Chapter 1393: Han Banner World (83) Inland Waterway Navy

Fenzhou, Dahan Inland Navy Camp. Several navy warships slowly approached the dock, and with shouts, they cast cables, dropped anchors, and set up gangplanks. The sailors on the ship cheered. After several days of water training, they had to eat, drink, defecate, urinate, and sleep on the ship, which made them suffer a lot. However, in the past few years, such days have basically happened once a month, and everyone has become accustomed to it. The price of doing so is that the combat effectiveness of this navy fleet has risen sharply. In the past, they could only suppress water bandits and investigate smuggling, and at best they were a water police, but now they can proudly say that they are soldiers.

The leader of this navy fleet is Li Quan.

The name Li Quan is very unfamiliar to most people in the Han Dynasty. However, when it comes to his father, Li Can, I am afraid that everyone in the Han Dynasty knows him. When the Han Dynasty was just established, Li Can was the first governor of the former Yan State to surrender to the Han Dynasty. Because he was familiar with maritime affairs, he became a councilor in the Han Dynasty's political hall after his surrender, specializing in maritime affairs. The Han Dynasty, which attached great importance to overseas trade and colonization, also made Li Can like a fish in water. In just a few years, the Li family's maritime strength, along with the expansion of the Han Dynasty overseas, also showed a blowout development, becoming an absolute maritime giant. But three years ago, Li Can was suddenly demoted from the position of Minister of Maritime Affairs to Cangzhou as the principal of the navy for no reason, which was inexplicable.

Of course, for those who know the inside story, this punishment for Li Can is still light. This is mainly due to the influence of the Li family on maritime affairs and their strength at sea. In order to dominate overseas trade, the Li family fleet conspired to destroy another fleet that had the strength to compete with them in Ryukyu, which led to Gao Yuan's rage.

Li Can was demoted, and the overseas trade and colonial policies of the sea also underwent earth-shaking changes. The court strongly encouraged private capital to enter the shipping industry, and loans could be used to obtain sea vessels from shipyards, and artillery could be purchased from the court. Encourage joint ventures, etc. Under the stimulation of the court's policies and the huge profits from overseas trade and colonization, the overseas trade of the Han Dynasty entered a period of vigorous development. A large number of big businessmen who had accumulated countless wealth and whose land-based businesses had entered a bottleneck period began to advance overseas. After suffering this blow, the Li family shipping also honestly shrank its neck, and Fenzhou shipping took the opportunity to rise. Now the joint venture company of the twelve ship owners in Fenzhou can already compete with Cangzhou or even surpass it.

At the time of the incident, Li Quan had already become a deputy admiral in the naval fleet and was considered by the naval commander Kou Shuguang as the best candidate to succeed him. However, when Li Can was involved, Li Quan was implicated and transferred from the position of deputy admiral of the navy to the position of a commander of the inland navy.

From a promising deputy admiral of the navy to an inland navy, where the position was similar but the power and future were very different, Li Quan's psychological gap can be imagined, but he also knew that the king had shown mercy. According to the crime committed by his father, in the past, it was reasonable to punish the entire clan.

After being discouraged for a while,

Li Quan regained his spirits. He was the youngest in the family and was not taken seriously. His father sent him to the navy. It was more of a show of loyalty to King Han Gaoyuan. He was originally a scholar, but his years of military career at sea with Kou Shuguang in the wind and rain turned him into a cold and stern soldier. In overseas colonization, killing is decisive, and you can't afford to hesitate at all. The bright red blood has already worn away his original scholarly habits.

In the inland navy, Li Quan began to rectify military discipline and retrain soldiers. Even if he couldn't be a dragon in the sea, Li Quan didn't want to be a loach in the inland river.

For three years, Li Quan was immersed in the inland navy and didn't go home once. First, he wanted to start a new career. Second, he had complaints about his father in his heart. Although the son should not blame the father, after the incident, he also went to Kou Shuguang3617/'> hoping that the commander could help, but his career suffered a heavy blow because of this. It would be a lie to say that he didn't feel resentful.

In three years, he turned an inland river navy with little combat power into a strong and elite force. The new minister in charge of maritime affairs, Kou Shuguang, was originally his old boss. He admired him very much and sympathized with his experience. Therefore, he helped him a lot in the past three years. At least the current inland river navy has a completely new look in terms of equipment compared to three years ago.

Now the inland river navy of the Han Dynasty has more than a hundred ships of various sizes, including ten three-story warships, which are also the core combat power of the inland river navy. In addition to the conventional configuration of these ten warships, each ship has a cannon installed at the bow and stern, which greatly enhances its combat effectiveness.

