Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 320: Overseas Scenery, Northern Expedition to the Remaining Yuan Dynasty! [Please Subscribe]

Liu Kuan pondered for a moment and said, "As far as I know, in recent years, a number of publications imitating Natural Science have appeared in various places, but most of them are of poor quality, and very few are of sufficient value."

"As for the natural sciences, having a journal called Nature is actually enough at the moment."

"So, I'm planning to publish a magazine about overseas geography and customs. I'm planning to name it 'Overseas Customs.' What do you think?"

Xu Zhen's lips twitched slightly after hearing this, and then he smiled and said, "This name is just like 'Natural Science', concise and to the point, with a sense of simplicity. It's naturally good."

"Hahaha," Liu Kuan noticed that Xu Zhen was being insincere, so he laughed and explained, "Actually, whether it's Natural Science or the upcoming Overseas Scenery, I don't want the articles to be too abstruse or even obscure."

"Especially 'Overseas Scenery', which will focus on introducing overseas geography, history of various countries, customs and people, and local species."

"The relevant articles will be very simple and clear, and must be understood by people who can read and write; even those who cannot read will understand just by hearing them."

"Because I published this publication, 'Overseas Scenery,' I hope to use it to help ordinary people understand overseas and broaden their horizons."

Xu Zhen immediately bowed and said, "Master, your ambition is high. I admire you and will do my best to help you run this publication successfully."

Liu Kuan said, "Don't rush the management of Overseas Scenery. Once you've become familiar with the management of Natural Science, you can recruit a few editors who are interested in this field and have sufficient talent and experience to be responsible for the new journal."

"Yes."

Afterwards, Liu Kuan inquired about some of the magazine's general affairs, inspected the courtyards and warehouses, and then returned home with his entourage and guards.

As soon as he entered the mansion, a servant came to tell him the good news.

"Congratulations, Master! The Second Madam is pregnant!"

Liu Kuan was stunned at first, then he quickened his pace and came to the central courtyard.

When I entered the house, I saw Zhu Huilan and Su Caiwei sitting in the side hall and talking. Both of them had smiles on their faces, especially Su Caiwei, whose joy was beyond words, and the maternal glow on her body seemed tangible.

Before the two of them could stand up, Liu Kuan asked anxiously, "Caiwei, are you pregnant?"

Su Caiwei smiled and nodded.

Zhu Huilan smiled and said, "Caiwei felt a little unwell this afternoon, so we called a doctor from the medical school to check her out. That's when we found out she was pregnant."

"What did the doctor say? Is Caiwei okay?"

Su Caiwei said, "Thank you for your concern, Master. The doctor said everything is fine and I just need to take care of the baby normally."

Speaking of which, Su Caiwei was really happy about getting pregnant again - she was already twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, which was considered an older woman at this time, and in a few years she would even be old enough to become a grandmother.

Therefore, she had always worried that she would not have the chance to get pregnant again in the future.

But Liu Kuan said that for her health, he always had sex outside in the past few years. In the winter of last year, after much persuasion from her, he changed his mind and tried to have another child with her.

After months of hard work, the two finally achieved results.

Liu Kuan went over and held Su Caiwei's hand, saying, "Since you're pregnant, don't worry too much about the affairs of the mansion. Let the servants do more, or let Huilan share some of the work."

Su Caiwei nodded, "I understand."

Zhu Huilan also said, "Don't worry, my husband. This is not the first time for Caiwei and me. We know how to take care of the pregnancy."

That night, Liu Kuan and Zhu Huilan shared a room.

Then she pestered him relentlessly.

"Husband, I want to have another child too. Okay~"

Zhu Huilan rarely acted like a spoiled child, which made Liu Kuan shudder. He quickly said, "Okay, okay, let's give birth."

"Then you have to work harder starting tonight."

Liu Kuan actually had the urge to ask Zhu Huilan for another child, but he pretended to be helpless and said, "Okay, I will definitely try my best."

"Then let's get started."

"So soon?" Liu Kuan was surprised. "We just went to bed. I wanted to read for a while."

Zhu Huilan punched Liu Kuan in the chest with her pink fist and snorted, "What book are you reading? Is it as good as me?" After that, she snatched the book from Liu Kuan's hand and threw it out of the tent...

···
On the second day of the second month in the twentieth year of Hongwu, the dragon raised its head.

Zhu Yuanzhang issued an imperial decree, sending four armies to the north to fight against the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty!

Xu Da, in his capacity as Grand Tutor, Right Pillar of the State (right is the most honorable), Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, Grand Councilor, and Duke of Wei, took up the seal of the General of Conquering the Enemy and went to Beiping to take charge, commanding the four armies in the Northern Expedition.

According to historical records, Xu Da died of a back carbuncle in the 18th year of Hongwu, at the age of only 54.

Back carbuncle is a dangerous disease at this time. It is not easy to detect when it first occurs because it is on the back. By the time the patient really pays attention to it, the condition is often serious and difficult to treat.

Therefore, in history, even with Xu Da's status, he died of a back carbuncle.

As for the unofficial history saying that Zhu Yuanzhang deliberately rewarded Xu Da with roast goose, causing him to die of a back carbuncle, it is pure nonsense.

First, Zhu Biao was still alive at that time, and Zhu Yuanzhang was not worried that the founding generals would become a threat to the new emperor in the future, so there was no need to get rid of Xu Da.

