Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 297 Fuzhou
The north wind was howling, and more than 500 civilian laborers had just returned to the camp at the Fifth Battalion of Laborers north of Dengzhou City.

As the army accelerated its mobilization, their tasks became particularly heavy in the past few days. They had just unloaded the last truck of food for the day and were all exhausted.

As soon as everyone returned to the camp, they originally planned to go back to the barracks to have a good rest.

But at this moment, the quartermaster suddenly shouted loudly:
"It's time to distribute cotton-padded clothes!"

It was the end of December, and the temperature in Dengzhou was dropping. In a few days, the freezing cold of winter would only become more biting.

If you are still wearing thin cotton clothes, you will probably freeze to death once you go to the battlefield.

The brothers Wang Dafu and Wang Tianfu walked along the path in the camp, huddled up and dragging their feet tiredly.

Suddenly I heard the quartermaster's voice. Although I didn't hear clearly what exactly I could get, I seemed to have strength in an instant and immediately ran over to line up.

"Brother, I heard that the army will set out in a few days. His Majesty will personally lead the troops to fight against the Tartars!" Wang Tianfu's face was full of excitement, his eyes were shining, and his expression was excited.

Wang Dafu frowned and looked at his brother with some disapproval:
"Why are you so excited? It's not like you're going to the battlefield to kill the enemy. We are just here to work and get some food to eat.

If you are really dragged to the battlefield, and the situation is not right, I tell you, you must escape as soon as possible. If you are caught by the Tartars, you will lose your life!

As he spoke, he lowered his voice, fearing that someone nearby might hear him and tell on him.

The two brothers are farmers in the countryside of Shandong. Now that winter has arrived, there is no work to do in the fields.

There were frequent battles in this area at the beginning of the year. Both the Qing and Ming armies trampled the fields to pieces, and in many places there was no hope of harvesting grain.

Many villages are full of starving people. If people don't find some work to earn some food to take back, the whole family will suffer from cold and hunger, and it will be difficult to survive this winter.

"Brother, how dare you say such things? This could cost you your life!"

Wang Tianfu was so frightened that his face turned pale. He glanced around and saw that there were still people queuing around. He quickly lowered his voice and said:

"The imperial court has issued a decree: anyone who dares to escape will have all their work points deducted for the first time and will also be beaten with twenty boards. They will no longer be eligible for land distribution. If they run away again, they will be beheaded!

Do you know? More than a dozen landlords in the city who secretly hid grain have been killed. How can ordinary people like us escape? "

As Wang Tianfu spoke, he looked up at the quartermaster's distribution team, his eyes gleaming with hope:
"Besides, I think His Majesty is a man of his words. He promised that we would have enough to eat, and he really did let us have enough to eat.

Now we not only have food to eat, but we also have cotton-padded clothes. This is much better than those masters who only forced us to work!"

Wang Dafu snorted coldly, his eyes still filled with disdain:

"You know shit! When we're really on the battlefield, if the situation gets bad, stick with me and don't rush forward foolishly.

Your life is your own, there is no need to risk your life for a few work points and land."

At this time, the distribution line in the camp gradually grew longer, and the originally quiet camp gradually became noisy.

Everyone who queued up to receive a cotton-padded jacket had a long-lost joy on their face. For these peasants from the cold and poor countryside, having a thick cotton-padded jacket in winter was such a precious comfort.

"Brother, don't go too far!" Wang Tianfu was a little anxious and retorted in a low voice:

"You're always like this, always thinking you're smarter than others, but I don't think so!
"Your Majesty did this for the sake of us ordinary people. He not only had to deal with the Tartars, but also had to take care of the lives of us common people, distribute cotton clothes and food, which is not something that everyone can do!"

"Humph," Wang Dafu still disagreed:

"Don't be fooled by these small favors. When the real battle comes, you'll know who's smarter."

He looked at the long line and whispered:
"No matter what, I still have to get my cotton-padded jacket. I can't let myself freeze to death in this damn place."

In the center of the camp, the quartermaster stood next to a carriage, holding a list in his hand, calling out names one by one and distributing cotton coats.

Cotton-padded clothes were piled on the car, emitting a strong smell of cotton. People who received them immediately put them on. The comfort and warmth instantly dispelled the winter cold.

Wang Dafu and Wang Tianfu stood at the end of the line, waiting for their names to be called. The two brothers stopped arguing and stood quietly in the cold wind, enduring the invasion of the cold.

Soon, the team moved forward and they finally received their own cotton coats.

Wang Dafu shook his cotton coat, put it on his shoulders, and sighed heavily:

"Oh, I hope these things can help us get through this winter."

