Hong Chengchou's strategy for Pingnan can be roughly divided into four items:
The first is to recuperate and recuperate. - Because although the Qing Dynasty occupied most of China, the north has suffered from repeated attacks by swords and is very depressed. Now the south cannot be taken suddenly and cannot be supplemented by water transportation, so it can only take active measures.
, restore production, recruit the exiled population, encourage land reclamation, and light corvee
To accumulate national power and ease the antagonism between the Manchu and Han Dynasties, this was not only to pacify the south, but also to stabilize the rule of the Qing court after unifying the world. As Hong Chengchou said, as soon as three
The period of years, or at the latest five years, is mainly for this article.
The second is to rectify the army. Hong Chengchou finally believed that the Manchu and Han Eight Banners should not expand the army. It is enough to supplement the shortage and maintain the current situation. Moreover, the Manchu Eight Banners' combat effectiveness is strong enough, and the Han Eight Banners are also acceptable, but the package of accompanying the army is
The clothes and uniforms are uneven, and on the battlefield
It is easy to be held back, and necessary military training is required. After recruiting into the army, the organization should be unified and mobilized. In addition, the surrender of the army is completely insufficient for success and more than enough for failure. The best ones should be selected, reorganized, and then added
Training can be of great use.
The third item is to manufacture firearms. Through this Battle of Jianghuai, the merchant army used a wide variety of firearms with great power, which caused great casualties to the Qing army. This was also a major reason for the failure of the Qing army in the southern expedition. However, the merchant army
Most of the firearms can be imitated.
Therefore, the Qing army should also vigorously develop its own firearms. When necessary, it can purchase from Westerners or ask Westerners to help supervise the production. It should also expand the firearms force and establish an army that mainly uses firecrackers, supplemented by other firearms.
Professional troops came to confront the merchant army's firearms.
The fourth item is to strengthen indirect reporting. Send a large number of agents to the south to spy on military plans, alienate, assassinate, bribe and intimidate. The focus is to sow discord between the Nanjing court and Shang Yi, the Nanjing court and Li Zicheng, Shang Yi and Li Zicheng, etc.
It would be best if the south could be provoked to launch a civil war. Even if it could not provoke a civil war in the south, it could still alienate the Southern Ming court and cause internal strife, which would eventually allow the Qing court to profit from it.
Dorgon read the Four Pingnan Policies written by Hong Chengchou very carefully. Some of them agreed, some disagreed, some were even very disgusted, and of course some were quite helpless.
For example, although the first item listed by Hong Chengchou was not stated explicitly, it implicitly contained the intention to oppose the land enclosure order and demand equality between Manchu and Han Dynasty. However, in Dorgon's view, the enclosure was to resettle the Eight Banners disciples so that they could fight with peace of mind.
, after all, the basis of the rule of the Qing court was the Eight Banners, while the Manchu and Han Dynasties
Wait, it's even more impossible. There are as many Manchus as there are Hans. If equality between Manchus and Hans is implemented, wouldn't it mean that the world that the Manchus worked so hard to conquer would be returned to the Hans? Therefore, it is feasible to recuperate and recuperate, but what is the objection to enclosure?
, these propositions of equality between Manchu and Han are absolutely unfeasible.
When Hong Chengchou asked for the development of firearms, Dorgon felt helpless. In fact, he also had this idea, but when it came to implementation, he had many concerns. One was the opposition from within the Eight Banners. As long as he had not fought with the Merchant Army,
Eight Banners dignitaries,
They all believed that only the skill of riding and shooting was the right way to go on the battlefield, and firearms were still their only skill. Therefore, they firmly opposed the expansion of the firearms ranks. In addition, some people worried that once the firearms ranks were expanded, the power of the Han army would inevitably expand, which would endanger the Han army.
Threaten the status of the Manchu Army.
However, Hong Chengchou suggested reorganizing the army and strengthening its deployment. Dorgon was very in favor of it and was doing it. Now Dorgon is forming three battalions and selecting strong and skilled men from the Eight Banners to join the battalions to replace the previous ones. The Eight Banners Military System also dispatched a large number of craftsmen to the south.
But in general, Hong Chengchou's four strategies for Pingnan are indeed very insightful. If the plan is followed, it is indeed possible to unify the world within three to five years. If Dorgon had not already had a plan, he might have adopted it. I followed Hong Chengchou’s suggestion and waited patiently for three to five years. But now...
Dorgon put the folded copy written by Hong Chengchou on the table, smiled slightly, and said: "Old Hong, your method is very good, and it is all mature and prudent. However, it has been too long. In three to five years, I'm afraid It’s too long.”
Hong Chengchou said: "Unifying the world cannot be achieved overnight. All dynasties in the past have spent more than ten years. If it can be accomplished in three to five years, how lucky it is."
Dorgon chuckled and said, "Old Hong, I have a plan to invade Nanjing in just half a year. What do you think?" He also picked up a brochure from his desk and handed it to Hong Chengchou.
Hong Chengchou was also very surprised. He reached out to take the booklet, opened it and looked at it carefully. Dorgon sat behind the desk and waited patiently for Hong Chengchou to finish reading.
After a while, Hong Chengchou finished reading the pieces, put them together, respectfully, and put them back on the table. Dorgon said: "What do you think, Lao Hong, if you get this plan?" "
Hong Chengchou thought for a while and said: "Report to the regent, if we follow this plan, we can defeat Nanjing in one fell swoop and capture Zhu Yousong alive, but it will not be enough to take over the land south of the Yangtze River and unify the world."
