"Li Dan has a lot of contacts with the Red-haired Yi. Will Li Dan use the Red-haired Yi's help to deal with Commander Zheng and the others?" Yang Yuan said.
As a wealthy merchant on the sea, Li Dan had business dealings with the Red Barbarians and the Frankie people. Many things in the Ming Dynasty were sold to the Red Barbarians and the Frankie people in Luzon through his hands.
Liu Heng waved his hand and said: "Don't worry, Li Dan is not a big threat to us. At most, he can suppress us in business. But it doesn't matter. Zheng Tie and the others have opened up the channel with Luzon and can directly sell Daming's goods to Luzon, we have to be careful about the red-haired barbarians. Once the red-haired barbarians suffer losses in Penghu, they will set their sights on Taiyuan Island."
"My subordinates heard that the Red Mao Yi's ship is very huge and has many cannons on board, including many twenty-four-pound or even larger cannons." Yang Yuan frowned slightly, showing a bit of worry.
Liu Heng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thought for a while, and said: "The red-haired barbarians have great ambitions. As long as they know the situation of Da Yuan Island, they will not let Da Yuan Island go. Fortunately, we have not had it in the past two years." Stop building ships, otherwise it will be difficult to defend Taiyuan Island."
"Should we inform Commander Zheng and ask him to be on guard against the red-haired barbarians?" Yang Yuan said.
Liu Heng said: "Don't worry, Zheng Tie has been to Dayuan Island for so long and knows the situation at sea better than we do. What we can do now is to find ways to get more big trees to send to Dayuan Island. As long as we build With enough big ships, there won’t be much of a problem guarding Da Yuan Island.”
"Would you like me to go down and deliver a message to the people in Liaodong and arrange for someone to go to Pi Island again?" Yang Yuan suggested.
Liu Heng nodded and said: "It's up to you to arrange this matter. I think the red-haired barbarians are still looking at Penghu and haven't noticed Dajuan Island yet. We still have time."
"Okay, I will make arrangements now." Yang Yuan agreed and turned to leave.
At this time, Liu Heng asked again: "Is Wang Xinyi still in Taiyuan?"
"He has left Taiyuan and returned to Beijing, but not long after he left Taiyuan, his subordinates have been arranging people to monitor him secretly." Yang Yuan stopped leaving, turned around and said to Liu Heng, "If you are worried about him returning to the capital, If you talk nonsense, my subordinates can arrange for someone to intercept you halfway."
He waved his hand in a downward motion.
Liu Heng waved his hand and said: "We have been recruited by the imperial court. As long as there is no trouble in the border area, no one will take it seriously even if he says something after he returns. Liaodong has a Houjin and it is already unstable. The imperial court wants Datong." They won’t do anything to us if we are safe. At most, they will send some troops to Datong to monitor us.”
"My subordinates will arrange for people to monitor the mobilization of the imperial troops and horses." Yang Yuan said.
Liu Heng nodded, and then said: "Don't cut off contact with Wei Zhongxian. Later, you can arrange for the king in the capital to send a batch of valuable things to Wei Zhongxian. You must maintain this line."
"Nowadays, the imperial court has become what scholars often say is a prosperous dynasty. The Donglin Party in the dynasty is very powerful. Wei Zhongxian was almost kicked out of the palace several times. We still put so much effort into maintaining our relationship with him just in case he is kicked out one day. Without the capital, wouldn’t all our investment now be in vain?” Yang Yuan said.
Although the relationship with Wei Zhongxian has not ended, the benefits gained from Wei Zhongxian are far less than the investment over the years.
As the director of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau, every property given to Wei Zhongxian must pass through his hands. Compared with other bribed officials, Wei Zhongxian has always been the biggest spender. Soso
Liu Heng smiled and said: "You underestimate Wei Zhongxian, or you underestimate our Emperor Tianqi."
"My subordinates don't understand." Yang Yuan shook his head slightly.
Liu Heng said with a smile: "What the emperor will achieve is balance. Now the power of the Donglin Party is spread across the government and the public, but Wei Zhongxian has always been fine. Instead, he is deeply trusted by Emperor Tianqi. As long as Tianqi's trust is not lost, Wei Zhongxian will not Something happened."
"So that's what happened." Yang Yuan suddenly realized, and immediately said, "The Donglin Party is not a good person. Their families in the south have rich lands. However, life in the south is much better than in the north. Unlike us, The weather in our north is so bad that the harvests are often poor or no harvests, but the court's heavy taxes make it difficult for many people to survive."
Liu Heng said with a smile: "There are more scholars in the south than in the north, so the Donglin Party always says that wealth lies in the people, while heavy taxes are in the north. If the weather is not good, the north will undergo great changes."
Whether the weather will be good or not, as a time traveler, he knows better than many people that the Little Ice Age lasted until the Kangxi period of the pseudo-Qing Dynasty.
"What do you mean, Sir, there will be rebellion in the north?" Yang Yuan's eyes lit up.
As a bandit, he is most sensitive to rebellion.
Although Tiger Flag was recruited by the imperial court, as the director of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau and the person closest to Liu Heng, he knew very well that Tiger Flag's recruitment was only temporary, but it had been secretly developing and growing in strength.
So far, Lingqiu has been recruiting new soldiers in the name of recruiting miners, setting up supply camps, and then sending them to the grasslands to garrison the forts built on the grasslands.
Liu Heng nodded and said: "The people arranged by the Foreign Intelligence Agency in various places must keep an eye on them. If there is a rebellion among the people somewhere, the news will be sent back immediately."
"Don't worry, sir. The secret spies deployed in various places have been keeping a close eye on them and will ensure that the news will be sent back as soon as possible." Yang Yuan assured him, patting his chest, and then said, "If someone takes the lead in rebellion, sir, should we also raise the flag of justice?" .”
Liu Heng glanced at Yang Yuan and said: "Our goal is still on the grassland. You have to remember that there is a saying that the first bird will be shot. We will not be the first bird."
"My lord is worried that even if someone raises a flag to rebel, they will be like the Wenxiang Sect in Yuncheng, who was exterminated by the court in a few months." Yang Yuan said.
The Wenxiang Sect started later than the Tiger Banner, but unlike the Tiger Banner, the Wenxiang Sect conquered many prefectures and counties in the upper east and mobilized a lot of people. The leader Xu Hongru even called himself emperor.
On the contrary, although the Tiger Character Banner also mobilized troops, it did not attack the county seat, and did not declare its opposition to the outside world. It only repulsed the troops of Datong and Xuanfu.
In the end, the two had different experiences. One was recruited by the imperial court and became a military commander stationed in Datong, while the other was annihilated by the imperial court.
Liu Heng smiled and shook his head and said: "No, this time is different from the Wenxiang Sect. This time it is a rebellion by the people who cannot survive. As long as the people cannot eat, the rebellion will not end."
"Is it so serious? Is it more powerful than the Wenxiang Sect?" Yang Yuan looked hesitant, and at the same time he was curious as to why his master was so sure.
