People in Hongwu, from heavenly master to emperor master

Chapter 385 Xuanwu Yangwei, defending the enemy outside the country

When Zhu Yuanzhang got this world map, he always had a strategic goal.

He can slowly map it, and gradually extend his tentacles beyond the world.

But the first step before that is to use this world map to pull out the nails in the East China Sea and Bohai Sea.

The sea is vast and seemingly vast.

But there isn't much road left for ships.

Each supply point converges into a route.

The route above the sea is the golden road!

In addition to the more famous routes, many unknown routes are the reason why those Japanese pirates come and go without a trace.

However, no matter what the route is, the word supply cannot be bypassed.

On the world map, there are all the islands and reefs in this sea area.

This means that Daming has actually mastered all the routes,

Of course, the sea is different from the land, but knowing the location of the islands and reefs, you may not be able to get them.

China's navy lacks the ability to fight in the ocean.

In other words, the ships of this era are similar.

The newly formed Xuanwu Army is still immature.

Zhang Cundao trained for two years, but he could barely escort the North Liang Road.

In the past two years, the Xuanwu Army has often been called the Maritime Food Guard Team. Its glorious record in the first battle that year seems to have been buried in the dust of history.

But Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied with Zhang Cundao.

Being able to protect the grain road proves that the Xuanwu Army has done a good job in training.

It's just that the Xuanwu Army shouldn't be buried here, and let people see his fangs.

"Let Mu Ying and Ping An enter the palace..."

Zhu Yuanzhang is a vigorous and resolute person, so he immediately called Mu Ying and Ping An.

He had someone set up a private banquet to treat Mu Ying and Ping An's adopted sons well.

"Father!"

"His Majesty!"

After Mu Ying and Ping An entered the palace, Lao Zhu had already set up a banquet.

The two knelt down. Because of their different closeness, they called Zhu Yuanzhang differently.

Zhu Yuanzhang sent them to sit down casually, saying:
"You two come back, can you adapt?"

Mu Ying laughed loudly after hearing this:

"Father, don't be exposed to the wind and the sun, don't live a comfortable life these days!
After returning home, teasing our little boy all day can be regarded as making up for the loneliness of the past two years!

I reckon that brother Ping An is similar! "

Pingan smiled innocently, he was still a little shy in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang said:

"You are all doing well, you deserve all the ease you have come back from America...

only……"

Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated to speak, Mu Ying and Ping An looked at each other and said:
"Father, are you in trouble?

In other words, the trouble comes from Li Xiang? "

"Li Shanchang visited you, right?"

Lao Zhu was somewhat aware of Li Shanchang's actions.

Mu Ying nodded silently:

"Li Xiangnai is an elder, he is willing to give advice and admonish Mu Ying, what Mu Ying can't ask for!
It’s just that there are some things that Mu Ying can’t say and doesn’t dare to say, so Mr. Li should have some..."

Zhu Yuanzhang was thoughtful when he heard the words.

In terms of knowing how to advance and retreat, Li Shanchang has always been very satisfied with himself.

But after Liu Ji left, his attitude seemed to have changed subtly.

"I came to you two today because I want to tell you another thing..."

Zhu Yuanzhang told Mu Ying and Pingan what happened just now, and both of them fell silent.

They worked so hard to go to sea, and they narrowly escaped death, but the few words of the officials denied their efforts.

A feeling of despair and anger swept over the two of them.

Ping An's city is a little smaller than Mu Ying's, and anger is already evident.

"Father, my son feels that what Li Xiang said makes sense!

It's fine if your son and brother Ping'an don't get the title of marquis!

But our brothers have also suffered with us!
Even with charts and pointers, too many people died on the way!
Those who survived met those natives in America, and many died at their hands!

The pedestrians we obtained from the local people were gradually pieced together with swords and guns...

I don’t have to accept personal honors, but your majesty please reward the remaining brothers. "

After Mu Ying finished speaking, the three-foot man's eyes were flushed.

Out of ten boats, only six returned.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't need to imagine too much, but he also knew that the past two years had not been easy for them.

"I will not treat these generals badly, you can rest assured that they will all be rewarded!
As for the two of you, I will not give up either!
It’s just that people are dissatisfied and there are some twists and turns in this matter..."

"Your Majesty, if not, let Li Xiang say it, and wait until the grain is planted next year?"

Zhu Yuanzhang is not happy, why?
"You are opening up territories for me, so what are you doing?

Mu Ying, safe! "

Zhu Yuanzhang shouted, and the two quickly knelt down.

"You two, plus everyone who went to sea, will be incorporated into the Xuanwu Army...

