Back to Daming to be a genius

Chapter 242 War on Three Fronts

The Mongolian army, an ally of the Ming Dynasty, suddenly turned against them and took a sneak attack on Wanquan City. As a result, they were surrounded by Zhang Haogu, the governor of the Ming Dynasty Xuanda, in the Yinshan Mountains.The first to be overthrown was the Ming capital not too far from Zhangjiakou, as well as the civil and military officials of the Ming court, the father-in-law and the emperor.Immediately afterwards, a fierce debate on how to deal with these Mongolian troops and whether Ming Dynasty should go to war with Mongolia was in full swing on the court of Ming Dynasty.

The issues in dispute are very complicated, from the beginning of the great Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang's beating of the Mongols to the Tumubao Change and then to the Gengxu Change, from Alda carrying a knife to the capital of the Ming Dynasty and asking Emperor Jiajing to accept him as a younger brother to Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng These two old slickers persuaded Jiajing's son to accept Al Da's younger brother, and then from Al Da's granddaughter and young wife San Niangzi and Daming for 30 years, to Lin Dan's alliance with Daming to clean up Jiannu, and from Jiannu to garrison Yizhou to threaten From eastern Liaodong to the severe drought in the north, to this year's Goushu to solve the famine in the north, there is a glimmer of hope. In addition, there are also problems such as commercial taxes, tariffs, horse taxes, empty treasury, huge military expenditures, and the loss of life.But in the final analysis, it can be said clearly in one sentence-should Da Ming go to war on three fronts?
"Your Majesty, you can't go to war with Mongolia!" Some civil and military officials headed by Feng Quan, Huang Liji and Wen Tiren strongly opposed to go to war with Mongolia, especially Feng Quan, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, who was so anxious that his eyes were almost red. He yelled loudly: "Your Majesty, the imperial court is now fighting on two fronts, blocking the establishment of slaves in the east and suppressing rebels in the west. The treasury is already too much to bear. If there is another war with the Tatars, the treasury will not be able to maintain the daily expenses and normal operation of the imperial court. I can’t afford the military expenses for a full-scale war with Tatars! Weichen thinks that since Tatars haven’t started a full-scale war with Ming Dynasty, let Zhang Haogu release those Tatar troops first, lest Tatars use this as an excuse, Start a full-scale war with me, Ming!"

"Master Feng's words are very true, and the ministers are seconding." Zhang Xiao and Li Song, the left and right ministers of the household department, stood firmly with their boss, and Zhang Xiao, who was also a fellow villager in Shandong with Young Master Zhang, would not show any affection for his fellow villagers. , almost screaming and said: "In an all-out war with Tatar, in addition to war expenses, the defense line of the Great Wall from Shanhaiguan to Jiayuguan must be strengthened, armaments expanded, and military budget increased. This alone is enough for the treasury The income and expenditure are collapsing! If things go on like this, what else will the imperial court use to pay officials' salaries? What else will the court use to build rivers for disaster relief?"

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Wei, I also think that we should not start a full-scale war with the Tatars." Huang Liji, the second cabinet assistant, also came out and said: "My minister is the Minister of Rites, and he manages the Taichang Temple for the emperor and the court. Among the tribes of the Tatar Grassland, although some tribes are hostile to our Ming Dynasty, many tribes are also very friendly to our Ming Dynasty and do not want to resume war with our Ming Dynasty. Therefore, I believe that as long as the Tatars surrounded by my Ming Dynasty are released The army continues to adopt a gentle and appeasement strategy against the Tatar Huduntuhan (Lin Dan). Huduntuhan feels the kindness of Daming and is under the pressure of pro-Ming tribes in the territory. Ensure the tranquility of the northern border, and save the people of Ming Dynasty from suffering!"

