The huge fleet on the sea became clearer and clearer in the field of vision of the telescope, the loyal and brave Marquis Chen Ba's face was grim, he put down the telescope, and a series of orders were issued, and the defenders of Quanzhou were loaded with ammunition and guns, ready for battle.

If the Zheng family is really mad and sends a large army to attack, with those dozens of offshore patrol ships and more than 2,000 army forces, Quanzhou will not be able to hold it. Chen Ba knew in his heart that the defenses of the southeast coastal areas were relatively empty, and the main force of the naval division was based on Zhoushan and Chongming, and was attacking and harassing and containing the Qing army in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and the main force of the army was stationed at the junction of Fujian and Zhejiang, not only to contain the Qing army in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, but also to respond to the Shuo army to attack Jiangxi.

Chen Ba ordered the patrol ship to be dispatched, although the number of outnumbered people was huge, but the momentum could not fall, this is the place of the imperial court, not that your Zheng family can take it without a fight by intimidation.

The patrol ship came out with the banner of the Ming Dynasty, and actually "blocked" the Zheng family's fleet of ships outside the port, Chen Ba held the binoculars, and a premonition suddenly floated in his heart, could it be-

As if after some negotiations, the patrol ship led a ship into the harbor, approached the trestle, and the group disembarked and headed straight for this side.

It was still far away, Chen Ba had already seen the person from the telescope, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, the premonition in his heart was already very possible, his expression was soothed, and he stepped forward to meet him.

The people who came were all children of the Zheng family, and although they were all clothed, they looked frightened or depressed, and they had no intention of fighting. Walking in front were Zheng Tai's brother Zheng Mingjun and his son Zheng Zhangxu, Zheng Zhangxu's face was full of sadness, and when he saw Chen Ba, he couldn't help but cry, and shouted: "Zheng Jing hurt my father......"

Zheng Jing really started the purge of unifying the power, and he started it faster. After pacifying Taiwan, he immediately rushed back to Xiamen and announced that he would hand over all the powers of Jin and Xiamen to Zheng Tai. When Zheng Tai was ordered to Xiamen to handle the handover, Zheng Jing was suddenly difficult. arrested Zheng Tai and charged Zheng Tai with conspiracy to support Zheng Xi and betray him. Zheng Tai died that night, and Zheng Jing announced to the public that he committed suicide in fear of crime.

Hearing the bad news, Zheng Tai's younger brother Zheng Mingjun sailed from Kinmen to the port of Quanzhou that night with his son Zheng Zhangxu, more than 400 civil and military officials, more than 7,300 marine and military soldiers, and their families. Take refuge in the imperial court.

"We've become lost dogs!" Zheng Mingjun's face was sad, and he sighed again and again, "Now that I have come to vote, I hope that the Hou Ye will speak well in front of His Royal Highness, and forgive me for the sin of delaying the service." ”

"Lord Zheng is serious." Chen Ba's heart fell to the ground, and he hurriedly sent people to settle the soldiers and family members who came with the ship, and led everyone into Quanzhou City, and said as he walked: "Your Highness's mind is comparable to that Zheng Jing, and there are already rules for the officers and soldiers of the Zheng family who come to serve. Officials are recorded from the preferential record, and they are not stingy with high rewards; Soldiers who wish to enlist in the army will immediately receive money in the battalion, and those who wish to return to their hometowns will send money for travel expenses back to their hometowns to be resettled by the government. ”

"Your Highness's benevolent name is spread all over the world, and we also know a thing or two about all kinds of regulations." Zheng Mingjun didn't have any spirit, and his speech seemed perfunctory, "It's just that I'm waiting for the Zheng clan, I'm afraid there are other arrangements, right?" ”

"I haven't heard of any other arrangements." Chen Ba said euphemistically: "But like a certain family, punish first and then use." Or idle for some time, it is estimated that it is inevitable. ”

"The strength of the imperial court sailors is very strong. Coupled with the ships and soldiers we brought, does His Royal Highness Min still want to accommodate Zheng Jing's family? Zheng Zhangxu said angrily.

