Chapter 231: 228. Yangtze Naval War
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Liu Yao coughed blood when he heard the news and fainted causing more panic in his court, leaving Yu Fan and He Wi who were marginalized by Liu Yao in charge of the situation since they were the highest-ranking advisor and general, they mobilized the remaining army in Liu Yao's capital to face off against Sun Jian's army.
He Qi and Yu Fan managed to raise around 20,000 men to hold off Sun Jian's advance, which wasn't enough to actually hold off Sun Jian's army but at least could buy them some time.
Yu Fan also sent a letter on Liu Yao's behalf to Yu Mi and Xua Xin to describe what just happened and told them to call off the attack on Yan Baihu and return to Jianping, Liu Yao's capital.
While the letter is on the way to Yu Mi and Hua Xin, Sun Jian's Army has begun to siege small towns on the border of Poyang and Geyang with Yuzhang, due to the sudden attack the towns that were under siege were taken by surprise.
Sun Jian's Army advance was unstoppable until the 20,000 men that were managed to be raised by He Qi and Yu Fan arrived to stop Sun Jian's group, He Qi and Yu Fan knew that they had to choose which army of Sun Jian they had to stop.
Geyang County is the key to Liu Yao's capital, so protecting Geyang is far more important right now than Poyang, at least until Yu Mi and Hua Xin returned with half of their main army.
No matter how weak Liu Yao is, right now he has around 180,000 men half of whom were used to hold off Sheng Xian and his army, while the rest were under Yu Mi and Hua Xin.
Unbeknownst to them, when Yu Mi and Hua Xin receive the letter Yu Fan sent they declare that it is a lie and that Yu Fan and He Qi have led an uprising against Liu Yao and imprisoned him.
Yu Mi and Hua Xin don't believe that Sun Jian sent his forces to attack them right now, while it's true their situation is compromised right now, no word of Lie Fan gathering his army in Guangling, it was this time that they were wrong.
The distance for the news to reach Liu Yao takes around 1 week concerning Sun Jian's attack on Poyang and Geyang, then it needs 3 weeks before the letter from Yu Fan reached them.
Included with the Three weeks before the letter from Lie Fan reached Sun Jian, there was around one to two months which was a plenty amount of time for Lie Fan to reach Guangling at the fastest speed his army could with a minimum rest.
All the events that were happening in Yang Province provided time for Lie Fam to arrive at Guangling, Lie Fan and some of his top generals like Ji Ling could endure the fast march from Xiapi to Guangling.
Unfortunately, it's not the same for Jia Xu and Xun You, even though they were in a carriage and not riding a horse, their body couldn't endure this type of fast march, especially Jia Xu who was 46 years old.
Fortunately, they don't get ill on the way to Guangling only need to rest on a bed and get a long sleep, many of Lie Fan's soldiers also needed rest after such a fast march with a limited amount of rest.
After allowing the army, he led to rest for a day, Lie Fan held a meeting with Guangling alongside all General-In-Chiefs of each Army with their advisors, Jia Xu, Xun You, and Jiang Qin who joined them later on alongside Lie Fan's fleet more than half of them.
Jiang Qin brought more from Taiwan after sending the supplies and materials needed by Yang Hong and Yan Jun, after Gan Ning knew about Lie Fan's plan to attack Liu Yao he lamented that he couldn't lead the first Naval War under Lie Fan's rule so he give more ships to Jiang Qin.
Alongside the ships that have been constructed and tested, Lie Fan fleet now consists of 7 Treasure Ship, 23 Horse Ships, 25 Supply Ships, 28 Troops Transport Ship, 40 Fuchuan Warships, 55 Patrol Boats, and 15 Water Tankers Ship, where more than half right now led by Jiang Qin docked in Guangling.
Lie Fan: "Everyone we are about to enter a momentous event in our lifetime! The first naval war in the history of my reign will be led by Jiang Qin, how is the status of my fleet Jiang Qin?"
Jiang Qin: "My Lord your fleet is in a perfect state and ready to show the world the power of the newest technology under My Lord's guidance!"
Lie Fan: "What guidance, Jiang Qin I only bought the schematic from a hermit, we should thank that hermit for the chance he gave to me."
Jia Xu: "No matter how it is My Lord, to buy such schematics from an unknown hermit and realize its value not just throw it to the side after buying it, shows that My Lord's foresight is incomparable."
Lie Fan: "Okay you two we are here to discuss our strategy to attack Jianye not to praise me, now Jiang Qin tell us your plan of attack on Jianye."
Jiang Qin: "My Lord I have positioned our fleet to siege Jianye through their port, Liu Yao's fleet that was stationed across the Yangtze is easy picking for our Fuchuan Warship, we will try to capture their ships but sink them if we have no opportunity to do so."
