Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 708 Preparations Before Heading North

Liu Ye's adjustment revealed a strong sense of preparation for war, and Xu Yifan couldn't help but ask, "General, are we going to officially march north and take the capital?"

"Hehe, it's undeniable that the focus is shifting northward," Liu Ye laughed. "As for the specifics of how to do it, it's not as simple as just taking the capital. Otherwise, we could have done it with the Chengtian Gate remonstrance last time. On one hand, we have to guard against the bandits in the northwest, the Tartars in Liaodong, and even the Ming army at Shanhaiguan. On the other hand, how to stabilize the situation and prevent the country from falling into prolonged turmoil is an even greater test. Advancing northward is a massive undertaking, far more complex than just fighting one or two battles."

Zhu Dadian praised, "Your Excellency is right. The time of reform and innovation is often a time when heroes rise up and the world is in chaos. If one only focuses on fighting, one will at most become a Hegemon-King of Chu. Only by considering all aspects and making strategic plans can one replace the Han dynasty like Emperor Gaozu and create a prosperous dynasty."

Liu Ye raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Mr. Yanzhi, just a year ago you were the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner and Governor of Fengyang. Why do you now agree with my treasonous act?"

Zhu Dadian answered without hesitation: "The current emperor is by no means a wise ruler; he is merely struggling to maintain order. If either the Tartars or the bandits were eliminated, the court could still manage. However, neither side is easy to deal with, and the collapse of the dynasty is only a matter of time. Not to mention, there is also Your Excellency, the Marquis, watching us with predatory eyes. A wise bird chooses a good tree to perch on. Your Excellency has given me a broad and prosperous road; why should I take the narrow bridge of the court, which may collapse at any time?"

"Haha, Mr. Yanzhi is right. Only those who know when to yield are true heroes."

In the following days, accompanied by Xu Yifan, Liu Ye inspected the newly trained army of garrison soldiers and the newly built Tainan military camp. He also accompanied Lin Chuanzong on board the Wu Yi-class warship and encouraged the fleet's officers and soldiers.

After a six-day inspection tour of Taiwan, Liu Ye returned to Lingao aboard the "Yangming" ship.

The day after returning to Nanyuan, Liu Ye immediately convened a meeting with Yan Guang, Wang Qinian, and others to discuss the next steps for the Qionghai Army. Having witnessed firsthand the positive momentum of land reclamation in Taiwan, he felt confident that the northward march could be accelerated.

His first question to Wang Qinian was, "What's the latest news from Li Zicheng's side?"

Wang Qinian replied, "Li Zicheng's strength is expanding rapidly. According to reports from Liu Heizi and Zhang Geming, he seems to be planning to capture a large city, and his target seems to be Luoyang."

Liu Ye's eyes lit up. This was a good thing. If Li Zicheng captured Luoyang, it would disrupt the court's military deployment and greatly boost the morale of the rebel army, making it easier for him to attack the capital.

"Very good. Let Liu Heizi incite Li Zicheng to attack Luoyang. If he encounters any difficulties, we will help him if we can. We can also give him some incentives, such as more guns and cannons. We must make sure he takes Luoyang within two months."

Yan Guang asked, "Why is the general in such a hurry?"

“This isn’t about being hasty; it’s about shifting from a passive to an active stance,” Liu Ye explained. “Before, we followed the general trend and developed cautiously. Now, Qiongzhou, Guangdong and Guangxi, Shandong, and Taiwan are all under our control, and we can continuously receive refugees. We have no shortage of territory or population, and Taiwan’s grain production and prospects are very promising. In addition, the revenue from the two customs posts is stable. Now we have money, manpower, and sufficient grain reserves. We can afford to fight a war of attrition with either the imperial court or the Tartars. We can take the initiative to push the general trend of the world in the direction we envision.”

Yan Guang quickly grasped the meaning: "General, you mean to push Li Zicheng northwards, and the day the capital is captured will be the day the Qionghai Army marches north in full force?"

"That's right. However, we need to prepare in advance. We can't wait until Chongzhen dies before rushing north. My idea is to push Li Zicheng northward while simultaneously assembling a large army, ready to fight at any moment. We must ensure that we arrive at the same time as the capital is captured, minimizing the turmoil and creating conditions for us to control the central government and command the world."

Yan Guang understood: "After Li Zicheng kills the emperor, will we follow the 'kill the rabbit when it dies, cook the hunting dog when it's done, and put away the good bow when the birds are all gone' approach?"

Liu Ye smiled: "Mr. Yan's words resonate deeply with me." He then asked Wang Qinian, "What's the situation on the Tartar side?"

"Reporting to the General: Chu Shengchang has led his men to infiltrate the Tartars and become bondservants. However, their contact level is too low to obtain any definite information. Nevertheless, it is widely rumored among the various Niru that the Tartar emperor, in order to wash away the shame of the previous failed invasion, is preparing an even larger invasion plan, divided into two routes. One route is led by Prince Rui, Dorgon, and the other route is led by Prince Cheng, Yue Tuo."

Liu Ye thought for a moment and said, "For the Tartars, an invasion is nothing short of plunder. Princes and nobles want military merits, soldiers and laborers want wealth and servants. This is a major event for them from top to bottom. There's no smoke without fire; they wouldn't spread rumors without reason. It's highly likely to be true. However, the Tartars are not numerous. Last time, Ajige and Abatai suffered heavy losses. The Bordered White Banner and the Plain Blue Banner were both weakened and need time to recover and replenish their strength. Huang Taiji, in order to maintain balance, cannot abandon the two banners and only send troops from the other six banners. Even if Abatai were willing, Ajige would not agree. Besides, the banner lord of the Plain Blue Banner is still Huang Taiji's son, Hauge... Therefore, this invasion may not be too quick. It's impossible this year, and next year is more likely, or even the year after next is not impossible..."

Yan Guang said, "What if the Tartars act recklessly this year? Wouldn't the situation become a complete mess? That would be disadvantageous for us!"

“What you said makes sense, and that possibility cannot be ruled out.” Liu Ye thought that history had already changed because of him. Originally, this large-scale invasion should have been in the third year after Ajige and Abatai, with a two-year gap in between, but now it was possible that it would be brought forward. If the rebel army and the Qing army gathered in the capital at that time, and he rushed in, it would become a three-way battle, the situation would be out of control, and his plans would be disrupted.

After some consideration, Liu Ye decided to prepare for both possibilities: "To guard against this possibility, we will take a two-pronged approach. We will continue to send Li Zicheng north as planned, and in addition, we will send a force to capture Dongjiang Town. Then, we will make a show of landing in Jinzhou and harassing the heartland of the Tartars to contain their main army's southward advance. Even if we cannot hold back the main Tartar force, we will at least slow down their large-scale invasion."

"But who should we send?" Yan Guang asked with difficulty. "General Su is in Shandong, General Xu is in Taiwan, and General Shi is guarding the Qiongzhou mainland. Each of them has their own mission, and none of them can be left behind."

“You’ve forgotten the best candidate.” Liu Ye laughed. “Li Fei is forming a Marine Corps, which is perfect for training troops in Dongjiang. With the navy providing cover, there’s no better unit than this.”