Chapter 1501
The attitude of the Koreans
Chapter 1501 The attitude of the Koreans
In his heart, Liu Shang did not agree with Haihan's decision to use force to intimidate the DPRK, but he also understood that the current situation in Liaodong could not allow Haihan to slowly handle the relationship with the DPRK.Cutting the mess with a quick knife may be the best way to deal with Haihan and North Korea. North Korea after Shanghai Han is definitely much better than being squeezed by Houjin, but North Koreans may not be able to appreciate Haihan's painstaking efforts.This country was almost destroyed by Houjin's attack on the capital a few years ago, and in the end, it did not completely fall back to Houjin. Haihan wanted to convince the Korean state with a show of force, which was too simplistic.
However, in the face of such a powerful person as Tom Wang, Liu Shang would naturally remain silent, and wisely refrain from expressing some personal views that contradict the opinions of his boss.
Shen Zhixiang's understanding of North Korea is far better than Liu Shang's, and his view is more optimistic: "North Koreans advocate the strong, and after Dingmao's chaos, most of the upper-level people have a relatively large psychological shadow on the war and are unwilling to let them go. The country has been dragged into the flames of war. As long as the messenger goes back and honestly reports the situation in Liaodong, the Koreans will surely understand what choice is best for them.”
Liu Shang couldn't help but replied: "I'm afraid that the future Jin Jiwei will be too powerful, and the North Koreans will not believe that our army can suppress the Jin army on the battlefield. If the messenger goes back to report the battle situation, it may be regarded as a bragging after receiving benefits."
Tom Wang said: "There are not no smart people in North Korean politics. They should be able to sort out whether the news brought back by the messenger is true or false. Besides, isn't there General Shen still here? They can't trust the messenger, can they still trust General Shen?"
Although the Ming army in Dongjiang Town was just a bereaved dog driven out of Liaodong by Houjin, for the Korean state, they were the heavenly army from the heaven and the dynasty, and they were existences that needed to be treated respectfully.North Korea will send envoys to Liaodong to investigate, it is precisely because of the invitation made by Shen Shikui, the commander of Dongjiang Town.Tom Wang took Shen Zhixiang with him on this errand, and the purpose was to have someone trusted by the other party come forward to negotiate with North Korean high-level officials.Even if Luo Xian's report back would be suspected, and Shen Zhixiang personally endorsed Haihan, the Koreans couldn't even question the position of the Ming army.
However, it was the local North Korean army that responded faster than Seoul. Seven hours after the Haihan fleet arrived at Ganghwa Island, a team of about 500 North Korean armed personnel appeared in the Haihan army's field of vision.
The lookout on the mast of the "Majesty" was the first to spot the group of people coming from the east, but no one regarded them as North Korean officers and soldiers at first, because the outfit of the group seen in the telescope was really unremarkable Neat, the team is also sparse without the appearance of a regular army.However, given that the group was armed, the watchdog dutifully issued a warning at the first time.
"The Koreans are here." When Tom Wang told Shen Zhixiang and Liu Shang the news, his tone was very calm, as if these people came to see him specially.
The North Koreans were very cautious, not approaching the unidentified armed fleet, and stopped about a mile away.After fumbling around for a while, I finally sent a few people over to investigate the truth.
Of course, Tom Wang was not interested in meeting such a small role as a general of shrimp, soldier, and crab, so he asked Shen Zhixiang to come forward to send them off.And after Shen Zhixiang's Ming army general's attire appeared in the eyes of the other party, as expected, several North Koreans who were still a little afraid suddenly relaxed a lot, and quickly came over to kneel on the ground to greet Shen Zhixiang.Of course, I didn't forget to ask Shen Zhixiang's identity taboo.
Shen Zhixiang understood that the reason for his participation in this errand was because of the identity of the Ming army sergeant on his head, and immediately reported his official position and name.The few North Korean soldiers heard that the officer in front of him was indeed a general of the Ming army, and they were extremely obedient at the moment.
After Shen Zhixiang asked Tom Wang for instructions, he asked the other party to try to get some fresh food for the fleet to supply.These people did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly took their orders away.As for whether they are going to scavenge local wealthy households or think of other tricks, then don't do Shen Zhixiang's business.
