Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

After the meeting, Zhu Youjian deliberately kept Yuan Keli and took him to Wuying Palace.

The Wuying Hall at this time had changed a lot compared to before. It was full of maps, most of which were drawn by Zhu Youjian based on his memory.

Although he didn't know whether it was completely consistent with the topography of the era, the introduction of longitude and latitude, scale, contour lines and various colors made the map more intuitive.

He even had people make a sand table of the capital and Liaodong area based on maps and survey results.

This sand table is placed in the Wuying Hall and is filled with various flags and buildings, representing military forces, cities, and passes.

It was the first time that Yuan Keli saw such a detailed map and sand table. With the explanation of the Jinyiwei Military Intelligence Department personnel who participated in the production, he gradually understood them:
"Wonderful! It's really wonderful!"

"The Book of the Later Han says that Ma Yuan 'gathered rice to make valleys and drew the terrain with his fingers', and Emperor Guangwu praised him for 'the enemy was in my sight'."

"That's probably it!"

Yuan Keli praised it loudly, saying that the sand table was very useful and helpful in commanding operations.

He also requested the emperor to prepare a copy for the Ministry of War.

Zhu Youjian nodded in agreement and ordered the Jinyiwei Map Room to send someone to the Ministry of War to make it and keep it confidential to prevent it from being stolen.

Then he pointed in the direction of Liaodong and said:
"I have said before that the war between Ming and Jianlu is not only a war to quell the rebellion, but also a war to recover the homeland and the living space."

"Only by recovering Liaodong can we provide enough land for disaster victims in Shaanxi and other places to relocate and cultivate."

"So I put suppressing rebellions and disaster relief together because the two are closely related."

After saying this, Zhu Youjian said:
"Now, counterinsurgency and disaster relief are separated."

"For matters within the Great Wall, disaster relief is the main focus, with prevention and suppression of rebellion as a secondary focus."

"As for matters outside the Great Wall, they are mainly about suppressing the rebellion."

"As the Minister of War, what do you think of this?"

After hearing these words, Yuan Keli knew that the emperor was trying to comfort him.

After all, separating the suppression of the rebellion and disaster relief was mainly to reduce his power.

Now the emperor deliberately kept him after the meeting to show that he still values ​​him very much.

Although he was not a person who wanted to seize power, he felt very comfortable with the emperor's behavior. He pointed to the southern part of Liaoning and said:
"General Sun of Liaodong once said: If we want to restore the whole of Liao, we must first restore the four guards."

"I also think so. We should first attack southern Liaoning and recover the four guards of Jinzhou, Fuzhou, Gaizhou and Haizhou."

Zhu Youjian knew about this strategy, and even knew that Sun Chengzong and Yuan Keli had put it into practice.

The Battle of Southern Liaoning was an effort to recapture the four guards from the sea.

The Battle of Liuhe was to recapture Yaozhou from the road and then recapture the four guards.

However, the defeat in the Battle of Liuhe led to Sun Chengzong's resignation.

Yuan Keli also resigned from his post as governor of Denglai because of his disagreement with Mao Wenlong.

The land that was recovered in the Battle of Southern Liaoning has now been lost.

The strategy to recapture the four guards needs to start over.

Zhu Youjian thought this strategy was fine, because his idea was to start from southern Liaoning and first recover the four guards.

In this way, whether victory or defeat, it will not have much impact on the interior of the country, and the Jianlu will not be able to cross the sea from southern Liaoning.

In history, Yuan Chonghuan also followed this strategy. When he boasted that he would pacify Liaodong in five years, he had no time to waste on subjugating Mao Wenlong, nor was he willing to support Mao Wenlong, who had an old grudge against him, to make achievements. Therefore, if Mao Wenlong did not obey him, he would be killed by him with the imperial sword.

But what he didn't expect was that Dongjiang Town was almost built by Mao Wenlong alone, and Mao Wenlong was the backbone. After he killed Mao Wenlong, Dongjiang Town was no longer a threat to Jianlu, allowing Jianlu to come out in full force and bypass the grassland to enter the pass, causing the Jisi Incident.

This incident led to Yuan Chonghuan's death. The successor, Liang Tingdong, the Minister of War, and Sun Yuanhua, the governor of Denglai, still used this strategy. They invited Western instructors and firearms craftsmen, and trained a new army with Kong Youde and other remnants of Dongjiang Town as generals.

However, before this new army was used to recover the four guards, conflicts between the civil and military officials and corruption in the government led to the Wuqiao mutiny, in which Sun Yuanhua was killed and Kong Youde and others surrendered.

Then Dongjiang Town was breached, and the plan to recapture the Four Guards had no foothold, so it completely failed.

This is what happened in history. Dongjiang Town still exists today and is being reorganized.

Zhu Youjian said:
"How is the reorganization of Dongjiang Town going?"

"Can you take on the important task of recovering the four guards in southern Liaoning?"

Yuan Keli said:

"According to the report submitted by Liaonan Admiral Mao Wenlong and Liaonan Protector General Sun Guozhen, Dongjiang Town has about 40,000 soldiers and horses with armor and equipment."

