The content of the report of the Jiangxi general was similar to that of his subordinate Wang Han, that is, he learned that some of the grain ships were attacked by the Ming army and were widely distributed, causing losses of hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. The Jiangxi general said that given the Ming army was so close, it was inevitable that the grain transport had been affected by some influence. He sincerely hoped that the Governor of the grain transport could help him defend the matter to the court.

Before leaving, the deputy general left two silver boxes. Looking at these things, Lin Qilong fully understood what was going on. There was no doubt that it was a custody and his duty was to stop this behavior. Although the river officers and soldiers did not have too strong combat power, and these Jiangxi Green Camps were not directly under Lin Qilong, Lin Qilong represented the Qing court. With just one look, these martial artists could kneel on the ground and kowtow like pounding garlic... There was no doubt that Lin Qilong could do it a few years ago.

Although he was a shriveled old man, he would not feel a little afraid even when facing dozens of green camp generals covered with clothes. As a dignified governor, Lin Qilong would only make others feel afraid. Even if there were no large group of soldiers standing behind Lin Qilong, the fierce general would be afraid like a sheep in front of him. He knew that he would be dragged out to be beheaded the next moment, but he would only cry and beg for mercy, and he would definitely not have the slightest desire to resist.

The person who came had left, said goodbye to Lin Qilong respectfully and politely, and withdrew from the yamen of the Governor of the Cao Transportation Army with slightest steps, and did not fight his teeth and tremble all over because of the serious crime he committed.

It was not until this time that Lin Qilong realized that the other party was not afraid of him, because he could not pull the other party down and behead him, and it was even more impossible for the Jiangxi governor to kill the whole family with just a document. Lin Qilong looked down at the two boxes of silver sent by the other party. These were not money to buy life, but simply sharing the spoils and silence fees.

"Knowing that Deng Ming is in Zhenjiang, and knowing that Zhou Peigong's bandit suppression army could not do anything to him, the imperial army still stayed in Shandong honestly, hoping that Deng Ming would leave by himself." Lin Qilong sighed again, and his eyes returned to the book he placed on the table. That's right, Deng Ming emphasizes interests in everything, so he never forces people into desperate situations. This certainly shows that Deng Ming's skill is flexible, but on the other hand, Deng Ming does not have the strength to ask the other party to surrender unconditionally. Now, there is no need to mention the Southeast Governor, even the prince who commanded the army in Shandong, and even the court in Beijing should adopt more flexible skills, rather than just thieves to fight. The court has no absolute advantage. Since ancient times, a great disaster has occurred in three hundred years, and the Hu people have no luck for a hundred years. Is the general trend of the world finally going to reverse?

The court needed Lin Qilong to ensure that five million taels of grain can be put into the warehouse as much as possible, and asked him to personally escort the grain transport fleet to Beijing: "If I don't send five million taels, but three million taels, will the court be furious because I lost two million taels, or will I be rewarded by the fact that I could send three million taels of silver when the Ming army besieged Jiangnan?"

In the past, Lin Qilong would never dare to have this idea. Not to mention two million taels, it would be 20,000 taels, or two thousand taels, or even one tael, which was the court's clear order. If Lin Qilong could not do it, some people would rush to work as the governor of the canal transportation. Lin Qilong's head was just used to shock his successor and warn later generations not to use the court's orders as a joke.

But today Lin Qilong not only dared to think, but also dared to follow this idea: "These two million taels are just for buying bonds from Duke Bao. This is not because he sent troops to rob the water transport. I have no reason not to buy his bonds. I will not go to the capital this time and continue to stay in Huai'an. I said I will supervise the water transport in the future. The court will know that I am afraid of punishment and should appease me. After all, I have completed most of the water transport tasks. If the court really wants to dismiss me, will there be someone behind this water transport governor? Who dares to say that he is better than me? And... And if there is any news, I will run to Duke Bao. If I buy his four million taels of silver bonds, he will have to pay me back a portion, and I have to protect me from food and clothing, right?"

It didn't take long before Lin Qilong made up his mind and ordered the escort officers in Huguang and Jiangnan to be brought to him. If you want to do this, everyone will do it together, and no one can be clean. As long as all the people in Huguang and Jiangnan are dragged into the water, it will actually bring in Liangjiang and Huguang Governor's Office. Now the court is so afraid of Deng Ming. Do you still dare to punish many officials in the Southeast on a large scale at this critical moment?

"Anyway, I don't have soldiers in my hands. Even if the court wants to turn against me, I will not be the first to attack me, so as not to start a fright." When Lin Qilong went to Huguang and Jiangnan to escort the generals, the more Lin Qilong thought about it, the more he felt that his method was good. If the court did not take his first action, then Jiang Guozhu and the others would be Lin Qilong's shield. As long as he heard that they were unlucky, Lin Qilong could abandon his official position and escape and go to Sichuan to be a rich man: "It is to move the family faster, at least he has to get the eldest and his family safely out first."

The canal fleet was waiting for inspection outside the camp in Guazhou, preparing to enter the canal and start heading north, so the escort generals also lived nearby and were soon brought from the military camp by Lin Qilong's envoy. It was clear that there was no need to say too much between the people, and these generals were also troubled by the arrears of wages and bonds being allocated, just like the Green Camp in Jiangxi. The Qing court's pressure on them was also greatly weakened, and now the Governor of the Canal took the lead, so what else can hesitate? Everyone was quickly incited and excitedly prepared to go back and share the silver from the court to subsidize their household expenses.

