Since the Western Expedition had ended, and Li Hongfei had been removed from his post as commander-in-chief of the First Group Army, it was important for him to go to this early court. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Today's Li Hongfei has begun to focus his career on the Military Academy.

Since Li Hongfei lost power, there used to be a lot fewer visits from officials who came and went every day, and even some generals who led the troops did not dare to have much contact with Li Hongfei in private, except for the normal movement of the Ministry of National Defense.

Guo Sheng didn't care about this, but he was still reorganizing the army in the field, and Li Hongfei also specially sent people to pacify him, so there was no chaos.

Now the most diligent person in and out of the Li Mansion may be Situ Yan of the Cao Gang.

"Recently, Wang Guoxing has found the three masters of our Cao Gang again, and has been wooing us in a big way, it seems that he wants us to become the minions of Jinyiwei." Situ Yan reminded Li Hongfei in a whisper.

"Wang Guoxing doesn't know the relationship between you and me, right?" Li Hongfei asked.

Regarding Situ Yan's true identity, Li Hongfei did not tell others, and Li Hongfei's external intelligence sources have always claimed to have been obtained from those "anti-Qing" organizations, as for why Jinyiwei and Dongchang could not obtain information, it can only show that the "anti-Qing" organizations have a bad impression of them.

Now that Wang Guoxing has begun to contact the Cao Gang frequently, Li Hongfei is a little worried about whether Situ Yan has exposed something.

"The three masters are just peripheral members of the Cao Gang, and they have not come into contact with the real core, Wang Guoxing is looking for him, it can't be because of me." Situ Yan affirmed.

If Wang Guoxing really found something, then with his identity, he would obviously not contact peripheral members like the three masters.

"But now that the Western Expedition is over, Jinyiwei is testing our Cao Gang, and its purpose is self-evident." Situ Yan added again.

The Cao Gang has always been able to enjoy the two countries like a fish in water, and the key lies in "not helping each other." Now that Zhu Youzhen has the initiative, with his character, he will naturally not allow such a force to continue to survive under his nose.

If the Cao Gang doesn't express its stance again, before the Northern Expedition, it will be cleared out.

"Have you ever thought about expanding the scope of the Cao Gang's business?" Li Hongfei suddenly asked.

"Expand your reach?" Situ Yan was puzzled.

"Survival in the inland river can only be regarded as a small fight, and this Cao Yun has huge profits, which has always been controlled by the government, once the imperial court frees up, the business of your Cao Gang may be suppressed in all directions."

In the past few decades, the Ming Dynasty has been in turmoil for many years, and the waterways in many places are often occupied by the army, the Ming army, the Qing army, and even the mountain bandits.

If it looks like it is about to be unified today, it is basically impossible for the Cao Gang to continue the previous model of left and right.

Even the army has to be reorganized, let alone the underworld organization of more than 100,000 people.

Even if they accept Zhao'an, it is estimated that more than half of the profits made by the Cao Gang will have to be handed over to the imperial court, and those who are gathered together because of interests can balance their hearts?

"The inland river is the territory of the Zhu family, and you Cao Gang really can't bargain, but the vast sea is a place that the Ming Sailor can't fully take into account. And the profit of sea freight, even if I don't say it, you should know. Li Hongfei reminded.

Now Zhu Youzhen's focus is still on the territory of the mainland, and he still has a lot of concerns about opening the sea, even if he has added a large number of treaty ports along the coast, but it is only to make money, and he has never thought about plundering raw materials and overseas territories.

In fact, even in the Age of European Discovery, most of the overseas plundering was spontaneously organized by private forces, so that even if it offended some powerful countries, the government could claim that it was pirates.

For example, the Japanese Invaders, such as the Dutch East India Company, these are not the regular army of the country, but the profits they plundered are not all eventually transferred back to the country and used for the economic development of the country!

Huaxia is also a self-proclaimed civilized country, even if Zheng He went to the West back then, it was mainly to promote civilized etiquette, and he was easily reluctant to use force, although it seemed to earn a lot of money, but in fact wasted a lot of time.

This is also the main reason why the imperial court did not open the sea later, although the profits are huge, but the risk is too great, once the sea encounters wind and waves, it is possible to lose all the money, and the time required to go to sea is too long, it is not cost-effective at all.

It is precisely because of this that the Ming Dynasty lost its best opportunity to dominate the sea, to preach civilization, fair trade, although it can make money, how much can it earn?

