From Shanhaiguan to Northern Zhili, and from Northern Zhili to Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan; fought Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, Sun Kewang, Liu Wenxiu, and Li Dingguo

From the first year of Shunzhi to the present, Wu Sangui has been working hard for the Qing Dynasty for 16 years. It can even be said that half of the Qing Dynasty was defeated by Wu Sangui. So some people say that without the Pingxi King, there would be no Qing Dynasty; some people say that if there was no Pingxi King, it would be that Li Chuang would sit in Beijing, Zhang Xianzhong would occupy the southwest, Zhu Ming would occupy the south of the Yangtze River, and the people of Manzhou occupied the pass outside the pass, where did the Qing Dynasty come from! Some people in the capital slander Wu Sangui, saying that if the world was three points, there would definitely be his Wu family.

Fortunately, the Qing court did not believe these rumors and malicious slander. Although he was always on guard against Wu Sangui, he still let it go, otherwise there would be no Yunnan and Guizhou pacification. After Zhu Youlang abandoned the country and fled, the Qing court rewarded the merits, and Wu Sangui of Jin was the Prince of Pingxi, which made Wu Sangui the first and only prince of Jin among the Han vassal kings. At that time, the Sanshun King had already met the King of Hell.

Wu Sangui became Prince Pingxi, and his subordinates were naturally encouraged. Doni, the real commander of the Qing army in the southwest, was not happy and was afraid of Wu Sangui because the Han prince had more troops than him, the prince of Manzhou. According to reliable information, Wu Sangui had accommodated and incorporated Ming troops with a population of up to 100,000 in a few months, and together with his headquarters, there were tens of thousands of troops, but Doni could control less than 80,000 troops, including 14,000 people in Manzhou and 20,000 Mongolian soldiers, and the remaining were the Han army and the Green Camp. The remaining tens of thousands of surrendered troops adapted from the Yunnan-Guizhou Ming army became a little unstable because of the defeat of Roto and Zhao Butai in Guangxi. Doni did not trust them.

In terms of military strength alone, Doni's commander was a bit inconsistent, so he couldn't understand why the emperor wanted Wu Sangui as the prince. Even if he wanted to be the prince, he should have been the first to be the Duni and then Wu Sangui, otherwise Doni would have been the only one to suppress Wu Sangui.

Prince Luo Keduo, the prince of Ping, came to complain again, saying that he had no food to eat in Guizhou, and could not advance or retreat, and had to endure the harassment of the unruly natives in Guizhou. It was really miserable. Now, except for several big cities such as Guiyang to be in town, Luo Keduo could no longer control the rest of Guizhou, resulting in the news, half of the grain channels were blocked, and it was even more difficult to collect food. If Doni did not replenish him with military rations, Luo Keduo would have to shrink across the board and retreat directly to Guiyang.

Donnie knew about Luo Keduo's suffering, because he was also very bitter. After the news of Roto and Zhao Butai's defeat in Guangxi was returned, some Ming troops who had surrendered to the Qing army immediately started to mess up. Many of the chieftains who surrendered also responded to the rebellion, causing the war to rise again in Yunnan. The original pacification policy deployed by Hong Chengchou was completely failed. After Zhu Youlang abandoned the country, the situation that was beneficial to the Qing army was completely ruined. The Qing army, who had exhausted and was looking forward to returning to Beijing, had to wear armor again to pacify the place.

Fortunately, the Taiping Army in Guangdong and Guangxi did not advance westward from Guangxi after annihilated Roto and Zhao Butai. The Ming army and chieftains who were in chaos did not receive support from the Taiping Army, lacked contact with each other and had no unified command, so they were quickly suppressed by the Qing army. Even so, the Qing army also suffered thousands of casualties. The casualties were secondary. The key is that this chaos that lasted for nearly two months made Yunnan, which had already withered people's livelihood worse, and directly led to a significant decrease in the food and grass that the Qing army could collect and manpower.

What annoyed Doni the most was that the Ming general Di Sanpin of Jianchang had already agreed with the Qing army to host the Ming Dynasty's Qingyang King Feng Shuangli to surrender to the Qing Dynasty. However, since he learned that the Taiping Army occupied Huguang and solved the difficulties for Kuidong Zhongzhen Camp, he defeated the Qing army in Guangxi and killed General Luo Tou, and after he stepped on Guoan, he immediately regretted not surrendering to the Qing Dynasty.

