Chapter 2367

Although the preparations for war are complicated and require coordination among the military, local officials and the people, fortunately, the various departments and tens of thousands of residents under them in Jinzhou have long been accustomed to such sudden wars, so after Chen Yixin's order was issued, various departments

Then they began to organize and prepare for the war in an orderly manner.

Chen Yixin took the time to draft telegrams and sent them to Datongjiang Base and Sanya Victory Fort respectively to explain the situation Jinzhou was currently facing.

If the Qing army really fails to seek peace and turns its back and takes action, then military support from the Datong River base will be necessary. Although the troops currently stationed in Jinzhou are enough to defend the isthmus defense line, if the elite troops of the special operations group can be mobilized to

If Jinzhou comes to participate in the defense, it will definitely cause more damage to the Qing army during the war, thus disintegrating the opponent's offensive faster.

What's more important is that under the current situation, it is Chen Yixin's responsibility to inform the Datongjiang base. Although Wang Tom and Qian Tiandun are now stationed in North Korea for a long time, the strategy formulation and troop dispatch of the entire northern battlefield are still based on

The opinions of both of them shall prevail.

However, when Chen Yixin wrote the message, he was basically sure that the two brothers at the Datongjiang base would not agree to start peace talks with the Manchus.

When Haihan decided to send troops to Liaodong, the opinions of these two people played a key role in it. Then they formed an alliance with North Korea, and they were also in charge of it. As for the main war faction against the Manchus among Haihan's senior officials, these two people undoubtedly

He is a representative figure of the military.

In almost all military operations against the Manchus in recent years, these two men were on the front line to command. It can be said that using military means to attack the Manchus was one of the main reasons why they were stationed in the north all year round. For people like them

, in the Liaodong battlefield where the initiative is clearly taken, peace negotiation will definitely not be an option that needs to be seriously considered at the moment.

One day later, the Datongjiang base sent a reply. As expected by Chen Yixin, Wang Tom and Qian Tiandun had a tough attitude and made it clear that under the current conditions and framework provided by the Manchu Qing Dynasty, there was no need to consider negotiating peace with them.

They also instructed Chen Yixin in the message to consider disclosing relevant information to the Ming Dynasty's envoy in Jinzhou, using this situation to put pressure on the Ming Dynasty and obtain more benefits for Haihan.

"You are still smarter when you are old!" After reading the telegram, Chen Yixin couldn't help but sigh that the plans of these two people were indeed smarter than his own.

The Manchu and Qing Dynasties did not want the Ming Dynasty to intervene in the peace talks because they did not want to cause Ming Dynasty to obstruct the peace talks. However, this fact that the Manchu Qing Dynasty was afraid of could be exploited by Haihan.

Chen Yixin put away the message, called his secretary Zeng Xiaowen over and said: "Prepare a banquet tonight and invite Mr. Yue to come over and have a chat."

The "Master Yue" Chen Yixin wanted to entertain was Yue Yongshou, the Ming Dynasty's envoy to Liaodong.

Although the winter that just passed was very cold, it was a good time for Yue Yongshou. The Haihan people launched a military operation against the Manchu and Qing Dynasties at the beginning of winter, and Chen Yixin also invited him to the Isthmus Defense Line to observe the Haihan Army.

Offensive in the area north of the defensive line.

The scene in which the Haihan Army set up an ambush with artillery positions to kill the Qing cavalry left a very deep impression on Yue Yongshou, and he also included it in the memorial sent back to the capital. Although the offensive launched from the direction of Jinzhou did not

It lasted for many days, but Yue Yongshou witnessed the arrival of ship after ship of Liaodong Han people from the sea in the later period. These were the trophies snatched back from the Liaodong coast under the control of the Manchus by another Hai-Han force that raided behind enemy lines.

Not all of the trophies transported to Jinzhou were Han people. Yue Yongshou also saw many Manchus when he went to watch the fun. However, these Manchu prisoners were not detained locally, but were quickly released again after identification.

They were shipped and transferred to other places. According to insider information, these Manchus will be transported to the area controlled by Haihan in Dengzhou, Shandong, where they will work as hard labor miners.

Based on these circumstances, Yue Yongshou judged that the scale of Haihan's actions this winter was far greater than he had previously expected. This meant that the Ming Dynasty was worried that the tacit truce between Haihan and the Manchus had not actually happened. Haihan

The Manchus were still listed as the main military target, and they would seize the opportunity to strike hard when the opponent's defenses were lax.