"Now, after eliminating the old and weak and recruiting the able-bodied, the number of personnel has been determined to be 40,000. Now it is reorganized into four brigades, each with about 10,000 people."

"Mao Wenlong recommended Chen Jisheng to be the commander of Lushun."

"This man has made many military achievements while repairing the Nanguanling city wall. He should be rewarded as appropriate."

The reorganization of Dongjiang Town began after Mao Wenlong returned. It was presided over by Mao Wenlong, Sun Guozhen and Ma Shilong, with a staff of 40,000 people.

Now, the court paid Dongjiang Town for 40,000 soldiers. Some of the remaining Dongjiang soldiers and civilians were relocated to Korea, and some were recruited by Ningyuan Earl State and other vassal states.

The construction of the Nanguanling city wall was proposed by Sun Guozhen, the governor of Denglai and the protector of southern Liaoning, and was supported by Zhu Youjian.

Now, after more than half a year of construction, the 15-mile city wall of Nanguanling has been basically completed.

Mao Wenlong recommended his deputy general Chen Jisheng as brigade commander, leading a brigade of soldiers to station in Lushun for defense.

Like Shen Shikui, this man was born into a merchant family. After the fall of Liaodong, he joined the army under Mao Wenlong and gave his daughter to Mao Wenlong as a concubine, becoming Mao Wenlong's relative-in-law.

Chen Jisheng was the most senior and prestigious general in Pidao, and was highly respected. Mao Wenlong was also quite wary of him and was distant from his daughter.

However, after Zhu Youjian restricted the number of people of the same clan or by-laws who could serve in Liaodong, Mao Wenlong recommended Shen Shikui to go to Korea without hesitation, but kept Chen Jishen to continue serving as deputy general in Dongjiang Town.

When the city wall of Nanguanling in Lushun was built, he was also sent to guard it.

Chen Jisheng lived up to expectations and defeated the invasion of the Jianlu several times while building the city wall. He led three battalions of more than 10,000 soldiers and horses to firmly defend Lushun.

Zhu Youjian was quite satisfied with this result and ordered:

"Since Chen Jisheng has made great contributions, his son can be granted a hundred households, and the title will be hereditary in the future."

"Let him guard Lushun well. The imperial court will not treat him unfairly."

Zhu Youjian attached great importance to the defense of Lushun. He not only promised hereditary nobility, but also instructed:

"No matter what, the number of troops defending Lushun cannot be less than 10,000."

"This way, even if we fail to recapture the Four Guards, the imperial court will still have a foothold in southern Liaoning and can continue trying."

"Also, has Admiral Yu Zigao, who is in Tianjin, moved to Lushun?"

Yuan Keli said: "Yu Zigao has transferred some naval forces from Fujian and has been to Lushun several times."

"But he said that the Navy Office was busy and he needed to travel to Shandong and other places frequently. He requested the appointment of a deputy general to be stationed in Lushun."

Zhu Youjian frowned, feeling that Yu Zigao didn't want to stay at the Lushun front. But thinking about the task he had assigned to the Navy Office, he could only agree to Yu Zigao's request and asked:
"Zha Guoning once supervised the sailors on Juehua Island. Wu Shangmo recommended him to me. He is now serving in the Navy Office."

"If he is stationed in Lushun, will he be able to do the job?"

Cha Guoning was recommended by Sun Chengzong and resigned after Sun Chengzong left. Yuan Keli and Sun Chengzong worked closely together, so naturally he recognized him.

Zhu Youjian then appointed:

"Zha Guoning is the captain of the guard of the First Fleet of the Navy. He is stationed in the main base of Lushun and is responsible for the logistics of the Lushun troops."

"There is also Wu Jianglong, who was recommended by Wu Shangmo before. Let him serve as the Marine Corps' Guard Commander, helping to guard Lushun in peacetime. In wartime, he will cross the sea and land to rescue the Han people in Liaodong."

Liaodong was a martial law zone, and both of them were military scholars, so there was no problem with their appointment.

After Yuan Keli agreed, he asked again:

"Of the four brigade commanders in Dongjiang Town, only Chen Jisheng has been appointed."

"Mao Wenlong requested that Kong Youde and others be sent back to serve, and Sun Guozhen recommended Zhang Keda, the deputy general of Dengzhou, to take the position."

"Your Majesty, please indicate how the three brigades will be appointed."

After considering it, Zhu Youjian appointed:

"I have already sent Kong Youde and others to help the King of Han, so let's send Yang Yufan over!"

"Zhang Keda will also go there and serve as the brigade commander."

"Leave that brigade commander vacant and let Mao Wenlong take on the position himself."

Zhu Youjian would not send Kong Youde and others back because he had not forgotten to sabotage Dongjiang Town.

But he did not push too hard, and asked Mao Wenlong to recommend Chen Jisheng as the brigade commander and lead the brigade himself.

In this way, Mao Wenlong's backlash would not be too great, and he still controlled half of the 40,000 troops in Dongjiang Town.

After being forced to leave by Mao Wenlong, Yuan Keli also became wary. Although he believed that Mao Wenlong was indispensable to Dongjiang Town, he also approved of the emperor's behavior of sending generals to interfere.