Sichuan had good news. First, they defeated Kuidong troops twice in Chongqing to seize the city. Later, Sichuan Governor Gao Minzhan, in accordance with the instructions of Li Guoying, the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, sent troops from Baoning to collect Guanxian, Mianzhu, Shifang, Hanzhou, Jianzhou and other places, and entered Chengdu. The Ming Dynasty generals Liu Yao, Yang Youcai, Cao Changzuo, Chen Anguo, Zhao Youyan and other miscellaneous troops who guarded Chengdu automatically retreated. The Qing army entered Chengdu, the provincial capital of "thorns all over the city". Li Guoying and Gao Minzhan successively surrendered the Ming Anwu General Yang Guoming, and the general Wu Guoyong. The Ming Dynasty officials of all prefectures and counties along the way were all surrendered to the Yin and surrendered, and the southern Sichuan was settled.

It’s a pity that Sichuan’s good news cannot affect the situation in Yunnan and Guizhou. As long as the Taiping Army continues to block the Hunan-Guizhou and Guizhou borders, the hundreds of thousands of Qing countries in Yunnan and Guizhou will be like trapped birds and will be difficult to spread their wings and fly high.

In early July, Doni received a message that the Taiping Army in Guangdong and the Zhongzhen Camp in Huguang jointly supported the brother of the pseudo-Ming Longwu, Tang Wang Zhu Yue, to supervise the country in Guangzhou. Before the shocking news had been digested, another news came from Wu Sangui's army. It was said that someone in the Wu army was talking about what was flying birds and good bows were hidden; cunning rabbits died, and lack dogs cooked

The Qing court was the prince himself. In the past, Wu Sangui would definitely be ecstatic, but now he is not surprised. However, in front of outsiders, Prince Pingxi was still grateful for the grace of the Qing Dynasty, and he was only crying.

After Su Yunxiang returned from Myanmar, he brought the exact news to Wu Sangui, that is, his blockade of the Yunnan-Burma border was successful. At least in the Yongli monarch and ministers and Li Dingguo in Myanmar, Bai Wenxuan's remnants did not know about the war in Guangdong and Guangxi and the state affairs of the Tang King.

A few days ago, Doni sent the Minister of Guard Ai Xinga to Wu Sangui's army. Ai Xinga had two purposes: one was to ask Wu Sangui to allocate some military rations to transport it to Guizhou, and the other was to ask Wu Sangui to send troops to wipe out the remaining soldiers of Li Dingguo who were operating on the border.

Ai Xinga did not mention asking Wu Sangui to send troops to Myanmar to capture and kill Yongli. I wonder if Beijing knew that the Tang king of the Ming Dynasty was in Guangzhou. Yongli, the pseudo-Ming emperor, had no meaning, so he didn't want to pay attention, because Beijing's attention was completely focused on the Guangdong direction.

No matter what the reason, the Qing court did not explicitly order him to lead his troops into Myanmar, which was a good thing for Wu Sangui, because he did not want to kill Yongli.

He knew very well that although the Qing court promoted himself to prince, he was a Han man after all, and he was a companion halfway and had heavy troops in his hands. The Qing court could not really trust him, otherwise he would not have sent Li Guohan to monitor and prevent him for so many years. I am afraid that the biggest reason for himself was not that Yongli was driven out of foreign countries and pointed at him into Myanmar, but because of the great changes in Guangdong and Guangxi. Roto and Zhao Butai were wiped out in Guangxi, and not only tens of thousands of soldiers were destroyed, but the only hope that the Qing army in the southwest would break out of the encirclement. The Qing court knew this, Donni knew, and Wu Sangui knew even more. It was no different to expecting Pingkeduo, a guy who was not even as good as Donni, to open up the border of Hunan and Guizhou, which was no different from expecting a sow to climb a tree.

Wu Sangui did not refuse Ai Xing'a's request to transfer grain. When he pacified Na Song and his son, he received a lot of food and grass. In addition, he recruited the border chieftains and the Ming army armed forces, unlike the Qing army in other places, he attached great importance to restoring the local area and appointed many surrendered officials in the Ming Dynasty to manage and manage it, making him famous for the King of Pingxi and more popular than the Qing Dynasty. But Wu Sangui can only control the western and southern Yunnan areas. This area is relatively poor and the army cannot be stationed for a long time, so Wu Sangui needs a larger territory to raise troops. Therefore, he hopes that Beijing can fulfill Dorgon's promise back then and let him pacify King of Pingxi and Yongzhen Yunnan and Guizhou.

