On the third day of September in the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty, before dawn, Zhang Cheng received a report from a sentry rider, saying that the Tatar bandits at the foot of Changling Mountain had disappeared.

The sky is still gray, and the sun seems to be lazier than yesterday. It has not yet appeared on the horizon, but the dark clouds that have been in the sky all night have dispersed.

"It seems like it's a sunny day today!" Zhang Cheng sighed as he looked at the stars in the eastern sky that had not disappeared.

"But no, there were dark clouds yesterday, but there was no rain. In the past few months since we entered Liaodong, there have only been two rains. We look at it as another drought year in Liaodong."

Zhang Chengfang followed Zhang Cheng and continued with emotion: "After years of fighting and the drought is so severe, how can these Han people in Liaodong survive?"

Zhang Cheng withdrew his eyes, but then fell on his adopted son Zhang Chengfang. He was a little surprised that he could still worry about the people of Liaodong during the battle. Wen Yan comforted him and said: "Liaodong is like my Xuanfu, all of them are real seals."

The health center is not comparable to that in Henan.

Not only was there a severe drought in Henan Province, there was also a raging locust plague, and the banditry was especially serious. The government had long been unable to control the local area, so we were able to gather tens of thousands of people in Dengfeng and Mi County and move them back to Xuanfu for resettlement.

Nowadays, although the Liaodong region has been in turmoil for years, military households, whether registered or not, are all privately owned by military chiefs and generals in various places, and the land and land of military households have also become their private property.

If we copy what we did in Yu Province, I’m afraid it won’t work!”

As he spoke, he raised his eyes and looked into the distance again, and said leisurely: "Everyone has his own fate. Perhaps the people of Liao here are destined to have such a fate, and no human power can save it.

However, just like a person's life and fortune, it will eventually come to an end. Once the life is exhausted, it will be in vain in the end. I think the disaster of the Liao people must be like this, and it is coming to an end soon!"

A gust of morning wind blew, and the chill was so intense that Zhang Cheng couldn't help but shudder, and he quickly tightened the woolen cloak around him.

Zhang Mingyuan, who was beside him, also tightened his cloak and asked: "Commander Father, the Tatars have escaped, why don't we send troops to pursue them?"

Zhang Cheng didn't say a word. He just stared at the east, showing a little bit of white fish belly, as if he was meditating on something.

After all, Zhang Chengfang has been with Zhang Cheng for a long time. When he saw Zhang Cheng looking at the horizon in a daze, he answered on his behalf: "Mingyuan, think about it. The sentry reported that the Tatar camp was empty. Based on this, we learned that the Tatar thieves had taken advantage of the situation."

He retreated at night and left.

However, we do not know the specific whereabouts of the Tatars. Moreover, the Tatars have white flags and yellow flags. Although their troops and horses suffered heavy losses in the battle with me, their entire army was not defeated and they still had some remaining strength.

Furthermore, the Tatars raised red flags and attacked Changling Mountain yesterday. It was not as violent as before. It is expected that the losses will not be big. Even if our army sent out a sentry to detect the direction of the Tatar thieves, if we attack rashly, once we are ambushed by the Tatars, we will lose a lot of money.

What should we do?”

After Zhang Chengfang's explanation, Zhang Mingyuan seemed to have some enlightenment and fell into deep thought. Looking at his two adopted sons, Zhang Cheng felt deeply comforted.

At first, on a whim, Zhang Chengfang, Zhang Jintai and other thirty-seven people were adopted as adopted sons in the Xinzhuang Fort outside Xuanfu Town. Now they have grown into strong young men, and they all follow Zhang Cheng as their own soldiers.

.

There are only about a dozen of them who are outstanding, but they are still young, so they all practice with Zhang Cheng. For the time being, none of them have been sent to the camp below to train.

However, everyone now knows that after Zhang Jintai recovers from his injury, he will be transferred to the Tiger Guard Camp to serve as a sentry rider, which is really enviable.

