Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 237: Battle of Jiangning (Part )

Although the Tang army suffered considerable losses in both its rocket boats and coastal artillery under the counterattack of the Qing-British joint fleet.

But the losses of the Qing-British coalition forces will only be greater than those of the Tang army!
The broken planks and floating corpses on the surface of the Yangtze River are the most powerful evidence.

……

At the same time, the Tang army navy and the Qing-British coalition navy were fighting fiercely.

The main infantry force of the Tang army also launched a general attack on Jiangning City.

The rumbling sound of artillery fire resounded across the plains, and the Tang army began to bombard the direction of Dashengguan.

Targeted elimination of Qing army artillery in the direction of Dashengguan.

Round after round of rockets poured down on Dashengguan.

Just as the Tang army's artillery cleared the Qing army's artillery and the rocket fire covered the area.

The Tang army's infantry began to march towards Dashengguan under the cover of their own artillery.

"kill!"

"The Tang Dynasty is victorious!"

"Recapture Nanjing, drive out the Tartars, and restore China!"

"..."

……

Outside Jiangning City, Yuhuatai.

The Jiangnan camp is stationed there.

Today, the Qing army’s defense line against Jiangning is mainly divided into three lines.

The first one is the Dasheng Pass, which is a corner fortification formed by the Niu Shou Mountain.

It is mainly guarded by the Jiangbei Camp and is the first gateway to the west of Jiangning City.

The second one is Yuhuatai, which is less than a few miles away from the Jiangning city wall.

It is mainly garrisoned by the Jiangnan Camp and serves as a second line of insurance.

The third was the Jiangning city wall, which was garrisoned by the Green Camp troops from Zhili, Shanxi, Gansu and Shaanxi brought from the north by Senggelinqin, as well as the British infantry led by Taylor.

The three lines of defense are linked together.

Yiliang's plan was to set up layers of blocking outside Jiangning City, and use the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps to gradually wear down the Tang army's morale.

When the Tang army's morale was exhausted, he personally led the elite Qing troops who had been recuperating in Jiangning City for a long time to launch a counterattack.

We must fight to repel the invading Tang army and lift the siege of Jiangning.

Listening to the faint sound of artillery coming from the front line, Zhang Guoliang invited all the generals of the Jiangnan camp, including the imperial envoy He Chun, to his tent to discuss matters.

In addition to sending people to invite people, Zhang Guoliang also arranged his personal soldiers and placed swordsmen and axemen around the big tent, ready to listen to his signal of smashing the cup.

After making these arrangements, Zhang Guoliang began to drink while waiting for He Chun and others to arrive in his tent.

At the beginning, there was still some confusion on Zhang Guoliang's face, but as he drank one glass of wine after another, the confusion on Zhang Guoliang's face disappeared, and was replaced by determination and murderous intent.

Zhang Guoliang has quietly prepared himself mentally.

Zhang Guoliang didn't have to wait long before He Chun, Xiang Jixiong, Deng Shaoliang and others arrived at his tent one after another.

Faced with the invitation from this colleague with whom they had worked for several years, He Chun and others were almost unprepared.

After entering the big tent, He Chun frowned subconsciously.

"Brother Guoliang, why does your tent smell so heavily of alcohol?"

"You sent someone to invite us here today, isn't it to discuss matters? Can we discuss matters after being so drunk?"

Although there was a rule prohibiting alcohol in the Qing army.

But the rules are set for the soldiers below.

As the admiral of the Jiangnan camp, Zhang Guoliang's status as a military leader was second only to He Chun, the imperial military supervisor. No one could stop him from drinking.

Even He Chun, the imperial envoy, would not make things difficult for Zhang Guoliang over such a trivial matter.

But, drinking is one thing, but you can't get drunk!

It's still wartime now. How can you, Zhang Guoliang, command the war when you're so drunk?

Zhang Guoliang looked up and said after hearing this.

"Please don't worry, sir. I am not drunk."

After he finished speaking, he just waved his hand and signaled everyone to take their seats.

After everyone took their seats, Zhang Guoliang spoke.

"I think everyone knows that the Tang army has officially launched an offensive against Jiangning. Dashengguan has been in danger several times."

"I don't think it will last long!"

"In my opinion, not only will Dashengguan not hold out for long, but Jiangning will also be lost sooner or later."

"If we hold on to Yuhuatai, I'm afraid we will die without a burial place."

Hearing Zhang Guoliang's very pessimistic words, He Chun couldn't help but frown.

Although the current situation in Jiangning is not very good, you, Zhang Guoliang, don't have to be so pessimistic, right?

Besides, even if you, Zhang Guoliang, are really pessimistic about the battle situation in Jiangning, you shouldn't say it in front of so many people!

Hechun spoke up to remind him.

"Admiral Zhang, be careful with your words."

"As long as we work together to repay the Qing Dynasty, the situation in Jiangning will surely be able to turn from danger to safety."

But when he said this, Hechun's tone already sounded a little bad.

If He Chun had not taken into account Zhang Guoliang's prestige in the army and had not wanted to break off relations with him, he would have probably directly scolded him for not knowing the seriousness of the matter.

Zhang Guoliang heard this but said without any concern.

"This admiral does not want to sit there and wait for death. He wants to fight for a way out for the tens of thousands of soldiers in my Jiangnan camp."

"I hope that the generals will not make things difficult for this admiral when the time comes!"

"Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

He Chun had already realized that something was wrong, and immediately slammed the table and shouted.

"Zhang Guoliang, are you crazy?" "What on earth do you want to do?!"

