Along the Yellow River.
The Ming Dynasty's pass fortress was destroyed by the Tatars from the inside, creating a gap hundreds of meters long. The Tatars seemed to be very experienced in destroying the Ming Dynasty city walls. During the destruction process, both the surrounding areas and the surrounding areas were destroyed. Neither the defenders nor the Ningxia border troops chasing from behind tried to stop them.
Yang Yiqing knew very well that the 7,000 troops under his command had lost the qualifications to fight the Tatars. What he had to do now was to watch the Tatars leave the country. < /p>
Yang Yiqing nodded and said, "I know that if you fail to stop the Tatars and let them withdraw like this, you will inevitably attract criticism."
"Yes." Zhang Xu said, " But there is no need to pay attention to those local officials. They know very well. They are saying that as long as we can block it with all our strength, when the other troops, especially the Baoguo Gongsu troops, arrive, we can encircle and even defeat the little Tartar prince's troops. Why don't we go to heaven to destroy them? They think that the war will be fought casually, and everything will be according to their assumptions. The lives of our soldiers are not our lives."
Originally, eunuchs like Zhang Xu were not the main war faction, so Zhang Xu understood very well Yang Yiqing's behavior of "watching" the Tatars leave.
Zhang He then looked at Yang Yiqing and said, "But Yang Junmen, in this way, you are just living up to the truth. The credit can be counted, but the fault cannot be completely exempted, or It depends on whether you can get the support of His Majesty and Zhang Shangshu of the Ministry of War."
Yang Yiqing was silent.
Just as he was talking, Guo Jun came over with dozens of horses. He stopped far away and jumped off his horse. Then he led the horse to the front and said, "Sir, the Tatars have all been defeated. I heard that Cui on the other side The Prince Consort chased and killed dozens of Tatars along the way. Now there are about one or two hundred Tatars who have fled to the north. Patrols are also being sent out from various forts in Ningxia. "
Zhang Xun smiled and said, "The Tatars on the north bank were unable to join their large army and were in a hurry to escape. It's good that Yang Junmen had the foresight to send people across the river to assist Cui Prince Consort. , this strategic consideration is not acceptable to Yang Junmen."
Guo Jun also said with a smile, "Yes, in this way, we will only have a share of the credit for chasing and killing the enemy." Our group of troops fought in all three battles and won consecutive victories."
Yang Yiqing seemed very calm and sober, saying, "After the Tatars exit the pass, they must strengthen their defenses everywhere. To prepare for its resurgence, Ningxia's border defenses are slack, and I will also request the imperial court to increase the number of defenders in Yansui and other places to assist in the defense, and at the same time increase supplies and expenses."
"No rush, no need. Urgent." Zhang He said with a proud look on his face, "It is unlikely that the Tatars will come back for a while." Yang Yiqing said, "That depends on whether it can be a deterrent. For now, It would be best to keep one of Baoguo Gong's men to garrison, at least until autumn, before sending them back to their original location.garrison. ”
Zhang Xun said, “Okay, let us go and tell Yang Junmen that there is someone in the court who can do things easily.” Yang Junmen should also know that our family and Eunuch Li Rong, who is currently in the court, haha, it’s good for you to know. ”
What Zhang Xu means is, regardless of your background, I also have a background.
And my background is not Xiao Jing, Wei Bin and Chen Kuan, but the palace Li Rong, who has seniority, don’t think that I have to rely on you for everything. You may have to rely on me at critical times.
Yang Yiqing looked at the sky in the distance and said, "It's time for the soldiers to take a good rest." After being exhausted for many days, no one probably has the energy to fight anymore. I think the good news of the third battle will soon reach the capital. I am glad that the Tatars were not allowed to cross the river, but I wonder if all this was what Cai Guogong expected."
"That's for sure. "Zhang He said with a smile, "Cai Guogong was able to send out surprise troops and asked Cui's consort to come to the northwest. It seems that everything is well planned.
Yang Yiqing said, "But as far as I know, Cui Yuan can perform well because Bao Guo Gong does not know how to recognize people, or even because Bao Guo Gong is jealous of talents." ”
“Haha. "Zhang Xun continued to laugh, with ridicule in his laughter, "Then all this should be Zhang Xianshi's plan, otherwise how can he be called a god? Yang Junmen, we have to be clear. The current situation in the DPRK is different from others. There is no way out if we stand together. No matter what, we must have a good relationship with Master Zhang Xian. ”
Yang Yiqing glanced sideways at Zhang Xu.
