Fang Yiren answered for Li Laiheng, saying: "Li Xianfeng doesn't think so. I'm afraid he is not willing to wait for us in Luoyang for five days. Instead, he is eager to rush back to Kaifeng to relieve the siege. Otherwise, no matter what his position as governor,
It can’t be saved.”
Li Laiheng chuckled and said with a smile: "Leshan, what you said is not entirely right. Li Xianfeng and Gao Mingheng are political enemies. I think he must be in a complicated mood at the moment. He wants to return to Kaifeng quickly to relieve the siege, but also wants to break into Kaifeng and conquer Kaifeng."
After Gao Mingheng was killed, he went back to 'buy' Kaifeng City."
"Li Xianfeng is so entangled, I will give him a step down!"
Gao Yigong still didn't understand Li Laiheng's intention, while Fang Yiren showed a half-understood look. Li Laiheng stopped elaborating and took the two of them into the flower hall of the palace to convene the officers in Luoyang City to discuss some military affairs, and then gave instructions
Uncle Qing's deputy Zhang Yuheng speeded up the transportation of supplies in Luoyang City.
After everyone sat down in the flower hall, Li Laiheng held up a covered Yu Guotian Qing An Long teacup and sighed: "Prince Fu really knows how to enjoy. The teacups are so exquisite, and even the tray is inlaid with snails and is made of red lacquer and plum blossoms."
.Not to mention the Yuquan spring water and Yangxian spring tea he drank, both of which are worth thousands of gold."
Zhang Yuheng, who was responsible for counting and transporting supplies in Luoyang City, was a very gentle young man. He spoke slowly but in a very orderly manner and explained the prices of these tea sets, porcelain and tea leaves to Li Laiheng in detail.
Not only Li Laiheng, but also Fang Yiren, who came from an aristocratic family and was well-informed, were frightened by King Fu's luxury. Li Laiheng hurriedly stuck out his tongue and said: "Good guy! When I first returned to Luoyang, I drank up the teapot in one gulp.
How many people did you feed?”
He quickly told Zhang Yuheng: "You'an, you should try not to leave these precious and soft things behind. I didn't expect them to be so valuable!"
Zhang Yuheng smiled bitterly and said: "These famous products are indeed priceless, but if we transport them into the mountains, they are not worth a penny and are really of no use."
"Hmm..." Li Laiheng pondered for a while, nodded and said, "You'an is right, these famous products in the world are no more useful than a broken bowl in Xiong'er Mountain. It's a pity that we currently lack the channels to 'sell the stolen goods', otherwise we will be
They sell them to Wuchang and Nanjing, but they are really worth a fortune."
Zhang Yuheng asked thoughtfully: "The commander has collected many merchants and accountants, but these small businessmen have no channels to sell the fine treasures stored in King Fu's treasury. If there is a chance to contact the Huguang and Jiangyou merchant gangs, perhaps
You can use the Han River and the Yangtze River to sell and sell loot."
"Um……"
Among the large amounts of supplies seized by the Chuang army from Luoyang, in addition to grain and armor that could be used directly, large amounts of gold and silver could also be used to purchase supplies from local residents.
Some treasures are more difficult to liquidate, and gold and silver jewelry can still be melted and cast. But some pearls, agates, amber, gemstones, and more precious porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, and engravings are very difficult to sell.
"It's a pity that we will retreat into Xiong'er Mountain and Funiu Mountain in a few days. In the future, everyone should still pay attention and try to establish a 'sale of stolen goods' channel with the business gangs in Huguang and Jiangyou."
Shanxi merchants in history have been controversial because of some unclear relationships with foreigners outside the customs. They were even suspected of being "traitors on orders" and "traitors on orders". 1. Li Laiheng knew that businessmen were born for profit.
As long as they have the opportunity to establish contacts, he does not believe that businessmen in Huguang or Jiangxi can resist the temptation of huge profits.
Just thinking about the profit-seeking nature of businessmen, Li Laiheng also felt that his previous idea of using merchants, accountants, and people in the world to establish grassroots rule was indeed too naive.
Landowners like country sages and gentry are not reliable, and neither are merchants and craftsmen.
It's a pity, it's a pity, Li Laiheng is really sad that he doesn't have a copy of "Analysis of Social Classes in Late Ming Dynasty" to clarify who are our partners and who are our enemies.
Bankrupt and landless farmers are undoubtedly the most reliable force.
As for other classes and groups of people who need to be united, Li Laiheng doesn't have a completely clear answer yet.
He shook his head and temporarily put aside these complicated thoughts. After a while, Zhang Pizhu walked in from the outside. He was wrapped in a bandage. The injury had not yet healed, and there was not much blood on his face. He looked very tired.
A haggard look.
Zhang Pili walked straight to the middle of the flower hall, saluted Li Laiheng and said: "Li Xianfeng sent some scout horses to Shibei Ao Village to deliver the latest letter. It seems that he has no intention of stepping up the attack on Luoyang or returning directly to Kaifeng to relieve the siege.
I am asking the commander to grant him one day's grace and hand over Luoyang City to him one day in advance as agreed."
Li Laiheng was also stunned by Li Xianfeng's whimsical idea. After he, Gao Yigong, and Fang Yiren looked at each other for a few times, they all burst into laughter.
"This Li Xianfeng is really very imaginative! He has worked hard to make a compromise between Luoyang and Kaifeng!" Li Laiheng clapped his hands and laughed, "Okay, okay, this is no problem... I just plan to do the same.
Give him a step down so that our future cooperation will be smoother. Zhang Pili, please talk to Mr. Liu Jingting and continue to send people to the Henan Army Camp to contact us and give us new conditions."
"The new condition is that we can hand over Luoyang to the Yu army one day in advance. But...but Li Xianfeng has to pay for it himself!"
