Chapter 1142
Competition for Copper Mine
Chapter 1142 Competition for Copper Mine
Prior to this, the Terengganu government had not shown any opposition or hostility to Haihan's arrival. The prefect Chen Zhongsheng even expressed appreciation for Haihan's action in helping Fushan County eliminate the cancer of the Wanjia army bandit gang, and acquiesced in Haihan's actions. The act of building ports and residences on Zhifu Island.In the absence of face-to-face contact, the attitude of the local officials is already very friendly.The Zhifu Island Command also believed that Chen Zhongsheng could be won over, and planned to send him some more practical benefits in the future, but they did not expect that the other party would suddenly come up with such a move, and their attitude suddenly became tough.
Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan County, naturally did not dare to disobey the orders of his superiors, but he did not want to offend Haihan's side. After all, the adults in Dengzhou City had never seen the performance of Haihan's army with their own eyes, but he knew very well how powerful these people were. In a word, I can't afford it.Zhang Pucheng sent this official document to Zhifu Island, and the meaning was very clear—it was not me, Zhang Pucheng, acting as a demon, but Dengzhou Prefecture. Even if you have any grievances, don't vent your anger on me.
In any case, the Fushan Copper Mine will definitely not be given up. One of the reasons why Haihan chose Zhifu Island as his base is to mine this copper mine nearby, and no one knew about this vein before. The place was found and ready to start digging, and the local government wanted to come out to pick up ready-made peaches at this time, so how could Haihan just let go and let the mine go out.Even Hao Wanqing, who has always been relatively stable, couldn't help feeling a little angry after hearing the news.
"Everyone, don't be impulsive. This piece of paper only shows the government's attitude, and it doesn't have any actual binding force on us. Just continue to do what should be done. If the Dengzhou government really wants to use violent means to solve this matter, we There is no need to take action first." Qian Tiandun kept calm enough at this time, and did not get angry like the others: "If the thousands of soldiers in Dengzhou City dare to pull out to fight us, then I don't mind giving them It’s a profound lesson for them! But before that, I think we should deal with it calmly and find out what happened first, which will make the attitude of the Dengzhou government suddenly change.”
After hearing this, Wang Tom quickly calmed down from the anger just now: "Commander Qian is right, we can't mess up our original plan because of this matter, this prefect Chen's sudden change of attitude, maybe someone is obstructing it, deliberately Do something to test our reaction."
"Constantly respond to all changes, no matter what tricks they play, as long as they don't send troops, we don't have to deal with them." Qian Tiandun said in a deep voice: "Fushan County, now we have the final say! If they want to take back the copper mine, then Just take the head and collect it!"
Qian Tiandun spoke a few harsh words steadily, and everyone's emotions calmed down a lot, and they began to seriously discuss countermeasures.
Hao Wanqing said: "Since the Dengzhou government issued such an official document, there must be further information sent back within two or three days. If they want to send troops, they should not hide it from my subordinates."
The last time Gong Shiqi led a team to Dengzhou City to inquire about information, he left a few people lurking in Dengzhou City, responsible for collecting military and political information.For such an action as a troop expedition, a large number of materials will be mobilized a few days in advance, and the army and civilians who will be responsible for transporting the luggage will be recruited. With the mobilization ability and command level of the Ming army in Dengzhou, it should be impossible to deceive Haihan's eyes and ears in the city. .As long as the Dengzhou garrison made any moves in this regard, news would come back within two days at most, and this time difference was enough for Hai Han to prepare for it.
Sun Changmi said: "Tian Yeyou, Chen Yixin, and Morgan are still in the mining area. Do you want to send them some reinforcements?"
"There is no need to worry about this. Gao Qiaonan's troops are not far from where they are. After they have finished dealing with the Wanjia Gang, they can go to reinforce the mining area first." Qian Tiandun already has a countermeasure for this: " Takahashi South has two companies, plus the troops in the mining area, there is almost a battalion, that is, no heavy weapons, but a small area of defense should be enough for self-protection. However, the supply line from Zhifu Island to the mining area We need to build it up as soon as possible. The troops stationed there plus the miners consume a lot of supplies every day, and winter is coming soon, so the logistical supplies must keep up. The winter clothes and quilts shipped this time , we have to start transporting it as soon as possible.”
