Chapter 362 Complete Victory

"Our army needs more advanced firearms."

Jiang Xinghuo looked at the majestic scene of cavalry charging into the formation in the distance from the commanding platform, but suddenly he said something without any end.

Chen Xuan pondered: "In this battle, our army's new firearms unit, although equipped with not many matchlocks and muskets, still performed quite well."

The surrounding generals of the Military Observation Group of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion also showed shocked expressions on their faces.

Is this a record that a unit that has just been equipped with fire guns can achieve?

Simply incredible!

Yes, although this battle has been fought so far, it seems that both sides have complicated offense and defense. It seems that the White Lotus rebels can still fight back and forth with the Ming army. But if we look at the exchange ratio between the two sides, and then look at the strategies of both sides, When the intention is realized, many things become self-evident.

So far, the Ming army, which was only partially equipped with matchlocks and muskets, has lost no more than a hundred people, but it has completed the goal of annihilating thousands of enemies and saving 8,000 strong men. It can be said that it has successfully completed its strategic intentions.

Where are the White Lotus rebels? Not only did they lose 8,000 men as hostages, but all the preparations made before the war to fight against the Ming Army's firearms troops did not shake the Ming Army's formation at all. The trump cards were all out, but the initiative was quietly lost. It can be said that it was an offensive and defensive trend. Yi Ye.

Although the White Lotus Sect's combat effectiveness is not strong, their belief is very fanatical. No general in the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion, leading any unit, would dare to say that he can do better than the current Fire Gun Troops! And the most important thing is that this has just been established!

"Is this the power of firearms?"

"Maybe we all underestimate firearms!"

"After this battle, some of His Majesty's ideas have been verified."

The generals of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion looked at the scene in front of them solemnly and put away the contempt in their hearts.

What Chen Xuan understood was that the Imperial Guard believed that the number of new firearms 'match rope guns' equipped by the Ming army was not large enough, and the proportion was not high enough. Sixty-seven out of ten of the tax guards' firearmsmen still used relatively small firearms. The original Hongwu Fire Gun, so it needs to be completely changed.

But Jiang Xinghuo is not just satisfied with the current ‘match-rope gun’.

This is the difference in cognition between the two sides. The matchlock gun may still be a very new and advanced thing for Chen Xuan and other Ming army generals. Its performance in this actual battle can be said to be quite capable of firing more than a thousand fires. If the gunmen form a formation, they can resist tens of thousands of rebels and prevent them from advancing even an inch, or even push them back.

Of course, this change of firearms troops forming separate armies and arraying in separate field battles was enough to attract the attention of all the top generals of the Ming Army.

In fact, this is also one of Jiang Xinghuo's purposes.

The White Lotus rebels are not an opponent in his eyes, but precisely because the opponent is not strong, they are used as the first actual combat target of the new firearms unit, which will highlight the power of the new firearms and new tactics, thus causing the Ming Army to changes in world attitudes.

Why are the Great Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Gatling Bodhisattva and Maxim Buddha, who saves all sentient beings, remembered by the world? Part of the reason must be attributed to the advertising effect of the ultra-high exchange ratio against low-level opponents when new weapons first came out.

And this battle was equivalent to the best advertisement for new firearms. In the end, it became our new firearms unit of the Ming Army. A few hundred matchlocks slaughtered tens of thousands of White Lotus rebels.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army and other Ming army generals saw that the new firearms were so easy to use, and they said they looked down on them, but secretly they didn't think about getting some for themselves to try?

In this way, everyone has seen the advanced performance of the new firearms, and military reforms can naturally be carried out throughout the entire Ming army. This is far better than how many articles Jiang Xinghuo wrote to promote it.

Many things don't have to be made by Emperor Yongle's top-down orders. Jiang Xinghuo made his brand of "new firearms" loud and clear through the battle against the rebellion. He can still do it, so the key to blacksmithing is himself. Got to be hard.

With this change, it will be a matter of course for the subsequent reorganization of the three major battalions of the Beijing Camp to form a "Shenji Battalion" with stronger forces, more cutting-edge equipment, and more advanced tactics than in history.

Of course, although the matchlock gun performed well in actual combat, it also exposed some shortcomings.

