Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 265: An idle move leads to Bran Fang, a clever move dilutes the 2nd Army
On the charcoal stove, an iron pot was simmering and steaming.

"Your Majesty is truly a heavenly being."

"Old Wang, it doesn't have to be like this. Sit down and talk."

Wang Shenxian chatted, found a small horse to sit upright, put his hands on his knees, and stared at the fire with all his attention.

Seeing how restrained he was, Li Yu smiled and said:
"This is a portable charcoal stove made by Xishan. I think it is good and I plan to promote it to the entire army."

"Your Majesty is wise and mighty."

To be honest, this stove is really good.

It's lightweight, cheap, and easy to use.

Considering that the calorific value of honeycomb briquette is too low, the burning time is short and the volume is large. Therefore, the army's baggage logistics will carry a large amount of high-quality coal and wood chips.

The wood chips ignite the briquettes, which then ignite the high-quality coal.

Li Yu handed him a bowl of fish head soup:

In this way, it is most ideal.

In 1776, the current year, Lan Fang Kingdom was established.

Smith also mentioned this news when he came.

Wang Shenxian didn't care whether it burned his mouth or not, he took it and drank it in one gulp.

"Want to go abroad?"

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, when will I leave?"

"Taste it."

Li Yu tasted it in small sips and said slowly:

……

It is nothing more than a weak version of the East India Company, and all the forces in Nanyang are not surprised by this. After all, there were already seven East India Companies.

Later, I discovered that I was just a silver-tongued pig among the wild beasts. It can be slaughtered by any party at any time.

Li Yu took the long-handled copper spoon from the guard.

"Although Lanfang is a country, it is actually similar to the East India Company and belongs to a commercial alliance. If you go there and spend some money to make friends, it will not be difficult to establish yourself. However, I suggest that you recruit some sailors, servants, maids, etc. in Jiangnan. Servant, you can settle down in Nanyang as you please. It is always more reliable than outsiders. It is impossible to go overseas without some weapons. You can go to Du Ren to buy some guns and weapons."

Under Li Yu's rule, coal mining has been increasing, so this condition is met.

"I am a man of credibility. Do you have any questions?"

"Ah, ah (second sound)?" Wang Shenxian was very surprised.

Wang Shenxian burst into tears and hugged Li Yu's boots.

A pot of fish head soup sent away old friends.

"A new small country has emerged this year in Borneo in Southeast Asia, named Lanfang. The leader of the country is a scholar who has failed in Guangdong. You can bring your family property there to buy more land and become a rich man there."

"Thank you, Your Majesty for your grace."

"It is said that there is a kind of rubber tree in Nanyang. Go and ask about it. It is definitely not possible to just sit back and have nothing. You can buy more fields and indigenous slaves. If you do some business with me, you will have an extra income."

At this time, the Qing Dynasty still had a mysterious and powerful veil, and the colonists were still in awe.

The crying was 70% sincere and moved, and 30% was habitual performance. People who lived in the Qing Dynasty would never be able to take off their drama makeup after being around for a long time.

I scooped out a bowl of soup and took a sip. I was very satisfied.

Therefore, the status of these poor Han people who traveled to Southeast Asia was not too low.

Li Yu hopes to seize these precious decades to prevent his ethnic group from sinking and create an overseas label for the Han people that "even if they are far away, they will be punished."

"When Smith's merchant ships come back for trading next time, you can go with them. During this period, you should seize the time to recruit people, and then go to Jiangnan Shipyard to buy a seagoing ship."

He really wanted to leave this land. Whether it was the Qing court, Prince Wu's Mansion, or any other force, he didn't want to serve it.

……

……

Without him, be afraid!
He used to feel that he was prosperous and good at dancing.

……

Li Yu continued to say:
"I promised you back then that you would have a share of the money earned through the partnership. A net worth of 50 taels used to be considered a wealthy person in Nanyang."

Wang Shenxian fell to his knees and cried bitterly.

Li Yu opened the lid of the pot, and the steam rose, temporarily blocking his vision.

