Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Chapter 361 On the Banks of the Qinhuai River! Qingzhufang
Huzhou is also known as Wuxing.

This area belongs to eastern Zhejiang and borders southern Jiangsu.

The rebellion in eastern Zhejiang has directly threatened the safety of Huzhou Prefecture.

Huzhou Prefecture is the gateway from eastern Zhejiang to southern Jiangsu, and it is also a land of plenty known as the "land of fish and rice" during the Great Qian Dynasty.

of course,

This place is not far from Songjiang Prefecture, where Ximentang is stationed, and can be considered one of the most important strategic locations in the Great Qian Dynasty.

For the Great Qian Dynasty, Huzhou held a very special position.

Thirty years ago,

The missionary work of the Western Allied Forces began in Huzhou.

Therefore, this place can also be considered the birthplace of the Western church in the Daqian Dynasty.

Since ancient times,

Huzhou is the central hub of southern Jiangsu and eastern Zhejiang, making it a strategically vital location for military strategists.

As the Minister of War, Xu Shichang naturally dared not neglect the defense of Huzhou Prefecture.

He came from the capital to eastern Zhejiang and personally led a large army to quell the rebellion.

but,

To Xu Shichang's dismay, after the last battle between Ximentang and the Western Allied Forces in Ningbo, Zhejiang, Ximentang stopped interfering in the affairs of Zhejiang.

in addition,

After the battle between Ximentang and the Japanese Kwantung Army in Songjiang Prefecture, he also stopped interfering in the affairs of southern Jiangsu.

Xu Shichang was overwhelmed with the task of suppressing the rebellions in the two regions.

His troops fought a major battle with the rebels while suppressing a rebellion in eastern Zhejiang, suffering heavy losses.

Therefore,
He could only station his troops in Huzhou to hold the last strategic location in eastern Zhejiang and resist the rebels' northward advance.

He himself retreated to Jinling and sought help from the imperial court.

unfortunately,

Li Qiong and Xi Mentang from the Ministry of War of the Imperial Court went to Hanzhong to quell the rebellion.

After retreating to Nanjing, Xu Shichang could only wait for the suppression of the rebellion in Hanzhong to end and hoped that Chen Jie would lead Ximentang to arrive.

Only Ximentang has the potential to quell the rebellion.

Guan Qilin was the commander-in-chief of Jinling. He suggested that Xu Shichang mobilize Li Qiong's 100,000 troops to support Jinling from the Hanzhong region.

but,

Xu Shichang ultimately rejected the suggestion.

Firstly, the troops under Li Qiong's command had limited combat strength.

Secondly, there were some conflicts between him and Li Qiong.

Because Li Qiong was the son of Li Zhen, the Grand Marshal of the Ministry of War, he was originally destined to be promoted to Minister of War, both in terms of seniority and family background.

but,

In the end, Xu Shichang emerged as a dark horse, thwarting Li Qiong's hopes.

Although all of this was Emperor Li Zheng's strategic maneuvering, its purpose was to counterbalance the influence of Grand Marshal Li Zhen of the Ministry of War.

Therefore,
Xu Shichang and Li Qiong had always been at odds.

of course,

Most importantly, Xu Shichang did not trust the combat effectiveness of the troops under the Ministry of War in various regions.

He only trusted Simon's fighting ability.

Once Chen Jie leads his troops to Nanjing, he believes that suppressing the rebellion in eastern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu will be a piece of cake.

not to mention,
The area in southern Jiangsu has been placed under the jurisdiction of Ximentang.

Xu Shichang naturally wanted to use Ximentang's strength to completely defeat the rebels in eastern Zhejiang.

Guan Qilin did not engage in fierce battles with the Western Allied Forces, nor did he fight against the Kwantung Army.

Therefore,
When Xu Shichang praised Ximentang so highly in front of him, he was somewhat unconvinced.

but,

Xu Shichang was, after all, the Minister of War, while Guan Qilin was merely the commander-in-chief stationed in Nanjing.

In terms of position, all the regional commanders of the Daqian Dynasty were under the control of Xu Shichang.

