Ningbo is close to Zhoushan, where Zhao Ming has been coveting for a long time and wants to take it.

Although the Qing army in Jiangsu and Zhejiang moved into the defensive situation and reduced its forces to enter a comprehensive defense state, it did not give the Ming army a chance to fight a large-scale battle, and the Ming and Qing armies had been in conflict with Jiangsu and Zhejiang for many years. The Qing army knew the terrain of Jiangsu and Zhejiang well and had long predicted the Ming army's counterattack route. It was nothing more than two routes of sending troops from western Zhejiang, and they must have been prepared, but Zhao Ming was still very confident in Donghai Town.

Compared with the Qing Dynasty, Donghai Town lacked human resources and was destined to be unable to follow the tactics of the sea of ​​people, and had to implement the elite military route.

Now Donghai Town has sufficient money, food and equipment, but there are still only 40,000 soldiers.

Not long ago, the court appointed Zhao Ming as Duke and gave Donghai Town the name Shen Ce. These 40,000 combat soldiers were divided into five positions in front, back, left, middle and back by Zhao Ming, with 5,600 guards in each guard. Among them, Shen Ce Central Army Guards had more people, with more than 6,600 guards, and there were two naval guards.

The two guards are naval guards, the East China Sea guards are commanded by Guo Zhong, the South China Sea guards are commanded by the surrendered general of the Zheng army, Hong Xishan, and the five guards are commanded by the front guards. The front guards are commanded by Wang Deshun. They are currently stationed in Chongming area, and the rear guards are commanded by Xie Qian. They are now stationed in the outer sea outside Denglai and the southeast end of Liaodong. The left guards command Wang Chaoxian, the right guards command Ruan Mei, and the central guards command Li Zhongming, gathered in Zhoushan.

During this expedition, Zhao Ming decided to draw troops from the three guards on the left and right sides of the Shence Army and take away a unit of the Donghai Guard Navy, a total of about 20,000 people.

While selecting elite troops, Zhao Ming was preparing to set off, he was waiting for the detailed work to send back the message.

Soon, the Seizuo sent to Siming Mountain contacted Wang Yi and brought back some news. It is said that Haoge had already gone south and captured Jingmen, the northern gateway of Jingzhou in just three days. The Qing army on the north side had already arrived in Jingzhou. The Qing army on the east side, led by King Sanshun, also went against the river and approached Yuezhou City. The situation in Huguang was in danger.

When Zhao Ming learned the news, and the Crown Prince Zhu Yihai urged the troops to send troops, he ordered Zhao Ming to annihilate the troops of Ma Guanghui in eastern Zhejiang and not to retreat to Hangzhou, and to strengthen Zhang Cunren's troops, so he decided to send troops.

Zhao Ming then summoned the soldiers to discuss. Anyway, Ma Guanghui was huddled in Ningbo City, so he ordered Wang Yi to leave Siming Mountain and cut off Ma Guanghui's retreat. Zhao Ming led the main force to land directly and attack Ningbo Prefecture City.

After the strategy was established, Zhao Ming issued a commander, allocated food and grass, and soldiers boarded the ship.

Before leaving, Zhao Mingchuan ordered the former army Wang Deshun and the latter army Xie Qian to send troops ashore to harass and restrain the Qing army, confusing the Qing army, making the Qing army think that he used his old tricks again, harassing the Yangtze River, Shandong and Liaodong, and covering the battle of Restoration.

At the end of August, everything was ready, Zhao Ming immediately sacrificed his flag to go out, and more than 20,000 elite troops crossed the sea, landed in Zhenhai County, unloaded supplies, and killed Ningbo Prefecture.

Almost at the same time, Zheng Cai and Zheng Lian's army entered Jiangxi, Li Chengdong sent Li Yuanyin out of Yanzhou to attack Huizhou. The Qing army general Yang Chengzu took the initiative to give up the small county, and the main force was stationed in Huizhou City, and another partial army defended Taiping County, Ningguo Prefecture.

Zhu Yihai led the three generals of Fang Guoan, Zhang Mingzhen and Wu Zhaosheng, and set off from the Pujiang River in Jinhua, down the Puyang River, and arrived at Zhuji and was blocked by the Qing army.

