"... For example, these two ministers may be the ancestors who have a long life and do not say anything or do anything, or they may be repentant and realize their righteousness late for Li Chengdong. However, I am still happy to betray my lord and betray my kindness, my conscience is gone, I am a helper of a tiger, I do evil in the southeast, and I harm my compatriots. This is true for the ages.
Scum is despised by everyone. Now the king is fighting against rebellion and demonstrating justice. Shang Ni was defeated and committed suicide. His bones were shattered and his ashes were scattered. It is lamentable that the cycle of cause and effect in the world cannot be disbelieved..."
The raging fire in Pingnan Palace announced the liberation of Guangzhou, and the gratifying end of life for one of the three vassals. Like Kong Youde, he also chose suicide. This may be a way not to be insulted by the enemy after his death.
.I just don’t know if Shang Kexi’s mood in the fire was the same as Kong Youde’s, “When a person is about to die, his words are also good.”
But for the Ming army, it no longer mattered. A decisive victory in the Eastern Expedition was of extraordinary significance.
With this victory, Yi Cheng's manuscript that had been revised many times was finally finalized, and the news that Zhu Yongxing had arrived in Guangzhou to supervise the battle spread, causing another wave of waves. The clan came to the battle in person, and Zhu Yongxing was not the first person.
Once, but if the great victory was connected with his whereabouts, it would inevitably make some people confused or panicked.
The halo, another halo undoubtedly fell on Zhu Yongxing. Compared with Yongli who fled after hearing the news, Zhu Yongxing who constantly dared to take risks and faced them was obviously more eye-catching; and Zhu Yongxing was victorious in all the battles he participated in
, which further enhanced his reputation, and the "saint" theory that was already circulating became more convincing.
After Guangzhou was recovered, Shang Ke was happy to be crowned, and the situation suddenly became clear. The first thing to react was the Qing army in Zhaoqing. Xu Erxian had already taken away nearly half of the troops to reinforce Xinhui. The troops were not enough to defend the city, let alone
Attack the Ming army. After receiving Xu Erxian's letter of persuasion to surrender, his lieutenant general was already a little moved, but Guangzhou was still there. It seemed more appropriate to wait and see. But if he doesn't wake up now, he would be a real fool.
The Qing army in Zhaoqing surrendered without a fight, leaving only the stronghold of Wuzhou. Sun Yanling had long since given up hope, and Ma Xiong of Hezhou had also learned to be cunning. He had been vague about the temptation to Wuzhou before, and now he flatly refused to enter the city for reinforcements.
Require.
As soon as the news of Guangzhou's recovery spread, Liuzhou's Syrian stallion Weixing received an order to send troops to approach Wuzhou. Under this situation, although there were few soldiers and horses left in Liuzhou, Sun Yanling would not have any thoughts. Facing Liuzhou,
The Ming army was pressing down from two directions in Zhaoqing. Facing friendly forces that were close at hand but refused to help, the Qing army in Wuzhou had nothing to do. The main war faction and the main surrender faction broke out in internal strife and were defeated by the Ming army.
Xinhui, Guangzhou, two battles. The Qing army in Guangdong can be said to have suffered heavy losses. The main force gathered to defend the city was wiped out by the Ming army. Even the green battalions defending other places were very few. The emptiness is conceivable.
These two great victories shocked all the onlookers. Although they did not surrender anyway, they all pretended to be honest. No one dared to act rashly at this moment.
"Conquer the heavy city and defeat the king. The false clan has won again!" Wu Sangui dropped the news report in his hand and sighed dejectedly.
If he had known that Zhu Yongxing was no longer in Kunming before, he might have had other thoughts and might have taken other actions, but now, he has no such thoughts at all. Instead, he is glad in his heart, glad that he is calm and sophisticated.
Fang Guangchen was also helpless. As a counselor, he should have solved the problems for his benefactor, but in the face of such a situation, he strongly advocated staying the same in response to changes. To put it bluntly, he did nothing.
Although the Ming Dynasty wanted to surrender to Wu Sangui, its patience was limited. Moreover, this kind of peace without fighting or surrender was relatively short-term. When the Ming army became stronger and the weapons turned against each other, the result would still be the same.
The Qing court was increasingly suspicious of Wu Sangui. With the Ming army's eastern expedition, Guangdong was in a hurry, and Wu Sangui's wish to ask for more food and salary was in vain. From this point of view, it was impossible to regain the trust of the Qing court.
.It’s just that the Qing court didn’t want to add more variables to the unfavorable situation, so like the Ming Dynasty, it adopted a policy of temporarily appeasing Wu Sangui and ignoring him. As long as you don’t cause trouble and the food and salary are enough for your troops, you will be honest.
Just stay!
"Back then, the puppet king Dingguo invaded Guangdong, which lasted only two or three months, but he only stopped at the gates of Zhaoqing. Now, at about the same time, he has captured nearly half of Guangdong." Wu Sangui stroked his forehead, feeling more and more how powerful the Ming army was.
