Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 272 Preaching
Ma Bao and his men had originally planned to capture Qujing and then attack Kunming, but after they decided to feint at Lin'an, the Ming army's actions began to slow down.

The Ming army was entrenched in Qujing City, and at the same time, they sent out various small teams to various prefectures and counties near Qujing to solicit surrender. At the same time, they made a lot of propaganda along the way, fearing that the people of Yunnan Province did not know that the Ming army had entered Yunnan to quell the rebellion and was about to attack the bandit nest in Lin'an.
The Ming army's surrender effect was also very good. Since Ma Bao and others planned to capture Kunming, it was naturally impossible to waste a large army at this time. They mobilized a large army to recover the prefectures and counties. The five or six surrender teams sent this time had a minimum of one or two hundred people and a maximum of no more than three hundred people.
Ma Bao and his men sent out these soldiers without expecting them to be able to take back the prefectures and counties. Rather than going to recruit surrender, these teams were intended to pass on messages to Kunming and Sha Dingzhou through these people.

But even so, the result of this surrender was beyond the expectations of Ma Bao and others.

The Ming army surrender team went to Malongzhou, Qujing Prefecture, and just raised the Ming army flag and stood under the city. They did nothing else. Soon, a burst of shouting and killing was heard in the city.

Soon after, Gao Shijie, Yang Bi Da and other gentry in the city opened the city gates, brought the heads of the barbarian generals and soldiers in the city, and invited the Ming army to enter the city to quell the rebellion.

There were only a few hundred Yi soldiers in Malongzhou City. They were ambushed by Gao Shijie and other local gentry and were already in chaos. More than 200 Ming soldiers entered the city and only strangled nearly 100 Yi soldiers who were still trying to resist. Malongzhou was thus recovered.

This was true not only for the prefectures and counties within Qujing Prefecture, but also for Xundian Prefecture next to Qujing Prefecture. Xundian was only 200 miles away from Kunming. If one set out on a rapid march from Xundian, one could reach the city of Kunming in two or three days.

The reason why the Ming army surrender team came here was that they thought it was close to Kunming and could quickly convey the news that the court was about to send troops to attack the thieves' nest in Lin'an to Sha Dingzhou.
But who would have thought that in such a grand city, as soon as the Ming army's small team of two or three hundred people arrived at the city, the city was also in chaos.
Wu Jie, a young man from a wealthy family in the city, and his companions gathered the gentry and the people in the city and killed all the foreign soldiers in the city. The Ming army team stood outside the city and just shouted a few words, and Xundian Prefecture was recaptured by the Ming army without knowing it.
In just a few days, not only Malong Prefecture, Xundian Prefecture, but even Songming Prefecture was recaptured by the Ming army, and Songming Prefecture was less than a hundred miles away from Kunming City.

This series of surrenders by prefectures and counties was beyond the expectations of Ma Bao and his colleagues. They even thought about driving directly to Kunming City to see if they could persuade it to surrender.
It is not surprising that Qujing, Xundian and other prefectures and counties surrendered. Yunnan Province can be divided into three parts with Kunming as the boundary. The area west of Kunming is called the Western Region. This part of the province is inhabited by both Han and Yi peoples.

The area south of Kunming is called Shunan. Shunan is full of Tusi and is adjacent to Jiaozhi. Sha Dingzhou was born in this area.
East of Kunming is the east, including Qujing, Xundian and other places. This part of the area is close to the Central Plains, and the Han people and pro-Ming chieftains dominate the area.

Sha Dingzhou had previously massacred people in Yunnan Province. The prefectures in Ludong were forced to surrender silently under the threat of Sha Dingzhou. However, the Ming army entered Yunnan at this time and defeated Sha Dingzhou's garrison in Qujing. Naturally, the prefectures and counties in Ludong rose up and returned to the Ming Dynasty.
Most of the prefectures and counties in Dongdong were Han Chinese. At this time, the gentry and common people in the city had no choice but to surrender to the Ming Dynasty, which was also Han Chinese, or to surrender to Sha Dingzhou, who was a chieftain of the Yi people.

The various prefectures and counties in Qujing and Xundian came to surrender one after another, which made Ma Bao and others tempted. However, after some discussion with Zhang Huangyan and others, Ma Bao decided to go south to Lin'an as planned to lure out the Kunming defenders.
After all, there are 20,000 defenders in Kunming. Even with the cooperation of the gentry in the city, it is still unlikely to capture Kunming quickly.

In Qujing City, horses and mules of all kinds have been collected, bags of rice, grains and medicinal materials have been loaded onto carriages, and the Ming army is also making the final preparations before the march.
In the afternoon, more than a hundred Tengxiang Army soldiers were sitting in the barracks of the training ground. Above them, Li Xingyi, the Tengxiang Army's envoy, was holding a slate pen and writing the words he had taught today again.

