From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 825

Starting from the settlement of the major families on July 12, Zhou Yuan led the army to sweep all the way, like a gust of wind sweeping fallen leaves, killing for three consecutive days, making the whole Zhejiang tremble.

The armies of various routes conducted a carpet search for the island bandits, and any harborers were killed as island bandits, which made the local people happy and made many aristocratic families tremble, and never dared to participate in such things again.

Without the guidance of false intelligence and the help of local people, the island bandits had no place to hide, and had to move eastward on a large scale, along the official roads of the southern prefectures such as Quzhou and Chuzhou, mostly to Taizhou, and then to Xiangshan County in Ningbo Prefecture.

Xiangshan County has a natural seaport and a mature dock, where the island bandits can board ships to evacuate.

Of course, the garrisons of various prefectures have also gathered in Ninghai County, waiting for Zhou Yuan to order a general attack on Xiangshan County.

"Six thousand! Six thousand!"

Li He said in a deep voice: "Since September last year, the number of island pirates has been increasing. At the beginning of last month, we roughly counted that there were more than three thousand island pirates on the shore."

"I didn't expect it. This time when we really started fighting, we found that the other side was estimated to have six thousand people, not to mention the more than two thousand people we have killed."

He looked very ugly, gritted his teeth and clenched his fists and said: "If we count the island pirates who have been killed, there must be nearly nine thousand people in total! The scale is unprecedentedly large, and the number of people is unprecedentedly large."

"I really don't know how they transported so many people with their wooden boats and turtle ships."

Zhou Yuan said: "Of course there are more than just their ships, the ships of Zhejiang merchants may also help transport people."

"But it doesn't matter. Since they are all gathered in Xiangshan County, then... just kill them all."

Li He was a little worried "General, the island pirates are difficult to eradicate because they can retreat into the sea at any time, but we cannot guard against such a long coastline all the time."

"Xiangshan County has more than one estuary, and there must be many turtle ships parked there, and they can evacuate at any time."

Zhou Yuan sneered, "It took them a lot of effort to transport six thousand people here, and it is impossible to transport them all away in a short time."

"After all, they want to make a final struggle in Xiangshan County, just in case they win."

"After all, in their impression, the army of Dajin is a soft persimmon, and they will collapse after a few waves of casual killing."

Li He blushed at this and said immediately, "Try again this time!"

Zhou Yuan said, "The army has been fighting repeatedly and is already exhausted. We will rest today and launch a general attack on Xiangshan County early tomorrow morning."

"Yes!"

...

In a small courtyard in Hezhou.

McPherson was also looking at the map, carefully analyzing the situation on the southeast coast, frowning and slightly worried.

"Mr. Yoshida, how did the Zhejiang garrison organize such a large-scale and orderly counterattack after being silent for so long?"

He expressed his biggest doubt.

Beside him, a short man with a hunchback said in a hoarse voice: "This is normal. Every few years, Dajin will always organize a large-scale counterattack."

"We often cooperate and pretend to flee, and finally go to the sea to repair for a while and sell supplies, which can be regarded as a vacation for the soldiers."

"And those officials responsible for suppressing the bandits can naturally get the opportunity to be promoted and make a lot of money based on their achievements in victory."

At this point, he laughed and said: "What court dignity, what great power prestige, is nothing but business."

"Many officials in their Dajin are even afraid that we will not go anymore, so they will lose the opportunity to make merit and the opportunity to make money by fighting."

"This time, it is probably the work of Li Zhaolu, the governor of Zhejiang. He has been in office for three years and has not made any great merit or made any money."

"This time, we fought If we win the battle, the court will definitely reward us, and there will definitely be money."

"Let's cooperate and rest in Xiangshan County first. When he gets credit and money, we will go out and do things, and he will turn a blind eye."

"This is... the tacit understanding of businessmen!"

McPherson frowned when he heard it. He looked at the map carefully and said softly: "Mr. Yoshida, I admit that the logic you said is correct, in line with the interests, and can be maintained for a long time."

"But according to the action route of the Zhejiang garrison this time, they don't seem to be pretending, but want to really kill them all."

"I have seen this kind of marching route map before. Huang Taiji showed it to me on the ship in Bohai."

"At that time, Zhou Yuan led nearly 300,000 people to besiege Huang Taiji's 70,000 troops. He also used the same method, attacking from the east, west, and north. The means were fierce and the speed was extremely fast, which made it impossible for people to cope with it."

"And thisOnce, Ningbo Prefecture, Shaoxing Prefecture, Jinhua Prefecture, and Yanzhou Prefecture were all attacked. Your people said that there were many armies in neighboring provinces to blockade... This is too similar to Zhou Yuan's methods. "

Yoshida Kamehide frowned at first, then laughed: "So what, Zhou Yuan is not a human? Zhou Yuan doesn't like money? Doesn't like merit? Doesn't like being a hero?"

"As long as he likes these, he will have a tacit understanding with me. After all, if we are all driven away, how can we make money in the future? How to make merit?"

McPherson said: "Mr. Yoshida, I'm afraid you will be disappointed. Zhou Yuan is an extreme nationalist. He doesn't want to make money in the long run, but to revive the Great Jin."

Yoshida Kamehide was stunned for a moment, then said: "It doesn't matter, even if there is nothing to talk about, we won't be afraid of him."

"The soldiers of the Great Jin are not strong in combat effectiveness, and the military morale is unstable. They can't eat our 6,000 people gathered in Xiangshan County. ”

“Besides, we can retreat at any time. With your battleships and cruisers, we can transport them to Hezhou in two times.”

McPherson said in a deep voice: “I am just worried... worried about Zhou Yuan... Mr. Yoshida, you don’t understand this person. This person is too smart and always hard to see through.”

“When fighting with him, you must be extremely careful, otherwise reality will teach you a lesson.”

Yoshida Kamehide waved his hand and said in a deep voice: “Isn’t it just Zhou Yuan! Just kill him!”

He looked at the guard beside him and said: “You are the number one ninja under my command! You take a boat ashore! Go and assassinate Zhou Yuan!”

The guard next to him was stunned for a long time, and murmured: “Ah? Me?”

“Yes, it’s you.”

Yoshida Kamehide said: “Go and chop off his head. I want to see what he looks like. "

Seeing this scene, McPherson couldn't help but hold his forehead, feeling a little helpless.

These island bandits are used to being arrogant and domineering here, and have been spoiled by the aristocratic families.

They seem to have lost their sensitivity to war.

This place can't stay for long!

McPherson was highly suspicious of Zhou Yuan's appearance in Ningbo Prefecture, and he believed that the other party might not only have these means at present.

Thinking of this, McPherson made up his mind to pack up and leave tomorrow at the latest!

Cooperating with the island bandits will bury himself here sooner or later.