The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 243 Khan's Recruitment

After clearing out the Dongchang thugs and internal traitors, order was restored in Kaiyuan City and business was quickly restored. Zhang Chao and his men had not returned yet. It took at least three days to travel from Kaiyuan to southern Liaoning. Liu Zhaosun was very confident in capturing Song Yingsheng, so he also gave himself three days off.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Ping Liaohou went to Qiao's house with only one guard and brought gifts to visit the military supervisor Qiao.

Qiao Yiqi had just gotten up and was flattered to see Liu Zhaosun coming over. He happily accepted seven taels of tea and half a pound of candy.

At noon that day, General Qiao hosted a banquet for his guests at his home.

Although Liu Zhaosun repeatedly ordered Kaiyuan officials not to be extravagant, Qiao Yiqi was wealthy and generous. Moreover, this was the first time that Ping Liaohou visited Qiao's house, which was of great significance. Therefore, the lunch banquet was quite sumptuous. The two of them filled a large table with delicacies from land and sea. Liu Zhaosun had never seen some of the dishes before. He was worried about waste, so he wanted to let the accompanying guards join in the meal. The guards refused, so Liu Zhaosun had to give up.

Liu Qiao and his companions toasted each other and drank until the early hours of the afternoon (3 p.m.). When the wine wore off, they laughed and talked about the past, expressing their deepest feelings. Needless to say, there is no need to elaborate.

That day, Liu Zhaosun was drunk and was helped back to the general's residence by the guards. It was already late, and when he got home, his wife, Gaoming, could not help but complain.

The next day, Ping Liaohou went to Mao Yuanyi's house to eat again, and still only gave the host a bag of tea and candy, which was worth no more than twenty or thirty coins.

Unexpectedly, Mao Yuanyi, who had been working late into the night sketching a hot air balloon before the Lunar New Year, caught a cold and was still recuperating in bed. He saw the Marquis of Ping Liao arrive, forcing himself to come out despite his illness. He had just accepted the New Year's gift and exchanged a few pleasantries when he inquired about the method of producing hydrogen. Liu Zhaosun instructed his workaholic subordinate to recuperate and hurried home.

After returning from Wendeng last year, Mao Yuanyi and his team were facing the problem of hot air balloon fuel. Coal and oil could not provide more efficient energy for hot air balloons (they were too heavy). Liu Zhaosun inadvertently mentioned that "hydrogen is very light and can also burn." After hearing this, Mao Yuanyi came to ask the time traveler every now and then what hydrogen was and where it came from.

Liu Zhaosun had long ago given up his knowledge of chemistry to Breaking Bad. He couldn't even remember the molecular structure of water, so hydrogen production was certainly a fantasy. He didn't have much hope for the hot air balloon project, but one should always have a dream, so he let Mao Yuanyi and the others slowly explore it.

Over the next two days, Ping Liaohou went to the homes of Deng Changxiong, Qi Jin, and Xie Yang, and then to the homes of several civil officials. The subordinates were overjoyed to see Liu Zhaosun come to their homes, after all, only confidants could enjoy such treatment.

After a few days, Liu Zhaosun successfully got a few meals, making up for all the Ming Dynasty delicacies he had not eaten since he traveled through time.

More importantly, Ping Liaohou finally gave away all five kilograms of tea and candy, which he had bought at the Liaodong Trading Company for half a tael of silver years ago.

On the fourth day of June, it was a scorching summer day. Liu Zhaosun put aside all unnecessary social activities and returned to the general's mansion.

He began to prepare for Yang Qing'er's sixteenth birthday.

The sixteenth birthday of the imperial concubine was a big event, and Liu Zhaosun decided to celebrate it in a grand manner.

He went to Qiao Yiqi to borrow money, saying that he would pay it back after the court gave him a reward. Given the current situation, the court probably wouldn't give Kaiyuan a penny anymore.

Qiao Dazui readily gave him one thousand taels of silver and told Ping Liaohou that he didn't need to pay the money back, and if it was not enough, he could ask him for more.

Liu Zhaosun only accepted one hundred taels, as he was penniless. If it weren't for the dowry Yang Qing'er brought from her parents' home to support him, Ping Liaohou would probably have starved to death.

On the sixth day of June, the Kaiyuan General's Mansion was packed with distinguished guests and the place was bustling with activity.

Except for the Sixth Army stationed in Wendeng, all officers from the First to the Fifth Guards Armies above the battalion level were present, totaling nearly thirty officers.

Officials from the civil administration, workshops, and garrisons all came to celebrate the wife's birthday, along with the Liao merchants of the city, as well as representatives from the Jurchen, Mongolian, and Korean merchants. After the Marquis of Ping Liao informed the entire city of the conspiracy of the Dongchang barbarians colluding with the Liaozhen to assassinate the merchants, the impact of the Hetuala massacre was gradually dissipating.