At this time, Gao Qiaonan was in the mountainous area about 20 miles southwest of the Fushan Copper Mine Area. Although Gan Qiang and Pu Xueguang, the main leaders of the remnant party of the Wanjia Army, had been captured before, the Wanjia Army's widely distributed strongholds were cleared. , and excavating the buried bandit treasure still took his team several days.
Of course, the rewards for this hard work are also quite generous. Haihan not only got hundreds of free coolies to clear away the threats lurking in the mountains, but more importantly, he recovered the treasures buried in the mountains by the Wanjia Army. Its total value is nearly 10 taels of silver.Due to the large number, Gao Qiaonan was also worried about the situation that there would be extra problems. He spent a whole day escorting the goods all the way to Jiahe. Ye You and the others meet up.
During this period, the spies deployed by the Ministry of Security in Dengzhou City finally sent back further information.The official document issued by the Dengzhou government office was indeed drafted by the prefect Chen Zhongsheng, and it was not a gimmick used by others under the guise of his name.However, behind this incident, it seems that there is still an inseparable relationship with the Dengzhou Ming Army.
According to the information obtained by the spies, the news of Haihan's prospecting in Fushan County spread to Dengzhou City. Someone secretly dug the ore from the vicinity of the mining area and sent it to the city for appraisal. As a result, I don't know which part of the matter went wrong. , After being passed from east to west, it was stabbed into the ears of those who cared.
Dengzhou has no valuable products in the first place. I heard that the Haihan people who just appeared recently discovered copper mines in Fushan County. Naturally, some people began to think about it—the mines buried in the local area should of course be owned by the local area. How can a group of barbarians from the south take over such a good thing?
Of course, even if you have this idea, you have to weigh whether you have the strength to go to Fushan County to mine.Mining is not a small business, and the initial investment is huge, not everyone can afford it, not to mention that Haihan people are rich and powerful, and it is not so easy to be squeezed out.If you want to fight the Haihan people with your own strength, the Wanjia army that was destroyed recently is a fresh and warm lesson from the past. If you think that your strength is not as good as that of the local tyrants, you don't have to go out and provoke Haihan.
And the most important thing is to get permission and support from the government. Otherwise, with just one official document, the mine will be nationalized in a matter of minutes, and no amount of previous investment will be in vain.
There are quite a few people in Dengzhou City who are eager and tempted, but not many people can meet these conditions at the same time, especially the condition of government support, which is impossible for most people.
However, there are exceptions to everything, Zheng Fan, the brother-in-law of the prefect Chen Zhongsheng, is a special case.This person can be regarded as a wealthy businessman in the Denglei area. He served in the army in his early years and later left his job as a businessman. With the help of his relationship in the army and Chen Zhongsheng's prestige in the local area, he quickly made a fortune and embarked on a career path. reached the pinnacle of life.Today, almost all the grain and cloth business in the Denglei area is monopolized by the firm he runs.
It is said that after Zheng Fan heard the news about the Fushan Copper Mine, he went to discuss with his brother-in-law Chen Zhongsheng that he would take the copper mine from Haihan and put it under his own name. Chen Zhongsheng and Chen Zhongsheng have one each, and the remaining one is turned over to the national treasury as a tax, so that each gets what he deserves, and Chen Zhongsheng can also get a brilliant political achievement because of this.
Of course, in order to achieve such a beneficial result for all parties, Haihan must first be eliminated from the game, and Chen Zhongsheng and Zheng Fan do not see anything wrong with this way of handling it. Who made Haihan a foreigner from the south? What about barbarians?
At this time, the Dengzhou garrison also jumped out, expressed their support for Zheng Fan, and were willing to provide necessary military assistance.Of course, the relevant expenses must be borne by Zheng Fanlai.In addition, the military requires that the income from mining copper mines must be divided into four in the future, and the military should also take one of them.After weighing the pros and cons, Chen Zhongsheng actually agreed to the military's conditions.
The spies of the Ministry of Security learned the relevant information through the low-level military officers they knew, and the credibility is quite high. It can basically be confirmed that this decision was made jointly by civil and military officials in Dengzhou, and it should not stop at written official documents, which are less binding. means.If Haihan refuses to give in, then the possibility of the Dengzhou garrison directly intervening in this matter will be very high.
