The Ming army's maneuvering speed was much slower than Deng Ming imagined. The women and children in the old camp were not good at marching. Since it was impossible to leave them behind, they could only accommodate them. Many of them were women with small feet. Due to the implementation of the branch battalion system, these women could not get help from their husbands, and it was even more difficult to walk with their children. They were the slowest group.

"Do you have any good solutions?" He didn't go far after walking for a whole morning, and a large number of women were exhausted. Deng Ming had to ask the experts Zhao Tianba and Zhou Kaihuang again.

But these two people couldn't come up with any ideas because they had no practical experience and had just heard some narratives from their elders.

"Then let the people from the old camp take a boat." Deng Ming had no choice but to make this decision helplessly.

"What if the soldiers are not allowed to preserve their strength, what should I do when I encounter Tartars?" Li Xinghan opposed: "Now women can still help us carry some supplies. If they are all transported by boat, will there be time to unload them in an emergency?"

Deng Ming thought about it and ordered the soldiers to carry their own weapons, hired civilians to help carry armor, and load other things with women. Fortunately, there are only more than a thousand people in the Zhejiang army now, and the column is not very long, so it is not difficult to command. At the same time, Deng Ming also sent forward and backward provocates to discover possible enemy troops in advance.

It took a long time to adjust the formation and re-arrange the ships, but it was too late to travel far in one day. The next day, the Ming army advanced faster, but because the entire army was unanimously on guard and searching for advancement, it still did not meet the distance Deng Ming expected to advance. Thanks to the Yangtze River to use, Deng Ming really didn't know how Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong were floating like the wind back then, but perhaps the women who broke into the camp and the Western Camp were all big feet and would not be seriously dragged down.

After arriving slowly and finally arrived near Wuhu, the outpost found a large number of scattered Zhejiang troops, ranging from hundreds to dozens. After the outpost stopped several teams, they all said that Zhang Huangyan's army had collapsed, which surprised the outpost and hurriedly came back to report to Deng Ming.

It turned out that Zhang Huangyan had learned that Zheng Chenggong had given up Zhenjiang and the downstream waters were again controlled by the Qing army, so he decided to go up the river and fight in Jiangxi to avoid the Qing army troops in Nanjing.

"Why is Zhang Shangshu so confused?" Zhao Tianba called out as soon as he heard this. His origin in the Western Camp resulted in him not being particularly respectful to Zhang Huangyan, so he was not very polite: "Even if the Tatars have a navy, the entire army must break through the downstream and fight to the death with the Tatars. The soldiers knew that only by winning could they have the chance of fighting, they would fight to the death. The Tatars were fighting for merit and rewards, and they would not have the same life. Even if they couldn't rush over, one was the other, which was better than looking for Jiangxi."

What Zhao Tianba said was the principle of "returning to the army, don't stop" in the art of military affairs. Ren Tang suddenly blushed when he heard this and argued: "Zhang Shangshu has been through the battlefield for a long time. Do you have no idea about this principle? There must be his reason!"

"Shangshu Zhang has indeed fought for many years, but it seems that there are not many victories." Zhao Tianba said coldly.

Seeing that the two were about to argue, Deng Ming hurried out to smooth things over: "Zhang Shangshu does have his reason, and the Zhejiang army is mixed with its subordinates. Who plays the vanguard? Who is the defender? How can each protect his family defeat the navy of the Tartars?"

Ren Tang had seen the chaos of the Zhejiang Army in Tongling. He knew that what Deng Ming said made sense, so he stopped arguing. He beat his chest and stamped his feet and sighed: "We shouldn't bring our family members at all. It's all the suggestions of the Prince of Yanping. It's not a problem to conquer Nanjing this time, and bring the family members and then go to the southeast of Yongzhen. Even if we want to take them, we should move them after conquering Nanjing."

Deng Ming asked the officers and soldiers of Zhejiang Army: "How did Zhang Shangshu's army collapse?"

After learning that Zheng Chenggong was defeated, the Qing army surrendered to Zhang Huangyan all turned against each other. Last night, a team of hundreds of Qing troops searched outside Zhang Huangyan's camp. They wanted to attack and kill some Ming troops to clear their surrender, but they did not expect to meet Zhang Huangyan's main force. After discovering that the Ming army was strong, the Qing army fled guiltily. Before they escaped, they set off guns and cannons at the Ming army.