"The great cause of resisting the Qing Dynasty is more important than one qiē, and the internal sword and soldiers are really not what His Highness wants." Chen Ba said very resolutely, in order to dispel the unrealistic extravagant hopes of these hateful guys, "According to your identity. A certain family does not dare to be specialized, you should go to Guangzhou to meet His Royal Highness, all kinds of reasons, you can report in person, and His Royal Highness is the master. ”

"I'll go and see His Highness Min first." Zheng Mingjun stopped Zheng Zhangxu with his eyes. happily agreed, "I'm afraid that Zheng Jing will send troops to intercept me by sea, so I'll rest for a day and go to Guangzhou by land tomorrow." ”

So far, Zheng Mingjun is still calm and understands it. Having lost his foothold and coming to defect, he naturally had to listen to others' arrangements. Even if there is a fight, the officers and soldiers and military families who can be brought have become frightened birds, and they can only be considered frightened when they arrive in Quanzhou, and they want to take them to another place - well, in addition to taking refuge in the imperial court, they can only go north to surrender to Qing. Will these officers and soldiers be able to leave their hometown in Fujian again? Is it easy to shave your head? When the time comes, it is not surprising that the crowd will make noise and wave knives at each other.

The people's hearts are scattered, and these officers and soldiers and their families still take them as the leader, because their choices conform to the people's will, but don't mistake them for diehard loyalists who can die and can follow them wherever they go.

Going to Guangzhou to meet is what it should mean, respecting the imperial court and respecting His Royal Highness Min. But behind this reasonableness, will the ships, officers and men still return them as they are? Chen Ba also said just now that there is a rule for the placement of Zheng family soldiers, who are willing to enlist in the army and receive salaries, and who are willing to reward and resettle for the people. As for the officials, they will be rewarded by the high lords, but whether they will have real power again depends on your future appearance.

Arrange accommodation, Zhang Luo banquet, Chen Ba and Quanzhou officials are very attentive and enthusiastic. His Royal Highness Min has already issued an order to treat the officers and soldiers who come to vote for the Zheng family, and now this is a heavyweight.

"Let's take a good look at it in the future!" Seeing that there were no outsiders, Zheng Mingjun said helplessly: "His Royal Highness Min is not a master who can be bullied, don't be delusional." Even if you can't reuse it, it's better to be a rich man when you return to your hometown than to die at the hands of Zheng Jing or to be a ghost in a foreign land. ”

"His Royal Highness Min is not even afraid of the Tartars, is he afraid of Zheng Jing?" Zheng Zhangxu was unwilling, and said: "The two join forces-"

"What else are you talking about?" Zheng Mingjun rebuked unhappily: "If you say such a thing in front of His Royal Highness Min, won't it make His Highness suspicious, thinking that it is just an expedient measure for us to come to take refuge, and there will be a recurrence in the future." Don't speak lightly. ”

"Young Marquis, Uncle Ru is really a good word." Chen Xiu, the imperial historian, persuaded euphemistically: "Even if it is that Zheng Jing, he also serves as a minister, and when the holy decree arrives, he will also burn incense and set up a case, and he will welcome it respectfully." Even if he is self-motivated, he does not dare to openly sit on an equal footing with the imperial court and speak falsely about the two families. ”

Zheng Zhangxu suddenly realized that he had indeed made a big mistake by saying nothing.

