Shanghai, Taoist yamen, study room.

After reading the pigeon letter from Macau, Yi Zhizu looked a little solemn. After a while of silence, he lit a cigar and walked slowly out of the study and walked back and forth in the yard. Not only was the scale of British reinforcements beyond his expectations, but the time was also beyond his expectations. The scale and time course of the war had completely changed. Will the British army still attack Jiangning as before?

The eight main battleships - third-level battleships, with a fleet of 80, not counting steamships, with a total force of more than 30,000. What’s more important is that it’s only late April!

Regarding the First Opium War, the British fleet did not attack Tianjin, but attacked Jiangning. He believed that the most fundamental reason was not the amount of troops deployed in Tianjin and the strength of defense, but the time and climate. In the original history, Pu Dingcha arrived in Macau at the end of June, and then launched an attack and attacked Wusongkou in August. During this period, it was impossible to attack Tianjin because the Bohai Sea entered the freezing period in October (lunar calendar).

However, Pu Dingcha arrived in Macau two months ahead of schedule, and he had enough time to attack Tianjin. Will he give up Jiangning and attack Tianjin? After all, Tianjin is only 240 miles away from the capital, and it is more direct and effective when the troops arrive at the capital.

After walking in the yard for a while, he returned to the study and picked up a pen to write letters to Lin Zexu and Chen Huacheng, which made him deliver them quickly.

The Admiral of Jiangnan was in Songjiang Prefecture City, not far from Shanghai, only a hundred miles away. In just one hour, Chen Huacheng received a letter from Yi Zhizuo, saying that the British had added 20,000 troops and forty warships. Although he knew that such a big deal, the other party could not lie to him, he was still skeptical and rushed to Shanghai.

Shanghai County, the western suburbs, outside the Xilin Zen Temple, the volunteer camp.

On the newly built training ground, the 2,000 newly recruited volunteers were training enthusiastically. Xiao Mingliang, the leader of the third regiment, sat in a temporary straw hut to supervise the training of volunteers. Although these volunteers do not belong to the Yuanqi regiment training sequence, he knew very well that these 2,000 troops were his capital in the next battle, so he was extremely concerned and extremely strict. The training time he could give him was too short and it would be impossible not to be strict.

"Report." A group of men rushed to the front and reported: "The big shopkeeper is here."

When he heard Yi Zhizu was coming, Xiao Mingliang quickly stood up and turned around and looked at it. He saw more than ten riders galloping towards him at first sight. He quickly walked forward. Yi Zhizu took the lead and galloped over and got off the horse after a long round. Seeing Xiao Mingliang stepped forward to salute, he handed the reins to a group brave man, and then asked: "How is the training situation?"

In the past two months, the training of the charity and ranks was mainly physical and ranks. Xiao Mingliang quickly stood at attention and said: "When it comes to the principal, in terms of physical and ranks, although it is not as good as the veteran Yuanqi, there is not much difference."

Yi Zhizu nodded and strode towards the straw shed. He was not very worried about the physical fitness of this group of brave men. The selection was very strict when recruiting, and those with poor physical fitness could not enter at all. He was concerned about the queue training. The quality of the queue training was directly related to the combat effectiveness of this group of brave men. In his opinion, the two-month queue training time was a little short, and the Yuanqi regiment usually trained new recruits for three months.

After entering the straw shed and watching the training on the stadium, he spoke: "The British reinforcements have arrived at the Bean Daoyang, and there are 40 new warships and 20,000 troops."

So fast? Xiao Mingliang was also a little surprised. For him, this news meant that the time for volunteer training was shortened. He hesitated slightly, and then he said: "What the principal meant is to speed up the training progress of volunteer training?"

Yi Zhizu nodded and said, "The storage of guns and ammunition is limited, so it is impossible for them to conduct large-scale live-fire training. However, the shooting steps and shooting techniques of muskets can be trained first, and the training of digging trenches and fortifications must also be carried out at the same time."

"Yes, follow the order." Xiao Mingliang said loudly.

After pondering for a moment, Yi Zhizu continued: "In addition, we take turns to Wusongkou Fortress in batches to be familiar with the terrain and environment."

The battlefield of the righteous man is at Wusongkou? Xiao Mingliang couldn't help but be stunned. It was the first line of defense on the Yangtze River and the most important and largest fortress. It should be the most intense place for the battle. Can you expect these righteous man who have only been trained for two months and have not even been on the battlefield? He tentatively said: "Will the First Regiment move to Shanghai?"

After hearing his question, Yi Zhizu glanced at him without saying a word. A group of people had arrived more than a month ago and was stationed in Changxing County, Huzhou Prefecture, less than 400 miles from Shanghai and more than 400 miles from Jiangning. The group of people was placed in Changxing in order to support both sides.

