The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 284
Ma Yi, Wang Shouren and Cao Shun led [-] soldiers and horses and set off overnight.

Zhang Zhou saw him off in person, and then Zhang Zhou would also take seven thousand soldiers and horses out of the fortress.

There was no swearing-in meeting, and the soldiers embarked on a long journey, while Zhang Zhou rode on the horse, and the surrounding lights were brightly lit, to show that he, a man who could understand the will of heaven, was on the side of the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty.

Many soldiers in the Xuan Mansion were willing to go out with them, and it was all because of Zhang Zhou's face... There is no way, the ability to call wind and rain is too bluffing, this is not the kind of bluffing magic stick, it is well known by everyone in the government and the public "Immortal Master", and even Wang Yue, Zhu Feng and others enshrined Zhang Zhou as a half-immortal, and the soldiers had a little more ambition when they went out to fight.

It feels like...

Be fooled and limp.

"When will we go out tonight?" Zhang Heling arrived at the gate of the city belatedly. As soon as he arrived, he asked Zhang Zhou about the situation of the Chinese army's dispatch.

Zhu Hui sized him up and asked, "Why did Uncle Guo come here so late?"

Zhang Heling smiled and said: "The fans in the city are not bad..."

Zhu Hui was ashamed, and then the two of them turned their attention to Zhang Zhou.

"The food, grass and supplies for the [-] soldiers and horses are still being prepared. The first half of the night is impossible, so let the soldiers rest overnight and leave tomorrow morning." Zhang Zhou said.

Zhu Hui asked curiously: "The three armies are going on an expedition, and even the food and supplies have not been prepared in advance?"

This question is a little too direct.

Probably questioning Zhang Zhou, aren't you so awesome that you can understand God's will and ask ghosts and gods?To prepare food and grass, but to be under-prepared in a hurry?They can't do it, you should go, you use some magical skills, a gust of wind blows, shouldn't the carriages transporting grain be all full?

"Going out in a hurry, why do you make it official?" Zhang Zhou's words made Zhu Hui unexpected.

That feels like it.

We enshrine you like a half-immortal, but you actually think of yourself as a mortal, or a mortal who doesn't care?

Zhang Zhoudao: "The preparations are too full. If the Tatar sentry finds out, I think we are really going to make a big move. We have agreed to go out to show cannons. How much battle do we need to start to blow up rabbits? What's the use of killing chickens?" Bull knife?"

"Hahaha……"

Zhang Heling felt very pleasing to the ear when he heard this.

Too much for him.

Zhu Hui asked the question that had been on his mind before: "Mr. Zhang, I have always wanted to ask you a question. The surprise attack on Wei Ninghai was so appropriate and you were well prepared. Why didn't you do it yourself? Back then, Wang Wei Ning was in the Ministry of War Shang Shu, he still went to battle in person and shared weal and woe with the soldiers."

Zhang Heling said with a smile: "Old Zhu, you don't like what you say, why do you call it different? I think Mr. Zhang is pretty good. Look...how is he really alone?"

Zhang Zhou glanced at Zhang Heling, no matter what he said, it didn't sound like a good word.

At this time, the generals on horseback were also looking at Zhang Zhou. They were probably also wondering, what are these three pillars of the army talking about here?

Zhang Zhoudao: "I came to Xuanfu, do you think I came to charge the battle? I have more important errands. I want to lay the foundation stone of the military administration in the Northwest. If I am not in Xuanfu, the Xuanda area encounters a Tatar raid. Didn't I fail His Majesty's painstaking efforts in entrusting me to control Xuanda's military affairs? The situation is open!"

Zhu Hui smiled wryly.

No matter how it sounds, it sounds like... Zhang Zhou is afraid of death.

So Zhang Zhou just moved his mouth, leaving the real charge to others.

……

……

Sent away the soldiers of the expedition.

When Zhang Zhou returned to the city, only Tang Yin followed him back to the governor's office.

The previous words clearly fell into Tang Yin's ears.

Tang Yin asked: "Zhang Zhitai, you should have a more subtle arrangement, or should you appear in a more important geographical location in order to fight head-on with the Hulu's main force?"

"What?"

Zhang Zhou glanced at Tang Yin.

Today, he felt that the attitude of the people around him was a bit strange, especially Tang Yin.

Tang Yin sighed: "Based on my observations over the past few days, my brother's ability should not be limited to this surprise attack on Weining Sea. Right now Weining Sea has at most only the old, weak, women and children of the barbarians. If you want to make contributions, you should face the enemy head-on."

"Bohu, listening to you say this...I think you are a bit of a demon."

