People's hearts are unpredictable. Shang Kexi, who has been struggling for so many years, naturally has a deeper understanding than his son Shang Zhixiao. Especially in this unfavorable situation now, for the sake of personal prosperity and wealth, and for the preservation of his family
, it’s not surprising to have a different mind.
The siege lasted for more than ten months, and finally Guangzhou was conquered. On the one hand, thanks to the artillery, the Ming army's commander Fan Chengen, who guarded the outer city of the west gate, surrendered the outer city, which was also a reason that cannot be ignored. When attacking the city, I wish I had a few more Fan Chengen like this.
When he was defending the city, he was afraid that such a rebellious general would appear again.
Moreover, when the city of Guangzhou was besieged at that time, although many long-standing sea pirates were recruited and surrendered to block the sea route, it was not strict. In the end, many defeated Ming troops were allowed to escape by sea. Now, the Guangdong Navy has completely collapsed and the sea route is completely gone.
Hope. It can be said that the Qing army in Guangzhou has no other choice except to defend. Of course, surrender is also a way out, and the benefits are obvious.
Seeing that his father didn't speak for a while, Shang Zhixiao couldn't help but said: "Father, the city of Guangzhou is strong and the soldiers are well-prepared. It will be no problem to hold on for several months. In a few months, reinforcements will arrive. If we cooperate inside and outside, it will be easy to defeat the enemy."
After a few months, Shang Kexi had a wry smile on his face. He thought the same way when he was clinging to Xinhui. I'm afraid everyone thought the same thing. But in the end, in just a few days, the Ming army broke into the city. If it weren't for the unexpected
Unexpectedly, how could he be so passive?
"Don't be careless!" Shang Kexi sighed softly and said, "Xinhui City was destroyed. Although I don't know the details, the Ming army must have a special way to attack the city."
"Perhaps the defender underestimated the enemy and went out to fight outside the city, resulting in failure." Shang Zhixiao analyzed, and at the same time gave some comfort to his father and himself, "Perhaps the traitor rebelled, causing the city to fall. As long as we deal with it carefully, Guangzhou City will be safe.
"
"Maybe!" Shang Kexi seemed to have received some comfort. At the same time, he also realized that his depressed mood had put a lot of pressure on his son. If this mental state faced the generals, it would have a negative impact, so he reluctantly cheered up.
He got up, with a smile on his face, "Okay. It's getting late, go and have a rest! We will get up early tomorrow to patrol the city, and see what tactics the Ming army can use?"
…………
Taking advantage of the tyranny of "coastal relocation", the Ming Army in the southwest boldly launched the Eastern Expedition with the call to save the people from water and fire. Firstly, they were fully prepared, and secondly, they won the support of the people. Since the defeat of the Qing Army's Guangdong Navy, they have advanced both by water and land. It can be said that
The momentum is like breaking bamboo.
Such a large-scale military operation would naturally not avoid the Zheng family in the southeast. There was a notification, but at first Zheng Chenggong was still in Taiwan besieging the last Dutch fortress, Jelanje City. Zheng Jing, who was in charge of Jin and Xia, was not enthusiastic about this.
, respond with perfunctory.
However, the attack of the Ming Army in the southwest had been prepared for a long time and was extremely sharp. They forced back Sun Yanling and Ma Xionghou, Lian Kegao, Lei, and Lianzhou, captured Xinhui lightly, and forced their troops to Guangzhou. Although the news at this time was still in the past few days.
They conquered Xinhui. But Zheng Jinghe and his subordinates could already predict that the Ming army was approaching Guangzhou.
The rapid changes in the war situation not only shocked Shang Kexi, but also the Qing troops in various places. The Zheng Family Group in Jin and Xia also felt the same and were discussing the possibility of adjustments.
Adjustments had to be made. Two major events happened to Zheng Jun in Jin and Xia, forcing Zheng Jing to face some changes in the situation.
