He slowly folded the letter neatly, folded it, and put it back into the envelope. [Read the full text] With his sophistication in officialdom, he always has a way to shirk and delay any difficult government affairs. Anyway, no matter what big or important task it is, it can't resist the word "procrastination". A few months later, God knows what new trend was blowing in the court.
I'm afraid I have to show some achievements in Jinghai this time. The emperor had just ascended the throne and was working hard to govern - and he learned from the eunuch beside the emperor that the emperor was a very hard-working person. I'm afraid I won't be able to get through it if I keep pushing the blame and procrastinating. When the time comes, Gao Shunqin, a stupid young man, will be in trouble if he fires a bullet.
When I was rectifying the administration of officials in Guangdong and Guangxi, I offended many people. These people all had old friends and relatives in the capital. If I mishandled one of them and lost my Sacred Heart, I would have to hand over the bullets at that time, and the end would be unknown - lost. Resignation from an official position is already the lightest punishment.
And Gao Shunqin's attitude is really difficult to estimate. This man is young and qualified to be an official on the road of public speaking, so he is very energetic - he himself has been a public official and knows the habits of public speaking officials.
Gao Xunjian hated all merchants, pirates and Westerners. He proposed to himself several times that he hoped to ban trade with the Portuguese. I have been vague about what I say, and listening to the rumors outside, it seems that I am very dissatisfied with myself.
Gao Shunqin hated the Portuguese: it was simply because the Portuguese had "big ships and huge guns", "no one dared to get close", and they also trafficked in various prohibited items. Wang Zunde feels that this is largely because there is such a "disobedience to Wang Hua" on the ground in Guangdong.
For Wang Zunde, although the Portuguese caused some trouble for the local area from time to time, they were generally very sensible. The so-called Zhiqu does not mean that they pay the annual land rent of 500 taels to Xiangshan County on time - this is just a drop in the bucket for the whole province of Guangdong.
Recently, the Portuguese have repeatedly sent businessmen to Guangzhou for activities and presented generous gifts to various parties - probably they have also heard about Gao Shunqin's recent movements, so they are stepping up their activities.
Thinking again about the Portuguese's hope to join forces with the Ming Dynasty to attack Liu Laoxiang - the other party said: Liu Laoxiang colluded with "Helan" who had plundered the coast and occupied Penghu to build a fortress during the Tianqi period, with the intention of doing harm to the Ming Dynasty. Only God knows whether this statement is true or false. Wang Zunde couldn't help but sigh: Things on the sea are really complicated, but the government knows nothing about this mysterious sea world.
He was pacing in the study, admiring the reflection on the bamboo curtain, and suddenly shouted in a loud voice: "Here comes someone!"
A valet appeared at the door.
"Go and invite Lu and Li Zanhua immediately."
He invited these two people to come here because he wanted to hear their opinions on the affairs of Pingjing Guangdong Yangmian. He is not in a hurry to see Li Fengjie. If he goes to see him now, he is just another "Mr. Wei". Of course, the governor is in charge of military affairs, and it is understandable for him, a governor who specializes in civil affairs, to say so.
As for other provincial officials, big and small, they are all slippery loaches. Each one is more capable of passing the blame than the other. Wang Zunde, who has been an official for many years, knows that this is not the case in Guangdong and Guangxi, but everywhere.
If I want to get some practical advice, I can only rely on my staff.
These two people are his two confidants. Lu Yizhong served as a prefect for several times, and Li Xijue was a Jinshi during the Tianqi period. He had never been awarded an official position and had been living at home. Both of them are in their early forties and less than fifty, and are in their prime of energy. They are well-read in poetry and books, and have a deep understanding of various practical government affairs.
But these two Zanhua couldn't come up with any clever ideas for a while - strategies are based on intelligence. Without intelligence, they can't even tell who the enemy is, so there is no strategy at all.
Since the end of Wanli, heroes from all walks of life have risen and fallen on the sea, with numerous names. There are dozens of stocks with names recorded in official documents. However, the government knows very little about their actual situation, and most of them are hearsay.
As for Liu Laoxiang, it was just a force that only emerged in the early years of Chongzhen. However, it has expanded the fastest recently and has become a problem at the Pearl River Estuary. This has attracted people's attention.
Although Lu and Li wanted to share the worries of their host, they themselves did not necessarily know the pirates better than Wang Zunde, so how could they make any suggestions? What Li Zanhua came up with after much searching was nothing more than the old tricks used by Hu Zongxian and others to deal with Japanese pirates. Can't come up with anything new.
