Back to the end of the Ming Dynasty when the emperor

Chapter 844 Garrison at Shanhaiguan Pass (second update)

The Lunar New Year is more like the New Year.

Even if the auspicious snow is shining all over the country, the north and south of the river are covered with pink makeup and jade, the river suddenly loses its flow, and the ground is frozen everywhere. However, the prosperous cities of the Ming Dynasty, such as Beijing, Nanjing, Fengyang, Xijing, etc., don’t look at the fact that there was no electricity and fireworks at that time. But the ancients still used their hard work and wisdom to decorate their beautiful homes, decorate with lanterns and streamers, beat gongs and drums, and celebrate festivals. At night, the fire trees and Qiongzhi are really beautiful.

This kind of prosperous festival scene was really rare in the troubled times of the late Ming Dynasty.

At this time, Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, was even more colorfully dressed.

Outside, the dripping water turned into ice, and inside the Hall of Qinzheng was as warm as spring. Zhu Yousong, wearing a velvet cotton dragon robe, was summoning Gao Hongtu and Wang Duo in the hall, Liu Zhaoji, Secretary of the Ministry of War, and Lu Jiude, the admiral of the East Factory, were also waiting on him.

Zhu Yousong glanced at the palace decorated with lanterns and festoons and said: "Today is the New Year's Eve, and these few snowfalls are not small. Are there serious disasters everywhere?"

Gao Hongtu bowed and saluted: "Return to Your Majesty. Since the beginning of winter, Shandong has experienced heavy snowfall and strong winds. Several villages and towns have been severely affected. My minister has ordered Wu Jungong, the governor of Shandong, to step up disaster relief. The rescue of houses has been completed. It's over, the disaster relief funds have been allocated, and they will definitely have no problem celebrating the New Year."

"That's good. Since the flood season this autumn, the Mengjin section of the Yellow River has flooded, causing serious disasters in Guide and Kaifeng, and the Yangtze River burst in Xiangyang. How is the relief for the victims in these places?"

Wang Duo hurriedly came out to salute: "Your Majesty, the disaster relief in Henan has ended half a month ago, and the official memorial in Henan has not yet arrived. All the refugees in the disaster area have moved into new houses, and the food and money for the relief have been distributed. Except for the casualties during the flood, none of the refugees left their homes. As for the disaster in the Yangtze River area, the governor of Huguang also sent a pond report ten days ago. The breach has been filled in time, the refugees have been properly resettled, and the food relief , the clothes have arrived at the door. The detailed official memorial has not yet been sent to the capital.”

"En." Zhu Yousong nodded, satisfied with the answers of the two cabinet ministers, and asked again, "Are there any corrupt officials who embezzle relief funds?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, the Overwatch Council has not reported this case so far. However, from the perspective of humble ministers, since the case of Li Guofu, Mr. A criminal."

At this time, Gao Hongtu played again, "Your Majesty, Liang Yushang, the governor of Suizhou, Henan Province, said that the river has been flooding year after year. It is not as good as it is blocked. control the river."

"Precise play."

"Your Majesty cares deeply about the people, and he is always admonishing and admonishing me like a stream, which is really a great blessing to me."

Zhu Yousong said again: "How much is the national treasury? How much food and soldiers are prepared?"

Gao Hongtu said: "Qizou Your Majesty, according to His Majesty's orders, taxes and corvée have been reduced by 1600% and business taxes have been increased by [-]%. All kinds of tax revenues are added to the income from exchanges in Southeast Asia and other countries, as well as the navigation fees and expenses of the red-haired children in the Netherlands. The war indemnity, minus the military supplies for official service, disaster relief expenses, offsetting internal funds and other payments, the current treasury surplus is equivalent to [-] million taels of silver."

Zhu Yousong nodded, quite satisfied.The treasury surplus of more than 1000 million taels is not a large number, but it is an unbelievable astronomical figure for the bottom-up treasury in the Chongzhen era, which was short-lived for years in the late Ming Dynasty.