Zhang Zhou sighed, "Let's be normal, it's not that complicated. I don't go to the front line because my life is precious, and I'm a person who does big things. Have you ever seen a decision-maker who wants to go to battle in person? Let others I don’t need to go into battle when I’ve finished. You said we’re going to have a decisive battle...we’ll take [-] troops out of the fortress, with only [-] or [-] cannons, and a speed of only [-] or [-] miles a day, who will we fight against?”

Tang Yin was taken aback.

Damn, I want to elevate you a bit, but you actually admit it?

Zhang Zhou probably also noticed that when Tang Yin and Wang Shouren listened to Zhang Zhou's explanation of the Weininghai Battle, because he showed his incompetence, now he has learned to use his brain.

It's just that the way he uses his brain...doesn't rely on analyzing the situation, but completely relies on...guessing.

To put it bluntly, it is to elevate Zhang Zhou's realm, and then through some personal imagination, think what will happen to Zhang Zhou, without analyzing the whole situation at all.

Wang Shouren was the opposite of Tang Yin in character. Even though Wang Shouren was 120% willing to attack Wei Ninghai, he still opposed it when he heard it for the first time. Until Zhang Zhou persuaded him with reasons and discussed with him, Why this battle is feasible, and the overall arrangement.

This shows that Tang Yin does not understand military and political affairs.

Zhang Zhou also probably felt that it was normal cultivation for Wang Shouren, but for Tang Yin... it was more like growing seedlings.

……

……

Early the next morning, the [-] Chinese troops led by Zhang Zhou also left Xuanfu, preparing to go to the northwest border.

Because the expedition was not covered up, all the soldiers and civilians in the city came out to see them off, and it was also because Zhang Zhou performed miracles when praying for rain before, and he did not walk with the people with the airs of an official, and even condolences to the lonely old, which won him people's hearts.

As the current governor of Xuanfu, Ma Zhongxi should have come out to see him off, but because he was upset and had already handed in his resignation, he just had someone come out to inform him that he was sick and did not come out to see him off.

"The old horse is still stingy." Zhang Zhou commented in front of Zhu Hui and others, "They all serve the court, so why care about the length of time? Besides, there are short and long feet."

Zhu Hui asked curiously, "Isn't the ruler shorter and the inch longer?"

He seems to be still laughing at Zhang Zhou, you are the number one scholar of the Ming Dynasty, how can this kind of proverb be wrong?

Zhang Heling said: "Mr. Zhang is actually saying that no matter how old a horse is, he is still an inch, so don't compare yourself to a ruler. The most important thing to be a man is to have self-knowledge."

"This..." Zhu Hui glared at Zhang Heling angrily.

It seems to be saying, when did you learn to be smart?You are an ignorant relative, can you recognize all these words?
"Let's go! Go slowly along the way and greet the people more. We are going to the war for our fathers and fellow villagers. We must show the solidarity of the soldiers and the people. If anyone is nervous, go home and farm as soon as possible!"

Zhang Zhou completely regarded this as a show.

Anyway, his central army is not the main force in the battle, it is not only showing off to the people of Ming Dynasty, letting the people know that he loves the people like a son, but also to show the Tatars.

The more high-profile he was, the more the Tatars focused on him, and the less likely Ma Yi and Wang Shouren, who led the surprise attack, would be discovered.

……

……

Head off.

An official letter from the Xuanfu's troop transfer came over. On that day, Zhu Fengben led troops to patrol the area more than a dozen miles north of Pianguan, and was temporarily recruited by Wang Qiong, so he hurried back to the city.

"Wang Zhongcheng."

After Zhu Feng saw Wang Qiong, Liu Jin was the only one in the military mansion besides Wang Qiong.

Zhu Feng was still very happy, showing off his youthful side and said, "Weiwutian gunpowder has been planted [-] or [-] miles north of the city, and the explosion sites have been specially marked. If the Tatars dare to come, no matter if they send troops to attack at night, Or ambush and attack, it can make it come and go.”

Wang Qiong actually admired Zhu Feng very much.

But he felt... Zhu Feng didn't seem capable of replacing Wang Yue.

Wang Qiong sighed, and couldn't help but think of Zhang Zhou who was in the Xuanfu. Zhang Zhou was the one who really had the power to determine the military structure of the Northwest.

Zhu Feng?

At most, he was running errands behind Zhang Zhou.

"Zhijie, there is no need to deploy defenses. Zhang Zhitai just issued an order to send troops within two days. The order was issued before he arrived at the Xuanfu. I guess... he should be dispatching troops from the Xuanfu. "

From the time Zhang Zhou sent the transfer letter, Wang Qiong roughly judged that it was impossible for Zhang Zhou to prepare in Xuanfu for a long time.

