– Liujiang Estuary –
This place was the confluence of many rivers in the Spiritual State, and there was a big lake named Hongtao next to it. It was hundreds of miles in circumference and unfathomably deep. The mouth of the Six Rivers was a strategic location, and it had the advantage of water conservancy.
At this moment, two navy fleets were slowly approaching each other in Hongtao Lake.
One of the two fleets was flying the flag of King Ding, and it had many ships with cloud-like sails that covered the sky. However, it looked a bit messy as if it had just been built.
The other fleet had only 10,000 soldiers, but it had high morale and was flying the flag of Ma Meng.
On the flagship in the center, Wu Zhi was also sizing up the opposing fleet.
"I heard that the Ma Meng Navy is an elite force. Based on their commands, they are orderly and orderly even on the water. They are indeed a strong navy!"
After a long while, she sighed leisurely, "I heard that most of these navy soldiers used to be water bandits. There are so many heroes in the world!"
"Your Majesty!"
When the generals below, especially the generals of the navy, heard this, they couldn't keep their faces and knelt down, "We have failed previously and deserve to die a thousand times. Today, I ask for the king to give us another chance to atone for our crimes!"
"Okay!"
Wu Zhi nodded slightly and pointed at a person. "Chen Xun! Today, I order you to be the vanguard and lead five iron armored warships and 15 turtle armored warships to attack the enemy! "
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Chen Xun was a local gentry of the Spiritual State. Receiving the order, he immediately got off the flagship. Soon, a small fleet of ships separated from the huge navy and headed toward the enemy.
"Are these the iron armored warships that the King ordered the Ministry of Works to make?"
On the flagship, Wu Tiehu, Chen Shuncheng, and other generals of the army stared at the five iron armored warships that slowly sailed out.
The ship was huge, and on the water surface, it looked like a giant steel beast.
"That's right. Gongzi drew the blueprints himself, and the craftsmen of the Ministry of Works led hundreds of craftsmen to build them day and night!"
Ceng Yu said, "Not only are they covered with iron sheets, but their defense is also greatly increased. The deck is no different from land, and we can put ballistae, ballistae, and even catapults!"
…
"Good ships! Really good ships! "
Stepping on the iron armored warships, Chen Xun couldn't help but exclaim even though it wasn't his first time.
"Giant ships and heavy crossbows are the future trend of naval warfare …"
As someone who had obtained Wu Ming's favor and passed Wu Zhi's test, Chen Xun's eyes were sharp, and he knew where his side's advantage lay at a glance.
"The enemy navy mostly uses water bandits. They are good at maneuvering boats and can navigate the Yangtze River like it's flat ground. They are also good at fighting in the water, like a pack of wolves in the water … Our navy is newly trained, it's not good to fight them head-on."
"But if we defend this ship, it will be like a fortress on the sea. Even if the enemy is a pack of wolves, they will be scattered soldiers. How can they break through? Then, with crossbows and catapults, you will be invincible! "
When the lieutenants heard this, they all praised, "General is wise!"
"Attack!"
The ships on the sea were all commanded by the flagship. At this moment, the ironclad warship that Chen Xun was on was the flagship. With a single command, the fleet immediately advanced towards the enemy.
"Wu wu …"
A horn sounded from the other side, and a fleet of ships came out to greet them.
Ma Meng's navy mostly used small boats, and it was very convenient for them to travel on the water like the wind. At this moment, several large ships came out to greet the enemy, and around them were dozens of small boats. Amidst the whistling sound, they surrounded the enemy like a pack of wolves.
As they got closer, the soldiers on the boats were bare-armed, wearing short clothes, and holding crossbows and short swords could be clearly seen.
"Bed crossbows, fire!"
Chen Xun's expression did not change. With a single command, the bed crossbows in the fleet immediately roared.
Swoosh swoosh!
The crossbows used on the water had been modified, and were almost as thick as a baby's arm. As the bowstrings vibrated, the crossbows shot out like cannonballs, stabbing people and destroying ships when they encountered them. Immediately, cries of pain came from the small boats on the opposite side.
"Kill!"
After a few rounds of shooting and chaos, the enemy's small boats finally approached the outermost tortoiseshell ship. However, when the enemy soldiers bit their sharp knives and wanted to jump onto the side of the ship to engage in battle, they were shocked to find that there was a layer of tortoiseshell on top of the ship in front of them. From the cracks on the four sides, long spears protruded, like porcupines, and it was difficult to attack.
As for the Iron-armored Ships, they were like a giant city. They were too high to climb, and the chassis was extremely sturdy. Even if there were water ghosts that wanted to sneak under the ship and break through it, it would be wishful thinking.
"Ram them!"
Chen Xun looked at the small boats with a hideous smile on his face.
Whoosh!
Around the Iron-armored Ships, two rows of oars stretched out, paddling the water, and propelling the five ferocious beasts forward at an astonishing speed.
"Ah!"
The soldiers on the small boats screamed in pain. The warship was torn apart, and they had to jump into the water to survive. Except for a few who were good at swimming, the rest were shot to death by the archers, and the water was dyed with blood.
"Fire the boats!"
Seeing that the navy that was good at fighting was defeated so easily, the vanguard on the opposite side finally used his trump card.
Dozens of small boats at the back were filled with firewood and lamp oil. At this moment, they were lit up, and instantly became torches on the water. Controlled by the men of sacrifice, they rushed forward.
"Crossbows, catapults, fire!"
