The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Chen Wang was naturally unaware of Dorgon's curse, which was far away in Liaoyang.

May 15th.

The rebellion of the Solon troops triggered unrest in Liaoyang.

Dorgon led a thousand armored soldiers into battle, determined to fight to the death, but was shot and killed by Cao Bianjiao in the midst of battle, and all his followers were executed.

Dodo led 3,000 elite cavalry to break through the encirclement and head north to Shenyang.

After Liaoyang fell, Hu Zhili led his troops into the city and conducted a thorough search. Apart from the surrender of more than 18,000 Solon soldiers, he exterminated all the Eight Banners soldiers in the city.

Hu Zhili ordered his soldiers to demolish the Manchu city and burn it to the ground. He then left the corpses of the Eight Banners in Liaoyang City in the open field, and cast nine mounds of heads in the south of Liaoyang City.

May 17th.

Hu Zhili led his troops to Shenyang.

Chaos broke out in Shenyang, and the Han Chinese in the city rallied together and opened the city gates.

This is the end.

Shenyang, which had been occupied since the first year of the Tianqi reign (1621), has finally been liberated after 23 years.

The number of Han Chinese remaining in Shenyang is less than 20,000.

When the royal army arrived, the Han people lined the road to welcome them. It had been more than twenty years since they had seen Han robes again, and they all shed tears, their wailing filling the air.

Hu Zhili ordered his army to enter the city and capture all Qing officials and Manchu soldiers in Shenyang.

May 20th.

Hu Zhili imitated the old story of Li Wenzhong of the Ming Dynasty.

Outside Shenyang, rivers of blood flowed.

Afterwards, Hu Zhili reassembled his army and issued an order to plow the court and sweep away the enemy's strongholds.

Sixty thousand infantrymen were deployed to guard the cities of Shenyang and Liaoyang.

The remaining 130,000 elite cavalry were dispatched, divided into six routes, to advance into the territories of Jianzhou and Haixi, thus resuming the events of the Chenghua era.
The strong were slaughtered, the old and young were captured, just as earth collapses and fire is extinguished, just as tiles crumble and ice melts away. Their hideouts were emptied and their houses were destroyed, their caves were blocked and their nests were emptied.

Within ten days, the enemy territory became desolate.

The methods were ruthless, and the killings were even more severe than during the Chenghua era.

Dodo led his troops to flee from Liaoyang, abandoning Shenyang and heading straight for Tieling, intending to head north to the Jurchen tribe's stronghold in the northern mountains.

The sixth day of the sixth lunar month.

When Dodo fled north, he was intercepted by Mongol cavalry. During his escape, Dodo was caught in a lasso by the Mongol cavalry and dragged to his death.

The army marched straight in, searching and killing throughout the land of Changbai Mountain and Heilongjiang River for more than three months.

Countless remnants of the Jianzhou and Haixi tribes were killed.

Until early September, Cao Bianjiao led his troops into the territory of the Wild Jurchen tribe.

The Wild Jurchens had long been oppressed by the Qing government, with many of their young men being forcibly conscripted into the army. When they saw the southern army approaching and learned of the Qing's defeat, they surrendered.

Cao Bianjiao led his troops to the former Nurgan Regional Military Commission established by the Ming court, then gathered his troops and took control of all the Jurchen tribes, re-established the Nurgan Regional Military Commission, and recovered Sakhalin Island.

Same month.

Zu Zefu led his troops to the Outer Khingan Mountains and forced the Jurchen tribe of Beishan to surrender.

This is the end.

The Jianzhou and Haixi Jurchen tribes were almost completely wiped out.

Both the Beishan and Yeren Jurchen tribes submitted.

Good news spread, and the wild geese returned.

The same fast horse delivery, the same post station communication.

September 12th.

When news of the victory reached Nanjing, the entire city was shaken, and the city was abuzz with discussion.

However, Nanjing was ultimately too far from the northern border, and what happened in Liaodong was like something from another country, nothing more than fodder for casual conversation.

The recapture of Liaodong and the destruction and submission of the four Jurchen tribes caused a far less shock in Nanjing than it did in the north.

Upon hearing the news of the liberation of Liaodong, countless people in the north wept bitterly, countless wisps of smoke rose, and countless white banners stood before the graves.

It perfectly matches the description in that ancient poem.

When the royal army has pacified the Central Plains, remember to tell your grandfather at the family sacrifice.

Inside the Weiyao Pavilion, Chen Wang sat upright before his desk, examining the battle reports sent from Liaodong.

The three court officials were seated in the Weiyao Pavilion.

Weiyao Pavilion was renamed from the original Wenyuan Pavilion.