"If the Dengzhou Ming army wants to take action to seize the mine, it is probably the nearest time. Otherwise, even if they want to come out and grab the territory after the winter snows, the weather will easily affect the progress of the action." Hao Wanqing told The military issued a warning: "I suggest strengthening the monitoring of the area west of Guxian Town as soon as possible, and formulating an action plan to counter the opponent."
Qian Tiandun and Wang Tom also attached great importance to the warning from the Ministry of Security, and temporarily postponed the planned recovery of the Changshan Islands by the Navy and the Pidao Ming Army.Zhifu Island sent another batch of artillery and weapons to the location of the Fushan Copper Mine to strengthen the defense of the area.At the same time, Haru Gong was asked to transfer the defense area of the cavalry battalion to the coastal plain area to the west of Guxian Town, and was specially responsible for monitoring the wind and grass in the direction of Dengzhou.
At the end of October, the weather had turned cooler, and when the Zhifu Island Command was wondering whether Dengzhou would take action before winter, there was finally further news.The Dengzhou garrison Guo Xingning's troops have begun to gather for war, and the grain merchant Zheng Fan has recently provided the ministry with five thousand catties of grain as a sponsor. The Ministry of Security believes that these two things should not be a coincidence, and the target of the expedition is most likely Fushan County. copper ore.
"I received an order from the headquarters to let you go back to the island to rest for a few days, and then come back to preside over the work after the troubles here are dealt with." Morgan informed Tian Yeyou of the current situation and the response measures of the headquarters. .
Tian Yeyou shook his head and said, "I don't think it's necessary. There's nothing to be afraid of with a battalion of troops here? Even if all the Ming troops from Dengzhou City are mobilized, they might not be able to take over this mine, right?"
Morgan said: "Although that's what I said, but considering your personal safety..."
"Needless to say, if I go back to the island, I will have to stop work for at least four or five days. It's the time to rush for the construction period, how can I let go of this critical moment." Tian Yeyou still insisted on his own opinion: "You When I called back to the headquarters, I said that I can't leave here for the time being."
Morgan also knew that what Tian Yeyou said was true, so he didn't insist on persuading him to leave immediately.The garrison camp of the mine is almost complete, but the miners' camp is still under construction.If it is not completed before the severe winter arrives, some migrant workers will have to return to Zhifu Island for the winter, and the progress of the mine infrastructure project will also be greatly affected.Tian Yeyou is currently working as a supervisor on the construction site here. If he leaves, some construction sites will indeed come to a standstill.
Four days later, the Haihan cavalry found the vanguard of the Ming army thirty miles east of Dengzhou City.The opponent's cavalry also noticed the existence of the Haihan cavalry, but both sides were very cautious and did not choose to fight. After observing from a distance, they chose to withdraw their troops.
That day, the vanguard of the Ming army marched to Jijia Town, sixty miles east of Dengzhou, and began to send out teams of cavalry to control the ten-mile radius around the station.Although Haru Gong was a little itchy, considering that the opponent's main force was still behind and did not show up, it is likely to startle the enemy by making a move at this time, so he continued to exercise restraint.
In the afternoon of the next day, this Ming army had already entered the territory of Fushan County, and the marching speed was very fast. Presumably, the general who led the troops also hoped to minimize the time spent on the march, and captured the Fushan Copper Mine in a quick way. Control.But it is a pity that the enemy he has to face is Haihan, and he has never thought about giving up the copper mine at all, and has already made preparations for the battle a few days in advance.
In order to ensure that the operation was foolproof, the Zhifu Island command sent the two companies of the army to the rear of the Ming army by boat, and quietly landed on the coast near Guxian Town, so as to outflank the Ming army's rear after the battle broke out.At this time, the size of the attacking Ming army has basically been reconnaissance. The army is led by the general Guo Xingning, including about [-] Ming troops including infantry artillery and other major arms, and [-] to [-] people in charge of logistics. Follow the army and civilian husband.
Although Haihan's troop strength in this area was only about half of that of his opponent, he was already prepared for the fight, so he didn't panic.On the contrary, Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fukuyama, noticed the frequent mobilization of Haihan troops recently, so he restored the state of wartime martial law in the county a few days in advance, and the opening time of the city gate was reduced to half an hour each morning and evening.