Mu Ying is in charge of military affairs, with Zhang Cundao and Ping An as his assistants! "

The Xuanwu Army is her destination, Mu Ying knows this well, and she is also very happy to get the position of the deputy general of the Xuanwu Army safely.

His original rank was not high, so he was easily satisfied.

Zhu Yuanzhang liked them even more when he saw their inner joy.

What a contented child!
But this is not what Lao Zhu expected of them.

"Mu Ying, do you know why I asked you to take over the Xuanwu Army?"

Mu Ying shook her head blankly.

"Since they don't admit that you are expanding the territory, you will use your actions to prove what it means to expand the territory!
Go and get your titles back for me..."

Mu Ying was shocked when she heard this.

Does this work too?
war, good...

Mu Ying and Ping An's blood was on fire immediately, what they said to the emperor just now was just polite words.

Who is happy that a good title has been denied?
"Where does His Majesty want to fight?"

Mu Ying heard that the battle was raging.

"Two years ago, I asked Japan to become a vassal, but Japan didn't want to and even killed my envoy from the Ming Dynasty!
This enemy has always been remembered, from that day on, even though Yang Zai and others, how powerful I was to go to Japan again...

But after that day, I rejected everyone's proposals!
I don't want Japan to join me, since they killed my envoys, this country can only become part of the territory of Ming Dynasty...

Do you two have confidence? "

Mu Ying laughed, and said:

"Father, in fact, my son had this idea long ago!

If going to the Americas, Japan is the best transit point.

When we came back, we also resupplied in Japan.

But the people in this place are fearful of authority but not morality. We treat them well, but they feel that I am easy to bully.

After bombarding them a few times, they stopped!

If my father wants my Ming army flag to be planted on the Japanese territory, my ministers are willing to do my best! "

"Don't worry, I'm going out to sea from Ming Dynasty, and I still need a battle in the north..."

Zhu Yuanzhang had his own thoughts and strategies in mind, no matter how well Mu Ying said, he would not be moved.

"My request to you is to clear all the supplies in the East China Sea, especially the islands near my Huaxia direction, which must be under my control!

Wherever the island has water and resources, I will take them all!

As long as these things are done, I dare to confer titles on you,

Whoever objects next time, I will cut them off..."

"Yes, Your Majesty, please give us two months..."

Two months, for others, may be a rant.

Mu Ying was full of confidence.

Leaving aside the Xuanwu Army, none of the sailors who followed them and came back alive after two years were not veterans of water warfare.

Ten ships, nearly half of them were eliminated.

The remaining people, equipped with their warships, are not afraid of small forces such as Japanese pirates.

The real trouble is the big pirates who preside over the smuggling trade at sea.

The fleet in the hands of these people is probably stronger than that of the Daming Navy.

However, the Xuanwu army has Xuanwu cannons...

This is the most powerful sea killer of this era.

"I have also built a lot of Xuanwu cannons over the years, and I will equip them all for the Xuanwu Army when you come back!
From today, I, Ming Dynasty, will completely change the situation where the coast is infested by pirates. My request to you is to keep the enemy out of the country...

You can do it? "

"Your servant, I will never give up!"

……

On the second day, Zhu Yuanzhang's imperial edict arrived at Zhongshu Province.

Mu Ying and Ping An went to the Xuanwu Army, which made Li Shanchang heave a sigh of relief.

The Xuanwu Army is not too high in the army ranks of Ming Dynasty, although Zhu Yuanzhang gave them a lot of resources.

Like the old Zhu before, Li Shanchang didn't think there was anything worth paying attention to in the East.

Since ancient times, the ancestors have focused on the competition in China.

The problem of Japanese pirates is naturally not as serious as the problem in the north!
Mu Ying and Ping An, the young generals, will lead the navy, but Li Shanchang is not optimistic about them.

"How can Japanese pirates be so easy to deal with?"

Hu Weiyong also saw this imperial decree. As Zhongshu Zuocheng, he shook his head while reading it.

The best way for Ming Dynasty to fight against the Japanese pirate rebellion is to defend!
Even though the Xuanwu Army patrolled the coast, the Xuanwu Army captured more smugglers than they killed Japanese pirates.

"Two years ago, His Majesty ambushed the Japanese pirates, causing the other party's vitality to be seriously injured. You justified the cleanup of the wealthy households in the south of the Yangtze River, and the sea ban...

After this series of sensation, it only stopped for two years.

As long as those people from the Japanese country continue to go to the sea, the people along the coast of the Ming Dynasty will have a hard time after all! "

Hu Weiyong's voice was not low, and other people in Zhongshu Province also put down their work and participated in the discussion of this matter.

"Master Hu, what do you think should be done?"