"Although Nanyang is good, I am a strange foreigner after all. Please give me your advice on how to settle down and integrate into the local area."

“Delicious!”

Lanfang can be regarded as the 8th one.

Speaking of which, he added:
"It's also an extra layer of talisman. It's the same everywhere in the world. No one can protect his wealth without a backer."

Wang Shenxian was stunned.

"My lord, when you send this man to Nanyang, do you have any long-term plans for the future?" Hu Xueyu asked on the carriage on the way back.

"It's just a free chess move that may be useful in the future."

Hu Xueyu was in awe, and he was very proud of his own eyes.

As long as her daughter gives birth to a grandson, she will become the crown prince in the future. The Hu family immediately became the top family in the empire.

Speaking of this, he couldn't help but think of the family in Huizhou Prefecture.

Aren't those old guys very lucky at this time to recognize their ancestors and return to their clan?

Li Yu suddenly said something nonsensical:
"Which army is more suitable to send to the Western Front, the 2nd Army or the 3rd Army?"

Hu Xueyu was stunned, thought seriously for a moment, and said:

"Your Majesty wants to attack Jiangxi?"

"Correct."

"I think the 2nd Army Corps is more suitable."

"Why?"

"The 2nd Army is a wolf pack, and their destiny is to keep running and attacking."

Li Yu took a deep look, while Hu Xueyu nodded seriously.

"I went to Zhejiang as the Minister of Commerce half a month ago. By the way, I went back to my old residence in Shaoxing Prefecture."

"and then?"

"I saw the two battalions under Deputy Commander Zheng Hean returning triumphantly from Qingxiang. My evaluation was just four words."

"Which 4 words?"

"Arrogant warrior!"

……

The next day, Li Yu took a warship to Chongming.

At the Xinhe Town Pier, Navy Commander-in-Chief Liu Wu led all captains, boatswain, and gunners to line up to welcome him.

This is the first inspection after experiencing Chongming.

Two forts guarded the surrounding waters.

More than 30 large and small warships are moored in the port, which looks quite impressive.

The barracks are made of bricks and cement and are not afraid of typhoons.

According to the memories of old people who have lived there for several lifetimes, seawater backflow and strong winds have never affected Xinhe Town.

That's why this place has been used as a naval base in all dynasties.

Even before crossing, it was an important passenger and cargo terminal.

The boot camp is about 7 miles from the dock.

The sound of gunshots and the sound of training drums were heard in the distance, occasionally mixed with the violent curses of officers.

……

"Meet the prince."

"salute,"

Amidst the officer's roar, everyone dropped their rifle butts to the ground in unison, placing their left forearms across Yue Xiong's front, palms down.

Li Yu was very satisfied, took off his cloak and walked slowly onto the high platform.

"Brothers of the 3rd Legion, you come from all over the world. You are gathered here for the same goal."

"What is this goal? Can someone tell me?"

After a moment of silence, someone boldly shouted:

"Be loyal to the prince and fight against the imperial court."

Everyone laughed, and Li Yu also laughed and waved his hand:

"Let me speak for you. The goal is to get ahead!"

"How are you living? How are your family members living? Do you live in a tiled house and can you afford rice with broth?"

Everyone was devastated. The days you described, Your Majesty, are too beautiful to imagine.

Li Yu suddenly drew his sword and shouted:

"Ding Dangxiang's family is poor, with no money or power. You have nothing except being young and daring to endure hardship. What should you do if you want to get ahead? Become a soldier and receive pay, and become an officer for your meritorious service. I swear to God that your deeds will be rewarded and your deeds will be punished."

After that, he waved his hand.

Immediately someone carried the silver box and placed it in front of him.

"The 3rd Army Corps, lead the troops in order."

"The first team of the 1st Battalion came out, set up their guns, and received their pay empty-handed." Li Yu paid everyone with his own hands.

Although it was very time-consuming and my arms were sore, it took more than an hour to complete the distribution.