After pondering for a little, Yi Jingzu said: "The best and fastest training method is practical combat."

As the two were talking, a company commander quickly came over and saluted: "Report to the shopkeeper, Jiangnan Admiral Chen Huacheng is outside the camp."

He came slowly, Yi Zhizu stood up and asked, "Are you stopped outside the camp?"

"Yes!" the company commander said aloud.

Yi Zhizu glanced at Xiao Mingliang and said, "Go with me to Yingying, maybe you will have to deal with me in the future."

Being stopped outside the camp gate, Chen Huacheng didn't get angry. He was leisurely walking to the side with his hands behind his back to look at the situation in the military camp. He had been here twice, and they were all accompanied by Yi Zhizu. Unexpectedly, when he came alone, these brave men were not allowed to enter, which really surprised him.

The entire Volunteer Camp occupied a large area, and was surrounded by two-tall wooden fences, and was covered with reed mats. The outside was impossible to see what was happening inside the military camp. Not far apart, there were sentries. What made him wonder was that the sentries on the sentries were actually looking at the distance with a telescope. He couldn't help but be shocked. Yuan Qi was worthy of dealing with Westerners often. The telescopes were like treasures in his hands. Yuan Qi was better, even the sentries were equipped.

Liu Guobiao, the deputy general who followed him, said in a muffled voice: "Military, Yuan Qi is not ordinary generous. Can you ask Yuan Qi to donate a batch of telescopes to us?"

"It's hard to give it for free, so it's okay to buy a batch from them." Chen Huacheng said, "Shanghai Volunteering is not a Yuanqi group training. All expenses are supervised by the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce. It's not Yi Zhizu's gift if you say it."

"We are asking for Yuan Qi, not Shanghai Yigong."

"Hmph, you think Yuanqi is so easy to talk to." Chen Huacheng snorted coldly and said, "All Yuanqi gunpowder is sold, and you may not be able to buy it if you have money. You can give me a batch of telescopes for free. You really dare to think about it."

When it comes to Yuanqi gunpowder, Liu Guobiao couldn't help but complain that Yuanqi gunpowder has stable performance and great power. It is not loose powder, but compacted cylindrical shape, which saves a lot of trouble when loading. However, Yuanqi is not only expensive, but also refuses to sell too much. This is really annoying.

"Mr. Yi is here." A personal soldier came to report.

Chen Huacheng turned around and saw Yi Zhizu and a young man quickly greeting him. He immediately said with dissatisfaction: "This camp of charity is very strict and extraordinary."

After hearing this, Yi Zhizuo smiled, "The last time I recruited the charity of Fujian, but robbed the people. These charity were funded by gentry and merchants in Shanghai. It would be impossible to be unstable." As he said that, he bowed and smiled, "Please Chen Junmen."

When he entered the camp, when he saw the volunteers on the pedestal were still conducting queue training, Chen Huacheng said in surprise: "It's been more than two months, and I've been training this thing?"

Yi Zhizu said slowly: "These righteous and brave men are not children from military families, they are all children from farmers. They don't know what military rules are. If they don't strengthen training, they are simply useless."

This is reasonable. Chen Huacheng nodded. He could see the benefits of queue training at a glance. It not only standardizes movements but also cultivates strict discipline, allowing these brave men to develop the habit of following orders. However, he came today not to inspect the training of brave men.

As Yi Zhizu walked into the straw shed and retreated to the people around him, Chen Huachengcai said, "How did Zhizu know about the news of the British increasing troops?"

Yi Zhizu said casually: "The flying pigeons pass on the letter from the military gate of Humen Pass."

When he heard that it was Guan Tianpei Feige's letter, Chen Huacheng would still be suspicious, and immediately asked: "Conscientiously, the British will attack Jinling?"

"Military situations change rapidly, how can we respond to changes with the same change?" Yi Zhizu said slowly: "However, have the military gate ever thought about it? We have no chance at all when the British fleet is on the sea."

"Where to fight Tianjin?"

"Tianjin's inland waterway is bent and the distance from Haikou to Tianjin is not far, only 150 miles away. Even if the British fleet attacks Tianjin, there is not much chance of being compared with the Yangtze River." Yi Zhizu said in a deep voice: "If you want to cause severe damage to the British fleet and lure the British fleet into the Yangtze River to attack Jinling, it is the only chance."

Looking at him, Chen Huacheng said in a muffled voice: "If the British fleet attacks Tianjin, it will not attack Jinling again."