Since Zhang Zhou ordered both Datong and Piantouguan to send troops in coordination, the pattern could not be as simple as firing cannons to shoot rabbits, and it must be a cover for some kind of strategy.

But what exactly it was, Zhang Zhou didn't explain it to Wang Qiong, and it was hard for Wang Qiong to guess.

Liu Jin next to him asked in surprise, "Are you going to send troops to a decisive battle with the Tartars?"

Zhu Fengdao: "Although there is no trace of Tatar activities within a hundred miles around Pianguan, there are their tribes a hundred miles away. If we rashly attack and go deep into the grassland, the right time, place and people will not be on our side. , Brother Zhang, why did you ask us to send troops here?"

Just like Zhang Zhou's thought, Zhu Feng was repelled by taking the initiative to attack.

It can't be said that Zhu Feng wanted to be a turtle, or that he didn't take the responsibility. In the two battles of Pianguan and Ningyuan, Zhu Feng also took the lead.

But the problem is... Zhu Feng is not the kind of ambitious person, what he holds in his heart is a conservative idea, and he doesn't have a great pioneering spirit.

Wang Qiongdao: "The meaning of Zhang Zhitai is that Datong and Pianguan each stationed 170 troops. After leaving the fortress, they slowly advanced. Based on artillery, cavalry interspersed, and infantry marched forward in formation. If Tatars attacked, they would face the enemy head-on. If not, the troops of the two towns have their own limitations. I will go to the south bank of Tumao River, [-] miles away, and the troops of Datong will enter Maoerzhuang."

Zhu Feng found these two marked points from the strategic map.

He was puzzled and said: "Brother Zhang, is he going to lead troops from Xuan Mansion to Mao'er Village? If the soldiers and horses of the three routes don't join forces, what use will it be?"

Liu Jin said: "You two, may I ask where the main force of the Tatars can be found now?"

Now Liu Jin desperately wants to fight.

Giving up the opportunity to be an attendant by the prince's side, and coming to the northwest, of course, is to make meritorious deeds. If you can't even get the most basic military merits, you only get some trivial things, and you can't straighten your back to brag to Zhu Houzhao after you go back.

Wang Qiong shook his head and said, "Perhaps His Majesty has the intention of sending troops from various towns to show off the prestige of our country. The purpose of sending troops this time is not yet clear. I have inquired with officials such as warehouses in the city before, and the cost of this battle may not be small."

In fact, Wang Qiong didn't fully understand Zhang Zhou's intentions.

Before knowing the tactics of the surprise attack on Weininghai, Zhang Zhou only ordered the three towns of Xuanda to send troops to the north, with very cryptic intentions.

It is impossible for the Tatars to take the initiative to fight at this time. How could the Tatar tribes not know about it, with such a big fanfare after traveling more than a hundred miles?
But because of this dispatch of troops, it will delay things such as farming and building passes, and it will also make the lieutenants exhausted, and it will also put a lot of pressure on the treasury of the three towns, because whenever you want to send troops, you need money and food. During the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, the major problem that constrained the military and government in the Northwest... was the change in the law of grain development, and the money and grain reserves of the towns in the Northwest were gradually depleted.

Wang Qiong probably meant that.

Mr. Zhang, your intention to send troops is very good, but don't do it next time.

You are not in charge of the family and do not know how expensive the firewood is.

After all, you Xuanda General System is not personally involved in the management of military pay, so you probably don't know how much food it will cost to send troops?
It's okay for you to send troops if it is meaningful. If you send troops so aimlessly, if it is just to show the prestige of the country, you can send troops all the way in Xuanfu. Why do you have to pull Datong and Pianguan?
Zhu Feng said: "When will the troops be mobilized?"

Although Zhu Feng couldn't understand Zhang Zhou's actions, he had one good thing, that is, he obeyed orders.

On this point, Zhang Zhou may have misunderstood him a little, thinking that it is impossible for him to lead troops to surprise Weininghai.

More... Zhang Zhou didn't want to embarrass Zhu Feng.

Knowing that this kid doesn't want to go, and forcing him to go, can he show his best level in this battle?

On the contrary, it was Ma Yi and Wang Shouren, both of whom had enough ambition and courage, much better than Zhu Feng, a small greenhouse flower.

Wang Qiong said: "After receiving the transfer order, the troops will be sent out. After the reorganization, the three armies will set out early in the morning. The soldiers each carry three days of rations, and the treasury transfers [-] days' rations. The horses use old horses to drag the artillery as much as possible. "

Wang Qiong knew that this was a grand strategy, but he didn't want to put Piantouguan in danger.

The best way is...while carrying out Zhang Zhou's military order, while being ready to retreat at any time, and leave after completing the task.