After Zheng Chenggong besieged the city of Relanja, the overall situation in Taiwan was basically decided, so he ordered the families of soldiers and officials to be sent to Taiwan. This was originally a good thing, but it was too hasty. At this time, the situation on the mainland's coastal islands was relatively
After Taiwan is stabilized and regained, it is entirely possible to encourage soldiers and civilian officials to gradually move their families to Taiwan as development processes such as reclamation and housing construction progress. During the development stage, conditions are difficult. More care should be given to soldiers.
But Zheng Chenggong insisted on going his own way, and used harsh methods, which resulted in executions. He killed the governor Yang Chaodong's family for minor crimes, and then killed Zhu Jing of Wannian County, and his family members were distributed. As a result, people were panicked and the generals disintegrated. Zheng Chenggong also issued strict orders to move his family, Zheng Tai
, Hong Xu, Huang Xu and others did not want to go. Therefore, they did not send a ship to Taiwan. Instead, they sent a ship to arrest Ji Hongchupi and other ten people in charge of Fanshe, but they all stayed and refused to send them, and the information at sea was cut off.
In fact, it was a strategy of Zheng Chenggong to force the soldiers stationed on the coastal islands of the mainland to send their families to Taiwan. The family members sent to Taiwan were in the nature of hostages, intended to prevent the soldiers from defecting to the Qing Dynasty. This is the same as the Ming Dynasty Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang left the families of the generals to belong to the Qing Dynasty.
In the capital, the Qing court ordered civil and military officials to use their children as bodyguards in the palace. It was an attempt to maintain the loyalty of subordinates at the expense of the safety of their relatives, which was not advisable.
What's more, the desolate situation in Taiwan at that time was hard to compare with that of Nanjing in the early Ming Dynasty and Beijing in the early Qing Dynasty. The generals who first arrived in Taiwan were unaccustomed to the climate and soil, and malaria was widespread. Seventy-eight percent of them were sick and many died. In this case, forced
The implementation of this measure is bound to cause resistance among some soldiers (especially those guarding mainland coastal islands such as Kinmen, Xiamen, and Nan'ao).
People were dissatisfied, and rumors started to rise. Some people spread that the loyal and brave Marquis Chen Bao (also known as Chen Ba) who guarded Nan'ao was unwilling to send his family to Taiwan, so he and King Pingnan of the Qing Dynasty established a vassal in Guangdong, Shang Kexi, and surrendered. Zheng Chenggong
Without clarifying the truth, he rashly issued instructions to Zheng Jing and Hong Xu, ordering Zhou Quanbin, Du Hui, Huang Chang and others to lead the navy to Nan'ao to quell the rebellion. Chen Bao was unable to understand himself and led his troops to take a boat to the South China Sea and defect to the southwest.
Ming army.
This incident was a sign of the beginning of division within the Zheng family, while another incident caused considerable losses due to Zheng Jing's indecision.
The two generals Cai Lu and Guo Yi of Tongshan (Dongshan) secretly colluded with the rebel general Huang Wu and had already plotted to surrender to the Qing Dynasty. In May, Zheng Jing had learned that Cai Lu and Guo Yi had an conspiracy, but did not send troops to prevent it in time. In early June
After receiving Cai and Guo's open rebellion on the third day, martial law was implemented and ships were prepared. On the ninth day of the lunar month, Xiamen sent Huang Ting, Du Hui, Huang Yuan, Weng Tianyou, He Yi, Huang Chang, Yang Laijia and other generals to sail south.
Tongshan quelled the rebellion.
At this time, Cai Lu and Guo Yi had gathered the crowd and calmly looted Tongshan, and with the support of Qing Huangwu, Fujian Right Army General Wang Jinzhong, and Zhao'an Deputy General Liu Jinzhong, they crossed from Bachimen to the mainland and surrendered to the Qing.
It was too late to counter the rebellion and the Zheng army landed at Tongshan, so they had to send troops to defend the fort and appease the survivors.