"These North Koreans... are not afraid of encountering someone impersonating!" Liu Shang, who was watching the entire negotiation process, couldn't help but complain.
Shen Zhixiang said with a smile: "Look at these ships on the shore, how can it be fake? In the eyes of the Koreans, only Daming can build such a large warship."
"I am afraid that only Haihan can build such a big ship today." Liu Shangxin said that the official shipbuilding institutions in the south have been hollowed out by Haihan in recent years by various means, and most of the old shipbuilders who have worked for many years have resisted. Unable to be attracted by the high salary and generous salary, he became a hired worker of the Haihan people, and even immigrated to Hainan Island altogether. He had met hundreds of Ming shipsmiths at the Victory Harbor Shipyard.And Haihan's advanced shipbuilding technology and the addition of these skilled craftsmen have surpassed the shipbuilding level of Daming in just a few years.If it was said that the time when the eunuch Sanbao went to the South Ocean was considered the peak period of Daming's shipbuilding technology, now there is no place where Daming can build a ship of such tonnage as the "Majesty".
Of course, in the eyes of ordinary North Koreans, Daming is still the omnipotent Daming, and these large sailboats docked on the coast of Jianghua Island are naturally from Daming.
Shen Zhixiang's identity was really useful. After more than an hour, the team returned again and sent [-] catties of grain, fresh fruits and vegetables, some poultry, two fat pigs and two goats to the Haihan Fleet.Although these things can't be said to be of great value, it must have taken some thought to follow Shen Zhixiang's instructions and get these things from nearby in such a short period of time.Shen Zhixiang did not hesitate to praise him. He praised the officer who led the team for knowing the rules and doing things well. He was so happy that the man was overjoyed, as if the praise was enough to get him promoted.
Seeing that the other party didn't mention the cost, Shen Zhixiang knew that most of these things were taken from nearby people's homes, but the victims of this evil were all North Koreans, and Shen Zhixiang naturally wouldn't interfere.And Tom Wang wouldn't care about these trivial matters, as long as these North Korean soldiers don't challenge Haihan's force beyond their ability, he doesn't want to cause a sudden outbreak of war between the two countries because of a group of miscellaneous soldiers.As for the opponent's mistaking his troops for the Ming army, Tom Wang would not explain anything specifically for this in order to save trouble.
The fleet did not wait for a response from Seoul that day, but this was also within the military's expectations. After all, Luo Xian's time to go to Seoul was not too early, and considering that he still needed to report to the court for the king and ministers to discuss, Responding is not something that can be done in an instant.The fleet was stationed on Jianghua Island that day, and the North Korean garrison on the island believed that it was a fleet from Dongjiang Town, Daming, and never doubted their identity and purpose.
Of course, the Navy did not relax its vigilance because of this. After all, Rod Xian's mission was not 100% sure that it would be successfully completed, and the North Koreans still had the possibility of resorting to military confrontation.Wang Tom specially dispatched two fast boats, quietly entered the Han River upstream after nightfall, and went upstream to monitor North Korea's movements.In addition, the Marine Corps also sent a reconnaissance platoon to deploy defenses around the garrison to prevent the North Korean garrison on the island from playing tricks at night.
The next day, there was still no movement in the direction of Seoul.Shen Zhixiang was the first to lose his temper, and took the initiative to ask Tom Wang for help, intending to go to Seoul in person.
Wang Tom did not agree with his application: "The news that the Ming army in Dongjiang Town is fighting side by side with our country in Liaodong, Luo Xian will definitely bring it back to Seoul. If the Koreans choose not to trust Dongjiang Town, then it is useless for you to go. We will Just wait and see. If the North Korean political arena is full of idiots who don't know the current affairs, then this opportunity will beat them well. If there are smart people who can understand the situation, they might as well help."
When Haihan dealt with Daming, Annan and other countries in the past, it was a common practice to support the spokespersons in the country's official circles.The lowly official may only be the magistrate of a county, such as Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan County, Dengzhou Prefecture, Shandong, and the high official is Xu Xinsu, who now holds military power in Fujian.
