The group returned to the study. After Qingyan had just sat down, Saito reported the battle situation to Feiyanggu and the others, and even mentioned the secret capture of two Korean generals.
Yinti and Yinzhen were taken aback. Saito was too bold. He directly told Kangxi that the two men were already dead. So, who were the two men sent to the secret interrogation room?
"These two are absolutely loyal diehards. Without special interrogation methods, it definitely won't work!" After thinking for a moment, Seto decided that the best way to get them to talk was to pry their mouths open.
After he finished speaking, everyone fell silent. Fei Yanggu and the others discussed solutions. These two were definitely troublesome. It was practically impossible to hide two people in the naval port undetected.
“They must submit a memorial to plead guilty. His Majesty values these two highly. Why not interrogate them in Korea and then deal with them?” Fei Yanggu shook his head. Saito’s actions might cross Kangxi’s bottom line.
“Father, I have already written a memorial to apologize and had my trusted confidant deliver it to His Majesty when he escorted the Crown Prince to the capital!” Saito also understood that his approach was somewhat risky. After pondering for two nights, Saito decided to write a secret memorial.
Feyangu's heart was finally at ease. Seto's mind was not yet clouded, nor had he been blinded by victory.
"Saituo, how is it in Korea now?" Yinti was still wondering if Kangxi would send that prince to be the regent.
"It's quite chaotic. I didn't disembark from the ship, so I don't know the situation inside the city. I heard that food and other supplies are very scarce. If Xiao Guai were to transport them there, she would definitely be able to make a lot of money." Saito often stayed by Qingyan's side and had some business acumen.
When they captured Pyongyang, the soldiers saw the terrified expressions and emaciated bodies of the people in the city, and that there was hardly any food in the nearby grain stores.
On the ship, they were fortunate to have plenty of food; otherwise, they might have gone hungry for several days.
"They've already reached this point?" Qingyan was stunned. The news brought by Saito wasn't good. If they were even out of food supplies, she needed to consider whether to send supplies over there.
"Yes, there are cases of people exchanging their own children to eat each other." Seto looked somewhat cruel, but showed no intention of helping.
“I will stop transporting supplies there. Yuelai Inn and Minsheng Pharmacy will cease operations. I see signs of an uprising there!” Qingyan said with a frown.
Where there is oppression, there is resistance!
If the people knew that these shops not only had grain, but also some life-saving medicinal herbs, it would be a miracle if they didn't riot and instead looted!
After some deliberation, Fei Yanggu and Yinzhen felt that Qingyan's decision was correct.
"Xiao Guai is absolutely right. We must withdraw all our people as soon as possible and absolutely not leave the other side with any leverage!" Yinzhen agreed with Qingyan's actions.
Saito and Eshuo exchanged a glance. They thought Qingyan was making a mountain out of a molehill. What could those people, who were just ordinary villagers from the five villages, possibly do?
“Ah Hun, don’t underestimate them. When you entered the city, didn’t you notice that everyone there was a soldier?” Qingyan had specifically reminded Yinzhen that he must instill the idea that everyone among the rebels was a soldier in everyone.
Ugh!
Saito's face instantly darkened. The first batch of soldiers to enter Pyongyang must have encountered the problem Qingyan had mentioned.
"Little darling, how did you find out?" Saito asked Qingyan.
"The shopkeepers over there often pass me messages. Those people are all ruthless. They frequently try to subtly inquire about business strategies. Moreover, when you encounter scoundrels in business, no matter how much preferential treatment the local people receive, they will always help their own countrymen," Qingyan sneered.
She despised people like that the most. They had the benefits of several shops, yet they still protected those scoundrels. Wasn't that a blatant slap in the face?
"Such a thing actually happened?!" Fei Yanggu exclaimed in disbelief.
Every time he asked Qingyan, Qingyan would say that everything was fine.
"Therefore, I told Ah Hun to give them a good beating and teach those people a lesson!" Qingyan instructed Yinzhen to tell the generals that if they were to attack Korea, they must crush those people's arrogance.
"His Majesty's intention may be to send another expedition to Korea!" Saito received new information that another expedition might be launched in a while, "However, this time a different group of trainees will be needed!"
As Yinti and Yinzhen listened to Saito explain Kangxi's upcoming arrangements, they both understood that these were to prevent anyone from maliciously slandering the Qing Dynasty.
"Hmm, using those for practice is fine too!" Yinti sneered.
They cannot function without real combat experience. The generals of the Eight Banners must maintain their fighting spirit at all times; otherwise, they will become increasingly lazy and idle.
In the past few years, the fierce generals of the Eight Banners have been corrupted by women and other temptations, and are no longer the iron cavalry they once were. Emperor Kangxi issued an order to train them at all times.
The new army and the navy were Kangxi's two trump cards, which he planned to gradually change the current state of the Eight Banners generals.
"Brother is right, Ah Hun. When will the men you sent be able to get those two to talk?" Yinzhen asked with some worry, as those two wouldn't speak easily.
"Soon, the two men had not eaten for three days. In addition, their entire families had been detained. They were ruthless. At the beginning of the war, they directly poisoned all the unmarried daughters in their mansion, determined not to let their daughters be captured and humiliated by the Eight Banners soldiers." Saito admired their ruthlessness, but he despised their actions in his heart.
If their positions were reversed, they would protect Qingyan's safety, make sure she had a safe future, and never let anyone bully her.
"I know perfectly well that they are extremely rigid in order to continue the rules of the Ming Dynasty!" Yinzhen said sarcastically.
Furthermore, Korea continued the Ming Dynasty's tradition of recording history, which annoyed Emperor Kangxi and led him to order the navy to give them a severe beating.
"Your Majesty, we've found out. There are two lists, totaling 114 informants," Bayan reported as he walked in.
What? !
Everyone was stunned. Qingyan opened his mouth slightly and looked at Bayan as he explained the distribution of his spies. From the emperor to the royal family, everyone had their spies.
As soon as he finished speaking, Qingyan felt a chill of fear. After Yinzhen came out of the palace, the servants of the Imperial Household Department were all relocated to other residences, which prevented those servants from succeeding.
"When we get back, we need to thoroughly clean up our mansion!" Yinti rubbed his temples, feeling increasingly uneasy. Those people were so audacious, not only making things difficult for Lady Yingenjueluo, but also taking control of the villa.
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