Xun You: "Then what about our army? Does Admiral Jiang Qin have already considered their crossing from Guangling?"
Jiang Qin: "Yes I have Master Xun You, the Treasure Ships which were our big battleships and command ships, will escort the Troop Transport Ships that crossed our Soldiers actors from Guangling to an empty land near Jianye."
Dian Wei: "Ahah then I Dian Wei finally have the chance to board My Lord's new ships after hearing about it for a long time haha!"
Chen Deng: "Old Dian! I have said that you can't tell anyone that you know about this! Why do you tell that in front of our Lord!"
Everyone in the room laughed when they heard what Chen Deng said, Lie Fan just shook his head with a smile on his face, Chen Deng's closeness with Dian Wei is not a bad thing because they will continue to lead the Baihu Army for a long time.
He also doesn't blame Chen Deng for telling Dian Wei, at least he chooses the right person to tell about it, a loyal, Frank, and honest man like Dian Wei is already good enough to manage to hold his tongue for so long.
After the laughter died down, Lie Fan then ordered the Army and Navy to begin their preparation as tomorrow they would attack Jianye.
Everyone cupped their hand receiving Lie Fan's order, all machinations of Lie Fan's war machine soon started, under the coordination of Jia Xu and Xun You, the preparation went smoothly and after a day of rest, the next day all of the army was already in formation.
Lie Fan boarded the first Troop's Transport Ship with his army who would enter in batches on each troop transport Ship, he was joined by his bodyguards, advisors, and generals that were in his army group.
With Lie Fan began his sail toward the empty land near Jianye, Jiang Qin led his fleet to begin engaging Liu Yao's fleet, especially the ones that were docked or patrolling around Jianye, where the world would know the power of Lie Fan's navy.
Liu Yai's navy was surprised by the size of Lie Fan's Fuchuan Warships, but they engaged them thinking that they would win with their agility and speed, something that Lie Fan's ships lacked with their size.
This arrogance soon be their downfall, when they approach Lie Fan's ships to engage and begin opening fire with their bows, The Fuchuan Warships open fire with their Hwacha that was stationed at the front of the ship.
The sound surprised Liu Yao's navy because it was a loud one and one they never heard about, like a crying of heaven, and when they saw the sky filled with black dots coming fast toward them, they were terrified thinking that it was heaven's wrath.
They don't know that this black dot was an arrow that was fired using gunpowders, their speed was much faster than a normal arrow, and soon many of Liu Yao's marine that was stuck by the arrows was wounded either being struck by the arrows or the fires from the arrow.
Their ship was also riddled with arrows, and their mast was full of holes making them immobile because they couldn't rely on the wind anymore, and the water was right in a calm state so there were no waves.
Many of Liu Yao's marine was terrified and decided to hide inside the ship's cargo or rooms, allowing Lie Fan's marine under Jiang Qin's command to take control of their ships and take them prisoner.
Of course not all of them became terrified and surrendered, some decided to fight back by firing their arrows at the Fuchuan Warships, even though it was futile since their eyes were stinging due to the smoke which reduced their accuracy.
But when they were boarded by Lie Fan's marines, they put up a decent fight managing to wound some of Lie Fan's marines, but they were soon overwhelmed due to the Fuchuan Warships cans bring more marines than Liu Yao's war ship.
These scenes were also happening to the other Fuchuan Warships that were engaging with Liu Yao's warship, which will be recorded in history as the fastest Naval Battle in the history of this era.
When the naval battle was tapping at Jianye's port, the Hwacha that was fired from the Fuchuan Warships terrified the populace of Jianye, with how loud and terrifying it sounded, especially when they were fired at the same time.
Many of the ships that were docked at Jianye were riddled with arrows, not just Liu Yao's warship. jianye's Town Guard and Town Army were positioned at the docks by Jianye's Governor who was afraid that Lie Fan's army would land there not knowing that it would not happen.
The Town Guards and Town Army were intimidated by the Hwacha, some of them were even struck by the arrows wounding them in the process, the pain from an arrow piercing was already hurt enough combined with how hot it was, and sometimes the fire still burning further caused more harm.
They were in chaos for a while, and when Jianye's Governor knew about this and lamented how Lie Fan could have such powerful weapons, at first he was intimidated even terrified by the sounds but after seeing a bunch of smokes coming out from the Fuchuan Warships he knew that it was some kind of weaponry that Lie Fan has in his sleeve.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Three Heroes Who Defeat Lu Bu
Age: 26 (193 AD)
Level: 15
Next Level: 938.000
Renown: 645
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 571.700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 906 (+20)
VIT: 578 (+20)
AGI: 563 (+10)
INT: 567
CHR: 93
WIS: 489
WILL: 377
ATR Points: 0
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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