It is said that the court has recently had the intention to transfer Xu Xinsu to the Ministry of War to be a servant, but Xu Xinsu himself has not let go. After all, he also knows that his roots and connections are in the south, and the Ministry of War transferred to the capital will immediately become a bare rod. Speaking of Shi Lang, even if he straightened the Minister of Military Affairs, it would be difficult to command the Ming army in the provinces.By staying in Fujian, on the one hand, he can continue to accumulate wealth as a local emperor, and on the other hand, he can easily hug Haihan's thigh.
The Haihan side is also very willing to train officials like Xu Xinsu. These officials have many common interests with Haihan and have certain authority in the country's officialdom or locality. The benefits that can bring Haihan are often the difficulty of money. measured.For example, the Ming army of Dongjiang Town gathered in Liaodong side, although it is only a burdensome army that has little meaning to Daming but has to spend a lot of money to maintain, but it is an excellent cover for Haihan to advance into Liaodong in a grand manner.Spending money to rescue Dongjiang Town in exchange for the opportunity to enter Liaodong is still a good deal in Haihan's view.
Although North Korea is a traditional vassal state of Daming, in Haihan's view, since this country can become a vassal of Daming, of course, it may become a vassal of Haihan in the future.In particular, North Korea has always been under the military threat of Hou Jin. The person who can really rescue them is not Da Ming, but Hae Han, who only started to formally fight with Hou Jin last year.If he can find a suitable candidate, of course Haihan also hopes to support a few "his own people" in the North Korean officialdom. Luo Xian can be regarded as a test product of this strategy.
If Luo Xian can do things better this time, and win Haihan the opportunity to have a direct dialogue with high-level figures in the North Korean state, then Haihan will designate him as a liaison officer in the future, and a light hand will be enough for him in the North Korean officialdom. Soaring to the top.
It was not until the afternoon of the next day that the messengers from Seoul finally crossed the Han River, crossed Ganghwa Island to the Haehan Station, and handed them a diplomatic letter drafted by the North Korean leader Kim Sang-heon.
In the letter, Kim Sang Hun expressed his welcome to the Haihan Fleet from afar, and invited Tom Wang and his party to visit Seoul.However, in order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, Kim Sang-hun hopes that the Haihan Fleet can continue to stay on Ganghwa Island, and Wang Tom, who was invited, can take a boat provided by North Korea to Seoul on the upper reaches of the Han River.The letter even clearly stated that Tom Wang could bring [-] samurai with him, which obviously did not want the Haihan fleet to go to the upper reaches of the Han River on a large scale.
But the purpose of Haihan's trip is to demonstrate force to the upper echelons of North Korea. If he doesn't go to Seoul Mansion and the other party doesn't come to Ganghwa Island, how can he demonstrate force?Bringing 50 people into Seoul, Wang Tom is not afraid of any safety issues, but if he follows the rules set by the other party, then this errand will definitely not achieve the expected effect.Wang Tom didn't want to take such a long trip, and finally went back in despair after failing to achieve his goal.
"Order, all the troops board the ship and return to their positions, ready to go!" Wang Tom quickly made a decision. Since the other party wants to use such a covert method, he will just come straight to the point and let the fleet go directly outside the Seoul House. , using facts to tell the North Koreans who should have the final say here.
As for the risk of armed conflict, Wang believes that the attitude of the North Koreans has minimized the possibility.If they were tougher in their letter, maybe Tom Wang would seriously consider this possibility, but since the other party expressed his fear of the Haihan Fleet in the letter, Tom Wang naturally knew the other party's weakness.
Wang Tom does not want to go to war with North Korea, but if it is really necessary to use force, then he will not have the slightest hesitation and scruples.In a country like North Korea, if you fight, you will fight, and you don't need to worry about what retaliation methods the other party can use. Maybe you will obey after a fight. After all, Jin has done this before, and it seems to have received good results.
After receiving the order, the marines stationed on the coast began to break out and return to the ship.Under the stunned gaze of the North Korean soldiers, the fleet circled Ganghwa Island from the north and sailed into the water of the Han River.And whenever the ships of this fleet were seen on the river, they all walked out of the waterway as soon as possible. More than 30 sailboats lined up in two columns on the river, guarding the flagship "Majesty", and slowly sailed upstream.
At this time, the officials in the Seoul House naturally did not know that the object they were arguing against had already been killed in Seoul from the sea, and soon they would be able to witness the most powerful armed fleet in Northeast Asia appearing at their doorstep.
