Chapter 304: The Chongzhen Office presents the prisoner
"Take a rest!" Shuzhen walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands and calling to the man who was repairing the fence.
Han Zhong smiled and nodded, but without stopping, he said, "It'll be ready soon. I won't have much work in the afternoon, so take a good rest."
Shuzhen stepped forward and handed over the towel, "Wipe your sweat, don't let the cold wind blow."
Han Zhong reached out to take it, wiped it casually, put it on his shoulder, and while tying the fence, he said casually: "When children are growing up, especially Xiaoya, they can't make do with eating and drinking. A
If you taste meat at least twice a month, you should have enough money."
Shuzhen said: "The government issues it more than twice a month. I also bought duck chicks this year and am waiting for the government to transport them back from Shandong."
Han Zhong chuckled and said: "You are very good at managing housework, but I'm afraid you are too frugal. In the army, you eat more meat and fish than at home."
Shuzhen said: "You are going to march and fight, so you can't afford to eat badly. Don't worry at home, the food is not bad. Look at Xiaoya, her cheeks are bulging."
Han Zhong nodded, relieved and happy.
With a family, Shuzhen was very virtuous, and her son also had long-term care. Han Zhong felt more at ease in the army and was more energetic.
He did not regret joining the army to fight, nor did he think about when he would be able to retire and go home. Home and family made Han Zhong feel the meaning of his joining the army.
The fields here have been recovered, and the people can cultivate and live a life, which is protected by their soldiers. What else makes him feel more proud and proud than seeing his family and people being able to eat and drink well and live in peace of mind?
On the village road, Han Shantong and Xiaoya came over chatting and laughing. Xiaoya had candy in her mouth. It was her favorite taste and favorite snack.
"This one is sweeter than last time." Xiaoya smiled until her eyes turned into crescent moons.
Han Shantong smiled and said: "As long as you are obedient and buy whatever you want, it's not expensive."
Han Zhong's salary is almost enough to feed a person for a year. Shuzhen is also diligent and makes a lot of military shoes and socks, so she can earn a few taels of military coupons a year.
Most of the harvest from the fields can be saved. In just one year in Jinzhou, the family has been saved.
Xiaoya started running, and Han Shantong hurriedly followed. Outside the wall of his courtyard, Xiaoya stopped and shouted: "Daddy."
When Han Zhong heard this address, his heart felt hot and his throat felt stiff, and he nodded in agreement.
He didn't know that this was the effect of sugar, a reward from his son for Xiaoya's obedience. The familiar name reminded him of his daughter who died in infancy, and the sound of her name was so crisp and close.
Shuzhen was a little surprised, but she was more filled with joy. Her daughter never changed her tune. Although Han Zhong spent most of his time in the army and didn't spend much time together, she was a little entangled about it.
It's fine now. With this first sound, there will be no more obstacles in the future.
This was not just a simple title, but Xiaoya accepted and approved of her new father. This was what Shuzhen was most surprised about.
This is a real family, formed again after adversity, and the relationship will surpass blood ties.
"Mom, I'm hungry." Han Shantong added, making Shuzhen almost shed tears.
"The meal will be ready soon, I, I'll go and take a look." Shuzhen's voice was a little trembling, she turned around and walked quickly to the kitchen, wiping the corners of her eyes unnoticed.
Han Zhong wiped his hands, picked up Xiaoya, and talked with a smile on his face. From time to time, he stretched out his hand to pinch the chubby little face.
Xiaoya giggled, watching Han Shantong wink at her, and remembering that he still had candy in his pocket, she called "Daddy" again.
Hey, hey! Han Zhong agreed repeatedly, his eyes a little moist.
Originally, she looked nothing like her daughter who died in infancy, but when she looked at her every day, she could see some familiar features, especially the giggle and the milky "Daddy" sound.
Han Shantong smiled happily. His father had never been so joyful since he escaped from the slave-ruled area.
The cute girl is back again, her mouth is sweet, and her brother keeps screaming, which is heard in the ears and in the heart.
I have grown up, and I will definitely be able to take good care of Xiaoya. In the future, I will serve as a soldier and a general, and like my father, I will protect my family and kill the slaves to avenge them.
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Dalian Port has expanded several piers, and the sails are dotted on the sea in the distance.
Guo Dajing withdrew his gaze and stared at the shipyard down the mountain.
Inside the ship, the craftsmen were busy, and there was a lively scene. The sound of lifting wood and the sound of axes and saws could be heard far away.
"The large sand ships are more suitable for the northern coast." Zhang Tao played with the telescope in his hand and said slowly: "The two Western-style ships are more suitable for distant seas and deep seas. Of course, loading red barbarian cannons is the best.
