Chapter 20 Departure
  Lu Mou invited himself to go out to fight against Li Yan, which worried all the emperors and ministers in the court.

When he was about to go on an expedition, his father Chongzhen took the hand of his capable and always resourceful son and said with real affection: "Take one hundred thousand forbidden troops with you, and also bring thirty thousand royal guards. This way we will be more sure."

Facing the Li Yan bandits with only 20,000 soldiers, Chongzhen was uneasy.

Because in these years, Chongzhen also knew the situation of the Ming army, which was that it had no combat effectiveness. It is still somewhat certain to bring more soldiers to my son.

Then he looked around and asked in a low voice: "Your brother has gone to Shanhaiguan and has 50,000 Guan Ning. You go to Wuxiang to capture these soldiers. If things go wrong, take them and go south directly." Nanjing. If there are changes in Beijing and your brother's life or death is unknown, you will supervise the country in Nanjing. If something unspeakable happens, you will ascend the throne."

Although the situation in the capital has improved, there is no absolute hope that the ancestral power can be preserved. Chongzhen still has no confidence in this.

Lu Mou smiled: "Father, there is no need to be so depressed. Things are already improving. As long as we, father and son, work harder, the situation can be completely reversed."

Then he sincerely told Chongzhen: "I once again advise my father, it's now this time, stop fighting with the ministers, and be kind to the ministers. They are the real helpers of our father and son who can revive the Ming Dynasty."

Throughout the Chongzhen Dynasty, it was almost the process of Chongzhen going into battle shirtless and fighting to the death with the Donglin Group. In the end, the king regarded the minister as a bandit and the minister regarded the king as a mortal enemy. It was the combined efforts of the emperor and his ministers that destroyed the Ming Dynasty.

Listening to his son's instructions, Chongzhen sighed: "Now that we have reached this point, why are we still fighting? What else is worth fighting for? After this period of suffering, I have decided not to fight."

Hearing what Chongzhen said, Lu Mou felt relieved, and then said relaxedly: "Father, don't worry, Li Yan only has 20,000 rogues. I don't need 100,000 forbidden troops, only 40,000 are enough."

Chongzhen was still worried about his son's safety: "No, this is the first battle after the reorganization. It is related to the fate of the country. The whole army must be pressed to determine the outcome in one battle. Victory, the Ming Dynasty came back to life, but it was defeated-" Then he sighed helplessly: "That's destiny."

Lu Mou said seriously: "Father, most of the imperial army must stay, and Zhang Zhiji must stay in the capital. The main purpose is to welcome the upcoming Guan Ning army."

Another meaning of his words was to leave 60,000 troops to guard against Wu Sangui's 50,000 Guan Ning Army. Don't fight to the death on your own in the front. Later, when Guan Ning's army enters the city, they will directly rebel and destroy your own nest.

Chongzhen understood what his son meant, but he could only smile bitterly. There is really no other way: "Okay, that's all. Prince, be more careful. But remember, if you can't do anything, you must go south directly."

Lu Mou shook his head firmly: "I will not leave alone. I will definitely return in triumph. Please have confidence in your son and the Ming Dynasty."

This time Lu Mou sent troops, leading the newly reorganized First Army. Army commander Lu Yixing, the son of the famous minister Lu Xiangsheng, was seventeen years old this year.

Independent Division, commander Yang Songshan, son of the famous minister Yang Sichang, is also seventeen years old this year.

Although they are young, they have inherited their father's legacy and have a rich family background. They are a rare generation of rising stars.

The only veteran general was Liang Shigechen, the former deputy commander of the Imperial Army. He was appointed nominal commander-in-chief. However, he was only prepared as a ballast stone to stabilize the morale of the army. But the real power is the governor and the king.

There are 40,000 troops in total, 1,000 imperial guards, and they are known to the outside world as 10,000.

This method of doing the opposite is to paralyze the enemy. At the same time, it is also foreshadowing.

A great victory means that there is a huge disparity in military strength between the Ming Dynasty and the Kou. They defeated the many with less and achieved a complete victory. The Ming army can still fight.

If you lose, then don’t come back. There were no other opportunities available to him. Standing on the Meridian Gate Tower, watching his son in military uniform lead an army of 40,000 soldiers to the battle, Chongzhen really had mixed feelings. Jiang Shan was tricked into this by himself, and now he can only rely on this thirteen-year-old baby and two older babies to survive. It's really time for me to reflect more thoroughly.

The army passed through Liangxiang County, and the people closed their doors.

The military discipline of the Ming Dynasty's army was so bad that it had the reputation of being as good as a comb when it comes to bandits and like a grate when fighting soldiers.

However, this time, the army was unexpected. The trembling common people lying behind the door were shocked when they heard the army's uniform steps and the singing of military songs: "What? Every Ming soldier must remember - don't take advantage of the masses for every stitch?"

A child was curious and wanted to go out and watch the soldiers. Dad grabbed him and said, "Don't go out. Hide yourself to prevent being robbed by Rafe."

"Dad, didn't you hear that the army is singing about not taking advantage of the masses?"

Dad clapped his hands: "What do you know? If you don't take advantage of the masses, it means that they don't care about our efforts. They want to take advantage of us."

However, nothing happened. The army really did not move the people one stitch at a time. And he didn't stop in the city at all, but passed directly through the city. We drove to camp outside the city.

This situation simply shocked everyone. What? The officers and soldiers are not fighting, they are not robbing food, they are not robbing women? Daming, when did such an army appear? It just fell from the sky.

The magistrate of Liangxiang sat humbly in front of Lu Mou and said cautiously: "In recent years, the natural disasters have passed, and the weather has been good. This county can still supply some of the needs of the army. Please don't worry too much, Your Majesty."

This is indeed the case.

The Little Ice Age, which began in the fourth year of the Apocalypse, has ended. The weather has returned to normal again, and the land output in various places has been the same as that of Wanli Year.

The so-called prosperous age of Kangxi and Qianlong praised by later generations was actually during the great turmoil of more than ten years. The rogue bandits reduced about one-fifth of the population of the Ming Dynasty, massacred a large number of landowners, powerful gentry, and the princes and princes of the Ming Dynasty, and released a large number of people. of land and resolved land annexation.

In addition, later, the Manchus and Qing Dynasties massacred all the way, and the population of the Central Plains was originally estimated to be 100 million, to 150 million. By the time of the Shunzhi census, there were only 50 million left.

Coupled with the recovery of the weather, a large amount of farmland can be cultivated again. With the blessings from all aspects, in fact, even if you use a dog to govern the country, you don't need Qianlong and Kangxi to create a prosperous life for you.

Lu Mou firmly believed in his heart that as long as his father and son survived this test, and with this kind of blessing, a rejuvenated Ming Dynasty would definitely reappear in the future.

Now is the time to carefully nurture and nurture this hope. There must be absolutely no damage or loss.

Therefore, when faced with the county magistrate's suggestion that he took the initiative to provide food and fodder for the army, Lu Jian smiled and shook his head: "This time, my king went on this expedition with enough dried meat for the soldiers for six days. It is to restore the image of the Ming army. We must. We can freeze to death without demolishing the houses, starve to death without disturbing the people, and restore the morale of the people. Therefore, I did not bring any civilians with me on this expedition. Even if you give me food and grass, I can’t take it away. To be honest with you, sir, five God, if we can't destroy the bandits outside Wuxiang, we will no longer need food and drink."

Although the words were spoken plainly, they had a decisive momentum.

This had to make the old county magistrate look with admiration at this prince who was not afraid of death.

(End of this chapter)

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