On the rippling sea, ships were coming and going. Several men on the beach broke down on the beach with bare legs, and merchant ships were transporting more war preparation supplies to Nagasaki Port.

In the sun, the sea water was shimmering, and merchants in the port smiled and sent all kinds of supplies to the navy camp. In the past, they were forced to pay various wartime taxes in wars. However, they thought that one day the court would fight, and merchants could make money from it. They were patriotic and righteous merchants, not to make money from the national crisis.

Guns, guns, gunpowder, weapons, armor, and food supplies were all distributed to various factories, and priority was given to those factories that donated 100,000 taels of military expenses. In addition, some merchants who were active and quick-witted had already begun to contract the construction projects of the navy in Nagasaki. After receiving Hou Xuanyan's nod, several merchants led by the Wu family in Jinling gathered a group of strong forces and took a boat to Nagasaki to build fortifications and camps.

The vigorous use of labor for relief solved the two major problems of post-war reconstruction and security of refugees for the Ming Dynasty, while also cultivating many experienced construction teams. The small peasant economy that has been stable for thousands of years is emerging from its foundation. When the people no longer believe in arable land and farming, and have more diverse means of making a living, social changes will follow.

After winning the Battle of Nagasaki Port, Zhu Daedian did not pursue the victory, but waited for the response of the Tokugawa Shogunate. A hundred thousand troops were stationed in Nagasaki, setting up cannons and fortifications, and waiting for the envoys or army of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The purpose of their trip was not to conquer an irrelevant island country by force, but to gain the right to open a business for the merchants of the Ming Dynasty. If they attack rashly, it would cause the entire island country to share the same hatred and the navy fell into the quagmire of war, it would be more than worth the loss.

During the brief period of calm, the expeditionary naval forces had begun to build simple residences in Nagasaki Port. Their "unprofitable" mentality completely affected the daimyo who were originally nervously watching the situation. Many people even began to gloat and wait and see the lively atmosphere of Tokugawa Iemitsu.

Japan is a country with few foreign enemies, so after Tokugawa took power, in order to prevent the Daimai rebellion under his command, he ordered each Daimai vassal to keep only one city and demolish the others. Moreover, the Daimai had to live in Edo for one year every other year, and his wives and children could only stay in Edo, Tokugawa's base camp.

Such a policy naturally aroused the dissatisfaction of these daimyos. Many daimyos with strong strength have already contacted the navy in Nagasaki Port in private. Zhu Dadian ignored any of these ambitious people, and of course he did not betray them.

Jinling, Changganli, and in front of the palace, the prince of Yue Hou Xuanyan is about to marry Qian Sule's daughter soon. Although he is a concubine, with Hou Xuanyan's current status and the background of this concubine, it is bound to be another grand wedding.

Everyone in the palace was busy cleaning the yard, cutting the words and writing wedding words and posting couplets, and cleaning up a newly built courtyard in the inner courtyard. Even in the study, they heard the sounds of shouting outside, and Hou Xuanyan didn't want to stop them. After all, this was also a happy event.

Hou Xuanyan felt that the mansion was noisy, so he wanted to take his personal soldiers to Wenyuan Pavilion to discuss the conquest of Liao with several great scholars. On the way, a postman came on horseback and happened to meet Hou Xuanyan at the gate of the mansion. He immediately dismounted and said with his fists: "Prince, the navy's good news, the Duke of Wei defeated the Japanese soldiers in Nagasaki and has gained a foothold."

Hou Xuanyan asked his personal soldiers to bring a chair, and then sat at the door of the palace, waved to pick up Zhu Dadian's secret letter, and said while looking: "Zhu Dadian did a good job. After returning, he told him that if he wanted to make Tokugawa Izumi surrender, this battle was not enough, and he had to fight another battle. He wanted to master the measure, and he had to win, but he could not go straight in."

The Ming Dynasty did not have the ability to include the entire Japan in its territory, not because its national strength was insufficient, but because it had no foundation. The powerful Sui Dynasty was also in a small place in Goguryeo; the arrogant Yongle Emperor could not completely pacify Annan; the two Cold War Soviet Union, how powerful the United States was, Vietnam and Afghanistan were also their nightmare. The Ming Dynasty did not have any kindness in Japan, nor did it have the foundation for the people. It was simply thankless to want to annex others.

The best result is to force the Tokugawa family to compromise with force. They have enough ability to control Japan. No matter who controls the Tokugawa shogunate, they will be the Supreme Emperor of Japan. Just like in the late Qing Dynasty in later generations, China at that time was not Manchu, but foreigners. And with the backer of the Ming Dynasty, no one in Japan could shake the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Tokugawa Igawa transformed into the Japanese Empress Xi, and surrendering under the force of the navy was undoubtedly the best result, but they really had the backbone to resist to the end, so Hou Xuanyan could only choose another daimyo to support it. However, in that case, the cost would be several times higher.

