novelRona Chapter 1455: 47 Warships Lost
Chapter 1455: 47 Warships Lost
Chen Rihui was very satisfied after hearing this: "Envoy Zhu has considered things so thoroughly, so I will do as you say. From today onwards, you will be in full charge of the defense of the capital, and General Li Wenxiong will assist you. You must ensure the safety of the capital."
Upon receiving their orders, Zhu Qiwu and Li Wenxiong immediately began to act. They worked day and night, directing soldiers to build fortifications, deploy breech-loading cannons, and train the army. Thanks to their efforts, the defensive capabilities of Annam's capital were greatly enhanced.
However, the Yuan army did not give up easily. After Arughtai fled back to the Yuan army camp, he reported the defeat to the Yuan general, Toqto'a. Toqto'a was furious upon hearing the news: "This small country of Annam dares to oppose my Yuan army and even defeat my vanguard! It's outrageous! Arughtai, you lost your vanguard, which is punishable by death according to military law! But considering you have followed me for many years, I will spare your life for now. Issue my order to assemble the army and immediately attack the capital of Annam, and take it in one fell swoop!"
Arughtai turned pale with fright and immediately knelt down to express his gratitude: "Thank you, General, for sparing my life! I will certainly atone for my crime by conquering the capital of Annam and presenting the heads of Zhu Qiwu and the King of Annam to you!"
Soon after, the Yuan army marched in a mighty force towards the capital of Annam. Toqto'a, seated on his chariot, gazed at the capital ahead, his heart filled with anger and confidence: "Hmph, this capital of Annam is nothing but a small city. Under the attack of my Yuan army, it will surely be utterly defeated. Today, I will make this little Annam pay a heavy price!"
When the Yuan army arrived at the walls of Annam's capital, they were stunned by what they saw. The city was surrounded by towering walls, numerous watchtowers, and rows of breech-loading cannons, exuding an aura of authority. The Annamite army stood ready, their morale high.
Tuotuo was secretly surprised, but he quickly calmed down and sneered, "These are just trivial tricks. Attack the city!"
The Yuan soldiers surged towards the capital like a tidal wave, carrying ladders and pushing siege engines, launching a fierce attack on the city walls. Zhu Qiwu stood on the city wall, watching the Yuan army's advance, and shouted the order: "Fire! Fire!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The Portuguese cannons fired again, shells raining down on the Yuan army, causing them to be blown to pieces and scream in agony. At the same time, the Annamese army on the city walls counterattacked the Yuan army with bows and arrows, stones and other weapons, inflicting heavy casualties on the Yuan army.
Seeing the Yuan army's advance stalled, Toqto'a was furious. He shouted, "Don't retreat! Keep attacking! Whoever breaches the city walls first will be richly rewarded!"
Upon hearing their commander's order, the Yuan soldiers charged forward relentlessly, disregarding their own safety. However, the Annamese army's defenses were extremely strong, and the Yuan army was unable to breach the city walls.
Just then, Toqto'a suddenly had a plan. He ordered a part of the Yuan army to continue the frontal attack to draw the attention of the Annamese army, while sending another part of the Yuan army to circle around to the rear of the capital to find a breakthrough.
Zhu Qiwu quickly realized the Yuan army's intentions. He said to Li Wenxiong, "General Li, the Yuan army wants to launch a surprise attack from the rear. You should lead a portion of the troops to the rear to defend and make sure to prevent the Yuan army from breaking through."
Upon receiving his orders, Lê Van Hồng immediately led his troops to the rear of the capital. When the Yuan army circled around to the rear, they found Annamese troops also waiting in full battle array. A fierce battle ensued, and the Yuan army was unable to break through the Annamese army's defenses.
Seeing that both attacks were stalled, Toqto'a was extremely anxious. He knew that if things continued this way, the Yuan army would inevitably be put on the defensive. After a moment's thought, he decided to use fire. He ordered his soldiers to gather firewood, torches, and other supplies, preparing to launch a nighttime fire attack on the capital.
Upon learning of the Yuan army's plan, Zhu Qiwu became secretly vigilant. He summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures: "The Yuan army intends to use fire to attack, so we must take precautions before they act. I suggest digging trenches around the city walls and filling them with water. At the same time, we should prepare a large amount of sand and water buckets so that we can extinguish the fire immediately once the Yuan army sets it on fire."
The generals nodded in agreement and immediately began to act according to Zhu Qiwu's arrangements.
Under cover of darkness, the Yuan army stealthily approached the capital. When they reached the city walls, Toghtoa gave the order: "Set it on fire!" The Yuan soldiers lit torches and threw them towards the walls. However, they hadn't anticipated that the walls were already surrounded by moats and water; the torches were extinguished instantly upon hitting the water. Moreover, the Annamese army was prepared; they quickly used sand and buckets of water to put out the remaining flames.
When Toghto saw that the fire attack had failed, he was both shocked and furious. He had not expected the Annamese army to be so difficult to deal with, and his plans had failed time and time again. At this time, the Yuan army was exhausted and demoralized after a long battle.
