Zhang Tao looked at Zhou Shoubei's retreating back, smiled, and said: "He is quite aware of current affairs. His family is also in Juehua. If he climbs the high branches of the Dongjiang Army, he will have no worries in the future."
Guo Dajing smiled and nodded, and said: "I didn't expect that Dongjiang Town's policy has spread to Juehua, and the officers and soldiers in Ningyuan may have heard about it."
It is not surprising that Juehua Navy came over and knew something about the immigration of Dongjiang Town and even the military policy.
But when it comes to Ningyuan, I'm afraid the information is not that well-informed, but you can't know everything.
When people move around, there will always be topics for discussion. Dongjiang Town's preferential treatment of soldiers is not something that happens in a day or two, it will always spread.
For ordinary soldiers, the most important thing when they join the army is to support their families. If it can make their loved ones live a better life, they naturally yearn for it.
As for the generals' private soldiers, they are servants and can enjoy generous treatment, but they are in the minority after all.
Dongjiang Town is completely different. The treatment of soldiers is basically the same. The only difference lies in the level of official position.
Moreover, the salary is paid directly to the hands without any deduction. Anyone who dares to cheat will have grass growing on his grave. Who dares to do it again?
What do you think the Dongjiang Army relies on to improve its combat effectiveness? What is the difference between the Dongjiang Army and the Ming Army?
In the Dongjiang Army, the military judges are the most feared by the soldiers. They are directly responsible to the commander-in-chief and no military commander can interfere.
In addition to military judges, there are also pickets similar to military police, which are also intimidating to officers and soldiers.
It is precisely the establishment of various gradually improving supervision and punishment mechanisms that enables the Dongjiang Army to become a well-disciplined existence that makes the enemy fearful and makes the people feel friendly.
In comparison, other Ming armies, including Liao Town, were far behind. After annexation, rebuilding became an unavoidable task.
Of course, it is the fastest and best way to adopt the method of leading the new with the old and disperse the people from Liao Town into various departments of the Dongjiang Army.
This resettlement method was also difficult for the generals of Liao Town to accept. Their dream was to still be an organized entity and just obey orders.
From the shore to Juehua, the sea is only a dozen miles wide. It is no wonder that the severe cold can freeze the sea ice, allowing the cavalry to walk across it.
When He Kegang and others came to the beach, they were shocked by the sight they saw.
Fifty or sixty warships were either moored or cruising on the sea. They were not many in number, but they were huge in size. None of the warships of Juehua Navy could compare with them.
The tall mast, wide sails, and huge hull give people a sense of oppression and make them gasp in air.
"It is said that the Dongjiang Navy is powerful. I have seen it with my own eyes, and it is true." An officer sighed: "It has attacked Jianlu along the Yalu River several times, and it is really difficult to resist."
Another officer nodded in agreement and said: "Because it is based on an island and relies entirely on ship traffic, landing and harassment, it is expected that the navy will be strong."
"Hmph, we are indeed here to demonstrate." Zu Zerun rolled his eyes and said disdainfully, "Isn't it because the Dongjiang Navy sent all the big ships?"
Zu Zerun was Zu Dashou's nephew, but Zu Dashou had no sons at first, so he made him his queen and took good care of him in the army. Before Jinzhou was withdrawn, he was the deputy general of Jinzhou.
Because of this relationship, Zu Zerun was young and energetic, and was quite domineering in Liao Town.
He Kegang pursed his lips slightly, turned over and dismounted, and watched as the Dongjiang Army officers waiting on the shore quickly came forward to greet him.
"The last general is Dongjiang Navy Guard Yao Minxian. On the orders of Commander Guo, I am here to greet all the generals." The officer was the first to salute, his attitude was neither humble nor overbearing.
"This is the deputy general of Liao Town, He Kegang." He Kegang did not feel any contempt because of his official position. He returned the courtesy and said, "Thank you, General Yao. I have been waiting for you for a long time."
"This is Mr. Zu Zerun, the guerrilla from Liao Town." Zu Zerun gave a hasty salute and was about to get on the boat and land on the island. He did not dare to be arrogant or rude.
Other officers also returned the salute, and led by Yao Minxian, they boarded the docked ship and sailed to Juehua Island.
Zu Zerun felt unhappy, and said in a strange way on the boat: "The navy of Dongjiang Town is mostly huge ships, and it is very spectacular to come out in full force!"
Yao Minxian smiled calmly and said: "General Zu doesn't know something. The Dongjiang Navy has hundreds of large and small warships. These dozens of warships are just a squadron stationed at the mouth of the Sancha River, and they can't be said to be all out."
"Moreover, there are still nearly a hundred small and medium-sized warships still cruising in Sancha River and Liaohe River for survey, preparing to take Liaoshen along the river directly in the event of a major counterattack."
He Kegang grinned secretly, glanced at Zu Zerun with some displeasure, and said slowly: "Dongjiang Navy is crowned the Yellow and Bohai Sea. I have heard about it for a long time. Now I have seen it with my own eyes. It is well-deserved!"