"It's very cheap to buy Luoyang for one day. I just need Li Xianfeng to bring out a hundred guns, eight prisoner-killing cannons, four general cannons and eight thousand kilograms of gunpowder!"
Li Laiheng felt that he was not a big talker. In fact, after the invasion of Luoyang, the supplies seized were like a mountain. There was no shortage of ordinary military supplies.
It's just that although a batch of firearms were seized in Luoyang City, the overall number was really not too much when spread out among the troops in the camp, which was rapidly expanding its army. Counting it to the Little Tiger Team alone, Li Laiheng still felt that the firearms were too few.
He listened to Fang Yiren's advice and specifically asked Li Xianfeng for a batch of artillery. He was also preparing to start training the Little Tigers' own gunners. Gunpowder was an important material that Xiong'er Mountain and Funiu Mountain Village could not produce on their own at this stage, so they naturally needed it.
Ask for more.
As for whether Li Xianfeng agrees or not?
He has come to this point and is getting deeper and deeper. How can he have any room for bargaining? What's more, Li Laiheng's conditions are so generous!
Li Laiheng sighed again and said: "Luoyang has been the imperial capital since ancient times. It's a pity that we can't use it as our foundation. Zhang Yuheng, you can dispatch a group of civilians and traders to assist Zhang Pizhu. It doesn't matter if you spend more money to recruit citizens. Give it to me."
In these few days, all the walls of Luoyang City will be demolished!"
Since he was about to withdraw from Luoyang, Li Laiheng naturally would not leave the defense of Luoyang City to the government troops. The invading army also had a strategy of "pacifying the city", that is, after conquering a city, it would completely demolish its walls before withdrawing.
Before having sufficient strength to establish a base, this is also a necessary last resort.
Zhang Yuheng looked embarrassed at Li Laiheng's request and said: "The walls of Luoyang City are majestic and strong. It may be difficult to demolish them in such a short period of time..."
Li Laiheng waved his hand and replied: "You go find Miao Lichen. He and the group of mine apprentices know the techniques of digging holes and blasting best. At worst, we will spend more gunpowder. Anyway, Li Xianfeng will take care of us. Don't worry about it.
Go ahead and blow up the main sections of the city wall before the entire army evacuates Luoyang."
"Food is the most important thing, but Li Xianfeng probably doesn't have much in his hands." Fang Yiren also sighed, "It's not convenient to put too much pressure on him. If Li Xianfeng collapses, it will be difficult to end."
Li Laiheng also knew that although he captured a huge amount of supplies after breaking through Luoyang, the large amounts of gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, jade, etc. could not be turned into food.
He estimated that it would be difficult for Li Zicheng to conquer Kaifeng in one go. In that case, the main force of the invading army would have to retreat to Xiong'er Mountain and Funiu Mountain. By then, the invading army would have many soldiers and horses, and they would have to rescue a large number of people who entered the mountains. The food seized in Luoyang might not be able to sustain it for too long.
long time.
"Don't be afraid. Even if the Chuang army retreats into the two mountains, it will still be different from what it used to be. The ordnance we captured in Luoyang can increase the combat effectiveness of the Chuang army by three or four times, plus the increase in military strength.
We shouldn’t need to rest for too long in Funiu Mountain before we can compete head-on with the officers and soldiers!”
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1 Why are Shanxi merchants said to be "traitors under orders"? Because Shanxi merchants traded with Jian slaves at the border, it was originally with the tacit approval of Chongzhen and Governor Xuanda. It can even be said that this was an item of the imperial court's diplomacy in the late Ming Dynasty.
National policy, from this we can also see how ridiculous some of Chongzhen’s self-promotions are.
In fact, this is because as early as the "Longqing Peace Conference", the Ming Dynasty established legal mutual trade with Mongolia to stabilize border defense. After Huang Taiji conquered Chahar in the west in the fifth year of Chongzhen, Huang Taiji used him to control Chahar.
Advantages, using the banner of the Mongols to trade with Ming Dynasty border officials.
Shen, the governor of the Xuanfu, made an oath to Huang Taiji in the fifth year of Chongzhen. Emperor Chongzhen also left an imperial comment criticizing Shen for "clearly swearing an oath alongside the rebellious slaves under the title of the country, and also giving him gold, silk and other things. He dared to modify it, which was detrimental to his authority."
The country is good at bullying the emperor." However, after the scolding, in order to make the Qing army retreat, they still acquiesced in mutual trade.
In the eleventh year of Chongzhen, the slaves invaded again. Lu Xiangsheng proposed to use surprise troops to attack the Qing army. However, Chongzhen used Yang Sichang's strategy and decided to make peace. He continued to use mutual trade to provide benefits to the slaves in an attempt to make the slaves retreat.
"Since it is reported that he is a slave from the East, what is the name of the open market? If an old barbarian from the tribe is able to bring two slaves with him, or if he kills the slave and it is effective, then the market reward will be as usual."
In fact, at this time, the "Insert", that is, Lin Dan Khan, had already been defeated by Huang Taiji. Didn't Chongzhen know? He was just taking care of face, deceiving himself and saying that he was not trading slaves with Jian, but with Lin Dan Khan, covering up the situation.
The fact of begging for peace.
Shanxi merchants in Zhangjiakou became imperial merchants who built slaves through this "legal trade", which can be called "traitors on orders". Nowadays, many people scold Shanxi merchants for "traitors on orders", but I think they dare to scold "Xia"
There are still too few people in Chongzhen who intend to betray the country.
To be honest, Chongzhen was really no better than Wan Yangou, the leader of the Jiangnan Kingdom of the Jin Dynasty. It was the greatest restraint not to call him a Gorbachev prosecutor.