"My nephew knows it's wrong." Zheng Zhangxu bowed to Zheng Mingjun and said: "Habit, if you haven't changed it for a while, you will definitely not do it again in the future." ”

Zheng Mingjun hurriedly stretched out his hand to help. Said sincerely: "His Royal Highness Min is for the British Lord, you are still young, if you want to make a contribution, according to His Royal Highness's attention to the water master, there is still a great opportunity." If you don't want to fight, you will use your father's convenience to trade with the Japanese country. The rich side is also the way to preserve. ”

"My nephew is still used to chopping the waves and galloping on the sea." Zheng Zhangxu told the truth and said: "The business affairs will be handed over to my uncle." My father has hundreds of thousands of silver deposits in the Japanese country, and presumably His Royal Highness Min will not accept our private ships, so we can run them. ”

"It's fine." Zheng Mingjun nodded and said, "One is in the official, the other is in business." It's thoughtful, too. My uncle is old and no longer suitable for the bumps in the sea, so let's do something for the family to take root on the shore! ”

Taking advantage of the fact that the Zheng family officials were going to wash and change clothes, Chen Ba, the loyal and brave marquis, also recruited his subordinates and ordered the arrangement.

"Immediately send a clipper to send a letter to the naval division Deng Houye, asking him to bring a naval division to Quanzhou to select the Zheng family's warships and officers and soldiers."

"If I report to His Highness Min urgently, I can't tell what His Highness expected. The Zheng family has renewed civil strife. Well, the Marquis of Jianping (Zheng Tai) has been killed by Zheng Jing. His younger brother and son led ships, officers and soldiers, and family members to Quanzhou to take refuge. His subordinates have arranged for Zheng Mingjun, Zheng Zhangxu and others to go to Guangzhou for an audience, and they will arrive in a few days. ”

"Besides—" Chen Ba hesitated, waved his hand, and said, "I'll write the letter myself!" ”

As an old general of the Zheng family who first joined Zhu Yongxing, Chen Ba has never had the opportunity to earn military merits to prove his worth. was arranged by Zhu Yongxing to guard Quanzhou. He also understood what Zhu Yongxing meant. Now seeing the civil strife in the Zheng family, this large number of soldiers will be surrendered, and it seems that they have completed their tasks and can go out to fight and gallop.

"His Royal Highness Min is really a celestial man, and what he expects will be right." The subordinates took the order and left. Chen Ba, the loyal and brave marquis, couldn't help but sigh generously when he was alone.

Before coming to Quanzhou, Zhu Yongxing specially explained some things to him, including the possibility that the Zheng family might have another civil strife, and it was very likely that heavyweights were killed in the civil strife, and that his relatives or old troops might lead a large number of warships, officers and soldiers to come and defect, and told him to entertain him well and not leave him out in the cold.

The heavyweight, Chen Ba was not sure who it was at that time, but now he is completely clear, and he said that he was stupid, and he should have thought that it was Jianping Hou Zheng Tai a long time ago. Zheng Chenggong died of illness, Zheng Jing, as the son of the world, is naturally the son of his father, and within the Zheng family, the only one who can fight against him is the patriarch Zheng Tai. Only Zheng Tai would have such great influence, his relatives or old subordinates could pull out a large number of warships and officers and soldiers.

After this civil strife, Zheng Jing no longer worries about His Highness. Chen Ba knew the strength of the Zheng family very well, and knew that the weight of the warships and officers and soldiers brought by Zheng Mingjun and Zheng Zhangxu in it was not half of it, but also three or a quarter. Coupled with the imperial court sailors, it should be Zheng Jing who is afraid, right?

…………

When the messenger sent by Chen Ba was galloping on the road, Zhu Yongxing had already obtained information about the Zheng family's civil strife. Zheng Tai was killed, and his brother and his son fled by boat with the Kinmen officers and their families. Although it is not known where Zheng Mingjun and Zheng Zhangxu and others fled to, ninety percent of them may have defected to the imperial court.

"It's really decisive, resolute!" Zhu Yongxing was a little sarcastic, "Did Zheng Jing overestimate his authority and underestimate Zheng Tai's influence?" ”

"This-" Ye Hu was also quite disdainful, considered the words, and said: "It is estimated that he is impatient and unscrupulous, or he is too suspicious to wait." ”

Zhu Yongxing shook his head, even if you want to unify the power, you can't be so hasty, right? made the soldiers feel cold and their strength was greatly damaged, he didn't expect such a consequence? It's really incomprehensible!