For example, the initial speed of the lead ejection from the chamber is not enough, and it is difficult to penetrate the double-layer door panel wrapped in a wet quilt; the matchlock gun has a problem with the ignition success rate, and is greatly affected by the weather; the matchlock gun requires an open flame to ignite, which leads to The three-row volley fire tactic mentioned before is not feasible, and the old six-row to three-row 'three-stage strike' tactic of taking turns to fire is still necessary.

If flintlock muskets and paper-cased fixed-loading ammunition are installed on a large scale, the Ming army can fire in three rows and fire continuously. If the enemy wants to rely on this kind of crude method and human sea tactics to get close, they are destined to fail. It's possible.

In fact, it is precisely because of the further improvement of the performance of flintlock muskets that the army can use the tactics of the Napoleonic era and the American Revolutionary War, which can be arranged side by side in a dense formation to kill. In fact, this tactic Although it looks stupid, it increases the attack power of the Fire Gun troops within a unit area to the limit.

The other one is the oval paper shell ammunition that became popular almost at the same time as the flintlock musket in Jiang Xinghuo's previous life. This artifact not only greatly increased the rate of fire of the smoothbore musket, but when the bullet was fired, the paper shell filled the bullet. The gap between the gun tube and the gun tube effectively reduces the hit spread of the smoothbore gun.

Therefore, these two military technology points have become Jiang Xinghuo's next goal.

"It is necessary for the War Bureau of the Imperial Court and the Ordnance Bureau of the Ministry of Industry to be merged into a unified scientific research unit to avoid the waste of limited resources. Although maintaining the status quo can allow the two companies to fully compete, what Ming Dynasty needs now is not internal competition, but internal competition. Integrate resources for rapid development.”

Jiang Xinghuo's thoughts drifted to the future. After this battle, the richest Jiangnan area will be completely pacified, providing a stable social environment for the emergence of the enlightened bourgeoisie in the future; A major blood change was carried out in the name of "Remnants" to provide a reliable temple environment for the in-depth implementation of reforms and reforms; these people who were coerced by the White Lotus Sect will enter factories and build water conservancy, roads and other infrastructure facilities on a large scale.

Everything started from this small-scale and not-high-difficulty counter-insurgency war. From this perspective, this battle can be said to be of great significance.

"The second prince rushed in!"

Zhang Anshi's exclamation beside him interrupted Jiang Xinghuo's thoughts. He raised his head and looked at the battlefield in the distance where the two armies were still fighting to the death.

——————

"Boom, boom, boom--"

From leading the horse on foot, to mounting the horse and pacing in small steps, to cantering, to accelerating, and then to impact at full speed.

Every sound of the Ming army's tall horses fell on the ears of the rebels, as if it was shaking their own souls!

The dull sound of horseshoes accompanied by the deafening shouts of killing made the White Lotus rebels feel as if they were being hit by a mountain. The terrifying and strong charging momentum of the Ming army's heavy armored cavalry troops instantly overwhelmed the White Lotus rebels. Morale was suppressed, and the counterattack momentum that had just been gathered melted away like ice and snow encountering the blazing sun.

However, contrary to the White Lotus rebels, the soldiers on the right wing of the Ming army suddenly became excited when they saw the familiar faces, listened to the loud horn horns and the crisp sound of armor friction.

"Brothers, His Highness the Second Prince has come with armored cavalry to support us! Kill all these traitors!"

One of the hundreds of households couldn't help but roar, and the other soldiers around him were also excited.

"kill--!"

"kill--!"

In an instant, the entire battlefield resounded with shouts of killing that shook the sky. The soldiers on the right wing of the Ming army unleashed an astonishing force, and once again suppressed the rebels with their blunderbuss phalanx!

The heavy armored cavalry troops of the Ming Army, led by Zhu Gaoxu, were like meteors streaking across the horizon, attacking the cavalry of the White Lotus rebels with overwhelming force.

This heavily armored mobile force composed of the most elite cavalry of the Ming Army is far superior to ordinary cavalry in terms of riding combat skills and formation coordination. It can run very fast and generate huge kinetic energy during action. They roar like wild beasts. Charge forward!

They had many names in the past: Tieyaozi and Tiefutu. They were the "tanks" of this era, and they were also the ultimate trump card of the Yan army under the tactical concept of "cavalry is king" during the Jingnan Campaign.

In this era when firearms are in the ascendant, armored cavalry, the king of land, have not been eliminated by the tide of the times. They still dominate the battlefield.