At this time, Liu Zhaoji, Minister of the Ministry of War, said: "The military rations have been stored at 400 million deniers, and the knives and spears, ammunition, horses and battles are not counted. According to preliminary estimates, a total of 30 yuan is required for at least six months."

Zhu Yousong was very happy to hear this. Everything is ready, and he only owes the east wind.Not to mention six months, after four months of the new year, the summer grain can be collected, plus various tax payments, to start the expedition, there is no need to increase taxes and corvees at all, the military pay and food merchants need to be sufficient, so you can rest assured Go to war.

Zhu Yousong immediately began to plan the expedition to the Qing Dynasty two months later.

In fact, tracing back to the source, the land and subjects of the Qing Dynasty are all solid land and vassals of the Ming Dynasty, because Nurhachi was still a soldier under Li Chengliang, the Houjin established by Nurhachi, and the Qing Dynasty established by Huang Taiji are mostly the homeland of the Ming Dynasty.It's just that in recent decades, they have been independent and split. Now that Zhu Yousong wants to regain his homeland and wipe out the Tartars outside the pass, that can also be regarded as the first step of the Great Ming Expedition.

Soon after the new year, Huang Degong, who was stationed at Shanhaiguan, received Zhu Yousong's order, asking him to lead his headquarters to move Maxi to Xifengkou and Chengde to stand by. People and horses were also incorporated into his command.

Huang Degong is the only survivor of the warlords in the four towns in Jiangbei. After being conquered by Zhu Yousong, he was loyal to the Ming Dynasty. He has been stationed in Shanhaiguan for five years.

Before that, he also heard the news that His Majesty was training the expeditionary army. Over the past few years, Tartars, large and small, have often come to harass them. Last year, Dorgon personally brought 10,000+ people to attack them. His Majesty has never sent troops to deal with them. Guan Cheng, I'm afraid I will have to settle accounts with them next.

Huang Degong didn't dare to neglect, and more than 6 people under his command, including thousands of people in a piece of stone, were all ready to switch defenses.

A few days later, spring cold material shoots.The vanguard of the expeditionary force arrived, and it was Li Zicheng's general Liu Wenxiu who arrived with 5000 cavalry.

After greeting each other, Huang Degong and Liu Wenxiu handed over, and then Huang Degong led more than 6 people to set up camp and move to Xifengkou and Chengde Military Station.

A few days later, Ma Bao, Zu Keyong and Huang Degong joined forces, and their team exceeded 8.Soon, Huang Degong received another order. The day Zhu Yousong sent troops in Shanhaiguan was the time when they attacked Mobei Mongolia to the north.

At this moment, Huang Degong and others knew His Majesty's plan. They wanted to use troops on two fronts against the Qing Dynasty. His Majesty planned to go out in person, and let their horse serve as a partial division.

Huang Degong immediately mobilized to prepare for the war. His men and horses have not gone out for several years, but as frontier troops, they can fight when they are pulled out. With the expeditionary army, they thought they were useless. Unexpectedly, His Majesty asked them to fight this time. At the gate of the country, Huang Degong's general officers, Huang Ming, Chen Xiance, Qiu Yue, Ma Bao, Zu Keyong, etc., are all gearing up and eager to wait. They know that the opportunity for a good man to make contributions has come again.

Just entered February of the old calendar, and there was still snow in northern Xinjiang, so Zhu Yousong started his personal conquest again.As the king of the horse god, Zhu Yousong never liked to stay in the palace to listen to the report, and he was full of calculations. It was less than a year since the last time he personally recruited class teachers.

Zhu Yousong personally supervised the 30 expeditionary army, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong were the commanders of the left army and the right army respectively, Gao Guiying led 30 new imperial battalion troops as the central army, the horse army, infantry, artillery battalion, and special forces of the expeditionary army , and the logistics supply battalion were all dispatched, [-] horses, cavalry in front, infantry behind, with food and supplies, left the capital and drove to Shanhaiguan.

(End of this chapter)