Chapter 372 Phobia of the Ming Dynasty having sufficient firepower
Chapter 372 Phobia of the Ming Dynasty having sufficient firepower
Yang Shen was not the first important minister to hold different views on the imperial court's use of troops in the southwest. Zhu Houcong was already used to this.
Strictly speaking, since the Great War was declared in the sixth year of Jiajing, the Ming Dynasty has actually been recuperating for three years. Although there are still some invasions and expulsions from the three western borders every year, in fact they are only at the usual intensity.
In the blink of an eye, it is actually another year of change. Important ministers have different opinions on many major events, not only because this year is unusual, but also because they have to compete for some important positions.
What is unusual about this year?
Two new ministries were added, provincial administrative regions across the country were re-divided, and new money was minted to unify finances. These are major events.
During the Spring Festival, Zhu Houcong did not care about this for the time being. It would be a matter of discussing and finalizing the draft again after the new year.
Now he is accompanying his family first.
Among them, there is a special person: Alfonso.
After living in the capital for so many years, Alfonso has become a qualified minister, especially since his daughter Carolina also became pregnant during the emperor's last round of "pacifying the harem" and gave birth to a son named
After Zhu Zaiyi.
In the Hall of Cultivation of the Heart, Alfonso visited his grandson and waited in the imperial study room to hear what the emperor had to say after leaving him behind.
Zhu Houcong went straight to the point: "You have become my county prince, and Carolina has also given birth to a prince. After staying in the Ming Dynasty for several years, you should be loyal to me only, right?"
"My loyalty is unquestionable, Your Majesty the Emperor."
"My operations in Nanyang have begun." Zhu Houxuan said, "The Nanyang Navy has been preparing in Dongguan for more than a year, and now a lot of warships have been built. You are good at naval warfare, and you have led many troops at Huangming University.
Young student, after the New Year, I am going to send you out."
"Operation in Nanyang?" Alfonso's heart moved, "Your Majesty, are you going to start conquering the ocean?"
"Preparation period." Zhu Houcong shook his head, "Since you were defeated, Portugal seems to have temporarily given up the opportunity to continue to seek trade to the north. Now, it is the Jiaozhi people who serve as middlemen, traveling between the Ming Dynasty and Nanyang. This time
, I want you to do one thing."
"Your Majesty, please issue a decree!"
Alfonso's words and conversation were already in order, and Zhu Houcong smiled and said: "After the New Year, you go to Zhejiang first. Since they cut off trade with Japan, they only dare to smuggle secretly with some wealthy coastal families. In the past few years,
After successive investigations, we also arrested some people, and their contributions were also used in the construction of Shuangyu Port. You go to Zhejiang, take some prisoners who have become compliant, and pretend to be your crew."
"Pretend?" Alfonso didn't quite understand, "Didn't you ask me to serve in the navy?"
"There's no rush." Zhu Houcong continued, "I'll tell you a made-up story first..."
This idea was inspired by Zhu Houcong's report from Huang Mingji.
Unexpectedly, Huang Mingji actually came into contact with Wang Zhi, and Wang Zhi was indeed very courageous. He actually wanted to use a chicken to lay eggs and use the escort warship of Huang Mingji Shipping Company to complete his primitive accumulation.
But Wang Zhi is the face of Ming Dynasty after all, so it is not a good thing to do this.
Alfonso is different. He is a native of the old Portuguese banner with good roots.
"The Ming Dynasty is thousands of miles away from Malacca. You never left the capital after you entered the capital. Very few people know your current identity." Zhu Houcong said, "You arrived in Japan by chance after your defeat, and you also arrived in the Ming Dynasty.
After several years of struggling with the reforms, he opened up trade routes. When he returned to Malacca, the first was to have a new status and be responsible for the trade to the north. The second was to provide cover for the intelligence network there for the Foreign Inspectorate. The third was to
It was to encourage the Governor-General of India to dispatch warships and generals to take advantage of the civil strife in Cochin to open up new colonies."
Alfonso looked at him blankly.
Zhu Houcong said calmly: "I know it's not easy, but for Zai Xi, you have to do it."
"I don't understand..."
"Today I will explain this matter to you clearly. Don't worry, I have plans..."
Throughout the ninth year of Jiajing, Zhu Houcong had too much time to make many preparations.
