Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 450 Military Mediation~
That night,

The Siyi militia held a celebration banquet.

Wen Yuande held the small wine cup in his hand, smiling broadly:

"My fellow officers, serve the king diligently, protect your hometown, seek wealth and honor, and prosper your family. Go!"

Alcohol is prohibited in the military.

But tonight is an exception, everyone must drink.

When Cantonese people have a meal together, they don’t spend money on wine, but on delicious food.

If it were a northern colleague, he would have directly poured wine into the bottle.

……

When a person is slightly tipsy, he becomes braver.

Looking at the people leaving the tent in groups of three or five,
Wen Yuande closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair and recalled the first half of his life:

He worked in the Ministry of Rites for 20 years and was promoted to the position of Director. He was cautious and careful all the time while doing his job.

It’s nothing like now when I hold the military power and have the power of life and death.

happy!

He even thought presumptuously,
As long as the Wu army doesn't come, he will be the local emperor of these four counties.

When on horseback, he is in charge of the army; when on foot, he is in charge of the people.

Basically equivalent to the princes in the early Qing Dynasty.

……

Wen Yuande suddenly shuddered.
He looked around guiltily, thinking that he was usually the most loyal and cautious, so why was he so arrogant now?

What kind of earth emperor?

What Qing vassal king?
Is this an idea that a former head of the Ministry of Rites with a clear pedigree should have?

Decades of Confucian education on loyalty to the emperor and the wildly growing personal ambition fought fiercely, like the dispute between the natives and the Hakkas, going back and forth.

"Master, would you like a bowl of hangover soup?"

"Ahem, okay."

……

After drinking,

Wen Yuande closed his eyes again.

Guangdong has a long history of growing raw silk and tea.

If Li Yu hadn't made a big move, half of the mulberry fields in Guangdong Province would have been forced to switch to rice, and more than half of the weaving households would have changed their professions.
Why is this so!

After the foreign riots were quelled, he went to talk to the French merchants in Macau about maritime trade.

even,

They could also privately choose a few small islands in Qiongzhou Prefecture and rent them to the red-haired barbarians for anchoring merchant ships.

If you have money, you can raise elite soldiers.

If you have silver, you can buy barbarian warships and hire barbarians as soldiers.

……

Wen Yuande knew that
There are many wandering foreign sailors in Southeast Asia. They are greedy for money, quite fierce, and especially good at using guns and cannons.

As early as the end of the Ming Dynasty, there was a precedent of hiring French people as soldiers.

A funny idea suddenly occurred to him:

"I wonder how loyal the three of them are now, the Minister of Hubei, the Minister of Guangxi, and the Minister of Hunan?"

in case,

The four ministers joined forces to hold off the Wu army.

With such great military achievements, it is reasonable for the emperor to reward everyone by making them vassal kings.

The more Wen Yuande thought about it, the more excited he became, and his arms trembled slightly.

I dare not think about it too much, it's too exciting.

Seeing the surprised look of the servants beside him,
He coughed twice and said seriously:

"Please go to the Lingyan Pavilion for a while, if you are a scholar, you will be a marquis."

……

The next day,

The morale of the warriors was boosted and they continued to advance.

With the help of cannons, they broke through three walled houses in succession, almost breaking through the Keyong's defense line and repeatedly compressing Keyong's activity area.

Everyone took a short break, ate and drank water.

Prepare to take down the last two huge walled houses in one fell swoop in the afternoon.

This battle,
Both sides found that walled houses were more suitable for mountainous areas, while watchtowers were more suitable for plains.

It had never been discovered before because cannons would not appear during a fight.

The shape and material of the walled house determine that its defense against artillery shells is very poor.

Looking at the tower,

However, due to the height advantage, people and supplies were moved upstairs, so they could fight back against the robbers and avoid the flood.

……

The atmosphere in the last enclosure was depressing.

The brave warriors wiped their swords silently.

According to the established plan,

Once the enemy breaks through the walled house, everyone will fight to the death.

