"Shifan, please tell Grandpa again, how did you kill Tong Guoyao? This Tong Guoyao was a fierce general, how could he be defeated by that flintlock gun?"
In the three halls of the Hanzhongxi Prince's Mansion, Wu Sangui was holding the hand of his grandson Wu Shifan and laughingly asked about the "Battle of Yunmen in Yunxian County". Just now Wu Shifan has already talked about the whole process of taking Yunyang and Xiangyang, especially the attack on Yunxian County, in great detail.
Who is Wu Sangui? A tactician expert would immediately recognize the key to this.
With a few volleys of less than 200 flintlock muskets, Tong Guoyao's soldiers were defeated in two rounds of assault! Although Tong Guoyao personally led the third round of assaults and hit the vicinity of the gun array with the firepower of the fusiliers, the losses were heavy and their vigor was lost. In the end, they were eliminated by the sword soldiers and white pole soldiers who covered the fusiliers!
Although the 300 soldiers under Tong Guoyao were not Eight Banners Heavenly Soldiers, they were at least at the level of servants in the late Ming Dynasty. Such a unit allowed a group of mountain people who had only been soldiers for a few months to kill most of them with flintlock rifles. This does not mean that the flintlock rifles How powerful?
And fighting is not only about offense, but also about defense!
If you rely on flintlock guns with sharp firepower, civilians with only a few months of training can rely on fortifications or city walls to cause heavy damage to the enemy's elite. This is a big deal!
Anyone who has ever led a soldier knows that newcomers who have just joined the army are a rabble. Under normal circumstances, these newbies should be beaten up by Tong Guoyao's group of skilled martial arts servants!
But now it's the other way around. If the same situation can be replicated, then it means that if the flintlock gun is used well, can the newcomer really beat up the servant?
This is amazing!
This can definitely change the life and death of the strong and weak on the battlefield!
Thinking of this, Wu Sangui couldn't help but continue to inquire about the use of flintlock guns.
However, Wu Shifan did not continue to explain the flintlock tactics to Wu Sangui. Instead, he took out the "Li Fengtian Report to the Western King" written by Huang Wanlin and signed by Li Zicheng. He held it to Wu Sangui with both hands and said, "Grandpa, this is what Li Zicheng sent from A handwritten letter from Wuchang to Xiangyang!"
"Li Zicheng's letter?" Wu Sangui quickly took the letter, picked up the crystal reading glasses on the desk, put them on, then unfolded the letter and read it carefully.
After only half of reading, King Wu Xi couldn't help but snorted: "Well, you Li Zicheng. If I don't send troops to attack you, you still want to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. You want to wait for me and the Manchus to be defeated before jumping out. Picking peaches?”
"Your Majesty, what did Li Zicheng write?"
"My lord, does he want to go to Jiangnan?"
Wu Sangui's two military advisers, Fang Guangchen and Liu Xuanchu, were also in the third hall of the West Prince's Mansion at this time. They were helping Wu Sangui handle the manuscripts reported below. When they heard Wu Sangui's words, they all came up to inquire with him.
Wu Sangui snorted again: "This Li Zicheng said that he only wants to support himself in the four prefectures of Yuezhou, Hanyang, Wuchang, and Huangzhou. He will not go anywhere, and he will not go to Jiangnan."
When Fang Guangchen heard this, he frowned: "Li Zicheng has really learned well. He is really smarter than a monkey now. He must have guessed that we will definitely take over his Yuezhou when he goes east." , Hanyang, Wuchang, and Huangzhou, so I want to manage the territory first and then make plans. But if he comes like this, we will be stuck on the Huguang battlefield. "
Wu Shifan was a little confused, "Mr. Fang, why is he stuck in our necks? He has already given up the territory of Lizhou, Changde and Jingnan, and the third uncle's army can go north from there."
Fang Guangchen said: "Isn't there still Jingzhou? Now Li Zicheng holds Yuezhou Mansion and Hanyang Mansion, and Kangxi also has Jingzhou, Jingmen and other places, which just separates the troops of the Third Master and the Prince. Moreover, the Prince and The third master also has to be wary of Li Zicheng raiding their home base at all times! To be honest, Li Zicheng is so stuck in Yuezhou Prefecture, Hanyang Prefecture, and Wuchang Prefecture. Considering the situation in Huguang, it is better to let him go to Jiangnan!"
"Then let him go to Jiangnan!" Wu Shifan said, "If we can capture Huguang, then my father and third uncle can join forces to advance into the Central Plains. At that time, Kangxi will have no choice but to abandon Shaanxi and Gansu and return to defend the Central Plains. Shaanxi and Gansu are ours Yes. With the heroes of Shaanxi and Gansu, sooner or later the Central Plains can be conquered. Since ancient times, whoever conquers the Central Plains conquers the world!"
