The Resurrection of the South Seas of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 731 The Force of the Imperial Mouthpiece ([-]-character chapter)

Should we continue to prepare Wentun according to the original plan, or take advantage of this opportunity to send troops to North Korea to directly annex North Korea by force?

If North Korea is annexed by force, how will Ming Dynasty deal with the pressure of public opinion?

After all, Joseon is Daming's first vassal, and he is Daming's own son.

If the father of the Celestial Dynasty annexed all his own sons, what face would he have?
This is what Zhu Hongyu is worried about now!
After much deliberation, the point of breaking the situation may lie in the son of the Joseon Dynasty...

While thinking deeply, Zhu Hongyu raised his own question.

In the face of Zhu Hongyu's inquiry, Xu Bin stood up and gave the advice of the staff department.

"Your Majesty, the suggestion from the staff department is that I, Da Ming, should give priority to recovering Liaodong!"

"Before Liaodong is completely recovered, it is not recommended to send troops to North Korea to fight a large-scale battle with the Qing army in North Korea!"

After listening to the advice of the staff department, Zhu Hongyu became more determined in his heart.

We must not easily agree to aid North Korea!
If you want Ming to send troops to rescue North Korea, you can, but Ming will only send troops after North Korea requests to attach Da Ming!

Zhu Hongyu nodded slightly, expressing his satisfaction with the plan proposed by the staff department.

Then asked again.

"How is the progress of the Liaodong campaign?"

Xu Bin said.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, regarding the battle situation in Eastern Liaodong, I, Ming Dynasty, have already dispatched troops from the Liaoxi Corridor and Tianjin Port."

"While taking the land route, we went straight to Shenyang, and at the same time took the water route, preparing to cut off the Yalu River to prevent the main force of the Qing court from withdrawing from North Korea to Daming."

"Our army has already dispatched troops, but the specific results of the battle have not yet been announced!"

Zhu Hongyu nodded again, and then asked again.

"How is the restoration of the nine sides of the imperial court?"

It has been more than a year since the Ming Dynasty recovered the Northern Territory. During this process, what the imperial court did was to restore people's livelihood and social order.

The most important thing is to restore the former nine-sided defense system!

That is, when Daming faced the nomads in the north, it relied on the Great Wall's defense system.

From Shanhaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the west, there are nine frontier fortresses along the Great Wall, such as Liaodong Town, Xuanfu Town, Datong Town, Shanxi Town, Yulin Town...etc.

Collectively known as Nine Sides!
Even in the late Ming Dynasty, the nine-sided soldiers and horses of the Ming Dynasty could still be regarded as elite soldiers.

Li Zicheng's ability to grow bigger also began with his large-scale absorption of deserters from the Nine Sides of Ming Dynasty!

Now, since Daming has restored the Northland, it is natural to rebuild the Nine Borders Town.

It's just that the Nine Sides of Ming Dynasty is no longer a defensive fortress in the past, but will be the advance base of the army's conquest.

How do you say that, the Great Wall was used to protect the Central Plains Dynasty from foreign invaders when the Central Plains Dynasty was weak.

But when the Central Plains dynasty is strong, this thing can play a role in protecting the grassland nomads.

Because, with the Great Wall, the Central Plains Dynasty will have a sense of security.

Otherwise, no one would know what an insecure, or Central Plains dynasty in its heyday, would do to the grassland.

Zhu Hongyu has always been an ambitious person, and he still thinks about unlocking a series of achievement medals in the future, such as Sealing the Wolf and Living in Xu, Le Shi Yanran, Herding Horses in Beihai, Drinking Ice in the Vast Sea... and so on!

If a Central Plains dynasty is strong, if there is no Northern Expedition, then what kind of serious Central Plains dynasty is it?
The rebuilding of the Nine Frontiers Town was Zhu Hongyu's first step in preparing to launch the Northern Expedition.

Xu Bin stood up and said.

"Your Majesty, now, Liaodong Town, Xuanfu Town, Datong Town, Shanxi Town and other places are recovering in an orderly manner!"

"My Ming Dynasty is already starting to recruit troops from the Northland, preparing to deploy the defense of the towns on the Nine Borders."

