It was already mid-to-late May in 1670, and the weather in Guangzhou was getting hotter. Both sides looked for the shade under a banyan tree in the backyard, moved a coffee table and a few colors of melons and fruits, and took their seats.

Fruits and fruits are dried fruits, mostly produced overseas and have been transported by long-distance shipping. The cost is quite high. They are snacks that Shao Shuguang, general manager of Taiwan Bank, usually take snacks, which shows how luxurious hens are. But this is nothing. Who makes Taiwan Bank a hen laying golden eggs now? The company has sufficient cash flow and pays large dividends to shareholders every year. His career is booming, so naturally no one talks too much.

"What is the situation in the Yunnan-Guizhou area now?" As soon as both sides sat down under the banyan tree, Shao Shuguang opened his conversation impatiently and asked Hao Shangjiu. After all, although Duke Huiguo was in control, he was considered to be within the Southern Ming system. His understanding of some news and internal information was far from what the East Coast people could compare to. Therefore, if people in the East Coast people came to them to learn about the news, it would be considered to be looking for the right person. They would be more confused than themselves and deduce it. To be a joke, with the unreliable virtues of the Southern Ming court, many things can be deduced by you? People often do not play cards according to the rules!

To be honest, the battle situation in Yunnan and Guizhou is indeed very important to the East Coast people. For those who have always adhered to the balanced policy of the mainland, this is an important reference for formulating policies and distributing aid. For example, if Wu Sangui had already reached the vicinity of Kunming at this time, no matter whether the various departments of the Southern Ming court had funds to pay military aid, they had to pay credit first and let them save their lives first. By the way, the East Coast people also had to make plans, such as capturing Guangzhou and nearby prefectures and counties with lightning speed and emptying them. Of course, this is the last choice, and they had to do it.

If Wu Sangui's offensive momentum was blocked and he was in Guizhou, then the people of the East Coast would not have been so ignited to help Nanming. You can sit down and talk and extort some economic benefits from them.

Therefore, the basis for all judgment is the development of the situation. In addition to relying on the East Coast people to inquire from the merchants who came from afar (the news about the merchants is mostly exaggerated and untrue, which can only be used as a reference), the best way is to inquire with Li Chengdong. As a confidant general of Li, Hao Shangjiu, the new Taihou of Nanming, naturally knew very well about this, so Shao Shuguang had this question just now.

Hao Shangjiu first subconsciously looked around when he heard this. After seeing that there were no idle people nearby, he shook his head slightly and said in an unoptimistic tone: "It's not very good. Mr. Shao, you know that our old Hao was born in a camp and still had some understanding of the people of the "Eight Kings" in Xiying, and he didn't want to specifically belittle their intentions. However, looking at the previous battle in Guizhou, Xiying has lost a lot of essence in recent years. It is estimated that the veterans have withered a lot, and the new people cannot bear it.

As soon as he came up, he was defeated by the aggressive Wu Sangui several consecutive games. After several times, he had already lost nearly 20,000 troops, which could be said to be a trauma. At present, in order to improve morale, Sun Kewang personally led a large army to defend Guiyang City. At the same time, while Liu Wenxiu gathered the defeated troops, contacted the chieftains, waiting for an opportunity to attack and restrain the enemy, and finally barely blocked the old thief Wu's thief's rapid advance. But I don't know how long it can be blocked, and I don't even know how long it can be. Even Sun Kewang and Liu Wenxiu were not sure, it all depends on the will of heaven."

In fact, what Hao Shangjiu did not mention is that Sun Kewang had already written several times to the Kunming court, asking the other side to send more troops and more equipment, but this was not easy. Without any hesitation, Kunming had to send some reorganized troops to Guizhou one after another, and handed them over to Liu Wenxiu to command on the periphery. He used the advantage of geographical advantages to attack Wu Sangui's flanks so that he could not attack Guiyang with all his strength. Sun Kewang also showed great courage this time. The head of Zhang Xianzhong's four adopted sons personally led thousands of elite troops brought from Yunnan to Guiyang City, then contained defeated soldiers, conscripted the powerful people, fooled the chieftains, gathered about 20,000 troops, and hoarded a large amount of food and supplies in the city, and prepared to fight to the death with the Qing army.