(End of this chapter)
In his heart, Liu Shang did not agree with Haihan's decision to use force to intimidate the DPRK, but he also understood that the current situation in Liaodong could not allow Haihan to slowly handle the relationship with the DPRK.Cutting the mess with a quick knife may be the best way to deal with Haihan and North Korea. North Korea after Shanghai Han is definitely much better than being squeezed by Houjin, but North Koreans may not be able to appreciate Haihan's painstaking efforts.This country was almost destroyed by Houjin's attack on the capital a few years ago, and in the end, it did not completely fall back to Houjin. Haihan wanted to convince the Korean state with a show of force, which was too simplistic.
However, in the face of such a powerful person as Tom Wang, Liu Shang would naturally remain silent, and wisely refrain from expressing some personal views that contradict the opinions of his boss.
Shen Zhixiang's understanding of North Korea is far better than Liu Shang's, and his view is more optimistic: "North Koreans advocate the strong, and after Dingmao's chaos, most of the upper-level people have a relatively large psychological shadow on the war and are unwilling to let them go. The country has been dragged into the flames of war. As long as the messenger goes back and honestly reports the situation in Liaodong, the Koreans will surely understand what choice is best for them.”
Liu Shang couldn't help but replied: "I'm afraid that the future Jin Jiwei will be too powerful, and the North Koreans will not believe that our army can suppress the Jin army on the battlefield. If the messenger goes back to report the battle situation, it may be regarded as a bragging after receiving benefits."
Tom Wang said: "There are not no smart people in North Korean politics. They should be able to sort out whether the news brought back by the messenger is true or false. Besides, isn't there General Shen still here? They can't trust the messenger, can they still trust General Shen?"
Although the Ming army in Dongjiang Town was just a bereaved dog driven out of Liaodong by Houjin, for the Korean state, they were the heavenly army from the heaven and the dynasty, and they were existences that needed to be treated respectfully.North Korea will send envoys to Liaodong to investigate, it is precisely because of the invitation made by Shen Shikui, the commander of Dongjiang Town.Tom Wang took Shen Zhixiang with him on this errand, and the purpose was to have someone trusted by the other party come forward to negotiate with North Korean high-level officials.Even if Luo Xian's report back would be suspected, and Shen Zhixiang personally endorsed Haihan, the Koreans couldn't even question the position of the Ming army.
However, it was the local North Korean army that responded faster than Seoul. Seven hours after the Haihan fleet arrived at Ganghwa Island, a team of about 500 North Korean armed personnel appeared in the Haihan army's field of vision.
The lookout on the mast of the "Majesty" was the first to spot the group of people coming from the east, but no one regarded them as North Korean officers and soldiers at first, because the outfit of the group seen in the telescope was really unremarkable Neat, the team is also sparse without the appearance of a regular army.However, given that the group was armed, the watchdog dutifully issued a warning at the first time.
"The Koreans are here." When Tom Wang told Shen Zhixiang and Liu Shang the news, his tone was very calm, as if these people came to see him specially.
The North Koreans were very cautious, not approaching the unidentified armed fleet, and stopped about a mile away.After fumbling around for a while, I finally sent a few people over to investigate the truth.
Of course, Tom Wang was not interested in meeting such a small role as a general of shrimp, soldier, and crab, so he asked Shen Zhixiang to come forward to send them off.And after Shen Zhixiang's Ming army general's attire appeared in the eyes of the other party, as expected, several North Koreans who were still a little afraid suddenly relaxed a lot, and quickly came over to kneel on the ground to greet Shen Zhixiang.Of course, I didn't forget to ask Shen Zhixiang's identity taboo.
Shen Zhixiang understood that the reason for his participation in this errand was because of the identity of the Ming army sergeant on his head, and immediately reported his official position and name.The few North Korean soldiers heard that the officer in front of him was indeed a general of the Ming army, and they were extremely obedient at the moment.
After Shen Zhixiang asked Tom Wang for instructions, he asked the other party to try to get some fresh food for the fleet to supply.These people did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly took their orders away.As for whether they are going to scavenge local wealthy households or think of other tricks, then don't do Shen Zhixiang's business.
"These North Koreans... are not afraid of encountering someone impersonating!" Liu Shang, who was watching the entire negotiation process, couldn't help but complain.
