Nanjing, snow falling.
Zhu Yunwen walked in the snow, looked at the vast sky and earth, and sighed to Xie Jin and Ru Ru beside him: "This winter seems to be colder than in previous years."
Ru Yun's eyebrows were a little worried, and she sighed: "According to Qin Tianjian, the cold air is moving south this time, and the temperature has also dropped in Guizhou and Guangxi. Although there is no severe cold, it is much colder than in previous years. Many people's homes are in worse condition because of this." It’s a disaster, it’s a disease.”
Jie Jin stretched out his hand and watched the snowflakes falling on his palm disappear in an instant. He twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "This is good news for the Southern Expedition Army. It's better to be colder than hotter."
Ru Yu nodded slightly, this was the truth.
"You have also read the document sent by Zhang Fu on October 18th. The two armies successfully joined forces, broke through Sanjiang, and have arrived at Duobang City. In your opinion, how long can Duobang City be defended?"
Zhu Yunwen stretched out his hand and swept away the snow on the railing.
Rujun thought of the document and said with some solemnity: "Zhang Fu and Tie Xuan said in the document that the multi-state city was strong and difficult to defeat, and there were divine machine guns squatting on the city walls, heavy army handles, and the inner and outer cities, and the ministers. You see, if you want to capture such a city, you will have to pay a high price, and you will have to fight for at least five days."
Xie Jin laughed and waved his hand: "Ruge is too conservative. As long as we are determined to capture Duobang City, it will not take more than two days!"
Ru Yu frowned and asked Xie Jin: "How can such a heavily fortified city be conquered easily? Although Annan is a weak country, it is not so unbearable, right? You must know that when Chen Youliang attacked Hongdu City, 600,000 people did not survive for three months. Fight in, and Hongdu City is not as good as Duobang City."
Xie Jin looked at Ru Yu and said confidently: "This time, that time. When Ru Ge was in charge of Shanxi, the Beijing army underwent great changes."
"oh?"
Ru Yu was a little confused. Could it be that there was something she didn't know about?
Zhu Yunwen put his hands behind his back, looked at the south, and said softly: "With Zhang Fu's commanding ability, the combat effectiveness of the army, and the new firearms, I thought it would only take one day to capture the multi-bang city!"
Ru Yu and Xie Jin were both a little surprised. Is one day too short? After all, Dobang City is heavily guarded.
"Are new firearms really so powerful?"
Rujun was a little skeptical.
Zhu Yunwen turned around, sat in the pavilion, and motioned for the two of them to sit down as well: "If Ru Shangshu can go to the Second Artillery Bureau to see the power of the new firearms with his own eyes, I am not worried about Duobang City, but how to govern Annan. Annan Although it is far away, it is still an important place for the Ming Dynasty and cannot be lost. Who do you think is the most suitable person to govern Annan?"
Xie Jin and Ru Yu looked at each other.
If there were no open shipping companies and no long-distance voyages, Annan would not be very important. But now that Nanyang trade is unfolding, private overseas trade has begun to show its prominence. If the Annan coast can be used as a transit place and as a front and back place, it will undoubtedly be a kind of Excellent choice. Once you have Annan, you can reach the Old Port Xuanwei Division within 20 days, which will be of great benefit to the protection, support, and material supply of the Old Port.
But it is easy to conquer Annan, and it is also easy to take Annan back, but it is not easy to govern Annan well. After all, it is too far away from the capital of the Ming Dynasty, more than 4,000 miles, and it takes too long for government orders to be conveyed. Once something happens, it will be over by the time it is reported to the capital...
Therefore, if you want to govern Annan well, you must have one thing: give the guarding generals and civil servants sufficient authority, such as the authority to mobilize the army, such as the authority to deal with officials.
Once too much authority is given, it will evolve into another problem, that is, the separation of vassal towns, which may even breed ambition and form de facto independence.
Xie Jin thought for a long time and said, "Your Majesty, I think of someone who is absolutely reliable and capable of handling Annan's government affairs."
"The Romance of Fairy Wood"
Ru Yu's eyes lit up: "I am also thinking of someone, why don't we write it down and let's see who has the right idea."