The Ming army was originally a frightened bird. When they suddenly heard the sound of guns and cannons at night, all the battalions were upset. They all thought that the Qing army came to rob the camp. In the dark, the Ming army attacked each other and the camp roared. They found that there were noise around them. After shouting and shouting loudly, the soldiers took their families to escape from the camp in the dark, and they all wanted to escape from the camp as soon as possible. If it was the main force of the Qing army's robbery, the camp would definitely be the biggest target.

It was not until dawn that Zhang Huangyan was able to appease the rebellious army. After counting the number of people, he found that there were only a few thousand left. A large number of ships were also driven away by the Ming army, and the strength of the Zhejiang Navy was very small. Zhang Huangyan felt that the situation was irreversible and had no chance to defeat the Jiangxi Green Camp, so he led the remaining troops towards Chaohu.

"Didn't you see the Tartars at all?" Deng Ming sighed again after hearing the narration: "This is obviously a group of scattered soldiers and raving warriors are harassing."

"But in the dark night, how do we know that there are actually no large groups of Tartars?" Several Zhejiang military officers brought were very aggrieved. They hid in the east for two days, and then found that there was no shadow of the main force of the Qing army around them, so they came out to find friendly troops and wanted to meet with Zhang Huangyan again, but found that there were only defeated soldiers who fled from the camp like them. Zhang Huangyan had already left Wuhu.

"Shangshu Zhang has been away for two days," Ren Tang immediately said to Deng Ming after he understood, "The army around Zhang Shangshu is still with his family. He will definitely not be able to walk fast. The Admiral will rush forward and will catch up soon."

Deng Ming shook his head: "It is easy to chase Zhang Shangshu, but what should the Zhejiang soldiers scattered around Wuhu? Sooner or later, the Tatars will send troops to encircle and suppress them. The most urgent task is to gather all the defeated soldiers and then work together to escape from the danger."

Now Deng Ming not only burned a lie to death, but also took the credit for killing the governor of Huguang. He was unwilling to be too arrogant to attract the main force of the Qing Dynasty too early, so he asked Ren Tang to plant a banner as an aide to Zhang Huangyan to gather the defeated troops. Only the generals of the Zhejiang Army could know Deng Ming's identity.

After gathering up some of the Zhejiang soldiers, Deng Ming immediately told these people his plan, that is, to separate the men and women, and follow him back to Huguang. Now the Qing army in Wuchang still has a large number of naval troops, and there is a certain risk of sailing from the Yangtze River, but the Qing army does not have the ability to launch an offensive on the ground. As long as the Zhejiang army marchs to the Han River Basin, they can safely enter the controlled area of ​​the Kuidong Army.

"But can the Three Gorges support so many of us?" Although this road looks safer, the soldiers and generals in Zhejiang are a little worried. They heard that the Kuidong area is quite barren and the living conditions for camps are very difficult.

"If you are willing to endure hardship, you can go to Sichuan," Deng Ming said to Zhejiang Bing: "The country of Tianfu in western Sichuan is a fertile land of thousands of miles now. Now it is basically a land without a border. If you go there, it will be no problem for each family to divide the land of dozens of acres. In fact, there is no problem for hundreds of acres, and I am afraid that the whole family will not be able to cultivate it."

Through contact with Zhejiang soldiers, Deng Mingcai realized how complex the military components of Zhang Huangyan were. Not only were there a large number of fishermen, farmers, but also many small vendors and artists. Whether it was the Kuidong Army, the Yunnan Army or the Fujian Army, they were all traditional feudal troops, with military households as the main components. However, Zhejiang has many factions of volunteer soldiers, and they absorbed all kinds of anti-Qing patriots in society, from all walks of life, which were completely different from other Ming armies.

Although there are many Zhejiang people in the Zhejiang army, there are also many Anhui and Jiangsu people, and even many people from Shandong. These people were not soldiers, and because they were unwilling to survive under the Qing Dynasty, they went to Zhoushan with their passion. The courage of these Zhejiang soldiers who spontaneously resisted the Qing Dynasty was amazing, but their training and experience were really bad. Deng Ming met with the generals in the Zhejiang army one by one and found that most of them had no experience in commanding soldiers in their wars. Some were elected as leaders because they took the lead in advocating the Qing Dynasty in their hometowns, so they were elected as leaders and brought everyone to the Zhejiang army.

Over the years, Zhoushan has been more similar to a large camp. Patriarchs from all over the world gathered, but they didn't know how to build a combat-capable army. Zhang Huangyan did not have the supplies to train these patriots into an army, nor could he provide them with weapons and equipment. He tried his best to ensure that the Zhejiang army would not endure hunger. Since this time, the Qing army has surrendered, and the Zhejiang army has easily occupied prefectures and counties, and has not received any training.

