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

Chapter 899

Chikan City, temporary governor's mansion.

Paul Duradis listened to the gunshots outside the city, his expression was calm, as if he was planning a strategy.

He glanced at the map on the wall, and then slowly said: "Mr. Lucas has tried his best. Although he caused huge losses, it was not due to his mistakes, but because the opponent was too cunning."

"His judgment of Zhou Yuan in advance was accurate, and his response was cautious and rational enough. He lost only because he was not as good as Zhou Yuan."

"But there is an old saying in the Great Jin Dynasty, which is that a good cook cannot cook without rice. Now Zhou Yuan has limited resources, and there is no complex terrain and situation to give him the opportunity to make strategic plans. Under the condition that all conditions are fixed, he cannot attack Chikan City."

More than a dozen people in the room looked at each other and fell into deep thought.

Paul Duradis continued, "Our fortifications are very complete, with sufficient firepower to ensure that our Chikan City is safe for a short period of time. We only need to wait until the situation at sea calms down before landing operations, and we can naturally defeat Zhou Yuan with internal and external forces."

"After all, when the siege continues to be ineffective, these ordinary militiamen will soon lose their fighting spirit."

"Friends, the situation is still under our control, and we have a great chance of winning."

"Zhou Yuan, or the Great Jin, is just a false exhilaration before exhaustion."

"When the dust settles, perhaps It only takes three to five days.

He picked up the wine glass, raised it, and said with a smile: "Although the process is a bit bumpy and the cost is a bit high, we will win the final victory."

"Without Zhou Yuan, the Fujian and Guangdong navy, and the wealth brought back by the Chaozhou merchant fleet, the Great Jin will fall into extreme difficulties."

"At least within five to ten years, they will not have any improvement."

"At that time, this huge ancient country will provide us with countless wealth."

"Let's toast to the upcoming victory!"

Everyone raised their wine glasses and laughed.

...

Outside Chikan City, the battle was in full swing. Countless militias rushed forward, climbed up frantically with ladders, but entered the range of flintlock guns and were shot down directly.

After paying a huge price, they finally approached the opening of the city wall, but were hacked to death by swords and axes.

Although the anger of these militias has been ignited and the warriors of the indigenous people are also strong enough, they still can't play a good role in such a primitive siege method.

The cruel battle with huge casualties has turned this place into a hell on earth. The constant charge and continuous repulsion have also shaken the morale of the army to a certain extent.

Cai Husheng is under great pressure. He doesn't understand war, but he knows that if this continues, there will be huge changes in two or three days.

"At least four or five families have become timid. They think they can't beat the Dutch and are ready to give up."

"Today, several village teams are not even willing to charge. If this continues, people's hearts will be scattered."

Zhou Yuan understands this change. These people are not regular troops. They have a bad character. Their anger and courage will gradually fade under the washing of blood, and then fear and timidity will arise.

This is also one of the problems Zhou Yuan is facing now.

First, there is a lack of siege means. Even at a great cost, a gap cannot be opened, resulting in huge casualties.

Second, the army's quality is poor, and casualties will shake the morale of the army, and these militiamen will gradually lose their fighting spirit and eventually flee.

"We must think of a way!"

Cai Husheng said bitterly: "A long-term tug-of-war will not work."

Faced with such a well-fortified city and lack of offensive means, the best way is to besiege the isolated city and cut off resources. The opponent will fall without attacking, but that takes time, at least one or two months, and Zhou Yuan can't wait.

Of course, it can also be like Zhou Yuan thought before, everyone takes turns to attack from all directions, erratic, so that the opponent dare not rest.

This may only take two or three days to achieve good results. At least the opponent is tired and it will always be much easier to fight.

But... Zhou Yuan gradually dared not gamble. If the army's morale was scattered and everyone fled, then all the previous efforts would be wasted.

He ignored Cai Husheng, but walked out of the tent and saw the dark sky.

There was no moon, no stars, and the sky in late autumn was suffocatingly dark.

At the end of the darkness, the sound of the surging sea water accompanied by the strong wind and the roar of the cannons came.