Of course, Yue Yongshou did not forget to express his merits in the memorial, emphasizing that the action of the Haihan army was only possible after he relied on his personal relationship with General Haihan and insisted on repeated consultations with him, and the consequences of this action for the Manchus

A heavy blow will effectively curb its military actions against the Ming Dynasty.

There are two important points in this. One is that Yue Yongshou facilitated this matter, which was of great significance to the Ming Dynasty. The other is that Yue Yongshou had a personal relationship with General Haihan. The purpose of emphasizing these two points is to steadily take the credit, but also to

Consolidate his own status as special envoy, lest someone in the court see that it is easy to take the credit and arrange someone else to replace him.

Yue Yongshou knew very well that just by motivating Haihan to launch the winter offensive, he would most likely be promoted and rewarded by the imperial court. Benefits like this would come to his doorstep, and he estimated that they would appear every year in the future, so at the end of the memorial he

He also expressed his determination to defend the country's borders, take root in Jinzhou, and urge the Haihan people to continue using troops against the Manchus, in order to reduce the external military pressure faced by the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, the environment in Jinzhou is actually not as difficult and dangerous as what Yue Yongshou described in his memorial. From a certain perspective, his living standard in Jinzhou may be better than in the capital.

Yue Yongshou's residence in Jinzhou was a three-entry courtyard twenty miles away from the Isthmus defense line. Living with him were two old servants who had been with him for many years, a young bookboy, and two primary school boys who also served as guards and honor guards.

Judging from the status of a special envoy, this staffing does seem a bit shabby, but Jinzhou is a battlefield, and Haihan will not allow the Ming envoy to enter with a large number of troops, so in the end Yue Yongshou brought these few people with him when he came.

.

After arriving here, Haihan helped arrange the grooms, cooks, and maids, and Haihan paid for the extra personnel, so Yue Yongshou did not need to pay for it. In addition, Haihan officials would also pay Yue Yongshou a monthly fee.

The so-called "office expenses" were distributed, which was much more than the salary paid to him by the court, and now it has become the largest part of his income.

Although his residence is very close to the front line, in fact, most of the year, he basically does not feel the chaotic atmosphere of war. Although every time a war breaks out on the front line, the entire Jinzhou area must enter a state of military control.

But it usually lasts only two or three days, and only ten days and a half months, and there has never been a shortage of material supplies or tight frontline fighting. Therefore, the local social order has always been maintained very well. In Yue Yongshou's opinion, it is different from

There is no difference in most areas of the Ming Dynasty, and it is far superior to the important towns of Jiubian, which are also on the border.

Yue Yongshou also quietly went to visit the people of the former Dongjiang Town who were resettled in Jinzhou. Most of these people who had gradually separated from the Ming Dynasty had now become Haihan citizens, and as long as they were naturalized, they could get land allocated by the government.

Those who farm will also have other livelihoods arranged by the government. Although they are not yet able to have enough food and clothing, they can at least guarantee their basic living needs, which is far better than their original hard life on Phi Island. It has only been a short one or two years.

, few people here no longer miss the identity of the people of the Ming Dynasty. The people always call themselves "our country of Haihan", as if they have regarded themselves as a member of Haihan.

As for the social foundations of culture, law, currency, and even household registration, they are all being implemented according to Haihan standards. Yue Yongshou has no doubt that in just one or two generations, the people of Jinzhou will definitely be very sure of their identity.

At that time, there will be nothing to do with Daming.

Of course, Yue Yongshou would not elaborate on these not-so-good situations in the report submitted to the court. After all, Haihan people had already made it clear to him when providing office funds. He hoped that for situations that might damage the diplomatic relations between the two countries,

He can "report it as appropriate." As for what kind of discretionary method, Yue Yongshou also knows it well - the Haihan people want to take advantage of the Ming Dynasty, but do not want the relationship between the two countries to become tense because of this, so they can only try their best to deal with the Ming Dynasty.

The court concealed the truth.

These methods used by Haihan in Jinzhou are gradually separating Jinzhou from the Ming Dynasty. Although Yue Yongshou is not convinced, there is really no way to change this trend with his personal ability, even if he wants to do something for the Ming Dynasty.

He has more than enough heart but not enough power. What's more, the Haihan people have given too much, and they can only eat people with soft words and short-handed people. He can only turn a blind eye to the current situation in Jinzhou and comfort himself that this is all to maintain the relationship between the two countries.

A compromise that has to be made due to the current situation.

As long as you can get promoted and make a fortune, it doesn't matter how many years you play with the Haihan people. What's more, the Haihan people are also very good. Before starting a fight with the Qing army, they will specifically inform him and give him the credit for free.

