Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 500
Wang Yan was in a hurry to return to Guangjing this time because of the incident in Sichuan and Sichuan. Prophecy, impeachment, and arrest were all just small episodes. After Yuan Pengnian was captured, Wang Yan did not rush to interrogate him, but locked him up instead. On the side, he turned his head to deal with the matter of aiding Shu, and waited a few days before bringing him up.

Wang Zhixian spent a lot of time in Guangjing. He originally thought that after Wang Yan came back, he would be able to settle the matter immediately, but instead of making a decision, he experienced a party struggle in the Ming Dynasty.

In the past few days, he ran to the Ministry of Rites and Duke Chu's mansion every day. He was so anxious that he couldn't see him. I took a reassurance.

He Tengjiao listened to Wang Yan's suggestion and learned that the Qing army had entered the middle of Shu and dispatched [-] Ming troops. Taking Hao Yaoqi as the vanguard, he walked up the Yongdao Road. By surprise, he killed the Qing army by surprise and occupied most of Xing'an Mansion in one fell swoop. , Bingfeng went to Hanyin, only more than two hundred miles away from Xinzheng, which shocked the Qing soldiers.

The report said that killing [-] enemies would mean nothing if captured. Wang Zhixian felt at ease after hearing this, but Wang Yan was not so optimistic. Based on his understanding of the father-in-law, it is estimated that beheading [-] would be enough.

However, since the soldiers and horses of Chu land entered Hanzhong, Wang Yan should also act quickly to form a cooperation with He Tengjiao, so as not to fight alone.

The soldiers and horses have not moved, and the food and grass go first. The silver consumption of this Sichuan-Shu battle is estimated to be incalculable. No matter what, we have to prepare more than 100 million taels and 50 million shi of food and grass.

After discussing with Zuo Maodi and Su Guansheng, Wang Yan accepted the advice of his staff member Chen Yonghua. In order to clarify the relationship and facilitate management, he established Wude Commercial Bank, borrowed 120 million silver from the imperial court, and 40 shi of grain and grass. The imperial court handed over the Fuzhou mine to the firm. For business operation, the Shibo Department repays 20 yuan in silver every year.

The materials that Wang Yandong brought back from the conquest were almost replaced with strategic materials and all of them were put into preparations for war before they were brought back. As a result, some industries near Guangjing that belonged to the Five Loyalist Army would be difficult to operate due to lack of money and materials. , especially the manufacture of armor and equipment, which requires a lot of money.

Chen Yonghua immediately suggested that Wang Yan borrow money from other firms. The gentry did not dare to lend to the imperial court. Wang Yan was also an official. The gentry borrowed money and feared that they would not be able to repay it. However, Jinghai Commercial Bank, which Wang Yan owns shares, first borrowed 20 taels for him. For silver, Wude Company used the newly acquired Fuzhou mine as collateral, and sixteen companies in the city immediately borrowed 80 silver, with an annual interest of [-] cents.

After the money and food are in place, the rest is to dispatch troops and generals. Zuo Maodi asked Wang Yan, the governor of the five provinces, to command the troops of Guangdong, Guangxi, Huguang, Guizhou, and Sichuan to fight in Sichuan.

Although the governors of these five provinces seem to be majestic, they are actually just giving him a name. If Huguang wants to guard against the Qing soldiers in Henan and Nanzhili, it will not be able to mobilize many people. Remaining Wan County and a few chieftains still obey the orders of the Ming Dynasty.

In fact, the aid to Shu this time is not only for Sichuan. Wang Yan also intends to integrate the Southwest. Now he has a name, money, food, soldiers, and high morale. Always let Chuanshu hold on.

Since last year's Huguang battle and the Qing army's entry into Fujian, the Qing army has not taken the initiative to launch a battle against the Ming Dynasty. This is not to say that the Qing army is not strong, but because the Qing army put its strength on Zhang Xianzhong. The army blocked the swords and guns for the Ming army, and the Ming Dynasty had time to breathe.

How long did the Western Army fight the Qing Army on the Sichuan-Shu battlefield?Counting from the time when the Western Army entered Hanzhong in June and July last year, it has been fighting intermittently for nearly a year now.