On the other hand, Lu Yizhong remained silent. In his view, Li Zanhua's strategies were all feasible, but they could not solve the fundamental problem. His employer has no intention of carrying out a large-scale extermination of pirates. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to do so - he doesn't have the money.
Whether it is moving to the sea, stepping up the investigation of commodity exports on shore, or training rural warriors along the coasts and rivers... these measures all require time and money. The current situation of the government is that it is short of money. Nothing can be done without money.
The government has neither money nor time. Wang Zhitai felt that he had no time. Lu Yizhong was better than others at guessing what was going on. He quickly understood his employer's actual thoughts based on the recent situation between the government and the opposition and the situation in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian.
Xiong Wenhuan cannot take away all the good news from the southeastern campaign against pirates. Since Zheng Zhilong's resignation, Yang Liu, Yang Qi, Zhu Cailao and other groups of giant bandits on the southeast coast have been destroyed one after another in the past two years. Xiong Wenhuan's reputation as a "capable foreigner" has been recognized by both the government and the public.
Under such a situation, Liu Laoxiang, who continues to dominate and even expand in Guangdong, becomes an embarrassing comparison. The Taiwan-making masters who govern Guangdong and Guangxi must do something.
Although I know what my boss is thinking, coming up with ideas is another matter. He thought about the situation he faced: it was not the Jiajing Dynasty now, and the court still had plenty of money and food. Able to build ships and train troops. Now that Wang Zunde only has such a big plate, he can't attack from all directions and attack from multiple directions. He can only find the right one to suppress, win a big victory, and capture the bandits. Moreover, the imperial navy has always been weak in naval battles, so it must find a place where it can achieve success in six battles.
"It would be great if there were places like Shuangyu and Tuen Mun." Lu Yizhong said.
He immediately understood what kind of person Li Xijue was, and he nodded and said, "Exactly."
Of course Wang Zunde understood what they meant, but they had no idea where Liu Xiang's lair was, let alone the other gangsters.
When he was helpless, Lu Yizhong whispered: "How about Lingao?"
The three people nodded. This place is perfect
It is no secret in Guangzhou that the Australians built a stronghold in Lingao to defend themselves. It is no secret that the three major purple-branded companies have Australian backgrounds.
"It should be Bo Pu. It was Bo Pu who the thieves stole. Lingao County was not captured." Li Xijue reminded, "Every money and grain must be paid in full."
"That's right." Lu Yizhong nodded, "The officers and soldiers encircled and suppressed Bopu, and they went to Lingao to do harm. It is a great benefit to the country and the people."
This is not only a matter of detail, but also a key point.
If the "pirates entrenched in Lingao" are suppressed, some people in the court will inevitably find fault with Guangdong for not reporting the fall of the county town. Now it is enough to just mention Bo's words. What's more, Lingao did not fall, and this was not considered deceiving the court.
Thinking of this, Wang Zunde just felt enlightened and felt like he could see the sun from the clouds. He nodded repeatedly but said no more words.
Lu Yizhong and Li Xijue knew that he had agreed to the idea, but they still had to weigh the pros and cons. What I have to do now is to implement this matter first. Where did the soldiers, ships, and food come from? How much is needed? How to plan military pay and miscellaneous expenses... These details must be carefully considered one by one, and several plans should be prepared if necessary. It will be left up to the platform maker to choose when it is actually implemented.
They couldn't do these things by themselves. Fortunately, there was a large staff team in the Governor's Mansion, ranging from retired officials who had been prefects to frivolous writers who could only write lyrics and compose music. Although there is a mixture of mud and sand, there are still some capable people.
Lu Yizhong quickly summoned a dozen of Wang Zunde's most trusted staff to discuss the matter.
But his "cool plan" quickly aroused dissent.
"Master Zhu Tai wants to exterminate the bandits in Lingao, which is very satisfying." Someone inside said, "I just heard that they have a way inside, so I'm afraid they won't be able to do anything easily."
Another aide said: "The Australians have a close connection with Gao Ju, and I heard that Gao Ju is related to Eunuch Yang in the palace. I'm afraid we can't figure it out."