"Commander Li, you are back!" This is a military dock, and the officer on duty greeted him attentively.

"Well!" Li Quan's bronze face also showed a smile, rubbing his calloused hands, and asked with a smile: "Has anything happened in the past few days?"

"Nothing big happened, but the internal military newspaper said that our Han army successively captured Yingchuan, Wulong, and Tai'an. Tan Feng was beaten to a dead end and actually ran to Chu to grab a piece of land. Hahaha!" The officer on duty laughed happily. As an officer of the Han army, every news of the victory of the Han army would make him very happy.

"Oh, so fast!" Li Quan was a little surprised. It has always been said that the Yingchuan soldiers trained by Tan Feng are very powerful, so why are they so weak? But he was just so surprised. He didn't care much about the army. What he cared about was when the Han army would attack Chu. Li Quan knew very well that only when attacking Chu would his navy still be useful, because Chu also had a navy. But up to now, there has been no news about attacking Chu. It is also true that the Han has always regarded Qin as its biggest opponent. Maybe it will never go to war with Chu before destroying Qin. I have to be patient, continue to train soldiers, and patiently wait for that day to come.

"Today, the Ministry of War transported a batch of weapons, including artillery and ammunition." While accompanying Li Quan to the barracks, the duty officer said, "The people escorting this batch of ammunition insisted that you, the commander, sign for it in person. I said, commander, I don't know if you can come back, but he said there is no rush, he can wait, and he is still in the barracks. I arranged for him to stay first. Now these weapons have not been delivered because there is no signature from you, the commander!"

"Artillery, ammunition?" Li Quan was stunned. Artillery, a new weapon, has always been the best equipment for the navy, then the army, and the inland navy has never been ranked. Now the artillery of his ten three-story ships was obtained through the back door of his old boss. Why is there a batch of artillery and ammunition transported for no reason now?

"Who is coming? Do I know him?"

"He said he is a senior official of the Ministry of War, but I don't know him." The officer on duty shook his head and said, "After all, he is an official from Jicheng. His manners and airs are really not comparable to ordinary people."

"Okay, I will go back to the official room first. I haven't been back for a few days. There must be a lot of documents piled up. I will deal with them first. After you go back, please ask the senior official to come to my official room. I will sign and seal for him immediately. Artillery and ammunition, these military and national weapons, cannot be neglected at all. They must be put into the warehouse first."

"I understand, commander, don't you want to rest first?" the officer asked.

"What is there to rest? I am resting on the ship." Li Quan looked back at the warships on the dock and sighed: "This inland river is calm, how can it compare to the rough sea? Here, for me, I rest every day!"

Listening to Li Quan's sigh, the officer lowered his head. He knew something about Li Quan's experience.

After returning to the public housing, he took off his armor and sat in front of the big case. As he expected, in front of him were piles of documents to be processed. Reaching out to open the top one, Li Quan picked up the pen and began to review.

"Commander, the head of the Ministry of War is here." Less than an incense stick of time, the voice of the officer came from outside.

"Please come in." Li Quan put down his pen and stood up. The light at the door dimmed and a middle-aged man appeared at the door. Seeing the man's face, Li Quan could hardly believe his eyes. He blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes with his hand.

"Li Quan, you are not mistaken, it's me!" The man said with a smile.

"Commander Kou!" Li Quan walked quickly to Kou Shuguang and saluted. He wanted to speak, but his throat was choked and he didn't utter a word.

"You are much older." Looking at his favorite subordinate, Kou Shuguang was very emotional, "You are ten years younger than me, why do you look older than me?"

"Commander, Commander!" Li Quan choked up, "It's been more than three years, and I finally see you again. If it weren't for your support, I really don't know how I would have survived these years."

Patting Li Quan's shoulder vigorously, Kou Shuguang smiled and said, "You have done a good job. Not only I see it, but the king also sees it. The king said that Li Quan is doing a good job. He is not surprised by honor or disgrace, and he works hard. The Han Dynasty needs ministers like him. These are the king's original words!"

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. Li Quan is just doing his duty." Li Quan said excitedly.

The officer who brought Kou Shuguang here was stunned when he heard the real identity of this person. He stood there like a clay sculpture or a wooden sculpture.

"What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and make some tea. No, no, no, bring me some wine. I want to have a few drinks with the commander. Oh, and keep your mouth shut. Don't tell anyone that the commander is here." Li Quan said repeatedly.

"Got it!" The officer agreed and ran out.

"You are still as careful as ever." Kou Shuguang gave him an admiring look. (To be continued.)