Chapter 63: Seeking Help from Another Country

  Thank you for the support of Heart Floating, Mourning Wu Hua Xia, hghgkfgd and other book friends. Wishing everyone all the best.

  Additionally, it is not incorrect to address Wang Ye as "Your Highness". Historical records show that when Bai Wenxuan was taken captive and surrendered to the Qing dynasty, he tearfully said: "I have let down the Emperor and the Prince of Jin..." Therefore, one can also refer to Bai Wenxuan as Zhao Your Highness, and Li Dingguo, the King of Jin, as Jin Your Highness.

  "Your Highness wants to go east to Annan?" Bai Wenselect was stunned, after listening to Zhu Yongxing's processed events and his future ideas, he felt deeply surprised and also expressed great doubts about his departure.

  "Going east to Annan, first is to fulfill my promise to the Mangshan Kezu; secondly, Guangxi was initially settled, but the Qing army's rule was not stable, and there were still some remaining Ming troops assisting, and the situation might change; thirdly, Guangxi had fallen, and the Yunnan Ming army had lost contact with the outside world, if we could open up a sea route, we could communicate with the Prince of Yanping and Zhang Shangshu's Chou Shan forces; the internal conflict in Annan would not stop, both Zheng and Nguyen were exhausted from prolonged war, unable to withstand our Ming army's sharpness, they will certainly seek peace, then I can get a place to settle down, this is the fourth point; fifthly——"

  Zhu Yongxing paused for a moment, then said slowly: "This is also the intention of Your Majesty. The imperial court guards the border, and its reputation is outside. It's better to open up another battlefield and stay away from the Sino-Burmese border."

  Bai Wenyuan blinked his eyes, understanding the meaning behind Zhu Yongxing's words. The first four points made sense but could be ignored, only this fifth point should be the focus, the real intention of the emperor and the court to send Zhu Yongxing to Yunnan under the name of leaving the post. As for the target, the goal of attracting the Qing army, it was naturally better to be farther away and more chaotic.

  Zhu Yongxing nodded and continued, "The Qing army's military strength is mostly limited to within the three rivers. If they go east, there will be little obstruction. However, Yunnan province cannot be abandoned, and troops should be left on the border of Yunnan to coordinate with the local ethnic minority leaders to restrain the Qing army, as well as protect the emperor and the imperial court who have entered Burma. This heavy responsibility is not something that can be borne by anyone other than Zhao Wang and Jin Wang."

  Tomorrow, Yunnan will adopt the policy of "outside the three rivers, it is better to have a local official than a flowing official; inside the three rivers, it is better to have a flowing official than a local official". The six prefectures of Yunnan (Kunming), Qujing, Chengjiang, Lian'an, Dali and Yongchang will all be governed by flowing officials. The three prefectures of Chuxiong, Yao'an and Guangfu will have flowing officials as prefects, with local officials serving as vice-prefects and judges. The thirteen prefectures of Xundian, Wuding, Guangxi, Yuanjiang, Jingdong, Menghua, Shun'ning, Heqing, Lijiang, Yongning, Wumeng, Dongchuan and Mangbu will have local officials as the main officials, with flowing officials serving as assistants.

  The Qing army entered Yunnan, one was insufficient military strength, and also considered the complex local situation in Yunnan, with many Tusi (local chieftains) present. So far, only nine prefectures mainly governed by officials have been occupied, while thirteen other Tusi prefectures outside of the Three Rivers region have not been touched, apparently to intimidate them into surrendering voluntarily. From a geographical perspective, the Qing army's influence is still mainly in northern Yunnan province, with most areas outside the Three Rivers region remaining under Tusi control.

  Among them, the anti-Qing and pro-Ming sentiments of some Tusi in eastern Yunnan were particularly clear. Led by Yuanjiang Nasheng, Ningzhou Tusi Lu Changxian, Xinxing Wang Yaozu, Eshan Lu Yi, Wang Yangzu, Wang Nong Tusi Wang Shuo, Mongzi Li Risen, Li Shifan, Li Shiping, Shiping Longtao, Long Feiyang, Lunnan Qin Zugen, Luliang Zi Gong, Mile Angfuzong, Weimo Shen Yinglin, Shen Zhao Lin, Wang Chengzong and others, all of whom were recorded in historical books, sacrificed their lives to oppose the Qing court's national oppression policies and jointly wrote a magnificent and tragic poem of armed resistance against the Qing Dynasty.