In recent years, the Eight Banners have suffered heavy losses, which made the Qing Dynasty afraid to use the Eight Banners to take the lead and block the enemy, mainly the Green Camp. In addition, Zhuji County is located in the northwest of Kuaiji Mountain, with many mountains and rivers, which is not conducive to the cavalry running. The Qing army's blocking forces were mainly infantry.

Zhu Yihai personally led the army, Fang Guoan, Zhang Mingzhen and Wu Zhaosheng fought bravely to fight the enemy. In less than half a day, he defeated the enemy blocking the road, and the army continued to advance.

The main force of the Zhejiang Army advanced to the south of Hangzhou, near Xiaoshan County, and encountered another enemy attack. Zhu Yihai defeated three drums, and the army advanced rapidly. Zhang Cunren led his troops to fight Zhu Yihai, killing the sky and the earth, and seeing that it was difficult to defeat the Zhejiang Army, he immediately withdrew his troops and returned to Hangzhou, but he could not leave. The Zhejiang Army was progressing smoothly.

At the same time, Zhao Ming led an army of 20,000 to land in the abandoned Zhenhai County east of Ningbo.

The Qing army implemented a maritime ban strategy, abandoned the coastal areas, and cut off the inland ties with Donghai Town.

The strategy of sea ban did make it difficult for Donghai Town to obtain supplies from Zhejiang, but because the Qing army gave up the coast, Donghai Town was able to calmly land in Zhenhai.

After the Qing army had been banned for several years, Zhenhai County was destroyed by the Qing army. In the ruins covered with weeds, charred wreckage can be seen from time to time, showing traces of burning.

Outside the county town, the villages were also burned, with weeds growing in the rice fields and mulberry fields, a deserted scene.

After Zhao Ming came ashore in Zhenhai, the army rested for a while, and the army went up against the Yin River and headed straight to Ningbo Prefecture.

"Duke, forty miles ahead, it's Ningbo City!" Feng Jingdi, the assistant to the Criminal Section of the Commander-in-Chief, rode a horse and introduced.

During the Battle of Jinhua, Zhao Ming came ashore from eastern Zhejiang and recruited a large number of rebels and gentry in the land of Shaoxing, Ningbo. Feng Jingdi defected to Zhao Ming at that time.

This time he went to eastern Zhejiang to collect Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhao Ming let Feng Jingdi, Wang Jiaqin, Huaxia and others who were familiar with the terrain of eastern Zhejiang accompany him.

Zhao Ming had been to Ningbo several times before. Even though he had fought at that time, there were still many people living in Ningbo, which was a fertile land in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. But now he is close to the city and the sides of the official road are still deserted.

This is related to the Qing army's lack of intention to manage, and it is also the result of Zhao Ming withdrawing from eastern Zhejiang to Zhoushan after the Battle of Jinhua, bringing a large number of people from eastern Zhejiang to the sea.

Seeing the scene in front of him, Zhao Ming couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He originally thought Ningbo was a wealthy prefecture, but now it seems that his plan is wrong.

Zhao Ming frowned slightly and said, "It seems that Qinggou knows that Ningbo will be owned by me sooner or later, so he has no intention of managing this place at all. The scouts can find out how many defenders there are in Ningbo City, and whether Ma Guanghui is in the city?"

"Ma Guanghui has 20,000 troops, 10,000 guards Shaoxing and 10,000 guards Ningbo. His people should be in Ningbo City. However, the Qing army has been stationed in Ningbo for many years, but the last time the army came ashore, it was unable to capture it. The Duke should not be careless!" Feng Jingdi replied.

Zhao Ming nodded slightly, but he didn't care and the army continued to advance.

"Master! Beacon!" The 20,000 troops advanced ten miles more, and Ding Weiyue, the commander of the Central Camp Guard, suddenly shouted loudly.

Zhao Ming raised his head and saw a few thick smoke rising from the southwest. Feng Jingdi said: "Duke, most of the defenders from Ningbo discovered us and used the beacon to send police!"

"Go forward at full speed!" Xu Wei shouted sternly.

The horn sounded, and the soldiers who were advancing immediately raised their speed and took big steps. Ten thousand soldiers were like giant pythons, winding towards Ningbo.

In the evening, when the sky was getting dark, a triangular yellow dragon flag was flying on a city, and a red hat on the top of the city was scattered. Ningbo City was finally near.
Chapter completed!