In addition to their powerful impact capabilities, their biggest advantage is that they are extremely protective. The armor of the knights and horses is covered with steel plates and leather, which gives them unparalleled defensive attributes.

In addition, although the knights of the heavy armored cavalry all wear heavy and thick armor and pockets, it does not matter. This does not affect their mobility very much, because their armors have specially processed joints, and their lower limbs also have skirt armor. Despite the protection, they can still turn relatively flexibly on horseback and brandish swords and guns.

They charged towards the enemy like a torrent of steel, with horse hooves flying and dust filling the air, leaving only a red figure on the battlefield.

This group of armored cavalry were all holding horses and swords, and the weapons shone with a dazzling cold light under the sunlight!

Accompanied by thrilling shouts, hundreds of cavalry rushed forward like wolves and tigers, so fast that only afterimages could be seen. All they could see was the silhouette of the enemy in front of them through the narrow eye holes in their visors. , all they could hear was the whistling wind in their ears.

The earth retreated rapidly in Zhu Gaoxu's field of vision. Zhu Gaoxu clenched the horse in his hand and stared at the Japanese samurai leader of the White Lotus rebel cavalry.

Ogasawara also managed to adjust his formation, raised the spear in his hand, and prepared for the upcoming battle. However, he was extremely helpless because he had already passed through the formation on the right wing of the Ming army, and the kinetic energy accumulated at the beginning Already exhausted, even if they are light cavalry, they have no speed, and the vehicles are not of the same level at all. If they run away at this time, they will definitely be caught up by the Ming army's heavy cavalry and hacked to death from behind. Therefore, they have no choice but to use the Youyi to harass them. Just face it head-on.

However, this approach is very disadvantageous. After all, their speed cannot match the Ming army, and the Ming army's heavy cavalry is coming towards them. It does not mean that they can swim away if they want. Once the two sides are close, even if they want to avoid it, they can't. Difficult.

Ogasawara gritted his teeth and thought, hoping that the Ming army's cavalry was not as strong as he thought. In that case, even if they had to hedge, they could still fight their way out of the encirclement.

Just as he was thinking to himself, the Ming army on the opposite side was getting closer and closer. He could even see clearly the armor of the Ming army cavalry and the big red ribbon hanging around the horse's neck.

"kill!"

When Zhu Gaoxu completely locked onto Ogasawara, he immediately shouted loudly and galloped towards the opponent.

Ogasawara also saw Zhu Gaoxu. Although the armor of the Ming army's heavy cavalry was the same, Zhu Gaoxu's figure and the bloody horse under his crotch were still very conspicuous. Seeing that he was being targeted by the Ming army general, he suddenly screamed in his heart Oops, he immediately commanded his cavalry to spread out to both sides, preparing to avoid a frontal collision with the Ming cavalry as much as possible.

But again, in the face of the huge difference in vehicles, the Ming army's heavy cavalry picked up speed and rushed faster than their "cavalry" composed of dwarf horses and mules. There was no way to escape. We can only bite the bullet and face it.

"Onboard——"

Ogasawara shouted and rushed towards Zhu Gaoxu.

But what made him despair was that he could only see the neck of Zhu Gaoxu's horse.

The hooves of the bloody horse hit the ground hard, splashing mud and smoke. Zhu Gaoxu's face was full of indifference and determination, and his eyes were staring straight at the opponent dozens of steps ahead.

The horse under Zhu Gaoxu's crotch suddenly accelerated, and with his right arm he picked up the long spear in his hand and stabbed the enemy cavalry leader in the chest.

Ogasawara tried to parry, but at the moment when the weapons were handed over, Ogasawara was hit by Zhu Gaoxu's terrifying power and flew backwards from his horse in an exaggerated manner!

"Pfft——!"

Then, Zhu Gaoxu's long spear pierced his waist and abdomen in mid-air, and he threw it casually like trash, knocking down two enemy riders.

Ogasawara couldn't even utter a scream, so he fell off the horse. Blood spattered all over the ground, dyeing the lawn and soil red. The body fell to the ground and twitched a few times, and gradually lost consciousness.

Zhu Gaoxu snorted disdainfully: "You are a local chicken and a dog."

Afterwards, he continued to lead the heavy cavalry of the Ming army of four hundred households to continue the charge.

The heavy armored cavalry of the Ming Army not only had unparalleled defensive capabilities, but also had astonishing lethality. They were like tigers rushing into a flock of sheep, sweeping all the way and mercilessly harvesting the lives of the rebel cavalry!