, "Xinhui, Guangzhou, and the fortified cities can no longer be relied upon. From now on - alas!"
Fang Guangchen pondered for a moment and then said slowly: "The pseudo-clan is now in Guangzhou. If they move, there will be no worries. Although the court has limited food and salary, it still has trade income. It is also possible to recruit troops and expand its strength."
Move? Wu Sangui thought for a moment and understood what Fang Guangchen meant. For someone with Zhu Yongxing's status, moving is not as simple as changing his residence. Especially according to Zhu Yongxing's usual practice, where he is stationed often indicates the strategic direction of the Ming army.
the focus of.
"The Eastern Expedition to save the people, under the banner of this, and with the help of the navy, according to my humble opinion, the focus of the Ming army's attack is still on the coastal areas." Fang Guangchen continued to analyze: "Nearly half of Guangdong was lost, how could the Zheng family in the southeast be able to
If they sit back and watch, they will inevitably send troops to fight for profit. Regardless of whether the Zheng family is loyal to the Ming court, as long as they send out, it will be enough to change the situation in the southeast to the direction that is beneficial to the Ming army."
"Then the next target is King Jingnan of Fujian Province!" Wu Sangui smiled bitterly and said, "I'm afraid he can't withstand the attack of the two enemies, right?"
"It can't be resisted." Fang Guangchen made a clear judgment, smiled faintly, and said: "The imperial court will soon mobilize reinforcements this time. This battle will probably determine the ownership of Jiangnan."
"I also make the same judgment." Wu Sangui nodded and said, "The Eight Banners of Manchuria and Mongolia used cavalry archery against the Ming army. What does Xianting think?"
"Southern Fujian is mountainous, and the river network in the south is crisscrossed. Cavalry and archery may not have a good chance of winning." Fang Guangchen said cautiously: "The Ming army's firearms are getting more and more powerful. I heard that the Western Barbarians assisted in the Eastern Expedition, and the Red Barbarian cannons bombarded Guangzhou.
In less than a day, dozens of feet of the city wall were blown down."
Although Fang Guangchen did not make a final conclusion, Wu Sangui could tell that he was still optimistic about the Ming army. Wu Sangui also knew about the Ming army's firearms. During the battle, some flintlock muskets fell into the hands of the Qing army. In comparison,
Regardless of range, rate of fire, or lethality, flintlock guns are much better than the shotguns regarded as sharp weapons by the Qing army. But it is not an easy thing to imitate. From raw materials to craftsmanship, it does not cost a lot of money.
It is difficult to mass-produce without a long period of exploration.
"It turns out that there are Western Yi craftsmen to help in the battle. The firearms should not be so powerful." Wu Sangui was thoughtful and said as if talking to himself: "I wonder if we can invite Western Yi craftsmen. It will cost a huge amount to open a factory to make it."
Is it okay for the employer to do so?”
Fang Guangchen smiled bitterly and said: "I'm afraid it's not just a matter of money. The pseudo-clan has issued a reminder or warning in Guangzhou. Any country that sends war materials to the Qing Dynasty will be regarded as an enemy and will be attacked by the Ming army on sea and land.
Attack. Individuals will be regarded as traitors, their property will be confiscated, and their entire family will be executed."
"This, this fake clan is quite ruthless." Wu Sangui grinned. "Well, they are also quite confident."
He just said it casually, but he didn't expect that Zhu Yongxing had blocked this road half to death. Wu Sangui didn't have accurate knowledge about the Western Yi countries, and he couldn't even distinguish the major countries and couldn't name them.
However, Zhu Yongxing's tough expression, as he said, revealed his strong self-confidence, self-confidence that he could compete with the Qing Dynasty, and he was not afraid of the Western Yi.
"The Western Barbarians only make money from trade. If the imperial court moves to the coast, I'm afraid it will offend them." Fang Guangchen pondered and said: "The pseudo-clan launched an eastward expedition, occupied most of the coastal areas, and engaged in trade and sea trade, and got help from the Western Barbarians. But it doesn't count.
What a surprise.”
As a sea trader, wasn't he also smuggling goods for the Ming Dynasty, accumulating wealth for them, and helping them win over the Western Yi? Wu Sangui had mixed emotions. Although he knew this, he still had to continue doing it. First, Xiang Ming
Chao said that he was in Cao's camp and his heart was with Han. On the one hand, he had to earn funds for recruiting troops through these businesses.
Strength, this is the most reliable bargaining chip to ensure the safety of one's wealth. Compared to Shang Kexi and Geng Jingzhong, Wu Sangui, who has not killed Yongli now, still has a good reputation. Wu Sangui is still somewhat confident about this.
"The pseudo-clan ordered that all the officers and soldiers under Shang Kexi's command during the massacre in Guangzhou be executed in public sacrifice, and their family members served hard labor. Except for those who had meritorious service anyway, there were also Xinhui's defenders. Those who had not done anything wrong and had meritorious service were not spared."
