Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Hong Chengchou was responsible for coordinating the Korean War, and Zhou Yuji did not dare to neglect him.

Although he was a general in the imperial camp and could be said to be close to the emperor, he was only a lieutenant general at best, and his status was far inferior to that of a governor-general like Hong Chengchou.

What's more, Hong Chengchou also had people behind him. Grand Secretary Yang Jingchen, Nanjing Minister of War Lu Tunan and others were all Hong Chengchou's fellow townsmen.

Facing Hong Chengchou's request, Zhou Yuji responded after careful consideration:
"It will be difficult to defeat the Jianlu with only the few thousand new troops."

"The mission your majesty gave me was only to protect the Korean monarch and his subjects and prevent them from falling into the hands of the Jianlu."

"I think Marshal Hong needs to rely on the Koreans first to defend Korea."

Hong Chengchou also knew this truth, but for him, the more power he had in his hands, the better. So he said:
"North Korean soldiers are being recruited, but the generals leading the troops must be Ming soldiers, right?"

"I heard that the warriors in the imperial camp can at least serve as centurions. Can General Zhou send some of them out to help me lead the soldiers?"

This was a promotion for the soldiers in the imperial camp, so Zhou Yuji could not stop it. But he raised a question and asked Hong Chengchou:

"Most of the soldiers in the imperial camp don't know Korean. How can they lead the soldiers?"

"How do we pass down military orders on the battlefield?"

Hong Chengchou had already planned this and said:

"This is a simple matter. Just use more paperwork in normal times."

"The writing system used in North Korea is Chinese characters, and people can communicate directly with pens."

“Then let literate Koreans read out the orders to the soldiers.”

"Don't the military have instructors and clerks? We can let Korean scholars take on the roles."

This is the convenience of communication between the Ming Dynasty and Korea, as they use the same writing system.

As long as we can write it down, we can understand each other's meaning.

Then slowly, the Koreans were able to understand some Chinese, and the Ming generals were able to understand some Korean.

They can even force commonly used military orders into the minds of North Korean soldiers so that they know the orders.

When Zhou Yuji heard this, he knew that Hong Chengchou had been prepared.

Not only did he calculate that the Koreans could communicate with the Ming people using writing, but he also knew that the soldiers in the imperial camp had all been taught writing by the emperor's orders.

Although some people did not learn very well, they were able to write most of the commonly used characters and were able to communicate with Korean scholars through writing.

So under Hong Chengchou's repeated orders, he could only reluctantly resist:

"I think it would be more appropriate to send more new troops to the Patrol Battalion."

"The patrol battalion uses firearms, and it is easier to train musketeers. The Koreans are also good at shooting."

"Marshal Hong can use the new army as a training team, and then let them supervise the battles in wartime, so that the Korean soldiers can exert their combat effectiveness during training."

After praising the North Koreans' strengths in shooting, Zhou Yuji believed that as long as they could perform as well as they did in training on the battlefield, they could be considered a qualified army.

Hong Chengchou, of course, declined such remarks and said to Zhou Yuji with a smile:
"Training is training, and combat is combat."

"There are all kinds of situations on the battlefield, so it's impossible to fully exert our combat power."

"If there are no Ming soldiers to support them, I am worried that the Korean soldiers will be defeated on the battlefield."

Zhou Yuji said:
"That's why I said that we should use the new army as a training and supervision team."

"As long as military law is strictly enforced, North Korean soldiers will obey orders."

Zhou Yuji had heard about the phenomenon of deserters appearing when the new army was suppressing the rebellion, and he had also seen relevant discussions in the Strong Army Newspaper.

There were enough solutions to the desertion and military order problems in the newspapers to fill several thick volumes. These solutions could be tried out on North Korean soldiers to see which one worked.

As long as the Korean soldiers can be prevented from fleeing on the battlefield, they can be used to contain the Jianlu forces.

If one hundred Koreans can hold back one Jianlu, ten million Koreans can hold back one hundred thousand Jianlu.

The order Zhou Yuji received from the emperor was to mobilize the Korean people and try to lead the Jianlu to Korea.

As long as there is one person in Korea who is willing to fight, the Ming Dynasty will provide support without hesitation and support them in fighting against the Jianlu.

As Churchill once said: The British Empire will never surrender until the last Indian blood is shed.

The current Ming Dynasty also has this goal in mind, intending to let the Koreans hold back the Jurchens.

To this end, the Lifanyuan offered various preferential treatments to the Korean dignitaries and tied the Korean upper-class monarchs and ministers to the chariot of the Ming Dynasty.

He also tried to win over the lower-class people, intending to recruit them into the Ming Dynasty.

The imperial court even planned to completely divide up the entire Korean Peninsula and reward the soldiers and civilians who had made contributions in the war against the Jianlu.

