Chapter 322: Fighting on two fronts

Chen Cao's words obviously couldn't convince Sun Dewen, after all, he had already said in person just now that he wanted to conquer North Korea in person: "Your Highness, the slave maid doesn't know what His Highness's intentions are. ”

Chen Cao motioned for Sun Dewen to sit down, and then indifferently ate a bite of the mango from the South Seas in front of the table: "Now that the 600,000 troops of the Northern Dynasties are gathering in Nanzhili, the purpose is to complete the battle, after all, this battle between the north and the south has consumed the actual strength of both sides, and the two sides have no way to crush the opponent in terms of national strength;

So, after the king made a personal expedition to Korea, down the sea, from behind the attack on Beijing City, according to my Jinyi Wei secret agent report, now the Northern Army Beijing camp troops have been less than 100,000, the troops in all parts of the nine sides have been requisitioned, all in the south of Zhili, as long as the left deputy general Zhang Gaoping can drag the Northern Dynasty Chengguo Gong army, then the king can directly attack the Northern Dynasty court from behind, Beijing City is just around the corner. ”

Sun Dewen obviously has no literacy in military attainments, and he was a little dazed by Chen Cao's words: "Your Highness means that you want to sneak attack from behind and destroy you with a false way?" ”

"Eh..."Chen Cao looked pleased: "Father-in-law Sun is now also the palm print of the celebrant eunuch, and he has also improved a lot in knowledge. ”

"What about Jiangbei?"

Facing Sun Dewen's question, Chen Cao pointed at Song Che and said: "See, this is my Liang Domain's general, Song Che and Song Shixiu, this time this time the prince is in charge of the Korean conquest and the Jiangbei war, and he will temporarily take it..."

Sun Dewen frowned, Song Che had only heard that there was such a general under Chen Cao, but after all, he did not have the prestige of Zhang Gaoping and Li Wanchang and others, if he was allowed to serve as the general of Pingbei, I am afraid that he would not be able to convince the public.

Just when Sun Dewen looked Song Che up and down, Chen Cao also saw his doubts, so he said: "Sun Gongxin, you go back and tell the Holy Lord that this battle of Jiangbei is under the full command of Zhang Gaoping, and Song Che will lead the troops of my Liang Domain to obey the dispatch." ”

Sun Dewen was greatly relieved when he heard this, and then smiled with a long sigh of relief: "There are not many slaves left, so I have to go back to Nanjing to reply to the emperor." ”

Chen Cao laughed: "Grandpa Sun is not in a hurry, now that the railway of my Liang Fan has been laid to Chunhua Town, it only takes two and a half days to reach Chunhua Town by train, and it is only two hours from Chunhua Town to Beijing, don't worry." ”

When Sun Dewen came, he took a steam train, and he had long been determined to go back and promote the industrial development of the Liang Domain to Zhu Yousong, especially the black train.

Sending Sun Dewen away, Chen Cao's smiling face was gone, but he looked at Song Che: "In this battle of Jiangbei, you have only one task, stick to the defense line of the river, if there is any disharmony, retreat to Nanjing, and take the three divisions of the Dingwu Army." ”

Song Che clenched his fists: "Don't worry, the prince will be measured in the end." ”

After speaking, Chen Cao looked at the people around the round table again: "You are all my Chen Cao's henchmen, and the main reason for the sudden turn of the gun to conquer North Korea this time is that the North Korea has interrupted the coal trade with us." ”

Coal is now the core of the entire Liang Domain, and the reason why Chen Cao sent Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng to cross the sea to fight Arabia is also because of oil, and if you control oil, you will be able to control the whole world in the future.

Originally, it was also a good thing that Shanxi's coal was sold to the Liang Domain, but since the steam train and the use of various coal were put into military use, Emperor Chongzhen paid special attention to it, and under the investigation of all forces, he finally knew the secret of the Liang Domain, so the original coal for grain was also greatly reduced, making Chen Cao's coal unable to make ends meet.

As a last resort, Chen Cao chose North Korea, because North Korea was the world's largest coal producer, and although their land was barren, it was also because of the incredible amount of minerals buried in the ground, which made it impossible to use the land effectively.

As for wanting North Korea's coal, Chen Cao thought that it would be better to take advantage of this good opportunity to completely conquer Korea in the name of surrendering to Jiannu, and it would be a good thing to turn Korea into a subsidiary province or autonomous province of the Ming Dynasty in the future.

"Jiannu conquered Korea twice, forced Korea to submit by force, and now the national strength of North Korea is declining more and more, and the people's lives are not as good as before, the focus is still because of Jiannu's slavery system in Korea, as well as the newly established Korean Eight Banners Army, it is reported that there is no one in ten young and strong men in North Korea today;

As long as I arrive in North Korea, I believe that I will be able to get the support of the Korean people, and after driving away Jiannu, hehe, taking over North Korea is just around the corner. ”

Everyone agreed, and nodded in agreement.

Chen Cao stood up, and everyone also stood up and looked solemnly: "Order, all armies are ready immediately, and when Zheng Zhilong's fleet arrives at the port, our army will set off for Korea." ”

.

The third day of the seventh month of the fourth year of Chongzhen (the second year of Chongde, 1631 in the Western calendar)

Chen Cao personally led more than 55,000 people from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Divisions of the Dingwu Army to board the sea ship and officially set off for Korea, while Song Che also led the 6th, 9th, and 10th Divisions of the Dingwu Army to Nanjing.