Wang Tianfu seemed particularly excited and grinned:
"Brother, look, not only can we survive this winter, but we might even get a piece of land after the war, and then we can live a good life!"

"You wish." Wang Dafu showed a helpless smile.

"It's better to live each day honestly. God knows how long the war will last."

Wang Dafu never had a good impression of the government and the army, especially those officers and soldiers who came to collect grain, which always made him feel bad.

But this time, the team that came was a little different.

Not only did they not plunder by force, they also distributed some food relief, which surprised Wang Dafu.

However, even so, he was still afraid of being drafted into the army.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

What confused him even more was that the government actually required the registration of work points when recruiting laborers this time, and promised to distribute land according to work points after the war.

Although these words sound good, given Wang Dafu's personality, if it weren't for such a specific promise, he would probably complain endlessly.

However, this time he chose to remain silent. After all, as a farmer familiar with the local conditions, he knew in his heart how good the quality of the unowned wasteland in Dengzhou Prefecture was.

Those lands were originally cultivated lands with complete water conservancy facilities, and only needed a little dredging for irrigation.

Two crops can be planted every year, one season of wheat and one season of beans, with extremely high yields, and more than one stone of grain can be harvested per acre of land.

According to the rumored standards in the army, each person could get 50 mu of land, plus the oxen and seeds provided by the government. Even if they had to hand over 40% to 50% of the public grain, the annual income would be enough to live a good life. This thought made Wang Dafu excited.

It was precisely because of this temptation that Zhu Cilang was able to gather hundreds of thousands of civilians from Shandong in a short period of time, and these people were full of energy and willing to serve.

For ordinary people of that era, owning a piece of land meant security and a future.

Shandong and Henan had been left with vast tracts of wasteland due to years of war. In contrast, the land in Liaodong had not yet been distributed, an opportunity reserved by Zhu Cilang for those in the densely populated areas of the south.

Just as Wang Dafu was lost in thought, his younger brother Wang Tianfu excitedly tugged at his sleeve, pointed at a man walking back not far away, and shouted:

Suddenly, an officer climbed onto the platform and shouted:

"The troops will depart for Liaodong in three days! Everyone must complete their current tasks and pack their belongings within the next two days.

Sergeants, squad leaders, and captains must ensure everyone is in place. If anyone escapes, all thirty members of the team will be punished!"

Wang Dafu's heart tightened at these words. He knew that with the issuance of this order, the day when he would leave this familiar land and go to the battlefield was approaching.

Although he was worried, he chose to stay when he thought about the land he might get in the future.

Wang Tianfu was pulling at his newly issued cotton-padded jacket, his eyes full of excitement. He was still young, and his fear of war was not as deep as his brother's. He was more looking forward to a new life.

The two of them stood side by side in the line, looking at the slowly moving crowd in front of them with mixed feelings.

At this moment, the clouds in the sky began to roll, and the cold wind mixed with a few icy raindrops hit everyone's faces.

The atmosphere in the camp became increasingly tense, and everyone was busy packing their bags and preparing for the upcoming expedition.
In the camp, torches lit up patches of the night sky. Soldiers gathered in groups of three or five around the fire, some discussing battle rumors in low voices, while others carefully checked their weapons.

Wang Tianfu ran to a fire with a smile and put the cotton coat he had just received by the fire to warm it, trying to drive away the remaining coldness in it.

The atmosphere in the camp was not tense. Many young soldiers and civilians still maintained their relaxed laughter, as if they had found a touch of warmth in this cold night.

As the night deepened, the camp gradually returned to peace. The laborers, each donning their newly issued cotton-padded jackets, returned to their simple barracks in twos and threes.

The cold wind was still howling over the camp, but the thick cotton coats seemed to provide them with a weak but warm barrier.

The moonlight shone through the sparse clouds onto the camp, and the snow on the ground reflected a faint light. The laborers huddled in their bunks, talking softly about their aspirations for the future.

Some people talked about what to plant after the land was divided, while others were discussing plans to return home after the war. Although the sound of war drums outside was getting closer, at this moment, the atmosphere in the camp seemed unusually peaceful.

Wang Dafu lay on a wooden bed in the corner and closed his tired eyes. He was still struggling with the decision of whether to stay or leave, but he was more worried about his family.

"Maybe, I should really believe it for once..."

He thought silently in his heart, the cold wind came in through the window, gently brushing against the new cotton coat he had just put on, but failed to take away the faint trace of warmth.
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As the expedition against Liao led by Zhu Cilang was fully launched, the situation around Fuzhou City became increasingly tense.

