The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 479: Iron Teeth and Bronze Fangs Ji Xiaolan? ?

On the 16th day of the first lunar month, just after the Lantern Festival, Mo Zibu summoned all civil and military officials.

The war of unification to regain the country cannot be delayed any longer. The sooner we unify, the more things we will have to do.

For example, the management of the Yellow River, the stability of the northwest, the release of the Solon, Barhu, and Xibai peoples to curb the activities of Russian Cossacks in the Xianbei wilderness, etc.

In particular, the management of the Yellow River and the "greening" of the Northwest have reached a point where they cannot be delayed any longer.

"Your Majesty, the five armies, including the Beijing Camp Yangwei, have begun to assemble in Xuzhou, including three cavalry regiments recruited in Huaishang, totaling 4,500 men.

At the same time, according to intelligence, the Qing Dynasty did not deploy a large number of cavalry in Henan, and there were not even many Eight Banners soldiers in Henan.

Therefore, if we use our cavalry to launch a surprise attack, it will not be a problem for us to control the riverbanks on the riverbeds around Kaifeng."

Chen Guangyao was in charge of the cleanup in Huguang, Chen Lian was in the Indian Ocean, and Wang Wubing was in Xiangyang.

Therefore, Reinstein had to be the vanguard into the Central Plains again, but the commander of the army was Mo Zibu, and this time Emperor Mo was going to lead the army in person.

What Mo Zibu was most worried about was that the Qing Dynasty would be so ruthless as to dig up the Yellow River embankment. Therefore, in order to stabilize the Qing Dynasty, Mo Zibu had never shown any tendency to attack to the north.

I have no intention of attacking, but you can't just tear down the Yellow River embankment for nothing.

So now that we are going to attack, we must take Kaifeng as quickly as possible to prevent any damage to the Yellow River dike.

Mo Zibu nodded and said, "Zuoge, your Xiongnu cavalry will move together with the Huainan and Huaibei cavalry regiments. You will follow their marching routes, but they will follow your instructions regarding the specific operations."

Zog is Major General Rákócs Zog from Hungary. Now these Hungarian cavalrymen who believe that they are returning to their ancestral land have begun to localize.

The 12th Army of the Beijing Camp of Dayu recruited three cavalry regiments in the Jianghuai area, with each regiment having 1,500 combat soldiers. If auxiliary soldiers are included, the total number of soldiers is more than 3,000, which is a high-level configuration at the regimental level in the Dayu army.

Among them, the Huainan Regiment was mainly composed of people from Shouzhou and Fengyang, which is the area of Bengbu and Huainan in later generations. The captain of the regiment was Yang Kaijia, a native of Shouzhou.

The Huaibei regiment was mainly composed of people from Sizhou, Suzhou and Xuzhou, and the regiment commander was Dong Jinfeng from Hefei.

Both of them were military scholars in the Qing Dynasty. Among them, Dong Jinfeng was the military third place winner in the Wuxu examination in the 1778rd year of Qianlong's reign (), and was considered to be skilled in archery and horse riding.

Of course, in this time and space, they did not take the imperial examinations of the Qing Dynasty. Instead, when the Xing Tang Army was recruiting in the Beijing camp, they brought the knights from their hometown who were good at riding to join the army.

The remaining regiment was the Huai'an regiment, which was recruited from Huai'an, Haizhou and other places. The regiment commander was Zhu Wenjie, who was brought by Mo Zibu from Guiren.

As the birthplace of the Nian Army in history, gangs that acted like civilians when inside and bandits when outside had actually begun to appear in the Huaishang area at that time.

However, since they did not experience the four bursting of the Yellow River in the next six years, the living environment in Huaibei and Huainan was not so bad, so the population was not so large.

If I were really born during the Taiping Rebellion, with Dayu around, twenty cavalry regiments probably wouldn't be enough to recruit.

But it was not without advantages. Since muskets were not as popular as they were eighty years later, the riding and shooting abilities of these Huaishang cavalry were slightly better than those of later generations.