"That's why we must lure the British to attack Jinling." Yi Zhizu was unwilling to argue with him, so he slowed down and said, "I have a little arrangement and go to Jinling early the next morning. Linbutang must be summoning us to discuss."

"Has the general reported the military's intelligence sent to Jinling?"

Yi Zhizu nodded and said, "Six hundred miles of speed up."

Jinling City, Liangjiang Governor's Office.

After receiving the military information report sent by Yi Zhizu 600 miles, Lin Zexu did not dare to delay at all. He quickly compiled the book and notified the three imperial envoys from Xuzhou and Jiujiang at a speed of 600 miles. At the same time, he compiled the book and read Chen Huacheng. Yi Zhizu immediately came to Jinling in disguise.

Four days later, Chen Huacheng and Yi Zhizu rushed to the Liangjiang Governor's Office and were led straight to Lin Zexu's study. As soon as he entered the door, Yi Zhizu found that not only Lin Zexu was the only one in the study, but also three people, one was very old and had white hair and hair, the other was well maintained, and the other was in his forties and fifties. There was also Kong Wu who was about thirty years old. The four were pointing around a map spread out on the table. When he thought about it, he realized that these three people should be Yang Fang, Yishan, Senggelinqin—one chief, two deputy and three imperial envoys.

Seeing the two of you coming in, Lin Zexu raised his head and reached out to introduce, "This is the imperial envoy, Lord Yi."

Chen Huacheng and Yi Zhizu quickly visited the two of them. Yishan was quite gentle. After receiving the gift, he said kindly: "No need to be polite, get up."

After getting up, Yi Zhizu glanced at Senggelinqin. He had a deep impression of this famous monk king in the future. He didn't expect that the other party was already so old and had already emerged. Otherwise, Daoguang would not have sent him to Jiangning as the deputy envoy of the imperial envoy.

Senggelinqin was also looking at him, and when she saw him glance at him, she couldn't help but smile, "I am content with the capital, and I'm rare to see you today."

Yi Zhizu did not sell the accounts of the princes and ministers in the capital at all, and pushed countless banquets. He heard him mention this and immediately smiled, "Yuan Qi has a little reputation. I will enter the capital as the boss of Yuan Qi. How dare I hand over the princes and honors?"

Yishan and Yang Fang were also looking at him. Hearing his words so directly, he felt relieved. This kid didn't know how he hang out in the officialdom. He should know that Senggelinqin was not only the deputy envoy of the imperial envoy, but also the identity of a prince. He inherited the title of Zhasakdoro County, the prince of the left wing rear banner of Korqin, and among the few, he was the most noble of the status. The tone of this boy's reply seemed to not understand etiquette at all, and was completely an equal tone.

Yishan attached great importance to this job and knew that Yishi's role was great. Not to mention the others, just the 5,000-yuan genre training, we had to win over the other party. This little guy saw that he was a donkey and could not stubborn. He immediately smiled and said, "The British Yi has launched a large increase in troops. How do you think about contentment?"

Lin Zexu hurriedly reached out and said, "Everyone doesn't need to be polite, please sit down."

When Xu Li sat down, Yi Zhizu did not answer. Instead, he glanced at everyone and said, "The British and Yi Yi have made a large increase in troops. I wonder what you guys think?"

Lin Zexu glared at him and scolded him softly: "Sincere, you should not be rude."

His brows frowned and quickly stretched out. He waved his hand at Lin Zexu. He said calmly: "The British launched a large increase in troops, which proves that the information and analysis of the previous information and analysis were correct. However, the British increased troops were very large. If you are content, you don't worry about the British attacking Tianjin directly?"

Yi Zhizu glanced at him and said, "The official is brave enough to ask why the emperor came to Jiangning as an imperial envoy?"

"Random." Senggelinqin scolded.

Yishan said slowly: "Can you know the current situation in Xuzhou? Now Xuzhou has gathered troops from five provinces in Shanxi, Henan, Tibet, Gansu and Shaanxi, with a total force of more than 30,000. If the British attack on Tianjin, Xuzhou's troops are likely to be transferred to support Tianjin."

Yang Fang, who had not spoken, added: "I heard that the British fleet is very fast. It takes only a few days to arrive from the sea surface of Wusongkou to Tianjin, while Xuzhou to Tianjin is at least 1,300 miles away. Even if you use the canal to transport troops on a large scale, it will take one month."

"Also." Lin Zexu continued: "The British fleet is so large, is it possible to divide the troops into two groups to attack Tianjin and Jinling?" After a slight pause, he said in a deep voice: "Since you say that this battle is related to the fate of the Qing Dynasty, you should know that it is not a minor matter. If you make a mistake in the judgment and lose the battle, you may be here to blame."
Chapter completed!