"
Guo Dajing nodded and said: "To be able to carry 30,000 officers and soldiers at one time, and to be as safe as possible, we can't use the previous small boats, and the medium-sized ones can only be made."
Although the navy of Dongjiang Town is the strongest presence in the Yellow and Bohai Sea, it actually plays a small role, especially after occupying Jinzhou as its development base.
However, Guo Dajing never stopped investing in the Navy, and Operation Qinwang created favorable conditions for the development of the Navy.
Sending tens of thousands of officers and soldiers, as well as war horses, supplies, etc., across the sea is a great test for the navy. The number of ships and the quality of the sailors must be carefully considered.
If it really doesn't work, it can only be loaded and transported in two times, with a time interval of about half a month. This is the plan that Guo Dajing adopted because he really had no choice.
Zhang Tao nodded and said: "I sent people to Qinhuangdao to survey the hydrology, and the preliminary results are satisfactory. The harbor is wide and deep, the waves are calm, and it does not freeze or silt all year round. It is a good natural port."
Qinhuangdao Port is adjacent to Yanshan Mountain in the north, Laolongtou where the Great Wall flows into the sea in the east, and Beidaihe River in the west. The geographical conditions are quite favorable, but it has not yet been developed and utilized.
"As a businessman, can you start construction in Qinhuangdao first? Even if it is a simple trestle and pier, that would be great!" Guo Dajing had already explained, and he was hopeful in his heart. He didn't know if it would be possible.
Zhang Tao thought for a while and said: "It would be safer to ask southern businessmen for this matter. Someone with a Liaodong accent may suspect that he is a spy for the slave establishment."
Guo Dajing said: "This is easy to handle. Just send a few people from the Lin family to take the lead. Even if you don't use the Lin family, it's no problem to find Shandong businessmen."
Zhang Tao chuckled twice and said: "King Qin raided the slaves, this is really a big deal! For this reason, I also want to go to Qinhuangdao to have a look, familiarize myself with the sea route, and ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Guo Dajing cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhang."
Zhang Tao waved his hand casually and said: "No need to be polite, who among us is following whom?"
"These machines are good." Zhang Tao pointed to the large pulleys erected in the shipyard and said: "It is also installed on the ship. It is very convenient to load and unload some heavy weapons and cargo."
Guo Dajing gave a helpless smile and said: "Unfortunately, even if the Hongyi cannon can be moved to land, it is not suitable for use in this operation."
When traveling long distances, speed is important, and the baggage should not be too heavy. Large vehicles and small vehicles will not only waste time, but also slow down the speed of travel.
Zhang Tao also knew this truth, but he was still very happy because Guo Dajing had agreed to give the navy twenty more Hongyi cannons from the Nanguan defense line.
There are no Hongyi cannons in Luanguguan and Hongzui Fort, and there are only a dozen or so in Xiaoheishan. The Jianlu were as afraid of the Hongyi cannons as tigers, but Guo Dajing didn't like them very much.
The Hongyi cannon is very powerful when it comes to defending or attacking a city. However, its disadvantage is that it is shorter than in field battles, making it difficult for it to have more room for use.
It weighs several kilograms and cannot be pulled without a dedicated gun carriage. It is said to be a heavy artillery, but its response speed and firing frequency are both unsatisfactory.
Guo Dajing believed that field artillery was a necessary arm. Artillery already existed, but there was no highly mobile field artillery available yet.
The Fran cannon is barely capable, but its power is lacking; and historical front-loading field guns, such as the Napoleon 12-pounder field gun, are made of bronze and weigh two to three thousand kilograms with the gun carriage, and their maneuverability is unsatisfactory.
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If we want to change, we need to improve the technology of iron and steel making. Using steel to make cannons can greatly reduce the weight of cannons.
Guo Dajing had no choice but to rely on the craftsmen's continuous experiments to achieve technological breakthroughs and progress.
But he is not in a hurry. With the current firearms and equipment, he is already too far ahead of Jiannu. As long as he can exploit his strengths and avoid weaknesses and fight steadily, Jiannu will not be able to pose much of a threat to the Dongjiang Army.
You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Dongjiang Town needs to develop and expand in terms of population, military strength, financial resources, etc.
Pingliao is not fighting Jiannu in a losing battle, but is occupying one area for development and increasing its overall strength.
This is why Guo Dajing did not come up with some of the heroic words of Ping Liao in the past few years. He fought until there were not many young and strong men left, the ground was scorched, and the people who had lost their relatives and lived miserable lives were everywhere. Is it interesting?
"Another ship has entered the port!" Zhang Tao put down his telescope and said, "It seems to be coming back from Shandong?"
