Of course, we cannot call them volunteers now, but they should be North Korean officers and soldiers. Moreover, they are the North Korean army with the best equipment and the strongest combat power.
Although Guo Dajing did not expect much help from the North Korean army, the military adjustments Lin Qingye wanted to make were still very beneficial to his entire strategy.
From Lin Qingye's narration, Guo Dajing also heard that Renzu Li Zhu did not really want to go to war with Jianlu, and he did not even have the courage to tear up the alliance.
However, due to the growing disgust and hatred between the government and the opposition towards Jianlu, and the Dongjiang Army seemed to have the strength to suppress Jianlu, he adopted the acquiescence method.
In the final analysis, this is a method usually used by feudal emperors. By pushing his ministers to the front, he becomes a wise man, capable of understanding others and good at responsibilities. If he fails, it will be easy to handle. The ministers will be the scapegoats and have nothing to do with him.
"How many elite soldiers and generals does Brother Lin have?" Although Guo Dajing had some guesses, he still wanted to ask for an accurate number, although it was unlikely that Jianlu would attack North Korea.
Lin Qingye was a little surprised and said: "After several years of arming and training, we now have fifteen or six thousand infantry and cavalry, and more than one hundred artillery pieces."
Such a force, if it is the Dongjiang Army, is equivalent to an alliance. If it relies on strong defense, it is not afraid of Jianlu coming to attack.
But Guo Dajing did not dare to think too highly of the combat power of the North Korean army. The main reason was the lack of actual combat experience. Those who joined the Dongjiang Army as volunteers and experienced the test of war were only a few.
"The terrain of Ping'an North Road is very favorable for your army's defense." Guo Dajing said euphemistically: "Guo suggested adopting a defense in depth, and the enemy troops were fierce, but after continuous battles, their power could not penetrate Lu."
Ping'an North Road is mountainous and hilly. The troops were deployed in a large depth and relied on echelons of defense to continuously consume the Jianlu's attack kinetic energy, which was enough to exhaust them.
Guo Dajing smiled and continued: "Our army will not sit back and watch. There are troops stationed in Zhenjiang, Kuandian, and Pidao, and they can be dispatched to help your army."
Lin Qingye and Shen Qizhong looked at each other and smiled, feeling relieved.
Judging from the current situation, it is very difficult for Jianlu to attack North Korea. Although this possibility cannot be ruled out, with the assistance of the Dongjiang Army, the tragedy of Ding Mao's chaos will never be repeated.
"Although our army has not been ordered by the king to take the initiative to fight against the Jianlu, we can secretly send troops to join the Dongjiang Army and fight against the Jianlu in Liaodong, just as we did before."
Lin Qingye picked up the tea cup and said with a smile: "Commander Guo must not despise the fact that our army is too weak to be used."
Guo Dajing chuckled, cupped his hands and said, "Guo doesn't want what he wants, so how can he dislike it?"
It was Guo Dajing's idea to use volunteers to join the battle against Jianlu. In this way, even if he was accidentally captured on the battlefield, the North Korean side could evade it.
Lin Qingye was also a smart man and knew the shortcomings of his own army, which were lack of actual combat experience and fear of the invaders.
Continuously sending troops to participate in the war, the accumulation of small numbers has greatly helped to improve the combat effectiveness of the North Korean army. Many North Korean soldiers who performed bravely have become the backbone and officers.
As a non-military personnel, Shen Qizhong just listened and smiled, rarely interrupting.
The troops of Lin Qingye and Cui Xiaoyi have been cultivated as direct descendants of Shen Qiyuan. No matter whether they want to establish a new king in the future, they will rely on having a strong army in hand.
Judging from the current situation of North Korea's domestic army, these two armies are undoubtedly the most powerful, although they are not large in number.
But having good relations with the Dongjiang Army provides another layer of protection. Even if the coup fails, as long as the Dongjiang Army exerts pressure, the Shen family will surely be spared.
The young and calm Guo Shuai in front of him has become the number two figure in the Dongjiang Army within a few years, and his future is limitless.
Precisely because he was young, he acted more decisively, even openly. He lost less of Mao Wenlong's old age and his die-hard loyalty to the Ming court.
The great victory of Zunhua, although it severely damaged Jianlu, was also the best choice of tactics for the Dongjiang Army. However, in the analysis of Shen Qiyuan, Lin Qingye and others, we can also see the difference between Guo Dajing and other Ming army generals.
In the name of King Qin, but not wholeheartedly, he seemed to be using the emperor and the capital as bait, taking advantage of the situation and cutting off Jianlu's retreat.
In feudal society, political correctness also existed, and it was above all else. It didn't matter how many cities were lost or how many people died. What mattered was the emperor.
