In recent days, Nanjing has become even more prosperous!
The brothels and flower boats on both sides of the Qinhuai River are almost full, and the restaurants, inns, and even the woodsheds in the city are full of people.
Zhu Hongyu casually flipped through the progress report sent by the cabinet on the local inspection of Dingkou and the land clearing, with a smile on his face.
It can be seen that Zhu Hongyu is quite satisfied with the current results.
The facts were as Zhang Huangyan expected. Those landlords and gentry were all paper tigers. When Zhu Hongyu became tough, they became soft.
As Zhu Hongyu issued an order to vigorously rectify the local area, some officials were actually imprisoned and dismissed for inaction, and some gentry families were deprived of the qualifications for their descendants to participate in the imperial examination because they resisted the imperial order.
Suddenly, local officials and wealthy gentry all became quite knowledgeable.
No matter what they think in their hearts, at least on the surface, no one dares to cause trouble for Ming Dynasty Zhu Hongyu.
Zhu Hongyu closed the report in his hand, and Zhou Tianxu, commander of the Imperial Guard, spoke in his ear.
"Your Highness, the result of the Battle of Tongguan between the Qing court and Wu Sangui is out!"
While talking, Zhou Tianxu handed a stack of documents in his hand to Zhu Hongyu.
Zhu Hongyu took the document and started reading it casually.
Gradually, a look of astonishment appeared on his face, and he couldn't help but shake his head and said.
"Haha, it's interesting!"
"I knew that Wu Sangui was timid and afraid of Qing captives, but I never thought that he would abandon Tongguan."
"Tongguan, that's Tongguan!"
After saying this, Zhu Hongyu said with a sneer.
"Haha, now I feel that Chang'an is also in danger!"
"Wu Sangui said that he had to be driven out of Guanzhong by Ao Bai and retreated to Sichuan."
After witnessing Wu Sangui's tricks in Tongguan, Zhu Hongyu completely lost confidence in Wu Sangui.
This thing won't work!
Among the heroes who have accomplished great things since ancient times, where is Wu Sangui?
Too timid!
Zhou Tianxu asked.
"Your Highness, if Guan Ning's army is defeated by the Qing court and Wu Sangui's power collapses, how should we, the Ming Dynasty, respond?"
Once the Guan Ning army is defeated, the Qing government will be able to concentrate all its energy on dealing with the Ming Dynasty, which is sitting in the southeast.
By then, without Guan Ningjun to help share the pressure, the military pressure faced by Ming Dynasty will definitely increase dramatically.
At this time, if Daming makes corresponding preparations in advance, there will be nothing wrong!
Zhu Hongyu pondered for a while, and then spoke.
"Convene the generals to discuss matters!"
Zhu Hongyu would never do anything arbitrary in matters such as this, which were related to the life and death of the Ming Dynasty.
Consulting with the staff is the most correct choice!
One person can calculate the shortcomings, and three can calculate the longcomings. It will never go wrong to consult with a few more people.
…
After Zhu Hongyu's order was issued, the Ming army generals in Nanjing gathered in Zhu Hongyu's study.
There is a sand table in the middle of the study room. On the sand table is a map of the mountains and rivers during the heyday of the Ming Dynasty.
Even Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries are included.
The name of the sand table is "Complete Map of Kunyu of the Ming Dynasty", with six large characters in regular script engraved on the wooden shell of the sand table.
Just looking at a sand table, Zhu Hongyu's ambition is clearly revealed.
He doesn't want to separate one side and just be a fake emperor!
He wants to unify the world and become the real emperor of tomorrow!
He wants to create achievements that even Emperor Taizu failed to achieve back then.
Zhu Hongyu pointed his finger at the location of Guanzhong on the map and said.
"Wu Sangui and the Qing court were defeated in the Battle of Tongguan and have now retreated to Chang'an!"
"According to Gu's estimation, due to Wu Sangui's cowardice, Guan Ning's army will definitely suffer heavy losses in the next battle in Guanzhong, and it may even lose the entire Guanzhong in one breath!"
"And no one knows what impact Wu Sangui's defeat will have on the general trend of the world!"
"In order not to be caught off guard by the upcoming changes in the situation, I, Ming, need to make corresponding preparations in advance."
Xu Bin stood up and said.
"Your Highness, according to the estimates of the General Staff, after the Qing Dynasty finishes the Battle of Guanzhong, there are probably three options for their next move."
"The first is to take advantage of the situation and chase down the defeated troops of Guan Ning's army, rush from Guanzhong into Hanzhong, and even Sichuan and Shu, completely inflicting heavy losses on Wu Sangui's troops!"
"The second is to transfer the main force to the north of the Yangtze River after the Battle of Guanzhong to threaten the south of the Yangtze River in the Ming Dynasty!"
"Third, after the Battle of Guanzhong, the Qing government stopped using troops abroad and began to recuperate!"
"Although judging from the current situation, the third option is the most likely!"
"But nothing is absolute. I will make the appropriate preparations in advance and there will be nothing wrong!"
Zhu Hongyu nodded slightly, as if to express approval.
Zhu Hongyu agreed with what Xu Bin said.
It is indeed the third point that is most likely!
In the past two years, the Qing court has also been involved in frequent wars. First, it organized troops to go south and fought a huge decisive battle in the south of the Yangtze River with the Ming Dynasty.
The result was a defeat. In addition to war expenses, there was also a large amount of pensions that needed to be paid.
Then there was the non-stop campaign of troops to conquer Guanzhong and a fierce battle with Guan Ning's army!
It goes without saying that the army is exhausted!
But the more important issue is actually the issue of money and food.
After two consecutive years of war, the Qing government's treasury was now empty enough to run away with rats.
There is simply not enough money and food to maintain the army and continue to fight large-scale wars.
If it were not for the huge profits brought by the free shaving money that supported me in the Qing Dynasty, the collapse of my rule in the Qing Dynasty would have only happened in an instant!
However, we can’t help but be on guard!
"In order to deal with the possible next moves of the Qing army, the staff department also formulated three plans."
Xu Bin then spoke.
"The first is to focus on managing the Jiujiang defense line to prevent the Qing army from flowing down the river and attacking our hinterland south of the Ming Dynasty!"
"The second is to take the initiative and knock a few nails in Jiangbei, so as to use it as a bridgehead for our Ming Dynasty to counterattack the Qing Dynasty, or to defend against invading enemies from Jiangbei!"
"Third, it was our Ming Dynasty who took the initiative to send troops towards Hunan and captured Hunan."
The purpose of capturing Hunan was multifaceted. One was to gain Hunan's money, food and population, but more importantly, it was for Hunan's geographical location.
Without capturing Hunan, the Qing government might directly attack the Ming Dynasty's Jiangnan hinterland at any time after overthrowing Wu Sangui.
But if the Ming Dynasty could capture Hunan, it would ensure that the Qing army could not threaten the Ming Dynasty's Jiangnan hinterland.
Zhu Hongyu pondered for a while, and then asked.
"Let's all discuss it and see if the plan made by the staff is suitable!"
"Let's discuss what I, the Ming Dynasty, should do!"
After Zhu Hongyu finished speaking, Zheng Chenggong stood up and said.
"Your Highness, I agree with the first and second points!"
"But on the third point, I disagree!"
"Because from a standpoint, Wu Sangui was as anti-Qing as I was in the Ming Dynasty."
"If the Ming Dynasty took advantage of Wu Sangui's battle with the main force of the Qing court and sent troops to raid its hinterland of Hunan, wouldn't it be a matter of pain for relatives and pleasure for enemies?"