"Master Huang is right." Wen Tiren, the servant of the Ministry of Rites, stood up to carry the sedan chair for his superior, and said nervously: "Your Majesty, according to Song Xiance, the envoy of Daming Commoner Kingdom, the envoy sent by Jiannu Nuerhachi is in Chahanhaote. Seek an alliance with Tatars and jointly attack Ming Dynasty. Although Huduntu Khan temporarily put him under house arrest, once we start a war with Tatars, Huduntu Khan will definitely fall to the side of Jiannu, sign an alliance with Jiannu, and jointly invade us Daming land!"

"Yes, yes, you can't go to war." Quite a few civil and military officials disagreed with three-front war - this is not to say that these people are soft bones, but that the situation of three-front war is too terrifying, and Daming with constant internal troubles The court can't afford it.Of course, there are also characters with bad intentions. For example, the censor Chen Xinjia fanned the flames: "Da Ming and Mongolia have lived in friendship for 57 years. The court has no worries about the future. The soldiers and horses have no warning from the southern herdsmen. , Why did the war suddenly resume and the swords meet? Whose responsibility is this? I believe that the emperor should order a thorough investigation, and if necessary, punish this official."

"Those who are cowardly and avoid war are all women!" When the Peacekeepers were clamoring fiercely, an official from the Warlords suddenly heard an angry voice, "Not only are they all women, but they are also a group of mediocre ministers who harm the country and the people! Not to mention that Tatars haven’t sent envoys to intimidate them yet, when the envoys from Tatars come, you still won’t be able to pee your crotch?”

Amidst the roar, Yu Huang, who has always been more tactful, stood up and shouted with a livid face: "The Tatar army has reached the door, and you people still want to ask for peace? Are you still fantasizing that Huduntu will continue with Daming?" Covenant? Do you really want to tie up the hands and feet of those Ming soldiers who fought bloody battles at the border, let the Tatar army go to the city of Beijing to rape and plunder, and wantonly poison our Ming people, so that your dreams will wake up? Do you think that there will be no tigers? With Duntu's silent acquiescence, does his elder son dare to send troops to attack the hinterland of my Daming?"

"That's right, for a barbarian like Huduntu, the more you tolerate him, the more he will push forward!" Brother Dahu, another brother of Young Master Zhang, Liu Ruozai also stood up and said loudly to Ming Xizong : "Your Majesty, you must not be patient! Huduntu first sent a large army to station on the border of our Daming, threatening the tranquility of our border, and then secretly connived his eldest son to provoke our army, and then sent troops to invade the border and sneak attack on the hinterland of our Daming Xuanfu. It was the Tatars who first went to war against me, Ming! If we continue to be patient and continue to seek peace, then Huduntu will only squat his nose and think that I am weak and can be bullied, and in turn bully my Ming court even further. Take what you give and take what you want, and threaten war if you are dissatisfied, that is the real trouble!" As soon as the words fell, the civil and military officials of the main battle sent applauded and echoed.

"It makes sense, I think so too." Ming Xizong, who usually gave people a weak impression, was uncharacteristically this time, and said coldly: "My father and grandfather have taught me that it is acceptable to be turned into a barbarian." You can fight, but you can't kneel down and ask for peace! Otherwise, these barbarians will only gain an inch and ride on our Ming's neck to do their best! What I mean is, send an envoy to Chahanhot to meet Huduntuhan I asked him to explain E Zhe's sneak attack on our Ming hinterland, if his explanation satisfies me, then it's fine to continue the covenant, but if he insists on fighting, then let's fight!"

"My emperor is sage! That's the truth!" The officials of the main battle faction cheered in unison. They were very glad that our carpenter emperor had inherited some of the blood of our ancestors, and vowed not to bow to foreigners—if it was Song Huizong, These main combat officials may have to cry.The officials of the Peace Faction over there were all in mourning, knowing that the coming year might be very difficult.At this time, Wang Yongguang, the Minister of the Ministry of War with the longest tenure in Xi Zong's reign, stood up and said cautiously: "Your Majesty, the Tatar barbarians betrayed their trust and attacked our Ming border. It is really hateful. If you don't teach them a lesson, it will be difficult to dispel the Emperor's heart." It's just that Weichen thinks that if you can not fight, it's better not to fight."