The term "Wenyuan" carries an extremely heavy bias.

Chen Wang had no intention of repeating the mistakes of the Ming Dynasty, whether in terms of system or name.

Therefore, Wenyuan Pavilion was renamed Weiyao Pavilion.

Of the six ministers, three were seated in the cabinet.

Chen Wang raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping from left to right.

The person sitting first on the left is none other than Dai Zhenglin, who is now the Minister of War.

Then, in order, came Tang Shiping, Minister of Personnel, and Wang Yuankang, Minister of Revenue.

The cabinet has not yet appointed a chief minister or a deputy minister; all the ministers are merely appointed as assistant ministers.

"Liaodong is located in a remote area with inconvenient transportation. Even a thorough crackdown will not completely eliminate future threats."

Chen Wang's gaze was solemn as he spoke slowly.

"The story of Chenghua's plowing of the court is a precedent."

"This time, the conquest of the Qing Dynasty and the subjugation of the four Jurchen tribes were even more thorough than during the Chenghua era."

"However, if Liaodong is managed in the same way as before, it will inevitably become a major threat in the future."

Dai Zhenglin lowered his head, while Tang Shiping and Wang Yuankang exchanged a glance.

Chen Wang's words were solemn, and everyone could hear the determination in his tone.

Based on their usual judgment, they knew that Chen Wang must have a plan in mind.

"Liaodong is remote. In the past, the establishment of military commands and the establishment of garrison posts were policies mainly based on control. I am determined to completely abolish them."

Chen Wang's gaze was piercing, and he spoke resolutely.

"I have ordered Hu Zhili to relocate all the remaining Jurchen tribes of Beishan, Yeren, Jianzhou, and Haixi into the pass."

After Chen Wang finished speaking, he did not continue, but looked at the three people sitting in a row.

Dai Zhenglin frowned slightly; he knew Chen Wang wanted to hear their opinions.

Dai Zhenglin bowed slightly.

“When a country is strong, it can take control of remote tribes by adopting a policy of appeasement. However, when a country is weak, these places will pose a threat to the central government. This is a problem that has been difficult to solve throughout history.”

“Relocating the various tribes of Liaodong into the pass can temporarily solve the Liaodong problem, but it will probably be difficult to cure it completely.”

Dai Zhenglin's expression was solemn.

“Liaodong is vast. After the Jurchens came, other tribes came.”

Now serving as Minister of War and concurrently as a cabinet advisor, Dai Zhenglin no longer focuses solely on military strategy as before, but has begun to consider issues from a national perspective.

"The Han drove out the Xiongnu, who fled westward, while the Xianbei rose to power."

"The Xianbei were weakened and their country was overthrown, while the Turks rose again."

"When the Turks were destroyed, the Liao people rose; when the Liao fell, the Jin dynasty rose; when the Jin fell, the Mongols flourished."

“The grasslands are vast and the sky is wide in Liaodong. These livable places have driven away a group of people, but others will still come to these places.”

Dai Zhenglin's words were agreed upon by Tang Shiping and Wang Yuankang.

Tang Shiping pondered for a moment before continuing.

"Martial arts may bring temporary victory, but they can never last forever."

Tang Shiping came from a humble background, having previously held only the rank of Bai Zong. However, as his power grew, he continued to learn and grow.

This is why he was able to be appointed as the Minister of Personnel.

It wasn't just because of his loyalty, but also because of his abilities.

Wang Yuankang, on the other hand, kept his eyes to himself and rarely expressed his opinions in court assemblies or cabinet meetings.

He knew his responsibilities as Minister of Revenue.

He also understood that Chen Wang didn't need his advice or suggestions, only that he maintain the country and supply the army.

"I understand everything you're saying."

Chen Wang nodded slightly.

As someone from later generations, he naturally knew about these things.

A bronze mirror can be used to straighten one's clothes.

By taking others as a mirror, we can understand our own gains and losses.

By learning from history, we can understand the rise and fall of dynasties.

"So, I plan to... relocate..."

"Relocation?"

Tang Shiping and Dai Zhenglin were both slightly taken aback, their expressions solemn. They were somewhat puzzled by Chen Wang's use of the term "relocation".

"Correct."

"It's a relocation."

Chen Wang nodded and looked up at the map hanging not far away. "Since these places will eventually appear."

"Then why can't the people who live here be subjects of our Great Chen?"

Both Dai Zhenglin and Tang Shiping frowned slightly.

This time, Tang Shiping spoke first.

"Your Majesty's move may indeed solve some problems, but the relocation, especially the relocation of a large number of people, is undoubtedly a costly undertaking that is also very likely to cause unrest."

"Now... our Great Chen has just been established, and everything is in need of rebuilding..."