Regarding such Zhejiang soldiers, Deng Ming asked himself that he had no ability to turn them into tens of thousands of strong troops, so he thought about sending them to Sichuan to engage in agricultural production.

While Deng Ming was busy gathering the scattered soldiers and doing convincing work at the same time, suddenly the people from Wuhu broke into the camp to complain. The day before yesterday, the food of the people was stolen by a Zhejiang soldier. Today, the people happened to run into the Zhejiang soldier. He shouted to catch the thief and grabbed the Zhejiang soldier. The two were taken back to the camp by the Ming army patrolling outside the camp. Ren Tang immediately asked about the matter, and the people told the robbers in detail. Deng Ming, who was listening to the side, saw the criminal's face as if he was ashes, knelt on the ground and shivered, knowing that this matter was most of the true truth.

Ren Tang's opinion was the same as Deng Ming. After asking about it clearly, Ren Tang sternly questioned the criminal: "This matter is serious!"

The soldier just shivered, but couldn't say a word.

Ren Tang shouted again: "The officers and soldiers were punished for their crimes. Before sending troops, Zhang Shangshu said that if you can't control yourself, don't follow them, otherwise the military law will be ruthless. Do you think that when the officers and soldiers are in trouble, you can do whatever you want?"

After saying that, Ren Tang threw down a command arrow and ordered the guards in the battalion: "Drag it out and behead you!"

Seeing the soldier coming forward to take the criminal, he was about to drag him out of the camp. Deng Ming hurriedly shouted: "Let's wait!"

"What do you think of General Hu?" Ren Tang turned his head and asked. Now in front of ordinary soldiers, Deng Ming was still the pseudonym Hu Yidao.

"It's certainly wrong for him to steal x rob, but he hasn't hurt anyone yet..." Deng Ming looked at the criminal soldier and asked kindly: "Why do you want to steal x rob people's wealth?"

"General!" Seeing that the savior was present, the criminal suddenly recovered his language ability: "The night before yesterday, the whole camp was in chaos, the villain fled out of the camp with his wife, hid for a day without food, the child kept shouting that he was hungry, and the villain fled out of the camp in a hurry, had no money, and snatched things in a daze."

"Do you have money now?" Deng Ming asked, but before the soldiers could answer, he took the initiative to say to the complainant: "How much is it? I will give you twice the compensation for him, no, three times, I will be shocked."

"Thank you, General Hu." The criminal kowtowed repeatedly with gratitude.

"General, no." Ren Tang said to stop him: "Shangshu Zhang has an order that even if he robs the people of a penny, it will be a death sentence. We are officers and soldiers of the royal army. If we harass the people, wouldn't it be the same as the Tartars?"

Since the dispatch of troops, Zhang Huangyan's military discipline has been very strict. If something harasses the people, he will never tolerate it. A similar case has occurred in Wuhu before. A Zhejiang soldier threw down ten copper coins and forcibly took away a bag of white flour from the people. After the people complained, Zhang Huangyan ordered the criminals to behead the soldiers. The criminals were shocked and shouted: "Master Zhang, why is this the crime of villains?" Zhang Huangyan replied: "I have had a military order, even if I have a penny, I will be beheaded, let alone white flour worth four cents of silver?" Therefore, in the Zhejiang military controlled area, the people were not afraid of the Ming army at all, and they dared to argue with reason when trading with soldiers.

Ren Tang was arrogant when he described this matter. When he was ordered to go to Tongling, he also shouldered the responsibility of supervising the army and not allowing officers and soldiers to disturb the people.

Deng Ming was also secretly surprised and couldn't help but praise: "I heard before that King Yue's army could be disciplined, but King Yue could first make the soldiers eat and wear warmth. The Zhejiang army was poor and could be like this. It's really amazing."

"That's right," Ren Tang said loudly: "The Tartars are lustful and abused the people. Our uprising soldiers expel the Tartars and restore peace to the people in the world. How can we be like the Tartars?" After that, Ren Tang ordered the criminal to be dragged out and executed.

"No, no." Deng Ming stopped him again, and at the same time he took out a silver ingot from his arms and handed it to the complainant's hand: "I'll give this to you, are you willing to withdraw the complaint?"

After seeing the piece of silver that was far more valuable, the people nodded quickly: "I'm willing."

