Anti-Qing: Starting from the Jintian Uprising

Chapter 476 Bahadur Shah II’s bold idea!

Not only Governor Canning, but everyone in the tent was so shocked that they were speechless.

Canning took a deep breath, stared at the messenger who came into the tent to report the news with a threatening look, and asked.

"Tell me quickly, what's going on!"

The messenger was stared at by Canning and subconsciously took a few steps back, but soon stood still again, and then spoke with an obviously nervous tone.

"To reply to the Governor, this is what happened!"

"This morning, while our army was attacking the Singail Fortress outside Dhaka, the Indian-Atlantic Combined Fleet led by Earl Elgin also successfully arrived in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Dhaka."

"Afterwards, our fleet engaged in battle with the Tang fleet!"

"A very fierce battle broke out between the two sides in the waters of the Bay of Bengal."

"After a fierce battle, Earl Elgin's ship was hit by a cannon and sank. Our British fleet had to withdraw from the battlefield, suffering heavy losses..."

Hearing this, Canning subconsciously opened his mouth and his heart sank.

Because he really realized the seriousness of the matter.

Originally, he was not very anxious when the British army failed to capture the Singail Fortress.

Because Canning was still expecting that his fleet could defeat the Tang fleet at sea.

Then enter the Ganges River Basin and cooperate with them to attack Dhaka!
But as it stands now, his plan has undoubtedly failed.

Canning could never have imagined that the British fleet would lose to the Tang army in a naval battle.

The consequence is really too serious!
If he cannot get the support of the fleet, it will undoubtedly be very difficult for them to capture Dhaka.

It's even impossible!
"Oh my God, how could things turn out like this..."

"Oh my God, what are we going to do?"

"..."

There was a flurry of discussion in the big tent.

After hearing the news, many people's faces were filled with solemnity and disbelief.

They couldn't imagine that the invincible British fleet was defeated by the Tang army!

This is really incredible!
At this moment, they really felt a deep sense of powerlessness!
……

Completely different from the gloomy and depressing atmosphere in the British camp outside the city, there was a jubilant atmosphere in Dhaka at this time.

Countless Tang army soldiers took to the streets, cheering and celebrating the victory of the naval battle between the Tang Dynasty and the British.

"Long live!"

"Long live the Tang Dynasty!"

The earth-shaking cheers almost resounded throughout the entire city of Dhaka.

Inside the command post, Zhang Guoliang couldn't help but smile as he looked at the military newspaper in his hand.

"Haha, okay, okay!"

"In one naval battle, 23 British steam ironclad ships and 41 sailing battleships were sunk. This battle really greatly enhanced the prestige of our Tang Dynasty."

"If your majesty learns of this report, he will be overjoyed!"

You should know that the British army only mobilized 56 steam ironclad ships and 179 sailing battleships in this battle.

After so many ships were sunk by the Tang army in World War I, the British army must have suffered heavy losses in this battle.

Just as Zhang Guoliang was happy about the good news, Mughal Khan Bahadur Shah II broke into his command post.

"Commander, I heard that the British fleet was defeated by our army and retreated. Is this true?"

Bahadur Shah II had a heartfelt smile on his face.

Zhang Guoliang nodded immediately.

"Haha, of course!"

"Although the British fleet is strong, how can it be a match for our Tang Dynasty's Heavenly Soldiers?"

"I wonder what the Khan wants from me?"

Upon hearing this, Bahadur Shah II suppressed his excitement and spoke.

"Commander, I came to visit you today not only to congratulate the Tang Dynasty on its victory in the naval battle with the British."

"I would also like to ask for your opinion. In your opinion, since our army has already won the naval battle, can we also pursue the victory on land and add fuel to the fire?"

"Even if we can't recapture Delhi, it would be good if we can take Kolkata..."

Bahadur Shah II was not willing to see his Khan become the lord of the city.

Therefore, he wanted to take advantage of the Tang Dynasty's victory in the naval battle to instigate Zhang Guoliang.

See if he can persuade the Tang army to help him recapture Calcutta!
If Kolkata could be captured, it would be great news for Bahadur Shah II.