"Wang Aiqing, you are a dignified Minister of the Ministry of War, do you also want to bow your head to the Tatars?" Ming Xizong frowned and asked.Wang Yongguang was taken aback, and quickly explained: "The emperor misunderstood, I have not finished my words, what I mean is that if you can not fight, it is best not to fight. Because the thieves in Shaanxi in my Ming Dynasty are still in chaos, Liaodong There are also slaves and tigers looking at the delay. If there is another war with Mongolia, then our Ming Dynasty's battle line will also be as long as thousands of miles. The general is stretched, so I believe that the emperor can hold back a little while negotiating with the Tatars, temporarily stabilize the Tatars, and wait until the rebellion in Shaanxi and the establishment of slaves in Liaodong are quelled, and then the king's division will go north and raise troops. It's not too late to take revenge."

"Your Majesty, the old minister also thinks that we can tolerate it temporarily." Zhang Weixian, the leader of the neutral faction, also stood up, cupped his hands and said: "The bend of the inchworm is to seek trust; the sting of the dragon and snake is to save oneself. Only when a man can bend and stretch can he achieve great things, Goujian If there is no sacrifice, how can he return to the country and take revenge? If Han Xin has no humiliation in his crotch, how can he force the overlord Wujiang to commit suicide? Therefore, the old minister also thinks that he can tolerate the Tatars for a while and stabilize them temporarily until the Ming army vacates. It’s not too late to settle the score with him.” Speaking of this, Zhang Weixian sincerely added, “Even if you spare a hand first, since the first year of the apocalypse, there was a rebellion in the southwest first, and then in Shaanxi. The rebellion of bandits, coupled with the establishment of slaves in Liaodong, my Ming Dynasty has always been in a situation of fighting on two fronts-this also proves that my Ming court can support two battlefields at the same time, so we only need to put down one of the rebellion in Shaanxi and the establishment of slaves in Liaodong first, Then you can free up your hands to clean up the Mongolian Tatars."

"Your Majesty, I also agree with Zhang Guogong and Lord Wang's views." Zhang Ruitu, the Minister of the Department of Teachers and Officials of Young Master Zhang, stood out of the train and said in a deep voice: "I believe that when the Emperor is fighting with the Tatar tigers and rabbits, You can use the [-] Tatar cavalry surrounded by Zhang Haogu as hostages to force Huduntu Khan to continue the covenant with Ming Dynasty. Lease the Karaqin and Horqin Grasslands and properly compensate my Ming for the war losses. Then my Ming can release the [-] Tatars who were besieged by Zhang Haogu. At the same time, the emperor has an explanation for the ancestors and the subjects of the world. No one will criticize Your Majesty, you bowed your head to the barbarians and insulted our prestige."

"This is a way. As long as Huduntu agrees to continue the covenant with Daming, it can relieve me a lot of pressure." Ming Xizong nodded, a little moved.Wang Yongguang looked at his words, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty is wise, this is indeed the truth. The Tatar cavalry are brave and come and go like the wind. If you start a war with them, if the battle is a little unfavorable, I'm afraid it will be..."

"Nonsense!" At this time, Wei Zhongxian, who had been silent all this time, suddenly opened his mouth, and his words were astonishing, and he said loudly: "If the Tatar Tiger Duntu really has the courage to fight against me, Ming, then I will win, and Tatar will lose! "

As soon as Wei Zhongxian, who was famous for only making money and not understanding military affairs, said this, the whole hall was shocked, and then a name flashed in every official's mind - Zhang Haogu!Wei Zhongxian dared to say such things because he had such a son who could fight.Wang Yongguang glanced at Wei Zhongxian, who was expressionless, and said with a wry smile: "Eunuch Wei, I know that the humble officer knows that Zhang Haogu, the governor of Xuanda, can fight, and he is never afraid of any enemies, but Huduntu returned to Cha After Hanhaote, Jimen is already closer than Xuanda. If Mingmeng starts a war, Huduntu doesn’t go to Xuanda to confront Mr. Zhang head-on, but goes directly south to Jimen to harass the Great Wall of Jimen. What about defeating the Tartar army?"