"Your Highness—" Ye Hu presented another piece of information, his expression was a little strange, "Wu Zhirong was killed, but it was not the hand of the Intelligence Bureau, this is a dereliction of duty on the part of his subordinates." ”

"It's good to be dead, it doesn't matter who did it." Zhu Yongxing didn't care at first, and read the information casually, but his eyes widened, and he raised his head in disbelief, looked at Ye Hu and said, "How could the Qing court be like this?" ”

"The subordinates are estimated to be the strategy of Hong Chengchou, an old traitor." Ye Hu guessed and said: "He used this trick when he was in Huguang to win over the hearts of the gentry in Huguang. ”

Wu Zhirong of Anzhi County wanted to make great achievements and reported the government to the "History of the Ming Dynasty" published by Zhuang's family. went to the Hangzhou general's office first, because of the implication of the Hangzhou general's curtain guest Cheng Weifan, the governor Zhu Changzuo, the superintendent Hu Shangheng, and the two academic officials of Gui'an and Wucheng, etc., they were jointly suppressed. Zhuang bribed everyone heavily, and deleted the words and phrases related to the original book and republished it. Wu Zhirong failed to make this plan, that is, he purchased the first edition and sued the Beijing Division. The intelligence bureau could not chase and kill, and the matter was finally heard by the Qing court, and the case was discovered.

But to Zhu Yongxing's surprise, the Qing court's handling was very different from history. The whistleblower Wu Zhirong was dismissed and exiled, the dealer was fined a huge sum, and the rest of those involved in the "History of the Ming Dynasty" were not investigated.

And Ye Hu suspected Hong Chengchou. There was a similar move in the Changsha shogunate. At that time, when Pan Zhengxian, the former governor of Changsha in the Southern Ming Dynasty, was the first to make a whistleblowing, more than 20 people led by Tao Runai were arrested, and more than 100 people (or more than 300 people) from all over Hunan were implicated in this case.

While many Qing officials in Hunan insisted that "it is necessary to punish Jing Gen severely," Hong Chengchou went against the policy of the former magistrate, and also changed the Qing court's past normal handling of similar major cases of restoring sight, and handled the case unexpectedly. The Hunan gentry who were exposed for their anti-Qing activities were all acquitted, while the informant Pan Zhengxian was beheaded.

"Buying people's hearts is also a matter of form." Zhu Yongxing listened to Ye Hu's story. sneering at a pun, this comment is not only to Hong Chengchou, but also to the current Qing court's handling of the "History of the Ming Dynasty" case.

When Hong Chengchou first organized the Changsha shogunate, he adopted a strategic defensive position against the Ming army in the southwest, while the Huguang gentry were more inclined to the Ming court. Hong Chengchou's special handling of Tao Runai's case was not due to his personal benevolence or whim, but was determined by the shape of the time. Only by narrowing the scope of the attack can we strive to win the support of all sides.

Tong guò this opportunity. Hong Chengchou quickly changed the delicate shape that was very unfavorable to the Qing army, and gained the initiative to stabilize the situation and win the hearts and minds of the people. This is the mystery of the special handling of this case. The Qing court had no objection to this at that time, which also reflected the strength and stamina of the Qing court's strategic contraction.

There is a great similarity between the current shape and the time, Jiangsu and Zhejiang were under the attack of the Ming army, and the people's hearts were shaken, which was extremely unfavorable to the Qing court. If the prison is rebuilt at this time, I am afraid that it will make matters worse. It also aroused the people's hearts of resistance.

"This time I despised the Qing court." Zhu Yongxing smiled to himself and said: "The Qing court is not not only incompetent, but also sensitive to changes in shape. ”

"This treatment is also a sign of the Qing court's weakness and timidity, and it wants to try to stabilize the hearts of the people in order to fight our army. It can be seen that the Qing army has struggled in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Don't dare to act like a coercion again. Ye Hu also judged this way, expressing optimism about Jiangnan Shape shì.

