Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 1696 Fleet Diplomacy

It was early April when Shao Shude arrived in Bianzhou.

Just as there are many regional central cities throughout the country in later generations, Bianzhou's status in Henan Province is the regional center. Huazhou, Zhengzhou, Songzhou and the like are incomparable, and the difference is not a star and a half.

Bianzhou is the meeting point of many water systems, and the shipping is convenient.In this era without railways and airplanes, water transportation is the cheapest and most suitable mode of transportation, there is no one.

Perhaps, this is also an important reason why the north is difficult to compete with the south in business, not just climate, war and other factors.The unique geographical conditions in the south are also factors that cannot be ignored.

Of course, in this era, there were a large number of rivers and lakes in Henan and Hebei that have completely disappeared in later generations.Especially in Henan, the water system is very developed and highly developed. They are all mature waterways that have been maintained for many years.Due to the degree of development in the south, many rivers in the south have abundant water, but they vary in depth. There may be rocks at the bottom of the river, and some river sections are even silted, making navigation inconvenient.

But in the final analysis, talent is there. As long as the level of development increases, water transportation will definitely surpass the north.

The convenience of water transportation has brought prosperity to commerce.The prosperity of commerce has also promoted the increase of tax revenue, making water transportation hubs such as Bianzhou and Xuzhou abundant in goods and materials, and they are proud of the Quartet.

In the early Tang Dynasty, Xuanwu Army and Wuning Army were able to have a long-lasting highlight moment, which was not unrelated to the adequacy of funds.

There is more money, which seems to be the opposite of Wude at some point.It's natural, when you have money, you don't want to work hard.But in the era of feudal separatist regimes, you have no right not to work hard. Not only will you not be able to save your money, but you will also be unable to save your life.As a result, Xuzhou and Bianzhou produced a large group of well-equipped and fierce warriors who dared to risk their lives, and they became famous.

Of course, as long as the environment is stable, under the corrosion of money, the people in Bianzhou and Xuzhou will still seek comfort and peace sooner or later, and their combat effectiveness will gradually decline.

The Bianliang Forbidden Army established by Zhu Quanzhong had some signs in his later years. Although his son Zhu Youzhen used this army to fight against warriors in Hedong and Hebei for ten years, he was defeated by a surprise attack.

"It is easy to conquer a country, but it is difficult to defend it." At the top of Bianzhou City, Shao Shude sighed, thoughtfully.

"Your Majesty, Erlang of the Forbidden Army is still capable of fighting." said Li Zhong, Deputy Privy Envoy of the Upper Court of Nanya.

Li Zhong was born in the Tielin Army, Shao Shude's old confidant, and the former Privy Councilor.After Shao Desheng died, he took over the post of Deputy Privy Envoy.

"It's really okay now. After all, there have been wars in the past few years." Shao Shude said: "In a few years, it will be hard to say."

"The crown prince is wise and martial, and he manages the army strictly, so he may be able to maintain it," Li Zhong said.

Shao Shude smiled and said, "Perhaps. But there must be running water. A pool of stagnant water won't work."

Li Zhong stopped talking.He knew that the sage was unwilling to recruit the children of the Forbidden Army on a large scale, such as the Shanzhou Academy, which was filled with pro-party members of the Forbidden Army.

To be honest, he feels that the current disciples of the imperial army are actually not bad. I don't know why the saints look down on them and have such strict requirements.He can only guess that this is setting the rules.The quality of the second-generation Forbidden Army children is good, what about the third and fourth generations?No one can guarantee.

This thing is messed up!

"Li Qing, you have been to Bianzhou many times, do you think Bian people are still good at fighting?" Shao Shude asked.

"Not very good at fighting anymore." Li Zhong said frankly: "Song, Hua, Zheng, Bo, Ying and Cao Zhuzhou sons who were once valiant and invincible are not very good at it."

"Yeah, after all, it's been seven years since Anding 26." Shao Shude said, "Bian people, let's do business."

As far as he could see, boats and boats of goods were constantly flowing from south to north.

Money flows here, whitewashes peace, and corrodes will until eternity.

This is the general trend. It is difficult to reverse, but it is actually quite good.

******

Almost on the same day when Shao Shude arrived in Bianzhou, the Chishanpu Wharf in Dengzhou was extremely busy.

The northwest wind is coming to an end, and the ships going south need to hurry up. The dock workers are shouting slogans and loading boxes of goods onto the ships day and night.

Wang Huadu stood on the lighthouse, overlooking the sea.

He had just been transferred from the Qing Navy to the Ping Navy as a deputy envoy.

Military envoy Zhu Liang was an old man in Xicheng when His Majesty started his family, and he has died of illness.Zhao Zonghui, a native of Xinluo, took over the post of military envoy, but he was too old to serve for a few years.

The most glorious throne of Ping Haijun will be his sooner or later.

The sea is sparkling with slight waves.

One ship after another anchored in the harbour.

Wang Hua never thought that the ships in a commercial port could be lined up as densely and majesticly as a military port.

What a change!

Thirty years ago, absolutely no one would have imagined that one day, the Great Xia Dynasty would be able to find so many ships.

In ancient times, during expeditions and conquests across the sea, they often felled trees temporarily and built ships.However, the ship materials used in this kind of ships have not been dried in the shade for several years, and the quality defects are also very large in the process of hasty construction, so the service life is very short and the safety is very low.

Guochao is different.