Chen Wang raised his hand, stopping Tang Shiping from saying anything more.

Then he turned to look at Wang Yuankang, who had been silent all along, and asked directly.

How much silver does the Ministry of Revenue currently have?

Wang Yunkang bowed slightly and replied without delay.

"Now that the summer harvest is over and the summer taxes have been collected, after deducting all the state expenditures in the autumn, there is still a surplus of 16 million taels of silver."

Wang Yuankang paused for a moment, then continued.

“From Beijing to Liaodong, the official road is more than 1,500 li long.”

"The migration of civilians is not like the march of an army. They bring their families and luggage, and can only travel about thirty or forty li a day, at most fifty li a day."

“In the best-case scenario, it would take a month to travel from Beijing to the heart of Liaodong, but in reality it would take about a month and a half to two months.”

Many things can happen during a large-scale migration, forcing the migrants to stay.

Most importantly, people can't keep walking forever. After walking for more than a month, they need to rest. However, the rest at night is not enough.

“Grain warehouses and logistical facilities should be set up along the migration route to ensure a full supply of food rations, and residences should be set up along the way.”

Wang Yuankang slowed his voice; he needed some time to calculate.

"If Your Majesty wishes to relocate the people to Liaodong, you could move a million people there in two months."

"At least 600,000 shi of grain and fodder need to be prepared along the way, not counting losses."

"The other miscellaneous expenses along the way, according to a rough estimate, will cost about 500,000 taels of silver."

Rice alone is not enough; salt, vegetables, and other necessities also need to be provided.

"At the same time, Liaodong is bitterly cold, so we need to provide them with some warm clothing. We also need to consider whether to provide oxen and farm tools to the people who are leaving the pass."

"If Your Majesty wishes to cultivate Liaodong more deeply, these matters need to be carefully considered. If all subsidies are provided, the million people will likely still require a million taels of silver."

Wang Yuankang's political abilities are now outstanding.

Chen Wang had not informed him of any prior situation.

In a short period of time, Wang Yuankang listed everything in great detail and provided data.

"Wang Qing is prudent and worthy of being a pillar of the state."

Chen Wang nodded slightly in approval.

"Now that the planting season has passed, and the winter in Liaodong is bitterly cold, I do not recommend that Your Majesty move the land this year."

"In my humble opinion, the best time to relocate the people is in the latter half of the first month of next year."

Chen Wang's praise eased Wang Yuankang's tense expression slightly, but he did not become complacent. He remembered his duty and continued to report.

"Firstly, time can be allocated for personnel preparation and coordination among all parties."

"Secondly, the people can leave the pass just in time for the spring planting, so that they will not be unable to continue."

The climate in Liaodong is different from that in the Central Plains. Spring planting is concentrated from Qingming to Guyu, which is from the beginning to the end of April in the Gregorian calendar.

"I believe that relocation is feasible."

After saying his last words, Wang Yuankang took a slight breath and asked.

"However, I wonder how many people His Majesty intends to relocate to Liaodong?"

Chen Wang tapped the table lightly. He had been thinking about Wang Yuankang's problem for a long time and had been hesitant about it.

"How many people do you think should be relocated across the border?"

"What should we do after we pass through customs?"

Both Dai Zhenglin and Tang Shiping remained silent in response to Chen Wang's question.

They are skilled in military affairs and personnel matters, but they are not very knowledgeable about people's livelihood.

However, Wang Yuankang did not let Chen Wang land completely on the ground.

"Your Majesty, I believe that if Your Majesty wishes to take over Liaodong, you should completely integrate Liaodong's territory into your own domain within fifty years..."

Wang Yuankang lowered his head slightly and answered.

"The number of people who need to be relocated... is at least over six million..."

"It can be divided into six phases, with a relocation every two or three years, to stabilize the country."

As Wang Yuankang finished speaking, not only did Dai Zhenglin and Tang Shiping look solemn, but even Chen Wang stopped tapping his fingers on the table.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to report."

"Among the old Liaodong territory, there are still about a million Liaodong people who originally existed as serfs in the occupied Liaodong area."

Chen Wang was familiar with the data provided by Wang Yuankang.

This population figure seems large, but in reality, the registered population of the Liaodong Military Command in the late Jiajing period was only around three million, and this only included the registered population responsible for taxes and corvée labor.

Most of these people were slaughtered by the Later Jin regime during the reign of Nurhaci.

The reason why there are still millions of people today is because after Huang Taiji succeeded to the throne, he abolished the old laws and at the same time continuously waged war against the Ming Dynasty, plundering people and sending them back north.