"My lord Wang, if you were a Tatar Huduntu, after the war with Daming resumed, where would you fight first?" Wei Zhongxian said calmly and confidently, "Huduntu's eldest son Ezhe and fifty thousand Tatars The Tatar army was trapped in Xuanda by Zhang Haogu, there was no way to go to the sky, no way to go to the earth—if you were Huduntuhan, would you sit back and watch the [-] army be wiped out by Zhang Haogu, and go directly south to Jimen?"

"This..." Wang Yongguang was taken aback, thinking that when did Wei Zhongxian understand military so well, he even understood that Huduntu must attack Xuanda?After hesitating for a while, Wang Yongguang said cautiously: "Eunuch Wei, even if Huduntu will attack Xuanda first, but the Xuanda Great Wall has been in disrepair for a long time, and it is far inferior to the Jimen Great Wall that was repaired by Qi Jiguang, the famous general of my dynasty. However, Mr. Zhang has no geographical advantage to rely on, and Mr. Zhang also shoulders the important task of preventing the thieves from advancing eastward, fighting on both sides, and fighting against the Tatar's all-powerful soldiers, I am afraid that the victory or defeat is still a matter of five or five." Speaking of this , Wang Yongguang added in his heart, "The number of five or five is still to flatter your old eunuch Wei's son. The more you lose, the less you win."

"Hehe, Lord Wang, thanks to you being an official of the Ministry of War, can't you even see the truth that our army must win?" Wei Zhongxian sneered at others rarely in the military, and then turned to Ming Xizong and said, "Your Majesty, you don't have to worry. If I, Ming and Tatars go to war, then my Ming will win four and Tatars will lose four, so our army will win and Tatars will lose!"

"Is there four things that the Ming Dynasty must win? Are there four things that the Tatars must lose?" Ming Xizong's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Zhongxian, tell me, which four are we sure to win and which four are we to lose?"

Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly, and replied loudly: "Back to the emperor, this servant thinks that I am the number one in Ming Dynasty, and I will win because of morality! Huduntu tore up the covenant and sneaked into the hinterland of our Ming Dynasty. He broke his promise first, and my Daming treats Huduntu every year. Granting titles, rewarding silver every year, even if the domestic famine still can’t help the border market, helping the Tatars to overcome the food shortage, the loyalty to the Tatars can be seen as a lesson! If there is a war, our Ming soldiers will be angry with the Tatars for their injustice, and they will definitely take the lead. One will be ten. ; but the Tatar soldiers lost their righteousness first, and the soldiers came out without names, and they must have no fighting spirit, and there will be no fighting spirit—so I, the Ming Dynasty, fought against the Tatars, and I won the righteous victory first!"

"That's a good point. We beat the incompetent with righteousness, and indeed gained the upper hand." Ming Xizong applauded loudly, appreciating Wei Zhongxian's opinion very much.Wei Zhongxian looked triumphantly at the stunned civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, and said loudly: "My second victory in the Ming Dynasty, Huduntu bullied the weak and feared the hard, the Tatar tribes were dissatisfied with it, so when the war came, Huduntu must not be able to use his arms and fingers to dispatch troops. Although there are many soldiers, the hearts of the people are not in harmony! But my emperor, the Ming Dynasty, is only talented and employs people properly. He declared that the governor Zhang Haogu is good at fighting, and he uses soldiers like a god. Convinced, the Jiannu Tatars are all terrified when they hear their name! On the battlefield, the Xuanda army led by Zhang Haogu was united as one, with high morale, while the Tatar army led by Huduntu looked forward and backward, like scattered sand, so I Ming My second victory is - Wu Sheng!"