As soon as they heard that there were still internal prisons connected inside, everyone couldn't help but fell silent. The days when eunuchs were powerful were not long gone. It is true that the emperor passed away for nine thousand years after he ascended the throne, but the eunuchs of the Prince Xin Palace also had to exercise power. In case you offend some unexplainable "inner minister" inside. Apply some eye drops to the scenery, so that everyone can't take it and walk around.
"It's not a problem." Lu Yizhong said, "The high-profile backer, Eunuch Yang, was not eunuch Long from the Prince's Palace. When Wei Ni came to power, he took a job in order to avoid disaster. After the emperor ascended the throne, he did not have much presence in the palace. power."
"Although he is a eunuch, he still has the mouth of a palace. You cannot offend easily." Some people still want to be cautious.
"No problem." Lu Yizhong said, "The thieves Kun and Eunuch Yang have nothing to do with each other. Gao Ju is Eunuch Yang's man. The Australians are just doing business with Gao Ju. Eunuch Yang has always understood how justice can be done to a group of pirates. Are you embarrassing the court officials?"
Gao Ji has a lot of contacts with Australians. Even if there are no Australians, the Gao family is well-known for "colluding with foreign countries". It would be easy to find evidence that he was "connected with pirates". How could Eunuch Yang do such a thing of throwing himself into a trap and putting the cart before the horse?
Eunuch Yang no longer has much power in the palace, and if the Australians are finished, they will not be finished. Since Gao Ji is safe and sound, he should be given the benefits of Eunuch Yang, not even a penny less. After destroying the Australian pirates, could Eunuch Yang personally go into battle to embarrass Wang Zunde? Wang Zunde is a top official in the imperial court and has always been known as an upright and honest man. He was not a powerful eunuch, so how could he get involved in such troubled waters?
As long as Gao Ji is not hurt, Mrs. Gao can pass peacefully. Eunuch Yang will naturally not ask. This is Lu Yizhong's plan. When the time comes, part of the Australian property in Guangzhou will be compensated to the Gao family. Even if the Gao family has some complaints, they have nothing to say - Gao Ji will not be so ignorant and go against the officialdom of Guangdong.
"Furthermore, the Australians built a fortress in Lingao, which is the same trick as when the Francois occupied Haojing. At that time, the imperial court approved the Francois. Will they allow the Australians now?" Lu Yizhong reminded. , "This matter must come to an end. It's better to end it sooner than later."
He analyzed it in this way, and everyone thought it made sense. There is no longer any objection to the campaign to suppress the bandits.
"How do you deal with this Australian iron ship?" someone asked. "I heard it is as high as a city wall, higher than the big plywood ships of the red-haired and Franco people. The navy has no ship to fight with it."
"The so-called big iron ship is just a rumor in the streets. It cannot be true." Lu Yizhong said, "Even if there is such a huge ship, the army can use fire ships to retreat. Furthermore, the Wang Division's advance is to advance by water. The sea route is only a containment, and the 6th route is the most important. As long as his Bairen Village is defeated on the 6th, he will have no support on the 6th and has no choice but to pull anchor and leave. Master Wang will be able to finish his work."
This idea is actually based on the idea of "driving away": this is not a sign of great mercy or friendship, but is actually a correct assessment by local officials of their own military strength. During the Apocalypse, the Dutch used an army of 70,000 to 80,000 people and hundreds of warships, but they could only "retreat" a dozen ships. Now, of course, it is even more impossible to completely annihilate the Australians. Of course, expelling the Australians who have been entrenched in Lingao for many years can be regarded as a great achievement.
Lu Yizhong's plan was to try to "force back" the Australians and win a victory with as little loss as possible. Guangzhou is somewhat aware of the strength of the Australians in Lingao.
"There are only a thousand real men in Lingao." Lu Yizhong said, "The rest are mostly fake men who surrendered to the local traitors. The total number is no less than tens of thousands. However, men and women, old and young, coexist, and they are nothing more than those who are greedy for men. Those who come to Lingao for a small favor will never fight to the death for the Kun thieves. The heavenly soldiers of the imperial court will naturally disintegrate as soon as they arrive."
"Even if there are only a thousand people, it will not be easy to deal with the strong ships and powerful guns." One of the staff said, "I heard that besides the big iron ships, they also have iron speedboats and robs. They are invincible and should not be underestimated."
"I think we can also borrow troops. After all, the Australians have strong ships and cannons, and they also have iron clippers to assist in the battle." The man continued to suggest, "The Francons always ask for my help, and they are respectful to the court. Recently they have offered artillery. If we borrow troops from them to help suppress them, our army can get twice the result with half the effort."
