Southern Ming, my destiny is too abstract

Chapter 63 Young General Wu Sangui

Yunnan, Kunming.

Central Yunnan enjoyed a period of peace as early as thirteen years ago after the Dashi Army pacified the entire province.

The Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty did not fight a major battle in Kunming.

Therefore, Kunming City has always been considered peaceful.

It was just that the soldiers in Wu Sangui's army enclosed land and extorted the rich, which caused some public resentment.

However, it did not affect the common people. Under Wu Sangui's rule over Yunnan and Yunnan as his own fiefdoms, the situation could barely be considered peaceful.

however.

As the King of Jin and the Emperor captured the capital of Toungoo, news came that Hongsawadi had been conquered.

Everyone knew that the Ming Dynasty not only did not perish, but instead became stable in a foreign country.

The peace in Kunming City was suddenly broken.

The King of Pingxi began to plunder and rob people of their grain, and the Eastern Tartars also tore off their hypocritical masks and began to commit crimes.

But he heard that the King of Jin had stationed troops at the border, preparing to counterattack and regain lost territory.

Soldiers began patrolling the city, enforcing curfews, and arresting thieves and spies.

And in one of the mansions.

The "scoundrels" that the Qing Dynasty's Wu Sangui was most wary of sat together.

Most of them were former officials of the Yongli Dashi regime and were loyal to the Ming Dynasty.

They were all important officials in the court who were forced to surrender to the Qing Dynasty because the emperor abandoned his country.

Zhang Zuochen, the Grand Secretary of the Dongge, Gong Yi, the Minister of Personnel, Sun Shun, the Minister of War, Wan Nian Ce, the Vice Minister of War, and others.

If Li Dingguo had not taken an offensive stance at the border, many old generals from Daxi would have come here for a gathering.

Now they are either sent to western Yunnan or they are not coming here to avoid suspicion.

Zhang Zuochen, the highest-ranking official, spoke first: "Duke Guang has also surrendered."

"Indeed, his wife and children are in the hands of Pingxi Bo. There is no hope for Hongsha if he is left alone."

Gong Yi snorted coldly: "The Emperor and Prince Jin are safe and sound. I heard that the Crown Prince is also a heroic and brave ruler, and the Ming Dynasty is about to be revived, but he shaved his head."

"Since the Jiashen Rebellion, countless people have lost their country and their families. Duke Guang He Jiuyi is truly worthy of being a bandit. He only cares about his own small family."

Zhang Zuochen took a look at the hair bun on Gong Yi's head and knew that he was referring to those of Yongli's old ministers who had shaved their heads.

Two years ago, the emperor fled to Hongsha, and they were at a loss as to where to go, so they had no choice but to surrender to the Qing.

On the contrary, Gong Yi was disappointed and wanted to return to his hometown to retire.

After hearing that Emperor Yongli was in Hongsha, he stayed in Yunnan and Yunnan, and instigated Na Song, the chieftain of Yuanjiang Prefecture, to rise up in rebellion against the Qing Dynasty.

It may be that the value of unity was promoted, or it may be that Yunnan is located on the border of China and has a complex ethnic group, so the shaving order was not enforced.

Gong Yi could also keep his hair openly.

Under their cover, they entered Kunming city to discuss matters.

Zhang Zuochen shook his head: "What's the point of talking about this now?"

"Minister Gong, Yelü Dashi of Western Liao spent his entire life without ever returning to the Central Plains."

"Even if the Crown Prince is as heroic as the Second Ancestor, the world's destiny has been determined, and it is difficult to go against the will of Heaven."

"Besides, who knows how much of this is true? Perhaps the Emperor and the Crown Prince have already perished, and the Prince of Jin has found a member of the royal family to exaggerate the story."

During the 17 years of the War of Resistance Against Qing, there was no shortage of local rebel forces supporting descendants of the Ming royal family, and many of them said that the Zhu family members under their command looked like Taizu.

At this moment, a strange look flashed across Liu Xuanchu's face as he sat in the corner, and he suddenly spoke:
"Duke Guangguo He Jiuyi arrived in Kunming the day before yesterday, and I met with him yesterday."

"He said the prince resembled the Second Ancestor and was far superior to Emperor Guangwu of Han. Jin Weixin considered him to be Emperor Taizong of Tang."

"In martial arts, he was able to beat the King of Jin to the point of vomiting blood with a single blow of his jade sceptre; in literary works, he was able to recite poetry and persuade the King of Jin to submit."

Liu Xuanchu recited two poems by Zhu Cixuan.

There was a sudden surprise in the hall.

Is this an enhanced version of Emperor Jiajing and the Second Ancestor?
If it’s so powerful, why not use it in Yunnan?

Of course, they also knew that they were making things difficult for the prince. The prince was only fifteen years old at that time, and Li Shimin didn't start fighting until he was seventeen years old.

Seeing that everyone wanted to ask more about Hongsha, Liu Xuanchu hurriedly raised his hand:
"I wanted to discuss this with Duke Guang, but Duke Pingxi suddenly sent someone with 50,000 taels of silver to ask Duke Guang to keep his family safe."

"I had no choice but to retreat back home."