Some of the soldiers below were holding slate pens and writing carefully, while others were yawning and holding slate pens in boredom.
After such a long period of lessons, the soldiers also knew the rules of the class. They could not watch or listen, but they could not speak casually.

Li Xingyi above did not care about the status of the soldiers below, but just explained the writing method and meaning of the characters he taught today.
"Learn when young, act when strong, serve the emperor above and benefit the people below. These are the words you are learning today. In a few days, you will have learned all the contents of this primer."

"After you finish your studies, the army will assess your writing skills. You can review them when you have time. Nowadays, military promotions are not only based on military merit, but also on your literacy. If you want to make a name for yourself in the army, don't slack off."

The soldiers below did not take it seriously. Although the army had already stated that those with the same military merits would be promoted first if they were literate, the positions of the flag officers and general officers of each team in the army had already been decided. If they wanted to be promoted, they could only wait for vacancies to be filled.
Once on the battlefield, it was unknown whether they could survive. Most soldiers did not have a strong desire for so-called promotion, and they did not care much about literacy.
As soon as Li Xing finished speaking, he did not care whether the soldiers listened or not, and he already mentioned the matter of calligraphy and said

"We will move camp and attack the bandit's lair Lin'an tomorrow, so I will explain to you again the rules of the Tengxiang Army entering Yunnan this time."

"The first rule is not to kill civilians. We were also ordinary civilians before we joined the army. If our parents, wives, and children were killed at will by the soldiers, what a tragic situation it would be. Therefore, unless there is a war, no one should kill civilians."

"The second rule is not to plunder. We in the Tengxiang Army receive monthly salaries, and we are rewarded for our meritorious service. After each battle, we also distribute the spoils of war, and there is never any delay in the rewards given to the army."

"If you leave the team to rob and disrupt the army's formation just for a few silver coins, not only will you harm your comrades, but you will also be unable to escape military law. It's not worth it."

"The third rule is not to commit adultery. I don't need to say more about this. We are the imperial guards of His Majesty the Regent. If anyone does something like this and damages the reputation of our Tengxiang Army and His Majesty the Regent, the army will kill him without mercy!"

"When we attacked Qujing a few days ago, some soldiers of our Tengxiang Army forgot the rules of our camp and behaved recklessly after entering the city."

"You saw their fate at the camp gate. These three rules are the bottom line. No matter if you are an ordinary soldier or a flag officer, if you violate these three rules, you will be punished according to military law. Do you understand?"

Li Xing had a stern look on his face, and the soldiers below also showed a trace of awe on their faces, and they all responded

The heads of the dozen or so soldiers who violated military law were hung at the camp gate, and under each head was a wooden sign stating the reason for beheading the person.

Now, when soldiers enter and leave the camp, they can see the dozens of heads hanging in front of the camp gate. How can the soldiers in the camp not be awed and terrified?
Li Xing saw the stern look on the faces of the soldiers below and nodded slightly. His expression softened and he spoke:

"We, the missionaries, have been telling you this every day, so please don't be annoyed. You are soldiers of the imperial army, and you should be role models for all the armies in the world."

"You all now receive a salary of one tael of silver per month, and you get to share the spoils of war. You are also from the imperial guards. As long as you fight hard, you will have a bright future. Why would you ruin your future for such a dirty thing?"

Li Xingyi said something to comfort them, and then he talked about another matter that Zhu Xuexi asked them to spread in the army.

"We entered Yunnan to suppress the rebellion, but there have been many rumors in the army recently. It is said that Yunnan is a place full of smoke and miasma. There is miasma everywhere and it is impossible to prevent it. If you are not careful, you will get sick. This has caused panic among the soldiers in the camp."

"This is a big mistake. This so-called miasma can be prevented and prepared for. Today I have invited Doctor Liu from the Medical Camp to tell you how to prevent this miasma."

The soldiers below also looked serious when they heard this. The soldiers of the Tengxiang Army were all from the Central Plains. In the minds of the soldiers, Yunnan Province was a barren land full of wild smoke and miasma.

Although the Tengxiang Army followed the imperial order to enter Yunnan, they were very afraid of the miasma that was rumored to be everywhere and could kill people.

Many soldiers in the Tengxiang Army heard from others that everything was normal in Guizhou, but as soon as they entered Yunnan Province, they immediately covered their mouths and noses with cloth towels, and only took them off when eating or sleeping, for fear of inhaling the miasma in Yunnan Province.
Ma Bao, Zhu Xuexi and others knew the situation of the soldiers in the camp from the missionaries at all levels, but at that time the army was busy attacking Qujing and had no time to take care of this matter.