As the implementer of this strategy, Hong Chengchou was very happy to see this, because the status of the Korean battlefield was improving, and he had the opportunity to make greater contributions.

As for how much damage this would bring to North Korea, and how many people would die in the war, he actually didn't care much in his heart.

Not to mention that all the dead were Koreans, even the common people of the Ming Dynasty would be thrown to the front line without hesitation.

He was just worried that the North Korean soldiers were useless and would hinder him from making any achievements.

But Zhou Yuji's words made him realize that the Ming Dynasty could not send many soldiers. They could only serve as a teaching team and a supervisory team on the Korean battlefield.

If he wanted to achieve greater merit in pacifying the Jianlu, he would have to rely on the Koreans.

This made him think seriously about what North Korean soldiers are suitable for and how to make full use of their combat effectiveness:

"Koreans used to be good at bows and arrows, and after the Japanese invasion, they learned how to use firearms."

"These people are most suitable to be musketeers, or to transport baggage as auxiliary troops."

"Cavalry, chariots, scouts, and other types of troops all need Ming soldiers."

After coming to this conclusion, Hong Chengchou insisted:
"General Cao brought three hundred cavalrymen, which is exactly what the Korean army needs."

"General Zhou, please make sure to transfer him here and go north with Hong."

After hearing this, Zhou Yuji knew that it was impossible for him not to send someone out.

If he continued to resist, Hong Chengchou would probably be unhappy, which would be disadvantageous to his future.

So he could only say:
"The three hundred brave warriors of the Imperial Camp were sent by His Majesty to protect the rulers and ministers of Joseon and strengthen their resolve to fight against the Jianlu."

"If Marshal Hong can persuade the king and his ministers of Joseon to choose another place as a secondary capital, I will let General Cao lead half of the troops there."

Hong Chengchou was surprised when he heard this:

"Isn't Ganghwa Island okay? The Joseon king and his ministers hid there during the last Dingmao Rebellion."

"There is also Namhansanseong, which is also the protection place of the Joseon capital."

Zhou Yuji shook his head and denied it:
“Neither of these two places will do!”

"Ganghwa Island is too close to the land, and the strait is only one thousand meters wide."

"Not to mention the possibility of ice in winter, even if it's not frozen, we can still row across with a sampan."

"The last time the Joseon king and his ministers were able to escape on Ganghwa Island, it was because the Jianlu did not even reach Seoul and stopped at Pyeongsan."

"If we continue to move south, it is not impossible to capture Seoul and Ganghwa Island."

Zhou Yuji took out a map and showed it to Hong Chengchou. This was drawn by him and his staff after he came to Korea. Hong Chengchou knew why Zhou Yuji said Ganghwa Island was not good at a glance.

It is because Ganghwa Island is too close to the land, and the width of the strait is not even as wide as the Han River.

The Jianlu were able to cross the Yalu River, which was one or two miles wide, so it would not be difficult for them to cross the strait, which was two miles wide.

The Joseon king and his ministers thought that Ganghwa Island was safe, but they were actually deceiving themselves.

As for Namhansanseong, Zhou Yuji said:
"A few decades ago, Namhansanseong could be considered a safe place that was easy to defend but difficult to attack."

"But after the red cannons appeared, this traditional city was no longer vulnerable to the cannons."

"Only the new bastions can rely on low and thick walls to defend against artillery fire."

The attack and defense of the bastion in western Beijing lasted for more than half a year, and the generals in the capital were basically aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the bastion and traditional city walls.

When Zhou Yuji saw the so-called Namhansanseong Fortress, he felt that it was impossible to defend.

Hong Chengchou listened to Zhou Yuji's judgment, and although he didn't know whether it was right or not, he thought it would be better for the Korean king and his ministers to flee to the island than to be trapped in the city.

At least there is a place to escape to on the sea, so you won’t be trapped to death in the city.

This made him look at Yeongjong Island south of Ganghwa Island and ask Zhou Yuji:

"General Zhou, do you mean to use Yongzong Island as the secondary capital and build a city on it?"

"This island is not very far from the land. Can it defend against the Jian invaders?"

"I heard that Juehua Island was more than ten miles away from the land, and the Jianlu took advantage of the ice to capture it."

"This island is only seven or eight miles away from the land and is as dangerous as Juehua Island."

Zhou Yuji inquired about this and explained to Hong Chengchou:

"It's too cold over there on Juehua Island, and the ice is thick in winter."

"It's much warmer here on Yeongjong Island. Even if it freezes in the winter, it's not suitable for cavalry attacks."

"Even if the winter weather was extremely cold and the Jianlu attacked along the ice, the imperial camp could escort the Korean king and his ministers onto the ship and take them south to Shandong for temporary refuge."

This was the strategy he proposed in accordance with the emperor's orders.

The emperor's greatest request to the Korean monarchs and ministers was to prevent them from defecting to the Jianlu.