Everyone here has begun to call Zhang Zhou the “immortal master”, which shows that Zhang Xu is now determined to go to Zhang Zhou. Which side of the camp should I lean on?
Yang Yiqing knew that this should also be his political tendency, but he had always been an orthodox civil servant, and he had never thought about joining anyone before, let alone following someone. "Jin Cheng", who had a close relationship with the emperor, became a companion.
But he also understood that, as Zhang Xun said, if he did not stand with Zhang Zhou, what would be his way out
p>
Is it possible to go back and join the line of orthodox civil servants and end your career?
The results of the Battle of the Yellow River are still on the way to the capital.
Qin Hong. He was the first to learn about the situation. He was still shocked when he learned that the Ningxia frontier army had won three victories in three battles. In the third battle, they even defeated a large number with a small number at the crossing of the Yellow River, thwarting the Tatars' plan to cross the river to plunder.
"You are better than your master. "Qin Hong said with emotion.
Wang Hong, an aide on the side, said, "Old editor, are you talking about Yang Zhongcheng or Cui's consort?"
Qin Hong said with a smile, "That's right. The one of course is Cui Maoren, who was unknown before, but when he arrived on the battlefield, he was like a hungry wolf. Speaking of which, Zhang Bingkuan was still able to pick out such a resolute and brave general at a glance. "
Wang Hongdao "From my perspective, this may not be the case. Probably no matter who he was, the effect would be the same, but by chance, this opportunity fell on Prince Consort Cui. It may also be that His Majesty intends to give Consort Cui a chance. ”
Zhang Zhou is Bole
Many people thought so before, but as the war progressed, Zhang Zhou used so-and-soAwesome
This will make many people think that it would be okay if it were me instead. The key is to have artillery, fire blunderbuss, sky gunpowder and Zhang Banxian’s strategy to support it. Otherwise, no matter how awesome you are, the battlefield It won't make any difference.
Wang Hong continued, "Look, Lao Zhutai, just for the two battles of Huamachi and Shigou City, the imperial court has clearly placed the places where the battles took place. Even if the Tatars occupy the number However, they also know that Ming troops from all walks of life will surround them, forcing them to choose between rushing to fight or withdrawing their troops. If you are an old manufacturer and you lead the troops yourself, use the gun carriage we just remodeled. If we fight, the Tatars will be overthrown in one fell swoop."
"No need to compliment me." Qin Hong smiled and waved his hand, "I originally wanted to send Uncle Ping Jiang to help, but Uncle Ping Jiang. The horse's hooves are running slowly, so who is to blame? Maybe I have to go to the court to apologize. Please tell me how to write this apology."
Wang Hong said with a smile, "You are still worried about the court's blame. Are you responsible for this battle? The land of Yansui is as stable as ever, the Tatars are defeated and retreat, and the morale of the Ming Dynasty soldiers is as high as a rainbow. You have made all the plans, and it can be said that you have made outstanding achievements. Now it is Duke Baoguo and his men who are worried about being held accountable. Those fans, I'm afraid they can't even sleep well now."
"Haha."
Qin Hong also laughed when he heard this.
If he wins, there is nothing to worry about. Qin Hong is already old, and his mission at the border is to block the Tatar advance.
It is unrealistic to go into battle in person, after all, his age is there, unless it is forced.
In addition, the location of the Tatar attack was not in Yansui Town, where he was stationed. He promptly sent Chen Rui and his troops to rush for reinforcements. As a result, Chen Rui did not catch up with the meat and soup. This was strange. Come on, Mr. Qin
"Even if Your Majesty allows me to go back and take care of my old age, I will gladly accept it. It will be a great comfort to see the Ming Dynasty's army so powerful in my lifetime. Those who governed the army in the Ming Dynasty, If it’s not Zhang Bingkuan, he really has someone to succeed him.”
Of course I, Qin, can’t do it alone.
It is not safe to rely on Zhang Zhou.
Now under the leadership of Zhang Zhou, a group of powerful military leaders have emerged, each of them can fight a battle that even Qin Hong was amazed by, so what is there to worry about
The old should go back and take care of themselves, not occupy the pit.
As for who represents the new forces and who represents the old faction, these don't seem to matter in front of an enlightened veteran like Qin Hong.