Chen Xun's expression did not change, and he responded calmly. The crossbows and catapults on the ship roared continuously.
Bang, bang!
A small boat was hit by a rock and disintegrated halfway. The men of sacrifice on it broke their bones and fell into the small lake.
A number of small boats got closer and were focused on by the crossbows. Less than 10 percent of the men on the boats survived.
In the end, only a few fire boats got close, but they were calmly dragged away by the long hooks of the tortoiseshell ship in front. They were not affected at all.
The vanguard of the navy hesitated for a long time. In the end, they could only choose to retreat.
Cheers immediately came from Chen Xun's fleet.
Phew …
Unbeknownst to them, Chen Xun was also letting out a big breath in his heart. These new soldiers, after a great victory, have finally raised their morale. Even if they meet an enemy in the future, they will dare to fight and will not suddenly collapse …
…
While the three armies were cheering, in the naval camp, Ma Meng's expression was very ugly.
"The Dingzhou navy had already suffered a few setbacks. Who would have thought that they would recover so quickly and come back so fiercely?"
Ma Meng sighed deeply.
Now, he knew the difference between a martial pheasant and a large family.
The other side did not care about small defeats at all. Even though more than half of the Dingzhou navy had been lost, as long as the foundation was still there, with one order, there would still be countless resources that could be mobilized. There were also the noble families of Lingzhou voluntarily donating people and goods, so their ability to recover was powerful.
On his side, there were only two counties. Every death in the navy was one less, and every ship was lost, while the progress of the shipyards was not satisfactory. Often, for one ship on his side to be launched, the other side had already added three to five ships. Furthermore, the navy was always full.
With such a difference, how could they reverse the situation?
"Commander! Great news! "
At this moment, Counselor Sun from before was beaming with joy. He quickly reported, "Our sect has heard that Marshal is requesting for help, and we attach great importance to it. We have already sent several Martial Uncles with powerful magical powers. Even the Patriarch has sent an order, saying that he will lend Marshal a hand at the critical moment!"
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Ma Meng's originally wavering heart once again wavered.
…
On Hongtao Lake.
After a number of days of probing and exhaustion, Ma Meng finally could not endure it any longer. He mobilized the navy and prepared for the final battle.
Of course, Wu Zhi would not show weakness. He directly appointed Chen Xun, Gan Meng, and a group of good naval officers as governors and began fighting on Hongtao Lake.
At this moment, hundreds, thousands of ships were fighting together, and the scene was very different.
"Catapults, oil bombs ready. Fire!"
Chen Xun stared at the opposite ship, and a light flashed through his eyes. After waiting for a moment, he suddenly shouted.
"Fire!"
The catapults had long been prepared. However, they did not use stone bombs. Instead, they used clay jars filled with black Fierce Fire Oil.
This oil was much lighter than rocks, and the catapults could easily throw it a long distance. When it hit the enemy ship, it immediately spread fire. It even floated in the water and could not be easily extinguished. Immediately, it burned the enemy until they cried like ghosts and wolves.
"Very good! Continue! "
Seeing that the plan was working, Chen Xun's eyes immediately flashed with excitement.
This oil bomb was also the trump card that Prince Ding had prepared for this battle. He had kept it hidden and did not show it to anyone. It was all for this moment, to unleash the greatest effect and strike the enemy.
"The poison of war is never better than water and fire. But this time, it has both!"
Many oil bombs landed on the enemy ship, and instantly a sea of fire was ignited. From time to time, figures covered in flames could be seen jumping into the lake.
It was a pity that even though they were proficient in water, in the middle of the battlefield, they were like duckweed. If they were not shot to death by stray arrows, they would be exhausted and drowned.
"Courage is the key to war!"
The merciful did not command the army. At this moment, Chen Xun did not have the slightest bit of pity. "After this round of fire attack, we must pursue the victory and destroy the enemy's fleet in one fell swoop. It is best if we can take down the naval stronghold!"
"Governor, not good. The direction of the wind has changed!"
At this moment, an officer saw the change in the flag and immediately exclaimed.
"Direction of the wind?"
Chen Xun was shocked.
The reason why he chose to attack with fire today was because the west wind was blowing, which was advantageous to his navy. No matter how the fire spread, it could only wreak havoc in the enemy's fleet. But now … looking at the flag that was gradually whistling, Chen Xun's expression changed.
"The east wind has changed …"
He looked to the opposite side and saw that the burning ships had gradually separated from Ma Meng's fleet and were showing signs of floating over. His face could not help but turn pale. "Overreaching? Impossible. Before today's battle, I personally tasted the water element and invited a Daoist to observe the weather. It is definitely the west wind. Where did this evil wind come from? "
He looked at the opposite fleet and his eyes suddenly moved. "Could it be that this Ma Meng actually invited a Celestial Master Sorcerer who can interfere with the weather?"
In the art of war, anything that stood in the way of the army was a sorcerer!
"Haha … Pass down the order, attack!"
On the opposite side, Ma Meng had also boarded the flagship. Seeing this scene, he could not help but praise Sun Can who was beside him. "Your martial uncles are indeed powerful. They can actually use the east wind to help me achieve victory. When this battle is over, I will definitely reward you handsomely!"
"Thank you, Marshal!"
Sun Can bowed and thanked him. In his heart, he was also shocked. "There are experts in the enemy's fleet. They can still use spells at this time. It must be the grandmaster who made the move!"
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