Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 148: Plan to conquer Liaodong?

On the first day of April, Liu Zongzhou, the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, reported: "When my predecessor, Wang Shouren, was pacifying Nangan, he implemented the Ten-House Card Law to eliminate the root causes of 'banditry.' The law was very concise and its impact was very extensive. Today, from the capital to the three prefectures, martial law is in effect everywhere. All counties and prefectures across the country are under threat of danger. Recruitment and payment are scarcely a day off. Nine out of ten households are homeless, and the officials do not know how to appease them. They are bound to become 'bandits.'"

"…At this time, it is truly appropriate to implement the Baojia system. Following the advice of the ancient scholars, I have compiled a book called "Baojia Matters" and, incorporating the ten articles from Taizu's "Teaching the People," have compiled it into a single volume, entitled "Baomin Instructions." I ask His Majesty to instruct all, from the Imperial Censors of the Five Cities to the officials of the prefectures and counties, to strictly adhere to it."

"...The Emperor grants permission."

On April 12, Liu Xingzhi, the acting commander of Dongjiang Town, and his brother Liu Xingji attended the funeral of Liu Xingzuo, and other generals went to offer their condolences. Deputy General Chen Jisheng also arrived, but Liu Xingzhi ambushed him and captured him. They engaged in a sword-and-axe confrontation, decapitating him. That same day, Liu Yinghe, the imperial envoy and magistrate, and over a hundred others also perished on the scene.

"…Pi Island was then controlled by Liu Xingzhi."

Zhong Minghui gently placed the copied court report on the table, then leaned back in the soft chair and fell into deep thought.

In October last year, the Later Jin broke through the Jizhou Great Wall, the weakest part of the Ming Dynasty's northeastern border defense, and then captured the Longjing Pass, Da'ankou, Hanerzhuang, Malanyu, Hongshankou and other fortress passes. The Ming army in Jizhou was completely defeated.

After a short rest of several days, the Later Jin army attacked Zunhua again, and then sent out a part of the decoy troops to confuse the elite cavalry from Liaodong led by Yuan Chonghuan who came to rescue them. The main force continued to advance until it reached the capital, shocking the Ming Dynasty court and the public.

Not long afterward, Emperor Chongzhen imprisoned Yuan Chonghuan on the grounds that he was suspected of colluding with the Tatars, in order to investigate his actions.

Those who know the general trend of history naturally know the final fate of General Yuan. He was sentenced to slow slicing and died tragically in the West Market of the capital.

Not to mention the impact his death would have on the evolution of the situation in Liaodong, the fate he encountered alone greatly chilled the hearts of many Liaodong military generals.

Despite his status as the commander-in-chief of Ji and Liao, and his traditional literary background, he still ended up like this. How could those "vulgar" soldiers not be frightened?

This Emperor Chongzhen really dared to kill people!

There are many different opinions as to whether Yuan Chonghuan's death was unjust, and it is difficult to make a conclusion easily.

Although "not allowing the enemy to cross Jixi" was enough reason to sentence him to death, the law is nothing more than human feelings. Moreover, Yuan Chonghuan's ability and sense of responsibility were exactly what the court needed, and even related to the survival of the Ming Dynasty.

The Later Jin army invaded the important area of ​​the capital. Although the Tartars did not pass through the area under the jurisdiction of General Yuan, someone needed to be held responsible for this matter, but this person should definitely not be Yuan Chonghuan.

Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen could have ten thousand reasons to want him dead, and similarly, he could have various reasons to prove that he was still valuable if he wanted him to live. It just depended on what decision Emperor Chongzhen made.

So, what should the generals and officers at all levels in the Liaodong towns do when facing the invasion of the Tatars?
Fight, but can't.

It is hard to defend.

If there is even the slightest flaw and the Tatars attack the border and seize the camp, the imperial court will hold them accountable and they will be killed at will.

Oh, how disheartening! The situation in Liaodong is probably getting worse.

In fact, after General Yuan beheaded Mao Wenlong, the general of Dongjiang Town, the situation in Liaodong began to fluctuate last year.