Zhu Yunwen burst out laughing, feeling happy, and raised his hand to ask the chamberlain to prepare pen and ink, and then said: "Then I will also write about someone and see if it matches the person you recommended."
"Your Majesty, please."
Xie Jin and Ru Yu stood up and turned their backs.
Zhu Yunwen took up his pen and wrote down a person's name, then put away the paper, stood up and said, "You guys write it."
Ru Jin and Xie Jin wrote down their names respectively.
Xie Jin smiled and said, "Then let's reveal it together."
Ru Jin and Xie Jin unfolded the paper, and the chamberlain unfolded the paper written by Zhu Yunwen. The same name was written on the three slips of paper:
Zhang Yan.
The three of them couldn't help but smile knowingly.
Zhu Yunwen was relieved and said: "Now that we have identified him, let the cabinet draft an edict. When the imperial edict arrives, the Annan War will be over."
Zhang Yan is the most suitable candidate. He is good at handling relations between different ethnic groups. He has made outstanding political achievements in Yunnan. Now it is perfect for him to go from Yunnan to Annan and manage the civil servants in Annan.
What's more, Zhang Yan was stared at because of the cattle farming matter, and many people made trouble for him. Now entrusting him with important tasks can be regarded as compensation for him. Most importantly, there is no doubt about this person's loyalty.
"Your Majesty, I think that after Annan is pacified, a guard station should be set up to pacify the place and deter Xiaoxiao."
Rujun suggested.
Zhu Yunwen nodded and said: "Zhang Fu captured Annan, and I'm afraid countless people were discouraged by it. If Zhang Fu is left to garrison Annan, the local people will be worried. I plan to let Han Guan lead 50,000 troops to temporarily garrison Annan. Zhang Fu temporarily takes charge of the Guangxi Dusi, and if there are changes in Annan, Zhang Fu can leave at any time."
"Fifty thousand, is it too little?"
Xie Jin was a little worried.
Zhu Yunwen smiled and said: "Fifty thousand is already a lot, enough to guard Duobang, Thang Long, Thanh Hoa and other places. Besides, the imperial court wants to recruit troops in Annan and set up Annan Guard Station so that they can obey the command. As long as the chief general and officers , and even the general banner are all people of the Ming Dynasty, so we are not afraid of their rebellious intentions."
"The Emperor's Holy Might."
Xie Jin and Ru Yu praised him.
There is no way to govern Annan with Annan people. The people there must know that they listen to Daming, and Daming will benefit them. If they internalize themselves into people of the Ming Dynasty, they will gradually lose the consciousness of Annan Kingdom and serve the court honestly.
Annan, Jianchang Prefecture.
Tao Rong was originally a small gentry from a county in Jianchang Prefecture. Because he surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, he was personally received by Zhang Fu and promised to make him a Tongzhi of Jianchang Prefecture. Tao Rong was very grateful to Zhang Fu, but felt that having a colleague was not enough and wanted to improve.
On this day, Tao Rong found his friend Liang Mo, who was just a county magistrate and also took refuge with Zhang Fu. Tao Rong asked Liang Mo how he could make Zhang Fu value him more.
Liang Mo thought of many ways, such as sending food and clothes, etc., but these methods were rejected by Tao Rong: "The Ming army is not short of food and materials. Even if we send them, it is just icing on the cake and insignificant. We have to do it. We have to do something to provide help in times of need.”
Liang Mo looked at Tao Rong speechlessly and spread his hands: "Now the Ming army wants Hu and his son..."
Tao Rong glared at Liang Mo. Are you kidding? Although the Hu family and his son could not deal with the Ming army, they could not deal with a small colleague of his, and he had no soldiers.
Liang Mo rubbed his head. He really couldn't think of anything else the Ming army needed. They couldn't get what they lacked. It was true.
To provide help in times of need, there must be snow first.
"Wait a minute, I remembered something." Liang Mo suddenly stood up and looked at Tao Rong seriously: "If this can be done, you will probably be reused!"
Tao Rong was a little anxious: "Speak quickly!"
Liang Mo said slowly: "The merit of surrender!"