"I wonder how those scholars and literati who have been granted amnesty will react?" Zhu Yongxing thought for a while, smiled with relief after a while, and said: "In today's form, they have nothing to do with the overall situation, but the Zheng family soldiers who have come to vote are the top priority. After this chaos, Zheng Jing's strength has been greatly damaged, and he no longer dares to move lightly, while the strength of our sailors is even stronger, and he can carry out a more active and fierce offensive......"

There was a knock on the door, and after getting Zhu Yongxing's permission, the clerk of the confidential room hurriedly walked in and presented an urgent report with joy.

Zhu Yongxing finished browsing the emergency report at a glance and smiled heartily, "Jiangxi won a big victory, Wei Junzhong did a good job, and issued an edict to commend him." Well, I just got promoted to major general, and the rank is not suitable for the time being, so I will reward something else! “

…………

On the sixth day of October in the sixteenth year of Yongli (the first year of Kangxi), the Qing army counselor dispatched from Quzhou, Zhejiang, led 15,000 reinforcements led by Sang Ji, the commander of the military affairs guard, and Xi Bu, the deputy commander of the capital, arrived in the Hengfeng area and fought a fierce battle with the Zhengshuo army that was firmly held here.

The first division of the Zhengshuo Army, which was secretly stationed in Pucheng, Fujian Province, suddenly dispatched and invaded Jiangxi with great speed, taking Guangfeng lightly, and then conquering Guangxin (now Shangrao), cutting off the back road of the Qing army led by Sangji and Xibu.

On October 11, the Ming army launched a general attack, and the two divisions attacked in a flank attack, and the killing sound shook the sky. The Qing army, which was trapped between Shangrao and Hengfeng, was defeated and almost completely annihilated. The deputy commander of the capital was not in the formation, and the commander of the counselor's military affairs army, Sang Ji, only led a few horses.

The Ming army took advantage of the victory to advance, conquered Yushan and Changshan, and entered Zhejiang to force Quzhou. The Qing army in Zhejiang urgently transferred troops to reinforce Quzhou, but the Ming army suddenly moved south after conquering Changshan County, conquered Jiangshan County, and copied Xianxia Pass.

On October 17, Wei Junzhong commanded the 1st Division, under the cover of artillery fire, to attack Fujian and Zhejiang from behind to storm Xianxia Pass. The defenders of Xianxia Pass, who were cut off from retreat, were distraught, and only resisted for two hours under the fierce attack of the Ming army, and then surrendered under the leadership of the chief military officer Zu Hongxun.

At this point, Fujian and Zhejiang want to rush to Xianxia Pass and Divide the Water Pass for the Ming army to occupy, both offensive and defensive. The first division of Wei Junzhong was completely liberated, and then entered Jiangxi in full force to attack Raozhou, and the Qing army Raozhou Poyang battalion mutinied, and the first division took Raozhou lightly, and was able to take a boat from Poyang Lake to the Yangtze River, or cross the lake to attack Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province.

With the help of the first division, after destroying the Qing army from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the Zhengshuo army no longer had any worries, and went south from Fuzhou to Ji'an, and the target of the attack was directly aimed at Ganzhou, one of the main forces of the Qing army in Jiangxi.

A series of attacks turned around, leaving the Qing army exhausted. The Qing army in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Zhejiang lost more than 10,000 horses, and the Xianxia Pass and the Fenshui Pass were all in the hands of the Ming army, and the task of defense was suddenly arduous, and it was impossible to send troops to aid Jiangxi.

At this time, the main force of the Qing army in Jiangxi was roughly divided into two groups, one was stationed in Ganzhou to defend the entry of the Ming army in Guangdong; The second is to assemble in Nanchang one after another to guard the capital. The troops in the hinterland of Jiangxi were extremely empty, and the expeditionary army was able to advance quickly. As long as the friendly forces in Shaoguan join forces to flank and solve the Qing army in Ganzhou, another Ming army will free up their hands and feet to join the battle group. The war situation in Jiangxi will also be one-sided.

………… (To be continued......)