Yao Minxian bowed his hand to He Kegang and said: "What Vice Admiral He said is true. The Dongjiang Navy has expanded rapidly in recent years. It not only built its own warships, but also purchased several large sea-going ships from Xiyi. Each ship can
Carrying twenty red barbarian cannons."
Twenty Hongyi cannons were almost all of Ningyuan City. And this was what was carried on one of their warships.
What a difference! He Kegang nodded repeatedly, but had nothing to say.
Yuan Chonghuan is really ridiculous. He also wanted to suppress the blockade and force Mao Wenlong to surrender. But looking at his strength, there was no delay at all.
From this point of view, Yuan Chonghuan is both ridiculous and stupid. If he wants to achieve the greatness of Pingliao in five years, he can only rely on Dongjiang Town, but he regards Dongjiang Town as an enemy. Do you think he is blind or stupid?
"That giant ship was purchased from Xiyi." Yao Minxian pointed his finger and introduced with pride and showoff: "There are four ships in the Dongjiang Navy, which are the flagships of Mao Shuai, Guo Shuai and General Zhang."
The giant ship was parked in the deep sea, but looking from a distance, one could still feel the shock brought by the huge hull. After hearing Yao Minxian's introduction, everyone knew that there were twenty Hongyi cannons on board, and they were even more astonished.
Because the northern seas are more suitable for sailing ships with shallow drafts, such as sand ships. Such tall ocean-going warships are indeed something He Kegang and others have never seen in their lives.
He Kegang pondered for a moment and asked doubtfully: "The Jianlu have retreated to the depths of the mainland and are no longer a threat to the island. Why did Dongjiang Town purchase such a huge ship and add so many artillery pieces?"
Yao Minxian smiled and shook his head, saying: "How can the general guess Guo Shuai's foresight? But it will definitely be useful. There is no doubt about it."
"Shuai Guo is young and promising, and with great military exploits, he should be considered number one in the Dongjiang River. Well, it's not an exaggeration to be number one in the Ming Dynasty, right?" Zu Zerun seemed to be praising him, but he was hiding the meaning of provocation.
In Dongjiang Town, Mao Wenlong was still the boss and praised Guo Dajing as the number one person. His intention was not difficult to see through.
Yao Minxian gave Zu Zerun a meaningful look and did not refute, but he remembered this person.
In Dongjiang Town, anyone with a discerning eye can see that Mao Wenlong supports Guo Dajing. As for who is the first and second person, it actually doesn't matter.
But no one wants to say this, even though Guo Dajing’s outstanding achievements in recent years have indeed surpassed Mao Wenlong.
He Kegang lowered his eyes and looked down upon Zu Zerun's tricks.
Since Mao Wenlong fully supported Guo Dajing, he was naturally preparing for the future. Zu Dashou, He Kegang and others all knew the deep meaning.
Therefore, this kind of provocation is useless and more like a clown's performance. It shows Zu Zerun's stupidity, and even He Kegang feels jealous.
Wherever there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and it is normal for people to have different opinions.
Zu Dashou was burdened by his family, and he not only had to take care of himself, but also his relatives in the army. But He Kegang and others were different, and their interests were not closely tied to Liao Town.
As the saying goes: Good birds choose trees to roost in. Liao Town has become suspicious of the imperial court, and its intention to suppress and withdraw is obvious. It is inevitable that the generals of Liao Town will have their own ideas and want to leave a way out for themselves.
Those who are capable and capable think it would be good to join Dongjiang Town. Maybe they can make contributions in the Ping-Liao War, and their status will be higher than their current status.
Even those who are timid and incompetent are not willing to die with Liao Zhen. It seems that the latter is better when weighing the two of seeking refuge in Jianlu and Dongjiang Town.
If the conditions in Dongjiang Town are suitable, even if you become an ordinary citizen, you can save your wealth and life, farm and manage, support your family in Hukou, and then try to rise again, it won't be bad.
When disaster approached, they all flew away. Under the dual pressure of the imperial court and Dongjiang Town, the people in Liao Town were already unstable. Guo Dajing expected this, and came to do both kindness and power. The timing was not bad.
When the ship docked, it was discovered that Juehua Island, which was once the island of Liao Town, was now occupied by the Dongjiang Army, which made the generals of Liao Town deeply moved.
But they had nothing to say. The Dongjiang Army had a righteous cause and acted according to orders. After a closer look, Liao Zhen's perfunctory delay should still be punished.
Guo Dajing has received the notice and is waiting for everyone in the grain storage city on Juehua Island. As the commander-in-chief, he has the highest official position and does not want to appear pretentious to greet them.
For He Kegang and others, it was just a visit, so they had no complaints. On the way, they saw the generals and soldiers of the Dongjiang Army in neat appearance and high spirits, and they felt awe-inspiring in their hearts.