(End of this chapter)
Prior to this, the Terengganu government had not shown any opposition or hostility to Haihan's arrival. The prefect Chen Zhongsheng even expressed appreciation for Haihan's action in helping Fushan County eliminate the cancer of the Wanjia army bandit gang, and acquiesced in Haihan's actions. The act of building ports and residences on Zhifu Island.In the absence of face-to-face contact, the attitude of the local officials is already very friendly.The Zhifu Island Command also believed that Chen Zhongsheng could be won over, and planned to send him some more practical benefits in the future, but they did not expect that the other party would suddenly come up with such a move, and their attitude suddenly became tough.
Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan County, naturally did not dare to disobey the orders of his superiors, but he did not want to offend Haihan's side. After all, the adults in Dengzhou City had never seen the performance of Haihan's army with their own eyes, but he knew very well how powerful these people were. In a word, I can't afford it.Zhang Pucheng sent this official document to Zhifu Island, and the meaning was very clear—it was not me, Zhang Pucheng, acting as a demon, but Dengzhou Prefecture. Even if you have any grievances, don't vent your anger on me.
In any case, the Fushan Copper Mine will definitely not be given up. One of the reasons why Haihan chose Zhifu Island as his base is to mine this copper mine nearby, and no one knew about this vein before. The place was found and ready to start digging, and the local government wanted to come out to pick up ready-made peaches at this time, so how could Haihan just let go and let the mine go out.Even Hao Wanqing, who has always been relatively stable, couldn't help feeling a little angry after hearing the news.
"Everyone, don't be impulsive. This piece of paper only shows the government's attitude, and it doesn't have any actual binding force on us. Just continue to do what should be done. If the Dengzhou government really wants to use violent means to solve this matter, we There is no need to take action first." Qian Tiandun kept calm enough at this time, and did not get angry like the others: "If the thousands of soldiers in Dengzhou City dare to pull out to fight us, then I don't mind giving them It’s a profound lesson for them! But before that, I think we should deal with it calmly and find out what happened first, which will make the attitude of the Dengzhou government suddenly change.”
After hearing this, Wang Tom quickly calmed down from the anger just now: "Commander Qian is right, we can't mess up our original plan because of this matter, this prefect Chen's sudden change of attitude, maybe someone is obstructing it, deliberately Do something to test our reaction."
"Constantly respond to all changes, no matter what tricks they play, as long as they don't send troops, we don't have to deal with them." Qian Tiandun said in a deep voice: "Fushan County, now we have the final say! If they want to take back the copper mine, then Just take the head and collect it!"
Qian Tiandun spoke a few harsh words steadily, and everyone's emotions calmed down a lot, and they began to seriously discuss countermeasures.
Hao Wanqing said: "Since the Dengzhou government issued such an official document, there must be further information sent back within two or three days. If they want to send troops, they should not hide it from my subordinates."
The last time Gong Shiqi led a team to Dengzhou City to inquire about information, he left a few people lurking in Dengzhou City, responsible for collecting military and political information.For such an action as a troop expedition, a large number of materials will be mobilized a few days in advance, and the army and civilians who will be responsible for transporting the luggage will be recruited. With the mobilization ability and command level of the Ming army in Dengzhou, it should be impossible to deceive Haihan's eyes and ears in the city. .As long as the Dengzhou garrison made any moves in this regard, news would come back within two days at most, and this time difference was enough for Hai Han to prepare for it.
Sun Changmi said: "Tian Yeyou, Chen Yixin, and Morgan are still in the mining area. Do you want to send them some reinforcements?"
"There is no need to worry about this. Gao Qiaonan's troops are not far from where they are. After they have finished dealing with the Wanjia Gang, they can go to reinforce the mining area first." Qian Tiandun already has a countermeasure for this: " Takahashi South has two companies, plus the troops in the mining area, there is almost a battalion, that is, no heavy weapons, but a small area of defense should be enough for self-protection. However, the supply line from Zhifu Island to the mining area We need to build it up as soon as possible. The troops stationed there plus the miners consume a lot of supplies every day, and winter is coming soon, so the logistical supplies must keep up. The winter clothes and quilts shipped this time , we have to start transporting it as soon as possible.”