Throughout history, which of the maritime hegemons did not start by plundering or colonizing?

If Zheng He went to the West back then, the profit earned by a trip could be ten times, then the pirate plundering of Europe would increase the profit earned at one time by twenty or even fifty times.

Driven by such interests, no one can resist the temptation.

If you want to make Daming truly become a world power, it is inevitable to open the sea, and at the same time use the official identity to open the sea, it is basically impossible, the scholarly atmosphere is too strong, and there is no benefit to the hegemony at sea.

"Master Li...... You're not going to let us gang and be pirates! When it comes to pirates, it is still Zheng Guogong (Zheng Zhilong) who has experience. Situ Yan said with a smile.

"Don't say it, I do have a plan to let you cooperate with Zheng Zhilong, your Cao Gang has been rampant in the inland river for so many years, do you really plan to accept the imperial court's recruitment?" Li Hongfei did not hide his purpose.

"Yo! This is different from being given military power, as an official of the imperial court, he actually instigated us Jiangyang thieves to be pirates! Situ Yan said with a smile.

The Cao Gang can indeed be regarded as Jiangyang thieves.

"Don't say it so ugly, even if I haven't been demoted, I have such a plan, it is impossible for Daming Shui Shi to do this kind of thing, and some things are better for professionals to come forward." Li Hongfei said.

Let the Cao Gang be pirates, one is for the sake of the future of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty has experienced perennial wars, and the country has long been riddled with holes, if you want to develop rapidly, restore to the heyday, and plunder overseas resources, it is a shortcut.

Secondly, Li Hongfei began to prepare for himself to go back, if he really can't mix up at home, foreign will be his last hole card.

"But although our Cao Gang has a large number of people, we don't have much experience in naval warfare, and we don't have warships, so how can we gain a foothold in this vast sea with those fishing boats?" Situ Yan was very excited, but she was a sensible woman.

"Didn't I say before, you can go to Zheng Zhilong, this old guy has no power now, and he is a little unwilling, and after the appearance of the steam warship, the situation of the Zheng family's sailor is not optimistic, he must also want to leave a way back for himself, you must go to him."

"As for the warships......... Find Zhou Furen, he is a businessman, as long as there are enough interests, he can definitely impress him. And he is also my person, after my accident, although Suzhou Heavy Industry did not suffer from the imperial court suppression, but it does not mean that those businessmen in Suzhou do not think so, it is impossible to dissociate themselves from me, only unconditionally help me, they can maintain their current status! Li Hongfei counted these people to death.

"No wonder the adults have no reservations about me, now it seems that I am also in the same boat as the adults!" Situ Yan said bluntly.

"So, I won't hurt you." Li Hongfei does not deny it.

He even regrets it a little now, why did he put the treasure on Zhu Youzhen in the first place, if he could take the opportunity to cultivate more of his own power, it would not create this passive situation today, in the final analysis, he still believed too much in the energy of his "immortal".

Fortunately, it is not too late to understand now, although the First Army has been lost, at least Zhang Chao has secretly sworn allegiance to himself.

And Guo Sheng, Shi Dewei, and Yan Yingyuan, although they did not make it clear, they were more loyal to this country than to Zhu Youzhen.

Even many middle- and lower-ranking officers of the First to Fourth Armies were loyal to this country, and this is the horror of the Military Academy.

Now that Li Hongfei has firmly grasped the sharp weapon of the military academy, it is only a matter of time before he can win over talented people and cultivate his own forces.

It is impossible for Yan Yingyuan's sailors to be transferred, so he can only cooperate with Zheng Zhilong after resigning, and in terms of weapons and equipment, sailors and warships, Li Hongfei can find Zhou Furen to cooperate.

As for the capital, the Cao Gang's decades of capital accumulation are used for the initial equipment procurement, and there is no problem at all, as long as the initial equipment can be raised, there will be no problem in developing and growing.

Li Hongfei handed over the overseas development to Situ Yan to preside, and he shifted his focus to the military academy, accumulating prestige in the army and developing his henchmen, which was Li Hongfei's top priority.

Because he will not easily give up his domestic status unless he has to.

On the first day of August 1648, the first regular class was officially opened since the establishment of the Military Academy.

Three batches of this year's crash course have already graduated, and the fourth batch of officers, along with the cadets of the first regular class, entered the military academy almost at the same time.

