Zhu Youdong was puzzled: "The Qing army in Guangxi? Can Guangxi still send troops to attack Hunan? Shen Shijie said: "It is not the Qing army in Guangxi, but Wu Sangui who returned from Vietnam." He originally wanted to return to Changsha via Huguang and then wait for orders from the Qing court.

Shen Shijie pointed to the route Wu Sangui was going to take on the map, and said, "It's just that Jing Guogong and they just blocked Wu Sangui, and Wu Sangui can't return to Huguang." It just so happened that not long ago, Jing Guogong and they defeated Maxiong Town in Guangxi. Wu Sangui knew that we really attacked Huguang. Therefore, Wu Sangui is like attacking Huguang, and now he is attacking Yongzhou, Hunan with an army of 10,000. ”

Zhu Youdong followed Shen Shijie's finger and saw Yongzhou. I heard Shen Shijie say again: "Jing Guogong's army had some losses before, and after replenishing some troops, the combat strength was not enough. In addition, the army led by Wu Sangui is a strong force, and there are many Manchurian Eight Banners in it. Jing Guogong's troops could not stop, so he had to lead his army to confront Wu Sangui in the Lingling area. In this way, only more than 10,000 people actually attacked Changsha, and there were 10,000 surrendered troops. ”

Zhu Youdong frowned and said, "In this way, the Qing army in Hunan cannot be eliminated for the time being. But it's good to be able to freeze now. If anything happens, we won't be able to call up troops to support them right now. After a pause, Zhu Youdong said again: "What happened to the two armies that Bai Wenxuan went to Yunnan to reorganize?" They should have entered Guangxi at that time, why didn't there be any news of them? ”

Shen Shijie hurriedly said: "King Gongchang has indeed reorganized the army and has already led the army into Guangxi. However, due to the lack of grain and grass in Yunnan, there was no way to support the army. Moreover, we still have nearly 80,000 troops in Yunnan, so the grain and grass in Yunnan are very tight. Now the king of Gongchang and the other places in Guangxi and other places they want to attack do not produce grain, and most of these places are Miao and Yao people, and the army is not very smooth. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "What about Li Tingming of Anlongsi? Shen Shijie said: "Li Tingming led the army and attacked Guangxi. But he only had 10,000 troops, and he couldn't do anything at all. Coupled with the mountainous nature of Guangxi, it is difficult for the 10,000 troops to do anything. As soon as Shen Shijie finished speaking, Lin Zhuang rushed in all the way and said to Zhu Youdong: "Your Highness is very happy, the military situation in Guangxi has made progress." ”

Zhu Youdong was worried about Guangxi's military situation just now, but he didn't expect Guangxi's military situation to come in such a timely manner. Hurriedly said: "Tell me what's going on?" Didn't you say that Bai Wenxuan and Li Tingming didn't go well? ”

Lin Zhuang said: "Your Highness, it's not Bai Wenxuan and Li Tingming's. It was General Ta Tianbao, who was stationed in Duyun, and when he heard that Wu Sangui led an army to attack Jing Guogong, he immediately sent troops from Duyun. Invade Nandan Prefecture, pass through Hechi and Gyeongwon. Then he marched all the way to Liuzhou, and now he has captured Liuzhou. ”