Zhang Guoliang couldn't help but frown when he heard this.

After thinking for a while, he began to refuse.

"First of all, the victory of the Tang Dynasty in the naval battle was the result of the joint efforts of the Tang Dynasty, India, and Myanmar."

"You don't need to thank me, Great Khan. This great victory is not just for the Tang Dynasty, but for all of us!"

In response to Bahadur Shah II's congratulations, Zhang Guoliang was very humble.

Well, because he is a very humble person at heart.

Then, Zhang Guoliang continued.

"As for the counterattack on Calcutta..."

"Well... my Tang Dynasty has limited military strength in India. This matter is of great importance after all, so I cannot make a decision on my own."

"We should report this to the court and ask them to make the decision!"

In fact, Zhang Guoliang and Fang Haiyang have a certain degree of autonomy in India.

India is very far away from the capital of the Tang Dynasty, and it is impossible for Li Yi to remotely control the situation in India from the capital.

Therefore, it is only natural to delegate certain powers to the front line!

In other words, Zhang Guoliang had the power to mobilize troops to launch a counterattack to attack Kolkata.

As long as he can achieve the final victory in the war, the Tang Dynasty will not hold him accountable for it.

Of course, defeat is another matter!
But even so, Zhang Guoliang remained cautious and did not give a definite answer.

As a surrendered general, he was accustomed to being cautious and following the orders of the emperor and his superiors. He was not willing to make rash decisions on such trivial matters and give others an advantage.

Bahadur Shah II was visibly disappointed upon hearing this.

But he still spoke.

"Well, in that case, I will take my leave first..."

As he spoke, Bahadur Shah II was thinking that since Zhang Guoliang was difficult to deal with, he would try to persuade Fang Haiyang.

Unlike Zhang Guoliang who was a surrendered general, Fang Haiyang was a genuine old loyal minister.

That was the qualification of having followed the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty all the way from Guangxi.

In many things, Zhang Guoliang needs to be cautious to avoid being criticized.

But Fang Ocean is not needed!

His qualifications, his connections, and his status as a long-time loyalist give him the capital to do some rather willful things.

And cover it for you!
In Bahadur Shah II's opinion, Fang Haiyang should be easier to persuade than Zhang Guoliang.

……

It’s getting light!

The Tang fleet, which won the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, finally returned to Dhaka.

The fleet docked, and at the dock, the residents of Dhaka were organized and came to the dock to welcome the triumphant return of the fleet.

Fang Haiyang walked down from his ship with his hands behind his back.

After he arrived at the dock, he saw Bahadur Shah II coming towards him from a distance.

"Commander, I would like to give you my most sincere blessings."

"You are truly a great commander. You commanded a great army and achieved a great victory..."

"You deserve all the praise in this world!"

Faced with Bahadur Shah II's flattery, Fang Haiyang couldn't help but smile.

"Haha, Great Khan, you flatter me too much! Great Khan, you flatter me too much!"

As they talked, the two walked together and hugged each other tightly.

Then, Bahadur Shah II leaned close to Fang Haiyang's ear and said.

"Commander, I have an important matter to discuss with you..."

Upon hearing this, Fang Haiyang tilted his head with a confused expression on his face, but still spoke.

"Whatever the Khan wants to say, just say it."

Bahadur Shah II heard this and took a deep breath.

"In my opinion, our army won this naval battle, and the British army must have been frightened."

"In this case, why don't our army pursue the victory and achieve greater results?"

"If our army can take advantage of this great victory to recapture Calcutta, or even Delhi, I'm sure the court will reward us handsomely."

When Fang Haiyang heard this, a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"If that's the case, then it's not impossible."

"But the problem is that the Tang Dynasty has too few troops in Dhaka."

"Even if we include the Indian and Burmese troops, the total strength is over 70,000. Compared with the British army, the difference is too great."

"Defense may be sufficient, but counterattack is not enough..."