Dorgon couldn't help but feel a little strange, saying: "If Nanjing is lost, Nanming will be destroyed. How can we say that we can't unify the world?"
Hong Chengchou said: "Zhu Zhensong is addicted to wine and sex, and is so mediocre that there is nothing to worry about. The Donglin Party likes empty talk, is not pragmatic, and only cares about power and profit, regardless of the overall situation. Although there are one or two gentlemen among them, they fail to achieve more and fail more than they do. Therefore, Nanjing It is not difficult to win, but now our main enemy of the Qing Dynasty is still Shang Yi of Zhejiang, not Nanming."
Dorgon smiled and said: "Isn't Shang Yi a minister of Nanming? Once the Nanjing court is destroyed, where can Shang Yi rely on?"
Hong Chengchou shook his head and said: "It is true that Shang Yi is now a minister of the Southern Ming Dynasty, but now he is in a state of separatism, independent, and the Southern Ming court cannot do anything to him. This time Shang Yi competes with the Qing Dynasty. Soldiers, horses, money, food, and weapons all came from Zhejiang, and I also heard that Shang Yi was promoting advantages and eliminating disadvantages in Zhejiang, encouraging farming, doing business, and amassing wealth. It can be seen that Shang Yi is now powerful and does not need to rely on Nanjing. Therefore, Nanjing fell, but Shang Yi still Now, I, the Qing Dynasty, still cannot unify the world."
"What's more, recuperation and recuperation are the foundation of the country. Moreover, the north is suffering from repeated attacks by war. The people are displaced and the countryside is deserted. According to my estimation, the war can only last for a year at most. Zhejiang is originally a prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River. In the future, We were attacked by swords, and Shang Yiran had been operating for three years and had a solid foundation. We, the Qing Dynasty, sent troops at this time. Although we could capture Nanjing, the southern expedition army would be exhausted by then and the veterans would not be able to capture Zhejiang again. There was also insufficient follow-up, which was really dangerous. Exactly. Only by consolidating the foundation can we start the conquest. This move is related to the century-old foundation of our Qing Dynasty, so I have to tell the truth. Please think again, Prince Regent."
Dorgon was silent for a long time, and then said: "We are recuperating, but Nanming will not work hard to govern it? The south has always been richer than the north, and has not suffered major damage. It has abundant products and extensive financial resources. Naturally, it is not comparable to the north. Although Nanjing No need to worry, but as you said, Shang Yi is not only good at running the army, but also good at running the people. After three or five years, our Qing Dynasty may be able to accumulate some money and food foundation, but who knows if Shang Yi will also have elite soldiers. There is enough food.”
After a pause, Dorgon continued: "What's more, Shang Yi's current strength is completely enough to invade Nanjing, depose Zhu Yousong and stand on his own, or use Zhu Yousong to command the south. With him in charge of the south, it will be even more difficult to attack." . Therefore, we, the Qing Dynasty, must take advantage of Shang Yi before he becomes powerful. We must first raise troops to conquer and destroy him before he succeeds. Even if we cannot destroy Shang Yi in one fell swoop, as long as we capture Nanjing, we can still suppress Zhejiang and make Shang Yi Unable to develop. What do you think?"
Of course, Hong Chengchou could hear that Dorgon was completely arrogant, and he was now eager to achieve breakthrough results in the southern expedition. He did not agree with his own suggestions, but he must still say what needed to be said, so Hong Chengchou said again: "The regent's intention is reasonable, but while we are recuperating, we will not sit back and watch the development of the south. I also made it clear in the Four Pingnan Strategies that we can send detailed troops to go deep into the south to stir up trouble and make Shang Shang Yi and Nanjing turned against each other. Even if Shang Yi could invade Nanjing, stand on his own, or sideline Zhu Yousong, either way, the entire south would be regarded as a rebellious minister and would be difficult to convince the public. And we, the Qing Dynasty, could just take this opportunity. , pulling other forces in the south of Long to attack each other, causing internal strife. Even if Shang Yi can unify the south, his strength will inevitably be exhausted. At that time, if we, the Qing Dynasty, raise our troops to march south, we will be able to unify the world in one fell swoop. "
After Dorgon listened, he was silent again. Hong Chengchou stood in front of the desk, bent down and thinking about Dorgon's reaction. He probably wouldn't kill himself, and he would probably be unavoidable if he dismissed his job and became idle. .
In fact, Dorgon was not an impatient person, and he knew that what Hong Chengchou said was indeed a mature and prudent move, but in Dorgon's heart, there was still something unexplainable. After Huang Taiji's death, Dorgon, despite his strength, Against all opinions, he supported Fulin as the emperor, but that was just a stop-gap measure to deal with Hauge. In Dorgon's heart, he never gave up on the throne, even though he was now considered the emperor of the Qing Dynasty. , but after all, I didn’t sit down, so there are still some flaws.
But Fulin is still the famous emperor after all. Although he has power in the government and the opposition, he does not dare to abolish the establishment. He must build a miracle to silence everyone, and this miracle is naturally to cross the Yangtze River and destroy the people. Defeat the Southern Ming Dynasty and unify the world. Therefore, Dorgon was eager to launch another southern expedition.
In the past two years, Hong Chengchou has been watching Dorgon's appearance and has a good understanding of Dorgon. However, he is a bystander and knows that the chance of success in this southern expedition is not great. If it fails again, , I can't bear this task, so I know that Dorgon doesn't like to hear it, but I still want to speak clearly.
After a long time, Dorgon said: "Hong Qing, please step aside first and let me think twice."