Wu Sangui really led the main army to siege. Because Guiyang is not taken down, it is impossible to advance to Yunnan boldly, so he can only pull out this nail and make his plan. Let's put it this way, now the tens of thousands of troops led by Sun Kewang and Liu Wenxiu are the most capable elites in the Southern Ming Dynasty. If they were even defeated by Wu Sangui in one fell swoop, the situation would be really hard to recover. After all, although there are still a considerable number of troops in Yunnan, Guangxi and even Guizhou, it gives people the feeling that they are more of the numbers and their combat effectiveness is quite suspicious. Once the elite main force in Guiyang is defeated, they will not be able to stop Wu Sangui's army. At that time, it is basically certain that they can start organizing the Kunming defense battle.

Compared with the thrilling main battle in Guiyang, Li Dingguo's record of defeating Wu Sangui's general Ma Bao in Qujing Prefecture and killing, wounding, and capturing thousands of people is nothing. After all, it is a secondary battlefield. Of course, then again, if Li Dingguo showed his might and led his troops to win consecutive battles and completely defeat Ma Bao's troops, the situation would be different, because it could also threaten Wu Sangui's flanks and even counterattack into Sichuan, which would have a relatively large impact on the battle situation.

Therefore, in general, the current situation in the Yunnan-Guizhou area is still relatively chaotic. Overall, Wu Sangui has the advantage and captured a lot of Guizhou's land, which is extremely powerful. However, due to the efforts of Sun Kewang and Liu Wenxiu, the trend of rapid progress has been temporarily curbed. Let's see who can win the close-knit battle between the two sides. Regarding this, it is probably difficult for anyone to explain the reason at the moment, so Hao Shangjiu just talked briefly and stopped because no one could tell me.

Shao Shuguang and Huang Hanhua were a little nervous after hearing this, but at the same time they became more determined to assist the Southern Ming court. Although in the eyes of many people, there may be more aid in the future, it may be missed, but who made the East Coast people in China the main task of maintaining the balance of strength between all parties in the mainland to collect population? Once the Guiyang front line is broken by Wu Sangui and tens of thousands of elite Wu troops pour into Yunnan, the situation will be really decayed, and the East Coast people will make a fortune! At that time, the East Coast people will try their best to go deep into the inland and contact Wu Sangui's people, persuade Wu to support Wu Sangui's independence, and may also bleed and support Wu Sangui's independence and break away from the control of the Qing court. However, these are all later stories. The most important task in front of us is to transfusion blood to the Southern Ming court to prevent them from losing quickly.

The first step to transfusion of blood to Ming was naturally to give military aid from Li Chengdong's troops in Guangdong. A batch of weapons and military funds sold to them at a fair price. The East Coast people really only need the cost plus freight, maintenance fees, etc., which is considered conscience. Hao Shangjiu was also very grateful for this. He would only listen to him sincerely say to Shao and Huang and said: "I won't say much about your country's kindness to Duke Huiguo, Lao Hao, remember everything in my heart. In the past few years, if we hadn't thanked your country for many of our tens of thousands of people in the past few years.

If we respond to the rules and regulations, we will probably be unable to fight long ago. Alas. I won’t say much now. If the old thief Wu launched an army to fight south this time, if my Ming Dynasty could not resist and the smoke disappeared, then everything would be fine. If our army turned the tide and repelled the old thief Wu, then I dare not say anything else in the future. The business of the three prefectures of Guangzhou, Huizhou and Chaozhou will be held by General Shao. This is also recognized by Duke Hui and told me to make it clear..."

Hao Shangjiu's rude words were a bit straightforward, but Shao Shuguang and Huang Hanhua were a little happy to hear it because Li Chengdong promised again that the business of Guangzhou, Huizhou and Chaozhou people could be monopolized by the East Coast people, as long as the East Coast people must increase their assistance to Guangdong and successfully protect him. It is a bit difficult to say, it depends on how the situation below develops. The battle situation of the two fronts led by Li Dingguo, Sun Kewang and Liu Wenxiu is the key.

"Didn't the new army in Lianzhou move this time?" Shao Shuguang actually wanted Li Chengdong to send this elite force to Yunnan, so he spoke tentatively.

"This..." Hao Shangjiu was stunned at first when he heard this, and then said with a wry smile: "The new army in Lianzhou costs a lot, and Duke Huiguo is also regarded as a treasure. Now, the second young master has been squatting in the mountains of Lianzhou for almost the year to suppress bandits, which shows his importance. Duke Huiguo's intention is that once the new army in Lianzhou is completed, it will basically be brought back to Guangzhou Xiguan to guard the center. As for the extraditional combat, it will be very difficult."