For the Zheng Group, both incidents meant defection, but in different directions. Zheng Chenggong was dedicated to running Taiwan, and the strict orders he issued caused resistance among the generals of Jin and Xiamen, but Zheng Jing's
The position has been strengthened.
"Cai Lu and Guo Yi rebelled and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. They are already enemies. No need to say more. However, Chen Bao's defection is also tantamount to defection. How should we deal with it?" The prince Zheng Jing looked around at his subordinates and asked in a deep voice: "And
The friendly forces in the southwest have won consecutive battles and should have reached the gates of Guangzhou. The Qing army's defense in Guangdong is already empty. If our army takes advantage of the opportunity and seizes a land base in Guangdong, is it feasible?"
There are three problems, two of which need to be solved. Cai Lu and Guo Yi ran to the Qing army and were unable to deal with them for the time being. As for Chen Bao, he went to join the Southwest Ming army. Although he was forced to join the Ming army in the southwest, they were in the same camp.
But this trend cannot last long, and there must be an explanation. The rest is to take advantage of the situation, and take advantage of the Qing army in Guangdong to be restrained by the Ming army in the southwest. The Zheng family seems to be able to seize a piece of land as their foundation. No matter how big the territory is or how many locations it has.
Well, no matter what, it’s better than the miasmatic and barren Taiwan!
But the two problems that need to be solved involve the imperial court and the southwestern forces headed by King Min who represent the imperial court. Although the Zheng family has become a separate empire, they are still Ming ministers in name, and they still have to bear the name of Yongli.
To attract the support of the gentry and the people, one must also show respect to the emperor and be courteous. Because, regardless of strength and fame, the Zheng family is not enough to be completely independent.
If the Ming Dynasty in the southwest is weak, or if the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, Zheng Chenggong will naturally not be afraid. He can be domineering and powerful. However, the changes in the situation have made the Zheng family feel more and more embarrassed, and they feel more and more about their relative independence.
will be restricted.
The Ming Army's Eastern Expedition in the Southwest was detrimental to the interests of the Zheng family, because Zheng Chenggong had already exposed his intentions by not coordinating Jin King Li Dingguo's military operations in Guangdong a few years ago. It was okay to serve from afar, but it was not okay to inherit major military and political affairs from the imperial court.
The existence of the Qing army in Guangdong happened to be a firewall between the Zheng Group and the Ming Dynasty in the southwest. The Zheng Group naturally did not want to be broken, and naturally it would not send troops to help Li Dingguo attack Guangdong.
For the same reason, after receiving the notification from the southwestern court, the Zheng family repeated their old tricks and delayed the fight. They paid attention, but not a single soldier was sent to help.
But now, the Zheng family is going to send troops to fight for the fruits of victory. This is a bit unpleasant to say, but it is the fact. As for Chen Bao, it also needs to be dealt with. Otherwise, once this case is opened, there will inevitably be more
of imitators.
"Your Highness, it's easy to ask for Chen Baoying, just send someone who can speak." Hong Lei is the son of Hong Xu, a veteran of the Zheng family. The young man did not think twice and said: "It is the right time to attack Guangdong.
Xu Long, Su Li may be defeated or killed, and there is no danger anymore. Wherever our army arrives, it will be as strong as a broken bamboo, and we will attack everything."
A smile appeared on Zheng Jing's face and he nodded lightly. Zheng Chenggong had been traveling overseas for more than ten years, and even the imperial court would never disobey him and never dare to refuse his request easily. Now, Zheng Jing thinks that
Since my status is similar to that of my father, I should naturally be so domineering.
Chen Yonghua, who joined the army, frowned slightly, obviously disagreeing with Hong Lei's arrogant words. Although the current situation is somewhat similar to the second attack on Guangdong by Jin King Li Dingguo, Chen Yonghua clearly saw that there was a big difference.
