The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 33 Liaozhen
Just as everyone was about to explode, they saw two servants escorting a civil servant towards them from afar.

Qiao Yiqi had stayed in Shenyang for some time and knew the local generals. He recognized Mao Yuanyi at a glance and saluted quickly:
"Brother Shimin, long time no see!"

By the time Mao Yuanyi reached his thirties, he was already Yang Hao's top aide. Familiar with the art of war and fond of field investigation, he was a rare man of action.

Historically, Mao Yuanyi was highly regarded by Sun Chengzong. In the second year of Chongzhen, he was promoted to deputy general due to his military achievements. He commanded the navy on Juehua Island and became good friends with Mao Wenlong and others.

"What does this mean, General Qiao? I'm just a commoner, how dare I accept such a generous gift!"

Mao Yuanyi returned the greeting to Qiao Yiqi.

The two were close friends, and Qiao Yiqi quickly helped him up. After a long series of official formalities, Mao Yuanyi looked up at Liu Zhaosun and said with a bow:

"General Liu, I'm the painter of the General's Mansion. My surname is Mao, my courtesy name is Yuanyi, and I'm also an old friend of General Qiao. The General specifically instructed me to come and pick up General Liu and his party. General Liu, please come in!"

Liu Zhaosun bowed to the aide as a return gesture.

Since the Eastern Incident, foreign troops from all directions have gathered in Liaodong, generals and lieutenant commanders are everywhere in Shenyang City, and guerrilla warfare is common.

I am just a small captain, and I am really not worthy of being on the stage.

Liu Zhaosun extended his hand and said please, letting Mao Yuanyi lead the way.

Kang Yingqian and Qiao Yiqi walked in front, while Liu Zhaosun, Jin Yinghe, Pei Dahu and others walked behind.

A team of servants from the Jinglüe Mansion led the way, holding broadswords and shouting fiercely at the Liao people who were blocking their way.

Liao soldiers on both sides of the street cast provocative glances towards this side from time to time.

Liu Zhaosun clenched his Miao Dao tightly and almost rushed forward to chop people several times, but was persuaded by Pei Dahu.

Below the shop, the Jurchen Liao people who had shaved their heads put down their work and looked at these southern soldiers coldly.

The servants of the Yang Mansion had red eyes and were sweating from gripping the heavy swords and muskets in their hands. A fight seemed inevitable.

Qiao Yiqi cursed loudly:

"These killers in Liaozhen can't distinguish between Chinese and barbarians. The slave bandits are about to attack Kaiyuan, and they've settled so many barbarians in Shenyang! Aren't you afraid they'll become accomplices?"

When Kang Yingqian, who was walking in front, heard this, he quickly put his finger on his lips and turned back to make a gesture to silence him.

"What? You're only allowed to do it, but not to talk about it?! Even though I came here from Nanzhili and haven't been in Liaodong for long, I know about the good deeds done by the Liaozhen generals!"

This time, Master Qiao came as a military supervisor with the original intention of clearing the land and making contributions to the country, but he almost lost his life in Sarhu. Now seeing the state of the Liao people, he was even more angry.

Seeing that he was getting more and more outrageous, everyone rushed forward to stop him.

Mao Yuanyi sighed and said:
"Don't be surprised, everyone. A few days ago, the Guangxi Wolf Army and the Liaozhen Army started fighting for the chicken. The battle stretched from Jingbian Gate to Ying'en Gate, alarming the entire city of Shenyang. Now the northern and southern soldiers are at odds with each other, so the General has ordered your troops to be stationed outside the city."

Liu Zhaosun laughed:
"Is it because of eating chicken again? Why do we Ming Dynasty soldiers always have a problem with chickens?"

Mao Yuanyi didn't know that the Dengzhou mutiny more than a decade later was also caused by a chicken. He was stunned for a moment:
"Governor Zhou couldn't control those soldiers, and it was only with the help of General He that the two sides were separated. Oh, and didn't that wolf soldier go to aid you?"

Everyone smiled awkwardly, and Kang Yingqian said helplessly:

"I haven't seen the Guangxi guy. I don't know where he went. Maybe he went to rob the Jiannu."

Everyone laughed.

The number of Liao soldiers on the street continued to increase, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Everyone stopped chatting and grasped their swords tightly. Liu Zhaosun pressed down his Ming helmet with his left hand, put his hand on the scabbard, and observed the surrounding environment. This was his usual action before a battle.

They walked north along South Street. The Arsenal, the Defense Office, the Censorate, the Guerrilla Office and the Treasury were all on the same street.

The gate of the yamen was densely packed with soldiers.

Some civil servants fanned themselves and sized up Liu Zhaosun and the others, a smug look on their faces. "Are you trying to show us your power?"

At the end of South Street, walking further east is the merchant street of Shenyang City. Noisy voices can be heard from afar. The street is crowded with people, and some merchants speaking Jurchen are selling furs and ginseng.

Jin Yinghe looked at these vendors in surprise and reached out to touch the arrows. He obviously thought these people were Tartars.

Kang Yingqian quickly stopped him:
"Liaodong was a necessary passage for the Jurchens to pay tribute and trade. During the Tianshun era, the imperial court established a 'Yiren Hall' in Liaoyang to accommodate the Jurchens who came to pay tribute. Because there were so many Jurchens, the court had to accommodate them among Han people. This is how it became, with tribute-paying Yi people living together with the Han people."