Seeing the Yuan army's low morale, Zhu Qiwu knew this was a good opportunity to counterattack. He said to Li Wenxiong, "General Li, the Yuan army is exhausted. If we seize this opportunity to go out of the city and counterattack, we will surely achieve a great victory!"
Li Wenxiong nodded excitedly: "Great! Let's do as Envoy Zhu says!"
The Annamese army opened the city gates and charged towards the Yuan army like tigers unleashed from their cages. The Yuan army, caught off guard by the sudden counterattack, was thrown into chaos. Zhu Qiwu and Li Wenxiong led the charge, guiding the Annamese army in a valiant fight, causing the Yuan army to flee in disarray.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Toqto'a was both angry and anxious. He shouted, "Don't panic! Don't panic!" But by then, the Yuan army had already lost control and could not obey his orders. Helpless, Toqto'a could only lead a small number of defeated soldiers in a hasty retreat.
The Annamese army won a great victory, and the city was filled with jubilation. Tran Nhat Kui personally welcomed Zhu Qiwu and Le Van Hung back to the city, praising them highly: "Envoy Zhu, General Le, you are truly great heroes of Annam! This victory over the Yuan army was entirely due to your bravery and wisdom. I will certainly reward you handsomely!"
Zhu Qiwu smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty flatters us. This is our duty. Although the Yuan army has been defeated, we cannot let our guard down and must continue to strengthen our defenses to prevent another Yuan attack."
Chen Rikui nodded repeatedly: "Envoy Zhu is right. From this day forward, you will be the National Preceptor of Annam, in charge of all defense affairs and military training of the capital. General Le Van Hung will assist you in protecting Annam together."
The summer night in Yingtian Prefecture was sweltering, like a sauna. Zhu Qiwu, shirtless, paced in the courtyard, his jade belt swaying gently with each step. He looked up at the blood-red sunset on the horizon, and a system notification sounded in his ear: "Host detected to be in the Land of Dragon Rise. Sign in for today?"
"Sign!" Zhu Qiwu clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking. Ever since he signed off on the complete "Art of War" in Haozhou City three years ago, he had faithfully completed his daily sign-in task. Today, as soon as the system notification sounded, a scroll of yellowed silk suddenly appeared in his palm, the battle formations drawn on it in vermilion glowing faintly in the twilight.
"Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation?" Zhu Qiwu's pupils contracted slightly as his fingertips traced the dense symbols on the silk. Suddenly, he heard a heavy thud behind him. Turning around, he saw Xu Da staggering and leaning against a vermilion pillar in the corridor, his armor still stained with undried blood.
"Seven Five!" Xu Da wiped the sweat from his face. "Chen Youliang's navy is patrolling the river again. Fourth Brother wants you to go to the council hall immediately." Before he finished speaking, Tang He's loud voice came from the moon gate: "Xu Tiande! Are you hiding here slacking off?" Zhu Qiwu put the silk into his pocket and noticed that Tang He had half an arrow stuck in his shoulder, and blood had soaked half of his battle robe. "Where is Zhou Dexing?" He quickly stepped forward and reached out to help Tang He.
"Take stock of the casualties from the city wall." Tang He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth. "Those Tartar archers had pretty good aim." Zhu Qiwu frowned, then suddenly pulled off his jade belt and wrapped it around Tang He's wound: "Men! Prepare the horses!"
The candlelight flickered in the council chamber. Zhu Yuanzhang stood before the sand table, his finger emphatically pointing to a spot on the river defense map: "Chen Youliang sent twenty warships today, clearly to test our strength." As he turned, the scales of his armor clanged together with a crisp sound. "Seven-Five, you've come at the right time. Tell me."
The words abruptly stopped. Zhu Yuanzhang stared at his brother's blood-stained clothes, his expression changing drastically: "Injured?" He strode forward, the clanging of armor startling the sparrows under the eaves into flight.
"It's Tang He." Zhu Qiwu stepped aside, revealing Tang He being carried in by two guards. Zhu Yuanzhang's pupils contracted sharply, and he suddenly smashed the teacup on the table to pieces: "That useless Zhou Dexing! He can't even take care of the wounded?"
"Fourth Brother!" Zhu Qiwu pressed down on his elder brother's hand, which was about to draw his sword. "The most urgent task is to devise a strategy to defeat the enemy." He took out a silk cloth from his bosom and spread it on the sand table. "Although Chen Youliang's navy is strong, their ships are large and slow to turn. If we use the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation..."
Xu Da suddenly gasped: "This is Zhuge Liang's Eight Trigrams Formation?" His fingers trembled as he traced the star markings on the silk. "But the method of changing the formation..."
“I’ve simplified it.” Zhu Qiwu pointed to the river surface on the sand table. “Use three hundred small boats as bait to lure the enemy deep into the reeds. Once their formation is broken, launch a fire attack.” He suddenly stopped, a system notification exploding in his mind: “Key plot node detected, triggering hidden mission—Dominating Naval Warfare. Completing the mission will unlock firearms manufacturing blueprints.”
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly grabbed the command arrow from the table: "Issue the order! Command Liao Yongzhong to lead the navy to prepare three hundred bamboo rafts immediately, with Zhu Qiwu as the supervisor." He turned to Xu Da, "You take five thousand infantrymen and ambush them in the reeds along the riverbank. When the fire starts, they must come out."