And the most famous of the officers in this crash course is "Xiningbo" Li Dingguo.

Li Dingguo, the word Ningyu (or Yunzi one, the first name Rujing), a famous anti-Qing general, was born in Yulin, Shaanxi (or Yan'an).

In 1630 A.D. (the third year of Chongzhen), Zhang Xianzhong launched an uprising of the hungry people in northern Shaanxi, adopted the young Li Dingguo as an adopted son, and from 1631 to 1636, he followed Zhang Xianzhong to fight in Jin, Henan, Chu and Shaanxi provinces. Killed countless enemies and won many battles.

In the fourth year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1647), Li Dingguo and Sun Kewang and others were called kings and established political power, Sun Kewang was called the king of Pingdong, Li Dingguo was called the king of Anxi, Liu Wenxiu was called the king of Funan, and Ai Nengqi was called the king of Dingbei.

Not long after, Haoge's army marched westward, destroyed Zhang Xianzhong, killed Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo led his troops to surrender to the Nanming regime, and the king of Anxi was demoted two levels and became Xiningbo.

Then the Ming army's western expedition won a complete victory, Zhu Youzhen began to integrate the national army, Li Dingguo's power was reduced again, and now if he wants to be a commander, he has to enter the military academy to study, which is really a big blow to him.

Most of the people who entered the crash course this time were demoted generals from the Western Expedition half a year ago, which was an opportunity for Li Hongfei.

So he put the opening ceremony of the crash course on the same day as the entrance ceremony of the regular class.........

"Soldiers, it is their duty to obey orders! My Ming army can now win a hundred battles, relying on military orders like a mountain, orders and prohibitions, the first rule of our military academy is obedience! Li Hongfei began to speak.

"But if the commander's order is obviously wrong, is it possible to send our command to death?" There were objections from officers.

Of course, most of the questions that can be asked at this time are "trust".

"Even if the commander gives an order to send him to death, you can reserve the right to prosecute afterwards, and the military staff and the Ministry of Defense will make decisions for you, but once the order is issued, you must obey it unconditionally." Li Hongfei's words are unquestionable.

"Of course, today's army is not a hall of words, with the presence of the general staff and generals at all levels, and it is impossible for the superiors to give an order to die for no reason, unless necessary sacrifices are made to achieve some purpose."

"For example, attracting the main force of the enemy's army, buying opportunities for the rest of the friendly forces, such as the urgency of the situation, covering the withdrawal of civilians from the battlefield, these forced military orders are acceptable."

"Isn't it inappropriate to sacrifice our soldiers in order to cover the civilian population, you must know that the equipment and disability pension of our army today are too high, the sacrifice of a soldier is enough to be worth more than a dozen ordinary civilians, how can you exchange the lives of soldiers for the lives of civilians?" Again, doubts were raised.

Since it is a "trust", it is natural to point out the contradictions of the problem.

"That's a good question! I know many of you who join the army to get promoted and get rich, but have you ever thought about it? Who gave you what you eat, what you wear, what you wear, and even the weapons that you have? ”

"Even your life, who gave you?"

"If there are no ordinary people to grow food, what will you eat?"

"Without the common people weaving clothes, what do you wear?"

"It's not a military household system now, maybe one day, the people you are guarding, their descendants, will also join the army and turn to protect you!"

"Even the saint today knows that the common people are his people, and as the army that guards the saint, can't you protect the saint's people except for the land that guards the saint?" Li Hongfei said word by word.

Under such circumstances, it is impossible to talk to a group of officers about the general interests of the country, and it is even more unfeasible to talk about the "people's soldiers."

It is best to use the most simple truth to tell the relationship between soldiers and civilians.

Using the emperor's set of words to win people's hearts and increase the weight of the people is the royal way.

Don't you Zhu Youzhen love the people like a son, then let these soldiers truly treat the people of the world as the "sons" of your Zhu family's royal family.

In this way, it not only instilled the national righteousness in the army, but also made Zhu Youzhen unable to refute it, after all, this is to win the hearts of Zhu Youzhen!

Once Li Hongfei's remarks spread, he will certainly be able to win the broad support of the common people, and in the future, not only the military, but also those civilian officials, if they want to exert authority on the heads of the common people, they will have to consider the power of the title of "Holy People."

Since ancient times, those who have won the hearts of the people have won the world, and what Li Hongfei needs now is not only military power, but more importantly, the hearts of the people..........