"Master, you have forgotten Master Hongwu!" Liu Xuanchu reminded, "The Ming Dynasty first pacified Jiangbei and Jiangnan, then settled Huguang, and then swept the world in Beiping. And who can guarantee that Li Zicheng will not learn from Sun Quan? When Third Master went north to the Central Plains, he crossed the river in white clothes and made a surprise attack on Jingzhou?"
"Isn't this serious?" Wu Shifan didn't seem to know much about the sinister nature of people's hearts.
"As for that!" Wu Sangui smiled bitterly, "Today's world is no longer a fight between me and the Manchus, but a battle between the Three Kingdoms between me, Li Zicheng, and Kangxi!"
"Three Kingdoms?" Wu Shifan was stunned, "But Li Zicheng only had four mansions after he died! Wang Fuchen had more territory and troops than him. If his grandson's calculation is correct, Wang Fuchen now has Zhaoqing, Gaozhou, Leizhou, Wuzhou, Pingle, The seven prefectures of Xunzhou and Guilin, plus the two prefectures of Yulin and Luoding, as well as Qiongzhou Prefecture and Guangzhou Prefecture, should soon fall into its hands. That is the land of nine prefectures and two prefectures! It can only have more than 100,000 troops. It’s something that happens within the year.”
Wu Sangui shook his head: "Guangdong and Guangxi are too remote after all. If you want to go north to fight for the world, you have to go through many dangers. If Wang Fuchen has conquered Guangdong and Guangxi, it will be okay, but there are still Shang family in Guangdong, and Sun Yanling and Ma Xiong in Guangxi, they can still support one or two Years. So now he is not a giant competing in the world, but a figure like Gongsun of Liaodong, Ma Teng of Xiliang, and Shixie of Jiaozhou.
Although Li Zicheng only had four mansions, they were four of them located on the bank of the Yangtze River, among the best in the world, and they also occupied Hankou, one of the four largest cities in the world.
In addition, the farmland of these four prefectures is no less than 20 million acres, and most of them are paddy fields near the river, with two crops a year, and there are few floods and droughts. The population of these four prefectures is about two to three million, which is equivalent to several Sichuan!
If Li Zicheng manages his business properly, he will be able to recruit 100,000 elite soldiers within two years."
At the end of Wu Sangui's words, his words were full of envy.
It's no wonder Wu Sangui is envious. Li Zicheng has indeed grabbed a piece of Feng Shui treasure land!
Although the territory is not large, it is small, rich, densely populated, and located in the center of the world, so it can be operated as a "Zhili land".
In comparison, Wu Sangui's territory was very large, but there was no land that could be used as the center of the empire. Hanzhong is not good, Chongqing is even worse, and Kunming is really bad.
Moreover, due to the obstruction of Jingzhou controlled by the Qing Dynasty and Yuezhou controlled by Li Zicheng, as well as too many difficult-to-travel mountainous areas in Sichuan and Hanzhong, the Wu family's power has three relatively independent branches besides the main Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan plate. The plates include the Hunan plate controlled by Wu Guogui, the Yunyang and Xiangyang plates controlled by Wu Yingxiong, and the Longxi plate controlled by Wu Yingqi.
Wu Sangui was silent for a while, and then glanced at his two military advisors: "Ting Xian, Xuan Chu, it seems that the world's three-thirds trend has finally been established, so how should we break this situation next?"
Fang Guangchen said: "Your Majesty, we definitely cannot let Li Zicheng take Jiangnan. But there is no need to fall out with Li Zicheng and start a war now.
This Li Zicheng has obviously suffered enough from the disadvantages of having no basis, and this time he is going very steadily. He had concentrated on running the temporary place of residence in Lizhou, not to mention the four prefectures of Yuezhou, Hanyang, Wuchang and Huangzhou? Maybe his plan to retire in the Four Prefectures was not just a lie, but he really planned to retire in Wuchang.
Therefore, I suggest that the prince should still act according to the original strategy. This year, he will first leave Qishan in the northwest direction and take Longyou. In the direction of Huguang, let’s do some business first! "
"Manage?" Wu Sangui frowned slightly. He knew he had to manage the territory, but now he has Wu Yingxiong in Hubei, Wu Guogui in Hunan, and Wu Yingqi in Longxi. And he, Wu Sangui, is already over sixty.
"What Ting Xian said is absolutely true!" Liu Xuanchu said, "My lord, since you compare the current struggle in the world to that of the Three Kingdoms of the Later Han Dynasty, should you learn from Cao Wei's art of ruling the world in order to strengthen the army and feed it?"