In the eyes of the foreign tribes, Liu Zhaosun was not only the Han army commander-in-chief, but also their leader. Because Ping Liaohou had close ties with the leaders of the Haixi and Huifa tribes, some called him "Heavenly Khan" or "Great Khan" behind his back. Liu Zhaosun did not interfere with this shift in public opinion, which was exactly what he wanted.

There were twenty tables packed in the courtyard of the general's mansion. Everyone knew Liu Zhaosun's temper, so they didn't give many gifts. They just followed the Liaodong custom and gave red envelopes to the wife. The red envelopes were filled with small change. Liu Zhaosun weighed them with his hands and found that there was no silver ingot weighing more than ten taels.

On that day, Ping Liaohou's subordinates toasted the wife one by one. Yang Qing'er was dressed in a phoenix coronet and bridal robe, looking very festive. The phoenix coronet and bridal robe were not only the attire for women in the Ming Dynasty when they got married, but also the family members of officials could wear them, but they had to be of a certain rank to be allowed to wear them.

Under the guidance of her husband, Yang Qing'er raised her teacup and toasted everyone with tea instead of wine.

Everyone had received news in advance that there were important matters to discuss after today's birthday banquet, so everyone just had a few drinks.

Yang Qing'er smiled like a flower. This was the first time she celebrated her birthday like this and the first time she was valued by others. Everyone was still feasting in the yard. Liu Zhaosun pulled her to the side room in the backyard.

"Ma'am, close your eyes."

Yang Qing'er looked at her husband in surprise and closed her eyes obediently.

Liu Zhaosun took out a small wooden box from his sleeve and held it in front of him.

"You can open it now."

Yang Qing'er took the wooden box, her heart pounding, and asked timidly:
"Husband, what is this?"

"Open it and you'll know."

Yang Qing'er carefully opened the wooden box and saw a small piece of silk inside, which seemed to be wrapped with something.

Encouraged by her husband, she stretched out her delicate hands and gently turned over the silk.

Wrapped in the silk was an inverted triangular arrowhead. The sharp edge had been polished off and a layer of rare amber jade was inlaid on the outside, wrapping the sharp edge of the arrowhead. A small hole was drilled at the end of the arrowhead and a bowstring was tied to it.

"This arrowhead is very old. It was given to my adoptive father by the natives of the southwest during his conquest of Jiaozhi. It's said to be an antique from the Western Han Dynasty. I've carried it with me since I was a child, almost twenty years ago. I'm giving it to you today. If I ever go to war outside, it will protect you."

"Ah, it's so precious, how can I accept it!"

Yang Qing'er held the wooden box as if she was holding her husband's heart. Only at Liu Zhaosun's insistence did she finally accept the arrowhead.

"My husband, are you going to fight again? I've only had a few days' rest..."

Yang Qing'er hesitated to speak. Seeing the expression on Liu Zhaosun's face, she knew her husband was going to the battle again. She knew she couldn't persuade her husband, so she said loudly:

"Don't rush to the front in a fight. General Qiao said you always rush to the front in every battle. How can the sword have eyes?"