These rebel cavalry were unable to withstand this crushing charge. Many cavalrymen fell under the horses' hooves before they even had time to draw their swords!

The heavy armored cavalry of the Ming Army looked across the battlefield, leaving a bloody line wherever they passed, while the rebel cavalry fell down in rows.

"Oh--!"

"boom--!"

“Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang.!”

The rebel cavalry screamed and fell down one after another. The horses behind them rolled with their hooves and trampled on the enemy corpses. Often a bloody hole would be made with one step, and the chest cavity would be sunken in together.

In the blink of an eye, the small cavalry of the White Lotus Sect rebels was killed by the heavy armored cavalry of the Ming Army. Only a few were lucky enough to escape back to the White Lotus Sect's formation in embarrassment.

The difference between the heavy armored cavalry of the Ming Army and the "Iron Kites" of Xixia and the "Iron Buddha" of the Jin Dynasty is that changes in military concepts since the Song and Yuan Dynasties, especially the military innovations of the Mongols, have made the boundaries between heavy cavalry and light cavalry no longer so obvious. , the current heavy armor cavalry of the Ming Army, whether they are men or horses, use cotton armor and leather armor instead of steel armor in some places. Therefore, when there is still strength left and there is no need to turn around, the heavy armor of the Ming Army The cavalry can also make a second charge with a slightly slower momentum. Although this second charge is likely to cause them to fall into the sea of ​​enemy infantry and be unable to extricate themselves like being trapped in a quagmire, Zhu Gaoxu still chose to do so.

After Zhu Gaoxu led his troops to defeat the enemy cavalry, he did not stop at all. He tightened the reins and controlled the horse under his crotch to slowly turn a small turn. Then he shook the reins and accelerated forward again!

The Ming army cavalry behind him galloped behind him, like a black torrent, bound to completely crush the White Lotus Sect rebels!

They have tacit cooperation and skillful techniques and tactics. They just follow the general's instructions and charge into battle, tearing, cutting and trampling the enemy into pieces!

When the horses' hooves trample the ground with a muffled sound of "bang" and "bang", each Ming army's heavy cavalry will swing their spears and swords and hit the wall of the White Lotus rebels fiercely. When they attack fiercely, the White Lotus sect The rebels had no choice but to resist with all their strength.

"Bang - bang -"

The heavy cavalry of the Ming army came over like thunder, and the horse spears pierced the chests of the White Lotus rebel soldiers!

"Puff puff!"

The heavy cavalry of the Ming army brandished their horses, spears and swords, sweeping around like evil ghosts crawling out of purgatory, cutting the enemy's head into two pieces!

Not only are they ferocious and violent, they are also very good at using long pole weapons. They don't need any auxiliary troops, and they don't have to worry about being beaten by the enemy. They just rush into the crowd, fight bravely, and look down on everyone!

The swords and spears of the Ming army's heavy cavalry slashed at the White Lotus priests who were extremely lacking in armor. The enemy was unable to resist and would die if they were hit. For a moment, blood spattered everywhere and screams continued!

In the entire charge array of the Ming army's heavy cavalry, in addition to the sound of horse hooves, there was the sound of metal collision, blood spurting, severed limbs flying, and the smell of blood filled the air...

The Ming army mounted heavy horses and charged deeper and deeper, but they remained fearless. After losing their main weapons, they wielded knives, swords, and bones to continue killing. In the chaotic battlefield, no one could stop them!

For the infantry of the White Lotus Sect rebels, this is simply a nightmare, with nowhere to dodge!

When they attacked fiercely, it was like a moving steel city or a group of evil ghosts crawling back from hell. Many of the rebels were scared to death.

Although they knew that the Ming army was very powerful and difficult to deal with, and had been "psychologically prepared" for a long time, they did not expect that the opponent's heavy armored cavalry would be so powerful.

As they attacked fiercely, the White Lotus rebels' crossbows and arrows rained down on them.

However, the heavy armored cavalry of the Ming Army were almost unscathed. They were wearing heavy armor, and their bows and arrows were not enough to pose a threat to them. Even if they were shot like hedgehogs on the surface, they were still unscathed on the inside. They even bent their knees on horseback. and waist and hips, continuing to harvest the lives of the White Lotus rebels like a butcher.