Xu Da and Tang He were not only Zhu Yuanzhang's right-hand men, but also good brothers in his early years. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, basically one of them led troops outside while the other must guard the capital. It can be said that this was one of the guarantees for Zhu Yuanzhang to firmly sit on the throne.

How can you cut off your own arm?

Secondly, even if a person with a carbuncle on his back was forbidden to eat roast goose, would he die if he just ate one roast goose? Therefore, if Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to kill Xu Da by giving him roast goose, he had to give him one every few days - this method was both inferior and unreliable.

Just look at how Zhu Yuanzhang later killed founding generals such as Fu Youde and Feng Sheng to understand his style - he sent someone to call them directly to the palace, asked them a heart-piercing question, and then killed them. It was quick and decisive. How could he use such unreliable conspiracy and tricks?
At this time and space, Liu Kuan had already informed Zhu Yuanzhang of the cause of Xu Da's death.

In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang now attached great importance to medicine, so he asked the imperial physician to prevent Xu Da's back carbuncle before it appeared.

After learning about his historical cause of death, Xu Da changed his lifestyle at the advice of the imperial physician. He ate less meat-based foods, more light vegetarian food, bathed frequently, and visited hot springs regularly.

Therefore, by the 20th year of Hongwu, although Xu Da, who was 56 years old, was a little thinner than before, he had no illness, and his spirit was better than in previous years.

In this Northern Expedition, the Ming Dynasty mobilized hundreds of thousands of garrison troops. If the conscripted civilians responsible for logistics and transportation are included, it can be said that a million-strong army was mobilized.

With such a large number of troops and such an unprecedented war, only Xu Da, who had commanded an army of over 100,000 many times, could go to Beiping to take charge of the situation and reassure Zhu Yuanzhang.

In addition to Xu Da, the great general who conquered the enemy, the four main generals appointed by Zhu Yuanzhang were also famous.

The main general of the Peking route was Fu Youde, Duke of Ying; the left and right deputy generals were Wang Bi, Marquis of Dingyuan, and Hu Hai, Marquis of Dongchuan; and the left and right lieutenant generals were Lu Zhongheng, Marquis of Ji'an, and Zheng Yuchun, Marquis of Xingyang.

The main general of the Liaoyang route was Lan Yu, Marquis of Yongchang, the left and right deputy generals were Guo Ying, Marquis of Wuding, and Tang Shengzong, Marquis of Yan'an, and the left and right lieutenant generals were Zhang Long, Marquis of Fengxiang, and Ye Sheng, Marquis of Jingning.

The main general of the Taiyuan route was Geng Bingwen, Marquis of Changxing; the left and right deputy generals were Zhou Xingde, Marquis of Jiangxia, and Fei Ju, Marquis of Pingliang; and the left and right lieutenant generals were Zhao Yong, Marquis of Nanxiong, and Cao Xing, Marquis of Huaiyuan.

The main general of the Xi'an route was Feng Sheng, Duke of Song. His left and right deputy generals were Deng Zhen, Duke of Shen (son of Deng Yu) and Pu Ying, Marquis of Lelang. His left and right lieutenant generals were Sun Ke, Marquis of Quanning, and Zhang Wen, Marquis of Huining.

Among them, the troops from Peking and Xi'an were the main forces, with actually 120,000 and 100,000 Ming troops respectively.

The Taiyuan and Liaoyang routes were detachments, with actual numbers of 80,000 and 60,000 Ming troops respectively.

That is to say, in this Northern Expedition, the Ming Dynasty actually dispatched 360,000 official troops - most of them were garrison troops, but there were also some of the emperor's personal troops and princes' guards.

Compared with the previous Ming Dynasty expeditions, especially the Northern Expedition in the 14th year of Hongwu, this number does not seem to have much more troops.

But don't forget that the Ming army's combat effectiveness is definitely much higher than it was five years ago.

Firstly, the Ming army’s equipment rate of bird guns and artillery is already extremely high - and because of the development of the steel industry, the armor rate has reached 100%!
The armor here does not refer to paper armor, cloth armor, or leather armor, but iron armor!
Secondly, the treatment of the Ming army has been slightly improved compared to five years ago, and even the literacy rate and cultural level of the army officers have been significantly improved due to the large-scale literacy classes.

These two changes have brought about a qualitative change in the combat effectiveness of the Ming army compared to five years ago.

Generals such as Xu Da, Fu Youde, and Feng Sheng even said that if they led the current Ming army, they could defeat two to three times or even more Ming troops from five years ago!

···
Because the Ming Dynasty now has the Jinyiwei inside and the Guangmingwei outside, and the household registration system is strict, the Northern Yuan Dynasty's spies can hardly take a single step within the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, the Northern Yuan court was still corrupt and there were many internal struggles, so it was not sensitive to changes in the Ming Dynasty.

However, this time the Ming army launched four northern expeditions, not only mobilizing 300,000 to 400,000 regular troops, but also conscripted hundreds of thousands of civilian laborers, which was a huge commotion.

By the fifth day of February, the Northern Yuan Dynasty court (which was mobile) temporarily stationed near Buyuerhai (Lake Buir) had at least learned of the Ming army's northern expedition...
　Second update.

　　Good night~
　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)