Wu Sangui frowned and looked at Fang Guangchen in confusion, "Isn't this a war crime of forcing the opponent to fight to the death?"
Fang Guangchen nodded and agreed with Wu Sangui's view, but after a tactful analysis, he pointed out Wu Sangui's one-sidedness and bias, "Killing is a deterrent, and pardon and favor are an invitation to surrender. In this way, if the situation is unfavorable, either the family will be harmed.
If you work hard and get dragged down, you can either perform meritorious service anyway and exchange the Shangguan's head for a reward of peace."
"Just like Xu Erxian and Miao Wenxiu." Wu Sangui sneered with some contempt, "Not only were they appointed to their original posts, but the soldiers under their command were also given land and silver. The fake clan is really cunning."
"The pseudo-clan launched war crimes at this time, obviously because they felt that they had grown their wings and had the power to become kings, just like when the pseudo-kings were in their heyday." Fang Guangchen continued to analyze: "These war crimes mainly focus on the massacre of civilians and cruel killings.
Prisoners of war and other crimes, the pseudo-clan also used this to try to win people's hearts."
"If the situation is unfavorable, or defeat is certain, these policies and measures of the pseudo-clan should have better results." Wu Sangui sighed softly, "Shang, there are not many experienced warriors in Geng Erfan, and those who are supplemented are all local natives.
People and the pseudo-clan see this, so they dare to do this, right?"
"Your Majesty is wise." Fang Guangchen complimented and did not continue the analysis.
"Well, it seems that the matter in Shuixi can be settled." Wu Sangui sighed again helplessly, "Let's report to the court in the name of appeasement and explain to both sides."
After Wu Sangui withdrew his troops and returned to Guizhou, in order to express what he said, "it depends on the opportunity and return to the Ming Dynasty anyway", he did not conduct a large-scale expedition to Shuixi. He only blocked the main transportation road and formed a blockade and siege of Shuixi. When the Ming army's eastern expedition began, he
It’s not that I didn’t have the idea of wiping out Shuixi in one fell swoop, but I tolerated it and waited to see the results of the Ming Army’s eastern expedition. Now that the results have come out, it is naturally impossible to conquer Shuixi, and if I stand still, I have no way to explain to the Qing court. So.
, Wu Sangui decided to use the strategy that had been discussed long ago, leaving Shuixi alone for the time being, and deceiving the Qing court in the name of appeasement.
"Shui Xi'an Kun is short of talent, and the alliance with Kuang Guo Xiong is to be close to each other if attacked, and to be far away if safe, so there is nothing to worry about." Fang Guangchen knew that Wu Sangui was not willing to give in, so he had to persuade him: "Besides, there are many native eyes in Shuixi, and not all of them may be there.
Be obedient to him. The prince will appease him and calm his mind, and then slowly win over Shuixi Tumu. If there is an opportunity, he will destroy him in one fell swoop without any effort."
If there is a chance! Wu Sangui knew that these were words of comfort, so he had no choice but to smile and nod. But he didn't think so in his heart, because he knew that as the Ming army became stronger, such opportunities would become increasingly slim.
……………
Zhu Yongxing knew that when he vigorously manufactured or imported flintlock muskets and equipped the Ming army in large numbers, the previous war patterns and offensive and defensive methods would undergo great changes. However, the introduction and implementation of war crimes was within the scope of war concepts and also
He had long had the idea of massacring civilians, looting and raping, which were very common behaviors in the war at that time. They were so incompatible with his ideas that he hated them deeply.
I hope that in future wars, whether internal or external, this massacre or that massacre will not happen again. Zhu Yongxing knows that this is not a goal that can be achieved in a short time, but he still feels relieved that he has taken this step
.War is a matter for soldiers and has nothing to do with civilians. What he wants is that simple.
Killing to stop killing, I don't know if it can achieve the expected results. Zhu Yongxing hesitated, signed and stamped the document, and hundreds of people's lives will soon disappear because of his approval. Murderer, murderer,
Although there were still omissions regarding the murderer in the Guangzhou Massacre, Zhu Yongxing breathed a sigh of relief after signing, feeling that he had served justice and could comfort the victims of the Guangzhou Massacre.
"Shang Zhixiao and others were also beheaded." Zhu Yongxing picked up another document and made the decision without looking up before reading it. After reading it, he pondered for a while and then said: "Exit
The first one will be rewarded and must publicize it."
Shang Zhixiao was captured alive on the third day after the liberation of Guangzhou, which was an unexpected blessing. A fire in Pingnan Palace burned too many people to death. Many of the corpses were charred and it was impossible to identify who they were.
It is not clear whether Shang Kexi is among them.
However, in order to expand the influence and deter surrounding enemies, the news of the recovery of Guangzhou City and the happy death of the monks was sent out at the same time.