But the hard work is worth it.

……

Li Yu often warned himself to be wary of being ignored by others, especially the military.

After the training is over, there is the last traditional program - awarding the military flag and deploying officers.

It is divided into regiment flag, battalion flag and team flag.

The size of the flag, the height of the flagpole, and the words on the flag are different.

The regimental flag is heavy and usually fixed on the carriage.

When necessary, it will be held by a flag officer on horseback and four flag guards, who will follow the commander at all times.

Li Jiajun’s military law stipulates:
If the commander is captured or the flag is taken away, the flag officer and the captain of the guard will all be beheaded.

There are no regulations for battalion flags and team flags, which are only used as recognition flags for soldiers.

After all, most soldiers are illiterate.

The battlefield was chaotic, and one could only identify where his commander was based on the flags.

……

The meritorious personnel of the 2nd Army Corps were directly incorporated into the 3rd Army Corps after studying at Dongshan Military Academy.

Everyone was promoted to one level, and no one raised any objections.

Li Yu deployed all the middle and low-level officers of the 3rd Army in one breath, most of whom were veterans.

Only the choice of commander-in-chief made him a little worried.

The confidants I have cultivated and accumulated since I started my business are almost used up. The main reason is that with the expansion of power, there are more and more pitfalls, but there are not enough carrots.

He really wanted to select one of his adopted sons to be the commander-in-chief, but he was worried about what others would think.

In the end, he decided to take charge personally and appointed two deputy commanders first, the first Wei Jun and the second Li Dahu.

Wei Jun is in northern Zhejiang and can take office directly.

And Li Dahu captured Huizhou Prefecture, and with this achievement he could barely convince the public.

……

at night,

Li Yu solemnly wrote in his diary:

"Currently, it is necessary to promote a group of reliable and loyal senior officers as soon as possible to meet urgent needs."

Dongshan Military Academy trains more ordinary officers.

As for senior military officers, there is an implicit condition: trust!

The trust between people cannot be expressed with words.

Rather, they have been cultivated over a long period of time, especially those who have been tested and performed qualifiedly at critical moments.

The 2nd Army Corps, which was attacking the city in northern Zhejiang, received an emergency order to gather all its troops. It was assembled within five days and boarded the ship on the spot outside Hangzhou three days later.

The northern Zhejiang Defense Area was taken over by the newly formed 3rd Army Corps.

Tan Muguang, the managing minister of the General Staff Headquarters, also received the king's order to come up with a march plan for the swapping of the two legions within two days, allowing him to temporarily mobilize all transport ships and logistical supplies.

At the same time, outside Hangzhou.

There was also a small exchange of officers and soldiers between the two regiments.

The 2 officers of the 15nd Army Corps were transferred to the 3rd Army Corps on the spot, and their positions were promoted to a higher level. Everyone was happy.

The 2 soldiers of the 1000nd Army were scattered and organized into the 3rd Army as the backbone of veterans in each battalion. Some people were promoted to captains and vice-captains.

The 3 officers and 20 soldiers of the 1000rd Army were integrated into the 2nd Army, and they came and went.

……

This is a very large and expensive transfer.

Zheng Hean doesn't care, it's all about fighting anyway. There is no difference whether we attack Zhejiang or Jiangxi.

Miao Youlin was a little unhappy. He had been in northern Zhejiang for a long time and had some emotions that were difficult to express.

The Hangjiahu Plain is really a good place to raise troops.

There is food, money, oceans, soldiers, mines and barriers.

It's a pity that he doesn't have this strength!
So I just had regrets in my heart, and there was no struggle in my behavior, so I jumped up happily.

He was a little afraid of Li Yu's smile and did not dare to have a rebellious heart. Otherwise, Zheng He'an's troops in eastern Zhejiang would immediately come to kill him and step on his own blood to become the commander-in-chief of the 2nd Army.

Today's 2nd Army Corps has been replenished in batches many times, and there are also fellow villagers who have defected sporadically. The number is the largest among all the legions.