If Beijing wants to give him Yunnan and Guizhou, Wu Sangui naturally could not show any disloyalty to the Qing court. He agreed to Ai Xing'a's request and transported 800 stones of food and grass to Guizhou. This move made Ai Xing'a satisfied and wrote a memorial to Pingxi King and said a lot of good things for him. However, Dorni had no reaction.

But at some point, who spread the situation in the army, saying that the court might have to die in the King of Pingxi, and the lackeys were cooked. In addition, news about Guangdong and Guangxi have been heard one after another, and Wu Sangui recruited a large number of Ming troops and surrendered troops began to become unstable, and even his direct general Guanning was confused and uneasy about the situation.

Wu Sangui could not stop the spread of rumors, and he was also a little guilty and afraid. He was guilty not because he sent Su Yunxiang to Myanmar to show goodwill to the Yongli court, but because he was also worried that if Guangdong and Guangxi supported the Tang Dynasty and the Qing army in Yunnan and Guizhou failed one after another, was the Qing court worried that Wu Sangui would be like a fence-broken man?

The eldest son-in-law Xia Guoxiang heard rumors from somewhere, saying that the emperor of Beijing was preparing to go south to personally expedition, intending to let Wu Sangui lead the army from Sichuan and Shaanxi to join the Huguang battlefield.

The feasibility of this rumor is very low, because if Beijing really wants Wu Sangui to join the Huguang battlefield, he can directly let him go north from Guizhou, so why bother going around and traveling from Sichuan and Shaanxi? Luo Keduo, Guizhou, cannot rush out, does not mean that Wu Sangui cannot rush out either.

Wu Sangui smiled contemptuously and said in front of his subordinates that the rumor is very ridiculous and he doesn't need to be paid attention to. But his subordinates don't think so. Guo Yunlong said that the prince is now holding heavy troops, so of course he has the final say in Yunnan. But what if the Qing court really let the prince return north, will the prince still have the final say at that time?

Wu Sangui was silent. The Qing Dynasty military system was like the Ming Dynasty, and soldiers and generals had to be separated. Once he really returned north, he had to hand over the military power in his hands according to the system and be the Prince of Anle. It would be a bad idea to think about anything else.

But Wu Sangui has never been a person who is content with peace and happiness. He has no soldiers in his hands. Who can guarantee that the Qing court will not really die or cook a cunning rabbit?

The so-called king's way is impermanent. Dorgon made such great contributions to the Qing Dynasty, but he was still dug out and whipped the corpse after his death. The young emperor's nature is impermanent, and Wu Sangui couldn't guarantee that he would not kill himself, and he would be punished with one.

After all, Wu Sangui is a Han Chinese!

What to do now? The group of strategists and generals under the King of Pingxi were different. For safety reasons, Wu Sangui summoned them one by one. The reason why he summoned them alone was because Wu Sangui knew that there must be people stationed by the Qing court around him. In addition, Doni's army was still eyeing Kunming, so he could not guarantee that all his subordinates were loyal to him. But for a few confidants, such as the counselor Fang Xianting, Hu Shouliang, son-in-law Xia Guo Prime Minister, Hu Guozhu, Guo Yunlong and others, Wu Sangui naturally didn't have to be so careful. If he was careful with these people, then no one would trust the King of Pingxi.

Hu Guozhu asked Wu Sangui about his true intention of sending Su Yunxiang to Myanmar to meet Yongli. Wu Sangui smiled and said to him that he was just nostalgic for the old master and had no desire for enlightenment.

Hu Guozhu didn't say anything after hearing this, but Prime Minister Xia was thinking.

Hu Shouliang knew the true intention of the benefactor. He said to Wu Sangui: "Prince, the matter of restoring the Ming Dynasty is not good yet. One is that there is few soldiers, the other is that there is no basis, and the third is that there is no money, grain and equipment are not enough to start. Therefore, we must first establish a foothold and take root and accumulate more than one's savings before we can follow the example of Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty and Zhu Wu of the Ming Dynasty, and then make plans."

Su Yunxiang nodded and said, "The prince should plan to guard the southwest at present, and do not return to Beijing. It is best to strive to learn from Mu Ying of the Ming Dynasty to guard Yunnan for generations and gain a foothold before planning."

