1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 478 Good news ([-])

May 1643, 5, Daming, Shandong, South Changshan Island.

Commander Zhao Hongxing of Changshan Island seemed worried and extremely anxious after inspecting the temporary camps on South Changshan Island every day.

Due to food shortages, many refugees on the island now only eat one meal a day, and it is relatively thin rice porridge or batter.Even so, the grain accumulated in the grain depot is rapidly decreasing to the extent visible to the naked eye.Although there are still four or five fishing boats fishing in the nearby sea, this is not an ocean island fishing ground, and the daily catch is not much, so it can only be used as a comfort.

In addition to worrying about the growing food crisis on the island, Zhao Hongxing was also worried about the marines and local soldiers who went out to rob slave supplies.The establishment of slaves entered the customs and ravaged Hebei and Shandong. There were [-] troops. If one was not careful, Xu Chuanxing and other marines were surrounded by the brigade of slaves, causing the entire army to be wiped out. What would happen to Changshan Island? In other words, it is nothing less than the most serious crisis.

There was a shortage of food, and more than [-] refugees gathered on the island. Without the suppression of the marines and local soldiers, if there was a riot, wouldn't the entire Changshan Island base be destroyed?
Although, after Xu Chuanxing took away the marines and township soldiers, Zhao Hongxing hastily armed the first batch of more than 200 residents who stayed here, and issued swords, spears, and some muskets, but if faced with hungry people The six or seven thousand refugees are still somewhat weak.

"My lord, my lord!" Just as Zhao Hongxing was worried about the severe situation on Changshan Island, a small township captain rushed to the city government office to report, "My lord, we have captured two spies!"

"A spy? Where did the spy come from?" Zhao Hongxing suddenly got up, could it be Jiannu's spy?Have they paid attention to this small island?
"Those two spies said they were officials from Penglai County on the other side." The captain of the village soldier said, "But they couldn't produce any evidence, and they asked the refugees in the temporary camp outside the city where we came from. They were reported by the refugee chiefs appointed outside the city, and we took them away."

"Well done!" Zhao Hongxing praised, "Where is the man?"

"Temporarily detained in the barracks of the school's military field." The captain of the village soldier said: "My lord, but I see that even if one of them is not an official in Penglai County, he must be a scholar. So, we don't Bind them, but lock them in the barracks and let them guard them."

"Take me to have a look." Zhao Hongxing said, "Also, find someone to inform the two black-clothed guards in the city, and ask them to go for an interrogation."

In a barracks in the military field of Changshanbao School, Bi Xuechao sat on a low stool and looked around the layout of the room.Obviously, eight soldiers should have lived in this barracks.Because there are four simple wooden beds arranged on both sides of the room, and a thin layer of straw mats are spread on them, and there is nothing else.

There is a long wooden shelf at the door of the room, it is empty, and it is not known what it is used for hanging.The surrounding walls were covered with a layer of grass mud, flat and smooth.

Although the barracks looked rather rudimentary, they were very neat and orderly. Compared with the guard barracks he had seen before, it was a world of difference.

My Daming Guard?

Bi Xuechao shook his head and smiled wryly. The guards and battalion soldiers in Dengzhou don't need to talk about it.Before Jiannu attacked Dengzhou, almost all the soldiers were about to run away.If they were expected to protect the country and the people, it would be better to catch a few pigs and attack the slaves.At any rate, those pigs can spend a little more time on the battlefield when they enter the battlefield.

"Don't worry, my lord." Qiao Long, who was standing beside him, saw that Bi Xuechao shook his head and smiled wryly, thinking that he was worried about his personal safety, so he comforted him: "The strongman who occupies this island should have no malicious intentions. Since August and September two years ago, , After they landed on the island, they have never disturbed our Penglai County. On the contrary, when some people go out to sea to fish and go to the island for a rest, they will be warmly received by the strong people on the island, and they will give some pasta and wine. Buying and selling fish, It's also fair."

"As the deputy head of my third class in Penglai County, you have something to do with the strongman on this island?" Bi Xuechao looked at Qiao Long with a half-smile.

"How could I hook up with the strongman on the island?" Qiao Long hurriedly argued: "Occasionally... occasionally, some fishermen who travel between the two places are civilly connected with this island, and they will be entrusted to our third class of government officials. Therefore,... ...some connection."

This Penglai County chief bookkeeper was promoted and dismissed by the civil affairs officials in the six rooms below. As the second official of the county magistrate, he was ranked ninth rank, in charge of household registration, arrests, and clerical affairs, and happened to be in charge of their three classes of yamen servants.Qiao Long could not help but be careful. If someone is not good, he will be accused of adultery with pirates, that would be ugly.

"The counties in Dengzhou have seen a large influx of refugees since December last year. However, the prefectures and counties are too poor to provide more porridge and refugees. Over the past few months, no less than 3000 people have died of cold and starvation." Bi Xuechao Standing up, he sighed: "The big grain merchants in the prefecture and county are reluctant to sell rice, flour and miscellaneous grains, and even hoard them to exploit the villagers. When I came to this island, I saw this strong man from overseas, who did everything he could to help our Ming refugees, and rescued thousands of people. Yu Ren. This sincerity is a great kindness!"

"Your Excellency is right. The people on this island claim to be from the extreme south - Hanzhou, and they were all my Ming Dynasty citizens before. That..., their hearts are also towards my Ming court, and they have always maintained friendship with my Penglai County. They are not ordinary strongmen at sea." Qiao Long echoed.

