deltrittennovels Chapter 1447 Acting According to Plan
Chapter 1447 Acting According to Plan
Zhou Dexing looked at Wang Er warily and said, "Wang Er, you'd better not try anything funny, or my knife won't be so polite."
Wang Er quickly smiled obsequiously and said, "General Zhou, don't worry, I wouldn't dare to play any tricks. I'd rather keep my life."
Zhou Dexing led his men cautiously along the path. They encountered nothing unusual along the way. However, when they reached a valley, a large number of soldiers suddenly surged out from all directions, surrounding them completely.
Zhou Dexing was shocked. He looked at Wang Er and shouted angrily, "Wang Er, how dare you betray us!"
Wang Er then revealed a sinister smile: "General Zhou, I'm sorry. I was originally an undercover agent planted by Commander Chen among you. You'd better surrender obediently."
It turns out that Wang Er was Chen Youliang's confidant. Seeing that Chen Youliang's situation was hopeless, he pretended to surrender to Zhu Yuanzhang, but in reality, he wanted to lure Zhu Yuanzhang's army into a trap.
Despite the danger, Zhou Dexing remained calm and shouted, "Brothers, don't panic! Get into formation and prepare to meet the enemy!"
The soldiers quickly formed ranks and engaged in fierce combat with the enemy surrounding them. Zhou Dexing, wielding a broadsword, charged left and right, cutting down the enemy and causing them to bleed profusely. However, the enemy outnumbered them, and they gradually found themselves in a difficult situation.
Just as Zhou Dexing and his men were about to collapse, they suddenly heard shouts of battle coming from outside the valley. It turned out that Xu Da, after investigating the situation of Chen Youliang's remaining forces, learned that Zhou Dexing had led his men to Mount Lu and, fearing for their safety, led a portion of his troops to their rescue.
Xu Da's army charged into the enemy ranks like tigers descending a mountain. Working in tandem with Zhou Dexing's forces, they routed the enemy. Seeing the tide had turned, Wang Er tried to escape in the chaos, but Xu Da spotted him immediately. Xu Da spurred his horse forward, caught up, and killed Wang Er with a single stroke.
After a fierce battle, the enemy was finally annihilated. Xu Da and Zhou Dexing reunited and counted their men, discovering that although they had won, they had also lost a considerable number of soldiers.
Xu Da looked at Zhou Dexing and said, "Brother Zhou, we are so grateful for your brave resistance this time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable. Let's hurry back and report this to our elder brother."
Zhou Dexing nodded: "Alright, General Xu, we'll head back now."
Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu were waiting for news of Zhou Dexing in their tent when a soldier suddenly reported that Xu Da and Zhou Dexing had returned. Zhu Yuanzhang immediately got up and went out to greet them.
After Xu Da and Zhou Dexing met Zhu Yuanzhang, they gave him a detailed account of what had happened at Mount Lu. Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened: "I never expected Wang Er to be so cunning; we almost fell into his trap. Fortunately, you escaped danger and even annihilated the enemy. Your contribution this time is invaluable."
Xu Da cupped his hands and said, "Brother, this is what we should do. However, we have lost a lot of soldiers this time and need to replenish our forces as soon as possible."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Xu Da, you're right. I will arrange to recruit new soldiers as soon as possible to replenish our forces. At the same time, we must strengthen our defenses to prevent similar incidents from happening again."
Zhu Qiwu said from the side, "Fourth Brother, although we have encountered setbacks this time, we must not be discouraged. The cannons are currently being manufactured, and once they are completed, our combat power will be greatly enhanced. At that time, we will be able to advance our plans more smoothly."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes: "Seven-Five, you're right. This cannon is our trump card, and we must manufacture it as soon as possible. Xu Da and Zhou Dexing, you should also assist Seven-Five as much as possible and strive to bring the cannon to fruition as soon as possible."
Xu Da and Zhou Dexing replied, "Yes, elder brother."
In the days that followed, Zhu Qiwu and the craftsmen worked day and night to manufacture cannons. After a period of effort, the first cannon was finally completed. Zhu Qiwu looked at the brand-new cannon before him, his heart filled with joy. He immediately ordered the cannon to be moved to an open space for testing.
Zhu Qiwu personally lit the cannon's fuse. With a deafening roar, the shell whistled through the air, blasting a large crater in the distance. The soldiers cheered upon witnessing the cannon's power.
Zhu Yuanzhang also came to the test site. Looking at the power of the cannon, he nodded in satisfaction: "Seven-five, this cannon is indeed powerful. With it, we are more confident in overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty and restoring the Han Dynasty."
Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, this is only the first cannon. We will continue to manufacture more cannons and form an artillery unit. When that happens, our army will be invincible."
Zhu Yuanzhang said excitedly, "Good, Qiwu, go ahead and do it. I will fully support you."
As cannons were continuously manufactured, Zhu Yuanzhang's army grew stronger. Meanwhile, Chen Youliang's remaining forces, upon learning of the annihilation of his secret troops at Mount Lu, suffered a loss of morale and scattered. Zhu Yuanzhang seized the opportunity to launch a military campaign and completely wiped out Chen Youliang's remaining forces.
During the process of eliminating Chen Youliang's remaining forces, Zhu Yuanzhang's army also encountered a small group of Yuan Dynasty troops. This Yuan army had originally come to support Chen Youliang, but seeing that Chen Youliang had been defeated, they wanted to take the opportunity to plunder some wealth and then retreat.
Upon learning of this, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to annihilate the Yuan army. He led his generals, including Zhu Qiwu, Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, in a fierce battle against the Yuan army.
After the battle began, Zhu Yuanzhang's army, with its superior artillery, quickly gained the upper hand. The Yuan army, terrified by the power of the cannons, scattered and fled in all directions. Zhu Yuanzhang ordered a pursuit, routing the Yuan army.
During the pursuit, Zhu Qiwu spotted a man resembling a Yuan Dynasty general desperately fleeing on horseback. A thought struck him; he felt this man was no ordinary person, and capturing him might yield crucial intelligence. So, Zhu Qiwu spurred his horse and gave chase.
Seeing Zhu Qiwu pursuing him, the Yuan general panicked and frantically waved his whip, urging his horse to speed up. But Zhu Qiwu's horse was also a fine steed, and it quickly caught up with him. Zhu Qiwu shouted, "Where do you think you're going!" and thrust his spear at the Yuan general.
The Yuan general dodged to the side, simultaneously drawing his sword and slashing at Zhu Qiwu. Zhu Qiwu nimbly evaded the attack and engaged the Yuan general in fierce close combat. After several rounds, Zhu Qiwu gradually gained the upper hand. Seizing an opportunity, he kicked the Yuan general in the chest, sending him sprawling from his horse.
Zhu Qiwu dismounted and bound the Yuan general. At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage arrived. Looking at the captured Yuan general, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Qiwu, who is this man?"
Zhu Qiwu shook his head and said, "Fourth Brother, I don't know this person either. However, judging from his attire, he should be a general. If we take him back and interrogate him, we might be able to get some useful information." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Alright, take him back and interrogate him thoroughly."
Back in his tent, Zhu Yuanzhang personally interrogated the Yuan general. Initially, the general remained defiant, refusing to reveal any information. However, under Zhu Yuanzhang's authority and Zhu Qiwu's modern interrogation techniques, he finally broke down and confessed his identity and some crucial intelligence.
It turned out that the Yuan Dynasty general was named Arughtai, one of the generals sent by the Yuan Dynasty to support Chen Youliang. He also told Zhu Yuanzhang that the Yuan court was in a panic after learning of Chen Youliang's defeat and was mobilizing troops to launch a large-scale siege against Zhu Yuanzhang's army.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "It seems that the Yuan Dynasty court will not let us off easily. We must make preparations as soon as possible."
Zhu Qiwu thought for a moment and said, "Fourth Brother, now that we have cannons, our strength has greatly increased. Although the Yuan army is numerous, we don't need to be afraid of them. We can take advantage of the cannons, choose a favorable terrain, and have a decisive battle with the Yuan army."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Seven-five, you're right. However, we need to choose a suitable location for the decisive battle. Xu Da, Tang He, Zhou Dexing, what are your thoughts on this?"
After a moment's thought, Xu Da said, "Brother, I think the terrain near Poyang Lake is quite complex, with mountains and water. We can use this terrain to set traps and ambush the Yuan army. At the same time, we can also position our artillery in advantageous locations to maximize its power."
Tang He echoed, "Yes, brother, Poyang Lake is a place we are familiar with. We have a certain advantage in fighting the Yuan army here."
After listening, Zhu Yuanzhang thought it made sense: "Good, then we will decide to fight the Yuan army near Poyang Lake. Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, you will immediately lead the soldiers to the vicinity of Poyang Lake, choose suitable locations to set traps and deploy artillery. Qi Wu, you and I will coordinate the overall situation and formulate a detailed battle plan."
The men accepted the order and departed. Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu carefully studied the map in their tent and formulated a battle plan. Based on the terrain near Poyang Lake and the possible attack routes of the Yuan army, they devised a meticulous battle plan.
