You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 183 Loyalty and Treachery Are Hard to Distinguish ~
Runing Prefecture Government Office.

"Brother Qingyun, you've come at the perfect time."

"General, I heard that Jiujiang has been lost?"

"This is a military report sent by the Governor of Jiangxi. It will be delivered to the Ministry of War in five days."

Jiang Qingyun took the military report and quickly glanced through it.

Ma Jinzhong, a fierce general of the Western Regions, led several thousand elite troops and swept across Jiangxi, capturing thirteen prefectures and counties in succession. His momentum was overwhelming. Suddenly, the Green Standard Army adjutant stationed in Jiujiang turned against him, and they cooperated from within and without.

Ma Jinzhong's troops were stationed in Jiujiang, their advance pointing towards the south of the Yangtze River.

……

"The situation is critical. The southern half of the country is in ruins, and the Ming army is showing signs of a resurgence. General, what do you plan to do?"

Ao Bai drew his sword and pointed at the map on the wall.

"Of the soldiers who were withdrawn from Hengzhou, 7% went to Jingzhou, 3% went to Wuchang, and 3 Green Standard Army soldiers were stationed in Shashi to protect Jingzhou."

"Li Dingguo led his troops to Yuezhou, while several other detachments attacked Jiangxi, Hunan, and Guangxi. They may have already reached Guangdong."

"That's roughly the situation at present."

"I have decided to go to Jingzhou to stockpile grain, supervise the manufacture of guns and cannons, arm the Green Standard Army, and inspire the Eight Banners. First, I will stabilize Jingzhou and Xiangyang, the granary, and control the Yangtze River hub. Then, I will send a large number of Green Standard Army soldiers equipped with firearms to attack Yuezhou and gradually take control of the region."

Ao Bai's analysis was very well-organized.

Jiang Qingyun stared at the map with a serious expression, unwilling to look away for a long time.

"What insightful opinion do you have, Brother Qingyun?"

"It's right for the General to guard Jingzhou. There are too many variables in the southwest. What about the Thirteen Families of Kuidong? Sun Kewang of Guizhou? And the Pingxi King's forces in Sichuan? Their reactions are unpredictable."

Ao Bai's expression changed slightly.

“Brother, I didn’t expect you to be so knowledgeable about military affairs. You’re right. If we compare the South to a game of chess, the only living piece right now is the Prince of Pingxi’s 80,000-strong army. He can hold back the thirteen families of Kuidong, or he can march into Guizhou and strike at the heart of the Ming court, forcing Li Dingguo to return to defend. The problem is, it’s hard to tell whether he’s loyal or treacherous.”

"General, when it comes down to it, it's always the people on our side who are reliable."

"Who can argue with that? The biggest weakness of the Qing Dynasty was that there were too few Manchus, so they were simply incapable of waging a full-scale war."

Jiang Qingyun nodded silently.

What a coincidence, we actually had the same idea.

The stock of flags has fallen below the red line.

From this moment forward, for every thousand more bannermen who die, the political landscape of the Qing Dynasty will undergo a visible change.

If the number of bannermen were reduced by another 5%, Emperor Shunzhi would probably address him as "Imperial Tutor."

……

The twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Outside Jingzhou City, the atmosphere was somber.

Beile Tunqi and dozens of other Eight Banner officials knelt down on both sides of the road.

"Welcome General Dingyuan."

Ao Bai didn't give these people a friendly look, and rode his horse directly into the city with a cold face.

Jiang Qingyun followed on horseback, his face also filled with arrogance. As he passed the group of princes and nobles who were kneeling at his feet, he even snorted.

The Qing Dynasty valued military merit highly; a defeated general was worse than a dog.

A Manchu Gushan Ejen turned his head and cursed, "Damn it, what's he so arrogant about, a Han Chinese?"

"Shut up."

Tunqi sternly scolded and berated him.

The procession was over in a quarter of an hour.

Tunqi's heart tightened. Oh no, what can this number of soldiers do? Most of them are just Green Standard Army soldiers who are just there to make up the numbers.

……

As soon as Ao Bai entered the city, he was busy as a spinning top, compiling a list of fallen Eight Banner soldiers and sending them back to the capital along with their ashes.

Rewarding the troops, boosting morale, adjusting defenses, stockpiling provisions, forging guns and cannons, getting to know the generals, inspecting Shashi, and summoning Green Standard Army officers, etc.