Precisely because Guo Dajing and Mao Wenlong despised imperial power, Shen Qiyuan and others believed that they would stand in the most favorable position for themselves in the changes in North Korea.
The Ming court was too rigid and pedantic, and did not look at the overall situation or the most favorable angle. This was clearly reflected when Injo was in power.
Shen Qiyuan wanted to abolish the old and establish the new. From the perspective of orthodox Confucian concepts, how different was he from a rebellious minister? It was almost impossible to get the approval and support of the Ming court.
Just as Renzu was in power, Mao Wenlong took advantage of the situation in Liaodong to appeal to the court, so that Renzu was recognized by the Ming court. Shen Qiyuan also had to use Mao Wenlong or Guo Dajing to cleanse himself and make the abolition of the old and establishment of the new conform to the orthodox concepts of Confucianism.
"After Cui Xiaoyi led his troops to take office, Lin sent thousands of troops to be dispatched under the command of Guo Shuai." Lin Qingye said with a smile: "We have to worry about Guo Shuai again, so Lin would like to thank you in advance."
Guo Dajing waved his hand and said with a smile: "It should be thanks to Guo that your army sends troops to help. If there is a shortage of weapons and equipment, it will be solved by the Dongjiang Army."
After pondering for a while, Guo Dajing opened the map on the table, stretched out his hand to indicate, and said: "To be honest, our army is about to launch an operation, and the target is Jianzhou Guard. First, we will go up the river by boat, and then abandon the ship here. Landing..."
Lin Qingye nodded and said: "We are almost across the river from Manpu. Do you need our help?"
Guo Dajing smiled and said: "If you can allow our army to dock at Manpu and temporarily go ashore to rest, I would be grateful."
Lin Qingye readily agreed without much hesitation.
In the opinion of him, Shen Qiyuan and others, now is the time to completely break with the Jianlu and show a firm attitude to the Ming Dynasty. It is not said whether they will send troops to help the war immediately, but this gesture is necessary.
Now, because the Jianlu were not destroyed, the Ming Dynasty did not criticize North Korea too harshly for its surrender, but it was definitely not happy. It would be too late to draw a clear line when the Jianlu were about to be destroyed.
Lin Qingye and others had long been dissatisfied with Injo's cowardice. Seeing the Dongjiang Army getting stronger, they knew that their efforts now were valuable.
The icing on the cake is nothing compared to providing help when the time is right. Although the help now is not a help when the time is right, it is much better than trying to please someone when the victory is already decided.
After everyone finished talking about their business, Guo Dajing invited them to the banquet. Although there were not many dishes, there were fish, meat and wine. Everyone was in a good mood, so they drank heartily and left happily.
Being able to obtain thousands of Korean soldiers and being able to stop at Manpo will make the situation in Liaodong even more tilted, both in the long run and in the immediate future.
Thousands of Korean soldiers still need to be trained and integrated, but they are either without a foundation or can be used immediately. Yicheng defense is also capable.
Guo Dajing planned to send thousands of Korean soldiers to garrison in Fengcheng. Relying on the dangerous terrain of the mountain city and adding some artillery, it would be enough to become a strong fortress.
In this way, a nail was hammered into the hinterland of Liaodong, directly restraining the defenders of Lianshan Pass and Crow Falcon Pass. Of course, when the time is right, it can also be used to advance out of the base, break through the Jianlu defenses, and enter the Liaoshen area. .
At the same time, Fengcheng was stabilized, and the Zhenjiang and Kuandian areas became quasi-rear areas, greatly increasing security. In fact, the officers and soldiers stationed in Pi Island could even move here, making it the largest land base in Liaodong.
With the assistance of North Korea, Guo Dajing also thought of temporarily borrowing troops from Manpu to continue harassing the Jianzhou Guards, forcing Jianlu to devote more energy to protecting the bullshit Longxing Land.
Guo Dajing estimated the number of immigrants and felt that it would be relatively sufficient to expand another infantry association by the spring of next year.
Coupled with the number of North Korean troops, which is equivalent to an alliance, the military advantage over Jianlu is getting bigger and bigger, and the time for the major counterattack can be moved forward further.
Guo Dajing let out a long breath, stretched out his hand to pat the gift box sent by Shen Qizhong, and showed a happy smile.
The two boxes contained excellent ginseng, which were given to him and Mao Wenlong. Lin Qingye also brought gifts, one for each person, exactly the same.
Guo Dajing didn't care much about the importance of the gift, but the gestures shown by Shen Qizhong and Lin Qingye made him very happy and happy.
Different from Mao Wenlong's complicated psychology, Guo Dajing and the generals of the Dongjiang Army were actually the same, having a strong urgency to pacify Liao and destroy the captives.
However, due to his character, he is cautious and can hold back, but it does not mean that he will hesitate when opportunities and opportunities arise.
