Haisheng Mingdi

Chapter 440
Dengzhou port.

Since Yongle moved the capital, Bohai became the gateway of the capital, and Dengzhou guarded the Bohai waterway, so it has the reputation of the sea gate of the capital. Although trapped by the strict sea ban policy, the port economy of Dengzhou port has been lacklustre for a long time.

But from the beginning to the end, the status of the military fortress of Dengzhou Port has never changed.

At the end of Ming Dynasty, Denglai even appointed a governor.

Overseas, on the Shandong flagship, Shen Tingyang, the servant of the household department, talked about Dengzhou like a treasure, and he brought the Shen family's sea fleet more than once from the mouth of the Yangtze River to Dengzhou Port.

"Dengzhou is separated from the sea on three sides. It is a Hanping in the east of Jingdong. It goes to Xuyang in the south and reaches Liaozuo in the east. The waterways meet. It is also a country that is rushing."

"If you point to Lushun in the north, you will control the throat of Liaozuo, and if you go south to Chengshan, you will control the gates of the Jianghuai River and Huaihe River. The situation is not to be taken lightly."

"Ascending to a county is the lifeblood of Quanqi."

So at the end of the Ming Dynasty, Denglai set up a special governor, and now the Tatars also specially let Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming move to Denglai, because they were afraid that the Ming army navy would land in Denglai, attack Shandong, and even directly threaten Beijing.

After Zhu Yihai heard this, he just dismissed it, and it would be a waste if he couldn't take advantage of the dangerous location.

When Dengzhou Port was in the Tang Dynasty, it was the largest port in the north. At that time, it was an important port connecting the Bohai Silla and Wa countries, and its status far surpassed other places in the north.

The status is unshakable, and its economy is also very developed.

But in the Ming Dynasty, an important seaport like Dengzhou did not develop economically at all.

Although it has been improved in terms of military performance, it has become the largest military port in the north. It is known as the Water City, with a circumference of about 2000 meters and an area of ​​nearly 30 square meters in the city, which is equivalent to forty standard football fields. The average height of the city walls is seven meters and width is eight meters. .

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Dengzhou military port reached its peak. It is said that at its peak, only 49 warships were moored in the port, and more than 320 warships were reported to sea.

After the defeat in the Battle of Salhu, Mao Wenlong retreated to North Korea and Pidao Sea, relying on Dengzhou for transshipment of military supplies.In the years of Chongzhen, it was because of the impassability of land routes in eastern Liaodong that Dengzhou was connected to North Korea and Pidao by sea, which made the maritime trade flourish for several years.

At one time, Dengzhi prospered and the six counties of Suijia were prosperous, but then Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming rebelled and occupied Denglai. This rebellion lasted for half a year. In the end, Kong Youde floated into the sea and invested in gold. Although the imperial court regained Denglai Peninsula, it only got A completely dilapidated ruin.

Before Kong Youde's rebellion, there were [-] soldiers in Dengzhou City, [-] reinforcements, [-] horses, [-] salaries, more than [-] Hongyi cannons, more than [-] Western cannons, and countless other firearms.

After the Kong Youde Rebellion, Dengzhou was corrupted, Phi Island was destroyed, and North Korea surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. As a result, the once prosperous Sino-North Korean trade was completely cut off. After the smuggling, the gold trade was almost stopped.

Dengzhou Port is becoming deserted and quiet day by day, until now, it has completely become a dead port.

Since Zhu Yihai's Northern Expedition last year and went deep into Shandong, although he was only in the west of Shandong at that time and did not enter the east of Shandong, the Tartars were very afraid that the navy of the Ming army would land in Denglai, so they not only moved the two kings of Kong and Geng, but also A strict sea ban was issued.

Not only is it strictly forbidden for the people to go to sea to sell goods, but even to go fishing in the sea. The governor Ding Wensheng told the Qing court that all the people within [-] miles of the coast should be moved to the inland, so that they would not be able to communicate with the ocean.

Doing this is tantamount to making things worse, making Dengzhou Port a dead port.

The maritime merchants in Huangxian County, Dengzhou, which were active in the late Ming Dynasty, were almost devastated at this time. All ships were confiscated, and almost all their wealth and fields were looted.

Chen Qianfu, Chief of the General Staff of the Imperial Battalion, told the emperor good news. Although Kong Youde was stationed in Dengzhou, after the arrival of the Tartars, people in all parts of Shandong, including the Denglai Peninsula, continued to revolt. There were still several major uprisings this year. Suppression, but it also caused a lot of losses to the Tartars.

However, Zhu Yihai knew that during the Chongzhen period of Tianqi, there were more peasant uprisings in Shandong.

"Recently there was an uprising in Gaotang. Ding Wensheng, governor of Tartar Shandong Province, asked Kong Youde to send troops to suppress it. He sent his general soldier Sun Long to lead 500 cavalry. Recently, he sent troops to search the countryside. Now there is only Kong Youde in Hong Kong. The standard camp is only [-] people."