"General Hu!" Ren Tang said angrily: "This was an appointment with the officers and soldiers before Zhang Shangshu sent troops."

"I have to pay my life if I kill someone, I have to pay my life if I owe debts and pay them back. I have never been injured. Why do I have to pay my life if I have to pay my life?" Deng Ming said disapprovingly: "What's more, Zhang Shangshu is not here now."

When he first saw the appearance of the Zhejiang soldiers, Deng Ming thought it was a mess, but the story told by Ren Tang made him look at the Zhejiang soldiers with admiration. The ability of this army to maintain strict military discipline without mutiny shows that its constituents are indeed a group of people who are full of ambition to serve the country. Even if they have little combat experience and poor training, their enthusiasm is unquestionable.

It is precisely because of this that Deng Ming could not agree to deal with this soldier, and he was also sad for the soldier who was executed by Zhang Huangyan: "They were not military households, but they were willing to sacrifice their lives to expel the Tartars. These people were all heroes." Deng Ming raised his tone and asked Ren Tang: "Don't you want to restore the country? Why do you want to kill the heroes for a penny?"

After handling the case, Deng Ming ordered the amendment of military rules, and all those who take the people's things will be changed to compensation and will be given ten times the compensation. If the soldiers have no money, Deng Ming can give it a custody first and deduct it from their military pay in the future.

After several days of renovation near Wuhu, Deng Ming gathered nearly 30,000 Zhejiang soldiers. At this time, Guan Qizhong, Liang Huafeng and Jiang Guozhu each led their troops to the downstream of Nanjing to monitor Zheng Chenggong's actions. The Qing army despised the combat effectiveness of the Zhejiang soldiers and did not treat them as a threat at all.

More than 20,000 Zhejiang soldiers gathered together were willing to take their families to Huguang. They all knew that returning to Zhoushan was in danger and did not want their relatives to take risks. They hoped that they could find a place to stay in Kuidong and Xichuan. However, more than 5,000 people still wanted to return to Zhoushan. These people were basically bachelors, or had their families in Zhoushan and coastal areas.

One of the soldiers talked about his reasons to Deng Ming, saying that Sichuan was far away and almost another world for him. This soldier probably wouldn't have the chance to return to his hometown if he went to the distant Sichuan: "I would rather risk my life to return to Zhoushan than be a ghost in a foreign land."

Ren Tang is one of them, but he is not afraid of a visitor dying in a foreign land or because he is unwilling to divorce his wife and children - he has not gotten married yet, but because he is familiar with people in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang area, who can help Zhoushan rebels find out the news and smuggle materials. He explained to Deng Ming: "If I went to Sichuan and were not familiar with the place, it would probably not help the admiral's great cause. If I could return to Zhoushan by chance, I would at least help the rebels live a better life."

"If you act separately, you will not survive even if you are united and go together, the goal will be too big. The Tartars will definitely surround and block them, and they will also be a life-threatening death." Deng Ming tried hard to persuade again: "Why do you have to die in vain?"

"Now the Tartars' attention has been taken away by the Prince of Yanping. The goal of our 5,000 people is better than that of tens of thousands. We can use wood to make some weapons. The local Tartars will definitely not dare to fight when they see so many of us. Then we will pass around the city. As long as the Tartars in Nanjing do not come to chase us immediately, we will still have a chance." Ren Tang planned to take the Zhejiang soldiers as soon as possible. He now hopes that Zheng Chenggong can attract the enemy for more time and hold back Guan Xiaozhong and others.

Speaking of this, Ren Tang couldn't help complaining, "Even if Nanjing was defeated, the Prince of Yanping should not leave immediately. Isn't this the Zhejiang soldiers who were not saved by death?"

"It can't be said that the vanguard general of the Prince of Yanping, the Central Admiral, has been lost in Nanjing. He can't save him now, let alone the Zhejiang Army far away in Wuhu?" Deng Ming defended Zheng Chenggong. He felt that Ren Tang and his friends were too dangerous. Even if Zheng Chenggong could restrain the main force of the Qing army for a period of time, it might not be enough for these 5,000 Ming troops to cross the inland Jiangsu. Moreover, if Nanjing sent other troops to pursue him, even if Ren Tang and the others were dragged for a while, these Zhejiang soldiers would definitely not be able to survive.

"I'll give you a ride." Deng Ming made the decision.

{Piaotian Literature www.piaotian.net Thank you for your support, your support is our greatest motivation}
Chapter completed!