475 digging the strait, the wall is clear

[Today's chapter is presented, please collect and subscribe!!] 】

Just when Liu Zhong took Yongning, Li Zixiao also brought people to Jinzhou.

When Li Zixiao came to Jinzhou, he found that it was a big city, but it was very withered, sparsely populated, the streets were deserted, and there were not many shops.

After the Tatars occupied Jinzhou and Lushun at the beginning, they killed a lot of people, and many people fled, and the merchants did not come much, so of course this place became deserted.

After the Tatars occupied this place, they plundered many Han people in the city as slaves and distributed them to those meritorious Tartar generals and nobles.

At this time, the White Dragon Army still did not let go of the Tartars in the city, and all the property of these Tartars was confiscated, all the Tartar men were executed, and the female dependents were reduced to slaves.

As for the traitor soldiers who were captured, they were all sent to repair the city.

These traitor soldiers, Li Zixiao didn't kill them, it was still for the sake of the same clan and clan, but Li Zixiao didn't make them up, and if he did something wrong, he would be punished.

Besides, whether it is the generals or soldiers in these traitor armies, he can't look down on them, so he doesn't bother to incorporate them.

Now, the general Ming army generals have entered the White Dragon Army, and they really can't adapt to the tactics of the White Dragon Army, so they basically have to learn from scratch.

As for those traitor soldiers who are stinky and sick, Li Zixiao will not want them, and when the time comes, it will be enough to make them troublesome if they rectify military discipline.

Most of these traitors were sentenced to three to five years of hard labor, responsible for building city walls, mining mines, building roads, digging rivers, etc., anyway, they did all the dirty work.

Of course, there are notorious people in these traitor army, but there will be no such treatment, such people are generally beheaded by raiders and beheaded, and win the hearts of the people in Jinzhou City for the White Dragon Army.

Generally speaking, since Jinzhou City was occupied by the White Dragon Army in the past few days, the situation in the city is still relatively stable.

The people in Jinzhou City were still more cautious about the arrival of the White Dragon Army at this time, and they did not show too much enthusiasm, because they were worried that the White Dragon Army would not stay long.

In case the White Dragons stay for a few days and leave, if they welcome them with a big welcome, they will suffer when the Tartars return.

However, Li Zixiao didn't care about this, as long as there was no chaos in his life, he was satisfied.

"Jinzhou has a good topography, with the big black mountain on the back, the South Mountain on the right, the East Mountain in the east, Qingniwan and Jinzhou Bay on both sides, guarding the Jinzhou Isthmus, which is the important place leading to Liangang City and Lushun.

If we plan to establish ourselves here for a long time and operate Port Arthur and Liangang, then Golden State is the one to defend, and this is also the last line of defense. ”

At this time, after Li Zixiao led people to inspect the terrain around Jinzhou, he also nodded with satisfaction and said the importance of Jinzhou.

On either side of the city of Golden State, there are two bays, and behind it is a narrow Isthmus of Golden State, which is only ten miles wide.

This place is like a gateway, and if you hold here, the more than 130 miles of land behind it, including Lushun and Liangang, will naturally become a stable rear.

"You must strengthen the city of Jinzhou as soon as possible, and at the same time build a fortress in the north of the city, Nanshan in the west of the city, and Dongshan in the east of the city, arrange cannons, and garrison troops.

Well, send someone to dig the Jinzhou Canal, so that the defense of Jinzhou will be enough to be impregnable, with Liu Zhong guarding here, the Tartars want to attack it, and there is basically no hope. ”

Li Zixiao touched the beard he had just grown, looked at the surrounding terrain, and said casually.

"What, General, to dig the Golden State Canal? Are you talking about digging up this ten-mile Jinzhou Isthmus to connect Jinzhou Bay and Qingni Bay?

How many people do you need for such a huge project, and how long will it take, general, you are too embarrassed to be a subordinate. ”

There was a young man standing next to Li Zixiao, dressed in the civil official palace of the imperial court, and he was still nodding when he heard Li Zixiao strengthen the city wall and build a fortress.

But when he heard that Li Zixiao was going to dig the Isthmus of Jinzhou, he was also stunned, and then laughed and complained.

This young civil official is the head of many civil officials who came to the Liaodong Peninsula with the army this time, named Kong Xuanming.

Kong Xuanming was born in 'Wentang', and among the second batch of 'Wentang' graduates, Li Zixiao was selected by Li Zixiao for his outstanding ability, so he was selected by Li Zixiao and asked him to come to Liaodong to assist Liu Chong.