As for retreating step by step to the Ming Dynasty, the emperor thought it was no big deal.

Anyway, we don't expect these people to organize the North Korean military and civilians to resist, as long as they don't surrender in name.

What the imperial court really relied on were Ming civil and military officials such as Hong Chengchou, Lu Shanji, and Mao Wenlong, using them to organize the Korean military and civilians to contain the Jianlu.

The extremely shrewd Hong Chengchou, of course, understood this meaning.

He discovered that Zhou Yuji had no intention of helping the Korean monarch and his ministers to defend Seoul, but only wanted to protect their lives.

This is also a good thing for him who wants to monopolize power in North Korea, so he naturally provides support:
"Yongjong Island is indeed good, more suitable than Ganghwa Island."

"But the name of the secondary capital is not good. An island cannot bear this title."

"Well, I heard that the court plans to open a port in Incheon, across from Yeongjong Island, and establish a free trade zone."

“Yongjong Island can be included in the Incheon Free Trade Zone and a pier can be built to accommodate ships.”

"If the Jianlu come, let them take refuge in the Incheon Free Trade Zone. When they get on the ship, where they go will depend on the situation."

He did not want the Joseon monarch and his ministers to control him remotely, so he rejected the idea of ​​setting up a secondary capital.

It was believed that since the Korean king and his ministers had fled to the sea for refuge, they should give all power to them.

Zhou Yuji had no objection to this, because it had nothing to do with him. His purpose in coming to Korea was to save the lives of the Korean monarch and his ministers and prevent them from surrendering to the Jianlu.

Even the emperor secretly instructed that there was no need to worry about the Korean monarch and his ministers encountering danger at sea, and that if necessary, the Ming Dynasty would allow the Korean crown prince to succeed to the throne.

Therefore, he easily reached an agreement with Hong Chengchou on this point. Both of them believed that a highway should be built between Seoul and Incheon, which would not only facilitate the escape of the Korean monarch and his ministers, but also facilitate the opening of Incheon in the future.

Regarding the possibility that the Korean monarch and his ministers might not want to come to Yeongjong Island and instead go to Namhansanseong Fortress, Hong Chengchou suggested:

"Did the general bring the red cannon with him when he came to Korea this time?"

"If you bring it, you can fire a few cannons at Namhansanseong Fortress to let the Joseon king and his ministers know how powerful you are."

Zhou Yuji shook his head and said:

"The Redcoat cannon is heavy and does not belong to the Army's field artillery."

"But some of the navy's warships have them and can be towed down if necessary."

Hong Chengchou made a prompt decision and said:

"Then tow it down and transport it to Seoul."

"Hong will arrange soldiers to build a wall modeled after Namhansanseong Fortress. You must destroy the wall when the time comes."

They planned to conduct exercises directly near Seoul to intimidate the North Korean monarch and his ministers.

I believe that with the deterrence of the Red Cannon, he will be able to take power in North Korea more smoothly.

Zhou Yuji had no choice but to discuss with the navy to remove one or two guns.

But the navy was unwilling to do so, fearing that the ships would be detained if they were unloaded.

However, they were quite interested in the exercises and proposed holding a joint sea and land exercise in Seoul.

The navy could send ships down the Han River to Seoul and demonstrate artillery power near the Han River.

This made Hong Chengchou even happier, and he expanded the scale of the exercise. He planned to gather the Ming navy and army and the Korean army to hold a swearing-in ceremony in Seoul.

The Korean monarch and his ministers did not dare to refuse Hong Chengchou's request, as they were worried that if they refused now, these troops would attack Seoul.

As they were about to face an attack from the Jianlu, they did not dare to turn against the Ming Dynasty.

On August 20, Hong Chengchou led his troops and held a large-scale oath-taking ceremony near Seoul.

At this conference, the Korean monarch and his ministers expressed their determination to fight against the Jianlu.

The mighty troops under Hong Chengchou did give them a lot of confidence.

But what made them more confident was the Ming Dynasty's artillery.

Although the artillery bombarded the city walls, they realized that Namhansanseong was not safe.

But when they learned that the Jianlu did not have the red cannon for the time being, they were immediately happy.

I think that with such artillery in hand, the Ming Dynasty will surely win.

The Korean monarchs and ministers, who had always learned muskets from Japan and artillery from the Ming Dynasty, were even more determined to imitate this cannon, hoping that it would be effective in defending the city.

Of course, Yeongjong Island also needs to be built so that people can escape there in case of danger.

The entire Incheon area began a vigorous construction campaign, building ports, docks, and roads to Seoul.

Hong Chengchou led his soldiers north to meet the enemy.

At this time, Jianlu, who had stayed in Yizhou for more than a month, finally marched south and attacked Dongjiang Territory again. (End of this chapter)