Fuzhou City was the first line of defense of the Qing army in the Liaodong area. Oboi led a complete Manchu army to hide in the city. At the same time, there were 2,000 recruited Green Camp soldiers and 4,000 Baoyi soldiers stationed there, forming a solid line of defense.

In the southwest of Fuzhou City, near the bank of Shahe River, the moonlight is bright at this moment, silver light falls on the river surface, and the water waves sparkle in the moonlight.
The water slaps against the shore where the river and the sea meet, making a splashing sound, and then recedes silently.

At this moment, a resolute face covered with mud was faintly visible in a patch of water plants on the shore - it was Lin Erbao, a veteran scout in the Ming army.

Lin Erbao had a rough face and his eyes flashed with an eagle-like sharpness. His eyes were fixed on the grove in the east, his gaze as sharp as torches, as if he was eagerly waiting for a signal.

Lin Erbao had a heavy responsibility on this trip. As an experienced scout, he took advantage of the cover of night to quietly cross Fuzhou Bay and go deep into the enemy's rear.

Not only did he have to complete the reconnaissance mission, but he also had a more critical mission - as a representative of the Ming army, he had to contact those Green Camp generals in the Qing army who were determined to return to Han.

Thinking of this, Lin Erbao couldn't help but turn his head to look at the figure next to him. It was Zhang Fu, a former Qing army captain who had recently surrendered to the Ming army.

His hair had not yet fully grown back to its original shape. It was obviously a newly shaved Qing soldier's hair, and it was now slowly returning to its original appearance.

Zhang Fu has a special identity and has a certain influence in the Green Camp. It is because of him that Lin Erbao was able to contact the Green Camp generals in the city through insiders.

During the conquest of Jiaodong, Zhu Cilang successfully recruited a large number of Green Camp soldiers, including many experienced soldiers and low-level officers.

Most of these people are from the north, and some even come from northern Zhili. They have close ties with the Green Camp troops currently stationed in Fuzhou, Gaizhou and other cities.

Relying on the title of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and the intelligence infiltration of the Military Intelligence Department, the Ming army quickly established secret connections with the rebellious factions in the Green Camp.

Lin Erbao, as Zhang Huangyan's special envoy, was tasked with contacting these Green Camp generals who were "in Cao's camp but their hearts were with Han", hoping that they would provide support to the Ming army or directly defect at the critical moment.

The sound of the water in the Sha River echoed faintly in the night wind. Lin Erbao held his breath and could only hear the subtle humming of insects in the grass.

He knew that all negotiations had to be conducted with extreme caution. Although these Green Camp generals were loyal to the Ming Dynasty, they had established roots in the Qing army over the years and would not easily betray him. He needed to give them a credible promise.

Time passed bit by bit, Lin Erbao raised his head slightly and glanced at the grove in the east.

A trace of anxiety flashed in his eyes. The meeting time agreed upon with Zhang Fu was approaching, but there was still no movement in the woods.

At this moment, the moonlight was briefly obscured by clouds, and finally a low bird song was heard from the depths of the woods - that was the secret signal.

Lin Erbao's heart tightened. He quickly adjusted his breathing, lowered his body, and waited quietly for Zhang Fu's response.

Sure enough, Zhang Fu nodded slightly, and the two of them quickly emerged from the water plants and sneaked quietly to the east using the shadows of the forest.

A few minutes later, they met a man in gray clothes deep in the woods. The man had a beard and was tall. He was a deputy general of the Green Camp in the city.

The three of them didn't say much, but just used their eyes to indicate each other's identities.

After a while, the three began to talk in low voices. The deputy general looked a little nervous, but more of a long-lost hope.

Lin Erbao tried to speak clearly without sounding too anxious. He knew that the other party was carefully weighing the pros and cons, waiting for an opportunity to preserve himself and be loyal to the Ming Dynasty.

The negotiations lasted about half an hour, and Lin Erbao made the greatest commitment, stating that once the Ming army captured Fuzhou City, they would give preferential treatment to all Green Camp soldiers who were willing to defect.

Zhang Fu also provided supporting evidence to illustrate the Ming army's victory in Jiaodong and its successful experience in incorporating the Green Camp.

Finally, the deputy general nodded.

The night grew darker. After the negotiations ended, Lin Erbao and Zhang Fu quietly retreated to the bank of the Sha River and hid among the water plants again, waiting for the next order.

This meeting is only part of the whole plan, and a bigger action is about to begin.

Lin Erbao knew that if he could successfully defeat the Qing army in Fuzhou and open the gateway to Liaodong, the entire war situation would be rewritten.

(End of this chapter)