amaotonovel Chapter 595 Old Xu is using my words!
Chapter 595 Old Xu is using my words!
As Emperor Zhu finished speaking, Li Shanchang felt an urge to curse wildly.
I knew you two, father-in-law and son-in-law, were no good!
Damn it, the Northern Expedition!
The Northern Expedition had to consider the supply of provisions, weapons, armor, arrows, swords, and spears, as well as rewards for meritorious service and compensation for casualties.
Once war breaks out with Hu Yuan, it will be a constant drain on funds.
Unfortunately, there are so many places where money needs to be spent these days.
The Ministry of Works wants to build bridges and pave roads.
Local officials wanted to dig reservoirs, build workshops, and plant trees like crazy.
The Ministry of War also planned to establish post stations.
Meanwhile, the Ming Dynasty's treasury was as poor as a dog's.
Yang Siyi, that old miser, would rather split a penny in half to spend it.
If it weren't for the iron and coal mines in Luan County, if it weren't for the huge commotion caused by the absorption of Hu Yuan herdsmen in Zunhua, and this time the five thousand warhorses, plus the bank run by your good son-in-law, would you, Zhu Chongba, have thought of launching a northern expedition?
I bother!
Li Shanchang was internally ranting, but Xu Da perked up.
The Northern Expedition is a good idea.
As long as the new emperor plans to launch a northern expedition, our old Xu will have to go to Beiping to handle border defense matters, and naturally he won't have time to deal with the messy affairs of the Secretariat.
He'll find another reason to resign from his position as Right Chancellor of the Secretariat.
Tsk tsk.
Very beautiful.
Just as Xu Da was secretly pleased, Emperor Zhu coughed and said, "Does Tiande have any thoughts on this Northern Expedition?"
Xu Da came to his senses and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, I think we should divide our forces into three routes. The central route will consist of 50,000 troops, which will march out of Yanmen Pass toward Karakorum. We will make it sound like we are rushing toward Karakorum, but in reality we will advance slowly to lure the Yuan army out to fight and annihilate them."
"The Eastern Route Army, numbering 50,000, marched out of Juyong Pass, passed through Yingchang (now within the jurisdiction of Abahana Banner in Inner Mongolia), and headed towards Helin, launching a surprise attack on the enemy's unpreparedness."
"The Western Route Army also numbered 50,000. It set out from Jinlan (location unknown, suspected to be a combination of Jin County and Lanzhou) and headed towards Gansu to mislead the Yuan army and make them unsure of its direction."
"However, all three armies were using feints and real attacks; they would fight if they could, and bluff if they couldn't."
Emperor Zhu immediately perked up, while Yang Shaofeng stared blankly at Xu Da.
This is a damn 150,000-strong army, not 15 soldiers.
With 150,000 troops mobilized and divided into three routes to engage Hu Yuan in a battle of feints and real attacks, what was Lao Xu's real objective?
Just as Yang Shaofeng was pondering this, Emperor Zhu asked directly, "Where is the fourth army?"
Xu Da stroked his beard and smiled, then walked to the huge map and gestured as he said, "Liaodong."
“Starting from the edge of the Bangzi family's territory, all the way to the Onon River, we must take over these lands. Even if we can't take them over, we must never let Hu Yuan farm in peace.”
"The same applies to the other three armies; their primary strategy is offense, with defense as a secondary measure."
"In addition, we need a fifth army, or to put it simply, a hard labor force."
"The more hard labor along the way, the better."
"Ten or twenty thousand is not too little, and one hundred or two hundred thousand is not too much."
Yang Shaofeng was slightly taken aback and stared blankly at Xu Da.
Do you want to listen to what you are saying?
Even if it means hard labor, or even 100,000 or 200,000, it wouldn't
Everyone present knew that apart from Dengzhou Prefecture, which had over 100,000 Korean laborers and tens of thousands of monkey laborers, there were not many available laborers in other parts of the Ming Dynasty.
You old scoundrel, are you here for me?
Yang Shaofeng grew increasingly displeased, but Xu Da stroked his beard and smiled, "Your Highness, we'll have to ask you to go and find the envoys Park Sung-hwan and Park Deok-hwan for this matter."
“Let them transfer some more laborers from Korea, Annam and other places.”
"If they really can't provide laborers, they can send some weaker troops to serve as laborers."
"In addition, the Prince Consort needs to allocate some reliable manpower, especially those craftsmen who know how to find minerals, make bricks, and make cement."
Xu Da finally unfolded his map: "The hard laborers along this route, or rather, the auxiliary troops, their task is to build cities, to build cities continuously, to bury nails in the grasslands, so that the Hu Yuan army can no longer come and go as it pleases."
Yang Shaofeng was completely dumbfounded.
Is Lao Xu really that awesome?
What would happen if Lao Xu and Li Jing met?
Old Deng said that Xu Da was "the greatest man in history in terms of his achievements in defeating the enemy and pacifying the barbarians; he was a general and a prime minister, and his talents in both literature and military affairs were unparalleled in the world."
Li Erfeng said of Li Jing, "How could the ancient heroes Han Xin, Bai Qi, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing compare to him!"
I don't know who would win the fight.
Eh?
That's not right.
Old Xu is using my words!
I had already discussed the matter of building a city on the grassland with Black Sesame Dumplings, Zhu Lao Er, Zhu Lao San, and Zhu Lao Si.
Oh, I see.
It must be that Zhu Laosi showing off in front of Xu's sister, and now that old scoundrel Xu Da is using it to infringe on my intellectual property rights!
Although I also plagiarized Zhu Laosi and Xia Yuanji.
But who told me to travel back in time so early?
This is my original work!
and many more.
What else did that old scoundrel Xu Da just say?
He said he wanted me to assign him some craftsmen who knew how to find minerals and make cement and bricks.
Laugh to death.
I've always been the one asking Old Deng and Little Deng for people. Now you old scoundrel, not only did you steal my intellectual property, but you also dare to covet my manpower!
Yang Shaofeng snorted coldly and said, "I will do my best. I estimate I can spare about thirty people."
This time, it was Emperor Zhu, Zhu Biao, Li Shanchang, Xue Xiang, and the others who were dumbfounded.
Xue Xiang, in particular, was so heartbroken he could hardly breathe.
About thirty?
Dengzhou Prefecture was able to mobilize more than thirty people who knew how to find minerals and master craftsmen who knew how to make brick kilns and cement kilns.
Yang the Madman used to always complain that he didn't have enough manpower, and he would send that traitor Wang Shaoyu to the Ministry of Works to freeload whenever he had nothing to do!
You beast, you beast!
Just as Xue Xiang was cursing inwardly, Yang Shaofeng added, "By the way, Dengzhou Prefecture has some good stuff that the Duke of Wei can take with him on his northern expedition."
Xu Da was slightly taken aback and asked, "What good stuff?"
Yang Shaofeng raised his head proudly and said, "Naturally, it's the improved gunpowder and cannons."
"I had a batch of shells that could explode, and I also stuffed them with some rusty iron pieces and nails."
"In addition, there is another type of landmine that can be buried in the ground. As long as it is buried in advance, it can be detonated when the enemy rushes over. Even if it doesn't kill many people, it can scare Hu Yuan's cavalry half to death."
"Oh, there's also an improved version of this little thing. Although it's a bit small, you can light the fuse before throwing it out and still inflict considerable damage on the enemy."
"..."
As Yang Shaofeng continued talking, Xu Da and Chang Yuchun's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
If I had known this would happen, I should have attacked Hu Yuan long ago!
Just how many treasures is still hidden in Dengzhou Prefecture!