coobybook Chapter 145 God helps me
Chapter 145 God helps me
Let’s not worry about the palace infighting in Rehe, Zhangjiawan.
The Anglo-French Allied Forces once again received reinforcements of three infantry regiments, including two British regiments and one French infantry regiment, and were also followed by a French artillery battalion. Such combat power should not be underestimated.
Saxton was overjoyed to see the reinforcements. Three regiments, that's 5,000 troops. Now the strength of the Anglo-French Allied Forces in Zhangjiawan is close to 15,000. Although still not as large as the Qing army, they have more advanced weapons. More than 10,000 guns, dozens of heavy artillery, plus some small infantry artillery. 15,000 people are enough to dominate the whole of China!
Saxton said bitterly, "This time, we will not divide our forces. We will concentrate our main forces and attack Yangzha with all our might via Shuangqiao. I want to see what else Liu Ye can do to stop our army!"
More than 10,000 British and French troops began to approach Yangzha.
The news had already reached Yangzha.
At this time, Senggelinqin and others had already received the imperial edict from Emperor Xianfeng severely reprimanding them.
Senggelinqin looked at Liu Ye and smiled bitterly, "Liu Ye, you say you are worthy of this position, but every time the emperor gives you a promotion, you always make some trouble. You get promoted two levels, then demoted two levels. Are you playing tricks on me?"
Liu Ye's face was slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, you say this step, is it easy for me?" First, I defeated the Anglo-French coalition and Dagukou, and then I was promoted. Then, during the negotiations, I repelled the pressure from Britain, the United States, France, and Russia, and was promoted again. This time, I first defeated the Russians and won a series of victories in Tong County. In the end, I was still a general. I wanted to get the position of governor and governor-general, but why is it so difficult? Once I became a frontier official, I could do whatever I wanted.
Liu Ye replied, "Alright, Your Highness, I've been stripped of my admiralty, so be it. Getting promoted and getting rich isn't my dream anyway. The most important thing right now is how to win this battle. With more and more reinforcements coming from the British and French forces, the pressure on us will only grow. Defending is not a long-term solution. We must change the situation as soon as possible."
Senggelinqin said helplessly, "If we don't hold our ground, what else can we do? Do we even think of attacking directly? We still have too few firearms. Before we even get close to them, the army has already suffered casualties. How can we fight this battle?"
When several people were discussing countermeasures, He Qimou sent back information from Kuo County. The British and French forces sent reinforcements from Tianjin again. There were nearly 5,000 people, carrying a large number of artillery. They had entered Kuo County and were heading towards Zhangjiawan!
Kuo County, that means it is less than 200 miles away from Yangzha! Such a short distance can be reached within two days. It only takes one day to get from Zhangjiawan to Yangzha, leaving the Qing army less than five days to prepare!
Senggelinqin's face immediately became solemn, and Ruilin beside him was even paler. With another 5,000 troops, the Qing army could not defeat the Anglo-French coalition forces in Zhangjiawan alone. If there were another 5,000 troops, the Qing army would definitely not be their match. This was the gap in strength!
Senggelinqin asked: "Liu Ye, what do you think we should do next?"
Liu Ye frowned slightly. This battle was becoming increasingly difficult to fight. However, no matter what, the battle had to be fought, and it had to be won!
Liu Ye pondered and said, "We must fight. This time, we must also give up positional warfare. We are definitely no match for them. The foreigners' artillery is not something we, the Green Camp Army, can withstand..."
Senggelinqin frowned slightly, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder blades. He shouted, "Uh, Liu Ye, come and give me a back massage. Use more force! This old injury is really killing me..."
Liu Ye quickly stood up. He had been supported and cared for by the Monk King, and usually considered himself a junior. He asked, "Your Highness, what's going on?"
Senggelinqin sighed, "When I was young, I participated in an uprising to suppress the White Lotus Sect. As a result, the bandits stabbed me twice in the back, injuring the bones. Even on cloudy days, the pain is unbearable. This time it is even more unbearable. I am afraid that a heavy rain is coming..."
Heavy rain is coming?
It is the hot summer of June and July now, and children's faces change like the weather in June!
Liu Ye's eyes lit up, and he suddenly smiled and said, "Your Highness, I'm afraid even God is helping us this time."
Senggelinqin was startled and asked quickly, "Liu Ye, what do you mean?"
Liu Ye asked, "Your Majesty, how many days do you think the rainy weather will last?"
Senggelinqin shook his head and replied, "It's getting cloudy outside now. I'm afraid it won't be sunny for a few days..."
Liu Ye smiled and said, "Look, Your Majesty, the weather is crucial. During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang borrowed the east wind to burn down Chibi. This time, we have to rely on continuous rain to defeat the British and French forces!"
Senggelinqin, Shengbao, and Ruilin were shocked and asked hurriedly, "Liu Ye, what do you mean by this?"
Liu Ye replied, "Your Highness, my Lords, it's very simple. The muskets used by the Anglo-French coalition are filled with paper bullets. Once rainy, they will get damp. If the gunpowder gets soaked by rain, how can it be used? Even if it can be used, it will malfunction frequently, affecting its accuracy and range. Without muskets, the Anglo-French coalition's combat effectiveness will be wasted in half! And since we now have a large number of cavalry, why should we be afraid of them?"
Senggelinqin was overjoyed and asked, "Liu Ye, are you sure about this?"
Liu Ye waved his hand, and a soldier came over. Liu Ye shouted, "Go to the warehouse and get a box of foreign bullets. Bring it here for inspection!"
Not long after, the soldiers brought up a box of bullets. When they opened it, they found that almost all the bullets inside were made of cardboard.
Liu Ye took a sip of tea and sprayed it towards the bullet. A mist of water shone on the bullet, and the paper shell slowly became wet. Apparently, the water had penetrated into the gunpowder and was unusable!
Liu Ye laughed heartily and shouted, "Your Highness, this is a godsend opportunity. We don't need the Anglo-French coalition to attack. We must find a chance to launch an attack on them! This time, we must destroy them!"
Senggelinqin was overjoyed. As expected, the five elements restrain each other, and water can restrain fire. This is the ultimate truth between heaven and earth!
Liu Ye shouted, "Your Highness, we must recall He Qimou immediately. His 1,000 cavalrymen are elite, and we'll need them for the upcoming battle!"
Senggelinqin nodded and shouted, "Come here, send a message immediately. Summon He Qimou and his personal cavalry battalion to return to Shuangqiao immediately and prepare for battle. Liu Ye, just like last time, you will be in charge of all military affairs. Even if it's me who's giving orders, I won't hesitate!"