Anyway, Zhang Zhou's transfer order did not say that there would be any tough battles along the way, and Wang Qiong also felt that even if the soldiers and horses from Piantouguan went 170 miles north, the Tatars would probably not fight.

Liu Jin said with excitement on his face: "The soldiers and horses of the three routes are all dispatched to the grassland. This is to stabilize the grassland."

"It's not the third road, it's the fourth road, and there's also the Yansui [-]st road." Wang Qiong said.

"That's even more so." Liu Jin was even more excited.

It seems that the feat of Ming Dynasty, which has not pacified the grassland for more than 100 years, is to be realized today, and he is still a personal participant.

"Ha ha."

For Liu Jin's statement, Wang Qiong could only respond with a wry smile.

Liu Jin asked: "Why? Isn't it?"

Wang Qiong said: "The four-way out of the fortress looks like a big battle, but the four-way troops combined are only [-] to [-] soldiers. The number of soldiers is not lower than that of the Huosi and other departments. What if the troops are divided into four groups? Concentrate superior forces?"

"This?"

Liu Jin could only look at Zhu Feng.

Wang Qiong is contradicting, you, Zhu Feng, have been with Zhang Zhou for a long time, and you know his strategy of using troops best, so you shouldn't be so sad, right?
Zhu Feng said: "Going out to prepare for war, even if it's not a decisive battle with the Tatars, it's good to calm the situation around the border towns. I think Brother Zhang must have his reasons for doing so."

"Ha ha."

Wang Qiong smiled this time with a bit of kindness.

The same confidence in Zhang Zhoufan, at least in Wang Qiong's ears, Zhu Feng is an optimist, unlike Liu Jin who speaks and does things with a strong sense of utilitarianism.

……

……

The soldiers and horses that surprised Weininghai were dispatched on the first night of June.

The three-day and four-night travel time is scheduled to be very fast for the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. Basically, they can only rest for about two hours a day, and they have to travel day and night on the first day.

Zhang Zhou's envisioned Battle of Weining Sea is likely to take place on the fifth or sixth day of June. The reason for the sixth day is that it may involve Huoshai's headquarters retreating westward after hearing the news, and they need to pursue it.

Most of the people in the headquarters are old, weak, women and children, and it is difficult for cattle and sheep to travel quickly. As long as the pursuit is proper, it basically does not need to spend more than a day, and if you go west out of the Weining Sea, you may be attacked or even encircled by the Mongolian right-wing troops. , so the war can only be postponed for two days at most.

Otherwise, the strategic significance of the surprise attack will not be achieved.

Datong Town, like Xuanfu, dispatched troops on the second day of June, but the soldiers and horses of Datong Town did not leave the pass until the morning of the third day of June.

The dispatch of troops to Pianguan was earlier, and the assembly was completed in the afternoon of the first day of June, and the soldiers and horses had already left the pass on the second day of June.

Yansui dispatched troops much later, and remained on hold until the third day of June. Obviously, Qin Hong, as the trilateral commander, could not strictly enforce Zhang Zhou's military orders.

The news of the dispatch of troops at the border had already spread throughout the ruling and opposition parties in the early morning of the third day of June.

At the time of the court meeting in Fengtian Palace, the censor had already participated in the impeachment of Zhang Zhou's behavior of sending troops.

"Bing Kuan sent troops, and I agree." Seeing that the situation was a little out of control, Zhu Youtang directly gave "reassurance" to the people present.

Participate in the impeachment of Zhang Zhou?

He is only carrying out what I want, if you want to participate in impeachment, then participate in impeachment!
It sounds more reasonable for the emperor to use all kinds of troops to go out. The emperor has the power to order the frontier to take the initiative to attack. If he doesn't have this power...don't be the emperor.

"I have discussed with the main officials of the cabinet and the military department in advance, and I think this move is feasible!" Zhu Youtang continued to drag Liu Jian, Ma Wensheng and others into the water, "All the people from all walks of life attack, click as soon as possible, in order to send a message to Di Yi. Show my Ming Dynasty's determination to pacify the grassland. The grassland is also the territory of the Ming Dynasty!"

Tu Yu, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, came out and questioned: "Your Majesty, if the troops and horses from the towns in the northwest go out to the fortress, and the battle goes wrong, who should bear the responsibility?"

Zhu Youtang said: "What I mean, I can bear it by myself. Could it be that I can't even see the most basic judgment of the situation when I send troops from various directions? When the main force of Di Yi comes to attack, if you avoid fighting, the general will be fully responsible! "

It means.

Although I asked you to go out to scare people, but if Tatars really come to kill them, whoever dares to withdraw will be in violation of the general policy formulated by me, and whoever dares to retreat will be fully responsible!

(End of this chapter)