The Fujian and Guangdong naval forces were still fighting with the Dutch fleet, and their task was even more difficult.

And in that distant place, perhaps the Chaozhou merchant fleet had been caught by the Dutch battleships.

The uprising on the island was doneVery successful.

But this does not mean that the victory is directly established.

The complexity of the situation and the erratic changes of the war make people nervous all the time, and the victory or defeat is not clear at all.

Everyone must do their best and do their best in every aspect to completely eliminate the behemoth of the Dutch fleet.

If it is not done well, Chikan City cannot be taken in a short time, the military morale will be shaken, the militia will be disbanded, and the previous success will be instantly wiped out.

The failure on the island will further bring huge pressure to the Fujian and Guangdong Navy. The sea itself is not advantageous, and it will be even more difficult at that time.

If the Fujian and Guangdong Navy is defeated, the South China Sea will be lost, and opening the sea for trade will become a joke.

Unequal treaties will soon follow. The Dutch will be more ruthless than the Portuguese before without shackles.

The Far Eastern army is pressing, and Goryeo is in danger. At that time, it may be extremely difficult for the Great Jin to respond one by one, after all, the previous consumption is too great.

The sea is turbulent!

This treacherous situation, this war that affects the whole body, gives people a pressure like a mountain.

Zhou Yuan is not a newbie who has just entered the battlefield. He has experienced many large-scale wars, but he has never felt such great pressure as at this moment.

The dark sky almost made him breathless.

He knew that if he couldn't do it well, it would be difficult to do well in other places.

"Cai Husheng, go and call the heads of the families and the big bosses. I have something to say."

Zhou Yuan gave an order, and his heart gradually became firm.

If you want to stabilize the morale of the army, you must set an example and take the lead in the charge.

The highest commander is in front, and the people behind will have unlimited courage.

But this is very dangerous. The battlefield does not recognize identity. Marshals are still beggars. If you die, you die.

Zhou Yuan hesitated. He was afraid of death. He still had a lot of things to do and many people to cherish.

But the situation is like this. Identity means responsibility. Sometimes he really can't shrink.

He remembered his original intention and courage to risk his life when he was in Yunzhou and Lin'an Prefecture.

He remembered the heroes who fought bloody battles on the tower of Datong Town.

He remembered Ding Yuan and the soldiers of the Leiden Navy.

He remembered the shocking collision of the Hengyong ship, and remembered Yi Sanshi and Yuan Zhiming...

Since ancient times, there have been countless heroes on this land who stood up in times of national crisis and built a steel wall with their flesh and blood.

None of them is special.

What is special about me, Zhou Yuan?

Fear, worry, regret, reluctance, can personal will really be placed above the fate of the nation?

If it were normal times, Zhou Yuan would definitely choose himself, nothing is more important than his own life.

But at this moment, the sound of fighting in the distance, the sound of artillery shells in the distance, the past events are vivid... My heart is Hengyong!

Zhou Yuan raised his head, and the dark world finally had light.

He couldn't see it, because the light came from his eyes.

"Marshal, we are here!"

Kui Shi Nu Hai panted and clasped his fists, saying, "If you have any ideas, just tell me. I have led my brothers to charge three times, and it is really hard to take them down."

Zhou Yuan said, "Everyone, select the best and smartest warriors under your command."

"I need 300 people to form a real death squad to attack the Chikan Tower and force a hole."

"Select the people for me and send them to me before midnight."

"In the second half of the night, I will teach them how to use flintlocks and arrange plans."

Due to time constraints, Zhou Yuan was unable to search the land carefully. He only found more than 400 flintlocks and a limited number of sub-guns.

But these people did not know how to use them, and some even almost hurt their companions.

Now he can't care about so much. Zhou Yuan must organize a death squad to fight his way out tomorrow.

In the vast sea, my heart is always brave.

Zhou Yuan is willing to be the pioneer, calm everyone's hearts, and take the trend of the war into his own hands.

At this moment, it is time to fight to the death.