Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Having conquered Kaizhou, Hanyang could not be spared.

The Zuo Shen Ce Army stationed in Hanyang had long been transferred to Kaizhou. With the city defense empty, Zhe Yanzhi sent a thousand Ming soldiers and a thousand Goryeo soldiers to easily capture Hanyang City.

The thousand Goryeo soldiers were selected from prisoners and reorganized, similar to the reorganization of 3,000 troops.

The three thousand Goryeo soldiers were paid half the salary of the Ming garrison army. The moment the food and salary were paid, the morale of the three thousand Goryeo soldiers was high, and their loyalty was directly raised to the maximum.

It was the first time in their lives that they could receive so much military pay.

What king?

What noble family?

I am now a soldier of the Ming Dynasty!

Before the heavy snow closed the mountains, the Ming army successfully captured the entire Xihai Road, and captured two-thirds of Yangguang Road and two-fifths of Jiaozhou Road.

There was also a 500-man Ming army detachment in the northeast, with a thousand Jurchen tribal soldiers, and they fought all the way to Anbian Protectorate of Goryeo (Wunchuan City, Korea). There was a strong mountain city built there, which was used to defend against Liao and Jin in the early years. The Ming army detachment without artillery was difficult to conquer for a while.

The remaining territory can only be fought in the spring of next year.

The war has not ended, and the civil officials have arrived.

Bai Chongyan, who was demoted to be a prefect, was quickly promoted to the Governor-General of Korea.

Just like the destruction of Xixia and the change to the Governor-General of Ningxia, Goryeo will also be changed to the Governor-General of Korea. It will last for ten years, two governors, and then it will be changed to the Province of Korea depending on the situation.

Accompanying Bai Chongyan was Zheng Zhichang, who came from a big family in Pyongyang.

"I pay my respects to Governor Bai and meet Minister Zheng!" Zhe Yanzhi and Li Yi led a group of civil and military officials to greet them outside the west gate of Kaizhou.

Bai Chongyan became calmer than before. After returning the greeting seriously, he was led into the city by Zhe Yanzhi.

Everyone sat down in the Goryeo Palace, and Bai Chongyan said straight to the point:

"The newly established Governor-General of Korea is divided into six prefectures: Pyongyang, Kaesong, Hansan, Jeolla, Gyeongsang, and Hamheung."

"Baozhou on the south bank of the Yalu River was cut off from Pyongyang Prefecture and assigned to Liaoning Province as a whole. Just like Hanzhong was assigned to Shaanxi, it is to prevent rebellion and secession in Korea in the future."

"Hwangju in Goryeo's West Sea Road was assigned to Pyongyang Prefecture."

"Other prefectures and counties in West Sea Road were merged with Goryeo's Gyeonggi and Jiaozhou Provinces and renamed Kaesong Prefecture. The seat of the Governor-General of Korea was set up in Kaesong."

"Goryeo's Yangguang Province was renamed Hansan Prefecture. Hansan City was renamed Hancheng."

"Goryeo's Jeolla Province and Gyeongsang Province were renamed Jeolla Prefecture and Gyeongsang Prefecture."

"Wonsan and the eastern coastal areas to the south were set up as a separate state and merged into Gyeongsang Prefecture."

"Part of the area south of the Yalu River and Tumen River was separated from Liaoning Province and merged with the area north of Wonsan to form Hamheung Prefecture."

"The prefectures and territories under the jurisdiction of the above six prefectures were all changed to counties, such as Haeju to Haxian and Hwangju to Hwangxian. Some county seats set up by Goryeo were retained, but most of the county towns were downgraded to towns."

The Korean Peninsula was originally poor in land and insufficient in products, and it also had countless prefectures, prefectures, counties, and protectorates. The administrative expenses were huge and naturally poorer.

Now that the Ming Dynasty has come, the prefectures and protectorates have all been abolished.

The road was changed to a prefecture, the prefecture was downgraded to a county, and the county was downgraded to a town.

There are no administrative officials at the town level, at most a tax collector was thrown over.

In addition, the territory is intertwined with Liaoning, and Liaoning Province firmly controls both sides of the Yalu River. A part of the Jurchen territory was also merged with the Goryeo territory to form Hamhung Prefecture, and the two tribes checked and balanced each other and gradually assimilated.

Liaoning is now too large, including parts of Hebei, Jilin, and North Korea, and will certainly continue to be split in the future.

When the population of Andong Protectorate increases and becomes assimilated to a certain extent, part of Liaoning will be split out and merged with Andong Protectorate into one province. The provincial capital can be set up in Changchun or Harbin, and the Jurchen tribes in the territory will gradually be converted to local officials.