This is a situation that has never happened before in the history of the Qing army. Only one Hanzhong area was fought over and over again for more than seven months. The two armies refused to let go. , followed by entering Sichuan.

Although Hauge did not play well in the early stage, after receiving Wu Sangui's support, he is bound to win Sichuan and Sichuan. If Hauge can take Sichuan, his internal status in the Qing court will immediately improve, while in the Ming Dynasty, Lost Chuanshu, completely passive.

To put it more seriously, once the land of Shu is lost, the entire south will be ruined, because the Qing army can invade Guizhou and Guangxi from southern Sichuan, outflank them, and go down the river to directly capture the land of Chu. Difficult to reverse.

Aiding Shu is imperative. After Wang Yan was appointed by the imperial court, he immediately sent a letter to Hunan to let Zhongzhen Town and Houyong Camp, which had rested for more than half a year, enter Guizhou from Chenzhou with 4 people, and take Gao Yigong as the governor of the Left Army. , First confiscated the military power of Huang Chaoxuan and Zhang Xianbi who were entrenched in Sizhou, Zhenyuanwei and other Guizhou counties, locked them up, and sent them to Guangjing.

These two people were ordered to greet them, but they stopped and almost killed the entire court. Later, they were afraid of the court's punishment, and fled to Guizhou with burning, killing and looting all the way. At that time, the court had just moved to Guangzhou, and there was nothing. Fearing that the two would rebel if they were forced too quickly, they kept comforting them with good words, and made them become comfortable emperors.

This time to rectify the Southwest, Wang Yan can't keep them. With two people, he can still get 2 horses as pioneers. Why not do it!
In addition, Wang Yan sent a letter to Guangxi to transfer 2 chieftain wolf soldiers and [-] people including Ding Kuichu, Chen Bangfu, and Ma Jixiang. With Ding Kuichu as the commander of the right army, they entered Guiyang from Guangxi to join Zhang Yao, the inspector of Guizhou, and marched into southern Sichuan.

Wang Yan selected elite troops in Guangdong, led the Chinese army to lead the formation, and then ordered Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hunan in the name of the governors of the five provinces to conscript [-] civilians and [-] ships to transport the food and equipment needed by the army.

It will take time for the order to be conveyed, but it will take time to implement it. The entire Ming Dynasty is busy again for this war.

A few days later, the Zhangzhou Ming army returned to Guangjing. At the same time, a group of troops also came from the sea, which was the Taihu Rebel Army who had abandoned Taihu Lake and went down.

They were going to seek refuge with King Lu in Zhoushan nearby, but King Lu's territory is too small, leaving only Zhoushan, Four Famous Mountains, and Sanpan Island. They have many people and little land, and their eyes turn green from hunger. Zhang Mingzhen took his subordinates and ran to the Qing army. Chongming, under his nose, farms the fields by himself, how can he support tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians.

In the end, some of them stayed in Zhoushan, some stayed on the islands along the coast of Zhejiang, and some continued to go south by boat, and another group stayed in Jinxia. In the end, there were more than 1 people left and came to Guangjing.

Wang Yan immediately took this team into Zhongyi Town, which made the emperor very unhappy.

Wang Yan recruited civilians here, transported supplies, equipped with armor and equipment, and made preparations for the expedition. The time gradually entered May. At this time, the last bad news came suddenly. After Zhang Xianzhong abandoned the city, he fled to Xichong , was once again surrounded by Qing soldiers.

Before April of the third year of Longwu, Hauge had launched two major offensives in Xichong. Seventy thousand Qing soldiers surrounded 20 Western troops and their families in the city, and fought desperately.

Zhang Xianzhong was forced to have no choice but to choose again to break through. Before he left, he did not want his family to fall into the hands of the Qing army. He killed his wife, concubine and a young son, and then said to Sun Kewang: "I am also a hero. Don't leave your youngest son as a slave to others." Capture, you will finally be the son of the world. The 300-year orthodoxy of the Ming Dynasty may not end suddenly, and it is also God's will. If I die, I will return to the Ming Dynasty in a hurry, and it is not unjust."

The Western Army broke through in desperation, Zhang Xianzhong was shot to death by Oboi, and his body was divided by the rebel army. The defeated Western Army retreated to Wanxian area.

(End of this chapter)