Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 282 Destruction
The boat where Kazakhtai was had gone through three rounds of bloody fighting on the river. Now only four Eight Banner soldiers and five Baoyi soldiers were left. He and Wang Zhong were two of the survivors.

But even so, the situation was still not optimistic. The other two Eight Banner soldiers and three Baoyi soldiers had been seriously injured, especially the three Baoyi soldiers.

The wounds on their bodies were almost fatal. In order to reduce the weight of the boat, the remaining people ruthlessly pushed them into the river.

At this time, the battle on the river had fallen into chaos. Duoduo's large ship was surrounded by the Ming navy, and the fighting was extremely fierce.

The small boat where Kazakhtai was located took advantage of a slight gap and struggled to break out, finally getting away from the melee in the middle of the river.

However, Duoduo's large ship was still trapped in the enemy's formation and could not escape.

The Ming army soldiers and the Eight Banners soldiers fought with swords and sabers on the boat. The boat swayed with the waves and the fierce fighting, which seriously affected the combat effectiveness of the Eight Banners soldiers and the situation became worse and worse.

While rowing the boat, Kazakhtai looked back at the battlefield in the center of the river where flames were rising into the sky, and a chill came over his heart.

He knew very well that if he continued to stay there, death would be the only thing waiting for him.

Fortunately, he managed to escape.

But he still felt incredible about the Ming navy - the performance of these "Nikans" in the naval battle was completely beyond his expectations.

He originally thought that the Ming navy would be at a disadvantage in close combat, but the opposite was true.

Even when the ship was shaking violently, the Ming army soldiers remained as steady as a rock. Their attacks were fierce and precise with swords and spears, making it completely impossible for the Eight Banners soldiers to cope.

Just as he was feeling lucky to have escaped, he suddenly heard a quarrel behind him.

Wang Zhong's voice was filled with obvious fear and pleading:
"Master, Master, this belongs to the Kazakh master, not to the servant. You can't take it!"

Hearing the sound, Kazakhtai turned his head and saw Wang Zhong holding a package tightly.

Tact had already put down the oar and was reaching out to grab the valuables in Wang Zhong's arms.

"Tact, what do you want to do?"

Wang Zhong's face was filled with fear, and he held the package tightly in his hands, fearing that his only remaining belongings would be stolen.

These properties were of vital importance to him and were the only guarantee for him and his family to escape.

Without this money, his escape plan would be completely ruined.

However, Takht paid no attention to Wang Zhong's pleas. He had long regarded Wang Zhong as a slave, so he naturally thought that anything that belonged to Wang Zhong could be taken away at will.

In such a life-or-death situation, Tackett became greedy for anything of value.

He would not let go of Wang Zhong's property no matter what.

Wang Zhong tried his best to resist, and the boat shook violently due to the pulling of the two men and almost capsized.

The two Eight Banner soldiers on the boat were also staggering because they were not standing steadily, and they kept cursing in Manchu, but they did not intervene in the dispute between the two men.

Wang Zhong's heart was beating like a drum, and the money in his arms was his last resort.

Seeing that he couldn't succeed easily, Tact raised the knife in his hand and threatened fiercely:

"If you don't give me a share of the property, don't blame me for reporting Kazakhtai for hiding gold and silver and bringing baoyi on board!"

His voice was arrogant and vicious, and his eyes were full of pride.

He had nothing left. All the bondservants who followed him died in the battle, and his property fell into the river.

At this moment, he is like "the barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes", and he doesn't care about anything.

Wang Zhong was in great confusion, and Takht's threat pierced his nerves like a knife.

He knew that Tackett could do what he said, and if he did not give in, he would most likely be reported or even killed on this rickety ship.

However, Wang Zhong understood that these properties were his only hope.

Without it, his wife and daughter would lose the chance to escape, and he himself would be completely reduced to a humble slave in this turmoil.

The atmosphere on the boat suddenly became tense, and the surrounding river seemed to be turbulent because of the dispute.

Wang Zhong was trembling all over, constantly thinking about how to escape. He stared at Takht, and the cold look in his eyes made him shudder.

But in the end, he slowly loosened his hand and said in a trembling voice:
"Master Takht, if you want property, I'll give you some. I only ask you not to report me..."

Tact sneered, reached out and grabbed a handful of silver from Wang Zhong's package, his eyes full of greed.

He knew that he had completely taken control of the situation, and Wang Zhong's compromise made him feel extremely satisfied.

Wang Zhong watched as Takht greedily took away his hard-earned wealth, his heart filled with resentment and helplessness. His body was still trembling slightly, but he didn't dare say another word.

