Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 282 Qianlong’s alternative protracted war is terrifying to think about!
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The servants in the palace noticed a strange phenomenon. The emperor was actually willing to move into the Yangxin Hall again.

You know, Qianlong has always disliked what his father did.

The Hall of Yangxin has a strong imprint of Yongzheng and has always been a place he disliked.

He Shen suddenly had an idea: The emperor is old~
As adults, the son and his father have always been enemies, competing for the right to speak. After the emperor ascended the throne, he almost completely abolished his father's New Deal. The contradictions can be imagined.

Now I read my father’s hadith with tenderness!
Old~
People's hearts will become softer when it comes to family affection.

……

"Heshen, I only summoned you to come here for discussion. Do you know the intention?"

"Keep it secret!"

"Yes." Qianlong nodded slightly, agreeing with this statement.

The topic is made clear, firstly, to show favor, and secondly, to imply.

He Shen quickly stepped forward to support him.

Sanxi Hall is Qianlong's study.

"Qian Feng was assassinated in Yangzhou. We went to find out the identity of the assassin. He left the capital in plain clothes and was not allowed to reveal his identity. He was not allowed to seek help from the local government, Green Camp."

From the corner of his eye, Qianlong saw Heshen carefully moving a brocade stool and sitting on it, with his hands on his knees.

……

Back then, when he was vying for favor with the emperor, he was kicked out of his place. It seems that he went to Yangzhou to be the prefect.

He Shen fell to his knees:
"If the emperor does not give up, I am willing to go."

"Get up, you and I are sons and daughters. No need to be so formal, sit down!"

He withdrew his gaze and continued to read the urgent report from the Yangzhou local government.

Having said this, Qianlong reached out and pulled a thin thread hanging by the window.

"I feel the same way. In the name of Hube's Autumn Fu, you can try out some of the writing."

"What you said is very good. If it was the fake King Wu who did it, I would be able to breathe a sigh of relief."

"Who do you think is the most suitable candidate for imperial envoy?"

"I want to send an imperial envoy to Jiangbei for an open and covert investigation. But it is not appropriate to do so because people are in panic. Do you understand?"

Suddenly, Qianlong stood up: "Go to Sanxi Hall."

"The Emperor's Holy Might."

"Whoo."

For a moment, he had some thoughts.

Qianlong once again admired "Quick Snow and Clear Tie" and found a blank space.

It contains hundreds of calligraphy masterpieces, the most precious of which are Three Kings and Three Posts!

"I am going to ask Zheng Jinsheng, the Minister of Punishment, to go to Yangzhou to investigate the cause of Qian Feng's death in his public capacity as an imperial envoy."

Suddenly, he thought of that guy Hu Zuoyou.

If this matter is leaked and someone else knows the message Qian Feng left in the note before his death, you and Shen will not be able to escape the blame!
How exquisite is He Shen? Nature is clear to the heart.

……

……

Regarding this slightly neurotic behavior, He Shen chose to remain silent.

Of course He Shen thought of this, and after thinking for a moment he replied:
"I think that before the imperial mission leaves the capital, we can send a capable agent to sneak into Huaiyang to find out one thing. Is the assassin sent by the fake King of Wu? Or is he a granary rat taking the opportunity to frame him?"

After a while, a guard came in with his head lowered.

Qianlong nodded with satisfaction:

"If Qian Feng was really silenced because he exposed the shocking secret of grain storage in official warehouses, then I have to wonder about one thing. Did the local Han gentry secretly collude with the fake King of Wu?"

The old emperor's calm mind and thorough layout are rare.

This sentence comes from the heart.

He Shen was secretly happy that he had figured out the reason for the persecution.

"Whoo."

"The slave understands."

Bang, another chapter is covered.

Said:

"Who should I appoint as the imperial envoy? I still have to think about it."

"I feel that a key figure in this matter is the Yangzhou magistrate. Whether he is innocent or wet, he will know something about the shady story. It depends on whether he is loyal or not."