The Ming Dynasty was in turmoil due to internal and external troubles. The sooner Liaodong was pacified, the more people would have a place to rest and recuperate, and tens of thousands of people would die less.
Guo Dajing can be sure that the destruction of Jianlu will dispel the last concerns of the people. Worry about war has always been the biggest factor hindering large-scale immigration.
"Come here!" Guo Dajing's thoughts changed and his eyes wandered on the map for a long time. Suddenly he had an idea and raised his head to call to the soldiers outside.
"Sir." The soldiers entered and bowed to salute.
Guo Dajing nodded and said, "Go and ask Feng Xijian to come over."
"Follow the order." The soldier turned and left.
Guo Dajing sat down again, ordered his soldiers to refill his tea, and studied the map carefully in front of the desk.
……………
Before every war, in order to keep it secret as much as possible, the people of Dongjiang Town were basically kept in the dark unless there was a large-scale mobilization, such as the Nanguan Defense Battle.
Liu Xingzuo led the cavalry battalion and had already set off by boat. Liu Qishi's troops also received orders and rushed to the nearest port; Li Weiluan's two infantry battalions also rushed to the nearest boarding place.
Intensive troop mobilization, a large number of ships sailed away from southern Liaoning and headed toward Liaodong along the coastal sea. All these actions were completely unknown to the people, and they had no impact on their mood.
The harvest of potatoes and rye has been completed, and the output of these two major crops has ensured that the people do not have to worry about hunger.
Then looking at the corn that is growing well in the field, has turned yellow, and will be harvested soon, the joy is even more difficult to suppress, making people want to laugh, want to say, and want to sing all the time.
Early in the morning, Osmanthus fragrans prepared meals, tidied up, and went out with her father and brother to catch the big fair in the town that happened every ten days.
Thinking of meeting Sister Wu and Xiaoqin, Osmanthus fragrans was in a good mood. Everything she saw was pleasing to the eye, and the smile on her face never disappeared.
Xiaoqin's father and his son were pulling a cart with a straw curtain and several bags of potatoes. The father and son chatted while walking, laughing easily from time to time.
"Next year, we will plant ten acres less potatoes and plant peanuts instead." Xiaoqin's father handed the cart to his son and said, "The prices charged by the oil mills in the town are not low. They are even more expensive than potatoes."
Zhao Shun nodded, with an honest smile on his face, and said: "This year's business has been good. After paying the taxes, we will have enough food and drink for a year. It doesn't matter if you plant less potatoes. If you have money, you can buy other things."
"Wheat straw and corn stalks can be used to feed livestock. Let's also raise a cow and buy a few sheep." Xiao Qin's father said: "The money is still a little short. I wonder if the loan is guaranteed?"
Xiaoqin laughed and interjected: "What's wrong? There is no interest, and it will be repaid in three years. Can disasters happen in succession in the past three years? Look at the old households in the village, almost all of them have cattle. Hold on.
I’m going to work hard next year!”
Zhao Shun smiled happily and said: "I have saved up my family's fortune and have the courage. As for our family, we'd better do the accounting first."
Xiaoqin's father nodded and said: "Accounting is necessary, but don't be too timid. With the cattle, our family will be able to plant dozens of acres next year. If there is no disaster, we can almost get the loan."
It’s still on.”
Xiaoqin agreed: "If you want to grow more land and farm cattle, it's worth taking some risks. Last time I chatted with Sister Wu, she said this. There are fewer and fewer fields, so plant early and reap early."
Otherwise, you can move and get more fields."
"Yes, our family is not the only one who wants to plant more fields next year." Xiao Qin's father finally made up his mind when he heard that he was going to move.
There were more and more people on the road, all heading towards the town. Some were pulling carts, some were carrying burdens, and some were carrying baskets.
A middle-aged woman was carrying a basket, covered with a piece of cloth. When the cloth moved, a chicken head popped up, looking around with round eyes.
"Sister-in-law, you are a hen that lays eggs!" Xiaoqin's eyes lit up when she saw that the middle-aged woman was alone. The hen in the basket made her eyes light up.
The middle-aged woman nodded and said, "I raised it last year. If I hadn't been short of money, I would have been reluctant to sell it!"
"Is it just selling but not exchanging?" Xiaoqin asked tentatively: "I also want a few chickens, but it's a pity that it's a bit late this year."
The middle-aged woman smiled and said: "After selling the chickens, I need to raise money to buy cattle. If a girl wants to raise chickens, it would be best to catch the chicks after the Grain Rain next year..."
Xiaoqin listened to other people's experiences in raising chickens and interrupted from time to time. The two women had little time, so they chatted enthusiastically, and their relationship seemed to have become closer.
While we were talking, the road seemed to get a lot shorter. Soon, the shadow of the market appeared in front of us, in a large empty field outside the town.