"There is another trouble," Lin Qilong knew that tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. In order to be realistic, the Qing army would burn some empty ships, and let some people shoot red flags, pretend to be Ming army and shout, making the illusion of being attacked by the Ming army: "But it's not big."

These actions will of course confuse the Ming army, but Lin Qilong has read Ye Tianming's book, and with some experience with Deng Ming, he believes that he has grasped the other party's ideas: "This matter is harmless to the Duke of the People. I will give him some money and let him cover it up for us at that time."

He checked his plan from beginning to end again, and Lin Qilong made sure that nothing was missing and everything was under control. He knew that the old acquaintance Mu Tan was in charge of the water camp in Zhenjiang. He was a corrupt guy and had many friendships. He turned around and told him to tell Deng Ming on his behalf. It was naturally the most convenient.

...

"Report, there is a fire on the other side."

After hearing the report, Wu Baoping jumped up.

Today, Mu Tan went to Deng Ming's camp, and Wu Baoping was responsible for controlling the main force of the Sichuan Army's navy. Although the Qing army was very honest and the Ming army had absolute military advantages, Wu Baoping followed Deng Ming for many years. He had attacked all the way from Jianchang and Dongchuan Mansion. He had seen powerful enemies countless times and were defeated because of carelessness, so he never dared to be careless. Since Wu Baoping was on duty today, he was always energetic in the first half of the night, and after changing the guards in the second half of the night, he also lie down in his clothes.

Picking up the armor beside the bed, Wu Baoping rushed out of the tent, and when he ran to the riverside, he was already dressed neatly.

"What's going on?" Wu Baoping carefully observed the fire in Guazhou, while asking Jiang Nan who was on duty.

Among the eighteen cavalry in Dongchuan that year, in addition to Deng Ming, Zhou Kaihuang and Li Xinghan had fifteen people, and now they all have the rank of major. Eight came to the expedition this time, helping with the four lieutenant colonels. In Mutan's camp, Wu Baoping was the first adjutant and Jiang Nan was the second adjutant.

"I thought it was a camp roar at first, but after looking for a while, I found that it was not," Jiang Nan pointed at the firelight on the other side and shared his experience with Wu Baoping. At first glance, the firelights looked like one in the east and one in the west, but if you look closely, you will find that there is a vague rule. In the eyes of Jiang Nan, a master who set fire and sneak attacks, there is obviously someone who is planning: "I have ordered the entire army to be on guard."

"Yes." Wu Baoping nodded. He completely agreed with Jiang Nan's judgment: "It's not our people who are attacking the enemy."

"No." Jiang Nan said immediately. If Liu Tichun and Dang Shousu had a conflict with the Qing army, the fire would not be so regular: "But I have sent a ship to contact them."

After observing for a while, Wu Baoping turned his head to look at Jiang Nan: "Why do you think it's on fire?"

"It's the enemy's trick to lure the enemy." Jiang Nan looked at the situation on the other side and felt more suspicious. At the beginning, the vague guess was now quite clear. When he spit out the word "enemy", Jiang Nan's voice had become cold: "The other party tried to make us misunderstand that a fight had occurred on the North Bank, attracting us to mediate or participate in the melee. If I guess it's good, there may be some people dressed up as our army."

"Good thief." Wu Baoping also snorted coldly. Mu Tan was not there, and both of their adjutants felt that the responsibility on their shoulders was heavy. They were even more tense than when there was a chief in charge: "It may not be to tempt us, maybe it was to tempt General Liu and General Dang."

"Hey, why did they choose this time today?"

With Jiang Nan's exclamation, the two looked at each other and saw a hint of worry and a hint of fear in each other's eyes: "How could the thief know that Lieutenant Colonel Mu went to the Admiral's camp tonight?"

The Qing army had been honest for so many days, and did not act sooner or later, but they were determined to act when Deng Ming summoned the chief officer. This coincidence made Wu Baoping and Jiang Nan think of their Battle of Gaoyou Lake. The other party had such a clear grasp of their own intelligence, so they must have made great plans and sufficient preparations.

"The whole army is about to fight!" Wu Baoping issued a loud order: "Clear the enemy ships on the river."

Since the other party can find out the temporary personnel transfer of their side, it means that there may be a meticulous act lurking in the central army. The Qing army may have been unaware of it. They transferred an army to Yangzhou without realizing it, and then marched outside Guazhou City at night. Both Wu Baoping and Jiang Nan knew that Lin Qilong had arrived in Yangzhou from Huai'an, and now they may be in the Guazhou camp. The Governor of the Canal Transport and the River Army must have participated. It is still unknown whether Jiang Guozhu's Liangjiang army participated.

"I will take the navy to investigate the upstream of the other shore." Jiang Nan felt that the situation was urgent. Although it was almost dawn, he had to race against time to find out the enemy situation.

"Okay, I'll go to investigate the downstream." Wu Baoping and Jiang Nan took their guards to take action. After he boarded the warship, he issued an order to prepare for combat: "I guess there will be enemies on the other side of the shore that will be decorated as our army and attempt to attack our Kuidong friendly forces. If it is as expected, it means that the Party General is in danger and may be attacked by the enemy."

Wu Baoping knew Deng Ming's strategy very well. He did not want his guess to be accurate. However, if the malice of the Qing army was completely exposed, he could only attack without mercy.
Chapter completed!