This news made Zhu Yihai very happy.

"Is Kong Youde in the harbor?"

"exist!"

"Find a way to hold this person, life or death, don't let him run away."

Zhu Yihai did not intend to be soft on this kind of big traitor. Although he was somewhat helpless in his rebellion back then, no matter what, he finally betrayed Daming, defected to Houjin, and even worked for Houjin for more than ten years. Blood, what to do with him.

"Does Your Majesty think Jin Shangxian is trustworthy?" Chen Qianfu asked.

"Trustworthy."

"What if the North Korean crew members under him have relatives? When the time comes to ventilate and warn?"

"It's up to people to plan things, and it's up to God to make things happen. We do what we should do well."

······
Outside Dengzhou Port, the North Korean fleet slowly approached.

On the boat, Jin Shangxian was full of excitement. Beside him, several North Korean officials were trembling, "My lord, let's do this. If we let the matter out, we will be punished by the Qing Dynasty."

Kim Sang-heon has firm eyes.

This North Korean Wen Tianxiang, this nickname was not given for nothing. He was born in the most distinguished North Korean family. His mother was the daughter of Zuo Yizheng. His elder brother and he both worked in Zuo Yizheng. But there are many who think only of their own family interests.

Just like in the chaos at the beginning, when the Qing army approached the city, many ministers blindly begged for peace.

But he broke the peace with his hands and demanded a death fight. Even after Jianghua Island was breached, the eldest son was captured, and even his eldest brother died for the country, he still insisted on fighting, and even asked him to lead a death squad to attack the Qing camp.

It can be said that Kim Sang-heon is a thorough Confucianist in his bones. Although he is a Korean, his heart is Han.

North Korea is just a small China, and Ming is the real China. In order to defend China, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust, he is willing to give everything. He had no chance before, but now he has a chance.

The despair at the foot of Nanhan Mountain, and the three-year confinement in Shenyang City, none of these have changed him.

He gripped the handle of the knife at his waist.

If you don't succeed, you will become benevolent!
Dengzhou Port used to be the largest military port of the Ming Dynasty. However, after the Qing army entered the customs, the Ming army navy gathered in Denglai went south with Huang Fei and others. During the brief occupation of Shandong by the Chuang army, there was no plan to restore the navy. It did a lot of damage.

At this time, there are only some merchant ships and fishing boats in the port, plus some new boats that are still being built.

There is no dedicated navy either.

The five hundred servants of Kong Youde who stayed at the port were good at riding and shooting, as well as firearms, but they had little experience in boat and water warfare. They were very happy to see the North Korean fleet appear.

Waiting too long for a North Korean grain ship.

Saving food every day, one meal and one thin meal, people are so hungry that they have no strength.

"These Koryo sticks are finally here."

There were also many Korean soldiers in the Qing army. Because North Korea produced wild ginseng, which was also an important specialty for trade with the Han people. Liaodong often called ginseng sticks, sticks, etc., so they often replaced Koreans with Koryo sticks, and sometimes called them directly. Big stick, stick.

Some people even shouted to boil the water quickly, and as soon as the boat docked, they quickly took rice and put it in the pot, because they had to eat a full meal today.

Flags were waved on the shore directing them to enter the port, and some soldiers from the Standard Battalion rowed boats to pick them up.

A small boat approached the North Korean fleet. They boarded Kim Sang-heon's boat by stepping on a rope ladder, and specially brought a translator who could speak Korean.

Kong Youde had been in Dongjiang Town for ten years, and many of his soldiers knew Korean.

Kim Sang-heon took out the order issued by the King of Joseon that he had prepared long ago, and took out his own identity certificate.

They were a little surprised when they heard that the old man was the Prime Minister Zuo of North Korea, but when they found out that the ship had brought a lot of grain, noodles, and even a lot of dried fish, they expressed their gratitude with great satisfaction, and then urged them to Enter the port quickly, without checking the cabin.

Since that year, the king of North Korea was forced to kneel down to Huang Taiji, the sticks have been very obedient and honest all these years. North Korea sent troops to the Qing Dynasty to deliver food, not once or twice.

When Kong Youde heard that the King of Korea sent Zuo Yizheng to personally lead the grain ship, he was a little surprised. He looked at the plate of dried salted fish and cold wild onions in front of him, and Kong Youde lost his appetite.

"Let's go, meet this Zuo Yizheng."

Just as he was about to get up after putting down his chopsticks, there was a sudden and shrill whistle sounded without warning, followed by the sound of shelling.

Kong Youde is very familiar with firearms. When he was in Denglai, he was the first to receive Western-style firearms from the Portuguese in Macau. Later, he went to Houjin, and he was also the most professional firearms unit in Houjin.

He immediately heard that something was wrong.