Because, without Mao Wenlong's restraint, the Later Jin had fewer worries and could gather a large army, attack the Guanning Defense Line, attack Mongolia, or take a detour to break into the interior of the country, acting more and more recklessly.

Regardless of whether Marshal Mao falsely reported his military achievements or how much serious damage Dongjiang Town could cause to the Tatars, as long as they existed behind the Tatars, they could play a certain restraining role.

The Dongjiang Town led by Mao Wenlong could not only roam freely on the sea, but also hang over the throat of the Tatars' rear supply line, making them feel like a thorn in their back.

Although their military strength was limited and their combat effectiveness was questionable, they were able to effectively tie down the Tatars' forces through guerrilla warfare, harassment and other tactics, providing important support for the Ming Dynasty's defense in Liaodong.

As a result, Mao Wenlong was killed, and Dongjiang Town fell into a chaotic situation of frequent infighting, and could no longer constitute a restraint on the Tartars. Finally, the Tartars, with the cooperation of the Korean navy, defeated it in one fell swoop, and tens of thousands of people were slaughtered.

"Why, are you thinking of rescuing Pi Island?" Meng Shengxin looked at Zhong Minghui's determined expression and immediately jumped up from his chair. "Are you crazy? With our limited strength, there's no way we can save Dongjiang Town!"

"It's said that right now, there are tens of thousands of Han Chinese from Liaodong on the tiny island of Pi, all of them fleeing from the Tartars." Zhong Minghui's expression was grave. "They've braved every danger to escape, finally having a chance to survive. But if Pi Island is unstable and the generals fight among themselves, it's only a matter of time before the Tartars take advantage and we fall into ruin."

"I know, I know." Meng Shengxin patted his shoulder and said, "The problem is, we don't have enough power to save everything right now. We can't just send all our few ships to the waters near Pi Island to help them stop the Tatars or the Korean navy, right?"

"Coach Meng, you may have misunderstood me," Zhong Minghui said. "I'm not trying to save Dongjiang Town, nor am I trying to prevent Pi Island from being captured by the Tartars. I'm trying to exchange food for the Liaodong refugees on the island, thereby increasing our immigration sources."

"Qiming Island has a mild climate in the summer and cold in the winter, so immigrants from Guangdong will inevitably feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, in recent years, we have only been transferring immigrants from Guangdong. This is too narrow a region, and it is likely that they will form clusters, which will be detrimental to our future management and deployment."

"The tens of thousands of Liaodong refugees on Pi Island have long lived in a harsh and cold environment. Transporting them to Qiming Island will help them quickly adapt to the local environment and climate. Furthermore, by dispersing them and mixing them with the Guangdong immigrant community, it will also effectively prevent the problem of regional groups forming clusters."

"More importantly, after fleeing and struggling for survival, the Liaodong refugees have become resilient and possess a certain spirit of endurance and hardship. Surviving in the harsh environment of Pi Island, they have come into contact with Dongjiang garrison troops, and quite a few have even seen blood. With a little training, they can become excellent fighters."

"Because, at some point in the future, we will inevitably have to fight the Spanish, and when that time comes, we will have to mobilize all available troops. With the arrival of these resilient and courageous Liaodong refugees, won't we have a better chance of victory? At the very least, we can select some cavalrymen who are skilled in charging on horseback, thereby strengthening our mobile warfare capabilities."

"..." Meng Shengxin pondered for a moment after hearing this, then nodded slightly. "Minghui, your idea is very far-sighted, and I support it. However, we still need to consult Wei Yingbin and others after the immigrant fleet arrives in Guangzhou to see if it is feasible."

"This should be a promising area," Zhong Minghui said with a smile. "In the future, if we gain a certain level of strength, we can even go a step further and find a small island off the coast of Liaodong and turn it into an immigration transit point. As long as we provide sufficient food and weapons, we can train the Liaodong refugees we have recruited and organize them into troops."

"This way, we can not only defend the islands we occupy, but also take advantage of the Tartars' unpreparedness to raid the coastal villages and towns of Liaodong, exerting some military pressure on them. Back then, Mao Wenlong established Dongjiang Town with only a few dozen men, commanding thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of people, creating a considerable situation. With this precedent, we might as well follow suit!"

(End of this chapter)