These brave iron lumps are not afraid of pain at all. Even if they fall off their horses after being injured, they are still not afraid of death. Even if a few knights fall to the ground and are tired from their armor and cannot get up, as long as the enemy cannot attack their eye sockets , armpit, you can still draw out the waist knife and howl and attack fiercely!

Such fighting will shocked these White Lotus rebels!

With the assistance of the heavy cavalry, the Ming army's attack rhythm accelerated instantly, and the blunderbuss sword line on the right wing rolled away like a torrent.

As the last reserve force of the Ming army, the phalanx composed of eight hundred gunmen continued to maintain a strict formation, marching forward in small steps following the advance trajectory of Zhu Gaoxu's heavy cavalry.

At the same time, behind them, a group of hot bronze field artillery pieces hit by gun barrels were also being pulled by mules and horses to move with them.

Although the heavy cavalry of the Ming army is unstoppable, after all, it only has the strength of four hundred households. Once it is trapped in the enemy's formation of tens of thousands of people for too long, it will still be gradually surrounded and annihilated.

Under the command of the general, eight hundred gunmen and field artillery groups will join the right-wing friendly forces to form a right-wing iron fist powerful enough to serve as the winner and completely smash the formation of the White Lotus rebels!

In their eyes, only the White Lotus Sect's thin-skinned and big-hearted central army is the key to the outcome of this war.

——————

"Stop them! Don't let them rush over!"

After seeing the situation clearly, an elder of the White Lotus Sect immediately shouted an order.

The White Lotus Sect did not have hot air balloons, and they did not have time to build facilities such as earthen platforms or wooden platforms to observe and command the battle. On the chaotic battlefield, they could only observe and command from far behind, using the height of their war horses. Even if they were commanding, they would not be seen. It has to be really implemented.

This is the shortcoming of the Caotai team. If there is a serious war between the two countries, without the above-mentioned things, there are also mobile high platforms used for field command.

But at present, the decision-making level of the White Lotus Sect is undoubtedly limited in the timely access to battlefield information and perception of the battlefield situation.

They couldn't see the right wing of the Ming army behind them, which was about to be strengthened. What was happening in front of them was enough to make them anxious.

Although the White Lotus Sect had a short-term advantage on the right wing of the Ming army, the situation has now reversed. This is no problem. They can still manage to maintain a stalemate, but if the Ming army's heavy cavalry is allowed to kill their center, the situation will definitely be dire. It's going to be completely irreversible.

"what to do?"

Seeing the Ming army's right wing starting a major counterattack, Tian Tianyu's anxious heart could not help but sink.

The old man was in a terrible mood at this time, and he could be stabbed at any time. Naturally, there would be no defeatist counselors jumping out and waiting to be stabbed. They would just pick up the good words Tian Tianyu liked to hear.

"Master, as long as you stay in charge of the Chinese army and the stalemate continues, I believe that the Ming army will not be able to do anything to our army. Moreover, considering the time, Zhang Long's fleet should also attack the Ming army's water stronghold. The Ming army, if we attack from the front and back, we will win this battle!"

The people next to me also quickly suggested: "It is not difficult to win, but we must first deal with those heavy cavalry of the Ming Army!"

After all, Bai Tianyu was a veteran. After a brief moment of confusion, he quickly regained his composure and quickly issued instructions.

"Okay! Just do as you say!"

Tian Tianyu took a deep breath and said: "Keep an eye on the Ming army's heavy cavalry, and don't let them break through. In addition, mobilize the last three thousand troops to block the gap in the line, so as to prevent the Ming army from controlling us." Attack from a flank and wait until Zhang Long's troops arrive!"

"As commanded."

The subordinate nodded, and just as he was about to leave, he stopped and said, "By the way, leader, do you think we should also transfer the remaining troops in the camp to guard the people?"

"No need, it will take time for reinforcements to arrive now. Even if they support us, they may not be able to arrive in time."

Tian Tianyu shook his head and said: "The only thing we can do now is to hold back these Ming troops and wait for a turn in the direction of the waterway."

"Well, I understand!"

Even so, Bai Tianyu's eyebrows were still furrowed, and he obviously realized that he was probably in danger.

Why hasn't Zhang Long come yet? !

Could it be that he was too timid and ran away?

But even if Zhang Long runs away, the rest of the White Lotus Sect headquarters can't run with him!

There must be something wrong here.

