Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

"To the Tune of 'Breaking the Enemy's Formation' - Leading the Army to Pacify Fujian and Guangdong"

Life has always been like a dream.

Historical records have always been meticulous.

All the heroes of the past are gone.
The heroes of today have not yet rested.

He drew his sword and conquered the nine provinces.

Sparrows cannot recognize swans.

Scholars find it hard to understand helmets.

Every corner of the vast land is a scenic wonder.
A touch of infatuation paints a picture of sorrow.

Time flows away like water.

This poem, "Po Zhen Zi," was composed by the Great Khan of Lotus in Shang Kexi's palace after he pacified the two provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. He was extremely proud of himself for easily pacifying the two provinces in less than two months. The line "Drawing my sword to conquer the nine provinces" fully displays his heroic spirit. As for the last line, "Time flows away like water," it is ostensibly a lament about the fleeting nature of youth, but it is actually just a sentimental expression after a hero has achieved fame and success.

However, the memorials submitted by Prince Qin, Zhuosiji, and the Governor-General of Zhejiang and Fujian, Suhe, quickly extinguished the joy of the Oirat war god's unification of the nine provinces. Both mentioned in their memorials that Prince Yanping, Zheng Jing, had dispatched his general Liu Guoxuan to capture Kinmen and Tong'an in Quanzhou Prefecture, and Tongshan, Zhangpu, and Zhenhai in Zhangzhou Prefecture. Suhe inquired about how to handle the situation, while Zhuosiji directly requested to lead troops to recapture these areas.

Upon seeing these two memorials, Suletan immediately understood that the Nine Provinces were not completely unified; a small corner was missing: Taiwan! In fact, Zheng Jing's dispatch of troops to harass Fujian was on Suletan's orders, intended to restrain the Geng clan's power and facilitate the pacification of Fujian by the Imperial Guard. However, Suletan's orders to Zheng Jing were harassment, not occupation. Zheng Jing, however, was ruthless, seizing two counties, one garrison, and two military posts under the guise of Suletan's campaign against the Geng clan, revealing his ambition to control Quanzhou and Zhangzhou prefectures.

"Hmph~ It's yours only if I agree to give it to you; you can't take it if I don't agree!" Sultan's mind was perfectly clear. He agreed with his son, Chosiji's, opinion. The court couldn't be weak on this matter, otherwise the Zheng family would definitely push their luck. However, there was one problem: the Zheng family controlled Taiwan and Penghu, which were isolated overseas, and their navy had been dominant at sea for decades. Dealing with them required a powerful navy!

As a time traveler, Suletan actually valued the development of the navy and never imposed any maritime bans. He encouraged private merchants to trade and navigate with other countries, which objectively promoted the development of the shipbuilding industry. However, while there were many privately owned ships, the imperial navy, due to years of war and insufficient military funds, had not been able to acquire many new vessels. He couldn't very well forcibly requisition merchant ships to convert them into warships, could he? Besides, even with enough warships, the soldiers would need adequate training. Thinking of the relatively weak navy, he hesitated again. After all, the Zheng family was still nominally his subjects and knew how to restrain themselves. If things really turned sour, and Zheng Jingxue's grandfather, Zheng Zhilong, started a pirate business, the vast sea borders of David would likely be in danger.

While they were hesitating, Galdama, the chief of the guards, presented a memorial: "Great Khan, Prince Zheng Jing of Yanping has a memorial to present."

"Zheng Jing? Heh, you really do get what you want! Show it to me," Sultan sneered, opening Zheng Jing's memorial. "Your subject Zheng Jing, Prince of Yanping, respectfully submits this memorial regarding the matter of stationing troops in Tong'an and Zhangpu to beg for provisions: I believe that Taiwan, bordering Wu and Kuaiji to the north and Yueqiao to the south, stretches for thousands of miles, serving as the left flank protector of the four provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. Furthermore, it is separated from Penghu by the vast ocean, a distance of over three hours by water. In the past, this area was occupied by the Dutch, whose large, well-equipped ships were difficult to defeat at sea. They frequently used this place as a base to spy on the borders and approach our borders. The coastal provinces were all harassed by them. Although they were later driven out, they never ceased to desire a return, always seeking opportunities to attack. If it were to fall back into their hands, they would launch a distant expedition, crossing the ocean twice, facing unpredictable waves, and I fear it would be difficult to achieve success again. I believe that defending Taiwan and securing Penghu are fundamental to coastal defense, not..." A large army is insufficient to defend the island! My esteemed ministers have proposed the following: Establish an army of 3 generals, 3 vice-generals, and 6 brigade commanders with 50,000 troops in Dongning, Tamsui, and Keelung; establish a navy of 2 generals, 2 vice-generals, and 4 brigade commanders with 30,000 troops in Penghu and Kinmen; and establish 18 guerrilla units with 20,000 troops on the outlying islands of Orchid Island and Little Orchid Island. This totals 100,000 troops, sufficient for defense. However, Taiwan is mountainous and its harbors are winding, leading to frequent shortages of daily necessities for both military and civilians. Therefore, I humbly request permission from the Ministry to request provisions from Tongan and Zhangpu counties, Zhenhai garrison, and Kinmen and Tongshan. This would eliminate the need for additional troops and salaries, and ensure the coastal defenses are as solid as Mount Tai. I humbly request the Ministry to deliberate and reply, and submit this proposal for your approval.

