popular "Nan Opera" is mainly popular among the people. It originated from Kunqu Opera. People in the opera troupe are also called "Red Boat Children".

The people who learned the news were all stunned, and then they were overjoyed. That night, everyone in the whole state and city learned about it, and people from all walks of life were talking about it.

"No wonder Huang Ji was so busy today. It turned out that Beihai Bing wanted to buy mooncakes."

"Do you think the Beihai soldiers are so rich? Will there be fraud? Those who watch the show will give mooncakes, so how much do they have to give!"

"What are the benefits of lying to you? You are not happy to have money to eat mooncakes for free?"

"Stop talking about Huang Ji, Zhang Ji and Li Ji have received orders from Beihai Bing. The dried fruit shop next to my house has sold out everything, and it is empty to run away mice! I want to buy two taels of olive kernels and say no!"

"Hmph! Invite people to buy their hearts, it will cost the people and lose money! I think this Beihai Town is just like this."

"Brother, be careful! Now that the imperial court has lost even Shengjing, the ancestral land, the designation will change this day! We scholars must make plans early."

"I just don't know when the new dynasty will open the imperial examination to win the ranks..."

"I thought that the new emperor ascended the throne and would definitely have a entrusted class next year, but I didn't expect that Beihai Town would actually come to Guangxi. I missed a lot of hard study for ten years... I was so disappointed! If I have money, I don't have to take big watermelons. I not only have to go, but also take my parents, wife and children with me! I want to see if his words in Beihai Town are counted."

"Go together!"

Because I was working overnight, the tall stage was set up the next morning. On August 12, the opera troupe from Lianzhou Prefecture also arrived. Because the Northern Hai Army gave me three times the salary and was in charge of food and accommodation, dozens of people in the opera troupe were like chicken blood. As soon as they settled down, they began to rehearse.

It was soon the morning of August 14th. On that day, there were crowds of people inside and outside Yulin City, and everyone from the villages and villages arrived after hearing the news. Fortunately, the Northern Hair Army set up some points everywhere in the city gate, and every person queuing to enter the city could receive a mooncake card with the five-star mark of the Northern Hair Army. Otherwise, so many people would be in chaos, so many mooncakes and money would not be enough.

After entering the city, all the people rolled towards the Chenghuang Temple. The shops along the way were caught, and the shoppers were flocking to each other. The guys were busy and sweating profusely. The shopkeeper counted the money and cramped his hands, and he smiled like a lunatic.

The place where the mooncakes and money was received was outside the gate of the former garrison office. The North Navy used ropes and wooden stakes to encircle the winding corridor in advance. The officers in charge of maintaining order were all the servants of the state yamen, holding sticks in their hands, and kept shouting that those who did not queue up would not pay for money and mooncakes. The people did not dare to squeeze in after hearing this, so they could only line up honestly. Fortunately, the stage was not far away, and although the people in the queue could not see it, they could hear it, and they were content.

This incident soon reached Rong County, which made the originally nervous military and civilians of Rong County relax. Since the Northern Navy captured Yulin, the Rong County Magistrate summoned the people to defend the city and allowed the Northern Navy to invade at any time. The problem is that after so long, there has been no movement, and no matter how tight the string is, it cannot stand it.
Chapter completed!