Liu Zhaosun looked towards the southwest and said to Madam Gaoming with a smile:
"Don't worry, I won't rush forward."

~~~~~~
On the eighth day of June, the Marquis of Ping Liao summoned representatives from the Kaiyuan army, civil affairs, workshops, and shops at the General's Mansion to begin discussing the specific matters of the war in western Liao.

Just yesterday, a scout who escaped from Fushun reported to the Marquis of Ping Liao that Zhang Chao and his men from the Central Guard were ambushed by a large force of Liaozhen troops while pursuing the rebels south of Fushun City. Zhang Chao fought and died, and all twenty of his guards were killed. By the time Cheng Liang arrived with his Night Guards, the Dongchang guards and Song Yingsheng had already fled to Guangning.

After assessing the enemy's strength, Cheng Liang concluded that his hundred or so Night Warriors were no match for the thousands of Liaozhen troops. If the enemy cavalry were allowed to bypass his rear, these hundred elite Night Warriors would be completely wiped out. Finally, he ordered a retreat.

At the same time as Cheng Liang retreated, the roads to Fuzhou and Jinzhou were destroyed by Liaozhen. Shanhaiguan, Guangning, Jinzhou, Ningyuan and other places began to kill Kaiyuan merchants. Several outposts of the Liaodong Trading Company in western Liaoning were all eliminated due to untimely retreat.

In other words, before the Kaiyuan Navy rushed back to Liaohai from Korea, all the land and water routes from Liaodong to Shandong had been cut off by Zu Dashou.

Even if Ping Liaohou were to go out in person now, he would have no way to go to Shandong unless the Kaiyuan army conquered western Liaoning and controlled southern Liaoning.

Reports requesting help from Shanhaiguan, Guangning and other places were sent to the court like snowflakes. The generals and lieutenant generals from all over Liaoxi requested that elite border troops be sent to aid Liao, otherwise Liaodong would be lost and Liaoxi would fall into the hands of the rebel Liu Zhaosun.

Time seems to have gone back to three years ago.

Today's Kaiyuan of Liu Zhaosun is the Later Jin of Nurhaci.

The prophecy made by the Later Jin Khan on his deathbed finally came true.

The situation has developed to this point and the only solution is war.

In the living room of the General's Mansion, Liu Zhaosun looked at the dense crowd of heads and said in a firm tone:

"Liaoxi attacked Kaiyuan twice. I was merciful and gave Zu Dashou a chance, but I didn't expect him to go even further! This time, he teamed up with the East Factory to kill over 300 of our soldiers and civilians in Kaiyuan, and even tried to assassinate me. This is intolerable!"

Putting aside personal vendettas, the Liaoxi military families have always been a cancer on this land. This is especially true of the Zu family, who colluded with the Jiannu, embezzled Liao military pay, murdered the people, and forced Liao people to sell their children to satisfy their own selfish desires.

"I am determined to conquer Liaoxi. Once we have sufficient food and fodder and have fully mobilized our troops, we will immediately begin the battle!"

"Start the war! Kill Zu Dashou!"

"Occupy Guangning first, then Fuzhou!"

Everyone responded.

Liu Zhaosun looked at everyone in the hall with satisfaction until he saw Deng Changxiong hesitate to speak, as if he had something to say.

Deng Changxiong was removed from his post as commander of the Second Army and is now a guard of the Central Army.

"Commander Deng, please speak."

Everyone was shocked when they heard the word "army commander". It seemed that Ping Liaohou had decided to restore Deng Changxiong to his position as army commander.

Deng Changxiong raised his hand and saluted Ping Liaohou:

"General Liu, the five Imperial Guards just participated in the Battle of Hetuala and have only rested for two months. They are currently unable to receive new soldiers. If we fight again, I'm afraid we won't be able to fight."

Liu Zhaosun nodded. It was a fact that the Battle of Hetuala was too fierce and all armies suffered heavy casualties. For example, almost half of the Second Army suffered casualties.

Ping Liaohou looked at Qi Jin and asked this direct descendant of Qi Jiguang:
"If we start recruiting new soldiers now, when will they be ready for use?"

Qi Jin replied without hesitation:

"It won't be until March at the earliest. Flintlock rifles are complicated to operate, and three months of training wouldn't be enough for new recruits. Besides, it's still the Lunar New Year, so there aren't enough soldiers."

Liu Zhaosun looked around and asked anxiously:

"Is there no more fresh troops in Kaiyuan?"

Everyone looked at each other, speechless. In the second year of Taichang, the soldiers and cavalry had been fighting in the south and the north, and the fighting had almost never stopped. They were all exhausted, so how could they have any fresh troops?

At this moment, a Mongolian voice suddenly rang out in the living room. The voice was not loud, but everyone could hear it clearly.

"Sir General, are the foreign troops considered fresh troops?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a Mongolian merchant in the corner of the living room looking timidly at Ping Liaohou.

Liu Zhaosun smiled and nodded at him.

"Of course it counts. As long as you identify with me, you belong to Kaiyuan, regardless of whether you are Mongolian or Jurchen. What's your name?"

The Mongolian quickly replied:
"My name is Jirigel, and I'm from the Uriankhai tribe. I've been in Kaiyuan for three years. There are about three thousand Uriankhai people in Kaiyuan City, and they all obey the Heavenly Khan. We Uriankhai people and Khorchin people respectfully call you the Heavenly Khan because you defeated the ferocious Huduntu Khan (Lindan Khan) and saved the grasslands."

Liu Zhaosun stood up from his seat, greeted Jirigel in Mongolian, and looked at the Uriankhai people with his bright eyes.

"They haven't been defeated yet, but they will be soon. I will support the Khorchin people and let them preside over the new order of the grasslands."

Jirigelang said excitedly:

"General Liu, please allow me to return to the grasslands immediately and tell my people that the Khan is recruiting soldiers! All men above the wheelchair should march to Liaoxi. We will then rendezvous in Fushun. The Uriankhai people obey the orders of the Heavenly Khan."

"Khan, it's interesting to recruit more soldiers."

Tian Kehan muttered silently in his heart. After a moment, he looked up at the foreigners and said seriously:

"Alright, whether you're Mongols or Jurchens, anyone willing to fight for Kaiyuan must abide by Kaiyuan Military Law. You may plunder some of our ancestors' possessions, but you must not slaughter civilians! You must make this clear to the people of Tian Khan."

After Liu Zhaosun finished speaking, he glanced at everyone in the living room and said in an excited tone:
"In August, attack Liao. Mobilize all forces in Kaiyuan and strike Liaoxi with all your might. Destroy Zu Dashou and save General Anyuan!"

(End of this chapter)