Jiang Qingyun went out of the city to hunt every day and picked up his long-lost bow and arrows.

I am a civil official.

I don't understand military affairs, so I can't be of any help.

Although he couldn't be of much help, he brought his father Jiang Zhongcheng, father-in-law Jiang Deshun, brother-in-law Jiang Bei, and neighbor Zhou Cang on this trip to the south.

Before they knew it, all the men in the family had died.

Loyalty, beyond reproach.
Jiang Qingyun spent his days like this until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month: dressed in fine clothes and riding a hundred riders across the plains, hunting during the day and having barbecues at night, sharing a piece with Ao Bai.

Occasionally, he would inspect the gun and cannon workshops in Jingzhou with his hands behind his back.

Say a few nonsensical things.

For example:

"Guns must be able to kill people."

"The craftsmen must be paid." ...

For the past two weeks, the only serious thing Jiang Qingyun did was to read through the military reports sent from various provinces, reading them word by word and repeatedly.

Military reports from Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Hubei were the main sources, and there were also occasional scattered intelligence reports from fugitives, but their authenticity could not be verified.

He categorized the routes by date and sketched out a map of the Ming army's military offensive routes.

Suddenly, a sound came from outside.

"Greetings, Commander-in-Chief."

The next moment, Dad came in.

"Father, please sit down and have some tea."

"I want to ask you a truthful question, and you must tell me the truth."

Jiang Qingyun smiled.

"How could a son lie to his father?"

"Hard to say."

Jiang Qingyun leaned back in his chair and carefully examined his father. Seeing his serious, complicated, mysterious, and suspicious expression, he instantly guessed his father's intentions.

"Just ask?"

"Do you know something but are deliberately keeping it from everyone?"

"Father, what makes you say that?"

"I always felt you were too relaxed, more like you were on a spring outing than going to war. You must know something~"

Looking at his father's expectant expression, Jiang Qingyun nodded seriously.

"I knew it."

Jiang Zhongcheng breathed a sigh of relief.

"Father, I can't tell you too much, but I can tell you that my men are already on the move, and if nothing unexpected happens, the situation will turn around in two or three months."

"What do you need me to do?"

"You train the troops rigorously for me, train the Green Standard Army to be like the Banner Army, and they won't be afraid of the Prince of Jin strangling them." Jiang Qingyun smiled mysteriously. "Father, I also want to ask you a question. Tell me, how can we train excellent cavalry?"

"Hunting by riding and shooting."

"Can't we use a target?"

"The effect is far from satisfactory."

After seeing his father off, Jiang Qingyun fell into deep thought.

The deputy section chief knew nothing about military affairs, but he vaguely remembered that before Napoleon's infantry tactics came into being, cavalry was the only god on the battlefield, whether in the East or the West.

The first generation of Manchu cavalry was incredibly powerful. Every year, these men would go to the western grasslands to ride and shoot, killing tens of thousands of gazelles in a single hunt.

These people have all passed away.

The second generation of flag bearers were far less powerful, and needless to say, the third generation will only be weaker.

This just proves what Old Lady Jiu Jin said: each generation is worse than the last.

……

Guizhou, Guiyang Prefecture.

Qin Wangfu.

A travel-worn officer knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Jin has invited you to lead troops to hunt in Jingzhou on the first day of the fourth month and annihilate the Qing Eight Banners army."

"Hmm, is the battle progressing well?"

"Your Highness, the brothers have been following Prince Jin in conquering cities and territories with unstoppable momentum. The brothers all say that they will be able to reach Jiangnan before the end of the year."

Sun Kewang's heart sank.

He pondered for a moment, then asked:
"Why do you look so familiar to me?"

"I was originally a cavalryman in the Imperial Guard, but I was sent to Anlong Prefecture to work in a collective camp after I fell from my horse and injured my arm. Later, when the Prince of Jin launched a major eastern expedition and recruited soldiers, I signed up."

What is your current official position?

"Chief of the Vanguard Battalion".

"Good, good indeed, worthy of being soldiers sent out from under my command."

Sun Kewang actually revealed a slight smile.

"Come on, let's have a feast."

"I dare not bid."

"I am also eager to learn more about the battle at the front. I might as well summon all your brothers. Today there are no princes, only brothers from the Great Western Army."

The result can be imagined,

A captain, a lieutenant, and four ordinary soldiers were actually able to drink at the same table as a prince. They were flattered and spoke freely and without reservation.

(End of this chapter)