I

In the second year of the Republic of China in Datong, no large-scale war broke out.

Li Zicheng thoroughly consolidated his territory, and made those warlord-like generals submissive—all those who refused were dead.

At the same time, Li Zicheng also recovered Ningxia Town and transferred his nephew Li Guo to Yinchuan to garrison.

Li Guo was also canonized as the prince to stabilize the country.

This operation is somewhat incomprehensible. After the prince canonization, shouldn't the prince be left in the capital? What if the prince rebelled abroad, or the emperor died, and the prince came back too late?

It can only be said that Li Zicheng is a bold man and thinks that nothing will happen.

On the side of Dorgon in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, there was only a small-scale friction with the Datong Army in Liaodong during the autumn harvest. While stepping up farming and saving grain, they sent troops to suppress the Mongolian rebellion in northwestern Liaoning.

Those Mongolian tribes did not rebel directly, but attacked each other due to lack of food.

The Qing Dynasty did not allow such a thing to happen, so they helped tribes with better relationships to fight. The Mongolian tribes who were close at hand were robbed of their livestock and population by the Manchus, and the pastures were left to the tribes who were loyal to the Manchus.

North Korea is in ruins, but it is a pity that the monarchs and ministers are not in the mood to govern the country.

The lord of the country, Li Hao, is still cleaning out old ministers and supporting middle-level families in large numbers. As a result, the North Korean people were taxed more and more heavily, and were exploited so that a large number fled to the northern mountainous areas, and even fled to the border of Baozhou controlled by the Datong Army.

On Zhao Han's side, he only does three things:

First, send troops to attack the southwestern chieftain and swallow the corner areas of Sichuan and Guangxi.

Second, store food.

Third, immigration.

Henan's registered population has recovered to 1.2 million, of which immigrants accounted for 300,000. Shandong recovered to 1.8 million, and the number of immigrants was also 300,000.

According to the data from the Ministry of Household Affairs at the end of last year, the population under Zhao Han’s administration is: more than 2 million in Jinling Prefecture (Nanjing and surrounding prefectures and counties), more than 5 million in Zhejiang, more than 6 million in Jiangsu, more than 6 million in Anhui, more than 8 million in Jiangxi, and more than 5 million in Hunan , more than 4 million in Hubei, more than 4 million in Guangdong, more than 4 million in Fujian, more than 3 million in Guangxi, and more than 7 million in Sichuan.

Together with Henan, Shandong, and parts of North Zhili and Liaodong, the total population is 62 million.

The above does not include children under the age of 12, because the ancient medical level is easy to die.

Although there are still several provinces that have not been conquered, and although a large number of people have been lost in the north, the population of 62 million is already the official statistics of the Ming Dynasty at its peak.

Jiangxi's population is still too large, mainly because Zhao Han was the first to occupy it, and there was no major famine.

The three provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang suffered severe famines, resulting in a sharp drop in population.

In addition, although Jiangxi has immigrated heavily, there are too many children over the age of 12. After Zhao Han's rule, because the living conditions improved, the premature death rate was greatly reduced. There are also a large number of children under the age of 10, which are the Jiangxi baby boom brought about by the Zhao Han uprising.

Zhao Han has assigned a task to the Ministry of Household Affairs. In the first three years of the Republic of China, we will increase the intensity of immigration from Jiangxi, at least 200,000 immigrants to Henan and Shandong each!

Only continuous immigration can alleviate the population pressure in Jiangxi. In recent years, there have been a lot of newborns.

In the third year of the beginning of the Republic of China, March in the new calendar.

The new Luzon Expeditionary Force assembled and boarded the ship in Fuzhou. The navy commander is Zheng Zhilong, and the army commander is Wang Hui.

Wang Hui previously served as the brigade commander of the 14th Division. This time he was urgently transferred to Fujian to build the Luzon Expeditionary Force. The matchlock guns in their hands were replaced by the Liaodong Dragoons, who had already replaced them with flintlock guns.

More than 40 warships and more than 30 merchant ships sailed southward.

They are in Zhuluo County (Chiayi), Taiwan, doing a little fresh water supply. The merchant ships that transported supplies also left some waiting here, which is equivalent to using Zhuluo County as a transit point.

The Han people in Zhuluo County were very happy. They helped carry supplies, earned a lot of wages, and sold vegetables to the expeditionary army.

...

Manila, Philippines.

Chen Liangxun had an urgent audience with the Philippine governor: "Your Excellency, I have heard from fellow villagers in Fujian that the Chinese emperor has sent a large army to kill them. We must quickly build city defenses, and please allow more Tang people from Binon to enter the city. We will help the governor to hold on to the city!"

Governor Coquela said: "Binondo's Tang people can help defend the outer fort."

Chen Liangxun suddenly despaired, even at this time, the Chinese were still not allowed to enter the city.

Although the Filipino Chinese were massacred, thousands of them are still alive. It's just that these thousands of Chinese have already believed in Christianity, and they even dress in Western style.

Traditional Chinese, living in Jiannei District, also known as Balian District in later generations.

Religious Chinese, living in Binondo District, next to Jiannei District.

In order to lure the Chinese to convert, the Governor of Spain stipulated that the religious Chinese would be exempted from additional taxes for ten years, and only need to pay the same tax as the natives, and the same tax as the Spanish civilians after ten years. You can freely choose your place of residence (you cannot enter the city), you can freely intermarry with aboriginal people, and there is no limit to the number of places for religious Chinese to live.

After the promulgation of this order, more than 3,000 people who have forgotten their ancestors have been born.

Including the second generation of mixed blood they gave birth to with the natives, the population is nearly 10,000!

They actively learn Spanish and are ashamed of being Han Chinese, and they don't even wear Han clothes at home. A dictionary was even born spontaneously, recording the conversion of common words between Zhangzhou dialect and Spanish.