"The Francons have red barbarian cannons and plywood giant ships. The shortcomings of our army's ship cannons can be made up for." Many people agreed with this proposal at the moment.
"It would be better to ask Master Tai to come forward and persuade Zheng Zhilong to send a partial force to assist in the battle. Zheng Zhilong's troops have been accustomed to the sea for a long time and can be used as a vanguard."
"I'm afraid Xiong Zhixian will not agree. He relies on Zheng Zhilong to build the Great Wall of Fujian. Now that Li Kuiqi and others have not yet given it, how can he be willing? It's inappropriate."
Some people reiterated the old tricks used by Yu Dayou and Dong Long during the Jiajing period when they captured pirates in Humen, thinking that they could seduce foreign pirates and promised to cooperate in the attack with huge profits from the cargo.
"This is not appropriate." Li Xijue shook his head, "Don't seduce foreign pirates, otherwise the tiger will be rejected from the front and the wolves will come from the back door. Things are not as good as they were back then. If you want to borrow a lesson, you can only use the Franco machine. people."
"How about borrowing a teacher from Lan Ren?"
"This generation originally intended to occupy Penghu and borrow lessons from it. Should it be allowed to return to Penghu?"
"That's wrong." The staff member who made the suggestion thought he had a plan, "When the Helan people were willing to retire to the rank of senior official, this dynasty allowed merchants to go trade. Let's take this as an argument: If the Helan people were If people do not use troops to help suppress it, merchants will not be allowed to go to the official..."
"It's a big mistake." Li Xijue heard such high arguments and had no choice but to refute, "Banning merchants and trade? Since Jiajing, the sea ban has been opened and closed. It has never been truly banned."
This method is of some use against the Portuguese. But the senior official is not Hao Jing - he is just a stone's throw away from Guangzhou. The thousands-mile coastline of Fujian and Guangdong cannot be tolerated at all. Besides, most of the people who went to Dayuan to trade were Fujian merchants, and Zheng Zhilong was the largest merchant among them.
Zheng Zhilong would not pay attention to the order of the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and the merchants along the coast of Fujian would not buy it either. Xiong Wenhuan may not be willing to issue such an order for Guangdong. So this idea is completely unworkable.
"Ignoring borrowing troops, once the troops are mobilized, where will the food and wages come from?"
This is the key to fighting. The imperial court does not have an army, but the army can only be regarded as alive. In order for this group of armed beggars to go out to fight, the first thing is to pay them. It is impossible to pay off all the arrears, but at least part of them must be paid, otherwise the soldiers will not be willing to leave; secondly, they need to pay for their accommodation as usual before leaving, and they must also have rewards; after the war , regardless of victory or defeat, casualties must be compensated, and if victorious, there must be a military reward.
As for the food and fodder required for the start of the expedition, plans and preparations must also be completed. Soldiers can be half-starved and half-full on weekdays, but they cannot be left hungry during a war. The problem of grain and grass is relatively easy to solve in Guangdong. The local area generally has two crops a year, and the grain stored in the public treasury is quite abundant. There are also many warehouses in Qiongzhou Prefecture dedicated to storing military grain for Beili, with tens of thousands of stones of grain available all year round. Can be transferred nearby.
"As for the pension and rewards, this is a matter for the future and can be left alone for the time being. Just raise the expenses for departure first." Lu Yizhong said.
"Now all the armies are in arrears of pay for nearly half a year. Each soldier's pay is equivalent to two taels per month, and he must make up for two or three months. As for the settlement expenses, each person gets another three taels. If the soldiers are not moving, each soldier will pay at least seven taels. If 10,000 people are used, 70,000 will be spent before leaving the camp." Some people were speechless as soon as they calculated the accounts.
"You're short of that. There are also ministerial expenses for the march, and all kinds of expenses. We can't start without this amount of ten thousand or twenty thousand." Some staff members have military experience. "As for artillery and ship repairs, don't we need it?" money?"
"You don't have to forget it." Li Xijue said, "During the Tianqi period, Governor Yu expeled the red-haired barbarians from Penghu, which cost the vassal treasury nearly 400,000 taels. This time the troops are mobilized, it will definitely not be less than that time. The military expenditure will be at least 300,000 taels. Ten thousand taels. This is still strict. If it is lenient, it must be doubled." v! ~!