If all the 70,000 people in Dhaka were Tang troops, Fang Haiyang would be confident that he could launch a counterattack and defeat the British army with fewer troops. But the problem was that among the 70,000 defenders in Dhaka, there were only more than 22,000 real Tang troops.

With such a small number of troops, a part of them needs to be left behind to guard Dhaka.

In other words, the maximum number of troops that could be mobilized to counterattack the British army was more than 10,000.

And what about the British military strength in India?

The main force of the British army that came to attack Dhaka alone numbered over 100,000.

The British army must have left a considerable number of garrisons in Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and other places.

The troop strength ratio between the two sides reached an astonishing one to ten, or even one to twenty.

In addition, thanks to the actions of the Indian transport captain, a large number of weapons and armaments were delivered to the British army.

As a result, although there is a gap in weapons and equipment between the Tang Army and the British Army, there is no generation gap.

There is no generation gap in weapons and equipment, but the manpower is still ten or twenty times smaller.

There is no way to win this battle!
As for the Indian Army and the Burmese Army...

Well, let me put it this way, ever since the Indian Army suffered two major defeats in Delhi and the Burmese Army suffered a major defeat in Yangon, which gave the British Army great victories, the Tang Dynasty from top to bottom no longer had any hope in the two transport captains, the Indian Army and the Burmese Army.

With the Tang army supervising the battle, it would be okay to let them guard the city.

But when it comes to taking the initiative...

Fang Haiyang was really afraid that they would sell out their teammates on the battlefield.

What if the battle was halfway through and the Tang army was fighting fiercely with the British army, but the Indian army and the Burmese army fled halfway, leaving the Tang army stranded on the battlefield? That would be a big problem.

Bahadur Shah II heard this and asked.

"Then I wonder if we can ask the Tang Dynasty to send reinforcements from the mainland to India again?"

When Fang Haiyang heard this, he almost couldn't help but reply to him, "You're dreaming."

But in the end he didn't curse, he just laughed it off.

"Let's report our victory to the court first..."

……

The setting sun is falling in the sky!
Li Yi was lying on a recliner under the eaves in front of Jiuzhou Qingyan Palace, gazing at the sunset in the distance with a leisurely expression.

Looking at the sky dyed red by the setting sun, Li Yi yawned, narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked a little listless.

He had caught a cold recently and felt a little sleepy and dizzy, and was obviously unable to handle government affairs.

He had hardly ever been sick since he traveled through time, but now that he was sick, he couldn't bear it.

Therefore, Li Yi simply put the matter aside and prepared to rest for a few days before doing anything else.

For Li Yi, court affairs are important, but no matter how important they are, they are not as important as his own health.

His health and his personal safety are the most important things in the Tang Dynasty now, and there is no other than that.

Just as Li Yi was admiring the sunset, Wang Zhong beside him spoke.

"Your Majesty, the time has come. It's time to take the medicine."

Li Yi nodded casually and motioned Wang Zhong to bring the medicine.

Soon, two young eunuchs came up carrying medicine.

The reason why it is a decoction rather than a Western medicine is because Western medicine is still in its infancy.

To sum it up, just cut where it hurts, it's simple and rough.

At this stage, Chinese medicine is actually much more reliable than Western medicine!
Although Li Yi can buy medicine through the system, he does not understand medicine and does not know which medicine will be effective quickly and cause less damage to the body.

Besides, a cold is not a serious illness!
Therefore, Li Yi did not buy medicine from the system, but instead asked the imperial physician to treat him and prescribe medicine.

On the tray was a medicine pot and two small pink and white Jun porcelain bowls.

Originally, Li Yi didn't like pink and white very much. How could he, a grown man, like such a feminine color?
When it comes to porcelain, he prefers blue and white porcelain.

But there was nothing he could do because his daughter liked pink and white and insisted on using pink and white tableware for meals every time she came to Li Yi's place.

As a result, Li Yi had no choice but to replace all the tableware and decorations here to save himself the trouble.

Two young eunuchs stepped forward and poured the warm medicine from the medicine pot into two small bowls.