Although Guan Qilin has a special identity, he is not only the number one fierce general of the Great Qian Dynasty, but also a disciple of the Imperial Palace's "Sword Master of the Startling Clouds".

but,

Xu Shichang held a higher official position than Guan Qilin, and both belonged to the emperor's camp.

Therefore, Guan Qilin had no choice but to obey Xu Shichang's orders.

to be frank,
Guan Qilin was very curious when he heard that Emperor Li Zheng had betrothed Princess Lingyue to Chen Jie of Ximentang.

The key is,
Not only did Princess Lingyue agree, but even the 'Sword Master of Jingyun' agreed, which surprised him even more!
Over this period of time, he has become increasingly interested in Chen Jie of Ximentang.

He knows Li Lingyue's personality very well.

When Guan Qilin heard that Chen Jie was going to lead Ximen Hall to Jinling, he wanted to see what was so special about this young man.

-

Chen Jie set off from Qingzhou, Shandong, on his way to Nanjing.

along the way,

He had originally planned to enjoy the scenery along the way.

but,

Upon receiving Xu Shichang's urgent message, he could only hasten his march.

Because they wanted to lead the Ximen Hall to Nanjing and bring southern and northern Jiangsu into their territory.

Then
In the beginning, we still needed the support of Xu Shichang, the Minister of War of the Great Qian Dynasty.

not to mention,
Chen Jie is definitely not the kind of person who forgets kindness; Xu Shichang helped him a lot back then.

Now that Xu Shichang has asked him for help, he naturally won't stand idly by.

The rebels in eastern Zhejiang were indeed too arrogant, actually wanting to invade southern Jiangsu.

Most importantly, the rebels in eastern Zhejiang were supported by the Taiping ship crew.

Therefore, Chen Jie ordered Aman to lead an army of 10,000 and continue marching slowly.

He led his special operations regiment and personal guard battalion at full speed to Nanjing so that Xu Shichang would not have to wait too long.

in addition,

He then ordered Liu Ergou to lead an elite special operations reconnaissance battalion, disguised as civilians, to infiltrate the eastern Zhejiang region.

Prior to this, he had already arranged for 'undercover agents' to gather intelligence in eastern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Nanjing, and other places.

After all the preparations were assigned...

He, along with Meng Hu, Tang Feng, Xue Qian, and others, arrived in Jinling five days after separating from the main force.

This place is situated by the river, boasting beautiful scenery and numerous historical sites, making it a famous city with a rich historical heritage.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Sun Quan, the ruler of Wu, built a city in Jinling, making it the most important north-south hub.

Because the history of the Great Qian Dynasty diverged during the Tang Dynasty, the historical development of Jinling differed greatly from that of the 'Urban World'.

Perhaps because after becoming the Governor-General of Shandong, Chen Jie developed the habit of observing the defenses of each place he visited.

not to mention,
Jinling will become one of the most important strongholds of the Ximen Hall, so Chen Jie naturally needs to observe it carefully.

The defenses here are extremely tight.

From the city wall, you can see that there are a total of thirteen city gates.

Each city gate will serve as a defense, connecting to the main streets within Jinling City.

Upon entering Jinling City, one finds wide, orderly streets and excellent urban planning.

This city, a hub connecting the north and south, was built along the water.

With land connecting the east and west sides, Xuanwu Lake to the north, and the Qinhuai River to the west, the entire terrain of Nanjing City naturally forms a natural barrier.

Easy to defend but hard to attack!

This is the most distinctive feature of Nanjing, which resembles a dragon lying on the ground.

In addition to the natural mountains and rivers surrounding it, six garrison cities were built throughout Jinling, making its defenses virtually impregnable.

in addition,

Jinling can be divided into an inner city and an outer city.

If the outer city is captured by the enemy, the troops responsible for defending the city can retreat to the inner city to resist the invading enemy.

The outer city walls are very high, not only sturdy but also very thick, and are made of huge stones.

The city wall is more than 15 meters wide, enough to allow several horse-drawn carriages to pass side by side.

Each defensive fortification of the city wall was equipped not only with the "Weiyuan Cannon" for city defense, but also with powerful crossbows, catapults, oil drums and other defensive weapons from the era of cold weapons.

