Chapter 2831
It is an extremely clever method to influence the material supply and industrial structure of another country through trade activities. Even if the discerning people of the Manchu Qing Dynasty realize the long-term impact of this move, it will be difficult to shake the authority of vested interests and change this. a development momentum. After all, most of the considerable profits from the Manchu Qing's tobacco business went into the pockets of the treasury and nobles. To make these powerful people give up this financial path is tantamount to taking a large chunk out of them. Come meat.
The tobacco business was only one of the many means adopted by Haihan in his trade activities with the Qing Dynasty. Regarding how to gradually increase its influence on the Qing Dynasty through trade, the Ministry of Commerce and the Northern Region had already formulated clear plans. .
Chen Pingliao said: "Most of the commodities our country currently provides to the Manchu Qing are daily necessities. In addition to cigarettes, we are also continuing to supply liquor, sugar, refined salt, tea, textiles, porcelain and other commodities to the Manchu Qing. Basically, These are all closely related to life. In the past, they could go to Ming Dynasty or North Korea to rob them by force, but now they can’t send troops to fight, so they can only obtain them through trade.”
Ning Zijing added: "And the quality of the goods we provide is not comparable to the trophies they took back before. Apart from trade, there will be no other channels to obtain these goods. And for the Manchu Qing Dynasty to take power For those people, the introduction of these products will not cost them, but they can earn huge profits through agency distribution rights, just like the operation mode of cigarettes.”
One of the purposes of launching a war is to make a profit, but now that there is no need to fight, and there is a steady flow of profits, even more than before, the possibility of the Manchus taking the initiative to go to war will be greatly reduced. Opinions on cooperation with Haihan will gradually become mainstream.
Bai Letong nodded repeatedly after hearing this, feeling that it made sense.
This conversation greatly changed his view on the Northern Region's governing philosophy. All the information he received in the past few days was that the Northern Region wanted to expand its armed forces for various reasons. It was quite militaristic, and it seemed that a war was imminent. But judging from its methods of dealing with the Manchus, it did not always emphasize force. Trade methods were also used very smoothly.
"If there is an opportunity, we can also take some measures in the field of culture and education...such as exporting books to the Manchu and Qing Dynasties, or inviting literati there to study in our country." Bai Letong believes that his professional field can also play a role, Dang even made suggestions to Chen Pingliao.
"What Brother Bai said, we have actually been trying." Chen Pingliao affirmed his opinions: "It's just that the Manchus are in power there, and the Manchus are very wary of Han culture. There is currently no way to sell books through normal channels. As for cultivating a group of literati who are close to our country, it will take many years of hard work before we can see results. After Brother Bai arrives in Liaodong and sees the actual situation there, he might as well give it to us. Give me some advice.”
Two days later, Bai Kesi and his party ended their inspection activities in Shandong. Accompanied by Chen Yixin and his son, they took a boat from Zhifu Port to Liaodong.
Haihan began to send troops to Liaodong in 1635, and the following year he captured the area south of the Jinzhou Isthmus from the Manchu Qing. However, in the following years, the two sides maintained a state of military confrontation in the north and south of the Jinzhou Isthmus. The entire Jinzhou area has long been the front line of war and military control has been implemented.
During this period, the armies of the two countries fought many times on the Korean battlefield and on the east coast of the Liaodong Peninsula. The Qing army lost more and won less. However, there were no major changes in the front lines of the two sides in Liaodong, and the confrontation continued with the Jinzhou Isthmus as the boundary. situation.
It was not until 1645 that the Northern Region gradually strengthened its military operations in the Liaodong Peninsula. The Manchu and Qing Dynasties could not resist it, and the front began to move northward. By the time the two sides signed an armistice agreement in 1654, the gap in military strength between the Manchu and Qing Dynasties was already very obvious, so they had to surrender a large area including Shenyang City to Haihan and restore their control area to Jianzhou Jurchen period. Today, the Jinzhou area has become the rear area of Haihan's ruling area in Liaodong. Military control is no longer required, and social order has basically returned to normal.
The few natural harbors in the entire Liaodong Peninsula are almost all concentrated in the Jinzhou area. The ports here have also assumed more commercial functions and are no longer just military facilities serving the army.
The first stop for Baikes and his party to inspect Liaodong was Port Arthur, located at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula. You can take a boat from Zhifu Port, cross the Bohai Strait to Lushun Port, and arrive in the morning and evening. The entire voyage only takes half a day. When the fleet sailed into Port Arthur, the sun had not yet set.
Bai Letong noticed that there seemed to be battlements built high on the mountains on the right side of the channel, so he asked Chen Pingliao.
Chen Pingliao introduced: "As Brother Bai can see, the high-altitude building is the Golden Mountain coastal defense fort, which is divided into high and low places. Viewed from the sea, the two forts seem to be very close to each other, one on the top of the mountain and one on the mountainside. But in fact, there is a ravine between the two forts, and the distance is more than a mile. If the ship-based artillery wants to aim at it, it will often have visual errors and it will be difficult to hit the target. If Brother Bai is interested, he can arrange time to go to the fort. Visit.”
Chen Yixin added next to him: "The tomb of Huang Long, the former commander-in-chief of Dongjiang Town, is also near the fort. Every year, we organize the sailors from Port Arthur to hold memorial activities there."
Bai Kesi nodded and responded: "A famous loyal minister is worthy of commemoration by future generations. Let's go and see it together sometime!"
Although Huang Long was a former Ming general, his deeds were worthy of admiration for soldiers. At the beginning, he led the soldiers of Dongjiang Town to guard Lushun and fought against the Jin army for several years. In the end, all his family members, including young and old, died for the country. He was a model of loyalty and martyrdom. Chongzhen decreed that Huang Long be granted the title of Governor-General of the Left, and that he be buried with him to commemorate his deeds. Even the Hou Jin Army respected this opponent very much and treated him with great courtesy in handling his funeral, allowing him to be buried on the coast outside Lushunkou and continue to guard the port in the dark.
After Haihan captured Lushun from Hou Jin, he also repaired the Huanglong Mausoleum several times. In the past few years, he also built a loyal temple next to the mausoleum, and organized garrison troops to pay tribute every year.
Only when they got closer did Bai Letong notice that not only were forts built high up in the mountains on the right bank of the channel, but there were also coastal defense forts built on the Laohuwei Peninsula on the left side of the channel, one on the left and one on the right, guarding only the There is a 100-foot-wide channel entering and exiting the port. This reminded him of the Victory Port in Sanya, which had the same defense system. If a foreign enemy wanted to invade from the sea, they would first have to face artillery strikes from the coastal defense batteries.
(End of chapter)