Chen Liangxun returned to Binondo district in great disappointment, and the Chinese who converted to Christianity asked one after another: "Father Chen, will the governor let us enter the city?"

Holding the Spanish Bible in his hand, Chen Liangxun forced a smile and said, "The top priority is to defend the forts of the outer forts. This is a very important matter. Your Excellency the Governor trusts us Tang people and is allowed to help the soldiers of the Western Kingdom defend the forts."

"Just don't let us enter the city?"

Everyone was in an uproar, angry and panicked.

A few months ago, the Chinese in Jiannei District were massacred, and they had nothing to do in Binondo District. Even the governor sent soldiers to garrison the Binondo area to prevent the red-eyed natives from intruding indiscriminately.

At that time, although they sympathized with the experience of the Chinese compatriots, it was more of a sense of gratitude and superiority.

Now they complain angrily, the Chinese emperor's army is approaching, how can they live if they don't hide in the city?

From the beginning to the end, Coquila did not trust these naturalized people, let alone let them live in the city. What if there is a rebellion during the war?

"Your Excellency, the Dutch are attacking Cebu Island with Sulu people and Brunei people!" The adjutant reported urgently.

Coquila sighed, "Let them stick to it."

Cebu Island was discovered by Magellan, and it was also the earliest Spanish colony in the Philippines. Its strategic and economic status is second only to Manila.

There is Fort San Pedro on the island, there are more than a hundred soldiers, and there is enough food, it should be able to last the first half of the year.

...

When fighting in Southeast Asia, you usually bring helpers.

This time the Dutch fleet went out, the Dutch army was less than a thousand, but they persuaded thousands of natives to help in Borneo and the islands of Sulu.

In Brunei Sultanate and Sulu Sultanate, the upper class nobles are willing to do business with Spain. But middle and low-level civilians and indigenous people hate Spain deeply. As long as someone organizes and instigates them, they are willing to fight Spain desperately.

Zhao Han's Luzon Expeditionary Army also recruited natives in northern Luzon.

The indigenous Filipinos who participated in the Tuhua this time were mainly Pampanga people, who had been tamed into lackeys. And further north, there are Ilok people, Kalinga people, and Negrito people... They are purely oppressed. 70 years ago, the pirate Lin Feng won the help of more than 10,000 indigenous people on his way to attack Manila. . In another time and space, the Netherlands attacked Manila and also got the help of thousands of natives.

Fang Guike took a hundred soldiers and a few doctors to the northern mountainous area with Fujian businessmen.

"These natives actually have terraced fields?" Fang Guike was shocked. He always felt that the barbarians should drink their blood.

The guide Chen An said: "Many of the food in Manila, especially the rice and corn, are grown by the local natives. The Spanish red-haired ghosts ordered the natives to sell the food at a low price, and there was a quota every year. Immediately send troops to attack. The natives here are mainly planters, relatively docile and polite. Of course, they are also very brave in war. The main enemy in normal times is the headhunters in the mountains. Since His Majesty exempts food import duties and even purchases at high official prices, there are also some Some sea merchants are looking for local aborigines to buy rice."

"Are they willing to sell to Han merchants?" Fang Guike asked.

Chen An replied: "Yes, because the price of grain bought by Han merchants is much higher than that of Spanish red-haired ghosts."

Fang Guike was one of the missionary officers of the expeditionary force. Looking at the terraced fields all over the mountains and plains, he nodded and said: "Since the natives can grow food, they can be educated. You just need to treat them fairly, teach them to speak Chinese, teach them Writing Chinese characters, one hundred years later, you can still be a Chinese.”

As soon as I said this, hundreds of aborigines rushed out of the forest, holding spears, and yelled at Fang Guike's soldiers.

Chen An took the initiative to step forward and said in the native language: "We are Tang people. The red-haired ghosts slaughtered the Tang people in Manila. The Tang Emperor was furious and sent a large army to conquer the red-haired ghosts. As long as the red-haired ghosts are driven away, no one will bully you again. The people of Tang need your help. We have brought many gifts and asked to meet your leader."

The Ilok people are not a unified race. They form one tribe after another based on blood clans, similar to a large number of villages and towns.

However, they have relatively similar customs and languages, and have superb terrace planting techniques. Can make pottery, weave, smelt metal, and even simple writing was born.

They belong to the Malay race, but their style is very different from that of the Malays, and they are more influenced by Chinese civilization.

Fang Guike and Chen An soon met a tribal leader.

"Dear guests, you are very welcome." The tribal leader is called Buffalo, who is over forty years old. "When the red-haired ghosts came to collect grain, there was news that the Tang people were massacred in Manila. I feel very sad about this." , we prefer to do business with the Tang people."

Chen An said: "The Emperor Tang has sent an army to conquer those red-haired ghosts. The Emperor Tang is kind and will not bully Lu Song people. This time, His Majesty the Emperor Tang brought gifts for the leader."

Here is a gift, a bolt of gorgeous silk.

The leader buffalo stroked the silk and said happily: "The great Tang emperor, the gods will bless him to live a hundred years."

Chen An took the opportunity to say: "The army of the Tang people has countless battleships, as well as firecrackers and cannons. But we still need help."

The buffalo immediately said: "As long as the red-haired ghost can be driven away, everything is worthwhile. I am willing to send thirty warriors to follow, and my son will go out with weapons himself."

Fang Guike came to Luzon in advance, and he wanted to connect the tribes one by one.

You send out thirty warriors, and he sends out fifty warriors. If you add up the scattered ones, there are tens of thousands of people.

(In the last chapter, Lanfang Company, the pirate Lin Feng, and Zheng Chenggong's Ministry of Lin Feng were mixed up, and have been revised.)