An imperial physician who stayed with Li Yi to monitor his condition came forward, picked up a small bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

After the imperial physician finished testing the medicine and nodded slightly to ensure that there was no problem with the medicine, another bowl of medicine was served to Li Yi.

Li Yi reached out to take the medicine and drank it all.

A sour, bitter taste exploded on his tongue.

Li Yi couldn't help but frowning, and picked up a candy from the small table beside him and put it into his mouth.

As the toffee melted, the sweet aroma of milk exploded in his mouth, suppressing the bitterness of the medicine. Li Yi's complexion improved slightly.

This piece of candy was a tribute sent from Mongolia.

After conquering the grassland, Li Yi not only sent troops to occupy it, but also provided support for its development.

For example, building railways and promoting the development of infrastructure and mining industries.

For example, promoting silage feed and promoting the development of animal husbandry.

For example, promoting the planting of corn and potatoes, and promoting the development of the planting industry.

Toffees are a byproduct of animal husbandry development on the grasslands.

With the promotion of silage technology, the rudiments of large-scale centralized animal husbandry have begun to emerge on the grasslands.

This led to the emergence of related industries such as dairy processing and meat processing, which absorbed a large amount of labor.

Among dairy products, various milk powders and milk candies are the main industries today.

As for fresh milk, today's processing and transportation technologies are not up to standard, and it is very likely to deteriorate on the way from its origin to its destination.

In order to prevent this from happening, we can only give up temporarily and first get things like milk candy and milk powder that are easier to preserve.

This includes meat processing plants, which mainly deal in canned food, dried meat, and other products.

As for the transportation of fresh meat?
This technology does not exist yet.

The reason why Li Yi always has milk candy on hand is not because he likes to eat it, but because Li Yi's daughter likes to eat it.

Li Yi dotes on the little girl very much, so naturally he would keep some of it for himself.

Unexpectedly, he actually used it when he took the medicine.

After swallowing the candy in his mouth, Li Yi lay down on the recliner, ready to rest for a while.

But at this moment, there was a burst of chaotic footsteps.

Zhang Zhidong was seen jogging towards him from a distance with a happy look on his face.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, great news!"

"Good news from India..."

Li Yi was originally squinting, but after hearing Zhang Zhidong's voice, he perked up.

He stretched and asked.

"what?"

"What happened?"

Zhang Zhidong trotted to stand in front of Li Yi, then handed a military report to Li Yi with both hands and began to speak.

"Your Majesty, this is the victory news sent back from India!"

Li Yi took the victory report and started reading it.

Zhang Zhidong on the side began to explain.

"Your Majesty, according to the latest news from India."

"In early June of the fourth year of Kaitai, the British army advanced to the outskirts of Dhaka."

“Then, the Battle of Dhaka breaks out!”

"At the same time, the British fleet also invaded the mouth of the Ganges and engaged in a fierce battle with our fleet."

"Under the command of Commander Fang Haiyang, our army achieved the final victory in the naval battle in the Bay of Bengal."

"In this battle, our fleet sank 64 British warships of various sizes, including steam ironclad ships and sailing battleships."

"8233 British troops were annihilated, 2431 of whom were killed or wounded, and 5802 were captured."

"In addition, a large number of British troops are missing..."

After hearing Zhang Zhidong's report, Li Yi couldn't help but smile.

His spirits, which had been somewhat depressed due to the cold, instantly perked up.

He couldn't help but slap the table.

"Haha, okay, okay!"

"We have won a great victory over the British in the Battle of the Bay of Bengal. Our Tang Dynasty has avenged its previous humiliation!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhidong showed an expression of wanting to say something but stopping himself, and then he spoke.

"Your Majesty, besides this, there is one more thing..."

Li Yi raised his eyebrows and asked.

"Say!"

Zhang Zhidong continued.

"India's Bahadur Shah II petitioned the court, hoping that the court would continue to send more troops to India and take advantage of the great victory in the Battle of the Bay of Bengal."

"Recapture Calcutta, Delhi and other places in one fell swoop, and drive the British forces out of India..."

……

PS: I can’t write enough code every day, so I’ll update once every other day to pay back my debt!

(End of this chapter)