While Bai Tianyu was deep in thought, a White Lotus sect scout hurried over and reported anxiously to Bai Tianyu: "Master, nearly a thousand gunmen have appeared behind the Ming army. Some brothers with sharp eyes saw the use of guns." They seem to be new firearms, and there are dozens of artillery pieces, coming towards us!"

"New firearms? And artillery?" Bai Tianyu's face changed slightly when he heard this.

He originally thought that the reserve force of the Ming Army only had about 400 heavy armored cavalry, but now he realized that he was wrong. Jiang Xinghuo could really endure it!

The forces on the two wings were so thinly divided, and he still had nearly a thousand reserves hidden!

Isn't Jiang Xinghuo afraid that after the two wings are divided due to insufficient troops and breakthrough, the people he left behind will be smashed into his hands?

It would be fine if they were ordinary infantry, but this unit is also equipped with new firearms and artillery. The phalanx of gunmen is already powerful, and coupled with the long-range projection of the artillery, it is even more powerful!

This time it was troublesome. Beads of sweat appeared on Bai Tianyu's forehead. He gritted his teeth and said:

"Hold on! When Zhang Long's reinforcements arrive, the situation will be completely reversed!"

"Hold on firmly, there will definitely be a way!"

So what is Zhang Long, who has high hopes from Bai Tianyu, doing?

——————

"Hurry up! Can you dig faster?!"

Qinglong Gang Zhang Long’s forehead was covered with sweat.

He is not a fool. Although he has made plans to run away, Zhang Long still understands the truth that no eggs will be left intact when the nest is overturned. During the decisive battle, he does not need to be the main offensive task, but only needs to flank the Ming army's water stronghold. He still has this job. Willing to do it.

But now it's not Zhang Long who doesn't want to attack the Ming army's water stronghold, but the entrance to the entire hidden channel is blocked!

Yes, Ding Xiaohong and others made a bold decision after discovering Zhang Long's movements and discussing with the Ming navy generals.

——The first 60 boats stayed in hiding, while the last 60 boats turned around (the boats used were actually not different from the front and rear, they just paddled in different directions), desperately returned to the same route, and then sank in the Taihu Lake with only the water bandits. Know this hidden channel into Wusong River!

Although doing this is risky, in fact the risk is really high. Pretending to be dead does not mean that others will not see it. If Zhang Long sends a ship to search nearby, then they will have failed the mission, and the combat effectiveness of a small ship like theirs is almost It was zero, and they formed a long snake formation in the reed swamp, and they couldn't even run.

But in any case, in the eyes of Ding Xiaohong and others, it is worth a gamble.

After all, judging from the current situation, counting the time, the confrontation between the White Lotus rebels and the Ming army may have reached a fever pitch.

In this case, if Zhang Long led this partial division force to successfully raid the Ming army's water stronghold, then land and attack the main force of the Ming army from behind, it would probably cause unbearable tragic consequences.

No one can afford this consequence.

If he and others failed in their mission, the most they could do was to let some of the White Lotus rebels escape and enter Taihu Lake by boat.

But if Zhang Long's surprise attack with a partial force succeeds, the main force of the rebel Ming army may be destroyed!

This is by no means alarmist. Troops of any era, if attacked from both sides, will most likely fall into an unstoppable state of chaos, and the Ming Army will naturally be no exception.

And as a gamble, there is still a possibility that the first sixty ships will not be discovered and continue to perform their missions.

The last sixty ships returned to block the hidden channel by using themselves and saltpeter ice to form ice. Although they might be overtaken by Zhang Long and others halfway, the probability of success was still high. Even if they were overtaken halfway, they could still act as a delay. The effect, and after the last three ships unloaded the saltpeter, they would rush back to the letter quickly, and the purpose could still be achieved.

Naturally, Ding Xiaohong and others did not know that neither Jiang Xinghuo nor Chen Xuan had ignored the possibility that the White Lotus Sect would launch a surprise attack from the direction of Wusong River. However, they still tried their best to do what was most beneficial to the Ming army after weighing the pros and cons. decision.

Therefore, even if the last sixty ships risked their lives to intercept the White Lotus Sect's fleet and prevent them from rushing into the Wusong River from the hidden channel, it was by no means a stupid move, but rather a display of great courage!

In fact, Zhang Long really admired the courage of the unknown enemy, who actually dared to stop him at this critical moment!

"Gang leader, the channel is already narrow, and it is icy and shipwrecked. We can't clean it at all, and we can't pass it!" his subordinates reported with sad faces.