Wang Hong said, "Although the people promoted by Cai Guogong are capable, they are not qualified enough and seem to lack some experience in dealing with the world. For example, Uncle Xinjian, who was favored by others before, now I heard that he went with him for money and food. The whole court is in a stalemate, and I'm afraid that he won't be able to serve as the general commander of military affairs for long."
"Really?"
Qin Hong smiled, and it didn't seem too bad. Agree with Wang Hong’s statement.
Wang Hong continued: "Since the end of the grassland war last year, His Majesty left Xinjianbo in Datong and took charge of the Datong Army.It has been asking for money and food from the imperial court. According to the current calculation, it has prepared money, food and materials for more than a year, which has exceeded its normal use. Even if he wants to have some reserves, it shouldn't be when the imperial treasury is stretched thin. Everyone knows that natural and man-made disasters have occurred in various places in the past two years, and the situation is not good.
Qin Hong waved his hand and said, "Wang Bo'an asked the court for money and food in order to stabilize Xuanda's situation and win the war. It is not enough to have elite soldiers, but more importantly, enough food." Now that His Majesty has moved the focus of northwest defense to Xuanfu and Datong, I don't think there is any problem at all. "
Wang Hong said, "This is your Majesty's indirect reduction of your power."
Qin Hong said with a smile, "The Tatars haven't come from our side yet. Who will replace me after I go down? I still have to recommend Wang Bo'an. Unless Zhang Bingkuan can come to the northwest in person, there will be no one." can replace him.
Wang Hong lowered his head and said, "I'm afraid that the soldiers below will not accept it." ”
Qin Hong said with a straight face, “We both serve the imperial court, so why do we have to separate the factions in the northwest from each other? This makes the army distracted and everyone has their own wishful thinking. How can we resist this? As for foreign enemies, I think it would be good for Your Majesty to clean up the northwest and unite the hearts of people everywhere, even if they are all under the control of Zhang Bingkuan. ”
Wang Hong didn’t say anything. Obviously the people below are not as open-minded as Qin Hong.
In other words, the generals below have poor vision and they focus more on self-interest.
Qin Hongdao said, "The memorial of apology should be presented together with the memorial of resignation. At the same time, military policies should be put forward, and the meager strength left by the old man should be used. As for who should be used and who should not be used, that's it. Don't go into details to avoid being slandered. As for the character of the people Zhang Bingkuan uses and whether they are suitable to lead troops, His Majesty will consider it himself, so there is no need for you to worry about it."
"Yes. ”
Wang Hong naturally knows that he does not have a high say.
Since Qin Hong is determined to retire, he must find a capable person to replace him, otherwise Qin Hong will Hong won't be relieved either.
And now even if Wang Shouren and others seem to have "disadvantages" in some aspects, such as their lack of qualifications and emphasis on immediate interests, Qin Hong can't care about it. The horse ran away, and I thought the horse wouldn't eat grass. How could this be possible?
The capital, Cai Guogong's Mansion
Zhang Zhou returned home before dinner. The family sat down to have dinner, and the evening program was fully planned.
Originally, even if the King of Heaven came, he would not be disturbed, but the problem was that with his current status, even if it was. When his wife and children were hot on the bed, they would be picked up again and again.
The first person to come to him was Zhu Feng, saying it was something important, but Zhang Zhou knew this. The boy didn't have anything serious, so he ignored it and asked someone to go out and tell Zhu Feng that he would talk about it tomorrow, or you could wait until it was close to the second watch, and Zhu Feng was still there. Waiting in the hall, Li Rong is here again in person. This timeHe came to ask questions directly on behalf of the emperor.
But even Li Rong had to wait a while. The person who went in to inform Zhang Zhou had been gone for a long time, and Li Rong didn't see anyone coming out to receive him.
"Eunuch Li, have tea." Zhu Feng, as a guest in the house, was also responsible for greeting Li Rong at this time.
Li Rong looked curiously at this visitor to Zhang's residence and said, "What's the big deal for Marquis Anbian? He had to come all night. Normally, you should have many opportunities to meet Mr. Zhang, why?"< /p>
Zhu Feng said, "That's it. The eldest princess of Yongkang asked someone to find me and said that she wanted to apologize to Brother Zhang. She also said that this matter was of great importance. I thought I couldn't delay the eldest princess's affairs, so I came over to talk to Zhang After some discussion, Brother Zhang said that he had something important to do, so he probably couldn’t leave yet."