This time, the army will most likely camp in the wild in the dense forest when heading south to Lin'an. The matter of preventing miasma cannot be delayed any longer. The army must be informed in advance to avoid any chaos.
Li Xingyi walked down from the black wooden board in front of him, and soon a middle-aged man in cloth clothes walked up to the podium and said

"I am Liu Ying, the military physician of the Medical Battalion. I am afraid some of you may recognize me. Today, I am here by order of the army to explain to you how to prevent and treat miasma."

The soldiers below saw the middle-aged man on the stage, and their expressions became more focused. The Tengxiang Army had a medical camp of about 100 people. They were injured in the previous battle, and the doctors in the medical camp treated them.

At this time, everyone saw this familiar doctor coming, and they all looked serious. It was okay to be able to read, but this miasma was deadly. Who dared to be careless?
"Everyone in the world talks about miasma, but no one can explain clearly what this miasma is. I don't know what this miasma is, but the source of miasma is not the air we breathe, but the water source mosquitoes in this wilderness."

"The Medical Battalion has obtained three methods to deal with miasma. As long as you remember to follow them, you can avoid the harm of miasma."

"First, you must not drink raw water. When marching in the wild, you must not drink water from unknown sources. The water in the pool in the forest must not be drunk. This deep pool is located in the forest and has long been invaded by miasma. There must be miasma in it. Even if it is running water from a stream, if it is in a dense forest, it must be boiled before drinking."

"Second, mosquitoes in Yunnan can spread malaria, so don't let them bite you. The army will distribute wormwood according to the flags. When you are on the march, light wormwood in your tent every night before going to bed to repel mosquitoes."

"Third, prevent insects. Yunnan Province is hot and humid, with dense forests everywhere. There are many leeches and other blood-sucking poisonous insects. These poisonous insects can also spread malaria. When you march, you must tie your leggings and collars tightly. Don't open your clothes just to keep cool. This way you won't be hurt by poisonous insects."

The soldiers below also changed their expressions when they heard this. This was poisonous water and poisonous insects. Why did the wilds of Yunnan Province seem to be full of poisonous miasma?
Li Xingyi looked at the flag officer Wang Zhong below. Wang Zhong nodded slightly and said, "Doctor Liu, the environment in Yunnan Province is so bad. How can the locals avoid the miasma? Do they also live like this every day?"

"The people of Yunnan have lived in Yunnan for generations and have adapted to the local soil, so they will not be harmed by the miasma. We are new to Yunnan and cannot adapt to the local soil and water, so we need to use fire to remove the miasma in the water."

Liu Ying glanced at the nervous soldiers below and said

"You don't have to be too nervous. Although there are miasma in Yunnan Province, most of them grow in the mountains and dense forests. The methods taught to you in the camp are also for use when camping in the wild."

"For example, in places like official roads and cities, due to the increasing number of people, the miasma in them has been eliminated by human nature. Such places where people gather are just like the Central Plains, with no difference."

"We have been in Yunnan for half a month, and the army is peaceful as usual, and no one has suffered from malaria. This shows that the so-called malaria is everywhere in Yunnan is absurd. You should just focus on your normal training and marching, and don't be afraid all the time."

"These three methods were discovered by the medical experts invited by His Highness the Regent. His Highness also obtained a miasma-repelling decoction for the army. The camp will cook it and distribute it to the troops every two days. When you are in the wild, you only need to follow these three methods to avoid the miasma."

Wang Zhong glanced at the hesitant soldier beside him and spoke loudly again

"Since it is the secret method of the palace bestowed by His Highness, it must be correct. We must follow it."

The soldiers below were relieved when they heard this. This was a secret method from the palace, so it must be effective. At this time, under the leadership of Wang Zhong and others, all the soldiers responded.

Liu Ying nodded, and then continued to explain some matters that need to be paid attention to in the wild. The soldiers below also listened carefully.

In the barracks, Liu Ying was still explaining the various matters of the field march according to the arrangements of the Propaganda Department, while Li Dingguo and others had quietly left the barracks.

It was early summer at the side of the barracks. The sun was blazing at noon. Li Dingguo and Liu Wenxiu stood under the shade of a tree. Behind them were Bai Wenxuan, Wang Shangli, Feng Shuangli, Yang Wu and other generals of the Western Army.

Li Dingguo stood under the shade of a tree, looking at the Tengxiang soldiers sitting cross-legged in the barracks in front of him and listening to the lecture. He was silent for a while, and suddenly spoke:

"When I was young, I was poor and worked in the fields with my family all day long just to earn a meal. After I followed the old emperor, I heard from people in the army that Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and Zhao Zilong were all well-read. That's when I wanted to learn calligraphy."