Although it was a two-front battle, Chen Cao felt that the Korean War would be a very good battle.

The general of Liaodong was Liu Xingzuo, and Zhang Yingwu was the commander of the 52nd Division, and they obeyed Liu Xingzuo's orders.

Liu Xingzuo, who had lived on the island for more than a few months, was a little bored, and after Mao Wenlong, the chief soldier of the island, was deceived and killed by Yuan Chonghuan, the soldiers and horses under the command of Mao Wenlong suddenly surrendered to Jiannu who came to attack Phi Island under the leadership of his general Geng Zhongming after two months of silence.

After Liu Xingzuo landed, the original fortifications on Phi Island had long been gone, and the original Ming army troops who stayed behind had long since shaved their hair and changed their clothes and became traitors.

It's just that these dozens of people suddenly saw the fleet of ships that covered the sky and the sun arriving at the port of Phi Dao, and they were so frightened that they couldn't possess their bodies, and the big flag with the word 'Ming' fluttering on the ship was rustling in the wind, frightening those traitors one by one.

The leader turned out to be a hundred household officials, because he was injured after fighting with Jiannu, and after Geng Zhongming and others left, he had no backstage and was left to guard Phi Island, and the officers and soldiers on the island were all old, weak, sick and disabled, and they couldn't make a big deal at all.

Liu Xingzuo looked at the hair that came out of the heads of the hundred households, and said coldly: "Back then, the general had a good position in Jiannu, and after he came back, he cut off his braids, and it took nearly three months to grow his hair again, but the army under the command of the prince has now shaved off the long hair that is in the way." ”

Liu Xingzuo also found that as long as people leave short hair and inch hair, they look very spiritual, and it is quite comfortable to wear a cloth peaked military hat without fighting.

"General Liu," Zhang Yingwu personally came to the commanding heights of Phi Island and handed an official letter to Liu Xingzuo: "The official document of the prince, the messenger of Jinyiwei is coming, the army has set off, and the prince ordered us to land in the hinterland of Korea first and open the way for the army." ”

Liu Xingzuo took the official document, originally he was digging graves, but halfway through receiving the news that he was stationed on Phi Island, which made him seem a little at a loss.

Liu Xingzuo and Amin are in North Korea, they have a map of North Korea in their hands, and he can also speak North Korean, and entering North Korea at this moment is his strength.

"Crossing the sea from Phi Island and going directly south to Ganghwa Bay, first taking the surrounding islands near the port of Incheon, the Korean naval division has been in a slump since Yi Sunsin, and our army has carried out a lightning battle, and the Korean army that can hit Inchon is taken by surprise, and even the Kiennu stationed in Inchon cannot quickly support."

Liu Xingzuo first explained the battle plan to Zhang Yingwu, and then turned his head to look at him and said: "The strength of the North Korean naval division is not to worry, besides, our army suddenly arrived in its Gyeonggi Province, maybe the North Korean authorities will be happy." ”

Four days later, Liu Xingzuo's fleet took advantage of the night to raid the two islands of Yongyou and Wuyi off the coast of Incheon, and there were not many Korean garrisons on the two islands at all.

The news naturally lagged behind, and it was only after Liu Xingzuo entered Yongzong Town that he learned from the captured Korean army officers that more than ninety percent of the Korean sailors had been transferred to Liaodong by Jiannu.

Liu Xingzuo was shocked, Jiannu's mobilization of North Korean sailors was a big goal, and it was unknown where their ultimate goal was, but thinking that they would be able to see Chen Cao in a month, Liu Xingzuo didn't take this matter to heart.

"According to the prisoners, Yeongjong Town is under the jurisdiction of the Incheon Metropolitan Protectorate, and now the armies of all provinces in Korea are like decorations, except for the east and west provinces of Pyongan and the north and south provinces of Hamgyong where thousands of Jiannu soldiers are stationed, only Gyeonggi Seoul has more than 3,000 Jiannu foot cavalry stationed in the Korean provinces, and there are no rest."

Zhang Yingwu put a lot of effort into intelligence because he wanted to fight North Korea: "After our army enters Incheon, North Korea should be unable to deal with it, but according to the Jinyiwei who sent the order, the purpose of the prince's personal expedition to the DPRK is to include North Korea in the Ming Dynasty." ”

Liu Xingzuo was stunned for a moment, and instantly remembered that North Korea was the head of the country that the Ming Dynasty did not conquer, but then he thought that if Chen Cao ascended the throne and became emperor in the future, it was very likely that the name of the country would be changed, and then the regulations of the Ming Dynasty Taizu would not be able to require him to implement: "Hanging the people and cutting down the crime? ”

This is the explanation that Liu Xingzuo can think of, Zhang Yingwu is also a cultural person, and then nodded: "Maybe that's the case, our department was ordered to drive the army forward, and after occupying Incheon, I waited on the spot." ”

"There are thousands of Kennu troops around Seoul, what if they come to attack?"

Liu Xingzuo took a deep breath: "Our army is lone and deep, as long as we don't take the initiative to attack Seoul, the Jiannu army will definitely be strictly guarded, and maybe we will mobilize reinforcements from Ping'an Road to rush over, there are few Jiannu people, and it is one that can kill one..."

Zhang Yingwu nodded thoughtfully after listening.

The next day, Jang Young-mu led his army to cross the sea by boat, attacked the port of Incheon, landed at Incheon smoothly, and occupied the Incheon Metropolitan Protectorate at the same time, and a day and a half later, the news reached Seoul, and the North Koreans were shocked...