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

Chapter 367 The Unique Art of Conducting

Shanhaiguan.

The most formidable pass under heaven!

This is a military defensive complex that completely blocks the narrow land between the Yanshan Mountains and the Bohai Sea. The city walls are thick and the layout is reasonable.

Looking at the faintly visible flags in the distance, Sony's face showed worry.

"Father, what's wrong?"

"This battle will be difficult."

"The city's defenses are complete, and the firepower is deployed in a well-organized manner. My son is very confident in defending Shanhaiguan."

"It's not a problem with the city's defenses, but with the number of troops. The garrison at Shanhaiguan only has 12,000 men, while during the Ming Dynasty there were 25,000. I've calculated that if the garrison is less than 20,000, there must be loopholes in the city's defenses."

Songgotu remained silent.

Liaodong has a small population, only about 20,000 people at most. It was already quite difficult to gather 12,000 people to defend Shanhaiguan.

The territory beyond the Great Wall is too vast.

Ningguta also had to resist the Cossack invasion.

My Great Qing Dynasty is truly beset by internal and external troubles!
Soetu said in a low voice, "Father, it would be great if the Khorchin tribe were willing to lend a helping hand."

Sony shook his head: "Don't count on the Mongols. They're a bunch of opportunists. They'll help whoever has the biggest fist or the most money."

……

The next evening.

United Empire Camp, Central Army.

The camp gate slowly opened~
A horse-drawn carriage drove into the camp, and the two women inside looked uneasy.

"Princess, we're here."

Dorgon's widow, Lady Li, took a deep breath, lifted the curtain, and stepped off the carriage using a stool.

"Mom, I'm scared."

Following behind was her daughter, Dong'e, who had become a bit plumper than a few years ago, but the timidity in her eyes was still undeniable.

The two walked side by side toward the main tent.

Li whispered the instructions:

"He is your husband! Don't dwell on the past, serve him well, and strive for his favor."

"Ok."

As they spoke, the tent flap was lifted.

"Please~"

The two men walked into the tent with their heads held high and bowed in greeting.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Grand Secretary."

"No need for formalities, please sit."

Unexpectedly, Jiang Qingyun smiled and stared at Li Shi, making Li Shi feel uneasy.

"Your father, Yi Ho, has sent an envoy to ask you to return to your country. What do you think about that?"

"I~"

Li was speechless.

Going back home? Of course I want to. But what about Dong'e?
……

Dong Ehua, standing to the side, turned pale and blurted out, "Mother, don't leave me."

Lady Li was startled and quickly stood up: "Prime Minister, please forgive me, Dong'e is still young, she...she..."

Jiang Qingyun waved his hand: "We are all family, Your Highness, please don't be so formal, please sit down."

"Yes."

"Regarding the Princess's return to the country, this is what I think: the Princess has been away from the country for many years, and her homesickness is understandable. She can return to visit her family. Dong'e can also return with her."

Both of them looked surprised.

"It's a visit to relatives, not a one-way trip. You'll come back in three to five months, or even a year."

The two of them quickly got up.

"Thank you for your kindness, Chief Minister."

"Tonight I will host a banquet for the Goryeo envoys. You two go and freshen up and meet your families."

"Yes."

Li's eyes were red-rimmed, and she was moved to tears.

That night.

The central command tent was brightly lit.

The banquet was quite lavish.

Although Kim Yu, the minister sent by King Yi Ho of Goryeo, was respectful, his words betrayed his ulterior motives.

"May I ask the Grand Secretary of the Great Nation, have you considered restoring the Ming Dynasty?"

"The Ming Dynasty is dead."

Jin Yu's brows furrowed with barely concealed disappointment as he pressed on, "Does the Grand Secretary intend to establish a new dynasty and declare himself emperor?"

Li was terrified.

As expected, Jiang Qingyun's face darkened. He put down his wine cup and reprimanded, "Jin Yizheng, how dare you, from such a small country, presume to discuss matters of the superior nation?"

Jin Yu, realizing his mistake, raised his cup in apology. Jiang Qingyun said, "Jin Yizheng, listen carefully. When you get back, tell Li Hao that your country also needs to contribute to this campaign against Liaodong: 500 musketeers and 5 shi of grain."

Kim Yu quickly stood up: "Goryeo is poor, and it is already doing its best to pay tribute every year. If we ask for more soldiers and grain, our country really cannot afford it."

The atmosphere at the table suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse.

Jiang Qingyun walked up to Jin Yu.