"I, Ming Dynasty, should send envoys to communicate with Japan and let the king of Japan restrain the people, so naturally there will not be many Japanese pirates coming!

It's a pity that His Majesty is still angry with two years ago and refuses to rule out the envoys again!
I see that Yang Zai said it several times, but he didn't convince His Majesty! "

Everyone in Zhongshu Province nodded, and most of the court officials also agreed with this approach.

Zhu Yuanzhang is angry, they understand.

However, setting one's anger cannot delay governing the country.

In fact, resources are tilted towards the Xuanwu Army, and even most of the generals in the army have opinions.

In the view of the old-school generals, the resources invested by the Xuanwu Army were not proportional to the benefits obtained.

Instead of investing in the navy, it is better to train the local army just like Chang Yuchun reformed the military system.

Although the passive defense method is frustrating, after the piracy case and the maritime ban, due to the lack of moles along the coast...

In fact, Ming Dynasty's coastal defense problems have been reduced a lot.

"It's a waste of money and people. I want to write a memorial to His Majesty..."

Many officials of Zhongshu Province were filled with righteous indignation and began to write memorials to the emperor.

Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong looked at each other, but they didn't stop them.

However, the emperor's will is far beyond the imagination of these people.

The memorials of Baiguan are useless at all.

Mu Ying and Ping An received the reward and went directly out of Yingtian to report to the Xuanwu Army.

Zhu Yuanzhang issued an order to directly incorporate the sea-going fleet into the Xuanwu Army.

With Zhang Cundao's cooperation, Mu Ying directly took over the Xuanwu Army without any obstacles.

There is a set of procedures, and the integration of the navy is completed.

The emperor only asked for one thing, that is, the money and food requested by the Xuanwu army should be provided directly.

No one can stop this death order.

Just when all the officials were persuading them, a month later, the Xuanwu Army of the former food protection brigade finally showed their hideousness.

Mu Ying led the Xuanwu Army on the first expedition, directly leaving the coastline and going to the ocean.

The ministers of the DPRK and China impeached Mu Ying for advancing.

But a few days later, hundreds of Japanese pirate heads were delivered to the shore.

Full of uproar.

Starting from the ambush in the second year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, it was rare for Japanese pirates to be captured at sea.

The way the Ming army responded to Japanese pirates and pirates was only a passive defense.

"My love, can you recognize the achievements of the Xuanwu Army?"

Holding the battle report in his hand, Zhu Yuanzhang stood on the Fengtian Hall, looking down at the crowd.

The emperor's complacency made Li Shanchang and others quite uncomfortable.

But they also understood Zhu Yuanzhang's temperament, the emperor just wanted to make them uncomfortable on purpose.

"Yuchun, what do you think?"

Seeing that all the officials were silent, Zhu Yuanzhang ignored him, and found himself a fan in the crowd.

Two years later, Chang Yuchun had already adapted to the atmosphere above the court, his expression remained unchanged, and he said:
"Your Majesty, put aside the achievements of the Xuanwu Army for now, but Mu Ying's actions are in line with my appetite!

I have presided over the Governor's Mansion these years, and I have long been dissatisfied with the front of the East China Sea!

Why do we have to be beaten by a group of vagrants?
Defense is not the style of the minister, what the minister advocates is to take the initiative to attack...

These little brats, yes, I am very satisfied..."

"General Chang, it's not that I, Ming, don't want to attack, or that we are afraid of Japanese pirates, it's not that you don't understand the situation of the imperial court...

The north is fighting, and the south is also fighting!

Is this military expenditure paid by the Metropolitan Government? "

Li Shanchang was inconvenient to speak, so Hu Weiyong took the initiative to stand up and said something to Zang Yuchun.

Chang Yuchun fought back:
"Then I would like to ask Mr. Hu, the Japanese pirates invade the coastal state capital every year, and the military expenditure of the local guards, is it possible that the imperial court does not pay?
It is better for the Xuanwu Army to defend the enemy outside the country than to conquer the land of the Ming Dynasty!
Don't you think so? "

"What a way to keep the enemy out of the country! Good..."

Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted the upcoming quarrel between the two. He looked around and his eyes fell on Li Shanchang.

Li Shanchang suddenly felt like a thorn in his back, he lowered his head and said:

"Your Majesty, it is naturally good to defend the enemy from outside the country!

But there are lessons learned from the Mongols..."

"Prime Minister Li, do you mean that I am not as good as the Mongols?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's words are full of guns and sticks.

All the officials in the court also felt that something was wrong, and they all fell silent.

"I dare not!"

Li Shanchang smiled bitterly and subdued in a low voice.

"Then you all still think that Mu Ying, Ping An and others are not qualified to be knighted?"

(End of this chapter)