Guo Dajing also raised his telescope. After observing carefully, he said: "Yes, it is a ship purchasing supplies from Shandong."
Yuan Chonghuan could only ban the sea from Denglai, but he did not know that Guo Dajing had already been operating in Qingdao and could also purchase the required supplies.
Of course, historically, Dongjiang Town mainly purchased grain from Shandong, but now the situation is quite different.
After all, last year's bumper harvest, coupled with the cheaper southern and overseas grain, there is no price advantage in purchasing grain in Shandong, it's just that the distance is short.
Operation Qinwang caused Dongjiang Town to increase the dispatch of spies to the Gyeonggi area, but Shandong's informants were also increased and expanded, mainly to Wu Jiucheng, an old man from Guanglu Island.
Focusing on Northern Zhili and Shandong, Guo Dajing also had a more ambitious goal, which was to encourage Liaoning people to return to their hometowns, build and develop Liaodong.
These two places have the largest number of Liao people who fled after the war in Liaodong, and they are close to Liaodong. As long as the government does not stop them, and as long as Dongjiang Town can continue to win, the Liao people will have a sense of security in returning home.
In particular, disasters occur in Shandong and Beizhili. Floods and droughts affect not only the Liao people who stayed in Shandong.
Even in the Ming Dynasty, people who were not disaster victims but lived in poverty and had no land to farm were not found everywhere.
The key is the war with the Jiannu slaves and the consideration of whether the Dongjiang Army has the confidence to protect their safety.
If it was the imperial court's initiative, it would naturally get twice the result with half the effort. But when Guo Dajing thought about it, he could only rely on his own solid record and the continuous recovery of land in Liaodong to prove it to the people.
I hope that after King Qin's action, the court will allow Dongjiang Town to recruit immigrants in Beizhili and Shandong, or throughout the Ming Dynasty.
Guo Dajing thought this, chatting with Zhang Tao, and walked down the mountain together.
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Capital, in front of the Meridian Gate.
"Seven thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven, seven thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight, seven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine..."
The Imperial Guard threw down a head and counted it loudly, and then everyone repeated it, making the sound vibrate in all directions.
Prisoner gifts were presented four times during the Wanli era and once during the Tianqi era. This is considered the sixth occasion in the Ming Dynasty and the first occasion after Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne.
When the number reached eight thousand, the Han general reported the number in an extremely loud voice, which could be heard clearly by the surrounding soldiers and civilians, who made an uproarious noise.
This was an unprecedented victory, and there was no falsehood. More than 8,000 heads clearly proved the fierceness and cruelty of the bloody battle.
During the Wanli period, the most exciting thing was the victory in aiding the DPRK. Ming Shenzong Zhu Yijun issued a decree at the prisoner presentation ceremony, and sixty-one Japanese prisoners were beheaded in public.
Now, these heads have not only set a historical record, but also inspired the morale of the military and the people.
After many years, we have repeatedly lost troops and territory, and suffered repeated defeats. The rampant rebels have finally suffered a heavy blow, and there is finally hope for the pacification of Liaodong.
He Guizhong was among the crowd, excited and joyful without concealing it. Because the people around him were all the same. If it weren't for the suppression by the imperial army in front of him, the voice would be louder, and some would even be beaming with joy and dancing.
"Dongjiang Town is located in a remote location overseas, with little food and salary, but it can still fight the enemy so bravely and serve the country with loyalty. It really deserves to be heavily rewarded and generously subsidized by the court, so as to live up to the bloodshed and sacrifice of the brave men."
"Yes, Yuan Chonghuan needs five years to pacify Liao, and Liao Town earns millions of silver a year, so what is his achievement?"
"Yes, Jinzhou, Dalinghe and other cities that Jiannu did not want were taken over by Liao Town and spent money and manpower to repair them so that they could hide in them and resist Jiannu."
"You don't know if you compare. A comparison will tell the difference. Liao Town has tens of thousands of people and millions of silver spent. It's really a waste."
……………
Someone is taking the opportunity to set the pace and spread remarks that are beneficial to Dongjiang Town and disparaging to Liao Town.
He Guizhong nodded repeatedly, echoing the words like others, but did not look for who was doing this. It must be one of his own, and it would be safer if he didn't know him.
Guo Dajing had already written him a letter, telling him to lurk for a long time, and that some dangerous tasks had been handed over to others, so that he did not need to intervene or be too exposed.
Originally, He Guizhong was a little hesitant about coming to watch the prisoner presentation, and was not sure whether it would be considered revealing.
But this was a great victory for Dongjiang Town. He couldn't restrain his excitement and rushed here anyway, feeling the great achievements made by his comrades who fought bravely.