Shen Zhixiang said with a smile: "Look at these ships on the shore, how can it be fake? In the eyes of the Koreans, only Daming can build such a large warship."
"I am afraid that only Haihan can build such a big ship today." Liu Shangxin said that the official shipbuilding institutions in the south have been hollowed out by Haihan in recent years by various means, and most of the old shipbuilders who have worked for many years have resisted. Unable to be attracted by the high salary and generous salary, he became a hired worker of the Haihan people, and even immigrated to Hainan Island altogether. He had met hundreds of Ming shipsmiths at the Victory Harbor Shipyard.And Haihan's advanced shipbuilding technology and the addition of these skilled craftsmen have surpassed the shipbuilding level of Daming in just a few years.If it was said that the time when the eunuch Sanbao went to the South Ocean was considered the peak period of Daming's shipbuilding technology, now there is no place where Daming can build a ship of such tonnage as the "Majesty".
Of course, in the eyes of ordinary North Koreans, Daming is still the omnipotent Daming, and these large sailboats docked on the coast of Jianghua Island are naturally from Daming.
Shen Zhixiang's identity was really useful. After more than an hour, the team returned again and sent [-] catties of grain, fresh fruits and vegetables, some poultry, two fat pigs and two goats to the Haihan Fleet.Although these things can't be said to be of great value, it must have taken some thought to follow Shen Zhixiang's instructions and get these things from nearby in such a short period of time.Shen Zhixiang did not hesitate to praise him. He praised the officer who led the team for knowing the rules and doing things well. He was so happy that the man was overjoyed, as if the praise was enough to get him promoted.
Seeing that the other party didn't mention the cost, Shen Zhixiang knew that most of these things were taken from nearby people's homes, but the victims of this evil were all North Koreans, and Shen Zhixiang naturally wouldn't interfere.And Tom Wang wouldn't care about these trivial matters, as long as these North Korean soldiers don't challenge Haihan's force beyond their ability, he doesn't want to cause a sudden outbreak of war between the two countries because of a group of miscellaneous soldiers.As for the opponent's mistaking his troops for the Ming army, Tom Wang would not explain anything specifically for this in order to save trouble.
The fleet did not wait for a response from Seoul that day, but this was also within the military's expectations. After all, Luo Xian's time to go to Seoul was not too early, and considering that he still needed to report to the court for the king and ministers to discuss, Responding is not something that can be done in an instant.The fleet was stationed on Jianghua Island that day, and the North Korean garrison on the island believed that it was a fleet from Dongjiang Town, Daming, and never doubted their identity and purpose.
Of course, the Navy did not relax its vigilance because of this. After all, Rod Xian's mission was not 100% sure that it would be successfully completed, and the North Koreans still had the possibility of resorting to military confrontation.Wang Tom specially dispatched two fast boats, quietly entered the Han River upstream after nightfall, and went upstream to monitor North Korea's movements.In addition, the Marine Corps also sent a reconnaissance platoon to deploy defenses around the garrison to prevent the North Korean garrison on the island from playing tricks at night.
The next day, there was still no movement in the direction of Seoul.Shen Zhixiang was the first to lose his temper, and took the initiative to ask Tom Wang for help, intending to go to Seoul in person.
Wang Tom did not agree with his application: "The news that the Ming army in Dongjiang Town is fighting side by side with our country in Liaodong, Luo Xian will definitely bring it back to Seoul. If the Koreans choose not to trust Dongjiang Town, then it is useless for you to go. We will Just wait and see. If the North Korean political arena is full of idiots who don't know the current affairs, then this opportunity will beat them well. If there are smart people who can understand the situation, they might as well help."
When Haihan dealt with Daming, Annan and other countries in the past, it was a common practice to support the spokespersons in the country's official circles.The lowly official may only be the magistrate of a county, such as Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan County, Dengzhou Prefecture, Shandong, and the high official is Xu Xinsu, who now holds military power in Fujian.
It is said that the court has recently had the intention to transfer Xu Xinsu to the Ministry of War to be a servant, but Xu Xinsu himself has not let go. After all, he also knows that his roots and connections are in the south, and the Ministry of War transferred to the capital will immediately become a bare rod. Speaking of Shi Lang, even if he straightened the Minister of Military Affairs, it would be difficult to command the Ming army in the provinces.By staying in Fujian, on the one hand, he can continue to accumulate wealth as a local emperor, and on the other hand, he can easily hug Haihan's thigh.
