GBP Chapter 288 Countdown to the Expedition
Chapter 288 Countdown to the Expedition
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Liang Xiaoming laughed and said, "I thought you would name it 'Liaoning'? I can understand 'Guangdong', after all, Qiongzhou is where we started and belongs to Guangdong, but what is the significance of 'Shandong'? Is it to commemorate your unsuccessful adventure in Shandong?"
Liu Ye shook his head: "I'm not that bored. The meaning of the name is very clear: Guangdong is the base of our rise, and Shandong is the next place we must take over. It is of great strategic significance to Qiongzhou Camp."
Liang Xiaoming scratched the back of his head: "Although Shandong is my hometown, I don't see much value in it besides coal mining. It's just that the lignite in our Qiongzhou can't be coked at all. But after the mutiny, there are a lot of displaced refugees. You want to have a large-scale immigration to replenish Qiongzhou's thin population base?"
"That's right, population is also a very important factor. Few Chinese farmers are willing to leave their homes unless they are desperate to survive. And the coastal provinces we can reach, Guangdong and Fujian, haven't experienced any major natural disasters, so there aren't many people who can migrate to Hainan Island; Jiangnan is currently the most prosperous place, and even begging there is better than elsewhere, we can't even recruit beggars; although there are many Han Chinese who escaped from the Later Jin rule in Liaodong, half of them are stuck in Dongjiang Town, and the other half have drifted to the Dengzhou and Laizhou areas of Shandong. We have no connection with Dongjiang Town, so we can't recruit men there. If we want large-scale immigration, we can only find a way from Shandong."
Liang Xiaoming thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "That's really the case. Shandong is the most suitable place for people to migrate out of the coastal areas. There are many migrants in northern Shaanxi, but there are several provinces in between, such as Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hubei, so it's difficult to reach them directly."
Liu Ye said confidently, "Population is only one aspect. We can also take over Shandong's coal mines and other resources. Most importantly, Shandong's geographical location is crucial. As long as we can find a way to establish a foothold in Shandong and open up branch bases, it will be a strategic turning point for Qiongzhou Camp. Shandong's distance from Beijing is delicate, neither too close nor too far. Maintaining an army here will not make the people in the Forbidden City feel too threatened, and we can reach Beijing in a very short time. We want to become a dominant force in the world, not a warlord who is content with a corner of the country. Taking over Shandong is a must."
"I understand what you mean. But how can we take Shandong? By force?"
Liu Ye laughed loudly: "I finally got this position as a military officer, I won't ruin my future. Once you're in the military system, there are ways within the system. Fighting Chongzhen to the death is not the best strategy. Not only would it waste your energy, but it would also allow Huang Taiji to conserve his strength and take advantage of the situation. Wouldn't that be doing all the work for someone else? You must know that the reason the Qing army was able to enter the pass after Huang Taiji's death was not because Regent Dorgon was more capable than Huang Taiji, but because Li Zicheng captured Beijing, internal strife left the border defenses weak, and Wu Sangui's defection gave Dorgon a golden opportunity. If Li Zicheng had been defeated, and the Ming Dynasty had been in a state of utter disarray, the Qing army would not have been able to obtain this beautiful land."
Liu Ye said somewhat embarrassedly, "I don't understand politics, but what you said makes sense. I was thinking too simply. I am a little curious, however, how could a mere military commander from Qiongzhou rightfully seize Shandong?"
Liu Ye smiled mysteriously: "Let me keep you in suspense for now, I'll tell you when the time is right. But one thing is certain, this matter is inseparable from the help of that spoiled girl Lin Shiyue, after all, her father is the Imperial Inspector of Shandong."
Liang Xiaoming gave a knowing smile: "You don't even let go of such a cold and arrogant woman? You have quite the appetite."
Liu Ye coughed a few times: "I have a delicate concubine at home, and I have no intention of seeking to torture her. As long as I can get in touch with her father, the next step is nothing more than an exchange of money and political interests. It's not like I have to offer myself up."
After the bombardment drills concluded, the countdown began for the Qiongzhou Battalion's expedition to Fujian.
On the naval front, the two Yongle-class warships, the *Guangdong* and *Shandong*, were officially commissioned into the Qiongzhou Naval Base. The *Guangdong*, as the flagship of the expeditionary fleet, was commanded by Van Bommel, the former captain of the *Middleburg* who had defected to the Communist side. Gao Jie, the fleet commander, was also on board, both for command convenience and to monitor and supervise Van Bommel—although Van Bommel's professional competence was beyond doubt, he had only recently surrendered, and appropriate precautions were necessary to ensure he held such an important position. The *Shandong* was commanded by Li Fei, who had recently risen rapidly in rank. Several hundred Dutch sailors willing to become mercenaries and over a thousand pirates were randomly assigned to different ships to bolster the navy's strength and prevent them from forming small groups that could hinder operations.
There were no changes in personnel or organization within the army. The First Battalion was still led by Shi Ying, and the Second Battalion by Xu Yifan; they were the main force attacking Zhongzuosuo City. Lin San's guards and Qin Tian's special forces were the vanguard in the attack on Anping. In a sense, capturing Anping and annihilating the Zheng family clan would be more complex than capturing Zhongzuosuo City. To ensure the success of the operation, the guards and special forces, along with the two infantry companies assigned to them, underwent joint training and made clear divisions of labor for the operation after entering Anping to avoid mistakes in the chaos.
On the eve of their departure, Zhou Guoxin brought the latest news from Fujian. Recent intelligence was being relayed from Fujian to Guangdong via the Imperial Guards (Jinyiwei) contacted by Wang Qinian and Liang Dong, with Zhou Guoxin responsible for relaying the messages.
"General, news has come from Fujian that after Zheng Zhiwan returned to Zhongzuo, he informed Zheng Zhilong that the goods could not be delivered. Zheng Zhilong got angry and said he would teach the Qiongzhou Camp a lesson. Now the Zheng family has issued a decree, and all the capable men under his command have gathered at Zhongzuo. They are then coming to the waters off Guangdong under the pretext of suppressing bandits, preparing to blockade the Qiongzhou Strait, saying that they will prevent any boats from going to sea from Lingao."
Liu Ye thought to himself that Zheng Zhilong's response was exactly as he had expected, and sneered, "The guerrillas from Fujian are coming to Guangdong to blockade the strait. How arrogant!"
Zhou Guoxin continued, "It is said that Zheng Zhilong set conditions for the Qiongzhou camp: if he wanted them to withdraw their troops, they either had to deliver one hundred cannons or return double the payment."
Liu Ye shook his head: "No cannons, no money. We'll fight if you want. Any other news?"
"Wang Qinian also has another important piece of information: Zheng Hongkui, the fourth son of the Zheng family, is currently unemployed at his old house in Anping because of several setbacks in handling affairs, and because Zheng Zhilong is angry with him for the death of his second brother, Zheng Zhihu. According to Wang Qinian, Zheng Hongkui is very resentful, and we can try to sow discord and turn him against his own side."