The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 122 The First Step of Preparing for Battle

Of course, Ma Wensheng couldn't let the imperial court advance border defense issues according to a young alchemist's point of view.

He was about to come out and say something.

This time it was Zhu Youtang who made the final decision: "...Your family, you don't need to say any more. I am willing to accept the opinion of Zhang Qing's family because I mentioned it in the court before, and I hope that all the ministers and workers can understand that I am in some court affairs. The adoption of Zhang Qing's opinion."

Ma Wensheng suddenly remembered what the emperor had said in the court hall.

At that time, I still felt that the emperor was very gentle. He predicted an earthquake and adopted it in advance to take precautions. He didn't care about it with the minister afterwards.

Waiting here!
"I also express my position that there should be no slack in the defense of the northwest. Whether the barbarians come or not, isn't it right to do a good job in the defense of the northwest?"

Even Ma Wensheng couldn't refute this time.

Let's not talk about whether the news that Di Yi will violate the border in February is reliable or not, let's just say that a unification battle is being completed on the grassland, which requires the border guards of the Ming Dynasty to be careful.

Fundamentally speaking, Zhang Zhou's proposal is also correct.

It's just that it was not what Ma Wensheng wanted for the emperor to skip the court and adopt Zhang Zhou's opinion.

This opinion should be raised by Wen Chen...

"As for who will prepare for the strengthening of the border defense, I will also authorize Wang Qing's family." Zhu Youtang looked at Wang Yue, as if he trusted Wang Yue's ability.

Ma Wensheng was very unhappy again.

Zhang Zhou is just a scholar, he can even be said to be an alchemist, not a civil servant, so he has to be on guard.

Wang Yue is a civil servant, but he has different political views, so he still needs to be on guard.

For professional politicians like civil servants, principles are not important, the important thing is that the party is united against dissidents. Even if the emperor is changed tomorrow, or the dynasty is changed, it seems that it will not affect their ups and downs...

It is said that he is an official of the imperial court who is hard-working.

But in fact, it is a loyal minister of iron, a dynasty of flowing water.

"I want the Ministry of War and the Governor's Mansion to cooperate in an all-round way." Zhu Youtang looked at Zhang Mao, who had been watching the fire from the other side as if nothing had happened. "My lord, what do you think?"

Zhang Maodao: "The veteran also believes that the northwest should take some precautions, but it must be considered as appropriate, and it should not be publicized, so as not to be known by the Tatars, or to cause unrest."

Saying it is the same as not saying it.

Zhu Youtang thought to himself, you talk so much nonsense, how can I use you to sum it up?

"That's good." Zhu Youtang said, "That's it. At the beginning of the year, I will, at my discretion, let Wang Qing's family take charge of the military affairs of Xuanda and Piantou as the censor of the right capital and the left servant of the Ministry of War, and send you. Go to Piantouguan, try not to be known by foreigners."

"Yes!"

Wang Yue is full of confidence.

Now that Zhang Zhou can even predict earthquakes, how do you look at it, predicting when the Tatars will invade the border is much easier than predicting earthquakes?
Coupled with the emperor's support and Zhang Zhou's "Shenweitian Gunpowder" assistance, this battle can be said to be the last and best chance in his life.

Zhu Youtang looked at Ma Wensheng again and said, "Ma Qing's family, what concerns do you have, it's best to say it now. After you walk out from here, I hope you can strictly keep the secret."

Ma Wensheng listened.

This is making me the most unstable factor of these people.

While he was a little upset, he could also see that other than himself, this group of people were all "wretched gangsters", and he, the Minister of the Ministry of War, seemed to be an outsider and had to be guarded against.

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask you, if Di Yi really invades, how will this battle end?"

Ma Wensheng wanted the emperor and Wang Yue to make him a promise.

It's a defense.

You must not take the initiative to attack.

If the Tatars don't come, Ming's army can't go out to invite war casually. This is the bottom line that Ma Wensheng can bear.

Zhu Youtang also seemed to think that what Ma Wensheng said made sense. Handing over the military power around Xuanda to Wang Yue naturally required regulation of Wang Yue's behavior. grassland……

At that time, Wang Yue will be happy, and the balance of the Ming Dynasty will be broken by him, which will put Xuanda and even the capital in danger.

Zhu Youtang said: "I will send general officers and guard eunuchs to assist Wang Qing's family to complete this battle. The principle is that if the Hu captives do not enter, our soldiers and horses will not advance without authorization; if the Hu captives do not retreat, our Ming soldiers will also Don't lose the size of the land, don't lose a corner of the city!"

After listening to the emperor's assurance, Ma Wensheng cupped his hands and said, "The Ministry of War will definitely cooperate in this battle. But please restore peace in Xuanda and other places as soon as possible before March, so as not to delay the spring plowing!"

……

……

Ma Wensheng and Zhang Mao left Qianqing Palace.

Zhang Zhou and Wang Yue were left behind by Zhu Youtang, and seemed to have more detailed matters to discuss.

It was just a general direction before, and the war will start in February.

The next step is to formulate a detailed strategy, and make arrangements based on the fortress and terrain around Piantouguan, in order to keep everything under control.

"...This is the map of the Northwest Frontier that I have drawn for the past two days."

Zhu Youtang asked Dai Yi to bring over a map.

And found a table, set it up in the Qianqing Palace, and spread out the map.

Zhang Zhou knew just how poor the quality of the map was with just a glance, and there was nothing he could do about it. Drawing a map of the Northwest by just relying on the stream of consciousness was pretty good.

