I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 334: The Ming Army Does Not Steal Food
There was heavy snow in Liaodong, while the sun was shining brightly in Annan.

On the sea east of Puyang Prefecture (Taiping) in Annan, near Maizi Island at the mouth of the Red River, hundreds of Wusong ships were anchored. Most of these ships weighed 2,000 tons, ranging from 600 to 800 tons, and a small number weighed 3,000 tons, ranging from 900 to 1,000 tons.

They are all armed merchant ships, affiliated with the Right Camp Marine Battalion of the South China Sea Fleet of the Ming Navy. There are dozens of warships cruising around, which are frigates and cruisers.

There are thousands of people on the island, each busy with their own work.

There was a large open-air tent on a hill on the island, with more than a dozen people sitting there.

Wu Weizhong, commander-in-chief of the Marine Battalion of the South China Sea Fleet of the Ming Navy and commander of the Right Marine Battalion, sat at the top.

He was wearing a light armor and a round iron helmet, looking like an ordinary sailor, except that he wore a red robe on the outside.

Sitting below were more than a dozen lieutenant generals, garrison commanders, and captains.

"Admiral Chen is leading the Right Battalion Navy to wipe out the Mo family's navy. Once they have wiped them out, it's our turn."

A lieutenant general asked: "General, does the Mo family still have a navy?"

The comrades around him laughed.

In the past two months, the navy of the Right Camp has been clearing out the territory of the Mo family in Annan back and forth. Whenever a piece of wood fell into the sea, they would go up to take a look. If there was someone on it, they would fire a shot first.

No ship is allowed to go to sea, the Ming Navy is experienced.

The three naval battalions take turns to go to the Japanese islands to conduct exercises twice a year. Now the Japanese have to risk their lives to go fishing.

"Probably not. According to reports, in the past two months, the Right Camp Navy has sunk more than 300 ships of various sizes of the Mo family, captured more than 300 ships, and even sampans have been sunk.

But you have to be steady in a war, don't panic! As His Royal Highness said, the lives of our soldiers are very precious. If you can solve the problem with artillery shells, don't risk the lives of our soldiers.

Plow the ground first, and then our Marine Battalion will move in!"

"Follow the order!"

Everyone responded in unison.

"Have all the teams learned their missions?"

"understood."

"Retell it again!"

"After landing, our front team will set up a defense line on the Pujiang River (a branch of the Red River) north of Puyang City to prevent sneak attacks by the Mo army. Wait until the squadron sends a signal before retreating."

"My left team will seize the commanding heights of the four gate towers of Puyang City, the main streets in the city, the government office, and the drum tower and bell tower. After the right team retreats, we will retreat to the four gate towers to cover the front team's evacuation from the Pujiang River, and alternately leave Puyang City and board the ship to the sea."

"My right team will capture all the government warehouses and private warehouses, the houses and shops of the wealthy families in Puyang City, plunder all the money and food supplies, recruit civilians, and transport them onto the ship in an orderly manner. Cooperate with the propaganda team to do a good job in the propaganda work of the king's army. Once the mission is completed, evacuate immediately."

"My squadron will hold the coastal position and serve as a mobile reserve to support the front, left, and right teams."

"The logistics team is ready to move 320 wheelbarrows and carriages. When the time comes, we will cooperate with the right team to recruit local laborers and livestock to quickly move the goods."

"The propaganda team is ready. Forty preachers who are fluent in Annan will organize propaganda meetings in the city and the manors outside the city to preach the benevolence of our Ming Dynasty and distribute food and land deeds. One thousand slogans are ready, and slogans will be painted with lime inside and outside the city."

Wu Weizhong nodded with satisfaction.

What is professionalism? This is professionalism!

There were sporadic gunshots in the distance, but no one took it seriously and continued with the meeting.

After a while, the military school came to report: "Report! The flag signal came from the right camp of the navy. The Mo navy has been cleared, and the gunboats are in place to provide fire support. Our Marine Battalion can land."

Wu Weizhong stood up and shouted, "Boys, start working!"

"Yes!"

Hundreds of landing speedboats left the armed merchant ships and rowed towards the shore more than 200 meters away.

There were fifteen Marines on each speedboat. Some of them were equipped with swords and guns, carried bows and crossbows, or held muskets, being careful not to get wet by the sea water.

Eight of the soldiers were rowing hard, a sailor was sitting at the back, steering the boat, and a sailor was standing in the front.

When the speedboat hit the beach, the sailor in front jumped into the sea water above his ankles and ran forward with the rope on his back. The squad leader and the non-commissioned officer followed and ran to the shore about ten meters away.

The squad leader pushed a wooden stake hard, and the petty officer took turns hammering it a few times, driving it deep into the sand. The sailor quickly wrapped a rope around the stake.

The soldiers jumped down one after another and rushed to the shore in the shallow sea water.