"The administration in Gansu, Shaanxi and other places is still recovering in an orderly manner, and border towns in Gansu Town, Yulin Town and other places will take some time to recover."

Zhu Hongyu asked while playing with a pair of walnuts in his hand.

"How long will it take for all nine sides to recover their fighting power?"

When he asked this question, Zhu Hongyu's eyes shone with a warlike light.

He has never been a law-abiding person!
It's just that he knows when to do something!
Xu Bin opened his mouth to answer.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, according to the estimates of the staff department, it will take at least two to three years for all nine sides to recover their combat effectiveness!"

The Nine Frontier Army Town is an important means for Daming to face the north!
Even now that the Ming Dynasty is short of troops, at least one town of the Nine Frontiers still needs a division of soldiers to be stationed.

A total of nine divisions, 9 soldiers!

Daming wants to complete the recruitment, training, and replenishment of equipment for 9 people...a year to start!
This is a conservative estimate. 9 people are not enough to ensure that the nine sides are not lost, or to have the ability to fight outside the fortress.

At least double it!
In other words, for just one Nine Sides, Daming needs 18 people to be stationed.

This can ensure that the army can stabilize the rear while going out to fight.

This is why Zhu Hongyu did not rush to send troops out of the fortress after restoring the Northland.

18 million people!
If they really want to fight, this wave will almost draw more than half of Daming's existing troops!
Daming still has so many important places in the south that need to send troops to station. In these provinces in the Han region, it can be said that the people of Daming are still there. The role of the garrison is actually more inclined to maintain law and order and suppress bandits.

Not many troops are needed!

It is enough to have a garrison to maintain presence and deterrence.

However, Nanyang is not stable at present, and a large number of troops are required to be stationed everywhere, ready to suppress possible indigenous riots at any time.

And, more importantly, be on guard against the petty tricks that white skins may engage in in Nanyang!

Zhu Hongyu can't transfer all the troops to the north in one go!

Therefore, before the recovery of the Nine Frontiers, Daming will adopt a soft policy on the grasslands and will not launch a large-scale offensive.

Zhu Hongyu nodded, indicating that he knew.

……

Li Xuan, the son of the king of Joseon, met Zheng Chenggong in his study.

After the two chatted for a while, Li Xuan had no choice but to leave.

Although Zheng Chenggong is very enthusiastic about it, he has never said a word about whether he will help North Korea ask the court for help.

Li Wei could be seen that, Zheng Chenggong made it clear that he was pretending to be confused and didn't want to get involved in this matter.

In this regard, he has nothing to do, he can only resign and leave!

You know, Zheng Chenggong is a prince, and the King of Joseon is just a county king, and his son of Joseon is only a prince of the county. What right does he have to disrespect a prince with real power in the court?
After Li Xuan left the Yanping palace, the attendants waiting outside the palace greeted him, and asked expectantly.

"Your Highness, what did King Yanping say?"

"Has King Yanping agreed to speak for me in the court?"

Li Xuan shook his head solemnly and said.

"No! The old man Yanping Wang has never made a statement."

"My North Korea is in danger..."

Li Xuan let out a deep sigh of helplessness.

"Your Highness, what should we do?"

Li Xuan's entourage couldn't help asking.

Li Xuan shook his head with a look of helplessness.

"I... I don't know what to do!"

Another follower on the side spoke.

"Maybe we can lobby more important ministers in the DPRK and China and ask them to speak for me in North Korea."

"King Yanping is unwilling to express his opinion, but not everyone else is willing to express his opinion either!"

"His Royal Highness can also go to the Weeping Palace, and publicize the request to attach Daming to the outside world, so as to ask that Daming can send troops to help North Korea..."

These methods are actually not very clever. During the Imjin Japanese Invasion, the North Korean envoys did the same to get Ming to send troops to aid North Korea.

On the one hand, the king of Joseon stayed on the side of Daming by the Yalu River, declaring that he wanted to attach Daming to North Korea, and he wanted to go to the capital of Daming to be an idle prince.

To die is to die on the land of Daming!
On the other hand, they send people to connect with each other in the capital to incite public opinion, and spend money to bribe the important officials of the DPRK and China, and ask the important officials of the DPRK and China to speak for North Korea...

With the help of the coerced public opinion, Wanli ordered to send troops to aid the DPRK!