"Fourth Brother!" Zhu Qiwu stepped forward. "A fire attack requires a southeast wind, and today..." He suddenly noticed the water clock beside the sand table, its markings for the third quarter of the hour of Xu (7:45 PM) gleaming faintly in the candlelight. A memory flashed through his mind—this crucial battle in history had indeed taken place at midnight on the fifteenth of the seventh month!
"Guards!" Zhu Yuanzhang's roar interrupted his thoughts. "Bring me my Chixiao sword!" When the guards brought in the long sword wrapped in red silk, Zhu Qiwu noticed a fresh bloodstain on his brother's right hand.
"This sword has been with me in battle for ten years." Zhu Yuanzhang placed the sword across Zhu Qiwu's shoulder. "Today, you will wield this sword to defeat the enemy." The blade reflected the flickering fire in his eyes. "If we are defeated..."
"If we lose, Zhu Qiwu will bring me your head!" Zhu Qiwu knelt on one knee, the sword's edge pressing painfully against his shoulder. The system notifications flashed frantically: "Hidden quest progress 50% 70% 90%"
At midnight, the river was shrouded in a thin mist. Zhu Qiwu stood at the bow of his flagship, gazing at the dark silhouettes of enemy ships in the distance. Liao Yongzhong, wiping his sweat, approached him: "Your Highness, the wind is strange." Before he finished speaking, a strange wind suddenly swept across the river, making the banners flutter wildly.
"Southeast wind!" Xu Da shouted from the shore. Zhu Qiwu gripped the gunwale tightly, and the system notification finally sounded: "Hidden mission complete! Reward: Firearm Manufacturing Blueprint (Beginner) issued." Before he could take a closer look, Chen Youliang's flagship in the distance had already lit its torches.
"Release the arrows!" The enemy general's roar pierced the night sky. Zhu Qiwu watched as countless fiery arrows streaked across the sky like meteors, then suddenly burst into laughter: "General Liao! Do you remember the fire ox formation outside Haozhou City?"
Liao Yongzhong's eyes lit up: "Your Highness wants..."
"Exactly!" Zhu Qiwu tore off his cloak and threw it into the river. "Order all the small boats to be fully loaded with dry grass and saltpeter, and wait for the enemy ships to approach." He suddenly stopped, and the system panel unfolded in his field of vision. The firearms manufacturing diagram clearly showed the structure of the three-barreled gun!
"Report—!" The lookout's voice trembled. "The enemy ship is three hundred paces away!"
Zhu Qiwu turned and rushed into the cabin, emerging with a bundle of oiled paper wrapped around his arm. He tore it open, revealing twenty three-barreled muskets that gleamed coldly in the moonlight: "Order! Two musketeers per ship. Wait until the enemy ships are fifty paces away..."
An explosion suddenly rang out, and a pillar of fire several meters high rose from the river. Zhu Qiwu was thrown to the ground by the blast wave, his ears ringing. Through the billowing smoke, he saw Chen Youliang's flagship burning, the large "Han" character flag on its sail crashing into the river.
"We won!" Liao Yongzhong's cheers pierced through the aftershocks of the explosion. Zhu Qiwu staggered to his feet, the system notifications flashing wildly: "Historical trajectory altered, achievement unlocked—Firearms Pioneer. Reward: Black Powder Recipe (Optimized Version)."
The morning bell atop the city tower of Yingtian Prefecture startled a flock of birds into flight. Zhu Qiwu, rubbing his aching shoulders, entered the council hall. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was reviewing military reports, didn't even look up upon hearing footsteps: "In yesterday's battle, Chen Youliang lost forty-seven warships and over three thousand soldiers."
"Fourth Brother." Zhu Qiwu placed the three-barreled gun on the table. "This is a new type of firearm with a range of up to a hundred paces." Zhu Yuanzhang's hand suddenly stopped, and ink smeared a blotch on the military report.
"Firearms?" He slowly raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's. "Where did you get them?" Zhu Qiwu was prepared, taking out a fragment of the *Complete Compendium of Martial Arts*, a system reward, from his robes: "When I was a child, I met a wandering Taoist priest outside Haozhou City."
"Enough!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly slammed his hand on the table, overturning the teacup and dripping ink along the edge. "Seventh Five, do you think your fourth brother is a three-year-old child?" He grabbed the three-barreled musket, his fingers tracing the engravings on its barrel. "Such exquisite weaponry, how could an ordinary Taoist priest have crafted it?"
Zhu Qiwu's Adam's apple bobbed, and the system panel flashed red in his field of vision: "Warning! Historical figure favorability has decreased." He suddenly ripped open his shirt, revealing a birthmark on his chest: "Fourth Brother, do you remember that I had a flame-shaped birthmark on my left chest when I was born?"
Zhu Yuanzhang's fingers clenched tightly around the three-barreled gun, his knuckles turning white. Memories flooded back—that stormy night twenty years ago, the midwife's terrified scream, his mother's weak laughter: "This child has come with good fortune." (End of Chapter)