When the population in the north and south of Yanshan increases and becomes assimilated to China, a part of each will be split out from Hebei, Liaoning, and Linhuang Protectorate to set up a separate province. It is roughly equivalent to Rehe Province during the Republic of China period, but it is larger in area than Rehe Province.

After listening to Bai Chongyan, Zhang Yi asked, "Does the Pyongyang General Army Office still exist?"

Bai Chongyan said, "The Pyongyang General Army Office was changed to the Joseon General Army Office. The General Army Office was moved to Kaesong, and part of the garrison remained in Pyongyang. Troops were stationed in the three former protectorates of Annan, Andong, and Anbian in Goryeo. The main garrison locations in the entire Korea are in these five places."

"Will the number of troops increase?" Zhang Yi asked again.

Bai Chongyan said, "The number of generals is 3,000 field troops, 8,000 garrison troops, and 5,000 transport troops. The 3,000 field troops must be Han or Bohai people. Half of the 2,000 garrison troops in Hamheung Prefecture are recruited from the Jurchens, and half are recruited from Goryeo. Half of the 2,000 garrison troops in Pyongyang Prefecture are Han or Bohai people, and half are Goryeo people. The rest of the troops can all be recruited from Goryeo."

After streamlining administrative personnel and reforming the tax system, the Korean Peninsula will definitely be able to support so many soldiers.

Wang's Goryeo had a total of 45,000 soldiers in the central standing army (two armies and six guards) alone. It's just that the empty pay is too serious, and there are a lot of old, weak and disabled people. Among the more than 40,000 people, Zheng Zhongfu can only extract 6,000 elite troops to fight.

The total strength of the standing army of the entire Goryeo should be more than 100,000 (the mainstream view is 170,000).

No matter how much empty pay is taken, no matter how low the military pay is, there are indeed so many standing troops on paper!

The Ming Dynasty reduced the number of troops on the Korean Peninsula to 16,000, and the military expenditure can be lower than that of the Goryeo Dynasty.

If the Ming Dynasty weakens in the future and the Korean garrison cannot suppress the rebellion, the Liaoning and Shandong troops will be quickly transferred to suppress the rebellion.

Especially Liaoning Province, whose territory covers both sides of the Yalu River, was divided in this way to suppress rebellion.

Bai Chongyan continued: "Whether Jurchens or Goryeo people, they can be promoted to generals for meritorious service, but they must be able to speak Chinese and write Chinese characters. In the early stage, the requirements can be temporarily relaxed, giving foreign officers one year to learn Chinese, and they must learn 800 Chinese characters within three years!"

Li Yi smiled and said: "It is easier to learn Chinese characters. Many Goryeo military officers come from poor families or generals. Those who have read books can definitely write Chinese characters. Goryeo's military documents are all written in Chinese characters. If you are illiterate, you can't even understand military orders."

Bai Chongyan also said to Zhe Yanzhi, Zhang Yi and other generals: "Although Goryeo is easy to fight, it is a merit of destroying a country after all. His Majesty said that after occupying the entire Goryeo territory, he will be rewarded with a county duke, two marquises, five earls, and several viscounts and barons."

As soon as these words came out, the generals were overjoyed and couldn't wait to continue the attack in the spring of next year.

Bai Chongyan asked again: "Have the King of Goryeo and the fake prince been captured?"

"They have all been captured." Li Yi also described the process of capturing the king.

Bai Chongyan smiled and nodded: "It seems that there are many poor scholars in Goryeo who are loyal to the Ming Dynasty."

Zheng Zhichang, who had been silent, took the opportunity to speak: "You can ask the court to recruit poor scholars as officials. Some will be arranged in the Governor's Office to assist Mr. Bai. Some will be arranged in prefectures and counties to assist Han prefects and county magistrates. They are familiar with Goryeo affairs, and they are jealous and disgusted with the big families. Whether it is to gain political achievements and promotion, or to retaliate against the aristocratic families, they will actively split the clan and divide the land, and distribute the tax according to the acreage."

Bai Chongyan Bai Chongyan said: "This is a good strategy. What are the abilities of those poor scholars?"

"Their ability to do things far exceeds that of the children of wealthy families," Zheng Zhichang said, "People from wealthy families like to hold noble positions when they become officials. The real people who work in the government offices are poor scholars. The money they get is from the wealthy officials, and the achievements they make are also from the wealthy officials. Poor scholars work hard but find it difficult to get promoted."

This is very similar to the South during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Rich officials hold noble positions but do not take care of mundane affairs, while poor officials hold low positions but work hard.