The only shortcoming is that mules and donkeys account for almost half of the Huaishang cavalry, and there are not enough high-quality war horses to equip them. Dayu does not have a good horse farm yet.

After arranging the cavalry, Wu Shixiu, the governor of the Five Military Commandery, reported the situation in Xiangyang again. Wang Wubing and Ye Xianchun prepared to act separately.

Wang Wubing led the main forces of Hubei and Jiangxi provinces and the Beijing Camp Liwei Army, totaling 20,000 people, to attack the Nanyang-Ruzhou-Luoyang line in the north.

Ye Xianchun led two regiments of the Shenwei Army of the Beijing Camp and the Changde Town of the Hunan Town Army, a total of 8,000 people, to attack Yunyang. After defeating the Hunyuan Christians, they headed westward towards southern Shaanxi, preparing to attack Shaanxi.

"Chen Xu, have the rumors been spread? What's the effect?" After listening to the report from Xiangyang, Mo Zibu asked Chen Xu, the commander of the Jinyiwei beside him.

The rumors spread by Mo Zibu were specifically aimed at the Qing Dynasty. The general content was that our Dayu Navy was sent to the Indian Ocean to cooperate with France and England in the war, and suffered considerable losses. They are currently in India and cannot return.

The purpose of spreading this rumor was to make the Qing Dynasty complacent, because at this point, there was no need to fight all the way from Henan and Hebei by land.

Mo Zibu decided to send a fleet to attack Huanglong directly, rush to Beijing from Dagukou, and eliminate most of the Qing forces in one battle.

"Your Majesty, the Northern Pacification Office has dispatched all its elite forces and also mobilized some Han officials in Shuntian Prefecture in the capital. The effect is very good. Even the defense of Dagukou in Tianjin Prefecture has been relaxed a lot."

Mo Zibu nodded in satisfaction and looked at Tanka No. 2. "How is the navy preparing? Do you have any good suggestions?"

Tanka No. 2 was a bit excited. It would be a lie if he wasn't excited about reclaiming the capital. "The Zhongzheng King and the Gaozu Emperor have just completed their sea trials. It's a bit risky to send them out together.

I suggest that the elite officers and soldiers of the two ships be selected to be combined into one ship, and only one third-class battleship be dispatched. Anyway, the Qing Dynasty does not have many warships.

The remaining three fifth-class sailing cruisers and fifteen soft and hard sailing ships can be deployed. I have also selected seven Dutch and Portuguese who have been to Bohai Bay for surveys to serve as guides to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

After listening to the report from Tankaer, Mo Zibu's thoughts became a little vague. The naming method of the Chinese Navy's warships needed to be changed.

Because there is a disadvantage of naming warships after real names, for example, the Zhongzheng Wang, everyone knows that it refers to Chen Shangchuan. If it sinks in battle, especially if it is captured, the impact will be very bad.

Not to mention the name Mo Zhongjian, which was named after Mo Zibu's great-grandfather, Emperor Gaozu of Dayu, Mo Shiping.

Tankaer didn't notice that Mo Zibu was distracted. He thought Mo Zibu was thinking, so he continued:

"The Northern Pacification Office has already contacted the Yuan family in Shandong. They persuaded the Green Camp soldiers of the Weihai Inspection Office to allow the fleet to make a brief stop in Weihai Port for repairs and replenishment.

Therefore, I suggest that we bring more transport ships and dispatch at least 15,000 elite troops.

When we land in Tianjin, the greatest danger is the fort at Dagukou. Bringing more elite troops can first capture the fort and then cover the navy's entry into the port."

Mo Zibu nodded. In the end, the decisive factor in this naval battle would still be the land battle.

"Wu Shixiu, immediately discuss with Tanka Er and transfer the Longxiang Guards Cavalry Regiment and the Yulin Guards Left Regiment to the Navy.

Also, detach a squadron from the main fleet to capture Yuguan Pass. Then, just wait and see. I estimate that after the main army marches north, many bannermen will flee from the capital to the border areas."

Yuguan is Shanhaiguan. At present, the Qing Dynasty has moved the bannermen outside the pass, and it is estimated that there will be more battles.