At this time, Gao Qiaonan was in the mountainous area about 20 miles southwest of the Fushan Copper Mine Area. Although Gan Qiang and Pu Xueguang, the main leaders of the remnant party of the Wanjia Army, had been captured before, the Wanjia Army's widely distributed strongholds were cleared. , and excavating the buried bandit treasure still took his team several days.
Of course, the rewards for this hard work are also quite generous. Haihan not only got hundreds of free coolies to clear away the threats lurking in the mountains, but more importantly, he recovered the treasures buried in the mountains by the Wanjia Army. Its total value is nearly 10 taels of silver.Due to the large number, Gao Qiaonan was also worried about the situation that there would be extra problems. He spent a whole day escorting the goods all the way to Jiahe. Ye You and the others meet up.
During this period, the spies deployed by the Ministry of Security in Dengzhou City finally sent back further information.The official document issued by the Dengzhou government office was indeed drafted by the prefect Chen Zhongsheng, and it was not a gimmick used by others under the guise of his name.However, behind this incident, it seems that there is still an inseparable relationship with the Dengzhou Ming Army.
According to the information obtained by the spies, the news of Haihan's prospecting in Fushan County spread to Dengzhou City. Someone secretly dug the ore from the vicinity of the mining area and sent it to the city for appraisal. As a result, I don't know which part of the matter went wrong. , After being passed from east to west, it was stabbed into the ears of those who cared.
Dengzhou has no valuable products in the first place. I heard that the Haihan people who just appeared recently discovered copper mines in Fushan County. Naturally, some people began to think about it—the mines buried in the local area should of course be owned by the local area. How can a group of barbarians from the south take over such a good thing?
Of course, even if you have this idea, you have to weigh whether you have the strength to go to Fushan County to mine.Mining is not a small business, and the initial investment is huge, not everyone can afford it, not to mention that Haihan people are rich and powerful, and it is not so easy to be squeezed out.If you want to fight the Haihan people with your own strength, the Wanjia army that was destroyed recently is a fresh and warm lesson from the past. If you think that your strength is not as good as that of the local tyrants, you don't have to go out and provoke Haihan.
And the most important thing is to get permission and support from the government. Otherwise, with just one official document, the mine will be nationalized in a matter of minutes, and no amount of previous investment will be in vain.
There are quite a few people in Dengzhou City who are eager and tempted, but not many people can meet these conditions at the same time, especially the condition of government support, which is impossible for most people.
However, there are exceptions to everything, Zheng Fan, the brother-in-law of the prefect Chen Zhongsheng, is a special case.This person can be regarded as a wealthy businessman in the Denglei area. He served in the army in his early years and later left his job as a businessman. With the help of his relationship in the army and Chen Zhongsheng's prestige in the local area, he quickly made a fortune and embarked on a career path. reached the pinnacle of life.Today, almost all the grain and cloth business in the Denglei area is monopolized by the firm he runs.
It is said that after Zheng Fan heard the news about the Fushan Copper Mine, he went to discuss with his brother-in-law Chen Zhongsheng that he would take the copper mine from Haihan and put it under his own name. Chen Zhongsheng and Chen Zhongsheng have one each, and the remaining one is turned over to the national treasury as a tax, so that each gets what he deserves, and Chen Zhongsheng can also get a brilliant political achievement because of this.
Of course, in order to achieve such a beneficial result for all parties, Haihan must first be eliminated from the game, and Chen Zhongsheng and Zheng Fan do not see anything wrong with this way of handling it. Who made Haihan a foreigner from the south? What about barbarians?
At this time, the Dengzhou garrison also jumped out, expressed their support for Zheng Fan, and were willing to provide necessary military assistance.Of course, the relevant expenses must be borne by Zheng Fanlai.In addition, the military requires that the income from mining copper mines must be divided into four in the future, and the military should also take one of them.After weighing the pros and cons, Chen Zhongsheng actually agreed to the military's conditions.
The spies of the Ministry of Security learned the relevant information through the low-level military officers they knew, and the credibility is quite high. It can basically be confirmed that this decision was made jointly by civil and military officials in Dengzhou, and it should not stop at written official documents, which are less binding. means.If Haihan refuses to give in, then the possibility of the Dengzhou garrison directly intervening in this matter will be very high.