Mao Yuanyi added:

"General Kang is well-informed and knowledgeable, and is well-versed in the history of the imperial court. During the middle of the Jiajing reign, more tribute-paying barbarians were sent to the capital from Liaodong. In Shenyang, Han and barbarians mixed together. Over the past century, many Jurchens no longer speak the barbarian language, so it's not wrong to call him Han."

Liu Zhaosun nodded. The Han and Jurchens were infiltrating each other, and the situation in Shenyang was indeed complicated. Remembering that Mao Yuanyi was a weapons expert, he asked if he could manufacture red-coated cannons.

This 17th-century European-made, muzzle-loading smoothbore cannon was more powerful and had a longer range than the falconets currently in use by the Ming army. If it could be used against the Jiannu, it might yield unexpected rewards.

"What is the Red Cannon?"

Mao Yuanyi looked confused, obviously not knowing about such a thing.

Liu Zhaosun thought about it carefully for a while, patted his forehead, and then he remembered that Liaodong did not have such a magical weapon.

According to historical records, it wasn't until 1621, two years later, that Xu Guangqi petitioned the emperor to introduce red-haired cannons for use against the Later Jin. Twenty-six red-haired cannons were purchased from Macau and quickly shipped to Liaodong. Later, during the Battle of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan put the red-haired cannons to great use.

"Compared to the falconet, this cannon has a longer range, an adjustable firing angle, and different gunpowder dosages result in different ranges. It also has a front sight and rear sight."

Liu Zhaosun gestured and talked for a long time, but Mao Yuanyi still looked confused and gradually lost interest.

Liu Zhaosun decided to stimulate the young staff, so he said nonsense:
"One cannonball destroyed dozens of miles! The hole it fired split the stone city! The men and horses were instantly shattered! Shattered into pieces!"

"Ah! So sharp, is there a sketch?!"

"I'll draw it for you tonight. It shouldn't be difficult."

······
Everyone chatted and laughed along the way and soon arrived at the governor's residence.

The former headquarters of the Central Guard Commander in Shenyang City now housed the residence of Yang Hao, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and Governor of Liaodong. The hall was filled with military uniforms, with Yang Hao and the Imperial Censor Chen Yuting seated at the head. Though the two gentlemen sat side by side, their expressions differed markedly. The Governor was beaming, busy chatting with the surrounding military officers, while Chen Yuting, beside him, seemed preoccupied.

After the disastrous defeat at Sarhu, no one mentioned the sweeping of holes and plowing of the court that everyone had always been thinking about.

In the direction of Kaiyuan and Tieling, Jiannu scouts appeared one after another. They were members of the Bordered Yellow Banner.

The only general still able to fight in the field in Shenyang City was General He Shixian.

During the Battle of Sarhu, He Shixian served as Li Rubai's deputy general and accompanied the army. Upon hearing that Liu Jing had been ambushed, he persuaded Li Rubai to rescue him. After Li Rubai's defeat, He Shixian was soon promoted to deputy governor and commander-in-chief of Liaoyang, now stationed at Hupiyi.

Hupi Posthouse is only sixty miles away from Shenyang, and sixty miles away from Liaoyang and Shenyang respectively. It is an important posthouse connecting Liaoyang and Shenyang. He Shixian had also heard the news of the triumphant return of the Eastern Army, and he could not help but look up to this adopted son of Liu Jing. Yesterday, he was summoned by Yang Hao to come to Shenyang for a discussion, so he hurried here.

News came from the capital that the emperor had finally decided to allocate more Liao funds to Liaozhen, and at the same time ordered the Sichuan and Zhejiang troops to prepare for reinforcements. The white-pole soldiers under the command of Qin Bangping and his brother Qin Minping were gathering, and Qi Jin also gathered 6,000 Zhejiang soldiers, preparing to go north to aid Liao.

Once the troops were dispatched to aid the Liao, the Ministry of Revenue would have to pay for their food and expenses. This put a great deal of pressure on the Ministry, which repeatedly postponed the dispatch of troops from various regions to aid the Liao. Instead, it demanded that the Liao garrison and its various armies begin the battle as soon as possible. The Emperor and the Ministry of War kept urging Yang Hao to recover the lost territory and save the people.

Yang Hao had no soldiers and was useless. The military leaders in Liaozhen had long since stopped buying his ideas. Yang Hao used to have the emperor's support, but now the emperor has blamed the general. Everyone can see that Yang Hao will not live long.

The title of Liaodong Governor is no longer enough to suppress anyone.

In the lobby there were also the military inspector Zheng Zhifan, the guerrilla commanders from Shenyang and Liaoyang, and the guerrillas from Jizhou. Behind them were officers of the rank of Qianzong or above.

When the handsome and burly Liu Zhaosun just walked into the hall, many generals and officers in the hall nodded to him.

Yang Hao glanced at Liu Zhaosun with a smile, his eyes swept over the crowd, and he said:

"Everyone, three of our four armies have suffered crushing defeats. The battle is raging, and the enemy is already in Kaiyuan. Do you have any good plans?"

(End of this chapter)