What this person said spoke to the depths of Li Xuan's heart, and after hesitating for a while, Li Xuan spoke.

"Okay, let's do it!"

"Let's make preparations, raise a batch of money to buy some gifts, and go pay a visit to the adults who are biased towards us in North Korea and China!"

"I'm going to go to the Palace of Weeping outside the palace!"

Li Xuan flicked his sleeves, ready to go to the imperial city.

At this moment, a follower stood up and suggested.

"How about we go buy a newspaper?"

Li Xuan stopped in his footsteps, turned his head and frowned and asked.

"What do you mean? What do you buy newspapers for? Now is the time to read newspapers?"

The follower explained.

"Your Highness, I didn't mean that!"

"I'm talking about buying a newspaper section to report on the current situation in North Korea!"

"If you want to talk about the current Ming Dynasty, the best way to publicize public opinion is the newspaper. If we want to control public opinion, the newspaper is the means we must not miss."

Hearing this, the expression on Li Xuan's face was obvious emotion.

Then he nodded and said.

"In my name, contact a newspaper, publish the information about North Korea's request for help, and quickly distribute it to the world!"

The current emperor of Ming Dynasty may not care much about what the officials think, but he must care about what the people think of him.

Now many people can feel Zhu Hongyu's pulse, he cares about reputation very much.

But it is not the false name written by the literati, but the reputation passed down by the common people!
Among so many emperors throughout the ages, Zhu Hongyu's preference can be regarded as a wonderful flower!

……

In the early morning, Zhu Hongyu got up from his concubine's bed.

After dressing and washing, and having breakfast, he sat at the table, while flipping through the newspaper in his hand, while enjoying the beauty's feeding.

Of course, this is a Da Ming Daily that has not yet been published!
Only after Zhu Hongyu's personal review will this issue of Daming Daily be published.

Flipping through the newspaper casually, looking at the content of each article above, Zhu Hongyu's face was relatively calm.

To be honest, the content of the current Da Ming Daily is completely different from the messy situation at the beginning.

The Daming Daily is the face of the imperial court, the mouthpiece for the imperial court to publicize policies and achievements, so it must be solemn.

The entertaining and interesting content that was in the beginning has been removed, and even the profitable commercial promotion section has been deleted.

At the beginning, the reason why there was a commercial section was that the imperial court did not have so much money to distribute newspapers, so the only way to make newspapers profitable was to distribute them nationwide on a large scale.

But now the situation is different!
Now that the imperial court is not short of money, the commercial section will naturally be deleted.

This is quite normal, after all, I haven't seen an advertisement in the People's Daily, have I?

As the mouthpiece of the imperial court, the Daming Daily must not be deeply tied to Tongqi, so it is still necessary to be so forceful.

In terms of entertainment, the most is to leave a section for popular science!
Zhu Hongyu's breakfast was also relatively simple. Today he did not eat the traditional Chinese breakfast, but a Western-style milk bread sandwich.

The ham in the sandwich is the best Jinhua ham!
The tributes dedicated to the royal family are of very good quality, and generally do not even flow into the market.

The reason why he ate a Western-style meal today was because he slept in Bella's bedroom last night.

And Bella is Dutch!
Bella is now in her 20s. Although Westerners age faster on average, she is still a beauty in her 20s, but she has more wrinkles on her face than other concubines of the same age.

But her plump figure is a great plus!
Who can say no to a magnificent ocean horse?

Zhu Hongyu quickly finished his breakfast under Bei Na's service, and then prepared to go to the imperial study to deal with government affairs.

He doesn't pay much attention to Shang Zhaochao, but he has never been lazy in handling government affairs!

Although the three procedures of the cabinet and the internal and external secretariat can deal with most of the government affairs, there are still many things that need to be decided by Zhu Hongyu himself in the end.

However, Zhu Hongyu had just arrived at the imperial study when Jin Yiwei and Dongchang sent him news about the son of the Joseon Dynasty, Li Xuan.

One is the Weeping Palace of the eldest son of Joseon, Lee Min!
The second is that North Korean envoys connected in series in Nanjing and frequently visited Ming officials.