"What?" Zhu Youdong was overjoyed, and he couldn't believe that this was true. Lin Zhuang said: "Your Highness, this is true, but this is also thanks to the help of the local Miao people along the way. When the army reaches the city, there is basically no need to attack the city. General Ta Tianbao also recruited Qing troops in these places and recruited 5,000 Miao people to form an army. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "Okay, well, so Wu Sangui doesn't have to worry." Lin Zhuang said: "Yes, now Wu Sangui is afraid that his back road will be cut off, so he has to retreat to Guilin." And now in the area of Taiping Mansion in Guangxi, because of our army, after all, some local Yao and Miao people have rebelled against the Qing army. The Qing army in Guangxi was simply unable to suppress the pressure and was urgently asking for help from the Qing army in Guangdong. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "With such an opportunity, it is estimated that Bai Wenxuan and Li Tingming should not miss it." If such a good opportunity, none of them can make a difference, and the two of them will not have the ability to lead. Lin Zhuang said: "What His Highness said is that now Bai Wenxuan has led the army into Zhen'an Mansion, preparing to join the natives in the Taiping Mansion area, and then attack the Nanning Mansion area. General Li Tingming had also entered Si'en Mansion with a large army, preparing to enter Liuzhou, join General Ta Tianbao, and then attack Wu Sangui's army together. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "Bai Wenxuan is still too restrained, he has 20,000 troops in his hands." So he wants others to cooperate with him? There is no aggressive momentum at all. Lin Zhuang said: "Your Highness, it is estimated that it is also the King of Gongchang who has been fighting with the Qing army, and they are all at a disadvantage, so they are so cautious." ”

Zhu Youdong thought for a while and said: "It's better to be safer like this, and tell Ta Tianbao that the current situation in Guangxi is mainly based on stability." We are now too open for the war, and the army is a little unable to support it. Nor did they have so much ability to raise food and grass for the army. ”

Then Zhu Youdong sighed and said: "In the past, there were few places and few troops, and it was easy to raise grain and grass. I always feel that the army is just like this, and it is not difficult to resist the Qing. Now that the situation in Daming has improved, and our strength has developed, we have found that everything is not going well. There are many constraints on all sides. We are now good generals, but we lack literati to govern. ”

Lin Zhuang said: "These things will not be able to come up with an idea in the end, I think it is better to wait for Zhang Shangshu and them to come before making plans." Besides, now that we have occupied Nanjing, I believe that there will be many scholars who will come to take refuge," Zhu Youdong said: "What you said is also true, now the Yangtze River area has been controlled by us." It's time to inform the cabinet members of the imperial court and let them all move to Nanjing. ”

At this time, Zhou Chang and Ma Tengsheng came in together and said, "Your Highness, we are in charge of meeting those people who are in charge of the business, and we have already met them. They all came to ask Daming to protect their business, and they were willing to donate military expenses. Zhu Youdong was stunned and said: "What do you mean that they are willing to donate military expenses?" ”

Zhou Chang said: "Those business stewards and shopkeepers are afraid that our Restoration Army will loot property in the city like the Manchu Qing Dynasty. So I was willing to give more money and let His Highness order the soldiers not to rob them of their property. Ma Tengsheng also said: "Yes, but although their approach is inappropriate, it is for the life of the people in Nanjing." His Highness might as well accept their donations, and promise them along the way. ”

Zhu Youdong was also very disgusted with the blatant transactions of these businessmen, but Zhu Youdong also did not want the economic depression in Nanjing. What's more, he said it before, let Zhou Chang make up his own mind. immediately said to Zhou Chang: "What do you think? ”

Zhou Chang said: "The donations of these businesses can be accepted by His Royal Highness. But the Restoration Army could not make a deal with them, and they still had to pay the taxes they should pay. Zhu Youdong glanced at Zhou Chang and said, "Okay, since you already have an idea, let's do what you want first." ”

When the two saw Zhu Youdong agree, they were both happy to leave. Zhu Youdong stopped the two of them, "In the city of Nanjing, how many businesses have come to see?" How much money did they give? Zhou Chang said: "There are more than 20 businesses in total, and a total of one million taels of silver have been donated. ”

Hearing Zhou Chang say this, Ma Tengsheng glanced at Zhou Chang in some surprise. Zhu Youdong pondered for a moment and said, "More than 20 families, only one million taels in total?" Ma Tengsheng thought that Zhu Youdong was too little, and immediately said: "If His Royal Highness is too little, you can let them add more." ”

Zhu Youdong said: "Forget it, we don't have time to pay attention to them now, let them go back." Then Zhu Youdong stopped paying attention to the two, and then said to Lin Zhuang: "By the way, what is Zheng Chenggong doing over there now?" ”