The more than 4 women, children, the elderly and the weak nearby would also take up arms and fight to the end. The losses would surely be huge, but there was nothing that could be done.

opposite,

Guangyong also realized that the final moment was approaching.

Wen Yuande kept issuing orders:
"Kaiping militia, listen up and protect our artillery. If the artillery is lost, you will commit suicide to thank our ancestors."

"As ordered."

"Heshan militia, listen up. After the cannons destroy the surrounding houses, you will launch the first wave of attack. Pay attention to the formation and coordination."

"Pull the baggage carts to the front and place them at intervals, leaving a 20-zhang gap between each section. Even rabbits bite when they are angry, let alone the fierce Hakka people, who should not be underestimated~"

"Send someone to gather the young and strong men in the rear, males aged 15 to 50, all armed and present. We must win the battle today in one fell swoop."

……

Wen Yuande kept issuing orders.
For the first time, he discovered that he actually had a talent for military affairs? Could he command such a large-scale war?

It is more than enough for him to hold the title of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

but,

Suddenly someone shouted from the wing:

"Oh no! Soldiers are coming from the east."

Everyone was stunned.
What kind of soldiers? Government soldiers? Bandits? Whose soldiers?
Wen Yuande opened the telescope and felt a chill on his back at first glance.

Red and black uniforms, cavalry!
Wu Jun is here~
quickly,

Both sides noticed the appearance of a small cavalry force of only 200 men on the plain to the east.

……

Inside the enclosure,
Ke Yong, who was defending the position, was silent for a moment, then burst into wild cheers.

"Reinforcements are coming, reinforcements are coming."

Some people cried, some laughed, and some even ran to the roof and waved their clothes to signal.

On the other hand, on Guangyong's side,
In a panic, many people ran around with guilty consciences.

Wen Yuande was anxious.

Brush, draw out the sword from your waist that has never been stained with blood:
"Order the entire army, do not run around. These are not the main force of the Wu army, just a small vanguard."

The officers of the Siyi militia rushed out immediately.

It took half a quarter of an hour to restore order on their side.

The battlefield suddenly became eerily quiet, and countless eyes were cast towards the Wu cavalry in the distance.

……

200 riders,
Half were from the Guards Corps and half were from the Guard Department.

The cavalry did not run, but reined in their horses and moved forward like a wall.

The flag bearer held a gold-threaded military flag with the word "Wu" embroidered on it, which was very eye-catching.

The cavalrymen held the reins in their left hands with cold eyes.

As the vanguard of the army,

Their mission is to intimidate and pass on messages.

The leading officer suddenly rode forward,

The general stuck his flag into the ground and shouted loudly:

"Your Majesty has ordered that everyone stay where they are. Each side should send one person over to negotiate peacefully."

This call was exactly what Wen Yuande wanted.

He rolled his eyes and pointed at his nephew:

"You go and test the waters, and the rest of you prepare for battle."

"Yes."

……

After a while,
The natives and the Hakkas each sent a messenger to walk to the flag.

A warrant officer from the Guards Corps drew his flintlock and pointed it at the two men:
"Put the knife down."

The two men put their swords on the ground without saying a word, keeping a distance of 2 meters from each other.

"What to talk about?"

"Your Majesty has issued an order that the fighting between the natives and the Hakkas was caused by a reason. Put down your weapons and let bygones be bygones."

Wen Yuande's nephew laughed contemptuously:
"We are officials and you are rebels. Is it possible?"

The warrant officer smiled:

"The provincial capital is in our hands, and so is the governor's office. We are just a bunch of people from the four counties. Tell me, who is the official and who is the thief? If you are really confident, go back."

"But I have to remind you. We can still talk now, but when the 5 troops arrive, we won't have anything to talk about."

"Take this letter back and show it to your steward."

……

Wen Yuande's nephew took the letter and left without looking back.

He is very clear,

If he was really confident, my uncle wouldn't have sent me here.