Trade with Japan has been cut off for many years. In order to mint new money this year, although the imperial court has been storing silver for several years, it will also need a steady stream of silver to come in. It cannot just come in and not control it. Therefore, while cracking down on smuggling, it is actually also
Investigate and cultivate obedient civilian maritime merchants.
Now, there are sufficient conditions for Alfonso to go back with full harvest.
When the Ming Dynasty intervened in the situation in Outer Yunnan, and then intervened in the situation in Jiaozhi, it was for the sake of local orthodoxy.
When the news reaches Malacca, the Malacca royal family will definitely request the Ming Dynasty to send troops again. And if Alfonso incites the Portuguese to send troops to Cochin, the Ming Dynasty will defeat a lot of their effective forces in one battle, and with Alfonso
With this internal response, there is hope of controlling the Strait of Malacca in one fell swoop.
After that, it is a matter of holding on, and there will be a steady stream of benefits from sea trade.
Huang Mingji searched for rubber trees in Nanyang for several years but could not find them. Zhu Houcong thought about it and thought, just like some crops, they are not available in all tropical areas. The exchange of products between the East and the West still needs to be traded. No matter what happened to the Ming Dynasty
, and it is impossible to conquer the world under today's technical conditions.
The Nanyang and Oriental islands are island chains when they are disadvantaged, and they are border walls when they are advantageous. When the Great Maritime Wall is built, the strategic depth of the future maritime era will be broader.
I spent a day solving Alfonso's doubts. At this moment in Taiyuan City, several wealthy local businessmen were gathering during the Chinese New Year.
"I didn't expect that the national debt purchased back then was so valuable. This time, the national debt in Yunnan was bought since the beginning of last year, and the benefits have come." The head of the Wang family said happily, "The national debt in Fujian
The fleets of the three companies have been found to be secretly smuggling to Japan year after year. The license plates were taken away, thanks to Tang Dutai and Wu Dinghou interceding, and they were given to us. There is a big thing at the moment, and our Shanxi merchant gang must work hard to solve it..."
All they knew was that the imperial court allowed their family to go to Japan. Although no struvite stones were required, the tax would be higher, and they would only accept money.
But even so, it is a unique and special passage.
Instead, the head of the Majia family said: "We don't have much accumulation at sea, so we still need to use people from the coast. Now, we need to find a few families and get married."
"This matter is easy to handle! Not only Nanzhili, Zhejiang, and Fujian, but also Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan must also pay attention. After this battle, Yunnan will also open border markets! The gems, ivory, and grain over there...
…”
"It's very mountainous over there, I'm afraid we have to use horses to transport it."
"What are you afraid of horses? Save some in the Liaodong border market, and Yunnan horses will do..."
The Great War of Xuanda had a considerable impact on the northern border towns at the time, but it also gave rise to opportunities later on.
The southwest war has not officially started yet, but they are preparing for new opportunities.
In the two capitals and thirteen provinces, after the fifth year of Jiajing and the tenth year of Jiajing, preparations will begin for the five-year inspection.
Last year, after several rounds of deliberation at the National Policy Conference, it was announced to the world that it did not include prefectures and counties, it did not plan government offices, it did not take charge of provincial affairs, and it did not provide input on policies. In addition to temporary elections due to circumstances, all officials in the Ming Dynasty reported their duties every year and took a three-year quiz.
Five years of inspection.
Everyone is well aware that this year's Grand Supervision is to prepare for the division of provincial-level administrative regions, and secondly to determine whether officials who are interested in official careers can embark on a new and correct promotion path. Since the eleventh year of Jiajing, the Ming Dynasty has continued
The government office reform that has been going on for several years should be stabilized.
It is like this every time. When the interests of some people are involved, the future of many people is always involved. How to choose and choose will naturally differentiate. Even if you are willing to struggle, you will find that too many people have wrong intentions, and the struggle is in vain.
The Grand Procuratorate was only a matter for the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Yang Shen had a strong sense of responsibility, but he only felt that the Ming Dynasty was always taking a dangerous path.
It would be fine if everything goes well, but what if something unexpected happens? For example, if the war in the southwest is unfavorable, or if the northern barbarians take the opportunity to invade the borders and create more burdens?
For this reason, after the meeting at Wangri on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, he finished lecturing the prince-to-be and went to the Yangxin Hall to inquire about the matter. He asked about the northern borders.