"I know that your country's rulers and ministers are dissatisfied with the Qing court, and have been secretly taking in foreign sailors and teaching your own soldiers to firearms. Your country even has plans to launch a northern expedition against Shengjing!"

Jin Yu's eyes were filled with terror.

"Chief assistant?"

"Tell Yi Ho truthfully that he should not speak ill of the country, should not act rashly, and should not be presumptuous. Otherwise, Gyeongbokgung Palace will be burned down by war."

"According to the order."

Jin Yu knelt down and kowtowed in fear and trepidation.

The king's plan for a northern expedition was highly secretive; how did this person know? There's only one answer: there were high-ranking spies within the capital. How terrifying!

Li and Dong'e remained silent throughout the entire process.

After the banquet, Dong'e was kept to serve the emperor in bed.

When can I return home? There was no clear answer.

Jin Yu immediately dispatched his entourage to return by sea to inform the king that the superior nation was demanding and had made many requests, which could neither be refused nor fully complied with.

……

April 12th.

The weather was fine and sunny.

The Allied Empire's army of over 100,000 men, known as the Allied Forces, launched its first offensive against Shanhaiguan.

There were hundreds, even thousands, of siege weapons; the sight of them was terrifying.

Jiang Qingyun, mounted on his horse, exuded an almost inhuman majesty. He pointed his whip at the distant city walls, issuing commands to the assembled officers.

"Attack Shanhaiguan, with each unit taking turns to attack."

"On the first day, the Heavenly Blessing Army of the Prince of Pingnan will lead the attack, with the Banner Guard Army supervising the battle!"

Shang Kexi disregarded his armor and knelt on one knee.

"The minister obeys the order."

"Go."

Shang Kexi, who was urging the army to attack the city, felt that nothing had changed. The Eight Banners urged the Han army to attack the city, and the United Empire inherited almost all of the Qing Dynasty's traditions.

Chinese army.

Jiang Qingyun whispered a few instructions.

A body double wearing a gold mask stepped forward and spurred his horse toward the Eight Banners army formation.

He announced loudly:
"From today onwards, in order to distinguish ourselves from the Tartar bandits outside the Great Wall, the Eight Banners Army of the capital shall be renamed the Imperial Banner Guard. Take over the banner!"

The biggest difference between the brand-new military flag and the black dragon flag is that it has an extra colored border, which can be considered as retaining some of the Eight Banners elements.

Following the ceremony of bestowing the military flag by the emperor, the various captains received the flags.

The Zuo Ling flag was half the size of the military flag, and it had embroidered Chinese numerals on it, corresponding to 50 Zuo Ling.

The last-minute renaming and bestowal of banners released the Grand Secretary's fervent hope that the Eight Banners would be fully integrated into the imperial armed forces. The Eight Banners Army had its original sins, but the Banner Guards did not.

……

Under the cover of countless shield carts, the dark mass of Tianyou Army charged toward Shanhaiguan, with the Banner Guard strictly supervising the battle from behind.

The sounds of cannons, gunfire, roars, and screams filled the air.
Seeing this horrific scene, Li Dingguo's eyes twitched, and he thought to himself: This is not how you attack a city. Jiang Qingyun is an amateur!

Jiang Qingyun stood on a hillside far from the battlefield.

"Deploy 10,000 Green Standard Army soldiers to advance and dig according to the established plan."

"As ordered."

Miners from Mentougou served as technical advisors, while 10,000 Green Standard Army soldiers with weaker combat capabilities carried shovels and picks to the battlefield to dig deep trenches on the spot.

Earthwork operations!

Xiao Jiang has definitely learned something good.

Day 1.
The Tianyou Army suffered over 3000 casualties.
……

the next day.
The Tianyou Army rested and reorganized, while the Green Standard Army from other provinces continued the main attack.

More than 2000 people were injured or killed.

Day three.
The army assembled, preparing to attack the city.

A knight carrying a white flag emerged from Shanhaiguan and slowly walked towards them under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

In the distance~
Jiang Qingyun smiled and said:
"I bet they've come to negotiate peace."

"If it's about peace talks, stop talking nonsense and chop off this man's head with one stroke."

"As ordered."

A double, escorted by dozens of riders, spurred his horse down the hillside.

The newly formed Chief Minister's Guard consists of 500 men, 50 of whom are of similar height, build, and build to him. In wartime, these 50 men will wear the same type of armor as him.

They can appear in public at any time as "Grand Secretary," requiring only a black cloak and a hollowed-out gold mask to deceive the public.

(End of this chapter)