"Haha."
Li Rong smiled bitterly while thinking about it. It’s already been a while. What big thing could Zhang Zhou do?
Zhu Feng looked at no one waiting outside, stood up and said, "Why don't you go down and help Eunuch Li urge you?"
"No need." Li Rong said, "Don't worry, we have plenty of time. We can do it before early tomorrow morning."
As he spoke, he yawned.
It means that I don’t mind waiting, but I do mind if I can find a place to rest first. So as long as you, Zhang Bingkuan, give me a confirmation tomorrow morning before the morning meeting.
Zhu Feng said, "If the matter is not very urgent, Eunuch Li can go back first and I will inform Brother Zhang."
"No." Li Rong was quite polite to Zhu Feng. , "Your Majesty ordered that the answer must be given before tomorrow morning."
"Oh."
Zhu Feng stopped talking, but still glanced at Li Rong from time to time.
At this time, Zhu Feng was also wondering, is Eunuch Bingbi, the dignified admiral of the Eastern Factory, the Chief Supervisor of Ceremonies, so approachable? When will I be able to get the same treatment as Brother Zhang?
< p>Zhang Zhou was not in a hurry and was still in his room.Even Jiang Pingyu couldn't help but urge, "Sir, Eunuch Li and Marquis Anbian are already waiting impatiently. Why are you so unhurried?"
< p>Zhang Zhou said, "Isn't the important matter of human relations more important than their little things?"Jiang Pingyu said with difficulty, "Marquis Anbian has a close relationship with the master. He can wait, but I'm afraid Eunuch Li can't wait. He said it is I came out of the palace because of the Tian family’s affairs.”
“Haha.”
Zhang Zhou disagreed and said with a smile, “It seems that the envoys of the Tian family are being ignored. It is rude and may even be hated by others. But with my current status, if everything follows the rules, I am afraid that there will be no place for me in the government and the public."
Jiang Pingyu said. The master deliberately made them feel grudged."
Zhang Zhou then got off the bed, straightened his front a little, and said, "Everyone in the palace, everything you do will be based on your majesty's thoughts. , if I go along with everything, and whenever something comes up, I will greet you with respect and courtesy, then what is the difference between me and the ministers in the government and the public?"
Jiang PingyuHe hurriedly said, "You don't have to take a woman's opinion seriously."
"It's okay." Zhang Zhou said, "Bring me your coat and change it to a thin one. It's starting to get hot. It's been warm and cold lately, so I should pay more attention to my health."
Jiang Pingyu also quickly put on her clothes and went to help Zhang Zhou tidy up his clothes.
Zhang Zhou opened his arms, enjoying the privilege of being an ancient great master, and said leisurely, "You still have to distinguish priorities. In your Majesty's eyes, I am a busy man, and I don't need to be always available. And It’s just that, unlike the ministers in the DPRK, I never like to be welcomed. That set of personality is very important. If I have to change my personality, in the eyes of the superiors, they may think that I am trying to win people’s hearts and do evil things.”
Speaking of this, Zhang Zhou shrugged, "Forget it, you can just take care of things inside and outside the house. I have my own rules for things outside the house."
When Zhang Zhou came out, Zhu Feng was still waiting in high spirits. He was entrusted with the duty of being loyal and looked very responsible.
Li Rong, on the other hand, seemed to understand the twists and turns better. He had already leaned on the back of the chair, closed his eyes and remained motionless for a long time. Even Zhu Feng thought that Li Rong was asleep.
Zhu Feng is even still wondering, are the servants in the palace so tired?
At a very old age, he has to walk around late at night, and even comes to see ministers on the emperor's order. You still need to rest at any time
"You two."
Liu Gui appeared at the door of the main hall and said respectfully, "The Duke will be out soon and has passed the middle gate."
Li Rong immediately opened his eyes and stood up to greet him as if nothing was wrong. This posture was a bit like welcoming a saint. Perhaps for Li Rong, having served someone for half his life, he was already familiar with it.
Zhu Feng also hurriedly stood up to greet him.
Sure enough, Zhang Zhou appeared in front of the main hall door not long after.
The three parties were relatively friendly. There seemed to be no bad blood between Zhang Zhou and Li Rong, and Li Rong didn't mind waiting outside at all. On the contrary, Zhu Feng felt as if she had been left out and was a little disappointed.