"There were rumors earlier that the armed forces on this island went to Liaodong, destroyed Gaizhou where the slaves were established, captured and killed more than a thousand slaves, and saved more than [-] of our people. Do you think this rumor is true? " Bi Xuechao asked.

"The armed soldiers on the island are said to be quite powerful. As for the rumors that they went to Liaodong, it may be true. It is also possible to beat Jiannu. But if they can break Jiannu Gaizhou City and capture and kill more than a thousand people, I think it's...false words." Qiao Long said carefully.

I think that hundreds of thousands of elites in the Ming Dynasty, and countless civil servants and military generals, were lost one after another at the hands of Liaodong Jiannu.There are only a few people on this island, and they dare to go to Liaodong and attack the city of Gaizhou, where slaves were established?

Bi Xuechao nodded, deeply convinced.This Jian slave in Liaodong has now grown up, and has repeatedly entered the customs and plundered the interior of our Ming Dynasty, which has become the most troublesome frontier problem for the entire Ming court.Fight, you can't beat; defend,... well, what the hell, you can't defend.For decades, in the face of Jiannu, my court of the Ming Dynasty has rarely won anything.

With a "squeak", the door of the barracks was pushed open, and four or five men who looked like men came in one after another. Three of them were dressed in blue and black military uniforms and gray military uniforms, and they could be seen as warriors at a glance.

"Who are you, where are you from, and what do you want to do when you come to my island?" Zhao Hongxing asked in a deep voice.

"I am Bo, Bi Xuechao, the owner of Penglai County, Dengzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province in the Ming Dynasty." Bi Xuechao straightened his back and said neither humble nor overbearing: "This island is under the jurisdiction of my Penglai County. Why did it become the one you mentioned. I boarded the island Come, of course, to inspect the people under the rule, the land under the rule."

Hearing this, Zhao Hongxing couldn't help but smile bitterly in embarrassment.Speaking of which, Changshan Island is really under the rule of Penglai County.Our Daqi Kingdom occupies this island and uses it as a transit place for immigrants, but we cannot clearly say that this island belongs to Daqi.

In addition, three years ago, Zhao Hongxing was no more than an ordinary scholar in Huaibei, not even a scholar.After the war and famine, along with the refugees, he boarded the immigrant ship of Hanzhou, and helped Zhang Wenqi handle civil affairs on Hanxing Island. Two years ago, he was appointed as a commander on this island.At this time, facing the serious officials of the Ming court, he felt a little guilty in his heart.

"Hasn't this island been abandoned by your Ming Dynasty?" Bai Jinhe, the black-clothed guard stationed on Changshan Island, said, "If your Penglai County has the ability to keep these overseas islands, what's the problem if we let you! Jianu is coming, can you guard it?"

Bi Xuechao was at a loss for words. The Ming court abandoned not only the islands near Shandong, but Pidao, where the former Dongjiang Town was located, was also abandoned after being captured by Jiannu, and almost all the small islands in the Liaodong Sea were abandoned.Those who have the ability can take the survivors on the island to various places in Shandong and resettle them. If they are strong enough, even the soldiers and civilians on the island will be abandoned and left to fend for themselves.

"Could it be that you can defend Jiannu when he comes?" Bi Xuechao asked sullenly.

"Of course!" Bai Jinhe said proudly, "If Jiannu dares to come, we will kill them all."

"What a big tone!" Bi Xuechao said disdainfully: "It is well known that the slaves are strong. How can you dare to tease it with thousands of people on your small island?"

"Haha..." Bai Jinhe and another black-clothed guard laughed, "We don't just dare to tease Yu Jiannu. Last November, we broke up Gaizhou City, where Jiannu was built in Liaodong, killing and wounding more than a thousand Jiannu , seized countless supplies, and rescued more than [-] captives. In the hard labor camp outside our city, there are still hundreds of Jian slaves and their families, paying for their sins with heavy labor!"

"Are you really breaking down the city of Gaizhou where the slaves were built?" Bi Xuechao said in surprise, "And you also captured and killed more than a thousand slaves?"

"If you don't believe me, you can go to the hard labor camp outside the city to investigate." Bai Jinhe said.

"My lord! My lord!" Suddenly there were several urgent shouts outside the barracks, and a moment later, a village soldier shouted with joy: "Master Zhao, the Marine Corps and the village soldiers are back! They are in Juzhou (photographed today) City Ju County) destroyed the slaves by the sea, and brought back a lot of grain!"

"Our people are back!" Zhao Hongxing grabbed the arm of the village soldier who came to report, "Are they...all of them back?"

"Yes, my lord. They're all back." The soldier's arm was hurt by Zhao Hongxing's grip, but he didn't dare to shout, "However, the sailors who got off the ship said that there were dozens of casualties among our men."

"Let's go and have a look!" Zhao Hongxing threw off the arm of the village soldier and hurried out of the barracks.

Bai Jinhe and the others looked at each other, then turned around and ran outside.

After a while, Bi Xuechao and Qiao Long were the only ones left in the barracks. They looked at each other suspiciously, and they didn't recover for a while.

"They said that the slaves were destroyed at the seaside of Juzhou?" Bi Xuechao asked softly.

"My lord, they...seem to say so." Qiao Long scratched his head with a look of disbelief.

"Let's go, let's go to the pier too!" Bi Xuechao walked out the open door and hurried towards the pier.

(End of this chapter)