The third is that some Koreans want to publish the current situation of North Korea in the newspaper to win the sympathy of the public opinion of Ming Dynasty, and they are coercing the emperor through public opinion to order troops to aid North Korea.

These three things were sent to Zhu Hongyu's desk together!
Zhu Hongyu couldn't help frowning.

Actually, these things are not a big problem for Zhu Hongyu.

As long as Zhu Hongyu is thick-skinned, he can pretend that he can't see Li Wei's crying palace.

There is no need to worry if the North Korean envoy wants to link up with Ming officials!

Zhu Hongyu's side had just finished cleaning up the court with the scavenger operation. As long as the courtiers still have brains, they will not do anything before Zhu Hongyu expresses his position on North Korea.

In other words, Li Yun's move will hardly have any practical effect.

And the newspaper thing is even easier!
In order to publish the current Ming newspaper, it must pass the review before it is allowed to be published on a large scale.

As long as Zhu Hongyu doesn't want the newspaper to be published, the newspaper won't be published!
In Daming, no one can make Zhu Hongyu do what he doesn't want to do!

nobody!
But, then again, now that the son of Joseon has expressed such urgency, it means that the situation in North Korea is really critical.

……

Lanzhou Prefecture!
Wu Sangui Xingyuan!
After the beginning of spring this year, the Guan Ning Army formally mobilized troops to launch the Western Expedition.

After Wu Sangui withdrew from Chang'an, he led his troops to Lanzhou and used Lanzhou as the current advance base of the Guanning Army and Wu Sangui's own camp.

After the Guan Ning Army withdrew from Guanzhong, the arms trade between Daming and Guan Ning Army officially kicked off.

And the location of the trade between the two parties is also in Lanzhou!

In an open space outside the city of Lanzhou, one side was driving a cart, the other side was driving cattle and sheep, and the two teams of people and horses stood apart not far away.

"Mr. Liu, here are [-] sets of Ming standard infantry equipment, [-] sets of heavy armor, and [-] field artillery pieces. Sir, please check and accept them."

A person in charge of the Daming Royal Arsenal said to Liu Xuanchu.

Behind him, there are four-wheeled carts loaded with boxes. The boxes are covered with green cloth, and only a trace can be seen roughly.

Liu Xuanchu, who was in charge of communicating with the relevant officials of Ming Dynasty, stood up, nodded slightly to express his friendliness, and then signaled the people behind him to go forward for inspection.

Of course, the ammunition transported by Daming this time is only a part of it, and it is considered the first batch.

Then after the end of this trade, the remaining arms will be shipped from Guanzhong in batches.

Daming's munitions trade is notoriously expensive, and the value of these munitions is very high. Naturally, Guan Ningjun will only sign for receipt after inspecting the goods.

Otherwise, if there is a quality problem with these munitions, there is no way for Liu Xuanchu to explain to Wu Sangui!
The dustproof cloth on the cart was lifted, revealing mouthfuls of large boxes.

A box was unloaded from the car, the seal of the box was lifted, and the lock was opened.

After opening it, a smell of tung oil spread over the surface.

The box is neatly stacked such as muskets, sabers, bayonets, breastplates, helmets, etc...

These weapons are all brushed with tung oil for maintenance!

Under the sunlight, it shone brightly.

A soldier of the Guan Ning Army had bright lights in his eyes, and he took out the weapons in the box one by one for inspection.

The more he checked, the brighter his eyes became!
As a soldier fighting on the battlefield, he knows how effective a good set of armor and weapons can be.

Although the asking price of these arms of Ming Dynasty is very high, the quality is indeed excellent!
The production of muskets is obviously much finer than that of Guan Ningjun's own muskets, and even the supporting projectiles are the size of one side.

The armor and helmet are all made of high-quality fine iron, and the blades of those swords are even covered with steel.

A little waving and a hefty portion!

This is just ordinary individual equipment, and those heavy armors are even more powerful.

Breastplate, arm armor, skirt armor... Each piece of armor is polished and gleaming, with a strong and heavy feeling, rushing towards the face.

Everyone has to admit that the quality of this heavy armor is really good, and the materials used are really sufficient.

……

ps: At the end of the month, it is also the end of the year, and it happens to be the double monthly pass period!
For the sake of the author's sick code, ask for a ticket!
(End of this chapter)