"Forgive me, Eunuch Li. I still have something to do in the inner courtyard. I have been a little absent-minded recently. I want to sort out my mood and do some calculations."
Zhang Zhou didn't even Go find a perfect excuse for being late.
Just say, I'm here to take care of my own personal matters and have no time to talk to you.
Li Rong smiled and said, "Sir, you are busy with court affairs, and you are still so diligent after dark, which is admirable."
Zhu Feng glanced at Li Rong, as if to say, Are you mocking him?
In order to prevent Li Rong from overthinking, Zhu Feng also wanted to help Zhang Zhou lie, and asked, "Brother Zhang must be calculating the secrets, right? Many things depend on timing." , especially the celestial aspect, it won’t work after a certain period of time.”
Zhang Zhou smiled and said nothing.
You, Zhu Zhijie, are the only ones who talk a lot
You just need to be aware of some things, and there is no need to make excuses.
The three of them sat down.
Li Rongxian saidHis affairs, because he came under the emperor's order, everything must be done in advance.
Li Rongdao: "That's right. After the battle report of the Battle of Shigoucheng came, Qin Hong, the Qin Laobu Tang, who was in charge of the military affairs of Yan, Gan, Shaanxi and other departments, wrote a memorial saying that it had been He is old and frail and wants to return to his fields. He also recommended to His Majesty that he can handle the heavy responsibility of the general military affairs in the northwest. He also mentioned that in the Ming Dynasty, there were ministers of the Ministry of War who also took charge of the general military affairs. "
Having said this, Li Rong showed Qin Hong's memorial to Zhang Zhou.
Obviously, Qin Hong's intention to resign will not come until the war in the northwest is completely settled. When Qin Hong finds that his position in the northwest is becoming more and more dispensable, he will naturally feel this. A lazy mind.
Not everyone wants to be arrogant, but we must also pay attention to the actual situation.
Especially now that the military affairs of the DPRK and China are all based on Zhang Zhou's leadership and Qin Hong himself is a marginal figure. Qin Hong will also feel very depressed when doing things in this context.
Zhang Zhou took it, opened it and looked at it carefully.
Zhu Feng said, "The person who is in charge of military affairs, even if he is the Minister of the Ministry of War, does not have a false title and no actual duties? In the capital, the Minister of the Ministry of War has a very heavy errand, and many things are inseparable from Brother Zhang's planning. "
Li Rong smiled and said, "Marquis Anbian is right, so your Majesty would like to ask Mr. Zhang for his opinion. Your Majesty also mentioned some candidates to replace Qin Laobu Tang for Mr. Zhang's reference and analysis. Their merits are in His Majesty's heart. In fact, the one who can rival Mr. Zhang the most is Wang Qiong, the current Minister of Household Affairs."
The emperor wants Wang Qiong to succeed Qin Hong.
Instead of Wang Shouren.
This was within Zhang Zhou’s expectation.
After all, Wang Qiong’s qualifications and experience will be relatively deep. In addition, Wang Qiong has proven his strength in the Shangting Department, and Yu Yanwutang has also done a good job as the chief instructor, which will make the emperor feel that Wang Qiong Qiong is Zhang Zhou's top horse.
"Such matters should be discussed in court." Zhang Zhou said.
A position like the Trilateral General System must be recommended by the court. The emperor thinks Wang Qiong is suitable, but the traditional civil servants in the court will definitely recommend others.
Li Rongdao, "Sir, you rarely go to court recently. Your Majesty wants to ask you what you want, but it is not convenient for others to come, so we have to ask in person. We also want to discuss and be prepared."
Zhu Feng nodded and said, "Wang Shilang's ability is worthy of recognition. Brother Zhang thinks so too, right?"
Zhu Feng still admires Wang Qiong very much and seems to support Wang Qiong's achievements. The successor to the trilateral system.
Zhang Zhou said, "I think it would be better to wait for the outcome of the battle in Ningxia before discussing the matter. Premature discussion will make people think that His Majesty is trying to bring order to the chaos, or that His Majesty is If we are eager to clean up the officialdom in the northwest, even if the war has just ended, we must also pay attention to the stability of our personal hearts. Qin Lao Shangshu is highly respected, which is still very important for stabilizing people's hearts. "Please remember to bookmark, the latest and fastest website without anti-theft free reading