At that time, Li Dingguo's Guangdong campaign plan could be said to have everything ready, except for Dongfeng. Dongfeng was Zheng Chenggong's main force, and whether it came or not would determine the success or failure of the Guangdong campaign. Therefore, although he had high hopes for Zheng Chenggong, he repeatedly wrote letters to ask him to
Send troops to help. But the Eastern Expedition was different. The imperial court stayed in Minfan and only reported the strategic intentions of the southwestern Ming army in letters, but did not ask for help.
One is the eagerness to look forward to, and the other is the routine notification. Comparing the two, we can see the change in the court's attitude towards the Zheng family. This is exactly the case. The southwest Ming army launched the offensive on its own and did not put the Zheng family at all.
The assistance of the Zheng family is included in the calculation. What does this mean? It means that Min Fan has alienated the Zheng family and will not use a low profile to please Ying He.
It's a bit naive to send someone with good words to get Chen Bao back, but it's not a bad idea. Chen Yonghua opened his mouth and swallowed his words. In front of so many generals and civilian officials, if he tells the truth
, seems to be looking down on Zheng Jing, so it would be better to remind him privately.
"Chao Hui has always been the main source of our Zheng family's food and soldiers' supplies. Now we should take advantage of the situation." Zheng Jing jumped directly to the issue of sending troops. He had obviously approved Hong Lei's suggestion on how to get Chen Bao back.
"It's just that the most convenient port of call seems to be in the hands of the Ming army. If they don't take advantage of it, or they have overcome the tide, what will happen to Hui?"
Feng Xifan, the son of engineer Feng Chengshi, raised his hands and spoke: "Your Highness, Chao and Hui are important, but it may not be appropriate to take them at this time. Guangzhou is attacked, how can Fujian Geng Ni sit idly by and must send reinforcements to the west. If our army takes Chao
, Hui, then you will have to fight with him, so be careful."
Chen Yonghua smiled and said: "This is exactly what I said. The timing of sending troops is crucial. You should observe it carefully and act with caution. Or you can choose another place to criticize the weak and attack the weak. This is also in line with the art of war.
righteous."
It is necessary to send troops to seize territory without paying too high a price. Zheng Jing immediately understood what Feng and Chen meant. After thinking for a moment, he also felt that it made sense. Or he could occupy Chao and Hui as a shield for the southwestern Ming army.
Have a big battle with the Qing army in Fujian; or wait for the opportunity, and then plot to benefit; or choose another place to avoid the sensitive area of fighting with the large Qing army.
"Is it feasible to first capture the areas adjacent to Nan'ao Island, such as Jieyang and other places?" Zheng Jing gave up his first target, Chao Hui, and considered the fastest route to deploy troops.
"Your Highness is wise." Feng Xifan was the first to compliment: "Nanao Island is in the hands of our army. It is quick and convenient to attack the nearby places. It can also give an explanation to the imperial court."
The explanation was a little late, but it was enough to deal with the court. Zheng Jing thought so, so he agreed with Feng Xifan's statement.
"My father, Mr. Zeng Yan, used today's Crouching Dragon." Zheng Jing suddenly turned to Chen Yonghua, and his attitude became more respectful, "Before raising troops to regain Taiwan, he also made it clear to me that he should serve him as a teacher. I would like to invite you to the imperial court.
I don’t know, Mr.—”
Chen Yonghua secretly sighed in his heart that this mission actually fell on him. According to his analysis, Min Fan was not a weak person. Bowing to the Zheng family might not be as easy as Zheng Jing thought. However, since Zheng Jing has already
When called, how could he refuse?
"My subordinates are willing to go to the southwest to declare to the court that they want to bring back the traitorous general Chen Bao." Chen Yonghua did not dare to speak as a teacher. Although Zheng Jing said so, if he did not know how to measure and accepted it calmly, I am afraid that under Zheng
Your status in your mind will plummet.
"Then I'll thank you, Mr. Chen." Zheng Jing smiled even more freely, probably already thinking about his plan and his decision was a great success.