"...I am very pleased that you are worried about national affairs. The Northerners must be on guard at all times. How could I not have expected that they would have any thoughts after finding out the news from the southwest? I have been flirting with the Tibetan people, but the Tibetan areas are far away.
Yunnan is very close, so I should probably do something about it."
Yang Shen's face was full of worry, this was what he was afraid of.
"After I returned to Beijing a year ago, I found out a group of subordinate officials who were lucky enough to conquer the Jiangnan grain tax last year. The Huguang grain tax was transferred to Guizhou and entered the palace, and the same was true for Sichuan. The national grain inventory is really not much..."
"Don't be so nervous." Zhu Houcong sighed, "I set up the grain storage account so early. After the kings come to the capital, all the fields given to them will be managed by the grain storage account."
"...How much grain is stored in the grain storage number?" Yang Shen disliked the feeling that as the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, he had no way of knowing the actual amount of grain stored in the Ming Dynasty.
"Last year, the new grain has not been put into the warehouse, and I am also waiting for the quantity. In short, the grain warehouses in various places are built on the land given by the kings in the past. This is the grain supply network I have prepared for future military use or disaster relief." Zhu Houcong.
He didn't hide anything from him, "Huang Jin, bring last year's report to Yong Xiu for a look."
"This slave obeys your order."
After a while, Yang Shen saw something, and it was full of pictures and texts.
On the map, the shape of the granary formed the character "feng" in the Ming Dynasty.
From top to bottom, the central axis is the original King Dai, King Jin, King Shen, King Zheng...
To the north of the Yellow River, from west to east, there are King Su, King Qing, King Han, King Zhao, and King Lu...
Further south, the same is true. The vassal kings who were originally entrusted to various places in the Ming Dynasty were indeed mostly located in places with convenient transportation.
In this way, if the grain storage company really built granaries in various places because of the land granted by Huangzhuang and the vassal king, it would indeed almost cover the hinterland of the Ming Dynasty.
Yang Shen looked at the figures of grain storage in each granary last year, and looked up at the emperor with complicated eyes.
"After the major national policy meeting at the end of this year, a unified national treasury was established, which will become a regular practice in the future. The grain storage number and the amount of grain stored will be reported every year for filing."
It's just for filing. If there is demand, you will naturally have to go through the purchasing process. It is just for His Majesty. The procedures and settlement can be done slowly.
In any case, the emperor has soldiers and food, and the Huangming Assets Bureau has money.
"I understand."
Yang Shen really understood now. Why was he afraid of instability? If there are still people who refuse to accept their fate because they want to split up Southern Zhili, the emperor will only be happy to replenish the treasury of stolen goods and continue to supplement his future expeditions to the north and south. family property.
Before leaving, Yang Shen still asked: "Your Majesty, if the troubles in the north are eliminated and Yunnan is at peace, will there still be conquests in the east and west?"
"...A warlike warrior will lead to death? I know."
Zhu Houcong has a bit of PTSD towards him. He tortured Yang Tinghe in the past, and now he retaliates.
However, he also knew that Yang Shen was now the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and he was fulfilling his duties.
So Zhu Houcong only said: "Just remember one thing, I will not fight endlessly for the sake of some false reputation of opening up new territories. I will not engage in loss-making business."
Yang Shen sighed and resigned: "I will teach His Highness the Crown Prince carefully."
It was as if the donkey's lips were not the horse's mouth, but Zhu Houcong could only watch him leave speechlessly.
It means: You are stubborn and I can't persuade you. Your son, I have to teach him to be a benevolent king who cares about the people's power and to take good care of himself in the future.
There is a kind of loyalty that hopes that His Majesty the Emperor will die soon and that the Ming Dynasty will prosper and develop stably.
"...I still have a chance to survive."
Zhu Houcong muttered, and then his thoughts drifted to the northwest.
After deciding to deploy troops in the southwest, orders were sent to Wang Shouren, Tang Shunzhi and others.
If there is any movement in Beilu, they probably won't wait until autumn this year.
They also have to consider whether the horse will be fat after the winter. If they just hope that the north and the south will put pressure on Ming Dynasty, they hope that Ming Dynasty will have a big change this year and the political district will be changed internally. Changes will be disappointing.
Entering the temple, Hall of Heroes, there are two more ministers, more governors...and the money and food saved in the past three years, and the generals from many provinces have been recruited under the general army.