These ships were not born in a short period of time, but expanded a little over the course of 30 years.

The ship materials of each ship have been carefully selected, and the ship owner supervised and even participated in the manufacture during the construction. There is no problem with the quality, which reflects the highest shipbuilding level at this time.

Yes, the vast majority of these are civilian ships.However, civilian ships can also be requisitioned, and they can be used to transport materials and soldiers and become a booster for war.

The military envoy Zhao Zonghui took dozens of warships to the east, and temporarily confiscated many civilian ships, loaded with supplies, equipment and fresh water, and showed off his might.

The national power of the Great Xia Dynasty is indeed growing at a speed visible to the naked eye, at least the sea power is right.

"Has the Silla envoy left?" Wang Huadu asked when he heard the footsteps of the soldiers coming up.

"Already gone." The soldier replied.

"That's good." Wang Hua nodded.

The Silla surrendered.

It only took a few days for the fleet led by Zhao Zonghui to reach the sea off Donglai County, and then sent people ashore to communicate.

The Silla people still struggled for a few days, but that's it.

Maybe it was because they knew that their arms could not twist their thighs, or maybe they really needed the protection of Master Daxia. After a few days, they finally sent a boat to the west, arrived in Dengzhou, went ashore, and headed for Luoyang.

Conquering Silla was much faster by sea than by land.

More precisely, the speed of the ships is beyond the reach of infantry and cavalry.

It does not need to rest, it can sail day and night, and hundreds of miles have passed between day and night.

This journey, if replaced by infantry, is afraid that it will take more than ten days.Even if the cavalry carried more horses, it would take several days to prepare fodder and transfer horses along the way.What's more, with the speed of the cavalry, it's okay to explode in a short period of time, and you must be prepared to lose a lot of horses. If it takes a long time, what can it compare with the navy?

Wang Hua was born in Lu Shi, but now he likes life at sea more and more.

Riding the wind and waves, landing on the beach, beheading generals and killing enemies, this is the life he yearns for.

It's a pity that the sages don't intend to attack the kingdoms of Silla, Baekje, and Taepong. They have no use for them.

"Kill!" In an open space behind the left side of the dock, tens of thousands of sergeants were practicing.

That was [-] infantry from Guangjie, Hengye and other armies.In terms of composition, most of them are soldiers from Youzhou and Hedong, and they can be traced back to the soldiers who surrendered in Hebei and Hedong.After the veterans retired, new recruits also came from these two places.

They have been on the battlefield and fought tough battles. After the Western Expedition, they also fought against Uighurs and Ge Luolu, and they have very rich experience.

Ping Haijun once selected some soldiers to practice duels with them, but they were beaten so badly that Zhao Zonghui and Wang Hua were both embarrassed.

Fortunately, these are landlubbers.After arriving at sea, when jumping gangs to fight, they can't play with Ping Navy officers and soldiers-they can't even stand upright.

"Boom, boom, boom!" The battle drums were beating, and the six thousand infantry quickly changed their formations, orderly, busy but not chaotic. Looking from a height, there was a unique sense of beauty.

The cavalry was also dispatched.

The officer gave an order, and the horsemen sitting on the ground got on their horses, holding a long lance, and began to practice.

"These [-] paces rode to Silla, and I feel that they are hard to come by." Wang Huadu said suddenly.

"General, the people of Silla have been fighting for so many years, no matter how bad they are, they can get out of it, right?" the soldiers asked with some doubts.

He was from Yunzhou, when Zhu Xuan and Zhu Quanzhong fought for years, lost troops and lost generals, all the town soldiers died, Shangzhou soldiers, all state soldiers died, and Shangtutuan.There have been more battles, and the combat effectiveness of the Tutuan peasants is also increasing rapidly. The Silla people fight every year and every month, shouldn't this be the case?

"If everyone's skills are not very good, then even if they fight until the end of time, they will be worse." Wang Hua sneered, and said: "For those troops that are very easy to collapse and surrender in ancient books, even if they fight for decades, What's the use?"

Back then when the saint fought fiercely with Zhu Quanzhong, the warriors from Bianzhou were defeated in the field battle. After they broke up and went back, they were able to charge and kill again that day, and they were extremely ferocious.

Zhu Xuan and Shi Pu's main forces were exhausted, they fought repeatedly, and even took the initiative to attack.

Is this combat power comparable to that of the Silla people?They don't even have many professional warriors.

"Then just destroy Silla." Said the soldier.

"Hey, the saint can't be ashamed." Wang Hua sighed: "If you don't take advantage of this, you will attack Silla. After a few decades, it will not be so easy to defeat the arrogant."

"Dang Dang!" A crisp bell rang on the dock.

After a while, a fast boat appeared on the distant sea level.

Its speed is very fast, and its maneuverability is also very good. It chases the waves of the ocean, adjusts its return, and approaches the pier in a short while.

"The military envoy is back." Wang Huadu said lightly, and then got off the lighthouse.

Soon, one, two, five...

The figures of one ship after another floated on the sea level.

The dragon flag is flying high, and the red and green flag is constantly rising, which is the signal to enter the port.

The fleet that was cruising off the coast of Dongnae has returned to Hong Kong.

Wang Huadu brought the left-behind generals to the trestle bridge to greet them.

This is the first time that the Great Xia Dynasty has used the fleet to put pressure on the "enemy", and it has achieved very good results.

Some things, once you taste the sweetness, you can't stop.

Fleet diplomacy really works.