Wu Sangui sighed and said to Wu Shifan: "Shifan, go back and tell your father. Don't rush to shock China, nor rush to seize Jingzhou Jiancheng. It is a safe policy to manage the territory first. Hubei's military and government affairs , it will be left to your father and you from now on. You first capture Xiangyang, Yunyang, Yichang and the Jiangnan part of Jingzhou, and then equalize all the fields that should be equalized. Recruit all the government soldiers who should be recruited and appoint those who should be appointed. Talents are also put to use.
I think Li Zicheng's equalization of land in Lizhou and Jingnan was very good. You don't need to make major changes in the people who awarded the military farms to us. Li Zicheng's method can also be implemented in Xiangyang, Yunyang, Yichang and other places.
If there are local powerful people who are not convinced, they can use Sichuan's fields to compensate them and take them all to Sichuan! The obedient gentry and powerful officials also gave land to Sichuan, but it was up to them to decide whether and when to go.
If there are any local gentry in Hubei who are willing to serve us, you should also give them preferential treatment as appropriate. While using Sichuan land as compensation, you can also use the flag fields in Jingzhou Prefecture, Anlu Prefecture, and Jingmen Prefecture as land grants for them in the future. Give it to them after capturing Jingzhou and Anlu. "
"My grandson knows, and he will definitely run Hubei well with his father."
Wu Sangui nodded and said to Fang Guangchen: "Okay! Ting Xian, could you please go to Changsha and help the nobles run Hunan. In addition, Hunan has outstanding people and many Ming Dynasty elders who are unwilling to be loyal to the Qing Dynasty live in seclusion." Yichen, please think of a way to invite some of them to serve me!"
Hearing that Wu Sangui wanted to invite some celebrities from Huguang to come out and play drums for him, Fang Guangchen felt a little dumbfounded. This Wu Sangui really doesn’t know how bad his reputation is? It would be better if he had the Third Prince Zhu in his hands now, but he didn't have the Third Prince Zhu. Even if the Third Prince Zhu was gone, he could still welcome another descendant of the Zhu family to be a puppet from elsewhere!
Although everyone knows that you, the King of the West, want to be Long Live, but you still have to go through the process of coercing the emperor and commanding the princes, right? At least I can extend the Ming Dynasty for another ten or eight years!
Thinking of this, he first glanced at Liu Xuanchu, and then said tentatively: "Your Majesty, those scholars are very ignorant and self-proclaimed. If your Majesty, you can support Prince Zhu San or a genuine Ming Dynasty clan successor. Tong, if we recruit people in the name of the Emperor, no one will dare not to come."
Liu Xuanchu also said: "My lord, if you can hold the emperor and command the princes like Cao Mengde, then in the future you will attack Li Zicheng, which will be called justice!"
Wu Sangui frowned and seemed reluctant, "But the third prince Zhu has passed away. Who should I make as king?"
"Grandpa," Wu Shifan suddenly interrupted, "Prince Zhu's third crown prince did not pass away!"
Wu Sangui turned to look at his grandson: "Shifan, how do you know?"
Wu Shifan replied: "Because when my grandson was in Guangdong, he heard from people from the Tiandihui that Prince Zhu San is still alive, and he is in Guangdong!"
Wu Sangui was stunned, "People who listen to the Tiandi Hui... Ah, yes, isn't Wang Shikai the leader of the Tiandi Hui? Isn't the Third Prince Zhu the chief helmsman of the Tiandi Hui? Could it be that Prince Zhu has always been in Wang Shikai's hands?"
"Grandpa," Wu Shifan said, "if you want to welcome the third prince Zhu to the north, why not ask the second brother Shijue to go to Guangdong. I believe he can definitely invite the third prince Zhu."
Wu Sangui hesitated again. Should he invite Prince Zhu or not?
"My lord, don't hesitate! As long as you invite the third prince, your righteousness and honor will be complete!"
"Yes, if the third prince is in the hands of Wang Shikai, then once you make him the emperor, Wang Fuchen and Wang Shikai will definitely switch sides and support you. They have soldiers, guns, and flintlock guns in their hands!"
Wu Sangui was finally persuaded, nodded and said: "Shifan, you also write a letter to Wang Shikai. Ting Xian, later you and Shijue go to Guangdong together, and you must be affectionate and rational with Wang Shikai." You have to tell him that our Wu family knows that he did not harm Shilin, but on the contrary, he saved Shifan’s life. And Shifan is the successor of my family!"