Zhang Long looked at the frontal battlefield invisible to him in the distance and sighed deeply.

"Old man Bai, it's not that I can't help you, brother, there's really nothing we can do about it."

Naturally, several close followers knew the elegant meaning after hearing the string, and all looked at each other.

"Gang Leader, there is no need for us to work for the White Lotus Sect. The world is vast, so withdraw!"

"withdraw!"

The Qinglong Gang's fleet turned around and returned to Taihu Lake, leaving the White Lotus Headquarters' fleet staring blankly at the channel blocked by sunken ships and ice floes.

——————

Bai Tianyu made the wrong payment after all.

In the end, he didn't wait for Zhang Long's support.

In just two quarters of an hour, the Ming army assembled a large phalanx of nearly 3,000 people on the right wing. Amid the fierce sound of artillery fire and the sound of the suona, they marched in neat steps and started the era of hot weapons. Unique killing aesthetics.

Different from the heroic cavalry charge with cold weapons, these large phalanxes of firecrackers, composed of small phalanxes, are more like undulating fluid artworks, marching in an extremely gentle but steady manner. But whenever enemy troops appear in front, they will immediately stop and shoot under the order of the officer.

At this moment, the Ming army's offensive was extremely fierce!

Almost all the gunmen in the front row raised their arms and fired hard forward. Densely packed lead bullets roared out from the black muzzle of the matchlock gun, forming a sea of ​​flames.

Accompanied by the "sizzling" sound of lead bullets spurting out from the barrel, the lead bullets pierced the opponent's chest or throat or other parts like poisonous snakes, and the White Lotus rebels who tried to resist were beaten one by one. Falling on the ground, those unlucky guys closed their eyes forever before they could give the leader a chance to exert their last remaining heat, never to see the brightness of the sun or the fragrance of the grass again.

Under such terrifying intensity of firepower suppression, the tens of thousands of White Lotus rebels in front of them had no trump cards and could not organize an effective counterattack at all.

"Chase--!"

"Kill me!"

"Boom."

Accompanied by the deafening sound of cannon fire, the shattered flesh and blood rose into the sky.

This is the destructive power caused by a solid cannonball on the battlefield. The strong force directly turns the nearby soldiers into limbs and limbs.

"Retreat quickly!"

A white lotus cultist who looked like a leader roared hoarsely. He had already seen that the situation was not good. If he continued to stay, the entire team would be destroyed.

However, it was too late for him and his team to escape, as countless lead bullets were attacking them.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft."

The leader of the White Lotus Sect quickly turned into a sieve, with lead bullets inserted all over his body. Under the huge force, his feet were a few inches off the ground, and he fell limply to the ground. It was not until he died that he knew that he had been hit by a firearm. , such a painful thing.

A group of White Lotus Religion death squads who were not afraid of death tried to block the Ming army's advance. However, as soon as they took the lead, they encountered the Ming army's artillery.

"Bang bang bang"

Intensive artillery sounds sounded, and rows of shells streaked through the void, flying toward them with a shrill sound of breaking through the air, tearing them apart in an instant, leaving no bones left.

——————

In the middle army, a group of White Lotus Sect senior officials gathered together. Their faces were very ugly, and their brows were filled with anger and despair.

They never dreamed that the Ming Army's firearms troops would be so tough and powerful!

Although I don’t know the exact casualty ratio, it’s ugly to see my own army scattered all over the country. In fact, at this point in the battle, the Ming army, including injured and killed, only has over a hundred people, and most of them are still concentrated. The right wing came under heavy pressure at the beginning.

And how many people did the White Lotus rebels lose?

A rough estimate is that there are already three to four thousand people who have been killed by firecrackers and artillery!

In the era of cold weapons, this ratio, especially for a ragtag group like the White Lotus Sect, was simply a state of collapse for the entire army!

Right now it's not a question of whether they want to fight, but the Ming army's phalanx of fire cannons, attacking from both sides, has completely destroyed the formation of the White Lotus Rebel Hedgehog Group!

There is no doubt that the Ming army achieved a great victory! Complete victory!

Even if the specific casualties are not known, the total collapse of the army cannot be deceived. The power of the Ming army's new firearms greatly frightened the White Lotus rebels. The morale of the White Lotus rebels, who were originally charged by the Ming army's heavy armored cavalry, was now completely demoralized. Down to freezing point!