Seeing this, Zhang Guoliang suddenly smashed the wine glass in his hand to the ground, making a crisp sound.

The next moment, the curtain of the big tent was lifted from the outside, and a team of Zhang Guoliang's personal soldiers rushed in from outside.

Control everyone!
Hechun had a knife put to his neck and was forced back into his chair.

However, he still glared at Zhang Guoliang.

Zhang Guoliang ignored He Chun and the panic of the generals and continued speaking.

"The Tang Dynasty has sent someone to contact this admiral."

"They offered this admiral a condition: if this admiral could lead our Jiangnan camp to revolt on the battlefield, they would submit to the Tang Dynasty."

"Not only will we be forgiven for our previous crime of resisting the king's army, but all the soldiers will be rewarded generously. In addition, all the generals in the army can also be rewarded according to their merits, and they will be used in important positions in the future."

"By then, gold, silver, land, wealth, honor, high office and noble titles will be within easy reach..."

After Zhang Guoliang said this, how could the generals still not know his plan?

Everyone started thinking about it.

Only Hechun was cursing.

"Zhang Guoliang, you were born a bandit, but after being recruited by the Qing Dynasty, you rose to the position of admiral of the Jiangnan Camp in just a few years. Has the Qing Dynasty ever treated you unfairly?"

"You have betrayed the Qing Dynasty and surrendered to the thieves today. Are you worthy of the Qing Dynasty and the emperor?"

"You cowardly traitor, aren't you afraid of being stabbed in the back by the people of the world?!"

Zhang Guoliang was furious when he heard this, as if his secrets had been exposed.

"Hechun, you Tartar, fart your mother's ass!"

"I, Zhang Guoliang, am a Han Chinese, a pure Han Chinese. 'Expel the Tartars and restore China' is the righteous cause of the world."

"How can I abandon the righteousness of the world just because of your little favor from the Qing court?"

"For the sake of justice, even if I, Zhang Guoliang, am labeled an ungrateful traitor, what does it matter? It is better than being called a traitor by the world in the future!"

Although Zhang Guoliang felt guilty, he still spoke with righteous indignation.

Because the great cause of "expelling the Tartars and restoring China" is very persuasive.

Although I, Zhang Guoliang, was ungrateful, I was ungrateful for the sake of justice in the world.

No one can blame me on moral grounds!
Also, Zhang Guoliang's words were not only spoken to himself, but also to the Han generals in the tent.

Don't worry too much about betraying the Qing Dynasty. We are all Han people. "Expelling the Tartars and restoring China" is a matter of course for us.

He wanted to use this to convince them to follow him anyway!

While he was convening the generals to discuss matters, Zhang Guoliang's cronies had already begun to take over the troops.

But even so, Zhang Guoliang still wants to get as much support as possible.

Hechun continued to curse.

"Zhang Guoliang, you ungrateful dog slave, the Qing Dynasty will never let you go."

"In the future, my Qing Dynasty will definitely exterminate all nine generations of your clan and torture you, this thief, to death."

Seeing this, Zhang Guoliang snorted coldly, pulled out the dagger he carried with him, and stabbed He Chun in the abdomen.

He Chun couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, but under the control of Zhang Guoliang's personal soldiers, he couldn't even struggle, let alone resist.

Zhang Guoliang stepped back a few steps, holding a bloody dagger, and spoke to the generals in the tent.

"Everyone, if there are those who are willing to follow this admiral and turn from evil to good, and restore order, please come forward and submit your pledge of allegiance."

As he said this, Zhang Guoliang glanced around with a fierce look in his eyes.

His meaning was clear.

Or, come up and show your loyalty.

Otherwise, prepare to make the next pledge of allegiance!

The generals were in a dilemma for a while, and finally stood up and spoke to Jixiong.

"Admiral Zhang, I am willing to follow you and turn from evil to good, restore order, and join you in the great cause of 'expelling the Tartars and restoring China'!"

After saying that, Xiang Jixiong stepped forward, took the dagger from Zhang Guoliang's hand, and stabbed He Chun like Zhang Guoliang.

After being stabbed again, Hechun groaned again.

The expression on his face was twisted with pain.

After Xiang Jixiong set a good example, the rest of the Qing army generals also came forward to pledge their allegiance.

By the time all the generals had submitted their pledge of allegiance, He Chun's chest had become like a hornet's nest. He was breathing in more than out, and looked almost like a monster.

In addition, several other Qing army generals who were unwilling to surrender had been beheaded by Zhang Guoliang's personal soldiers.

The headless corpse rolled to the side, blood all over the ground.

Zhang Guoliang took a few steps forward, drew his sword, chopped off the dying He Chun's head, held it in his hand and said.

"Drive out the Tartars and restore China!"

Seeing this, all the generals said in unison.

"Drive out the Tartars and restore China!"

"Drive out the Tartars and restore China!"

"..."

After doing all this, Zhang Guoliang immediately took his generals to gather the troops and prepare for the uprising.

As the drums calling for troops resounded throughout Yuhuatai, the Qing troops in the Jiangnan camp quickly assembled on the parade ground.

Zhang Guoliang, covered in blood, held He Chun's head in his hand, strode in front of everyone and spoke loudly.

"Qing Yao Supervisor He Chun is dead."

"Soldiers, follow me today to rise up, surrender to the Tang Dynasty, and kill the Qing monsters."

"Drive out the Tartars and restore China!"

……

PS: I will update two chapters first, and the additional chapters will be updated soon. It will be a little late, but there will definitely be some.

(End of this chapter)