In terms of artillery, it may not be as professional as the 1st Corps.

In terms of combat effectiveness, he is undoubtedly the best!
Huaixi soldiers dare to fight and risk their lives! Especially group hand-to-hand combat, the will is crazy.

……

Outside Hangzhou,

It became a sea of ​​soldiers, with flags and tents everywhere.

Tens of thousands of people went out of the city to watch the excitement and were amazed when they came back.

Hangzhou's gentry and merchants never missed an opportunity to evaluate their bets. Their observations were more detailed, focusing mainly on weapons and organization.

So many soldiers were changing defense outside the city.

The required grain and grass supplies are naturally supplied locally.

As the defense envoy of the Hangjiahu area, Liu Akun's appearance is more symbolic.

The material allocation list is drawn up by the staff headquarters and is very detailed!

But his wife, Liu Zhen, carefully read through these lists and used abacus.

In the end, as a merchant, she came to the conclusion that the prince had a very mature team of masters to allocate supplies for the army to travel.

It can be said that,
Except for the Shaoxing master and the old officials from the Ministry of War and Hubu, few people in the Qing Dynasty could play well.

……

Such a large-scale troop deployment naturally caused a lot of speculation.

The Northern Expedition or the Western Expedition became a hot topic.

Hu Xueyu, the Minister of Commerce and Trade, suggested that businessmen set up a Hangzhou Chamber of Commerce when passing through Hangzhou.

The businessmen naturally agreed with both hands and elected a few with the most financial resources as presidents and vice-presidents to facilitate dealings with the new government.

Chairman, Zhao Lixia.

He is one of the richest businessmen in Hangzhou City, with more than 200 shops, thousands of clerks, 2 acres of fertile land, more than ten manors, and countless gold and silver. It is involved in silk, leather and grain business.

"Master, I'm back."

"Well, how's it going?"

"It's amazing. King Wu's army is very elite. It is equivalent to the elite guards of the capital of the Qing Dynasty."

"Which one are you talking about?"

"all."

"The new soldiers who came to change defenses also have such combat effectiveness?"

The housekeeper explained patiently:

"Morale and discipline cannot be concealed, and it has nothing to do with being old or new. What the recruits lack is just experience, and they will mature quickly after fighting a few battles."

"Can you make a mistake?"

"Master, you also know that I served in the military."

Zhao Lixia nodded slowly, recognizing the steward's military qualities.

This man was originally from the shogunate's secretarial office in the army and served under Zhao Hui, the general who conquered the west. Later, he was injured in a brutal battle and disappeared, and was mistakenly reported as killed in action.

It was probably after walking in front of the Palace of the King of Hell that he figured it out and decided to change his way of living.

He followed a caravan of the Zhao family selling leather, and gradually became an official of the Zhao family, and was taken as a confidant by his employer.

He is married to his wife's maid, lives in a house awarded by his employer, earns a lot of money, and looks like a successful professional manager.

……

"What other comments do you have?"

"The prince has an expert under his command."

"Oh?"

"I spent money to find out some news. These recruits came from Chongming. They first took a boat to Taicang and then walked to Hangzhou. The empty fleet took the Grand Canal and carried the ordnance and baggage needed for the recruits to Hangzhou. After unloading, we have to carry Master Miao’s soldiers away. Such transportation by land and water, taking into account the material schedule, will have no delays, no accidents, and no major mistakes. It’s difficult, it’s too difficult!”

"How does it compare to you?"

"I'm ashamed of myself."

"Back then, you single-handedly supported half of the food and grass transportation needed to send troops to Yili!"

The butler smiled and was noncommittal.

Although the journey was long, it was all by land and the schedule was easy to estimate. Moreover, there are two camel teams from Shanxi merchants cooperating, and those people are very proficient in arithmetic!
Zhao Lixia nodded:

"Thank you for your hard work. Go back and rest for two days. By the way, please ask Shujie and Shuzhen to come see me."

"Yes, I will call the second and third ladies right now."

(End of this chapter)