At this time, he remembered another thing and asked the emperor for instructions:

"When I was in office in Denglai, there were two men, Liu Aita, the general of Fuzhou, and Liu Xingzuo, whose Chinese name was Liu Xingzuo, who wanted to be the internal supporters of the rebellion."

"Unexpectedly, the matter was leaked, and Liu Xingzuo was captured by the Jian invaders. The entire city was slaughtered, and the remaining people and the people of Yongning and Gaizhou were all relocated."

"Liu Xingzuo was lucky enough to save his life because he was the old slave's son-in-law."

"According to Xu Shengyun, a student who was rescued in July, Liu Xingzuo was still serving as a general in Jianlu. He wanted to return but was discovered and all his horses were confiscated."

"I request the assistance of the Northeastern Pacification Office to rescue this man and bring him back."

Zhu Youjian was very happy to hear that Nurhaci's son-in-law wanted to rebel. But he also had some doubts and asked:
"Can this person's loyalty be confirmed?"

"Could it be a trick of the Jianlu?"

Because of the matter in Fuzhou, Yuan Keli did not dare to guarantee it, and said:

"I am not sure, but Liu Xingzuo is the son-in-law of the old slave. If he comes back, he can find out the inner workings of the Jianlu."

"And it can also allow him to go to places like North Korea to strengthen the confidence of his vassal states."

Zhu Youjian nodded and agreed:

"Then let the Northeastern Pacification Office do its best to help and rescue his family."

"After Liu Xingzuo comes back, first ask him about the internal situation of Jianlu. Then send him to Korea to serve as an official to strengthen the confidence of the Korean monarch and his ministers."

Nurhaci's status as the son-in-law was still very useful at this time. When the Korean monarchs and ministers saw that the son-in-law of the Jianlu leader was willing to submit to the Ming Dynasty, they would naturally have more confidence in the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, Liu Xingzuo was sent to Korea. Even if he was later confirmed to be a spy of the Jianlu, there was no need to worry about him causing great harm.

No matter how hard he tried, he could only find out the news from North Korea.

After making this decision, Zhu Youjian quickly summoned the Northeast Pacification Office.

Zhang Daojun, the governor of Northeast China, was extremely happy when he received the news. After more than half a year in Liaodong, he finally had the opportunity to show his talents.

Zhang Daojun summoned Luo Yangxing, the commander of the Liaodong Weiwei Office, and said:

"Can you trust Li Yangeng, the insider you recruited earlier?"

"He is Li Yongfang's eldest son. We must be careful."

The emperor had reminded him that his opponent in Liaodong was Li Yongfang, and even his father's death was related to Li Yongfang. After Zhang Daojun arrived in Liaodong, he actively inquired about Li Yongfang's news.

This piece of information was very serious. He learned a lot of inside information and hated Li Yongfang to the core.

But we also gained a lot, especially from Li Yangeng.

Zhang Daojun never expected that Li Yongfang's eldest son, Li Yangeng, was actually a loyal Ming Dynasty man. He was extremely disgusted with his father Li Yongfang's behavior and actively passed on information to the Ming Dynasty.

When Luo Yangxing first received the information sent by Li Yangeng, he was a little bit unconvinced. But after many contacts, he is now basically certain that Li Yangeng is a person loyal to the Ming Dynasty:
"Li Yangeng was involved in the last incident in Fuzhou and was tied up together with Liu Xingzuo."

"Liu Xingzuo's success in escaping the crisis was also related to his help."

"This time, he also helped with the incident."

"I think Li Yangeng can be trusted and can be allowed to preside over this matter."

Zhang Daojun thought for a long time, and finally nodded and said:
"Then you will take charge of this matter and let Li Yangeng handle it."

"If this can be accomplished, I will ask for credit from His Majesty!"

Luo Yangxing was overjoyed when he heard this and said:
"Don't worry, sir. I will do my best to welcome Liu Aita back."

Almost all the Jinyiwei forces developed over the past six months were used to assist Liu Xingzuo in his restoration.

At this time, there were still many Han people in Liaodong, and they were rebellious. The Jinyiwei was very successful in developing an intelligence network in Liaodong. In the past six months, they had repeatedly obtained the news of the Jianlu's harassment in advance with the help of the Han people in Liaodong. This made Sun Chengzong pay more and more attention to them and praised them many times.

This time, the Imperial Guards learned that Huang Taiji was going to fight against Ligdan Khan. Liu Xingzuo took advantage of this opportunity and faked his death and escaped with the help of Li Yangeng.

Then he also asked his younger brother Liu Xingzhi to defect to the Ming army during the battle and submit to the Ming Dynasty.

When Jianlu found out about this, their family members who stayed in Shenyang were all rescued by people arranged by the Jinyiwei.

This matter was handled extremely well, and the entire Northeastern Pacification Division was commended. Zhang Daojun and Luo Yangxing were both promoted to a higher rank.

Zhu Youjian ordered people to bring Liu Xingzuo to the capital, and at the same time sent Kong Zhenyun to the grassland to help Lin Danhan, the Shunli King, resist the invasion of the Jianlu and encourage him. (End of this chapter)