The military meeting lasted until night, and this time Mo Zibu planned to attack in three directions.

Army generals Wang Wubing and Ye Xianchun left Xiangyang.

He led the main force through Xuzhou and westward across the Yellow River into Henan.

The navy went straight to Huanglong.

Mo Zibu even ordered the maintenance of the Grand Canal and recruited idle canal workers to serve as transport laborers.

Because Emperor Mo had already sensed that Henan, which had been ravaged multiple times and whose economic conditions were already poor, was very likely to suffer a major famine, so he prepared some relief food in advance to avoid being in a hurry when the time came...

The capital, Shuntian Prefecture.

The sky was gray and the snow was not very thick, but the streets in the city were far less easy to walk on than in previous years.

Because now it’s not like before, there are no people who always sweep the snow off the streets.

A Manchu man wearing a dog-skin coat and a melon-shaped hat was walking on the snow-covered street and fell down as he just walked out of the door. No one had cleared the snow, and the snow underneath had been trampled into ice, making it extremely slippery.

"Alas, this Qing Empire is about to go crazy. Near the foot of the Imperial City, hey, no one has cleared the snow. If His Majesty could still make the decision, who knows how many people would have to suffer the consequences."

Even an ordinary bannerman knew that the Qing Dynasty would not last long, so Heshen and others, who held a lot of power and were at the center of power, naturally knew it as well.

Look, apart from keeping Qianlong firmly in his hands, he ignored everything else and threw it all to the sixth prince Yongrong, as if this power was very hot to the touch.

"Master Ji has a good appetite! He's given me two pounds of pork head, a roast chicken, and a pound of fine wine. An ordinary man in his sixties wouldn't be able to eat all that."

Ji Yun and Ji Xiaolan's appearance does bear some resemblance to Zhang Guoli, with a long, sleek braid, a chubby face, a head that is slightly larger than an average person's, and a broad, shiny forehead.

Heshen was actually a handsome young man with a certain elegance. In the words of later generations, he had a somewhat melancholic literary temperament and a slim figure, unlike Ji Yun who was fat.

The ages of the two men were not as close as in the Iron Teeth and Bronze Teeth Ji Xiaolan, but were more than twenty years apart. Ji Yun was fifty-six years old this year, and Heshen was only thirty years old.

At this time, there were two things about Ji Yun that were talked about by people of his time. However, it was not his literary talent, but the fact that he could eat three or four pounds of pork in one meal, and that he still had the energy to mess with the maids at home when he was over fifty.

Seeing Heshen suddenly arrive without any notice, Ji Yun could only smile bitterly and simply asked the servants to leave.

Seeing this, Heshen also asked the guards to leave the room. The two had been arguing for several months, and today they were finally going to tell the truth.

"My Lord, Ji is deeply favored by the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty and has no connection with the South.

You are a noble of the Bannermen, an important official in the Central Government, and you have to deal with countless affairs every day. Why don't you just let me go? Why do you want to put a useless scholar like me to death?"

He Shen smiled faintly, "Master Ji, honest people don't speak in secret, why bother to act out such a sad story right away.

The Qing Dynasty was declining and could no longer support as many Hanlin scholars as before. A large number of Han officials either abandoned their posts and fled, or went south to join Mo Guangzhong.

Only you are still guarding this imperial city. Don't tell me you are truly loyal."

After He Shen finished speaking, he saw Ji Yun opening his mouth to refute, and suddenly raised his hand to stop his argument and continued:

"I didn't say that Lord Ji was Mo Guangzhong's accomplice, but I know that you must have ways to protect yourself.

I am willing to pay 100,000 taels of silver just for Master Ji to share this secret with me. If I can successfully escape this disaster, I will reward you handsomely in the future."

Ji Yun swallowed secretly. Their Ji family was not particularly wealthy, and one hundred thousand taels of silver was already an astronomical figure.

He is not some upright official who doesn't love money, and he doesn't have the ability to remain unmoved even if mountains of gold and silver are thrown at him.