"My third victory in the Ming Dynasty!" Wei Zhongxian became more and more complacent as he talked, and said frothyly, "Zhang Haogu trapped [-] Tatars in the Yinshan Mountains and deliberately surrounded them without destroying them. Marching, crossing the desert and crossing the mountains, saving his son and his army, laboring on an expedition, and my Ming Xuan army waits for work with leisure, fights fatigue with strength, and is prepared to be invincible. It will surely defeat the enemy in one battle and win immediately! So my first Ming Dynasty Three victories means winning! In addition, the fourth victory of Ming Dynasty is even more critical. Since Huduntu took over the Khan throne, he has expropriated and plundered the Tatar tribes arbitrarily. In addition, all the tribes of Chechen Tatars and Horqin and Karaqin Tatars are all against each other; and my Ming Dynasty has greatly rewarded the tribes of Tatars, with the utmost benevolence and righteousness! So once Hudun Rabbit fights with my Ming Dynasty, the tribes of Tatars will definitely Torn apart, disputes everywhere, the emperor only needs one edict, and the Horqin and Karaqin Tatar tribes who surrendered to my Ming Dynasty will definitely send troops, take the opportunity of Huduntu to go south to announce the greatness, and attack the empty rear of the Huduntu army from behind, making them It's difficult to look at the head and tail! So my fourth victory against the Tatars is, Ren Sheng!"

Speaking of this, Wei Zhongxian bowed deeply to Ming Xizong again, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, it is precisely because I have four victories in Ming Dynasty and four defeats in Tatars, so the slaves think that as long as Huduntu dares to fight against Daming, then I will fight with you." He will lose this battle! Moreover, the servant thinks that even if I, Da Ming, made concessions to Huduntu, he also agreed to continue the covenant with my Da Ming. The Tatar army under his control has always been a major threat to my Da Ming. It's hard to guarantee that he won't have another dissatisfaction with Daming, so the only way to fight him is to scare him and wipe out his prestige, so that he will be unable to control the Tatar tribes after his failure, and he will bring peace to the north for decades. Only then can our Ming Dynasty ensure the long-term peace and stability of the northern border."

"You're right, you're right!" Ming Xizong stood up excitedly and shouted: "You are right, Zhongxian. Only by fighting a single battle to ensure peace in the north can we ensure the long-term peace and stability of the northern border! I have decided, in view of The Tatar army sneaked into our Daming city, and the Ming Dynasty directly declared war on the Tatars!" All the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty over there were speechless, and they knelt down together after a long while, shouting long live.

"Huh? When did the old eunuch Wei become so knowledgeable about military affairs?" Zhu Chunchen, who was dumbfounded, asked Zhang Weixian in a low voice.Zhang Weixian snorted coldly, and replied in a low voice: "Need to say? Surely that kid Zhang Haogu taught him to fight for face in the court."

At this time, Wei Zhongxian clasped his hands in high spirits and said: "Your Majesty, this slave thinks that even if there is a full-scale war with the Tatars, we should be courteous before fighting to gain the moral advantage. The slave suggested that the emperor should send an envoy to Chahanhot to question him. Why did you break your promise and sneak attack the hinterland of my Ming Dynasty? At the same time, he was asked to execute the covenant, behead the enslaved envoy in Chahanhot City, and use the head of the enslaved envoy to express his repentance. The grassland was leased to Ming Dynasty for 20 years as war compensation, so that we could sit down and discuss the release of prisoners of war. In this way, even if the Hudun Rabbit Tatars still want to watch the fire from the other side and reap the benefits, they will only lose their prestige and are hard to accept. At the same time, completely put an end to any signs of an alliance between him and Jianu, and let him completely break with Jianu."

"Okay, let's do it like this!" Ming Xizong made a decision on the spot, and then said with a smile: "By the way, Zhongxian, I heard that your own son Zhang Haogu likes to play tricks the most on the battlefield, especially likes to drive enemies apart—I just don't When he speaks, give him the right to kill all the Tatar tribes directly, so that he can act as he pleases."

"Your majesty is holy, that's the bad thing about your own son." Wei Zhongxian replied with a wry smile: "Usually he is loyal to the emperor and the people, filial and obedient, but on the battlefield he becomes treacherous and slippery. Uncomfortable, I really don’t know who taught it—but this servant is not such a person.”

(End of this chapter)