Zhu Youtang looked up at Zhang Zhou and Wang Yue and said, "There is no room for loss in this battle!"

Obviously, Zhu Youtang is also under pressure.

Now it is time to skip the court and fight a war.

Although it was only on the defensive in name, it did not violate the principle of Da Ming's defense in the northwest. Ma Wensheng finally agreed, which also shows that the emperor did not mess up the layout of the Ming emperors in the northwest.

And Wang Yue...

Even if Ma Wensheng refused to look directly at him, he had to admit that he was a master who could fight tough battles.

If the emperor had arranged for someone else to preside over this battle, even if Ma Wensheng knew that he would disobey the emperor, he would definitely reject it on the spot, and even make the matter public.

But if you lose.

The emperor's face was gone.

Wang Yue looked at Zhang Zhou and said, "Mr. Zhang, is the time you mentioned accurate?"

Obviously, Wang Yue was very confident in his marching strategy, so he didn't need to ask Zhang Zhou.

All he needed now was a specific time from Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Zhoudao: "People's hearts are the most unpredictable, but judging from the current situation in the grassland, with the horse market cut off, some tribes' supplies are not enough to survive the whole winter. They plundered the border of Daming. They will realize that they will come at a time when they do not invade the border in the usual years. Second, they want to ensure internal stability and prepare for the battle that is related to the survival of their tribe!"

Wang Yue thought for a while, and said to Zhu Youtang: "Your Majesty, after Mr. Zhang's analysis, even the old minister feels that it is very likely that a war will break out within February."

Zhu Youtang frowned.

Are you flattering the old man again?
We all know your character, so that when you don't flatter horses, it's almost like flattering. You didn't have this awareness before, but now you suddenly have awareness.

You better talk less!

Zhu Youtang ignored Wang Yue and asked Zhang Zhou, "Bingkuan, which direction do you think the Hulu will come from?"

Zhang Zhou looked at the map, and it was really difficult to point out a direction.

Not to mention that even if the Tatars were dispatched in full force, they would be in batches, and there would be a gap of one or two days before and after. It was the time difference between the response time of the Ming Dynasty's frontier defense. Let's talk about this map...

Zhang Zhoudao: "I want to redraw the Northwest Atlas!"

"what?"

Zhu Youtang didn't seem to understand for a moment.

Zhang Zhoudao: "What I mean is that there are incomplete and unclear parts in this map, and there are still some deviations. I want to make a map that is drawn strictly according to the scale, so as to ensure that this battle can be rehearsed and dispatched. more precise."

Zhu Youtang was smiling wryly.

He never imagined that Zhang Zhou's first step in preparing for the Northwest War was to redraw the map? !
"Prepare paper and pen for him." Zhu Youtang said to Dai Yi.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Please Eunuch Dai prepare some more charcoal pencils, rulers, etc., preferably calipers, rulers, etc. I need to make gestures. By the way, the paper should be made of more than four layers of rice paper as much as possible. After drawing, Then ask someone to print a few points to prepare for this battle..."

……

……

Zhu Youtang didn't quite understand Zhang Zhou's wonderful work.

But Wang Yue seems to be very supportive of Zhang Zhou's behavior.

Because he himself felt that there was a big problem with the map of the northwest, but the problem was that it was impossible to draw a detailed map under the current conditions of Ming Dynasty. If Zhang Zhou could draw a map with very high accuracy...for a coach As the saying goes, first of all, we can "know the enemy and know ourselves".

There are even deviations in the records of where you are, how can you be flexible on the battlefield?

So ever.

Under the eyes of Zhu Youtang, Wang Yue, Xiao Jing and others, Zhang Zhou drew a map on the spot.

Everyone is Zhang Zhou's helper.

Zhang Zhou didn't completely abandon the original map. Many important landmarks, which were marked on the map in another chapter, will also be marked on his map.

"...The ratio is one inch, which is roughly equivalent to 43 miles. If the Tatar cavalry marches ninety miles a day, it is equivalent to walking two squares a day..."

The 43 miles in the Ming Dynasty is roughly equivalent to fifty miles in later generations, which is 25 kilometers.

Zhu Youtang next to him frowned.

Walk two squares a day?

It sounds more and more like the "sand table drill" that Zhang Zhou played for Zhu Houzhao before?
Looking carefully at the map drawn by Zhang Zhou, it is clear that the topography of the sand table is reproduced on paper.

Zhu Youtang couldn't help asking: "Bingkuan, I seem to have seen this thing before, did you give it to the prince..."

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Returning to Your Majesty, this is the prototype of the sand table I used for the prince earlier. At that time, I also gave the prince a detailed description of the situation in the northwest."

"Bingkuan, you are really...hehe."

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "The map should be drawn or drawn, and the sand table should also be available. I think about it. If there is a sand table for on-the-spot narration, ordinary soldiers will understand it clearly after reading it, and it will help to mobilize troops. Send general."

Zhang Zhoudao: "But Your Majesty, the material of the sand table is not very good, I'm afraid it won't be usable."

Zhu Youtang glanced at Zhou Zhou and said: "Since I want to redo it, can I still lose a little reward from you? Dai Yi, go and arrange it, find the best craftsman, and at all costs, we must finish the sand table within two days. manufacture complete."

"Yes." Dai Yi smiled.

Zhu Youtang suddenly seemed to remember something, looked at Zhang Zhou apologetically and said, "Bingkuan, I'm afraid it will delay your exam preparation again!"

Zhang Zhou clasped his hands in a very free and easy way: "For the sake of the world, I am duty-bound."

(End of this chapter)