A few days later, Xu Da and his men reported that they had chosen a location for the decisive battle, and had set up traps and deployed artillery. Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu led their troops to the vicinity of Poyang Lake to meet with Xu Da and his men.
Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu led their army to the vicinity of Poyang Lake and met up with Xu Da and others. Xu Da quickly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands and said, "Fourth Brother, Qiwu, the decisive battle site has been chosen. It is a narrow body of water on the northwest shore of Poyang Lake. This place is surrounded by mountains on two sides, and the passage in the middle is narrow. The Yuan army's warships will be restricted from entering. Moreover, we have set up many traps around the area, and the cannons are ready."
Tang He also stepped forward and added, "Fourth Brother, Seventh Brother, the current in that area is relatively calm, but we have also marked the places where there are strong undercurrents. We can use the undercurrents to make the Yuan warships lose control."
Zhou Dexing grinned and said, "Fourth Brother, Seventh Brother, we've also arranged for many brothers to ambush the Yuan army on both sides of the mountain. When they enter, we'll throw huge stones from the mountain to catch them off guard."
After listening, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in satisfaction, glanced at everyone, and said, "Good! You have done very well. This decisive battle with the Yuan army is a matter of life and death for our rebel army, and it is also a key battle to overthrow the Yuan Dynasty. Everyone must go all out."
Zhu Qiwu stepped forward, patted Xu Da on the shoulder, and said, "Brother Xu, you've worked hard. However, the Yuan army is coming in a fierce manner this time, so we need to plan carefully to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Xu Da nodded in agreement: "Qi Wu is right. Although we have made many preparations, the Yuan army is cunning and we must be on guard."
The group sat together, and Zhu Qiwu unfolded a map, pointing to the terrain on the northwest shore of Poyang Lake, and said, "Fourth Brother, Brother Xu, you see, although the narrow waterway here is advantageous to us, if the Yuan army senses the danger, they may choose to detour. Therefore, we need to arrange a surprise force to ambush them on the route the Yuan army might detour, and disrupt their plans."
Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then said, "What Qi Wu said makes sense. Xu Da, you will lead an elite force to ambush the Yuan army in the valley on the east side where they might detour. Once you discover that the Yuan army is showing signs of detouring, attack immediately and force them back into the narrow waterway."
Xu Da stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and accepted the order: "Fourth Brother, rest assured, I will certainly not fail in my mission!"
Zhu Qiwu then looked at Tang He and said, "Brother Tang, you lead a group of brothers to set up obstacles at the entrance of the narrow waterway to slow down the speed at which the Yuan warships enter. At the same time, arrange for some brothers who are good swimmers to dive into the water and damage the bottom of the Yuan warships."
Tang He's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Seven Five, this is a brilliant idea! I'll go and make the arrangements right away."
Zhou Dexing asked anxiously from the side, "Seven-five, what about me? What am I supposed to do?"
Zhu Qiwu smiled and said, "Brother Zhou, you lead the remaining brothers to strengthen the defenses on both sides of the mountain. After the Yuan army enters the narrow waterway, according to the previous plan, throw boulders and fire cannons. Also, arrange for some brothers to prepare torches on the mountain. If the Yuan army tries to break out at night, we will use the torches to light the way and leave them nowhere to escape."
Zhou Dexing patted his chest and guaranteed, "Seventy-five, just you wait and see! I, Zhou Dexing, will definitely beat those Yuan soldiers to a pulp!"
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at everyone and said loudly, "Good! Everyone, proceed according to the plan. In this decisive battle, we will ensure that the Yuan army never returns!"
The crowd chanted in unison, "No one will return! No one will return!"
After arranging everything, Zhu Qiwu returned to his tent and thought to himself, "Although I have made many preparations for this decisive battle, the strength of the Yuan army should not be underestimated. I need to use the system to sign in again and see if I can get some useful rewards."
Zhu Qiwu silently said in his mind: "System, sign in."
The system's voice rang in my mind: "Ding! Sign-in successful. You have obtained an improved version of the gunpowder formula, which can greatly enhance the power of artillery; ten Swiftness Talismans, which can be used to travel a thousand miles a day; and a box of Bewitching Incense, which can put enemies into a short coma."
Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed: "This reward has come at the perfect time! With this improved gunpowder formula, the power of our cannons will be greatly enhanced, and their destructive force against Yuan warships will be much stronger. The Swift Travel Talisman can be used to transmit messages or mobilize troops at crucial moments. The Bewitching Incense will also play a miraculous role in battle." (End of Chapter)