Chapter 186 Heading South
The next day, in Lin Chen's study.
Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun, who were unruly in front of the navy soldiers, seemed to be the second in command.
At this moment, their eyes were quite respectful and their faces were smiling.
The reason why the two brothers were like this was in front of Lin Chen.
"You two did a good job."
Lin Chen heard that the two brothers had expanded the navy soldiers to 5,000 people during this period, and the number of ships had increased several times.
When he asked the reason, Lin Chen learned that these were all the gains from the two of them who had eliminated the bandits around the canal.
The strong bandits were incorporated and the main culprit was killed.
After being beaten and beaten, these bandits finally became honest.
Lin Chen nodded, and there was a hint of approval in his eyes when he looked at Zhang Heng.
"By the way, sir, why did you summon us two brothers to Beijing this time?" Zhang Heng scratched his short and prickly hair and asked in confusion.
According to Lin Chen, the main task of their navy is to maintain the stability of the canal.
Lin Chen heard this, but did not answer immediately, instead asking Zhang Heng an irrelevant question.
"How many days does it take to go south from the capital along the canal to the sea?"
Zhang Heng was surprised when he heard Lin Chen's question, but he also answered honestly: "If you go downstream without stopping along the way, it will only take seven days!"
"Then how many days will it take to go north along the coast to Liaodong?"
"Go north along the coast?"
Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun's faces changed slightly when they heard what Lin Chen said.
It seems that hearing the word "coastal" made the two brothers feel a little gloomy.
"My lord, you don't know that river boats going to sea are really like a drop in the ocean. It's useless."
Speaking of this, Zhang Heng began to complain.
As a person who has suffered, Zhang Heng said that his two brothers were ignorant at the time and operated river boats to trade at sea.
Before they had gone fifty nautical miles, a wave overturned the entire fleet, and in the end only the two brothers survived by chance.
"Don't worry about the ship." Lin Chen said in a calm tone.
"Don't worry about the ship?"
The two brothers Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun looked at each other and gave an uncertain answer.
"Half a month!"
That is, fifteen days.
If they set out to Liaodong by land, they would have to march for at least one and a half months no matter how fast they marched.
If they switched to the sea route, it would take less than one-third of the time.
The advantages of sea transportation can be seen.
Of course.
It is not only Lin Chen who knows the convenience of sea transportation.
However, in this era, the technology of ocean-going ships is not mature.
In other words.
The fleets that go out to sea are often in danger of death.
Lin Chen does not have to worry about this.
You should know that there are still four sailing battleships that do not belong to this era in his system backpack.
A full crew can carry 3,000 sailors.
When they reach the coast and other places, they can buy some ocean-going ships to support Zhang Heng's 5,000 naval forces and transport 15,000 Yulin Guards.
Yes.
Lin Chen only has 15,000 troops to attack the heartland of the Qing Dynasty by sea.
Among these 15,000 people, 10,000 are Hussar Guards who have completed the transformation of Yulin Hussar cards.
The combat effectiveness is amazing.
Among the remaining 5,000 infantry, there are 2,000 Shenjiying and 3,000 Baili soldiers.
Liaodong is extremely cold and the terrain is bad.
From a certain perspective, it is the main battlefield of Baili soldiers.
It's just that Lin Chen plans to play a light cavalry raid this time, so he didn't bring too many infantry.
"Go down and prepare, remember to block the news!"
After all kinds of thoughts flashed through Lin Chen's mind, he ordered the two brothers Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun.
"Yes!"
Although the two brothers Zhang Heng and Zhang Shun didn't know what to do next, they were eager to try, and there was no sign of nervousness at all.
The two of them are now fifth-rank naval officers.
If they make meritorious contributions this time, they can at least move up a level.
By then...
"Brother, the governor of Jiangzhou is only a fifth-rank official, right?"
"When we go back, we will definitely let that old man call me sir!"
Zhang Heng thought of something, and his face showed a hint of excitement.
After all, the two of them had suffered losses at the hands of the governor of Jiangzhou, so they naturally wanted to get back at him.
At the same time in the capital.
Most of the ordinary people learned that the court would send a large army to conquer the barbarians outside the Great Wall.
After learning that there was no need to increase taxes this time, the people turned their worries into joy and discussed what kind of barbarians the Jurchens of the Later Jin were.
It is said that the Jurchen barbarians look like wild boars, with terrifying and ferocious faces, and they are absolutely not something that can be resisted by human power.
And Zhao Kuangyin, he felt that everything was going well these days.
After getting the position of the main general to conquer the Later Jin, Zhao Kuangyin began to prepare.
First, some old and weak soldiers were eliminated from the Beijing camp, and elite soldiers were selected as his personal guards.
Second, soldiers were mobilized from the Li Tang area to Beijing.
As the Minister of War, Zhao Kuangyin naturally knew that there were still strong armies in some places.
For example, the white-pole soldiers in Sichuan and Shu and the Qingzhou horse guards had good combat power.
This time, Zhao Kuangyin summoned them to the capital with a transfer order.
In this way.
In another half a month, the army to conquer the Later Jin could be formed.
At the same time, Zhao Kuangyin was also paying attention to the war situation in Liaodong.
The Later Jin Jurchens did not take the key point of Jinzhou, so they began to shrink their defense line, as if they knew that the Li Tang court was preparing to counterattack.
This was good news for Zhao Kuangyin.
If the Liaodong Border Army really loses Jinzhou, it will be really troublesome.
"What about Lin Chenjia?"
Zhao Kuangyin suddenly remembered something and asked his staff.
Today his brother went to the Beijing Camp to supervise the selection of personal guards.
Apart from Zhao Guangyi, Zhao Kuangyin naturally has capable people around him.
Upon hearing this, the staff immediately mentioned that Lin Chen also had a large-scale navy under his command.
This made Zhao Kuangyin frown slightly.
"What does this Lin Chenjia want to do?"
Murong Fu, who was originally used to collect information about Lin Chen, sent a message today saying that he was not convenient to show up recently, as if he was on guard against something.
This made Zhao Kuangyin dissatisfied with Murong Fu, the hidden nail, but it was not easy to get angry.
"Send someone to keep an eye on Lin Chenjia!" Zhao Kuangyin did not dare to be careless and said in a heavier tone.
"Yes!"
As for Lin Chen, who was regarded as a great enemy by Zhao Kuangyin, he had already prepared the Yulin guards to sail south.
Unlike the last time the army left Beijing in a grand manner.
This time, Lin Chen signaled his subordinates to keep a low profile.
One by one, the naval vessels docked at the Caoqu wharf were filled and then headed south along the Caoqu.
This did not attract much attention.
After all, there were dozens of merchant ships traveling to and from the Caoqu every day.
This time, Wei Qing was also among the generals who raided the heartland of the Jurchens, and naturally felt a surge of excitement in his heart.
Thanks to Lin Chen's appreciation, but without any merit, Wei Qing inevitably felt a little uneasy and guilty.
This time, he finally got the opportunity to perform!
"But Lin Chenjia, Lord Lin?"
Lin Chen, who boarded the ship together, heard a familiar voice.
He subconsciously looked back, and a strange color appeared in his eyes.
...