Hou Xuanyan took a pen and wrote a letter in front of the mansion, and handed it to his personal soldiers around him, asking them to pass it to Zhu Dazing, who was far away in the island country of Nagasaki.

Just as I was about to get up and go to Wenyuan Pavilion, I saw a man dressed in a military officer coming with a few people in the distance.

Hou Xuanyan raised his hand to cover the sun. Seeing that his figure was vaguely familiar, he soon got closer and realized that it was Yang Zhan, Duke of Shu.

"Congratulations to the prince for his wedding. After three years of separation, the prince's style is more beautiful than the past." Yang Zhan said happily.

Hou Xuanyan laughed and said, "Did you come by a boat? I just received the letter a few days ago, and you'll be here today, it's so fast."

Wu Sangui withdrew his troops, and Yang Zhan took advantage of the situation to sweep the nine borders of Shaanxi and Gansu. He wanted to be replaced by Hou Xuanyan when he went further. After thinking about it carefully, he did not feel resentful, and he was quite nervous. He was the only one in the Sichuan Army promoted by Hou Xuanyan, and the others had not been directly led by Hou Xuanyan, and all the credits were taken by them by themselves. Even Yang Zhan, who was not well versed in the official position, was a little nervous. So when Xia Wanchun mentioned him and asked to go to Beijing for a wedding, Yang Zhan immediately agreed.

Yang Zhan smiled and said, "Xiaoguan took a boat to Yingtian Mansion. After getting ashore, he found that the current official road is well connected, and when the road is easy, it will naturally come soon."

Hou Xuanyan seemed to have no such barriers at all, and smiled affectionately: "Since we parted in Chengdu, it has been three years since we left. I heard that you have made Sichuan governed very well. With you guarding the southwest, I can rest assured and marry a beautiful woman here, haha."

As soon as he finished speaking, another group of people came to the royal palace in the distance. Hou Xuanyan was stunned for a moment and said, "Okay, let's not go to Wenyuan Pavilion today. I don't know which old friend he is. Let's talk about the past in this palace."

A group of people in the distance slowly approached. Hou Xuanyan discovered that they were all generals from the Zhejiang division. Hou Xuanyan married Qian Sule's daughter, so they naturally wanted to come here to celebrate. After all, these people have been relieved of military power and are all idle jobs, and there is no official job to enjoy wealth at home.

Sun Jiaji took the lead and rushed over with a group of former generals of the Northern Expedition Army, carrying various gifts.

Hou Xuanyan was very happy and said with a smile: "Sun Jiaji, you have smelled the wine, you came so coincidental."

"Xiaoguan and others rushed to visit the prince at dinner, with their intentions obvious, so they naturally wanted to ask for a glass of wine." The generals around them also laughed, and Hou Xuanyan took them back to the mansion and ordered them to prepare wine and dishes.

Hou Xuanyan was also very happy to see so many familiar faces and said loudly: "Haha, just call Li Haoxian and the others, let's reunite the Northern Expedition Army today."

After a while, Li Haoxian, who was in Jinling, brought Hu Bawan, Liu Yong and several subordinates to come. Hou Xuanyan's treat was always a very simple food. Fortunately, these people were not picky and had a lively and happy meal.

After three rounds of drinking, Hu Bawan's black face was flushed and he said in a drunken state: "Master, you are a little biased. Wu Sangui and the Tartars fled outside the pass. Why can the Houtu Camp and the Hunan Barracks continue to fight? We are watching from behind, and everyone is right?"

Li Haoxian's expression changed. Just as he was about to scold him to sit down, Hou Xuanyan said, "I have to arrange troops and arrange the formation first, can you go through your Hu Bawan's consent?"

Hu Bawan smiled and said, "The Marshal was joking, and he just said it casually, hehe, you just pretend that you didn't hear it."

Although he said so, the generals who had been removed from military power in the table were all looking at Hou Xuanyan. They fought the most difficult battle. Now that the situation has changed, others have won the final military merits in front of each other. Everyone is dissatisfied.

Yang Zhan has an awkward identity. He is from the Sichuan Barracks and has never had much interaction with the Fourth Battalion of the Northern Expedition. Instead, he once fought side by side with the Hunan Barracks. He is now worried that Hou Xuanyan is suspected of his own troops, but today the atmosphere is a little nervous because of a reckless man's random words at the table. Yang Zhan can't help but feel uncomfortable. At this moment, he thought of Lan Yu, Hu Weiyong, and Li Shanchang...