From the time the Later Jin conquered Liaodong to the time when Liaodong was recovered, a rough estimate suggests that the number of deaths on the land of Liaodong was close to three million.

This number is outrageous.

“In the past, at its peak, Liaodong had nearly four million people of our country.”

Wang Yuankang said there were nearly four million people, which naturally included the population hidden through various means such as concealed households and slaves.

"Even as the Jurchens grew powerful, they were still able to capture Liao territory. The main reason for this was the corruption of the previous dynasty's officialdom and the neglect of border defenses."

"However, the main reason is that there are not enough Liao people, so they can only live on the plains and roads."

"If we relocate six million people, making a total of seven million, and if they live a prosperous life within twenty years, we can gain ten million people."

Wang Yuankang bowed deeply and said solemnly.

"Your Majesty believes that by relocating the people out of the pass, you can not only enable them to cultivate the land, but also allow them to live as mountain dwellers, residing in the mountains, forests, and lakes of the four Jurchen tribes, where they can multiply and thrive."

"Although the people of China may find it difficult to adapt to the climate in a short period of time, a generous reward will surely bring forth brave men."

Wang Yuankang clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said...

"Moreover... the people of China are resilient and indomitable; how could they possibly lose to the myriad vassal states of the world?"

"well said."

Chen Wang gave Wang Yuankang a deep look.

"The people of China are indeed never inferior to others."

“The relocation is a major event, and it is hard to leave one’s homeland. I know that the people will have resentment and many unpredictable things will happen.”

"However, for the sake of the nation's long-term interests and for the benefit of future generations, the relocation must be carried out."

"A generous reward will surely bring forth brave men; this is indeed true. Therefore, I believe that the subsidies and rewards for the people who are leaving the pass this time must be substantial."

“There is an imperial edict.”

Chen Wang stood up and said solemnly.

The three ministers in the pavilion rose in unison and bowed in response.

“Those who go to Liaodong will receive a subsidy of three taels of silver per household with two or more members, and one and a half taels per person. They will also receive a fixed amount of land and a subsidy for farm tools, oxen, and other necessities.”

"If there are any who wish to go to the former territories of the four Jurchen tribes."

"Those who go to the Jianzhou Jurchen tribe will receive double the subsidy, those who go to the Haixi Jurchen tribe will receive triple the subsidy, and those who go to the Yeren and Beishan tribes will receive ten times the subsidy! The subsidy can be exchanged for military scrips, which can be used to exchange for all kinds of goods at military scrip exchanges in various places."

“Those who go to the four Jurchen tribes are permitted to establish villages and forts, and according to the size of the village and the area it occupies, they are allowed to raise corresponding village soldiers and fort soldiers for protection. Those who go to the Beishan and Yeren Jurchen tribes will be issued Hai Shi guns by the imperial court.”

"If anyone is found to have withdrawn from the four Jurchen tribes into the pass without following the imperial decree, they shall be killed without mercy. Local people who have opened up the borders may kill them in accordance with the law and escort them to the government, and all shall be rewarded with silver."

"The same applies to the northern barbarians. Anyone who dares to invade our territory may be killed. Those who bring the head or escort the prisoners to the government may be rewarded with silver and land."

Chen Wang's voice was icy cold.

The threat from the Liaodong Jurchens has ended.

However, not long in history, Russian raiders would attempt to invade from the north.

In the Battle of Yaksa, the Qing Dynasty lost all its territory north of the Outer Khingan Mountains.

In 1643, the sixteenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, the Russians had already begun to invade the area north of the Heilongjiang River in China.

Chen Wang now regards these areas as the backyard of the Great Chen Dynasty, and naturally cannot tolerate such a situation.

He wanted to launch a massive movement, much like the American westward expansion in the modern era, in the vast Greater Khingan Mountains and Outer Khingan Mountains, places that were still frigid and difficult for people to live in at that time.

and so.

He was willing to provide more military support to the pioneers who migrated to Liaodong.

“The three provinces are defined from north to south, starting from Shanhaiguan in the south, extending to the Outer Khingan Mountains in the north, and from Sakhalin Island in the east to the Haravan Mountains in the west.”

"In order, they are Beishan Province, Heilongjiang Province, and Liaodong Province."

"Each of the three provinces will have three administrative offices and two military garrisons, with each garrison having a fixed strength of 20,000 troops, to defend against foreign enemies, expand the territory, and control the four directions!"

"A Governor-General of Northern Liao shall be appointed to temporarily govern the three provinces, under whose command the Northern Liao Expansion Army Corps shall be established with a troop strength of 30,000 and a training period of one year."

"I hereby command your forces for three years, and order them to march north and conquer the entire North Sea Snowfield!" (End of Chapter)