"His Royal Highness Gui Jianguo sent tutors to the army. Now, every soldier in the Tengxiang Army is learning calligraphy. What Gui Jianguo did is truly extraordinary."

Wang Shangli saw the sigh on Li Dingguo's face, and a trace of indignation flashed across his face. He couldn't help but speak up.

"What's so unusual? I think the Ming court is just taking advantage of the ignorance of these soldiers. These soldiers are also easy to deceive. They fight for the Ming court and are not allowed to do this or that. It is natural to defeat the enemy and plunder. Otherwise, who would be willing to risk their lives to kill the enemy?"

"The bulk of the captured spoils now belong to the Ming court. The Ming court only gave them a small amount of money, but these soldiers are so grateful. The money should have all belonged to them. These Tengxiang soldiers are really stupid."

Li Dingguo listened to Wang Shangli's rebuttal, but his face was not angry, but his expression became more and more emotional, and he said

"This is why we, the Great Western Empire, have been fighting for more than a decade but are still bandits, while the Ming court has been defeated again and again but is still able to rule the world today."

Liu Wenxiu and others beside him nodded slightly after hearing this. Wang Shangli beside him also knew that his argument was specious, but at this moment, his face was still unconvinced.
Wang Shangli snorted coldly and spoke again

"How are these Ming troops any different from us? In the past, we plundered and looted our way to survive, and these Ming troops also followed us wherever we went and robbed us. That's why these Ming troops are so weird, they don't look like Ming troops at all."

Li Dingguo was also stunned when he heard this. After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said

"Yes, the Ming court in the past was no different from ours, the only difference is the Gui Regent court."

After Li Dingguo finished speaking, he no longer hesitated, his face became serious, and he said

"Our Western Army also follows these three rules: no killing of civilians, no looting, no rape. Violators will be punished by military law. Go back and discipline your soldiers. Don't bring shame to our Western Army."

Liu Wenxiu also spoke at this time

"Counties and prefectures near Qujing have come to surrender in recent days. I think the people of Yunnan Province are still clear-minded. If we can control the soldiers well now, more people will come to surrender, and we can fight fewer battles. We should strictly enforce military discipline at this time."

Bai Wenxuan, Feng Shuangli and others nodded slightly when they heard this. In fact, this matter was not up to them.
Ma Bao and others even prohibited the Tengxiang Army from looting. Naturally, it was impossible to allow the Zhongyi Camp under the banner of the Ming Army to loot and damage the reputation of the court.
Li Dingguo thought for a moment and continued

"Later, I will go to the Tengxiang Army's envoy Zhu Xuexi and ask him to send someone to the camp to explain this method of preventing miasma to the soldiers in the camp."

Wang Shangli's expression changed slightly when he heard this, and he said

"This is not right. The so-called missionaries of the Ming court are actually military supervisors. How can they allow these people into our camp?"

Li Dingguo was about to speak when Liu Wenxiu at the side spoke up.

"I think this is feasible. The miasma in Yunnan Province is well known to the world. We will also follow the army in the wild later. The miasma will not care whether we are from the Western Camp or the Ming Army."

"Since the court has invited doctors in advance and has made preparations for this, we should also let the brothers in the army know the method of preventing miasma. This matter concerns the lives of the brothers in the camp and is not a joke."

Bai Wenxuan and Feng Shuangli both nodded, and Wang Shangli hesitated for a moment, but in the end he did not object. Just as Liu Wenxiu said, the horror of this miasma had long been well known, and even Wang Shangli himself was frightened by it.
Li Dingguo and others had made up their minds, and soon Li Dingguo found Zhu Xuexi and asked him to send people to the camp to preach military law and prevent miasma.

Although Zhu Xuexi was somewhat surprised, he agreed immediately. He had originally intended to tell Li Dingguo and the others about this matter, but there was no missionary in the Loyalty Camp, so Zhu Xuexi was not sure if he could convey the message.
At this time, Li Dingguo and others were willing to let them send people into the camp, and Zhu Xuexi would not refuse. Several groups of people had to act together. If there was a problem in the Loyalty Camp, they would not be able to escape.

In Qujing City, the various Ming troops were preparing for the field march in an orderly manner. After preparing all the food, salaries and herbs, the Ming troops set out from Qujing City and headed south, swaggering towards Lin'an Prefecture in the south.

At the same time, a large number of Ming army cavalry scouts had disguised themselves as civilians and secretly rushed to the outskirts of Kunming City, closely monitoring the movements in Kunming City.

When the Ming army was heading to Lin'an Prefecture, Sha Dingzhou finally received an urgent report from Kunming, discovering that the Ming court had invaded Yunnan in large numbers.
(End of this chapter)