unclear

Chapter 199 Speeding up the pace 3
Why are humans afraid of the sea?Not because it is bottomless or unpredictable, but because we don’t know its shape or reason.No matter how big a ship is, it is still a headless fly when it reaches the sea. No matter how skilled the boatman is, he cannot tell the path when encountering bad weather. Even if he has traveled countless sea routes in his life, he will still get lost.

But now the situation is about to change. With these charts, the crew can follow the repaired roads just like driving on land. As long as they can use a sextant and understand calculations, they will basically not get lost.

In other words, the Ming Dynasty's ships can sail farther away in the future. The sea is no longer a barrier. As long as the ship does not sink and the sails are not broken, they can go wherever they want.In other words, the Ming Dynasty was opening up its territory, and included the previously untouchable sea into its territory.
The Immortal Island was among the first to be listed on the nautical charts. The warships of the Bandit Suppressor Yamen visited it many times. The navigator also carefully explored the entire island and sketched it, but never planned to do anything.

The island is nice, with fresh water that is not bitter, mountains and woods for farming, and a very large bay deep into the island. It is sheltered on three sides by hundreds of meters high cliffs, making it an excellent haven.

But the location of the island is useless. It is neither on the way to Liaodong nor on the way to North Korea. It cannot even serve as a foothold for supplies. It would be a pity to abandon it, but it is of no use at all.

"Yes, it is the Immortal Island. The bandit-suppressing admiral's office will build a port and build a water fort here to garrison troops. What does Admiral Yuan want?" The emperor did not say why, but took the opportunity to compare.

"...for Liaodong?" Based on what he said today, Yuan Keli easily thought of the answer.But he still didn't quite understand the emperor's intention. There were obviously many ready-made forts where troops could be stationed for defense, but he gave up easily and watched the Jurchens grow bigger.

Now they have to build strongholds and garrison troops on deserted islands. Compared with the more than [-] soldiers in Liaodong, the admiral's office seems to be unable to even scratch the surface. What's the purpose?

"Yes, but it is not comprehensive. In addition to Liaodong, there is also North Korea. Once the Liaodong military town withdraws from North Korea, it will have to face the Jurchens. Based on my understanding of them, I am afraid that it will be difficult to fight independently. If there is no advance plan, North Korea is likely to attack the Jurchens. If you give in, it will be too late for the court to intervene.

The Immortal Island is the springboard for the Ming Dynasty to contain the Jurchens and North Korea. If necessary, ships can transport troops, horses, and food at any time to assemble here.To the north it can threaten the southern coast of the Liaodong Peninsula, and to the east it can deter northern North Korea.Whether it is a fight or a gang, the initiative lies in the hands of the court and does not have to be controlled by others.

I want to emphasize again that Liaodong is not a passive abandonment but an active strategic recovery.It is wise to shorten the front line when the country is weak, but it is foolish to embarrass the enemy.

People can be stupid but officials cannot. The struggle between countries cannot just focus on the present. They must raise their heads and look at the road.The ancients said: Foresight leads to endless success.If you don’t plan for the eternity, it’s not enough to plan for the moment; if you don’t plan for the overall situation, it’s not enough to plan for a region.Liaodong is not only Liaodong, nor only Ming Dynasty and Jurchen, it involves many things. "

Hong Tao has had high hopes for Yuan Keli's ability since the moment he was commissioned. After several years of cooperation and listening to his words and watching his actions, his expectations have not only not diminished but have grown even more.Whenever he notices that his thinking is not clear, he is very willing to give his own suggestions, or guidance.

They also eat whole grains, they also passed the eight-part scientific examination, they were also Jinshi, and they also entered the court as officials. Compared with most officials in the Ming Dynasty, Yuan Keli's thinking mode and understanding of the world are much more advanced.

More importantly, he is sensible and knows how to advance and retreat.When the court was filled with party strife, he did not become a mainstay or join in the trend, but chose to retreat bravely.

When someone shared his ideas and had the ability to realize them, he stepped forward regardless of controversies and risks. He dared to speak out, dare to act, and risk the world's disapproval. His goals were firm and clear.At the same time, he did not give up his doubts. As long as he found a deviation in the direction, he would still ask questions even when facing the emperor.In the eyes of many people, such people will be classified as deserters and mediocre officials. They are villains who cling to the power and adapt to the situation. They are far less heroic than those who were beheaded or burned to death for their ideals.

Yes, it's not heroic enough, but Hong Tao doesn't need that much heroism.To transform a country or even change a cultural heritage, rational thinking is far more important than loyalty.

If you are loyal to others, your loyalty will disappear if they leave, or you may become stupid, which is not advisable.Loyalty is the character of doing great things. Help whoever is beneficial to the matter, and vice versa, which is great wisdom.

Of course, among the people, the idea of ​​loyalty to others is more common and noble. Several upright officials and tragic heroes will emerge in every dynasty and every generation.Little do they know that this is a lie by the ruler and the guidance of public opinion. If the people are loyal to the matter, the emperor will be worried to death and the throne will not be stable for a day.

But Hong Tao is not afraid. For several lifetimes, what he believes in is not doctrine, religion, or human nature.Always and only believe in the truth summed up by an ancient person, no desire leads to strength!When a person does not regard anything, anyone, or anything as indispensable, this person basically has no weaknesses.

Being desireless does not mean not pursuing anything, nor does it mean following fate as the Buddhists say.You have to pursue what you should pursue, but be prepared to fail before doing it. Eat as much as you want, don't do things beyond your ability, and don't risk your life and fortune easily. Keep a calm mind and do your best to obey fate.

"...Your Majesty, I can do as you say. However, the Navy can rely on its ships, speed and artillery to deal with powerful enemies at sea, but when it comes to land, its strength will be reduced by half. It is not easy to train Navy soldiers. If the casualties are too large, it may not be possible in the short term." Replenish."

Yuan Keli not only understood the great principles and grand strategies, but also agreed with them, but he still refused to obey them easily.These thousands of sailors were all trained by him little by little, and the taste is difficult for outsiders to understand.Using valuable ocean-going sailors to harass the Jurchens' flanks and rear, and then entering the DPRK to fight if they can't protect them, is obviously the wrong place to use.

"Hey, that's wrong! I have never asked sailors to land for combat. Not only must they not suffer too many casualties, but they must also expand in size. Their number will be twice that of battleships. They will be of great use in the future.

The warships of the bandit-suppressing yamen only need to protect the fairy island and prevent outsiders' ships from approaching, and help Zhang Zhang to transport the four Tengxiang guards to the appropriate shore, replenish their food, grass and weapons, and then bring them back safely after the battle is over.

However, this matter must be kept strictly confidential, and the ship used must not have obvious characteristics. The participating officers and soldiers have no flags, no armor, and no merit to be counted. They can only be regarded as pirates entrenched on the island, and all supplies must be carried out at sea. "

Hong Tao was stunned when he heard this, and then hit his forehead with his hand.After talking for a long time, Hejiang forgot to tell them who was landing to fight.Zhang Ran happened to be present, and the two of them were familiar with each other. Let's discuss the specific details later and set the general principles first.

(End of this chapter)