"I heard that the generals of the Dongjiang Army have no servants. This should be the rule set the year before last." An officer whispered, "Doesn't that mean that what we see is the true appearance of the Dongjiang Army?"
Another officer shook his head and said, "I'm not sure. It must be because I don't have enough money to support my family, right?"
He Kegang said in a deep voice: "They use military coupons printed by themselves to pay military salaries. They can print as many as they want. Naturally, they are not worried about the lack of salary and silver. How can they not be able to support their family members?"
After a pause, he added: "If you don't support your servants, every soldier is an elite. Isn't that scary?"
Zu Zerun curled his lips and said: "How can it be that easy? I think these soldiers are elites, specially sent to support the scene and scare people. There must not be many elites like this in the Dongjiang Army."
If not, can we win successive victories in the past few years? Can we go on a cross-sea expedition and nearly annihilate the elite troops led by Huang Taiji in Zunhua?
Seeing the grain storage city in front of him, He Kegang cursed in his heart, but he did not take it seriously with Zu Zerun.
After entering the grain storage city and arriving at the meeting hall of the military camp in the city, everyone finally saw the famous Guo Dajing.
A person's name, the shadow of a tree, there is no false person under the great reputation, He Kegang and others hurriedly came forward to see him, not daring to be rude.
Guo Dajing stood up to receive him. His face was gentle and not arrogant, and he got to know the generals one by one.
In addition to knowing some historical information about He Kegang, Guo Dajing also had some understanding of these Liao Town generals through reports from the Military Intelligence Department.
Guo Dajing was not surprised that Zu Dashou did not come. This guy who cherished his life would definitely not dare to take risks easily.
"Commander Zu is sitting in Ningyuan, and he didn't dare to leave without permission. I hope Commander Guo will show his kindness." After He Kegang sat down, he first told the reason why Commander Zu had not yet celebrated his birthday.
Guo Dajing slightly chinned his head and said: "Guo is here, firstly, to receive the Juehua Navy, and secondly, to discuss important matters. Since Commander-in-Chief is coming, please go back and give Commander-in-Chief a message."
He Kegang cupped his hands and said: "After receiving the document from the Ministry of War, Commander-in-Chief Zu asked the Juehua Navy to step up preparations and report to Lushun as soon as possible. However, the trivial matters were complicated and delayed the time. I am really sorry for causing Commander Guo a hard time."
Guo Dajing laughed and said: "The work of taking over Juehua Navy went quite smoothly. There is no need to mention this matter again. Guo has no intention of taking responsibility."
There is no point in holding on to this matter. Anyway, the Juehua Navy has been controlled. Guo Dajing's trip is mainly to pave the way and prepare for the next move.
As the deputy general of Liao Town, He Kegang has the highest official position. Whether it is testing or negotiating, he is naturally the leader.
After explaining the two things that were wrong, He Kegang said: "The Dongjiang Army is growing at an astonishing speed. It has already gained an advantage in the confrontation with Jianlu. I don't know what to do next? If there is any need for Liao Town's cooperation,
The soldiers of Liao Town will definitely go all out."
Guo Dajing smiled slightly, without hiding it or using euphemisms, and said straight to the point: "Ping Liao has seen the light of day, and we must cooperate sincerely to complete the great cause as soon as possible to relieve Jun's father's worries."
After picking up the tea cup and taking a sip, Guo Dajing glanced at the generals and said slowly: "Shuai Mao has reported to the court that Ping Liao will last for three years. Please transfer the soldiers of Liao Town to Gaizhou to assist in the war."
Three years of Ping Liao?!
All the generals, including He Kegang, looked shocked and looked at each other, digesting this quite shocking news.
The imperial court received Mao Wenlong's guarantee that it should provide full support, including mobilizing troops from Liao Town.
He Kegang pondered, feeling a little helpless. He had to stand in the position of Liao Zhen and asked: "Ningyuan is the only barrier to closing the door. Does Marshal Mao suggest that the court abandon its defense?"
"It's not a big deal to abandon the defense." Guo Dajing smiled and said: "It's just that the Jianlu have been suppressed and are unlikely to attack from a long distance, and there is no benefit to be gained. Ningyuan Jiancheng, and the help of Hongyi artillery, is really
There is no need to garrison tens of thousands of troops."
Zu Zerun couldn't bear his temper and asked: "The Jianlu may not come to attack Ningyuan and remove the gate barrier. Just in case, we must have heavy defense."
Guo Dajing looked at Zu Zerun and said: "Liao Town needs more than 30,000 troops to defend Ningyuan, and the Dongjiang Army only needs 10,000. In Mao Shuai's memorial, he has proposed to the court that if Liao Town is not confident, the Dongjiang Army can take over Ningyuan."
.”
His voice became low and oppressive, and Guo Dajing continued: "The food and salary for the Ningyuan garrison is limited to ten thousand people. This is a suggestion that the imperial court will definitely accept."