The Haihan side is also very willing to train officials like Xu Xinsu. These officials have many common interests with Haihan and have certain authority in the country's officialdom or locality. The benefits that can bring Haihan are often the difficulty of money. measured.For example, the Ming army of Dongjiang Town gathered in Liaodong side, although it is only a burdensome army that has little meaning to Daming but has to spend a lot of money to maintain, but it is an excellent cover for Haihan to advance into Liaodong in a grand manner.Spending money to rescue Dongjiang Town in exchange for the opportunity to enter Liaodong is still a good deal in Haihan's view.
Although North Korea is a traditional vassal state of Daming, in Haihan's view, since this country can become a vassal of Daming, of course, it may become a vassal of Haihan in the future.In particular, North Korea has always been under the military threat of Hou Jin. The person who can really rescue them is not Da Ming, but Hae Han, who only started to formally fight with Hou Jin last year.If he can find a suitable candidate, of course Haihan also hopes to support a few "his own people" in the North Korean officialdom. Luo Xian can be regarded as a test product of this strategy.
If Luo Xian can do things better this time, and win Haihan the opportunity to have a direct dialogue with high-level figures in the North Korean state, then Haihan will designate him as a liaison officer in the future, and a light hand will be enough for him in the North Korean officialdom. Soaring to the top.
It was not until the afternoon of the next day that the messengers from Seoul finally crossed the Han River, crossed Ganghwa Island to the Haehan Station, and handed them a diplomatic letter drafted by the North Korean leader Kim Sang-heon.
In the letter, Kim Sang Hun expressed his welcome to the Haihan Fleet from afar, and invited Tom Wang and his party to visit Seoul.However, in order to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, Kim Sang-hun hopes that the Haihan Fleet can continue to stay on Ganghwa Island, and Wang Tom, who was invited, can take a boat provided by North Korea to Seoul on the upper reaches of the Han River.The letter even clearly stated that Tom Wang could bring [-] samurai with him, which obviously did not want the Haihan fleet to go to the upper reaches of the Han River on a large scale.
But the purpose of Haihan's trip is to demonstrate force to the upper echelons of North Korea. If he doesn't go to Seoul Mansion and the other party doesn't come to Ganghwa Island, how can he demonstrate force?Bringing 50 people into Seoul, Wang Tom is not afraid of any safety issues, but if he follows the rules set by the other party, then this errand will definitely not achieve the expected effect.Wang Tom didn't want to take such a long trip, and finally went back in despair after failing to achieve his goal.
"Order, all the troops board the ship and return to their positions, ready to go!" Wang Tom quickly made a decision. Since the other party wants to use such a covert method, he will just come straight to the point and let the fleet go directly outside the Seoul House. , using facts to tell the North Koreans who should have the final say here.
As for the risk of armed conflict, Wang believes that the attitude of the North Koreans has minimized the possibility.If they were tougher in their letter, maybe Tom Wang would seriously consider this possibility, but since the other party expressed his fear of the Haihan Fleet in the letter, Tom Wang naturally knew the other party's weakness.
Wang Tom does not want to go to war with North Korea, but if it is really necessary to use force, then he will not have the slightest hesitation and scruples.In a country like North Korea, if you fight, you will fight, and you don't need to worry about what retaliation methods the other party can use. Maybe you will obey after a fight. After all, Jin has done this before, and it seems to have received good results.
After receiving the order, the marines stationed on the coast began to break out and return to the ship.Under the stunned gaze of the North Korean soldiers, the fleet circled Ganghwa Island from the north and sailed into the water of the Han River.And whenever the ships of this fleet were seen on the river, they all walked out of the waterway as soon as possible. More than 30 sailboats lined up in two columns on the river, guarding the flagship "Majesty", and slowly sailed upstream.
At this time, the officials in the Seoul House naturally did not know that the object they were arguing against had already been killed in Seoul from the sea, and soon they would be able to witness the most powerful armed fleet in Northeast Asia appearing at their doorstep.
(End of this chapter)