Bai Chongyan said: "First call those poor scholars who helped capture the King of Goryeo."

More than 20 poor scholars, including Jin Yungui, soon came to see Bai Chongyan happily.

"I, Jin Yungui, a young scholar, pay my respects to Governor Bai!" Jin Yungui led a group of scholars to kneel down.

Bai Chongyan scolded: "You are all scholars, how can you kneel easily? You have been an envoy to the Ming Dynasty, do you know when to kneel?"

Jin Yungui replied: "Only during major sacrifices or celebrations do you kneel on the ground."

Bai Chongyan said: "Since you are the people of the Ming Dynasty, you should also abide by this etiquette and not kneel casually in the future."

"Yes!"

Jin Yungui relayed this to the scholars who did not understand Chinese, and those poor scholars were immediately excited and proud.

Not only because they were respected, but also because Bai Chongyan recognized that they were the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Ming thought that Bai Chongyan, who was mediocre in ability, made these Goryeo scholars grateful with just a few words.

Bai Chongyan pointed at Zheng Zhichang: "This Mr. Zheng, from the Pyongyang Zheng family, is now the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty and the doctor of the crown prince's praise."

The position of the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites was an emergency promotion given by Zhu Ming when Zheng Zhichang was going to Goryeo this time.

The Ministry of Rites has many affairs, and currently has three right assistant ministers. Zheng Zhichang is in charge of sacrifices, court ceremonies, and diplomacy with Goryeo.

As for the Prince Shanzan Doctor, it is just an honorary title. The advantage is that he can receive a few more stones of rice every month, and it shows the emperor's attention to this person.

Including Jin Yungui, this group of Goryeo scholars all showed envy.

It turns out that people from the small country of Goryeo can really be important officials in the Ming Dynasty. At Zheng Zhichang's current age, if he doesn't die too early from illness, he may be able to become a minister in the future!

Zheng Zhichang can do it, why can't we?

Zhu Ming promoted Zheng Zhichang to be an assistant minister, and he wanted this effect, to set up a banner among Goryeo scholars.

Everyone hurriedly bowed to Zheng Zhichang, hoping to be promoted.

Bai Chongyan said to Jin Yungui: "Minister Zheng suggested that after Goryeo surrenders to the Ming Dynasty, let the poor scholars of Goryeo serve as assistant officials to assist the chief officials sent by the Ming Dynasty in governing the local areas. I can ask the court for a sixth-rank position at most. If you stay with me and do a good job, this sixth-rank position will be yours."

Jin Yungui was overjoyed: "Thank you, Minister Bai, for your promotion, and thank you, Minister Zheng, for your recommendation!"

Bai Chongyan continued to make a promise: "A prefectural magistrate is only a sixth-rank official. If you wholeheartedly help me complete the division of clans and land in Goryeo, you may be able to serve as a prefectural magistrate in the prosperous Jiangnan."

Jin Yungui quickly assured: "I will do my best to handle the governor's affairs!"

Bai Chongyan nodded and said: "All of you can become officials, and you can also recommend other talented scholars from poor families. But remember, you can't take the opportunity to embezzle and pervert the law. I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. I was the Minister of Personnel of the Ming Dynasty last year, and I was only one step away from entering the cabinet. But because I didn't manage my subordinates strictly, some of my subordinates were corrupt, and I was demoted to be a prefect. I am a meritorious official who follows the emperor, and I am like this. You will only die if you embezzle."

Jin Yungui quickly translated it for other scholars, and everyone was shocked after hearing it.

They thought of the article in the Ming Monthly, and they all expressed that they would abide by the law.

Zheng Zhichang understood these people's dreams better, and said with a smile: "After Goryeo was changed to the Governor-General's Office of Korea, a series of reforms were needed, and there were opportunities to gain political achievements everywhere. As long as you work hard and don't embezzle, you can go to the rich land of Ming Dynasty with a little promotion. Because Ming Dynasty stipulates that you must serve as an official in another place, you can't stay here."

This is the real pie.

This group of poor scholars in front of them have long dreamed of leaving the peninsula and experiencing the colorful world of Ming Dynasty.

As long as they persist in not embezzling for a few years and work hard to gain political achievements, they can realize their dreams.

What a good deal!

At this moment, they are full of energy, and they wish that the Ming army would immediately wipe out the remnants of Goryeo, and then vigorously carry out reforms in Korea.

When they start to attack the aristocratic families, they are probably more ruthless than the officials sent by the court.

Bai Chongyan said: "Let's go and meet the King of Goryeo together."