After closing the newspaper, Zhu Ping'an frowned and was stunned for a long time. No matter how he looked at it, he felt that this newspaper was a bit ridiculous.
How could a mere 150 Japanese pirates have such destructive power?! They first slaughtered the people of Funing Town, then defeated the 3,000-strong coalition army of Shaoxing prefect Liu and Captain Xu, and then killed the returning censor Qian and his entourage!
Let's not talk about anything else, just say that the joint forces of Shaoxing prefect Liu Da and Captain Xu, with a total of 3,000 people, were unable to defeat 150 Japanese pirates. Instead of killing the Japanese, they themselves were killed by more than 600 people. In this way, on average, each Japanese pirate killed four Ming soldiers? ! And they were able to leave without any damage? !
Are these Japanese pirates all special forces?! Or did Shaoxing Prefecture conceal information and the Shaoxing coalition forces were not 3,000 but 300?!
Shaoxing Prefecture might have concealed the number, but it would never be this number. If the Shaoxing local officials wanted to cover up the failure of suppressing the Japanese pirates, they would only exaggerate the number of Japanese pirates and reduce the number of their own coalition forces. If the enemy has more people and our army is fewer, then the defeat is excusable; if the enemy has fewer people and our army is more, then the defeat is unjustifiable!
Zhu Ping'an also knew the current situation of the Ming army. There were many old, weak, sick and disabled soldiers, insufficient training, and serious decline in combat effectiveness. But after all, they had 3,000 trained soldiers. With such a large base, there must be at least 1,000 strong and combat-ready soldiers. Such a military advantage should be enough to wipe out more than 100 Japanese pirates.
However, the reality is just the opposite.
If it is true as recorded in the Tangbao, it can only mean: 1. The soldiers of the garrison were badly weakened and could not stand up to a fight; 2. This group of Japanese pirates were extraordinary, their combat skills far exceeded those of ordinary Japanese pirates, just like special forces compared to ordinary soldiers. This group of Japanese pirates were special Japanese pirates.
Do such Japanese pirates exist? !
exist.
At least Zhu Ping'an believed it, because he had read a record about Japanese pirates in the Ming Dynasty in modern times. A group of fifty Japanese pirates marched straight into the heavily guarded Nanjing City and attacked it. They escaped unscathed. In the end, the Ming army suffered heavy casualties and spent a lot of effort to encircle and annihilate this group of fierce Japanese pirates in Suzhou...
Fifty Japanese pirates were able to attack Nanjing City and escape unscathed!
Therefore, it is not impossible for 150 Japanese pirates to defeat the joint forces of Shaoxing prefect Liu and Captain Xu.
This is a dangerous and fierce Japanese force!
Zhu Ping'an came to a conclusion that seemed nonsense.
We must pay more attention to it!
According to the Tangbao records, these Japanese pirates disappeared by the Qiantang River. We don't know where their next target of attack will be. Calculating the distance, the Qiantang River is far from Taohuaji, but it is not far either. We must be vigilant and strengthen alert to prevent these Japanese pirates from roaming around and committing crimes.
In addition, the Tangbao also emphasized that all units should be on high alert and ready to march immediately upon receiving an order.
Although there are many regular troops near Yingtian Prefecture, according to common sense, their militia would not be needed, but the situation is uncertain, and they must be prepared to be recruited to participate in the suppression of the Japanese pirates.
This group of Japanese pirates are not just ordinary tough ones!
The Shaoxing coalition forces had a total of 3,000 people, more than 1,000 of whom were regular troops from the garrison, but they were unable to do anything to this group of Japanese pirates. The 700-odd militia on their side, which had only undergone more than half a month of training, were definitely no match for them.
We need to further strengthen our training! Otherwise, we will become cannon fodder and affect the overall situation of suppressing the Japanese!
"This group of Japanese pirates is extraordinary. We must be prepared to be recruited to participate in the elimination of this group of fierce Japanese. We must further strengthen our training. We should sweat more in peacetime and bleed less in war. The iron must be hard before it can be forged."
