Chapter 2856
"Since our army had the advantage on the battlefield at that time, why did we still have peace talks with the Manchus? Can't we take this opportunity to annihilate them?" Bai Letong asked Chen Yixin a question that had troubled him for a long time.
Chen Yixin explained: "The reason is actually very simple, because it is not cost-effective for us to continue the war. On the one hand, we have to solve the financial burden caused by huge military expenditures, and on the other hand, we must also consider post-war governance question, armistice and peace talks can be said to be a choice after weighing the pros and cons.”
The Haihan Army had been preparing for the Northern Liaoning Expedition for several years. In addition to military expansion and war preparations, it is also saving funds for this large-scale military operation.
Since the attack on Gaizhou Acropolis, the Haihan Army has invested many main forces in the operation. The daily military expenditure during the operation was at least hundreds of thousands of yuan. From the Battle of Gaizhou to forcing the Qing Dynasty to negotiate peace, more than half a year had passed, and military expenditures had reached tens of millions of yuan.
Although the Liaodong region is rich in products and has great potential for future development. It is only a matter of time before the war investment is recovered. However, military expenditures are actually spent on the present. Real money and silver are spread out like running water every day. Even a wealthy man will still do it. Feeling overwhelmed.
The Haihan Army's combat method relies heavily on logistical supplies, and a considerable part of military expenditures is spent on maintaining the operation of supply lines. The farther north the front is pushed, the greater the logistical pressure and the greater the cost.
Shenyang was the target set by the Haihan Army when formulating the Northern Expedition plan. Not only because this city was the capital of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, conquering it had certain geopolitical significance, but also because the supply lines for the Haihan Army's operations in inland areas were difficult to maintain. It continues to extend. Even if we want to expand northward in the future, we must first occupy Shenyang and then use it as a base to launch subsequent operations.
Before taking the next step, Haihan must also consider how to digest the large area of land occupied after the Northern Expedition. It is a full six hundred miles from Jinzhou to Shenyang. The Liaodong Peninsula and the Liaohe Plain between the two places were the results of the war captured from the Manchus. The area of this area has exceeded the two states of Denglai in Shandong. Military occupation is only the first step, and subsequent governance is what the rulers really need to worry about.
Chen Yixin has already had a plan for this, which is to build industrialization based on mining. To achieve this goal, we must first get the Liaodong region out of a state of war.
Several generals who commanded the operations at that time unanimously believed that annihilating the Manchus was difficult to achieve because there was still a vast area north of Shenyang for the opponent to move. Losing Shenyang or even annihilating the Aixinjueluo clan in power would not allow the enemy to move. The Manchu Qing Dynasty perished immediately, so as long as the Manchu Qing Dynasty could be defeated in Shenyang and forced to surrender, even if the phased combat goal was achieved, the armistice and peace talks would become a result that Haihan was happy to accept.
Under such considerations, a relatively intact Shenyang City can greatly reduce the difficulty of reconstruction after Haihan takes over, and the subsequent development of mineral resources around Shenyang can also be faster. Therefore, after taking advantage of the battlefield, Haihan did not choose to attack the fort in the end. Instead, he took the city from the Manchus through peace talks.
After listening to Chen Yixin's explanation, Bai Letong suddenly responded: "That's it. The timing of the war and the ceasefire are actually within our country's plan."
Bai Kesi said: "War is just a means, not an end. Our goal is to seize the richest area in Liaodong from the Manchus. As long as this main goal is achieved, other matters can be handled flexibly, including the conflict with the Manchus." Relationship included.”
Ning Zijing asked: "But even if the Manchu Qing surrendered at that time, it must have been a temporary expedient, and it is unlikely that they would surrender to our country?" Chen Yixin nodded and said: "Of course. If we hadn't come out to block the way, the Manchus would have surrendered. Early in the morning, we went south to invade the territory of the Ming Dynasty and became the dominant force in the north. How could we end up in this situation? To the Manchus, our country is a more terrifying and hateful enemy than the Ming Dynasty. When will they feel that their strength has been restored? If they can challenge us, they will probably take active action. At present, the military settlement system is still implemented in the surrounding areas of Shenyang, just to prevent the Manchu counterattack. "
Ning Zijing asked: "But since we took the initiative to launch the Northern Expedition and won the war, we shouldn't just switch to passive defense, right?"
Chen Yixin smiled and said: "Border areas bordering enemy countries must be prepared. Of course, we will not sit back and watch the Qing Dynasty regain its strength. We have been doing what we should do. Disrupting the Qing Dynasty's willingness to fight is our current stage. ”
Regarding how to use non-military means to weaken opponents, Haihan has extremely rich operational experience in this area. Ever since Bai Kesi and his party set foot on the land of Liaodong, they have been constantly exposed to this information, but Ning Zijing has not yet connected it with the situation in Shenyang.
In short, it is nothing more than the word "profit". Haihan imported salt, iron, tea, sugar, tobacco, wine and other commodities to the Manchu Qing through border trade channels, and the Manchu nobles who controlled the relevant resources naturally became vested interests.
As long as these people control the trade channels, they can continuously obtain considerable profits and enjoy a luxurious life. As time goes by, they will slowly form a new consciousness under Haihan's deliberate indoctrination - since it is so simple, If you can live a good life, why bother fighting on the battlefield? After working so hard with the Haihan people and not even getting a few cents, it would be better to do business honestly with the Haihan people and get whatever they want.
Of course, forming such a group consciousness cannot be achieved overnight, but this routine has already proven its feasibility in the Ming Dynasty. With the social development level of the Qing Dynasty, it is naturally more difficult to resist the sugar-coated bullets sent by Haihan.
On the second day after arriving in Shenyang, Bai Kesi and his party met this group. To be precise, he is the spokesperson of this group stationed in Shenyang.
There is a specially designated area in the northern area of Shenyang for Manchu and Qing merchants to set up offices. There are only a dozen merchants in total who are eligible to receive charters, but all of them are nobles from various banners of the Qing Dynasty.
"All the shops in this neighborhood are opened by Manchu and Qing merchants. They can sell Manchu and Qing specialties here, and then buy our products and transport them back to China for sale. Even though there are not many shops here, the trade volume is still considerable. ." Chen Yixin led Bai Kesi and his party into this street, introducing them to the situation here.
Seeing that the street was not busy, Bai Letong couldn't help but ask: "Is this place cleared in advance, or is it just like this on weekdays? It seems like not many people are walking around, can the business really be that good?"
Chen Yixin smiled and said: "They are not engaged in retail business. Most of the goods shipped from the Manchu and Qing Dynasties were purchased by the government."
(End of chapter)