  This was also an important reason for Zhu Yongxing's insistence on going east. According to Annan, Gaoping was established as a base, the northern alliance with the Tusi controlled the Qing army in Yunnan Province, and the western entry into Guangxi fought against Sun Yanling, the weakest of the three feudatories. Going south to the Beibu Gulf to capture the sea port, it is possible to join forces with other important figures mentioned in the maritime cultural history of southern China, the Beibu Gulf, and Vietnamese historical books. With a navy, one can advance or retreat, and make great strides, this is Zhu Yongxing's overall strategy and his planned road to revival.

  Bai Wenselection breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, since Zhu Yongxing said so, there was no need to worry about him ordering his troops to follow under the pretext of guarding. Protecting the emperor and the court on the Yunnan-Burma border was, of course, his true intention, which was similar to that of Jin Wang Li Dingguo.

  "Your Highness wants to go east, why are you still making a big show here and attracting the Qing army to attack?" Li Weizuo, as a civil official of not too high rank, sat with a member of the imperial clan who was left behind to guard the city and a prince of a different surname. At first, he was very reserved, just listening quietly, but now his mood had adjusted slightly, and he couldn't help but ask.

  "It shakes people's hearts and boosts their spirits." Zhu Yongxing replied briefly, paused for a moment, and continued to explain: "There are still many Ming officials and generals scattered in the northwest and southwest of Yunnan. At this critical juncture, if we don't make contact with each other for a long time and there is no clear place to surrender, people's hearts will be dispersed and the situation will inevitably collapse. Although I am just a firefly's light, I should also try my best to shine brightly, even if it's just a lonely lamp in the dark night."

  "Your Highness is loyal and righteous, willing to take great risks, truly admirable. Bai Wense felt that Zhu Yongxing was indeed capable of taking on important responsibilities and was heartened that the imperial family could produce such a person. However, he still had doubts in his mind, "But if we station troops in the poor and barren border areas of Yunnan, it will be difficult to sustain them for long periods of time. Pursuing grain and taxes will inevitably lead to conflicts with local officials, what can be done?"

  This is indeed a problem, and Li Dingguo, the King of Jin, also encountered resistance from local Tusi in Menggen. Later, he adopted a policy of appeasement to pacify the Tusi and ordered his soldiers to farm to solve their food supply, which barely stabilized the situation. Taking matters into one's own hands and being well-fed and warmly clothed is certainly a solution, but Zhu Yongxing had another way out.

  "Siam is the country that has the most affection for our great Ming, and can be connected with it. Borrowing grain and fodder, elephants and horses, nourishing and accumulating strength, expanding its power." Zhu Yongxing said, casting his eyes on Li Weizuo, "Li Gong, I think of entrusting you with the mission of going abroad, do you..."

  "I am willing to go." Li Weizuo stood up and bowed, saying: "Please instruct me further, Your Highness."

  Is it proper to instruct me? Do you think I'm Zhuge Liang? Zhu Yongxing was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and gestured for Lü Weizuo to sit down. "Since you're an envoy, just be humble but not overly so," he said. "First go see King Jin of Mengguo and ask him to dispatch a contingent of troops, or move the entire army to Jingxian, then enter Siam from there and negotiate with them in a friendly manner; it's sure to succeed."

  "Thank you for your guidance." Li Weizuo didn't hesitate at all and nodded in agreement.

  Zhu Yongxing hesitated for a moment, then said: "If you see Duke Jin, please convey my regards to him. Also, please ask Duke Jin to get along well with the local Tusi and let the soldiers temporarily relieve their hunger by farming. Another thing is about liaison matters, I have a method that can avoid the worry of messengers being captured and leaking secrets. The specific method is like this..."

  When Zhu Yongxing took out the book and explained the simplest encryption technique to Bai Wenselect and Li Weizuo, the two men's eyes became even more complicated. This simple encrypted writing was absolutely the most shocking thing in the eyes of the ancient people at that time.

  "Li Qing, go and do well." Zhu Yongxing had high hopes for Li Wei Zuo, hoping that he could help him continue to coordinate with various anti-Qing armed forces in the future, so he also took good care of him. "You have the ability to wear tiger and leopard skins, and rush to the extreme, I will entrust you with important tasks in the future!"

  ……