"Belong to?"
Tao Rong was confused at first, then his eyes widened and he shook his head: "You are confused. Although Annan once belonged to China, it has been an independent country for five hundred years. Once Annan is surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty will definitely send Han people and When officials come to govern Annan, they will probably introduce the laws and customs of the Ming Dynasty. By then, where will there be a place for us Yue people? It is absolutely impossible to let Annan surrender to China."
Liang Mo looked at Tao Rong and said seriously: "What's wrong with learning the laws and customs of the Ming Dynasty? Annan himself learned Chinese characters and talked about sinicization. Isn't this how he came here for hundreds of years? He said that we didn't transcend people. I don’t agree with the location. Yunnan and Guangxi are just north of Annan. How are they now? The chieftain lived his own comfortable life, and the Ming court did not kill people wantonly? I won’t talk about the distance, let’s talk about Nanning, Guilin and other places in Guangxi. Listen Talking about the comings and goings of businessmen, the splendor and treasures, the prosperity is getting better and better every day, does Brother Tao want to live in a mud house? "
Tao Rong took a sip of cold tea and sighed: "Incorporation into China is not possible. Think back to the time of the First Emperor, when Guangxi was annexed to China, how many people died? Later, when Yunnan was annexed to China, how many people died again? Don't look at what the Ming court did. This is the king's way. Under the king's way, there are only weapons and withered bones. We are Annan people and Yue people. In the eyes of the Han people, we are aliens and barbarians. Once merged into China, the Hua-Yi struggle will inevitably arise. At that time, there will be rivers of blood in Annan."
Liang Mo leaned back and put his hands on the back of the chair: "Dare I ask Brother Tao, Annan will bleed if he surrenders to China, but if Annan doesn't surrender to China, won't he bleed?"
Tao Rong's expression changed.
Liang Mo looked at Tao Rong who couldn't refute, and said seriously: "The Chen family was in power, and it was absurd and unethical. How many people died? The Hu family was in power, and they forced the people to serve as soldiers, either building cities or building warships, all kinds of enslavement , violent conquests, few people died? Take ten thousand steps back, the Ming Dynasty chooses another Chen family as king, Zhang Fu leads the troops back to the country, will Annan be stable? "
Tao Rong opened his mouth, unable to speak.
Judging from the current situation, it is unlikely that the Chen family will be restored. After all, the Hu family and his son have eliminated most of the threatening Chen family members. Even if they randomly find someone to come to power, they will not be able to shake the scene. If the king is weak and the ministers are strong, problems will arise sooner or later. When the time comes, the country will be in chaos and people will die. I'm afraid it's more.
Liang Mo continued: "Besides, turning barbarians into China is something that many people and clansmen hope for. If Brother Tao doesn't seize the opportunity today, believe it or not, someone will see through it in the future. He will definitely incite the people and actively ask Annan to surrender to the Ming Dynasty. !”
Tao Rong finally understood. This was a matter of betraying the country. If he did not betray the country, others would do so. However, if he sold it, there would be benefits. If others sold it, it would be the benefit of others.
"I cannot agree to this kind of thing."
Tao Rong thought for a while, but still refused.
Liang Mo stood up and said: "It doesn't matter if you disagree, but Brother Tao should know that many of Hu Jishen's ministers have surrendered to Zhang Fu. And those people are much smarter than us. If the official positions are allocated by then, At that time, I found that there was no place for me. Can Brother Tao’s colleagues still be able to keep it..."
"this……"
Tao Rong was a little worried.
Liang Mo said slowly: "If the Chen family is reestablished in Annan and Zhang Fu's army leaves, Annan will definitely be in chaos within two years. By then, the colleagues in Jianchang Prefecture will be in great danger. Brother Tao wants to be a temporary leader. A rich man still wants to be a longevity urn, but he has to think clearly."
Tao Rong felt a chill running down his spine and was already sweating profusely. He looked up at Liang Mo and asked, "If I don't agree and leave this door, will you do this?"
Liang Mo said calmly: "Yes, I also want to live a better life."
Tao Rong slapped the table and said with determination, "We've already surrendered anyway, so let's do it together!"