After reading this question, the Great Khan's face darkened horribly, turning from black to blue, then to purple. He suddenly roared, "You bastards! Do you think that with the sea as a barrier, I can't do anything to you?" It was indeed infuriating that such a small island as Taiwan demanded 100,000 troops! Not only did they ask for a large number of soldiers, but they also demanded that Tongan, Zhenhai, Zhangpu, Kinmen, and Tongshan be ceded to them to support their army. They made it sound so noble, saying, "Without the expense of adding soldiers and increasing pay, the coastal defense will be as solid as Mount Tai." The Taiwanese army's pay doesn't need to be paid by me; you Zheng family can raise it yourselves. So, is this army mine or your Zheng family's? Outrageous! Are they treating me like Emperor Xian of Han?!
Enraged, the Emperor immediately summoned his senior ministers for a military council, vowing to teach the arrogant and ignorant Zheng family a lesson! However, the outcome of the council did not please him. While the military generals were delighted at the prospect of war and excitedly clamored for new achievements, most of the civil officials opposed the idea. In particular, Grand Secretary Liu Haogu's statement, "Your Majesty may have a million troops, but without enough warships, how can the warriors fly to Taiwan?" struck a nerve with the Emperor, calming his boiling heart and causing him to dejectedly dismiss the military council.

"Bang~ Bang~" After the meeting ended, Suletan, who had nowhere to vent his anger, slammed his fist on the dragon throne of the Prince of Yue's mansion.

"Your Majesty, Minister Hu requests an audience," a guard reported.

"Bring him in," Sultan said, his anger still burning.

Seeing his expression, Hu Lianqi chuckled and said something that calmed the Great Khan's anger: "Your Majesty, please don't be angry, we have a boat."

“We have a boat? Where is the boat?” Sultan asked.

"My David has always valued maritime trade, and all the major merchant houses have fleets that can be converted into warships. We can rent these ships in the name of the court, promising compensation if the ships are damaged. In this way, we can utilize civilian ships for the army without causing public resentment," Hu Lianqi said eloquently. Seeing that his words drew frequent nods from the Great Khan, he chuckled and added, "Korea is my vassal state, and its navy has some unique strengths. We can recruit its navy to serve us. There are also many skilled naval warriors among the surrendered troops of Shang and Geng, who can be concentrated as troops to attack Taiwan."

"Ah, Minister Hu is truly my Zhang Liang! If so, what fear do I have of the vast ocean? Let us gather our troops and cross the sea to quell the rebellion! Hahaha~" Sultan laughed heartily, regaining his spirits.

"No! Your Majesty should withdraw your troops and leave over 100,000 troops in Fujian and Guangdong provinces," Hu Lianqi suggested.

"Returning to the capital in triumph? I am preparing to annihilate Zheng in one fell swoop, why would I need to return to the capital in triumph?" Sultan was greatly surprised.

Hu Lianqi calmly explained, "This is a ruse to deceive the enemy! Crossing the sea relies mainly on the navy; too many cavalry and infantry are useless. Your Majesty can openly lead the army back to the capital while secretly preparing for the crossing. Hearing of your triumphant return, the Zheng family will surely lower their guard, and then we can launch a surprise attack and annihilate them in one battle!"

"Brilliant!" Sultan laughed heartily. "This plan is superb! I will now return to the capital. Hmm, not only me, but also my sons. The task of destroying Zheng will be entrusted to Suhe and Mandulatu. One is the Governor-General of Zhejiang and Fujian, and the other is the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi. They have a duty to defend their territories, so they must not disappoint me!" (End of Chapter)