Fang Xianting nodded slightly. As early as the Qing Dynasty was fighting with Sun Kewang's Western Army in the Hunan area of ​​Guizhou, Fang Xianting advised Wu Sangui not to completely wipe out the Southern Ming Dynasty. He should take this opportunity to go out to Hanzhong to occupy Wuchang, and take Jiangnan as the base, and then advance northward. Wu Sangui did he hesitate at the beginning, but he eventually thought it was too hasty, insufficient troops, and insufficient time. If he really did this, the Southern Ming and Qing Dynasty might attack him from the north and south, so he did not adopt the opinion.

"Keep the cunning rabbit, and the lackeys will save themselves!"

The person who spoke was the general Guo Yunlong, who was the Guanning direct descendant of Wu Sangui. He was born and died with Wu Sangui. In Wu Sangui's heart, he was worth as much as his two sons-in-law.

The horoscope that Guo Yunlong mentioned was actually what Wu Sangui did now. The reason why he did not continue to pursue Emperor Yongli who entered Myanmar was his intention. Wu Sangui now ordered not to pursue other Ming forces in Yunnan, such as the remaining soldiers of Li Dingguo, and even recently ordered the frontline generals not to force Li's troops too urgently and give them some space for activity. The frontline reports about Li Dingguo and Bai Wenxuan are training the army and may wait for an opportunity to counterattack this information. Wu Sangui did not order corresponding measures to take strict orders to block the border and prevent Li Dingguo and the others from contacting the country.

Wu Sangui didn't mind Guo Yunlong using the word "detached dog". Instead, he thought these two words were most appropriate to describe him.

"I also want to stay in Yunnan and Guizhou, but if the imperial court really wants me to return north, it will be difficult."

Hu Shouliang said: "The prince is afraid that he needs Mr. Hong to help him in this matter."

Wu Sangui thought about it and wrote a letter to send someone to Hong Chengchou, who was sent to Kunming. A few days later, Hong Chengchou really made an excuse to come to Wu Sangui's army. Wu Sangui hurriedly ordered people to prepare a banquet, but not many people attended the banquet, and they were all Wu Sangui's confidants. However, Hong Chengchou was not a follower and went to the banquet alone. Obviously, Old Master Hong should be more cautious.

The banquet was served with a table of dishes that were not too luxurious or too simple. It not only showed the respect of Wu Sangui, a student, to the teacher, but also to show the characteristics of the banquet.

Hong Chengchou glanced at the wine and food on the table, smiled and said to Wu Sangui, "Changbai, I am not a glutton. It's too rich to enjoy me like this!"

Wu Sangui said hurriedly: "The teacher is busy with political affairs and it is difficult to get my place. This is the student's wish. Please give a brief look at the works."

In terms of officialdom, Hong Chengchou is the ambassador of the administration. Although he is also a marquis, he is not as high as Wu Sangui's Prince Pingxi. However, in terms of personal relationships, Wu Sangui is Hong Chengchou's student. Fang Xianting, Hu Shouliang and others are younger generations. He didn't say much at the moment, and everyone raised their glasses to respect Hong Chengchou. Hong Chengchou was also unswerving, looking at the spring breeze.

Before he knew it, he had already drunk three cups of tea. At this time, it was already three o'clock, and Hong Chengchou was about to say goodbye. Wu Sangui suddenly stepped back and followed him, and only the two of them were left at the banquet. Seeing this, Hong Chengchou didn't understand, but he was silent on the surface.

"Is there something wrong with Changbai?" Hong Chengchou asked lightly.

"Sangui wanted to gain a foothold, but he also heard that Beijing wanted to transfer Sangui back north, so he hoped that the teacher would give him advice." Wu Sangui suddenly stood up and knelt in front of Hong Shouchou, with tears in his eyes.

"Tell me, have you ever had any contact with Myanmar?"

"this"

Wu Sangui was stunned and dared not hide it from each other, so he talked to Hong Chengchou about sending Su Yunxiang to Myanmar. He also mentioned that Myanmar should not return Yongli to Li Dingguo.

After hearing this, Hong Chengchou said nothing. Wu Sangui didn't speak and waited silently. After a while, he heard Hong Chengchou say, "You must send someone to Li Dingguo."

Recently, I have posted big chapters of four or five thousand words. (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!