Shao Shuguang frowned when he heard this. The new army was trained and did not go out to fight and see blood, but he brought back to Guangzhou, a colorful place, as a garrison. Isn’t this a joke? I remember that when Li Chengdong’s troops entered Guangdong, he was also a tiger and wolf army, but after being stationed in wealthy places such as Guangzhou and Huizhou for so many years, he had been corrupted long ago in peace and comfort. What does this Li Chengdong mean? Don’t you know that even the new army in the state will be deposed in a few years? It’s really a random piano playing!

However, Shao Shuguang understood a little when he saw the bitter smile on Hao Shangjiu's face. Li Chengdong's current eldest son, Li Yuanyin, was an adopted son who was taken in when he was young. This was very popular among the thieves back then. Because everyone ran around all day and did not have a serious back, they often liked to adopt outstanding teenagers as fake children, just in case, Li Chengdong married several wives and concubines after entering Guangdong and gave birth to many children. The largest of them was in his early twenties, which was Li Yuanhao, the second son mentioned by Hao Shangjiu just now.

Li Yuanhao is now in charge of more than 6,000 new troops in Lianzhou formed by huge funds, and will lead troops back to Guangzhou to defend in the future. Considering that Duke Huiguo Li Chengdong is old, the meaning of handover is quite obvious. But in this way, where is Li Yuanyin, who has been working hard and hard for many years? Speaking of which, the people of the East Coast have a very good impression of Li Yuanyin, especially in the battle of Huaian Prefecture that year, Li Yuanyin led troops to help the battle. Not to mention the achievements, his execution ability is quite good, and the relationship between the two sides is also very good.

But now it seems that Li Yuanyin has been ruled out of the possibility of taking over? The more Shao Shuguang thinks, the more likely it is. Li Yuanyin is in his prime and has been in charge of the army for many years, so it is not so easy for Li Chengdong to take him down. Because the solution is to kick him out and send him to the Yunnan-Guizhou area thousands of miles away, and fight with the Qing army to the death?

Thinking of this, Shao Shuguang didn't say anything, but carefully discussed the details of military aid with Hao Shangjiu. For example, which equipment is needed, the price of these equipment, the payment method, etc. In addition, Hao Shangjiu also mentioned that Li Chengdong's army has hired a large number of former Macau Portuguese soldiers who have no food and clothing to help train the troops (mostly the troops stationed in Chaozhou Prefecture, used to deal with the Zheng family). In fact, the people of the East Coast have heard of this matter for a long time, but they have not been explained. This time, Hao Shangjiu proposed it, which was also a gesture of showing sincerity to the people of the East Coast.

Hao Shangjiu stayed in the temporary acquisition station of the East Coast people until the evening before leaving. Before leaving, Xin Taihou, who had received many valuable foreign gifts, also patted his chest and said that he would take care of the East Coast people's business, and then left in a four-wheeled carriage.

After Hao Shangqiu left, Shao Shuguang and Huang Hanhua returned to the house to discuss how to raise materials (most of them are in the warehouses of Ningbo and Denglai) and allocate transportation capacity. Taiwan Bank only had a few armed transport ships of the Okhotsk Sea Squadron, some of which had to undertake other transportation tasks. This time, they had to apply for the use of some immigration transport ships under maintenance. Considering that this was a business, the navy should not disapprove it.

"The Qing army is so chaotic, which has caused such a big trouble to our East Bank. I heard that the boss is a little angry, and I want to add eye drops to them and move them so that they will not be too self-righteous. So, I will go back to Dinghai in two days to help raise a batch of supplies. Captain Jiang Zhiqingjiang may instigate the troops of King Lu to do something, but there has been no movement in southern Zhejiang for a long time." Shao Shuguang said: "In addition, you have another very important thing next, that

I just try my best to contact Wu Sangui. This matter must be done secretly and cannot be known to Li Chengdong or anyone else. Do you understand? In the current situation, we must make all preparations. Once Wu Sangui wins in Guiyang and attacks Yunnan, we will find a way to support him and persuade him to establish himself as the King of Shu and not be the bullshit King Pingxi of the Qing Dynasty. I know this task is a bit arduous, but we have to try to do it now."

"I understand this, I will find a way to send people, of course safety is the first priority." Huang Hanhua also replied seriously.
Chapter completed!