He Shen didn't need to look to know that they were the guys at the sticky pole.

Qianlong raised his hand happily:

Looking furtively, I saw that the empty space of the copybook was densely covered with red seals. Not counting this, there are also some small regular scripts, which are the emperor’s thoughts after reading them!
The earliest one dates back 30 years, and the latest one is said to be last month.

"Master, my fifteenth brother is in Huai'an Mansion~"

"Well, you reminded me. Yongyan has fallen into a trap of right and wrong. Should he return to the capital or continue to stay where he is?"

He Shen said nothing.

It's a matter that concerns the prince, and it's not for the ministers to comment on it.

After a while, Qianlong raised his head:
"The prime minister must be from the state headquarters, and the fierce general must be from the army."

"Yongyan is not young anymore. Let's put some pressure on him and get to know the grassroots affairs of the Qing Dynasty."

"Your Majesty, please give me your instructions?"

"The Military Aircraft Department has drafted a decree. The emperor's fifteenth son, Yongyan, has a noble character and a prudent man. He can act as the governor of Jiangsu and serve as the salt transport envoy to Huaihe River. 5000 Han army flag vests from the capital's Xiaoqi camp and two assistants from the left wing of the guard camp will be sent out of the capital. , form the Fubiao Guards."

"The Emperor's Sacred Heart is illuminated by candlelight."

"Whoever says that the heart of an inch of grass will be rewarded with three rays of spring light!" Qianlong recited a poem, seemingly with emotion.

……

Summoning important ministers in the evening - this has been a practice since the late academician Fu Heng was the chief military minister. The purpose is to reconfirm that certain major events have not been missed, to be implemented, and that the emperor and his ministers are in alignment.

Today’s evening,
Qianlong summoned many important ministers respectively, and the content of the conversations is unknown.

The Minister of Industry was very worried and received a huge project to build a large-scale sea ship!
The emperor never said the purpose, but it is conceivable that it is nothing more than to deal with the forces of the puppet king of Wu in the south of the Yangtze River. Perhaps there is another possibility that the tax money and grain in the south will be transported by sea instead.

There are no secrets in the capital, and shipbuilding soon became a topic in the circle.

Yu Shihe went back home to chat:

"Dad, the imperial court has begun building large-scale ships."

"Huh? How many ships? Where are they built?"

"I only know that 60 taels of silver are planned to be allocated to the Ministry of Industry, and the location is Lushun."

Yu Minzhong got up tired from sitting:
"really?"

"Dad, this news came from the son of the left minister of the Ministry of Industry. It cannot be false."

Yu Shihe was a little confused, looking at his father's complicated expression,

asked:

"Dad, is there something wrong with this?"

……

"You guys, get out."

"Yes." The two maids who were warming their feet bowed their heads and exited, closing the door.

Yu Minzhong said slowly:

"The purpose of building sea-going ships is naturally to go to sea. What are you going to sea for? Hahaha, to transport tax money and grain from the eight southern provinces to the north."

Yu Shihe nodded:
"Dad, I understand this. Without the constant supply of grain and rice from the south, the imperial court cannot sustain itself."

"What do you think this means?"

"Does this mean the war in Jiangnan is not optimistic?"

"Yes. It shows that the emperor has no confidence in quickly pacifying Jiangnan. Therefore, he did not hesitate to carry out large-scale construction and cut down giant trees in the ancestral land outside the pass. This is slightly against the ancestral rules."

Yu Shihe was surprised and asked:

"The puppet King of Wu in the south of the Yangtze River actually has such a strong fighting power? Isn't it true that we, the old Yu family, can't go back?"

Yu Minzhong ignored the second question and answered the first question:
"A thieves chief who can gain a foothold in Jiangnan is not only capable of fighting."

"By the way, my brother is very prosperous as a grain dealer in Huai'an Prefecture. I'm that old, right~"

"You also want to work as an official?"

"Correct."