Is there anyone in Ming Dynasty who is not afraid of death? Just take a step forward.
Small actions do not harm the overall situation, but a dull knife has been cutting flesh for many years.
It has been ten years since Jiajing, and times have changed.
Daming, who had been gentle for many years, began to take the initiative to show his fangs.
Not counting the six years of Jiajing, it was the Northern Lu who invaded the border areas on a large scale - even though they were seduced.
Now the first person to have his teeth bared is the chieftain from Outer Yunnan.
Before the first lunar month was over, on the 26th, three armies took the initiative to attack in the southwest border area.
It is said that if you do not raise troops in the first month, otherwise the omen will be bad. But does Zhu Houcon believe this? He gave a counterexample: Historical records indicate that on the twenty-sixth day of the first month of Guisi, King Wu raised an army from the Zhou Dynasty. On the twenty-sixth day of the second month of Guihai, the Zhou army
The formation was set up in Muye. The next day, the attack was immediately victorious. In the dark, Zhou occupied the capital of Shang, and King Zhou of Yin burned himself to death.
You see, King Wu of Zhou sent out troops in the first month, and the battle was completed in one month and one day.
Isn't this a good sign?
In Yunnan, Mu Shaoxun led the troops and sat in Yongchang together with Wu Wending.
In front of them, Qu Zhinan led his troops to attack Jiangtou City held by Meng Yang, Ji Wei led his troops to attack Meng Mi from his residence, and Tang Shaozong set out from Hanlong Pass to invade Mu Bang territory.
"The Duke has said it! Your Majesty said that King Wu will be victorious and change the government in one month. This battle has brought so many guns and cannons, so don't be stingy! Fight quickly and capture the city of Ava within a month!"
There are vast flat pools on both sides of the Jinsha River, and in front of Qu Zhinan there seems to be an earl waving: General, come quickly.
At the rear of Meng Yang's army formation, Silun was a little panicked when he saw the people in the front of the elephant soldiers standing up and rolling over.
According to the words passed down from our ancestors, the Ming Dynasty's fire cannons were indeed powerful, but not to this extent, right?
How can such a big gun be transported so easily?
The generals of the Third Division, who were already lagging behind many versions, felt the huge shock from the Ming armies' active learning of Yuanyang Formation field tactics and new guns and artillery.
The Tiger Crouching Cannon is easy to transport and can fire continuously.
Bird cannons have a longer range and are more accurate.
Silun felt that he was well prepared. After all, in the twelfth lunar month before the Chinese New Year, Ming Dynasty ordered him to go to Kunming to bear thorns and apologize.
But the Ming Dynasty did not talk about martial ethics.
We have already prepared for a fight, so why do we have so many mediation dramas ahead?
He indeed misjudged. In the previous two or three years, Ming Dynasty seemed indifferent to the changes in the situation outside Yunnan.
Then suddenly he was fully prepared and came for a "sneak attack".
Why do they have so much firepower?
Mu Shaoxun had never fought such a prosperous battle, and the trust the emperor gave him in the Mu family made him excited from the bottom of his bones.
"Wu Dutai, if it were so easy, we could wipe out Outer Yunnan!" Reports from the front continued to come back. Seeing the speed of the front's advance, Mu Shaoxun couldn't restrain his excitement.
Wu Wending shook his head repeatedly: "Your Majesty has decreed, this is called a lightning war. Unleash the firepower, quickly capture the city of Awa, and use the power to make an agreement to still use the chieftains to govern outer Yunnan. This is the magnanimity of the king. External Yunnan is easy to sweep, but the barbarians are difficult to control.
.Remember, the general strategy is to open the market for trade and gain real profits! If you want to revive culture and education, do it slowly!"
"Yes, yes, I lost my temper."
Even if there really is an emperor who wants the Mu family to assist His Royal Highness the King of Yue to occupy the entire outer Yunnan, he cannot show his eagerness.
Take it easy.
In the south of Ava City, Mangrui Ti has also sent troops.
The Toungoo Burmese people gave him great support, which was due to his bravery in daring to rush to Pegu Guan'er.
But no matter how ambitious Ren Mangruiti was, he couldn't help but be in a trance when he heard the news from the sentry from the north. At the same time, he had great fear about the combat power and firepower of the Ming army.
Are they really helping themselves to rehabilitate their country?
I've been too busy these two days, so I'm afraid I won't have time to make up for the update today.