, where else can such a good job be found.

That day, Yue Yongshou was sitting at home. A servant came to report that someone from the local government had come to visit. Yue Yongshou read the name card handed over by the visitor and quickly asked his servant to invite the visitor into the study to receive him.

The person who came was none other than Chen Yixin’s secretary Zeng Xiaowen. He first presented a gift list. It was not an expensive gift at all. It was just tea, rice, fruits and vegetables, etc. But these supplies were all good things shipped from the south. Ordinary people

It's simply not available on the market.

Although it was a secretary who came, Yue Yongshou did not dare to neglect him at all. He knew that this person was a close confidant of Chen Yixin and also served as an aide. His influence on Chen Yixin could not be ignored, so he treated him like a distinguished guest at the moment.

After accepting the gift order, I quickly expressed my gratitude.

After learning about Zeng Xiaowen's purpose, Yue Yongshou was still a little surprised. Although he boasted in the memorial that he had a good personal relationship with Chen Yixin, in fact, the relationship between the two was basically maintained at the level of official business, and there was no personal relationship at all.

, private banquets like this are even rarer. Chen Yixin took the initiative to send an invitation. In his opinion, it was definitely not that the other party had nothing to do, but that he wanted to take this opportunity to discuss certain things with himself.

Yue Yongshou decided to ask Zeng Xiaowen first to see if he could get some useful information: "Mr. Zeng, I wonder what other guests the general entertained today?"

Zeng Xiaowen said: "I don't know if the general entertained other guests, but the order I received was to make a special trip to invite Mr. Yue."

Yue Yongshou thought that as long as he didn't invite people from Dongjiang Town, everything would be easy. After he arrived in Jinzhou, he had met with Shen Shikui and others from Dongjiang Town, and both parties would feel a little embarrassed. Strictly speaking, he came to Dongjiang Town to seek refuge in the sea.

The behavior of the Han was treason, but now the Ming Dynasty needed Haihan to contain the Manchu Qing in Liaodong, and the soldiers and civilians of Dongjiang Town were still fighting against the Manchu Qing after they took refuge with the Haihan, so the Ming Dynasty did not publicly hold Dongjiang Town accountable.

As for the reason for inviting Yue Yongshou to the banquet, although he tried several times, Zeng Xiaowen did not provide any more information. Yue Yongshou stopped when he saw this, so as not to worry the other party.

After sending Zeng Xiaowen away, Yue Yongshou called his servants and asked them to prepare hot water, take a shower and change clothes, and put on clean clothes to go to the appointment.

In the evening, when Yue Yongshou came to Chen Yixin's residence, he found that he was the only one being invited to the banquet today, and Zeng Xiaowen was the only one at the table. He immediately realized that the matter of today's conversation might not be simple. However, Chen Yixin did not take the initiative to mention it.

He was very knowledgeable and did not ask rashly. The two parties exchanged cups and drank three rounds before talking.

After drinking for three rounds, Chen Yixin put down his chopsticks and said, "Master Yue, I'll tell you the truth. I invited Master Yue to come to the banquet today because we actually have something important to discuss."

Upon seeing this, Yue Yongshou quickly put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then responded: "Please tell me, General. It doesn't matter."

Chen Yixin said: "Regarding the military strikes carried out by our army against the Qing Dynasty this winter, Master Yue also witnessed part of them. I believe Master Yue will not have any doubts about the effectiveness and significance of this strike, right?"

Yue Yongshou said: "This is natural. Your army spared no effort to defeat the Qing army. I have seen it with my own eyes, and it has been reported to the court. I believe that after the spring begins, the court will express its response to your country's actions.

.”

Chen Yixin said: "Master Yue is interested. But now there is a new situation, and I must inform you."

Yue Yongshou saw that Chen Yixin's tone and expression suddenly became serious, and he couldn't help but have a bad feeling in his heart.

"Our operation this time can be said to have carried out a relatively thorough cleanup of the several hundred miles of coast from Jinzhou to the mouth of the Yalu River. The villages and towns that are twenty or thirty miles away from the coastline or even closer to the inland have basically been destroyed by us.

After a dragnet-like operation to clean up, these hundreds of miles have almost become no man's land. The thousands of prisoners who were sent to Jinzhou one after another before are all from this operation."

"Although this operation has achieved fruitful results, it seems that the Manchu Qing Dynasty can no longer afford to lose. So they sent envoys here to cease the war and negotiate peace with our country." Chen Yixin said while paying attention to Yue Yongshou's reaction.
Chapter completed!