Zhang Zuochen sighed deeply, "Pingxi Bo still treats us, the old ministers of the Ming Dynasty, well."

Gong Yi said sarcastically, "Of course it's not stingy. Ministers who defected to the Qing were given thousands of taels, and military officers who shaved their heads were given resettlement allowances ranging from tens of thousands of taels, depending on the number of troops they had." "During festivals, tributes and money were also given as rewards."

"Didn't you give six hundred taels of silver to Lord Zhang during the Chinese New Year not long ago?"

Zhang Zuochen was a little angry: "Gong Hemei, you should know that I am saying that Pingxibo may have ulterior motives for the Ming Dynasty. Why are you talking about all that nonsense?"

Liu Xuanchu hurried out to ease the situation: "This is the habit Pingxi Bo brought with him from Liaodong. He treats everyone equally, regardless of distance, to win over the hearts of the troops."

"He often entertained the generals of various towns in the palace, and from time to time he would distribute wine and food to the soldiers below."

"Of the over three million taels of military pay allocated to him by the Qing court, he directly distributed one million taels to the soldiers."

"He even gave the Governor of Yunnan and Dian, who had just arrived from the capital, 20,000 taels upon meeting him."

Liu Xuanchu pointed at himself and said, "For example, I followed King Shu Liu Wenxiu to recapture Sichuan and Shu, but failed and was captured by Pingxi Bo. That's when they used me."

"He let me sell myself to him and gave me three thousand taels."

"A few days ago, when the Ming Dynasty gained a foothold in Hongsha, Pingxi Bo summoned his military advisors to discuss countermeasures and wanted to use me."

"So Wu Guogui came with a contract to sell me and five thousand taels of silver, and wanted me to work for the Marquis of Pingxi."

"I already sold it once."

Everyone was speechless for a moment.

Regardless of their loyalty, Wu Sangui treated them very well and generously.

The allowances and benefits were far greater than those given during the Yongli Dynasty.

As a result, the old army of Dashi was willing to work for it.

Give those soldiers enough silver.

Don’t talk about the old master.

Even the Qing emperor would dare to do it.

Gong Yi also said sternly: "Zhang Gelao, you and I both know that the one who squandered money on the scholars was An Lushan."

"But now that the Ming Dynasty still exists and foreign threats are not eliminated, An Lushan is still in a position of power, so he will not rebel."

"Don't pin your hopes on Pingxibo."

"The Crown Prince is truly as the Duke of Guang said, a wise ruler like Emperor Taizong of Tang. We should assist him and rebuild the Ming Dynasty."

Liu Xuanchu hesitated and said, "I heard from Duke Guang that when Duke Huai Ma Bao was on a diplomatic mission to Hongsha, he saw the Crown Prince's actions and turned against the Crown Prince again."

Zhang Zuochen met Gong Yi's piercing gaze and hesitated for a moment: "We are here, of course, all with the Ming Dynasty in mind."

“But we are in Kunming. How can we travel thousands of miles to Hongshawadi?”

"Minister Gong, when you came here, you said that Elder Lei wanted to go to southern Yunnan to join forces with Duke Mu Tianbo of Qian, who was preparing to recapture the area there."

“But it’s difficult for us to even get to southern Yunnan.”

They were all ministers and cabinet ministers of the Yongli Dynasty, but they had the prime minister and chief minister above them.

Lei Yuelong was a Jinshi in the Wanli Dynasty. He had a bad relationship with Wei Zhongxian and was highly valued by Chongzhen.

After Qu Shisi and a group of Wanli veterans died for their country in the early Yongli Dynasty, he was the only Wanli Jinshi.

The 18-year-old Jinshi is now nearly 60 years old.

He and other court officials such as Hu Xuan have been wandering around the Sino-Myanmar border, waiting for news from the Emperor, Prince Jin.

It was only after Wu Sangui, the Marquis of Pingxi, received Mangbai's letter and sent troops to the border that they retreated to central Yunnan, Lei Yuelong's hometown.

Gong Yi said, "I have also received a letter from Fu Ge Lao. He will go from Guiqian to Hongshawadi."

Fu Gang, the second assistant of the Ming Dynasty.

After Yongli abandoned the country, the chief minister hid in the mountains, the second chief minister retired to his hometown, and the remaining ministers either surrendered to the Qing or lived in seclusion.

Gong Yi looked around at his colleagues who were concentrating on thinking.

"These days, local chieftains have been presenting Zhuge Liang's relics, claiming he was planning a rebellion. Wu Sangui had no choice but to send his troops early."

"After he left Kunming, we had the opportunity to go to southern Yunnan and even Hongshawadi."

After a long pause, Zhang Zuochen nodded slightly: "After being a Ming official for a lifetime, I'm still used to keeping my hair like you, Gong Hemei."

The others also responded.

They agreed to wait until Kunming was empty and then set off one after another.

Liu Xuanchu said, "I am in the army and it is inconvenient for me to leave without reason. I will try my best to stay in Kunming."

"Arrange the clearance documents for the adults and secretly send a message to inform the Crown Prince of Jin about the situation on Daiqing Gulun's side."

(End of this chapter)