By now, the Ming army had gained an overwhelming advantage in the Ping Liao campaign. Barring any extraordinary and unexpected circumstances, victory was certain.
The Ming army in the middle advanced all the way, went down to Liaoyang, entered Shenyang, and headed towards Fushun; the Ming army in the north set out from Kaiyuan and approached Jilin Cliff north of Sarhu; the Dongjiang Town went north to attack Jiefan City, intending to cut off the Jiannu's escape route to the north.
Besides the Ming army in the north, which seemed weak, the other two Ming armies were no longer a force the Jiannu could contend with head-on. Furthermore, a large number of Jurchens were retreating northward with their families, and their morale had already dispersed.
But the Ming army also encountered difficulties. When the deep winter came, it was impossible to pursue the enemy and sweep the land.
Transportation and supply capabilities, this is a problem that cannot be solved.
Although tens of thousands of Liao people in the recovered areas were mobilized and the navy also went up the river, a large number of people in the newly recovered areas had been looted, which greatly limited the attack range of the Ming army.
"This was done intentionally by the Jianlu to prevent our army from pursuing far away." Xing Shenyan was still thinking of persuading him, thinking that since it was a conspiracy of the Jianlu, Xiong Tingbi would certainly not be fooled.
Xiong Tingbi, riding on his horse, stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "How could I not know that this was a trick? But the people of the Ming Dynasty must be saved."
"They are obedient people and have done nothing to pacify Liao." Xing Shenyan argued, "Letting them go to Liaonan to find food is already the most benevolent thing we can do."
Xiong Tingbi waved his hand and said, "It's freezing cold, and leaving home to move far away is not a benevolent act."
After a pause, Xiong Tingbi emphasized, "This is the will of His Majesty, no need to say more."
Xing Shenyan opened his mouth and sighed helplessly.
By distributing the food to the liberated Liao people, the Ming army would not be able to pursue them further and could not advance further, which gave the Jiannu a chance to retreat to Haixi.
Xiong Tingbi smiled and consoled his old subordinate, "The Jiannu retreat to Haixi may give them a respite, but they will be short of food and supplies, making this winter a very difficult one. Moreover, even if there is enough food, with the unpredictable heavy snows of midwinter, our army should not advance too far."
Xing Shenyan gave a bitter smile and said, "Your Majesty, I admire your kindness. But it's a pity to lose this opportunity."
Xiong Tingbi pondered for a moment and said, "The Jurchens have already fallen apart, and the Jianlu are isolated. We may not need to deploy too many troops in the future to attack the Jianlu."
Suppressing the strong and supporting the weak, dividing and disintegrating, this was the common method used by Ningyuan Earl Li Chengliang and the Ming court to deal with various ethnic groups.
Xiong Tingbi's intention was clear: he wanted to use the Jurchens who had surrendered to the Qing Dynasty to attack and weaken the Jiannu. Not only the Jurchens, but also the Mongolian tribes would be very cheap help.
Xing Shenyan nodded and said, "Your Excellency's words make sense. The Jianlu have fled north, so our army must also withdraw its garrison. We may only be able to reoccupy Jianzhou or further north next year."
There was also the issue of food and fodder. Heavy snow blocked the roads, making it difficult to ensure supplies for troops too far north. Even next year, without the local people to farm, it would still be difficult for the Ming army to station or advance north.
Moreover, it would take at least a year just to resettle the Liao people, and the amount of food and supplies required would also be considerable.
Perhaps after next autumn, when the Liao people have a harvest, the pressure will be relieved.
The saying "isolated territory is difficult to defend" is not without reason. The Nurgan Dusi was unable to effectively control the area because the Ming army was too far away to reach it, and the cost of the military expenditure was too much for the imperial court to bear.
"Your Majesty will find a way." Xiong Tingbi said this, but he was not very sure.
Xing Shenyan smiled and nodded in agreement, but he disagreed in his heart.
Historically, the Sui, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties all had difficulty controlling Liaodong. The Song dynasty's rule never reached Youzhou, and the conquest of Liaodong was the main reason for the fall of the Sui dynasty.
Even Emperor Taizong of Tang, who was known as the "Heavenly Khan", failed to pacify Goryeo and gain effective and stable control over Liaodong during his lifetime.
…………………………Dividing line………………………………
The news of the recovery of Liaoning had not yet arrived, but the emperor was particularly happy today. He gave Xu Guangqi the title of Grand Tutor, granted the missionary Ming nationality, and the sixth rank of civil nobility.
These honors were bestowed simply because a crop called "rye" was introduced to the Ming Dynasty.
When it comes to rye, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the famous rye bread, Russian black bread.
Rye can be grown in cold Siberia, let alone Liaodong and even the northern regions during the Little Ice Age.
It has a short growing period, is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and has low soil requirements; it has large leaves, soft stems, and tender grass, and is also a favorite forage for animals.
Although the yield per mu is low, we can make up for it with the amount of land. As we open up new land and continue to advance northward, rye is definitely a strong guarantee for food supplies.
The introduction of rye from Northern Europe was a direct order from the emperor, a result of Xu Guangqi's dedication, and the contributions of missionaries. Since it could alleviate the damage caused by the Little Ice Age, no matter how much reward it received, it was well deserved.
"Not only did they ship in rye, but they also hired a baker?" The emperor looked slightly surprised, then immediately nodded with a smile. "That's very thoughtful. I have approved this missionary named Biro to preach in Mekong Province."
In the competition with traditional Chinese culture, Western religions do not have the upper hand, and it can even be said that they are struggling.
In the emperor's view, it is good to have faith. As the Mekong Province expands its invasion, it may play a role in calming and stabilizing the situation.
Or perhaps over time, missionaries would be assimilated into Chinese culture. As the nation grew stronger and national confidence increased, foreign ideas would have less opportunity to spread.
After bowing in thanks, Xu Guangqi continued, "I believe that the horses brought from Western Europe, if successfully bred, will be of great benefit to transportation."
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