GBP Chapter 361 Sand Table Simulation
Chapter 361 Sand Table Simulation
Their leader, Ma Shi, was killed by Lin San with a single blow. Without their leader, the Luotian Dong people were at a loss. They faced the same choice as the other villages in Houmi Ridge: on one side, salt and iron; on the other, gleaming bayonets. They faced either accept Han rule or die under bayonets.
Driven by their survival instinct, the Luotian Dong people chose salt and iron tools, and yet another Li ethnic tribe fell.
Such small-scale conflicts repeatedly occurred within a radius of two hundred miles south of Lingao County. Although the Shengli people, who did not even have iron weapons, were very brave, their primitive weapons and individualistic fighting style made them no match for the guards who had received modern military training. Even without Patriot rifles, no one could stop the special forces' attack by charging with only bayonets.
Mu Tianyan's memorial to the court and Lin Shiyue's letter to her father were sent to the capital via Tianjin by Liu Ye on the "Far Voyage" and delivered to Lin Tianming via Jinan Prefecture. A month later, the Ministry of War sent an official document to Guangdong ordering the withdrawal of the Qiongzhou naval force to go north to assist in suppressing the rebellion.
Within a month, Lin San swept through hundreds of Li villages, large and small, like a whirlwind. According to the previous plan, these Li villages were reorganized into settlements according to the number of people, with each settlement consisting of 500 households. Each household was required to send one male, who was given a hook knife or a spear. During the off-season, instructors sent by Lingao were responsible for organizing drills. The prototype of an ancient version of a militia began to take shape.
As for the remaining villagers, they were required to abandon their previous method of dog hunting (collective hunting) and were given seeds and farming tools to cultivate mountain rice on the spot. After receiving iron tools and seeds, under the threat of bayonets and the lure of salt, the Shengli people began to try a completely new way of life. Although the yield of mountain rice was very low, it was still much better than the Shengli people's original hunting, at least providing a stable and sufficient food supply.
The reason the Li people were allowed to cultivate mountain rice in the mountains, rather than growing improved rice varieties in the more fertile flat areas, was because these future fertile fields were reserved for Shandong refugees. When it comes to farming, the Han people are ultimately far superior to the Li people; good resources should be used where they are most needed.
The official document for suppressing the rebellion was quickly forwarded to Lingao by the governor's office. With this "letter of introduction," the Qiongzhou garrison could openly send troops to Shandong to intervene.
The members of the temporary staff were summoned to develop an operational plan for the expedition to Shandong and a contingency plan for unforeseen circumstances.
Unlike previous missions, Wang Qinian, who had repeatedly distinguished himself, was also selected by Liu Ye to participate. Through the battle at Zhongzuo, Liu Ye witnessed the immense role of intelligence in warfare. Even though Wang Qinian's methods of obtaining intelligence were still quite primitive, they still played a crucial role. From infiltrating Liu Xiang to penetrating Zheng Zhilong's group, several operations allowed Wang Qinian to accumulate experience and gain his first batch of subordinates. Besides the pirate Liang Dong, several pirates who had been recruited from Liu Xiang's original group and a few servants from Zheng's old Anping residence were also recruited due to their quick wit.
A large, seemingly simple 1:500 scale sand table was placed in the center of the Nanyuan Council Hall, and Yan Guang and others carefully examined it.
This sand table was handmade by Liang Xiaoming, a veteran military enthusiast. He is originally from Yantai, Shandong, and is quite familiar with the terrain of the Shandong coast. With the guidance of Sun Yuanhua, the former governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, this original version of the sand table was created. It is also the first truly meaningful military sand table in this time and space world.
Liang Xiaoming acted as a guide, explaining the terrain to the temporary staff officers.
"Given our limited area of operation, this sand table is confined to the Dengzhou and Laizhou areas. The rebels have already been compressed into the Dengzhou area, so this region is sufficient for our simulations." Liang Xiaoming pointed to the sand table with a wooden stick. "You see, this city by the water is Dengzhou. According to Mr. Sun, the city's north gate is right next to the water city, which is where the navy is stationed. It faces the sea to the north, is bordered by mountains to the northwest, and is adjacent to a river to the southeast. There is a gate on both the north and south sides, and the water gate leads directly to the Liaodong Sea. Theoretically speaking, if the rebels can't hold out any longer, they can escape directly from the water city to the sea."
Yan Guang looked at the location of "Dengzhou" and asked, "If what the imperial gazette says is true, then the rebels have been compressed into the Dengzhou area, so the land battle will be outside Dengzhou city? Should we send the main force of the land forces? If the navy wants to intercept the fleeing rebels, where should it be stationed?"
As Liu Ye recalled, he said, "The main battlefield for the land battle is definitely outside Dengzhou City. The main force of the Qiongzhou Camp's army will definitely go there. We're not just there to make up the numbers to defend Dongjiang Town. As for where the fleet will be stationed... we once went to Shandong to mine coal. I remember there's an island about ten miles north of Dengzhou. It's quite large, about a hundred miles in circumference, enough to station a fleet. Moreover, it can be in the best position to intercept the rebel fleet heading out to sea. I think I heard the locals in Huangxian mention this island. What was it called again..."
Liang Xiaoming, being from Yantai, naturally knew this place and continued the conversation: "It's called Changdao, and it will become Shandong's only island county. It's 200 li from Lushun and about 14 li from Dengzhou Shuicheng."
Liu Ye clapped his hands and said, "That's right, let's call it Changdao (Long Island). With the fleet stationed here, the rebel fleet will have no way to escape. Whether they land in Lushun or return to Dongjiang Town, the rebels will have to detour through Changdao; it's their only route."
Yan Guang asked, "The court only withdrew our navy, but the land forces also went on the expedition. Isn't that a bit unjustified?"
"It's alright. As long as there's a pretext, I can send more men without the court having to allocate funds for the mobilization or pay back wages. Wouldn't Zhu Dadian be laughing his head off? Besides, with Inspector Lin as an inside man, the army can also land openly. After the rebels are defeated, the army can help evacuate the local refugees."
Yan Guang nodded: "Then let's advance by both land and sea. The land force will land directly at Laizhou and join up with the pacification army, while the navy will station itself at Changdao Island and wait for an opportunity to ambush the rebel fleet."
Li Fei pointed to the location of Dengzhou city and said, "It's best to prepare the ambush fleet in advance. Once the rebels escape, there will always be dozens of ships of all sizes. If our fleet just waits for them to come to us, there will be a process from discovering the enemy to setting sail and pursuing them, and the results will inevitably be less than ideal..."
Liu Ye pointed at Wang Qinian and said, "That's why I called Wang Qinian here. I'm going to give him a new mission. Find out the rebels' movements and warn them in advance. This way, the fleet can prepare to intercept them in advance, and even if the rebels want to escape, they won't be able to escape more than a few ships."
Wang Qinian maintained his perpetually expressionless face. He answered succinctly, "Time is short, and the situation in Dengzhou is complicated. I cannot guarantee that I can infiltrate Dengzhou City in time, but I will do my best."