Moreover, it employs a three-dimensional defensive configuration.

The upper level was staffed with archers and musketeers, while the lower level used spears to block any breaches of the city.

Standing on the city wall, you can see the entire wall from a high vantage point.

but,

Although the city walls of Jinling were as impregnable as a fortress of bronze and iron, however…

This only applies to defense in the era of cold weapons.

In the era of firearms, the defense of such city walls is no longer of much use.

With a barrage of artillery fire, the entire city wall could be destroyed; there was virtually no force that could stop it.

The pattern of warfare has undergone a radical change.

If we adopt the defensive tactics of the cold weapon era, even if we occupy a natural stronghold, we will be vulnerable to artillery.

Only a configuration with equivalent firepower can withstand an attack.

Once the enemy forces reached the outskirts of Nanjing, the defensive fortifications were essentially destroyed.

Therefore,
The defense of city walls is no longer the core of absolute defensive power.

The real defensive force is artillery and heavy firepower.

Chen Jie led his elite special operations regiment and personal guard, totaling about two thousand men, into the city through the east gate of Jinling.

Xu Shichang had already received the news and was waiting for Chen Jie's arrival on Dongmen Street.

After the two sides met.

Chen Jie stepped forward to greet Xu Shichang, who smiled slightly and hurriedly stepped forward to say:
"Young Master Chen, you've finally arrived. I've been waiting for you in Jinling for almost ten days."

no way,
After leaving Xianning Prefecture, Chen Jie returned to Qingzhou, Shandong.

He went into seclusion to practice martial arts, leaving the imperial edict ordering the troop deployment aside.

He only set off for Jinling after his martial arts skills had stabilized.

Upon hearing Xu Shichang's words, Chen Jie smiled and said, "Lord Xu, there was some business at the shipyard in Shandong that caused a few days' delay. Please forgive me!"

Xu Shichang laughed heartily and said:
"It's enough that you came."

At this time,

Guan Qilin stepped forward and greeted Chen Jie.

hiss--!
Chen Jie looked Guan Qilin up and down, and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Unfathomable!

This was the only word he could think of.

This commander of Jinling, who is known as the number one fierce general of the Great Qian Dynasty, far surpasses Chen Jie in both martial arts skill and spiritual refinement.

Chen Jie felt an indescribable feeling in his presence.

but,

Fortunately, Guan Qilin did not show any hostility towards him, so Chen Jie did not feel any pressure.

Guan Qilin had been looking Chen Jie up and down without saying a word ever since he saw him.

After being introduced by Xu Shichang, Chen Jie and Guan Qilin exchanged pleasantries.

Xu Shichang glanced at the special operations regiment and personal guards surrounding Chen Jie and said with a smile:
"Young Master Chen, I have prepared a welcome banquet for you. Tonight at Qingzhufang on the Qinhuai River, let's have a good drink!"

"Make arrangements for your men first, then we'll change our clothes before we go."

What do you mean?
Upon hearing this, Chen Jie was taken aback.

He couldn't help but frown slightly, wondering what Xu Shichang was up to.

Xu Shichang hurriedly sent his troops to Nanjing.

did not expect,
After arriving in Nanjing, Xu Shichang seemed to have lost his hurry.

If it weren't for the unfathomable depth of Guan Qilin's Refining Spirit Realm beside him, Chen Jie would really want to hear Xu Shichang's thoughts and see what the other party was up to.
Didn't they say the rebels had already reached Huzhou?
At a time like this, they still have the mood to go to Qingzhufang on the Qinhuai River and hold a welcoming banquet.

What Chen Jie didn't know was that Xu Shichang felt much more relaxed when he saw Ximentang's elite troops arrive.

Therefore,
Xu Shichang wanted to take this opportunity to have a good talk with Chen Jie.

After all, the entire southern Jiangsu region will be under the jurisdiction of Ximentang from now on.

Since the regional princes raised their banners in rebellion, the internal strife within the imperial court has intensified.

Although Chen Jie appears to be affiliated with Emperor Li Zheng's faction.

but,

Xu Shichang knew better than anyone that Chen Jie's Ximentang was a distinct lineage.