"Damn it! We're done." A gang leader said painfully.

"I have long advised you not to fight head-on with the Ming army! But you don't listen!" Another gang leader who was not a direct descendant of the White Lotus Sect also said angrily.

"Withdraw..."

The helmsman of the White Lotus Sect headquarters was also as pale as paper, and said in a trembling voice: "We can't stop them, retreat quickly, retreat to the camp first and then make a decision."

"stop fighting."

Bai Tianyu knew that there must be no internal strife at this time, so he drew his knife and gave the final order.

"The whole army retreats! There are a lot of ships in the camp, as many as they can run away!"

The order was quickly issued. In fact, regardless of whether Bai Tianyu issued the order or not, the White Lotus rebels had already begun to retreat.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

"Run away!"

In fact, as early as when the Ming army arranged their formation and set up their attack posture, the rebels of the White Lotus Sect were already frightened.

Now that they heard the leader's decision, the few rebel soldiers of the White Lotus Sect who were still struggling to persevere dispersed on the spot, discarding their weapons and armors, and fled in embarrassment, towards the camp on the edge of Taihu Lake, only to hate Parents, it would be better for them to have two legs.

The White Lotus rebels even started killing each other. They fled back to the camp in order to seize the road for themselves. The remaining troops took the initiative to kill the friendly troops blocking the way in front of them.

There are also people who are lucky and feel that the response troops deployed in the camp are still reliable. As long as they return to the camp, they can still hold on.

However, in fact, they soon discovered that the White Lotus Sect's army had been completely defeated. The military flags in the camp were cut down, and the detained people were also hurriedly fleeing outside the camp.

Zhu Gaoxu's heavy armored cavalry troops were no longer able to pursue them, but the hundreds of cavalry troops on the left and right flanks of the Ming army that were originally used as scouts and warnings still had fighting strength. The large formation of fire gunners was not moving fast enough, so these light cavalry troops chased them. Behind the enemy, they chased and slashed all the way, and all the enemies that could catch up were chopped down mercilessly by them.

Under the horrified gaze of the leader of the White Lotus Church, dozens of close followers around them fell one after another. Some were killed on the spot, while others fell to the ground holding their bodies and wailing.

Then, the sword flashed, and he suddenly felt as if he had grown a lot taller.

The next moment, his head fell heavily to the ground.

"Woo--" the horn sounded.

The soldiers of the Ming army did not pursue them, but stood quietly, watching the group of bereaved dogs indifferently.

The phalanx of fire gunners stopped chasing and began to regroup the stragglers.

They were not in a hurry, as they hoped it would be simple. There was no need for hot air balloons to watch from the sky. The Ming army could also see from the ground that the three piers on the Taihu Lake water village in the distance were frozen!

Yes, Ding Xiaohong fulfilled his mission. Although there were only sixty ships, he still completely scrapped the not-so-wide waterways of the three main docks of the White Lotus Sect!

Bai Tianyu rode his horse to the lakeside and stared blankly at the Taihu Lake in front of him.

He has been to Taihu Lake countless times, but he has never seen Taihu Lake frozen in April.

All the White Lotus priests looked at the scene in front of them with shock on their faces.

This is the simplest chemical reaction!

This is also a miracle that they cannot understand!

The last way to survive was cut off.

Countless White Lotus soldiers gave up their will to resist and escape.

I don't know who dropped the weapon first.

The sound of "ding-ding-ding-ding-ding" began to spread among the defeated soldiers of the White Lotus Sect like it was contagious.

Everyone completely lost their will to resist.

The war horse also looked at the ice in fear, spinning in circles and not daring to move.

The White Lotus Sect hoarded boats for escape and crowded them into the narrow dock. The people inside ran out, but they could only be blocked and spinning in place.

Seeing the scene of overwhelming defeat, Bai Tianyu sighed and threw away his riding crop.

Muddy tears flowed freely from Tian Tianyu's face covered with age spots.

“The public has no way of crossing the river, but the public actually crosses the river!”

"What's wrong with crossing the river and dying?"

PS: [Important reminder (there is no charge for this content)] Chapters 316 to 356 are about the rectification of officialdom and the suppression of rebellions in Jiangnan. They do not contain any theoretical knowledge. They are all practical content. If you are not interested, you can jump directly to Chapter 366. "Class" will contain theoretical knowledge content from now on.