When Wu Sangui finally thought of welcoming the Third Prince Zhu to become Prime Minister Wu, a pair of very "elegant" monarchs and ministers were discussing similar things on the isolated island of Dajuan. There is also "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" on Dajuan Island. , so Zheng Jing is so "skilled", how could he not know the benefits of coercing the emperor and commanding the princes? It's just that his profit margin was small, coupled with the internal strife at home a few years ago, and the Manchu Qing's collusion with foreign devils to attack him, he suffered heavy losses. He urgently needed to do some "legal smuggling" work to regain his blood, so he didn't want to cause trouble.
Therefore, everything on Wu Sangui's side was full of life. Zheng Jing was still indifferent on the island and was busy counting money. But now the situation has changed!
Li Zicheng actually jumped out and robbed Wuchang Mansion. He was going to take Jiangnan down the river!
If he takes Jiangnan, won't he become "Li Chongba"? If he wants to become "Li Chongba", won't he be able to become Zheng Jing's Prime Minister Zheng?
So Zheng Jing, who got the news, immediately summoned Chen Yonghua, who was in Macau, and began to discuss with him the capture of Nanjing and the establishment of Emperor Ming Xian.
To support Emperor Ming Xian, of course, you must first understand the wishes of Prince Zhu San.
"Fufu, have you asked him about it? Is he willing to be Emperor Xian of the Ming Dynasty?"
Zheng Jing is very thin, with high cheekbones, big eyes, white skin, and three strands of beard. He looks like a shrewd "big loyal businessman"!
"Yes! I'm so willing." Chen Yonghua said with a smile, "He is also from an emperor's family, how could he not know the joy of offering sacrifices to the emperor?"
"Hehehe, that's right!" Zheng Jing said with a smile, "Xiandi is also an emperor! Fufu, then go back to Guangdong quickly and invite this Xiandi to Dajuan Island."
"Well." Chen Yonghua was a little embarrassed, "This is not easy."
"What? Isn't he willing to be Emperor Xian?" Zheng Jing was stunned.
"My lord," Chen Yonghua said, "in ancient times, there were good ministers who chose their masters, and now there are ministers who serve as kings. Today, those who are willing to compete include Wu Sangui, Li Zicheng, your Majesty, Wang Fuchen and Wang Shikai from Guangdong, and others. There is Geng Jingzhong on the other side. But there is only one Emperor Xian!"
"Why is there only one?" Zheng Jing glared, "Isn't it Queen Zhu Ming? There are many on Dajuan Island!"
"Your Majesty," Chen Yonghua shook his head and said, "Once the Third Prince comes out, those people are no longer qualified to be Xiandi! This Third Prince Zhu is the chief rudder of the Tiandihui!"
Really, this "Emperor Xian" can only be Prince Zhu San now!
Not for anything else, just for the "Tianxia Weida Lun" and the "Chinese Land Acquisition System"!
Although the third prince Zhu was not powerful, he had the reputation of "anti-Qing leader" - he was the son of Emperor Chongzhen, the most legitimate heir to the Ming Dynasty, and a leader for the common good in the world.
He is not worthy of being Emperor Xian of Ming Dynasty. Who can be worthy of this?
"Then" Zheng Jing was also a little dizzy, "What should we do? Is this the end of it?"
"We can't forget it." Chen Yonghua said, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten the route that the late king took to Nanjing?"
"Of course I haven't forgotten it. Fu Fu, I asked you to come back just for this matter!" Zheng Jing said, "Feng Xifan came back from Fuzhou a few days ago with a message saying that Geng Jingzhong has agreed to work with us. But this Geng Jingzhong is very ambitious. Da, he also wants to be the emperor! I think he is the material to be Yuan Shu!"
Chen Yonghua said with a smile: "As long as he is willing to do it, he will be Yuan Shu's lord. I will personally go to Fuzhou to find out Geng Jingzhong's background. If he is really willing to do it, then we will join forces with him and he will go by land. We took the water route and took advantage of the confrontation between the Manchus and Li Zicheng on the Yangtze River to capture Nanjing in one fell swoop. Then we let the third prince ascend the throne in Nanjing as Emperor Xian of the Ming Dynasty."
"What if Geng Jingzhong wants to usurp the throne?" Zheng Jing asked thoughtfully, "This Geng Jingzhong is a bit superstitious. I don't know where he got a prophecy from a clone of the emperor, saying that he was the destined emperor. He might force three The prince abdicates."
"It's easy to handle," Chen Yonghua said, "You can use Wu Sangui's power to suppress Geng Jingzhong. If you find an opportunity to run away with Emperor Xian of the Ming Dynasty, as long as you can evacuate Nanjing, then you will be Prime Minister Zheng of the Ming Dynasty! At that time, most of the territory in Fujian can be decided by propaganda, and Guangdong has to give us face."
"Okay, let's do it!"
(End of chapter)