Although they are temporarily on the same side as Emperor Li Zheng, they are not subject to his control.

Even Emperor Li Zheng was very wary of Chen Jie and had to win him over, even marrying Princess Lingyue to him.

Xu Shichang has been under a lot of pressure lately, knowing that he will need to rely on Chen Jie for many things in the future.

His position as Minister of War is precarious without support.

Taking advantage of Chen Jie's arrival in Nanjing, Xu Shichang had no choice but to prepare a backup plan for himself.

Although Chen Jie did not hear Xu Shichang's "inner thoughts," he did not know the other party's true intentions.

but,

Now that we've arrived in Jinling, there's no rush.

When he was in the capital, he often heard about the "Qinhuai River boat shops".

This is no ordinary brothel; it is a place renowned throughout the entire Jiangnan region.

Any normal man would be curious about the banks of the Qinhuai River, and Chen Jie was no exception.

Whether it's an 'other world' or an 'urban world', the Qinhuai River has always been incredibly famous throughout history.

Having finally arrived in Jinling, Chen Jie naturally wanted to see the Qinhuai River of the Great Qian Dynasty and see what it was like.
for the rest of the time,

Chen Jie gave Guan Qilin some instructions and ordered the special operations troops to head to their encampment.

He led his fully armed personal guard, changed his clothes, and followed Xu Shichang to the Qinhuai River.

Having survived several assassination attempts, Chen Jie was naturally very careful and cautious.

Even though this is Jinling City, with the top-tier expert Qilin in charge, it is very safe.

but,

Chen Jie doesn't trust anyone; he only trusts himself.

Therefore,
Although he had changed his clothes, he was still fully equipped with titanium chainmail and reinforced bulletproof vest.

He also carried two pistols, six magazines, an alloy dagger, and other items on his waist.

Chen Jie has always been very concerned about his own safety.

With his current level of spiritual refinement, if he were armed with a gun, he wouldn't be in much danger unless he encountered a super expert like Guan Qilin.

not to mention,
He was always protected by thirty-six elite bodyguards.

Simultaneously,

He was accompanied by four elite bodyguards from the Imperial Guard, who protected him.

After everything was ready, Chen Jie followed Xu Shichang in a sedan chair to the banks of the Qinhuai River.

Jinling is one of the wealthiest places in Jiangnan.

This place is completely different from the bustling scenes of Beijing and Tianjin.

As night fell, the streets of Jinling City became exceptionally bustling and brightly lit.

Especially along the Qinhuai River, the spring breeze is gentle, and the birdsong is lively.

Although the Great Qian Dynasty was plagued by wars, whether in the Northwest, Western Sichuan, the Western Regions, Tibet, or Southern Fujian and Hanzhong, there were battles everywhere.

but,

This area, however, remained unaffected, maintaining a stability comparable to that of the capital.

The most bustling places in Qinhuaihe are not actually the brothels and memorial archways on the streets.

The real gem here is the boat dock on the river.

The river is very wide, with hundreds of boats of all sizes moored there.

at this time,

As night fell, red lanterns were hung high.

Every flower boat was brightly lit and bustling with people.

As you walk along the riverbank near the boat shop, you can hear faint sounds of zithers, women singing, men shouting when they're drunk, and people playing around.

Along the passageways of many pleasure boats, two rows of women dressed in red dresses stood.

Whenever someone passes by the pleasure boat, these women will greet them with smiles and try to attract customers.

This wasn't Chen Jie's first time visiting a brothel.

Last time in Tianjin, he razed the brothel Piaoxianglou, which belonged to the Taiping Company, and had already seen everything about brothels.

He had no idea what Xu Shichang wanted to do by bringing him to the pleasure boat on the Qinhuai River.

Could it be that, like Wang Liankui, they are trying to win me over?

After Guan Qilin was no longer by his side, he listened to Xu Shichang's "inner thoughts" and did not sense that Xu Shichang had any intention of harming him.

at this time,

Seeing the charm of the Qinhuai River, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Although this place is also a brothel, its atmosphere is completely different from that of Piaoxianglou.

(End of this chapter)