He understood that his patience at this moment might buy him and his family a glimmer of hope, and that Takht's madness was just the tip of the iceberg in the chaos.

Kazaktai stared at the opposite side, his eyes as cold as a wolf, and said nothing.

After a moment of stalemate, he relaxed slightly, as if admitting defeat, and slowly spoke:
"I can give you a share, but don't forget, there are two other people on this boat. Their belongings have also been robbed, and my belongings are gone too. Is this little money enough for four people to share?"

After hearing this, Tact did not answer immediately, but turned to look towards the center of the river.

The shouts of battle gradually faded away, but the orange-yellow flames on the river were still bright and dazzling, reflecting the ripples in the water.

He looked across the river again; the tranquil scene was in stark contrast to the chaos before him.

Then he turned back and said coldly:

"Okay, I'll do it, but don't regret it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Takt immediately turned around, completely ignoring the fear and helplessness of the other two people on the boat, raised the knife in his hand, and slashed at the two injured Eight Banners soldiers without hesitation.

These two men were seriously injured and would only become a burden if they went ashore. Tact had no mercy in his heart and was determined to kill them.

Takht was an old soldier who had experienced many storms. During the great famine twenty years ago, he had witnessed with his own eyes the horrific scene of fifty taels of silver for one stone of grain.

He knew better than anyone that the Qing Dynasty's current situation was precarious, and the situation would only get worse after retreating to Liaodong.

If they do not have wealth, famine will sooner or later devour their lives.

In this chaotic world, only the most ruthless people can survive.

Just as Takt pushed the bodies of the two Eight Banner soldiers off the boat, he suddenly said:

"Kazakhtai, that baoyi belongs to me. You have already taken one."

Without even turning his head, he continued to move his hands: "This is...ah!"

Before he could finish his words, he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck, and an icy chill instantly spread along his spine.

Blood quickly rushed to his throat, blocking his breathing. Tact widened his eyes and tried to make a sound, but could only make a few unclear "hmm".

Kazakhtai stared at Takt with a cold look. The knife that was originally inserted at his waist was now deeply inserted into Takt's neck.

Wang Zhong held the treasure tightly in his arms with both hands and muttered to himself:
"These are all mine, no one can take them away."

Blood continued to flow from Takht's mouth, and the pain on his face gradually disappeared, turning into an expression of disbelief and astonishment. Kazakhtai raised a sneer at the corner of his mouth and said grimly, "Takht, both of the baoyi are mine, and so are the property.

You, go to hell! "

Without waiting for Takht to react, Kasaktai raised his leg and kicked him off the boat.

With a "bang", Takt's body slammed heavily into the water, ripples appeared on the surface of the water, and then he quickly sank to the bottom of the water and disappeared without a trace.

Kasaktai stood at the bow, breathing rapidly, his chest heaving violently.

He glanced around, and only one thought remained in his mind: survive, he must survive.

He looked down at his bloody hands and suddenly realized that there was no one on this ship who was trustworthy.

"Wang Zhong, row the boat!"

He suddenly shouted and turned to check the direction of the boat, but suddenly saw a flash of cold light.

He was startled and dodged quickly, but it was too late. The blade chopped off his palm in an instant, and blood spurted out.

"what!"

Kazakhtai let out a scream, the severe pain almost made him lose consciousness, his body staggered, his feet slipped, and the ship shook violently.

The other two people on the boat were also thrown off balance by the sudden shaking, swaying from side to side, as if the entire boat might capsize at any moment.

The ship was swaying in the water, and the surrounding river water reflected the fire on the shore, making the whole world look as hot as a blaze.

The situation on the boat was even more dangerous, with everyone fighting for a few belongings. In the end, perhaps no one would be able to escape this bloody river alive.

Kazaktai's screams echoed on the river, but no one responded, and no one stopped.

On this desperate night, everyone was struggling desperately, trying to snatch a glimmer of hope from the hands of death.

However, greed, betrayal and killing have long overwhelmed their sanity.

Everyone on the ship became the prey and hunter in this game.

The river was still flowing, the orange-yellow flames gradually faded away, and the tranquility on the other side of the river formed a sharp contrast with the chaos on the boat.

On the boat, blood and sword flashes intertwined, as if indicating that the fight was far from over.

Wang Zhong did not stop because of his opponent's weakness. He held a knife in his hand, looked fierce, and chased Kazakhtai closely.

While chasing and killing, he shouted loudly to the dazed Baoyi soldiers standing beside him:

"Come and help! Otherwise we will both die! Do you still want to continue to be the Manchus' running dogs?"