"If the Dengzhou Ming army wants to take action to seize the mine, it is probably the nearest time. Otherwise, even if they want to come out and grab the territory after the winter snows, the weather will easily affect the progress of the action." Hao Wanqing told The military issued a warning: "I suggest strengthening the monitoring of the area west of Guxian Town as soon as possible, and formulating an action plan to counter the opponent."
Qian Tiandun and Wang Tom also attached great importance to the warning from the Ministry of Security, and temporarily postponed the planned recovery of the Changshan Islands by the Navy and the Pidao Ming Army.Zhifu Island sent another batch of artillery and weapons to the location of the Fushan Copper Mine to strengthen the defense of the area.At the same time, Haru Gong was asked to transfer the defense area of the cavalry battalion to the coastal plain area to the west of Guxian Town, and was specially responsible for monitoring the wind and grass in the direction of Dengzhou.
At the end of October, the weather had turned cooler, and when the Zhifu Island Command was wondering whether Dengzhou would take action before winter, there was finally further news.The Dengzhou garrison Guo Xingning's troops have begun to gather for war, and the grain merchant Zheng Fan has recently provided the ministry with five thousand catties of grain as a sponsor. The Ministry of Security believes that these two things should not be a coincidence, and the target of the expedition is most likely Fushan County. copper ore.
"I received an order from the headquarters to let you go back to the island to rest for a few days, and then come back to preside over the work after the troubles here are dealt with." Morgan informed Tian Yeyou of the current situation and the response measures of the headquarters. .
Tian Yeyou shook his head and said, "I don't think it's necessary. There's nothing to be afraid of with a battalion of troops here? Even if all the Ming troops from Dengzhou City are mobilized, they might not be able to take over this mine, right?"
Morgan said: "Although that's what I said, but considering your personal safety..."
"Needless to say, if I go back to the island, I will have to stop work for at least four or five days. It's the time to rush for the construction period, how can I let go of this critical moment." Tian Yeyou still insisted on his own opinion: "You When I called back to the headquarters, I said that I can't leave here for the time being."
Morgan also knew that what Tian Yeyou said was true, so he didn't insist on persuading him to leave immediately.The garrison camp of the mine is almost complete, but the miners' camp is still under construction.If it is not completed before the severe winter arrives, some migrant workers will have to return to Zhifu Island for the winter, and the progress of the mine infrastructure project will also be greatly affected.Tian Yeyou is currently working as a supervisor on the construction site here. If he leaves, some construction sites will indeed come to a standstill.
Four days later, the Haihan cavalry found the vanguard of the Ming army thirty miles east of Dengzhou City.The opponent's cavalry also noticed the existence of the Haihan cavalry, but both sides were very cautious and did not choose to fight. After observing from a distance, they chose to withdraw their troops.
That day, the vanguard of the Ming army marched to Jijia Town, sixty miles east of Dengzhou, and began to send out teams of cavalry to control the ten-mile radius around the station.Although Haru Gong was a little itchy, considering that the opponent's main force was still behind and did not show up, it is likely to startle the enemy by making a move at this time, so he continued to exercise restraint.
In the afternoon of the next day, this Ming army had already entered the territory of Fushan County, and the marching speed was very fast. Presumably, the general who led the troops also hoped to minimize the time spent on the march, and captured the Fushan Copper Mine in a quick way. Control.But it is a pity that the enemy he has to face is Haihan, and he has never thought about giving up the copper mine at all, and has already made preparations for the battle a few days in advance.
In order to ensure that the operation was foolproof, the Zhifu Island command sent the two companies of the army to the rear of the Ming army by boat, and quietly landed on the coast near Guxian Town, so as to outflank the Ming army's rear after the battle broke out.At this time, the size of the attacking Ming army has basically been reconnaissance. The army is led by the general Guo Xingning, including about [-] Ming troops including infantry artillery and other major arms, and [-] to [-] people in charge of logistics. Follow the army and civilian husband.
Although Haihan's troop strength in this area was only about half of that of his opponent, he was already prepared for the fight, so he didn't panic.On the contrary, Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fukuyama, noticed the frequent mobilization of Haihan troops recently, so he restored the state of wartime martial law in the county a few days in advance, and the opening time of the city gate was reduced to half an hour each morning and evening.
(End of this chapter)