"That's right, digging through the Isthmus of Jinzhou is equivalent to turning this place into a big island, and then the Tartars will have no chance to fight over!" Li Zixiao smiled and nodded.

Jinzhou City is backed by the sea and controls the isthmus, which is the key place to operate Lushun Zhenhai, which is also the reason why Li Zixiao asked Liu Chong to hold Jinzhou.

The Great Black Mountain in the north of Jinzhou City was the location of Beisha City in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and Beisha City was the center of the Lushun area controlled by Goguryeo at that time.

Golden State has a unique geographical location, and it is impossible to open a single husband.

Especially for the White Dragon Army, which had artillery, it was necessary to build fortress batteries at the commanding heights on three sides of the Golden State.

In addition, the two bays are close to each other, and the fleet can support you from the sea, and this place is too difficult for the Tartars to capture.

But after all, this is the Liaodong Peninsula and the territory of the Tartars, so Li Zixiao still has another insurance, that is, to dig up the isthmus south of Jinzhou.

In this way, it is equivalent to an extra canal and strait, and it will be even more difficult for the Tartar cavalry to come over.

However, it is not easy to dig up the Isthmus of Jinzhou, which Li Zixiao certainly knows.

Although it is only ten miles wide, there are no mountains, and they are all flat.

But Li Zixiao calculated that to dig such a canal, it would be at least 20 meters wide and 6 to 8 meters deep.

If you dig bigger, digging 20 meters wide and 10 meters deep, and more than 5,000 meters long, it is almost a million cubic meters of excavation.

Based on the calculation that an average person digs two square meters of soil a day, 10,000 people have to dig for nearly two months, which is still ideal, and the amount of work is somewhat large.

However, if a trench had been dug first, one zhang deep and one zhang wider, and the Isthmus of Jinzhou had been separated by a mere separation, the amount of work would have been greatly reduced.

Moreover, it is easier to dig a ditch than to build a city, and Li Zixiao plans to build a castle first and then dig a ditch.

Anyway, the main focus of the Tartars at this time is on Jinzhou in the north, leaving at least half a year for Liu Chongneng, Li Zixiao remembers this battle of Songjin, but it has been fought for a long time.

"Recruit all the people in and around Jinzhou City, first fortify Jinzhou City, then build forts, first build three castles, arrange cannons, and finally dig ditches.

First dig a trench with a width and a depth of one zhang to open up the Jinzhou Isthmus, and then slowly widen it. ”

The more Li Zixiao thought about it, the more he felt that this plan was the safest, and continued to Kong Xuanming.

Kong Xuanming saw that Li Zixiao had made up his mind, so he no longer complained, but began to think carefully about how to deal with it, so as to meet Li Zixiao's requirements best and the fastest.

This is also one of the places where Li Zixiao admires Kong Xuanming more.

"It would not be difficult to dig a trench one foot wide and one foot deeper, but we would have to wait until after the beginning of spring, when the ground is frozen and too hard to dig.

Just to strengthen Jinzhou City and build a few fortresses, this winter is enough for us to be busy, and there are too few people in Jinzhou City.

Before, I saw from the household register of the Jinzhou Health Center that there were only 8,000 households in the entire Jinzhou City at this time, and the total number of adult males we could recruit was barely 10,000.

Now we have money, but we can't recruit enough migrant workers, and that's the most troublesome. Kong Xuanming said.

"There is a shortage of migrant workers, then you should first recruit a group from Lushun, Liangang, Nanguan and other places, we will pay the money anyway, and the people will be willing to come."

However, the population base here is indeed too small, but it doesn't matter, in the next period of time, Liu Chong should move a group of people from Fuzhou, Yongning, and even Gaizhou.

At this time, the main force of the Tartars was entangled in the Jinzhou area, and it was impossible to go south in a short time.

Even if they come, at most they are a group of traitors or small groups of Tartars, and Liu Zhong is blocking them in the area of Hongzui Fort, and they can't get to Jinzhou.

Therefore, the time left for you is still very sufficient, even if you dig the Golden State Isthmus in the early spring, there is no problem.

Even, after the Liaohai Sea is unsealed in the beginning of spring, I will let Hong Sheng lead the fleet to pull a group of refugees from Dengzhou, Penglai and other places in Shandong, and you will not be short of manpower at that time. ”

Hearing Li Zixiao say this, Kong Xuanming breathed a sigh of relief, his face regained his brilliance, and said: "Since the generals have helped us solve the biggest difficulties, our subordinates also promise to complete the task." ”

"Well, in the future, this place will be handed over to you and Liu Chong, Liu Chong will be the main battle, and you will guard the rear for him."