In the afternoon, Zhu Ping'an summoned all the soldiers of the Zhejiang Army at the Taohuaji training ground and announced the contents of the Tangbao to everyone in a concise manner, asking them to be prepared to be recruited to suppress the Japanese pirates and emphasizing the need to further strengthen training.
At the same time, in order to stimulate everyone's enthusiasm for training, Zhu Ping'an also held a solemn flag-raising ceremony for Zhu Daniu, Lin Ergou, He Xinlang and other three groups.
"Zhu Daniu, come forward and take the flag! The red color must be dyed often, and the tip of the knife must be sharpened many times. I grant you the sharp knife flag, and I hope you will keep up the good work and don't let the name of the sharp knife down!"
"Lin Ergou, come forward and take the flag! The soldiers are brave as tigers, and the flying arrows break through the wolf camp. I grant you the Feidi flag, and I hope you will keep up the good work and don't let the name of Feidi down!"
"He Xinlang, come forward and take the flag! The tiger warriors wear golden armor in hundreds of battles and will not return until they have destroyed the enemy camp. I grant you the Armor Breaking Flag. I hope you will keep up the good work and don't let down the name of the Armor Breaking Flag!"
Zhu Ping'an personally presented the sharp knife flag, flying arrow flag and armor-piercing flag to Zhu Daniu, Lin Ergou and He Xinlang.
"The flag survives and the people live; the flag dies and the people die!"
After Zhu Daniu, Lin Ergou and He Xinlang took over the squad flag, they led three squads of soldiers to kneel on the ground and swear.
After the flag ceremony, the Zhejiang Army began training. Zhu Pingan increased the intensity of their training. Zhu Pingan asked each Zhejiang Army member to make two small sandbags and tie them to their legs for training.
In addition, Zhu Ping'an also gave them musket shooting training, and borrowed 10 musket instructors from the Linhuai Marquis's naval camp to teach them musket shooting. On the basis of respecting the musket instructors' teachings, Zhu Ping'an also combined modern experience and hung a brick on the gun barrel to strengthen their stability training.
Zhu Ping'an received the report, and Hu Zongxian, who was patrolling the "Zhenwei Camp" in the Beijing Camp, also received the report.
"What?! Old Imperial Censor Qian was murdered!!!"
When Hu Zongxian read the record in the Tangbao that the entire family of Censor Qian was massacred by Japanese pirates, he was shocked, sad and angry!
Hu Zongxian had been taken care of by the old censor Qian before, and he was grateful to him, so he sent soldiers to escort the old censor Qian back home when they parted in Yingtian the day before yesterday. But he did not expect that the farewell the day before yesterday would become a separation forever! More than a hundred soldiers and more than a hundred escorts could not prevent this tragedy!
"This group of Japanese pirates has committed many evil deeds! I swear to tear you into pieces!" Hu Zongxian slammed the table and said angrily.
"Return to the city!"
After reading the Tangbao, Hu Zongxian was no longer in the mood to patrol. He hurriedly ended his inspection of the Zhenwei Camp and rode back to the inner city of Yingtian at full speed. After entering the city, he went straight to the Ministry of War. One purpose was to check more detailed information about the Japanese invasion, and the other was to meet with Shangshu Zhang to discuss the issue of suppressing the Japanese.
As expected, Hu Zongxian saw more detailed information about the Japanese invasion in the archives of the Ministry of War, and saw more details that were not recorded in the Tangbao, including a detailed on-site description of the murder of Old Censor Qian. Old Censor Qian was stabbed and his head was cut off, leaving not even a complete body. His concubines and sedan chair were in disarray, and no one in his family, young or old, survived... The more Hu Zongxian read, the more he hated and wanted to kill the Japanese pirates. He gritted his teeth and swore, "If I don't kill this group of Japanese pirates, I will be sorry to the emperor, the people who were killed, and Old Censor Qian."
A whole family, young and old!"
"Sir Hu, Sir Zhang wants to see you." The officer came in and reported.
"Thank you!"
Hu Zongxian nodded in thanks and followed the officers to meet Zhang Jing.