Lin Zhuang said: "Since the defeat of King Yanping from Nanjing last year, his strength has not recovered. In October, the Qing general Dasu also led his army to attack Xiamen, but was stopped by Zheng Jing, who stayed behind. Dasu sent the Fujian Navy Division to attack Haimen, but the main force of Zheng Chenggong's Navy Division was defeated. It can be regarded as avenging the defeat of Nanjing, and the morale of the army has been restored. ”

Zhu Youdong nodded and said: "Although Zheng Chenggong was defeated under the city of Nanjing, most of his losses were elite land soldiers. The strength of the water division did not suffer, so it was not surprising that the defeat of the Qing army's water division was expected. ”

Lin Zhuang said: "Yes, due to the heavy losses of the Zheng army's elite soldiers in the land battle, for a while, the battles on land mostly ended in failure. When the army went out, it was repeatedly attacked by the Qing army in the rear. At present, the Qing court has moved to Fujian, Guangdong and other places to impose a ban on the sea and carry out an economic blockade. In desperation, King Yanping decided to attack Taiwan as a rear base. ”

"Oh" Zhu Youdong was a little surprised, he didn't expect Zheng Chenggong to be so fast, so he started the idea of Taiwan. Then he asked, "Then did Zheng Chenggong set off?" Lin Zhuang said: "King Yanping led the fleet to Taiwan in March, and since Taiwan is located overseas, our intelligence is also cut off. All the information is based on the news sent back by King Yanping. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "I set off in March, so I didn't see you before?" Lin Zhuang said: "Your Highness forgot, when I was in Chongqing, the last general reported it." At that time, His Royal Highness said that Fujian was too far away from us, and even if he knew the situation, it had nothing to do with the overall situation, so he did not pay attention. ”

Zhu Youdong then remembered that Lin Zhuang had said it before, and immediately said: "Maybe I forgot, so what is Zheng Chenggong's army like now?" Is the war going well in Taiwan? Lin Zhuang said: "Judging from the news we have gotten, it is relatively smooth." It is said that it only took half a month for the king of Yanping to land in Taiwan. Then the Dutch fleet and land division were defeated, and on the fifth day of the fourth month, the Dutch defenders of the city of Prominsha came out and surrendered. ”

Zhu Youdong was surprised: "The Dutch surrendered so quickly? Isn't Zheng Chenggong going to return to Xiamen soon? ”

Lin Zhuang said: "It is estimated that it is impossible for the king of Yanping to return to the division, although the defenders of the city of Puluo have surrendered. But the Dutch who surrendered here were only one of their strongholds, and it was simply not enough for all the Dutch to surrender. And on the island of Taiwan, there are many strongholds, and the largest stronghold is the city of Geranza. The Dutch governor of Taiwan also lived here, and as long as he did not surrender, it is estimated that the capture of Taiwan by the king of Yanping would not be over. ”

Zhu Youdong recalled that the Netherlands did have several important cities in Taiwan. And I remember that Zheng Chenggong forced the Dutch in Taiwan to surrender in order to recover Taiwan, and it seems that he has been besieged for a long time. Immediately said: "Then is Zheng Chenggong attacking or besieging now?" ”

Lin Zhuang said: "It is said that at the beginning, King Yanping also wanted to capture the city of Relanza in one fell swoop. But the siege did not go well, and the army suffered a lot of losses. In addition, now that the army is fighting in Taiwan, the grain and grass are all those brought with the army. Now that some places have been captured, the army of the king of Yanping will have to defend each place. This also led to the dispersion of the army, which was very inconvenient for the movement of the army and the transfer of grain and grass. ”

Lin Zhuang said with some pity: "In the face of such a situation, it is difficult for King Yanping to ride a tiger now. Moreover, now that Xiamen is facing the threat of the Qing army, it is impossible to retreat to Xiamen for defense. Therefore, the king of Yanping let the army besiege the city of Relanza, and at the same time let the army start to collect grain everywhere. It may be that the king of Yanping is not too sure about capturing the city of Gelanza, and has already asked his soldiers to start ploughing on the spot in preparation for a long-term siege. ”