After experiencing the battle with Bayala and seeing the Manchus in such a plight on the ship, and then watching these arrogant Manchus killing each other, Wang Zhong's fear and servility towards them had long disappeared.

He suddenly realized that there was no way for him and Kazakhtai to survive if they went back.

His property had been lost, and he had just realized after being reminded by the other party that if he went back with him, the only outcome that awaited him would be death. He would have to watch his wife and daughter starve to death, or even their bodies might be dug up and eaten.

Seeing the situation in front of him, the baoyi soldier was hesitant at first and did not dare to act rashly, but when he saw Wang Zhong chasing and fighting with Kazakhtai, he was also infected by this fierce momentum.

He took a deep breath, threw away the oar in his hand, and picked up a heavy thick-backed knife on the boat.

The fierce fight between the three people caused the small boat, which could only carry more than 20 people, to shake violently on the water. The boat almost lost its balance, splashing water everywhere, as if it might capsize at any time.

Kazakhtai gritted his teeth and endured the pain, struggling with Wang Zhong, and his movements seemed to be becoming more and more strenuous.

The baoyi soldier who had just joined the battle, although he mustered up his courage, was obviously still afraid and did not dare to chop the Manchu master with all his strength with the knife in his hand.

He moved timidly, and after a few rounds, he was kicked into the water by Kazakhtai, causing a splash.

The soldier struggled in the water, his face full of fear, and he obviously had not anticipated the cruelty of the battle.

Taking advantage of this brief gap, a fierce look flashed in Wang Zhong's eyes. He quickly pulled out the short axe he carried with him from his waist, seized the opportunity, and chopped it down hard on Kazakhtai's back.

He used up all his strength in this axe swing, and the axe blade was deeply embedded in the opponent's muscles and bones, making a dull sound.

Kazakhtai's body suddenly stiffened, as if he had received a fatal blow, and the severe pain made him unable to stand.

Kasaktai's palm had been chopped off in the previous fight, and blood kept gushing out of the wound, almost exhausting his physical strength.

He had been fighting with the two Baoyi soldiers for such a long time that he was already exhausted. Now the axe hit his back suddenly, and his body could no longer support it. He fell heavily on the deck, no longer able to fight back.

Wang Zhong seemed to be completely dominated by the madness of the battle. He threw himself on Kasaktai, raised his short axe, and chopped him down frantically again and again.

When the axe fell, there was a dull thud and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Kazakhtai's body gradually lost its vitality, but Wang Zhong's hand did not stop. He seemed to be in a state of being out of control, and kept smashing the axe at the body that had long lost its resistance.

Wang Zhong finally stopped until the axe blade was too hard to use because it hit the armor on Kazakhtai's body, leaving several cracks and making it unusable.

He was breathing heavily and covered in sweat, as if he had just been fished out of a sea of ​​blood.

Sweat, blood and flesh scraps were stuck to his face, his hair was wet and stuck to his forehead, and he looked both disheveled and ferocious.

He slumped on the deck, his eyes empty, as if he was in a state of extreme fatigue and madness, muttering to himself:
"Hehe...Eight Banners...what a bullshit Eight Banners...didn't I kill them all? And you still want to steal my money..."

There was a hint of hysterical laughter in his voice, as if after killing Kazaktai, some suppressed emotions in his heart had been released.

However, his laughter did not last long, and he suddenly felt a chill in his lower body.

The cold feeling spread down his lower body, so cold that it made him shiver.

He looked down and saw that the deck was already soaked with water. The boat had been damaged during the fight and water was pouring in from the breach.

Wang Zhong suddenly came to his senses and realized that something was wrong.

Just now in the life-and-death struggle, the fierce fighting between the three people had made the boat shaky, and now, the hull obviously could not withstand further tossing and turning and was slowly sinking.

Without giving it much thought, he quickly got up and tried to plug the breach, but he found that the water was rushing in faster and faster and he was powerless to stop it.

The Baoyi soldier who was kicked into the water struggled to climb out of the water and onto the boat. He was soaked and looked terrified.

He looked at the rising water level in the boat, then looked at Wang Zhong who was slumped in the boat, his face turning as pale as paper.

Kazaktai's body weighed heavily on the deck, as if announcing the fate of the small boat.

Wang Zhong gritted his teeth, realizing that the ship was doomed.

He was panting, his eyes gloomy, and he looked up at the shore not far away.

There was a vague patch of woods visible there, and he knew that if they didn't act quickly, the only fate waiting for them would be sinking in the icy waters.

"Jump in and swim over!"

Wang Zhong roared, not caring about his exhaustion, he stood up suddenly and jumped into the water.

(End of this chapter)