Those guns were not fired in Dengzhou Port. He lost almost all the guns in Xuzhou last year, and later transferred some from Haizhou, but they were not the heavy guns in the voice.

This kind of cannon is definitely a red cannon.

At least a heavy artillery of about [-] jin.

"What's going on?" Kong Youde was extremely surprised.

More cannons sounded like a thunderbolt, shaking the sky.

Kong Youde hurriedly ran out. As soon as he reached the door, a family member hurried over, "My lord, it's not good, the Koryo stick is reversed. As soon as their fleet entered the port, they suddenly fired cannons on the shore, and then many people came out of the cabin. Jia Bing, jump off the boat and chop!"

"You're talking about Koryo sticks? How dare they?"

"This is Dengzhou Port!"

Kong Youde was furious.

As soon as I arrived on the street, I met another general who rushed over, "My lord, it's not good, the fleet of the Nanming navy, the dragon flag of the emperor of the Southern Dynasty..."

"The dragon flag is floating in the ocean outside the port, a huge fleet has arrived,"

·······
Kong Youde was caught off guard, and they never expected that what they had been thinking about was not food, but artillery shells.

What's more unexpected is that Da Tianzi actually hooked up with these North Koreans. The Koreans' food cabins were filled with imperial battalion armor, and the food had been unloaded long ago.

They even hid a few small gunboats in the North Korean convoy.

The Ming army's surprise attack was more successful than expected. Kong Youde's troops were unprepared and directly captured the pier, and then chased and hacked all the way into the city.

Dengzhou City is very tall. Although there are not many artillery pieces now, it is generally easy to defend and difficult to attack. But now, the Ming army drove the Qing army and hacked into the city.

When Kong Youde realized it, it was already too late.

He was blocked in the former governor's yamen, which is now his commander's mansion. At this time, there were less than two hundred remnants of soldiers retreating to the yamen.

Kong Youde climbed to a high place and looked over, and saw countless Ming army ships in the port outside the city, covering the sky and covering the sky, and more Ming soldiers in armor rushed into the city like wolves and tigers.

It’s over.

The government office has been surrounded by groups, orders to behead the big traitor Kong Youde sounded from all around, and must not be let go.

With less than [-] defeated soldiers around him, and a small mansion yard, facing the tens of thousands of Ming troops outside, he knew that there was no way he could escape.

"My lord?"

"Do you want to surrender?" A general asked cautiously.Kong Youde smiled bitterly, he knew very well what would happen to him if he fell into the hands of the Ming army.

And he was not willing to surrender to the Ming emperor at all,

"I fought for the Ming Dynasty for more than ten years. I bled and sacrificed. What did I get in return? They beheaded Mao Shuai for no reason. Later, I went to Dengzhou to rescue Liaodong for the imperial court, but they refused to even provide food. , It was raining and snowing, and the soldiers were starving and cold. They ate a chicken from the landlord's house, but they refused to let it go.

Kong Youde gritted his teeth and sighed, "I, Kong Youde, have never owed the Ming Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty has owed me. I led my brothers across the sea to join the Qing Dynasty. They treated me like a king. They have treated me well all these years. Not long ago Grant Hunan to me,

How can I, Kong Youde, be ungrateful for such a generous kindness?How can I recite the Qing Dynasty again? "

"I will not betray the imperial court, if you wish to surrender, go!"

The government office is on fire, and the fire is getting bigger and bigger.

The Ming army was a little unexpected, and before it launched the final attack, Kong Youde and others inside actually set fire to themselves.

When the fire was extinguished, only a pile of charred corpses was found.

Zhu Yihai was still at sea, watching Dengzhou's surprise attack from afar.

"Report to Your Majesty that the city of Dengzhou was destroyed, and Kong Ni retreated into the government office. Fearing the power of the sky, he set himself on fire and burned himself beyond recognition. However, it has been confirmed that Kong Ni is dead."

Hearing this result, Zhu Yihai was a little surprised.

"Did you confirm it seriously?"

"It has been confirmed. In addition, Dengzhou has been completely captured. The 200 hole bandit pacesetters either died or surrendered. About [-] people surrendered or were captured, and the rest were wiped out."

"Those captives should check carefully, don't let Kong Youde get out of their shells with fake eyes, and the people in the city should also screen them."

"Besides, hurry up and bring some grain into the city, give out the porridge first, and ask everyone to help clean up the port and the city, and use work as relief."

"Send out men and horses separately to mop up Kong Youde's men and horses who are harvesting food and arresting young men in the countryside of Dengzhou. Taking advantage of this momentum, we will wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Although he still had some doubts about Kong Youde's death, Zhu Yihai quickly made arrangements for the aftermath.

Kong Youde sent [-] troops to Gaotang, and another [-] troops to the countryside. Only [-] families were left in Dengzhou Port. The vicious battle of the siege was won so easily.

Taking this big port so easily was a very rare start for Zhu Yihai.

(End of this chapter)