The first line of defense was formed, and light submachine guns were set up to cover the large group of troops going ashore. The Ming Army Marine Battalion that came ashore lined up in squads, counted the number of people and equipment, received tasks, and then, under the leadership of the team leader and battalion commander, quickly rushed to Puyang City a few miles away.

Soon, the sound of gunfire and artillery fire became more and more frequent, quickly covering the entire Puyang City.

Three hours later, the Ming Marine Battalion completely controlled Puyang City.

Outside and inside the city, traces of fighting could be seen everywhere, including broken doors and windows, houses that had been on fire and had been extinguished, flags scattered on the ground, and corpses lying all over the place.

The dejected Annan soldiers carried the bodies onto carts under the supervision of the Ming army.

Teams of Ming troops separated, some continued to clean up the battlefield, and the Ming troops would not hesitate to stab or shoot the Annan soldiers who were seriously injured or hit by lead bullets.

There's really no point in rescuing him.

Some patrolled everywhere, searching for remaining resistance elements.

Two hours later, the civilians recruited by the Ming army pushed wheelbarrows and drove horse-drawn carriages and ox-drawn carts to the shore to carry grain, gold, silver, jewelry, silks and other valuables, as well as documents, scrolls, books, antiques and other items copied from government offices and wealthy families.

At the crossroads, the people who had been driven here by the Ming army gathered together.

The preacher held up a loud speaker and shouted in Annan: "We are the imperial army of the Ming Dynasty. We will not steal food!"

"We will also give you food! We are the imperial army of the Ming Dynasty, and we are ordered to suppress the rebellion. The Mo family is about to be destroyed! The Ming Dynasty is the suzerain of the heavenly dynasty, and its virtues are spread all over the world. We only suppress the rebellion and will never harm the obedient people!

These officials, nobles, and wealthy families are all traitors. The Ming imperial army has been ordered to confiscate their grain and land and distribute them to the people!"

Thousands of Annan people were talking, and their voices combined together like thousands of sparrows.

"Here are all the land deeds in Puyang City, and here are the loan contracts collected from various places. Burn them all now! And that pile of food is for you!"

The people of Annan exploded with a bang.

really?
All burned?
In this way, we can occupy land at will without having to bear the brunt of these high-interest loans.

There is actually food to be distributed!
Well, in recent years, the Mo and Zheng families have been fighting each other, and the people of Annan have suffered a lot from the war and have not had a full meal for a long time.

The preacher continued to confuse these people's minds.

"The Ming army will go to hunt down the rebels. You should divide the land among yourselves first. Those with more people will get more, and those with fewer people will get less. When the Ming army comes back to suppress the rebels, we will issue land deeds to everyone.

Remember, as long as you don't rebel and stop following the Mo family, the Ming Dynasty's imperial army will issue you land deeds!"

"Does it really have to be sent?"

"Really? I'm sure you guys are the real deal! Could it be that we, the Ming Dynasty, have traveled thousands of miles and gone through so much trouble to come to Annan just to entertain you losers?"

The preacher cursed with a smile, and the people of Annan laughed instead, and believed it a little more.

This is the government’s attitude towards the people. If they were really polite, it would seem fake.

"If we don't rebel, will we be able to divide the land?" asked a commoner.

"Yes, as long as you don't follow the Mo family, don't serve them as soldiers, don't pay taxes, and don't do anything for them, you are on the side of the Ming Dynasty, and you are the obedient citizens of the Ming Dynasty!

The Ming Dynasty will never treat you unfairly."

The preaching team then said murderously: "If you dare to rebel, dare to rely on the Mo family, provide food and manpower, and fight against the Ming Dynasty, you are a traitor to the Ming Dynasty!

See? Those bodies being carried out of the city are your role models! Not only will they not have land to share, they will also be beheaded and die!"

The people of Annan believed it even more.

That's right. How could the government just coax you without using both kindness and severity?
On the fifth day, it was confirmed again and again that the Ming army's naval and land forces had disappeared without a trace on the sea, and a group of Mo's soldiers and several officials "recaptured" Puyang City.

When we entered Puyang City, the city looked neat and tidy, but there was no one on the streets. Both sides of the street were covered with slogans, written in Chinese characters: "Follow the Ming Dynasty closely, and you will not go hungry."

"Be a loyal citizen of the Ming Dynasty and enjoy peace for generations!"

The Annan officials and scholars all knew Chinese characters, and when they saw these slogans, they were frightened and broke out in cold sweats.

The leading pacifier had a pale face and kept ordering: "Tear it off, tear it off quickly!"

In a blink of an eye, I saw a line of large characters painted with white lime on the wall of the government office: "Following Mo will lead to death!"

"Erase it! Erase it quickly!" the pacifier shouted hysterically in a shrill voice.

(End of this chapter)