……

Yu Minzhong looked at him with a fatherly look:
"Don't be anxious, don't be anxious. The heat has not yet come. Getting into an official position is not about sooner or later, but about the right time. Don't you hear that it is a legend that soars into the sky?" Yu Shihe smiled helplessly:

"Dad, I'm afraid I won't understand anything by then."

"Big mistake. When the golden seal is in your hand, you will understand everything. Dad is not dead yet, but he can still bear the sky above your heads."

"Ok."

Yu Minzhong knew that the younger son was disappointed and whispered:

"Dad has another guess about Lushun's shipbuilding project."

"Invasion of Jiangnan from the sea?"

"This is an effect, not a cause."

"Dad, please stop doing Tai Chi. This is not a court."

"Hahaha, the emperor may be worried that Jiujiang cannot be defended."

"what?"

"Get a pen and paper."

Although Yu Minzhong is old, he has a good memory.

I roughly sketched the map on the paper and explained:
"If the wealth of the southern provinces is to be transported to the north, the first choice is the eastern waterway: the Yangtze River-Grand Canal combined transport, followed by the middle-line land route: passing through Jiujiang."

[Note: The middle line can generally refer to today’s Beijing-Kowloon Railway. The characteristic is that the route selection avoids the mountains and tries to walk on flat ground. 】

……

Yu Shihe looked confused and shook his head.

Do not understand!

Dad, your son will understand if you talk about human nature. It's hard for my son to talk about this kind of strategic line.

Yu Minzhong was very patient, wrapped in a quilt and explained:
"The preferred route has been stolen by the puppet king of Wu. Now the Jiujiang route is used to transport silver, grain and rice from various provinces. Although the transportation cost is a bit high, at least it can still be transported."

Speaking of which,

His tone suddenly became serious and he stabbed the brush hard at Jiujiang.

"What would happen if General Fuyuan lost Jiujiang and the false king of Wu took control of Jiujiang?"

Yu Shihe trembled:

"Money and grain from Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, and Fujian cannot be transported northward by land. Unless, unless~"

Yu Minzhong looked solemn:
"Unless you take the Sichuan-Shaanxi Line or the Xiangyang-Nanyang Line. Traveling over mountains and ridges, trekking through mountains and rivers, is simply a nightmare, and only a drop in the bucket."

[Taking into account the poor road conditions in ancient times, it was almost impossible for vehicles to cross mountains and ridges. And if you carry 100 kilograms of rice on your back, you may only have a bowl of rice left after going through several mountains. 】

Although Yu Shihe is a dandy, he is not a fool.

He immediately asked:

"Dad, you mean that the emperor has already considered this level, so he made preparations in advance."

"The Sacred Heart is unpredictable. Your Majesty is wise. Maybe he saw this level and had hidden worries in his heart, so he planned the sea transportation early."

……

The father and son were relatively speechless. If this were the case, the situation would be terrible.

The situation at this meeting was not of concern to most officials and gentry of the Qing court.

Even though Li Yu occupied more than a dozen mansions in the south of the Yangtze River, he achieved military victories one after another.

But most people still firmly believe that the Qing court will win and Li Yu will lose.

The puppet Wu regime is nothing more than a second Junggar and a second Jinchuan, it’s just that it has been noisy for a longer time.

Confidence is more important than anything else!

As a time traveler, Li Yu knew this, but he couldn't talk about it. Because confidence cannot be developed overnight.

People all over the world have strong and blind confidence in the Qing court.

Although many people may not be sincerely loyal, it does not affect their belief that the Qing court will win the final victory.

How could a few victories of his own change the confidence that Aixinjueluo had accumulated over more than a hundred years?

However, if Jiujiang is captured, it would be best to kill Agui, which would be very different.

Cracks will appear in the wall of confidence.

Some people will look at themselves curiously and think about themselves, and have some subtle thoughts. And once the thoughts in people's minds take root, they can no longer be eradicated.

……

On this point, Li Yu and Qianlong once again reached a consensus.

The contest between the old fox and the little fox has just begun.

Jiujiang City,
A flying horse rushed into the city.