Guangyong,

It is impossible for them to be a match for Wu Jun.

In terms of weapons and equipment, organizational level, and battlefield experience, they were far behind in every aspect.

Looking at the back of the deadly enemy leaving,
Zeng Huaigu, the representative of the Ke Yong army, immediately knelt on one knee and said: "The Ke Yong army from western Guangdong is willing to lead the way for your majesty and kill all the Guang~"

The warrant officer interrupted immediately and said clearly:
"Mr. Zeng, your majesty has issued an order to kill only the Tartar officials, not the common people. Whether Cantonese or Hakka, they are all citizens of the Wu Kingdom."

Zeng Huaigu was dumbfounded.

The warrant officer whispered:

"Go back and tell your people to go see His Majesty."

……

It is clearly written in the letter.

Li Yu analyzed the matter from the perspective of a fellow Han Chinese.

It points out that although the conflict between natives and Hakkas was caused by land, it was actually instigated by the Qing government in an attempt to profit from it.

As long as Wen Yuande and the clans of the four counties disband their militia and lay down their weapons, this chapter will be over.

after,

Regardless of whether they are natives or Hakkas, they are all citizens of the Wu State.

Everyone continued to drink tea, do business, eat enough salt and rice.

Wen Yuande's forehead began to bead with sweat.

under,

A group of officers from different backgrounds quarreled fiercely.

Retreat or fight?

……

20 mile away,

The fully armed Guards Corps was crossing the river quickly.

Zeng Huaigu and several Hakka leaders witnessed this scene
In addition to envy, or envy ~
in case,

If we had such military force, we would have occupied the Pearl River Delta Plain long ago.

"Your Majesty has arrived~"

The four of them knelt down quickly, behaving very respectfully.

Li Yu raised his hand:

"Please get up."

"The military situation is urgent, so I will make it short. Today, all the Guanyong and Hakka warriors must surrender their weapons and disband. From now on, fighting with weapons is prohibited, and those who violate the order will be killed. As for the counties where the natives and Hakkas live together, the government will separate you using the rivers as the boundary."

"There is not enough food. I can transfer it from Jiangxi."

"Hakka people have no livelihood, so they can come and join the army. The Wu army pays generously. One person joins the army, and the whole family can eat well. We can even allow you to open a mine in the mountains. The profit from the mine is rich, enough to support your family."

"I am not discussing this with you, but informing you to follow my instructions."

"Guangdong, I want to have the final say."

……

Zeng Huaigu, one of the leaders of the Hakka people in western Guangdong,
Suddenly he looked up and asked:
"Your Majesty, what if Guangyong doesn't accept it?"

Li Yu stared at him coldly.

"I have brought 5 troops with me. I believe I can convince everyone in Guangdong."

Wait for the four leaders to bow their heads and leave the tent.
Li Yu glanced at the ministers who were listening in the tent.

Miao Youlin's face was calm.

Zhao De, a Hakka gentry from Shaozhou, bowed his head with a respectful look.

The Secretariat guard Lu Zhou seemed to be thinking about something, a little confused.

……

Li Yu personally supervised the battle this time, not for military reasons, but out of political considerations.

today,

The only goals are:

Use force to persuade both the natives and the Hakkas to put out the boiling water first.

As for how to persuade by force, the standards here are very vague and others may not be able to grasp it, so I have to go there in person.

13000 soldiers and 150 artillery pieces are like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Especially those 12-pounders,
All artillery officers felt that there was no need to carry it.

The opponent is just a group of militiamen, and using such a large-caliber artillery is a bit excessive.

but,

Your Majesty has issued an order, who dares not obey?

The mules pulling the artillery carts are replaced every hour to ensure their physical strength.

Everyone misses the cement road.

Unfortunately, the cost was too high, and the Wu State had suspended its plan to build large-scale roads across prefectures and counties.

……

Li Yu was very satisfied with his pontoon battalion.

The business of building bridges over water is becoming more and more skilled and faster.