"When is the general leaving?" Kong Xuanming knew that Li Zixiao would not stay in Jinzhou for a long time.

"The weather is getting colder and colder, according to the practice of previous years, the Liaohai Sea will be closed in a few days, and tomorrow I will return to Lushun, and then return to Tamna Island.

Otherwise, if the Liaohai Sea is sealed in advance, I won't be able to leave. ”

The next day, Li Zixiao left Jinzhou and returned to Lushun, and then returned to Tamna Island under the escort of Lu Yuan's First Fleet.

On the other side, Liu Chong captured Yongning, and Geng Zhongming led his people to flee to Gaizhou in the north.

And Liu Chong did not go north to chase non-stop this time, but stayed in Yongning and looted the entire Yongning City.

Liu Chong searched the Tartars and traitor mansions in the city, and then ordered all the people in the city to move away and move to Jinzhou.

As soon as Liu Chong gave this order, the people of Yongning City resisted, and they didn't flee when the Tartars came before, just because they didn't want to leave Yongning.

"General, many people are reluctant to move, no matter how much we persuade us, there are still many big families secretly pouring."

The generals of the White Dragon Army reluctantly reported to Liu Chong.

"Hmph, if you don't move away, do you want to stay with the Tartars as obedient people? Didn't you tell them that after they moved to Golden State, they would have houses and land? ”

Liu Chong said with a gloomy face, Li Zixiao gave him a strict order, the strong wall is clear, and it is best to empty Yongning, Fuzhou and other cities.

"That's what we said, many ordinary people are willing to leave, businessmen are willing to go, but those big landlords are not willing to go.

They have a lot of land in their hands, and they understand that even if they go to Golden State, we can't give them so much land. ”

The adjutant truthfully reported to Liu Chong.

"Hmph, these guys really don't change, then I'll be blamed for being ruthless.

The order went down, but those who were willing to move to Jinzhou, in addition to the previous guarantee, they were given a pound of grain and a set of cotton clothes to each of them, which could be regarded as making up for their losses.

Let them act as soon as possible, don't get anything pots and pans, and hurry up. ”

"What about the big ones?"

"Nonsense, since you refuse to go, it is the iron heart that wants to be a slave to the Tartars, that is the enemy.

As for the enemy, what do you say, take all the food and silver from their house, and let them stay for the Tartars to be slaves.

After stealing the grain of these guys, we can have food and cotton clothes to distribute to those poor people, so that they can move away as soon as possible. ”

"The general's method is good, if this news spreads, those people should not have many complaints." The lieutenant said excitedly.

Sure enough, as Liu Chong's order was issued, the people in the city immediately cheered.

For those poor families, it is a cold winter at this time, the food is almost finished, and they are still wearing thin tattered cotton clothes, whether they can survive this winter is a question.

Now, if the White Dragon Army can give each of them a pound of food and a piece of cotton clothing, their families can avoid freezing to death or starving to death this winter.

The broken bowls and pans in their homes are estimated to be less valuable than these grains and cotton clothes, so of course they have to be moved.

In contrast, what the White Dragon Army promised to give to Jinzhou before, and what was given in front of him is the most real, and it is also the most impressive to the people.

For those middle-class people, although they can have food and clothing, but at this time, under the general trend, they can only migrate.

After all, for them, after they move away, they will also have to bring their family's property with them, and the White Dragon Army will not snatch their property, which is also acceptable to them.

The only ones who were wailing were the big landlords in the city, and now it was too late for them to regret it, and a team of white dragon soldiers rushed into their mansion and confiscated everything.

The main ones were seized of grain, silver, and cotton cloth, and the rest was left.

At this time, Liu Chong decisively sacrificed the big landlords in the city to win over the vast majority of the low-level and middle-class people.

This makes it possible for the migration to go smoothly.

Otherwise, if the people in Yongning City really don't cooperate collectively, Liu Chong's plan to clear the wilderness will really not be implemented.

The vast majority of the people in Yongning City were Ming people ten years ago, and they all spoke Chinese and wore Hanfu at this time.

For these people, if it is not a last resort, Liu Chong does not want to see tough measures against them.

Even if they are now nominally the people of the Tartars and belong to the people of the enemy country, as long as they are willing to move and do not stay for the Tartars as slaves, they will immediately be their own people.

After all, in war, these people have not many choices, they are a vulnerable group after all, and they need the protection of the army.

Before, they accepted the rule of the Tartars, and they were just to survive, and there was nothing to hold them accountable.

However, since they are now willing to continue to be the people of the Ming Dynasty, at least there must be cooperation, and it is necessary to move to Jinzhou.

(End of chapter)