He Shen didn't notice Ji Yun swallowing his saliva, but he saw the hesitation on Ji Yun's face. He took two steps towards Ji Yun, grabbed Ji Yun's left hand with his right hand, and pleaded in a low voice:
"Mr. Shi Yun, I am only thirty years old. Although I don't have an eighty-year-old mother at home, I do have young children. I don't want my whole family to die.

Mr. Shi Yun, I know you must have a good plan. Please have mercy and save my family."

As Heshen spoke, tears streamed down his face and he actually knelt down and kowtowed to Ji Yun.

Shit! Ji Yun was a little shocked. He quickly stood up and supported He Shen. After observing for a while, he felt that it was indeed not a trick. Then Ji Yun asked in disbelief:

"The Qing still has half of its territory and over a hundred thousand soldiers. How could Heshang think his life is in danger?"

"Half the country, a hundred thousand soldiers, all are meaningless in the face of the great trend.

In the past, when the Eight Banners Army entered the Central Plains, the Han areas were still occupied by Li Zicheng and the bandits with hundreds of thousands of troops, and the Ming court also controlled half of the country. What was the use?
Moreover, at this time, the main force of the imperial court had been almost wiped out in Beihe. After decades of fighting, all the brave men in the bannermen had been wiped out.

He looks like a big, strong man now, but his steps are weak. If he gets hit by a punch, he might die instantly. Moreover, the country is ruled by foreigners, and it is far worse than the late Ming Dynasty."

After listening to this, Ji Yun was silent for a long time. After a long while, he finally said, "My Lord, I really have no connection with the south."

When Heshen heard Ji Yun say this, his face suddenly darkened.

However, Ji Yun continued, "But I have an idea that should be very useful. I wonder if you are willing to try it."

He Shen nodded quickly when he heard this, "Master Ji, please tell me. No matter what method you use, I am willing to give it a try."

Ji Yun coughed. He felt very happy to see such a powerful person being so humble in front of him.

"Ji Mou discovered that the Emperor Guangzhong in the south was very fond of antiques. These antiques did not refer to gold, silver, jade, or other valuables, but rather ancient books and paintings.

Emperor Guangzhong seemed to have a hysterical desire. Even if it was an ancient manuscript that did not record anything valuable, he would still want to collect it.

Even if it was a book banned by past dynasties or a harmful book written by a heretical sect, he did not despise it, as if he was afraid that these things would suddenly disappear."

Ji Dayanpai's words were truly inspired. At Mo Zibu's request, he established the Siku Quanshu Compilation Life-Saving Alliance, and they really saved even a single piece of paper.

This is something that Chinese people who have not experienced the First Opium War before 1840 cannot understand. Only by understanding the humiliating history of more than a hundred years can we know how many precious cultural relics, especially ancient books and paintings, the Chinese have lost in this century.

Oh, no, in addition to this dark period of more than a hundred years, there was also the catastrophe caused by the Siku Quanshu.

Before he traveled through time, Mo Zibu felt very uncomfortable every time he thought about these things. Now that he has the opportunity to change history, he naturally wants to pay 100% attention to it, so his seemingly perverted and extreme demands are understandable.

"What does Lord Ji mean?" Heshen asked uncertainly.

"This Shuntian Prefecture in the capital was not damaged much during the transition from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Over the past four or five hundred years from the Ming Dynasty to the present, countless precious ancient books, paintings, and so on have been hidden in the Forbidden City.

If Heshang can preserve them, and even protect the capital from being destroyed, it would be a great achievement.

If this can be accomplished, not only will it not be impossible for him to survive, but he will also be able to continue to rise to prominence in the new dynasty!
To be honest with you, my Lord, the reason I stayed in this imperial city was to preserve the Yongle Encyclopedia and some of the collected ancient books. If I can preserve them, I won't have to worry about finding a way forward."

After listening to this, He Shen thought for a while and then suddenly became overjoyed. "Your Excellency's grace in saving my life, I will never forget it."

Ji Yun also breathed a sigh of relief. If he could really persuade Heshen, it would be a great achievement. He might even get a title.

(End of this chapter)