The knight held the command arrow and ran all the way into General Fuyuan's palace:

"Urgent message from the Ministry of War."

Agui opened the fire paint, took it out and browsed for a while, and then he understood the emperor's intention.

"Jiujiang is of vital importance and we must guard against it."

"Recruiting the strong refugees into the green camp, and the weak to build fortifications, combining field operations with strongholds, everything is possible."

"Multi-cast cannons are placed in the strongholds. The Wu army's artillery is sharp, even more powerful than the official army. Without heavy artillery, they may not be able to stop it."

"The Inner Mongolian cavalry will arrive at Jiujiang camp in half a month, and it is under your control."

"Mobilize the Jiangxi gentry to donate military food and salaries. Clarify the interests."

"You must carefully understand my profound meaning and Jinchuan's experience. Don't take risks or seek quick victory."

"The imperial court has dozens of provinces, abundant manpower and material resources, and they are inexhaustible. The puppet Wu has only thirty or forty thousand elite soldiers, and the land does not exceed ten mansions. If the stalemate continues, the imperial court will win, and the puppet Wu will lose."

……

Agui read it three times and pondered for half an hour.

suddenly see the light!
He admired from the bottom of his heart:
"The emperor's vision is rare in ancient and modern times."

I immediately wrote a note and handed it to the post horse for delivery.

Later, he wrote many military orders in handwriting and delivered them to various ministries for strict implementation.

The governor of Jiangxi took the lead in calling on the gentry across the province to donate money, with no limit on the amount!
First, to relieve the army's food and salary difficulties.

Secondly, he tied all the gentry into the chariot and made his position clear. If Jiangxi fell in the future, the puppet King of Wu would not spare them, and would not fight for them, but would directly kill them.

Orders were given to county magistrates in various states to gather the refugees and send them to the Jiujiang camp.

No matter men, women, old or young, everyone wants it!
Even a woman with small feet or a nine-year-old baby has its uses.

The former can wash clothes and soothe the soldiers' morale, while the latter can withstand the bullets of thieves.

The profound meaning here, when analyzed carefully, makes "people" amazed. Both the refugees and the bandits were enemies, and the death of either party would benefit the court.

If there are fewer refugees, there will be no civil unrest in the local area.

Using the refugee women and children as a shield:
If the thief is benevolent and righteous, the officers and soldiers will rush forward and win! If a thief shoots a homeless person, his morals will be compromised. If the imperial court finds a moral grip and attacks arbitrarily, it will still win!
The battle situation is at a stalemate, with a back-and-forth battle:
After all, the thieves' elite soldiers and gunpowder have a limit. After all the refugees are dead, the thieves' soldiers may only be able to use their muskets as fire sticks.

……

From Chizhou Prefecture to Huangshiji, ships flying the "Wu" flag kept coming and going.

Transport the supplies needed by the 2nd Army to the front line.

Coal, military uniforms, guns, gunpowder, armor, swords and spears, portable rations, and four-wheeled carriages.

There are also a few recruits and new officers among them.

Miao Youlin knew very well that he could not prevent the management of the Second Army from pouring water or inserting needles.

Simply look away and no longer have too many small thoughts.

First, I had a few drinks with the two deputy commanders-in-chief, Zheng Hean and Huang Si, and got closer.

Later, his starting team was organized into 2 battalions. Some old brothers were selected and occupied one-third of the (chief and deputy) battalion commander and above military positions.

Replenish new soldiers to each battalion and recruit strong men from southern Anhui.

Finally, he had a firm grasp on the 2nd Army.

Li Yu knew about his behavior, but did not intend to interfere.

the reason is simple:
If an army wants to have combat effectiveness, the general cannot be a mere commander, but must have his own cronies.

and,

Miao Youlin's adjustments also changed the situation where the 2nd Army "Huaixi" was all-in-one.

Among the mid-level officers, the proportion of Huaixi people dropped to one-third, old Miao people accounted for one-third, and officers from other places accounted for one-third.

……

(End of this chapter)