To everyone's expectations, Hou Xuanyan did not get angry, nor did he smile and perfunctorily pass by. Instead, he pointed at Hu Bawan and said, "Idiot, what's the best thing about war? I hate war the most in my life. I feel irritated when I hear the sound of cannons. You don't know how to cherish the boundless wealth of Jinling, right? You will pack up tomorrow and go to Peking."

Hu Bawan was overjoyed when he heard this and said, "Master, do you think this is true?"

Hou Xuanyan didn't want to have any grudges with these old subordinates. To be honest, he had never doubted these people. No one here except Yang Zhan could launch a rebellion. It is true that they are highly prestigious generals in the Northern Expedition Army, but Hou Xuanyan's prestige in the army is even higher than them.

Hou Xuanyan shouted: "Come on the pen and ink!"

After a while, a personal soldier held a round of inkstone and a piece of rice paper. Hou Xuanyan picked up his pen and wrote: "Liheng, Erhoutu Camp guarded Beiping and presided over the conquest of Liao. This product was dissatisfied and sent it to you to use him to fight."

Hu Bawan said with a bitter face and said sadly: "Master, I will go with such a letter. Wouldn't I be excluded?"

Hou Xuanyan glanced straight and cursed: "Then I don't care, I'm telling the truth. You'll get out tomorrow. If this letter doesn't reach Yan Yingyuan's eyes, I'll punish you for lying about military affairs. It's unruly to engage in military law at that time."

Hu Bawan was in a complicated mood and wanted to speak but stopped. He was pulled down by Li Haoxian and said with a smile: "What a person General Yan is? How could he have the same knowledge as you? When you go to Peking, you should fight hard and don't embarrass our Fire Camp."

With this precedent, the generals here also became more and more interested in going to fight for the country.

Hou Xuanyan had already planned to do it. The newly built Jingbei Province is surrounded by enemies. It is time to use people. It is time for these people to move. It is not a solution to keep them all day long.

Now that the martial arts lecture hall is available, the quality of grassroots officers has improved, and the commander can command the three armies in the army without relying on his favor and prestige. The so-called "soldiers do not know the generals, and the generals do not know the disadvantages of the soldiers are completely eliminated. The court can change the generals at will, without worrying about winning the troops outside.

Yang Zhan looked at these people with some envy. They followed Hou Xuan in the battle between the south and the north, with much less worries than him, and dared to say and dare to ask for it.

Hou Xuanyan stopped the generals who asked for battle and pressed his hands and said, "Don't shout, wait until I discuss with the Ministry of War, and then notify the people who can use it. This time I went to Jingbei, I am not as good as before. I must pay attention to everything on the grassland. The past experience in the battle is not enough, so I should observe and think more."

Jingbei is still expanding its territory, and the Mongolian tribes on the grassland are being swallowed up like frogs at a speed visible to the naked eye. Many large tribes have directly lost their vassals, and the small tribes that were bullied by them have devoted themselves to Jingbei Province without looking back to seek shelter.

The court's policies were attractive enough to them. They were not to let go of sheep. After entering Jingbei, there was no need to worry about being conquered by other tribes.

There are more and more Han people going to the grassland from Shanxi and Shaanxi. Although the vast grassland cannot be cultivated, grazing can also support their families, not to mention the huge temptation of three years of tax exemption. Due to the breaking of the Yellow River in Xuzhou Prefecture, Guide Prefecture and other places, many people have lost their homes and choose to go to the grassland. Digging out the Yellow River is a huge event that is difficult to recover within hundreds of years. Countless refugees also know that going to Jingbei Province to settle down is a good choice.

In this way, more troops were needed to guard the newly built province on the grassland, especially the frequent harassment of the Qing Dynasty in the north, which made the Hunan military camp even more annoyed.

Hou Xuanyan accidentally saw Yang Zhan who was silent and asked, "Yuliang, is there any abnormal movement in Shu?"

When Yang Zhan saw him suddenly asked himself, he hurriedly stood up and said, "It's all irrelevant little fights. The chieftains in the southwest have a little strange thoughts because of the matter in Xiangxi. However, I have sent troops to intimidate him. I believe no one dares to rebel."

Hou Xuan spoke: "No one rebelled is not our purpose. You should help Peng Zhuze, quell the chieftains as soon as possible, and make the southwest change land and return to the current is the general trend. Now I have completely freed up my hands and can no longer let them mess around."

When Yang Zhan heard this, he was overjoyed. It seemed that the Sichuan soldiers had a place to use their skills.
Chapter completed!