Directly use a variety of ready-made parts, wood, hemp rope, thick twisted wire rope, pig iron fasteners ~
船，
Generally local materials are used, small boats are requisitioned and then arranged.

Floating bridges are also divided into different specifications.

If there is no need to pass heavy artillery vehicles, only infantry, and the river flow and wind speed are not high, the amount of work can be much smaller.

……

"Lu Zhou, have you seen the information about the fight between the natives and the Hakkas in Heshan County?"

"Your Majesty, I have read it."

"What do you think? Tell me."

“The group training is improving!”

"Ah."

Lu Zhou continued to preach boldly:

"If the two sides continue to fight endlessly, it will only be a matter of time before a qualified army appears in Guangdong."

"It must be so. Those who survive become veterans."

After all,

Li Yu squeezed the horse's belly and the warhorse rushed out.

Along the way, he raised his right arm and shouted:
"Soldiers, speed up your march."

The soldiers shouted:
"Long live, long live."

……

Zhao De in the team quickly followed suit, waving his right arm and shouting "Long live the emperor".

He felt in his heart,
I have roughly figured out your Majesty's true intention - to suppress the Cantonese and guard against the Hakka.

Lin Chuan, who was born as a government official in Yingde County, is still in charge of dispatching the labor camp.

He sat on the edge of a donkey cart, somewhat absent-minded.

Worried about being on the wrong side.

Your Majesty's attitude is ambiguous. Will the new government pay more attention to Cantonese or Hakka?
Should I tell people around me that although my mother is a Hakka, my father is a Cantonese from Wuzhou?

It really does n’t work.

Looking through the family tree, it seems that my ancestors also have Chaozhou ancestry.

Bloodline is a big deal.

Try to make sure that no matter which side comes to power, you can get some benefit.

Flexible~
……

What kind of firm stance does a yamen runner need?
It all depends on what the county magistrate says. If it's an east wind, it goes east; if it's a west wind, it goes west; if it's a tornado, it circles.

As long as you are thick-skinned enough, you can always make a living.

"Master Lin."

"What's the matter?"

"The noble man in front is calling you to be a guide."

"okay."

Lin Chuan immediately jumped out and ran 200 feet at full speed.

No kidding, he is really familiar with the terrain of Siyi, and this all started from the time he protected the smuggling business of the county lord!
As for the old Cantonese, they are at the forefront of smuggling.

Relying on mountains to eat mountains, relying on water to draft water.

From the Governor's Office to the County Magistrate, who doesn't have overseas connections?

……

The situation on the battlefield had reversed at this time.

Guangyong began to retreat, his morale low and his anger high.

Keyong mobilized the entire nation, and everyone, regardless of gender, age or status, went out in full force.

The two sides were separated by a mile, one side retreated while the other side advanced.

On the edge of the battlefield,

The Wu cavalry just watched and did not intend to intervene.

Before coming,
His Majesty has already instructed that no military force should be used before the main force arrives.

……

The two lieutenants were discussing in a low voice:

"Can you see that? These Ke Yong are all soldiers."

"It's useless no matter how many there are. If they were to face us, the artillery fire and rifle fire would stun these tens of thousands of people from a distance."

"Brother, you are wrong. This is the case in the plains. If we go into the mountains, it will be troublesome if everyone becomes a soldier."

The other one turned his head in surprise.
Then he nodded silently, acknowledging his colleague's judgment.

The members of the Guards Corps are all veterans and have some experience in war.

When light infantry go into the mountains to fight, the first thing that becomes useless is the barreled artillery, which is heavy and difficult to carry, and the elevation angle is not enough.

And limited by the terrain,

The musketeers were unable to form a battle array and their firepower was greatly reduced.

……

One of the lieutenants said:

"I suddenly understood what the NCO Academy meant when it emphasized that an excellent commander must learn to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses."

"The strengths of our Wu army are plains, shipping, and artillery."

Another added:

"Our strengths are our enemies' weaknesses!"

……

(End of this chapter)