For example, Zhang Chengfang and Zhang Mingyuan serve as military officers next to Zhang Cheng. They can get closer to their father-in-chief every day, which is what all the adopted sons long for.

However, the number of officers in the midfield is limited, and no one dares to hope too much, so they eagerly look forward to being able to go down to the camp to experience like Zhang Jintai, so as to have the opportunity to repay their adoptive father for his upbringing.

In their hearts, Zhang Cheng has long been regarded as a reborn parent. They all admire and are loyal to Zhang Cheng, and they are still die-hard loyalists!

These adopted sons only believed in what Zhang Cheng said, and even copied all the words Zhang Cheng said into small notebooks as classic quotations. Whenever they discussed matters, they would use Zhang Cheng's words to answer them.

Officers at all levels in the various battalions of the Xuanfu Army were also influenced by them. They wrote down Zhang Cheng's teachings in small notebooks and arranged time for recitation every day. Some team officers and commanders even organized sergeants to read them.

Recite.

If we now evaluate the personal loyalty of Zhang Cheng and the generals and sergeants of the Xuanfu Army battalions, there is no doubt that his adopted sons are the most loyal.

Secondly, there are the old brothers who worked for the king together at the beginning, such as Chen Zheng, Zhang Guangda, Wu Zhizhong and other four major sentry commanders, as well as Zhang Guodong, Chen Huzi and other people who were the first to follow Zhang Cheng after the Julu War.

In addition, the people who were rescued in Mafang, as well as the new heroes recruited by Zhencheng and Xuanbei, were all extremely loyal to Zhang Cheng. After all, they received full pay, and after they joined the army, their families' lives improved greatly.

Since Zhang Cheng arrived in Xuanbei, after his vigorous management, bandits have stopped appearing, every household has a surplus, and there has been no starvation. However, this has gained a large number of people's hearts.

However, after Zhang Cheng arrived in Xuanbei, the people he gathered, such as Jin Xinpeng, Yan Qingrong and others, as well as the officials from the capital who gathered after that, etc., in Zhang Cheng's view, it was not loyalty yet, maybe it was just a bundle of interests.

After all, these scholars are not as easy to fool as the rough people at the bottom. They are sensible in reading, but their vision and thinking are also broad, and these people who already have some status and wealth are also more greedy.

No different than those at the bottom, once their lives improve slightly, they will be greatly satisfied, and they will even regard them as benefactors. And because they have lived enough poor lives, they naturally do not want to go back to the past, let alone

I hope my descendants can live like they did before.

Therefore, in order to protect their current little interests, they are willing to risk their lives. Now that Zhang Cheng is in their hearts, he is like the living Bodhisattva who saves the world. They will naturally gain their support and even die to protect Zhang Cheng.

.

Because in their minds, protecting Zhang Cheng means protecting their own good life today, and protecting the good life of their descendants!

It was precisely because of the support of the people at the bottom of Xuanbei, as well as the middle and lower-level officers and low-level sergeants of the Xuanfu Army that Zhang Cheng was able to carry out reforms in Xuanbei and dared to frequently adjust the chief generals and commanders of each battalion.

The reason why he is like this is to send a signal, that is, the soldiers are not generals, but all belong to him, Zhang Cheng, and the soldiers in each battalion can only be his subordinates forever.

They can lead troops on Zhang Cheng's behalf, but once they want to do something detrimental to Zhang Cheng, the junior officers and sergeants in each battalion will not do it.

Zhang Cheng firmly believed that as long as he could always insist on providing full pay to his soldiers, then they would always be loyal to him alone.

After coming back from his reverie, the sky gradually brightened, and the huge red sun in the east also revealed a light that was not dazzling. Zhang Chengcai smiled at the two of them and said, "Go back."

On the way to the Chinese army's tent, Zhang Cheng told Zhang Mingyuan: "Give me the order. After finishing the meal at Mao Shi, we will march to the foot of Changling Mountain at Chen Shi and join forces with General Chen."

"Here!"

………………%%

Nowadays, although the Liaodong region has been in turmoil for years, military households, whether registered or not, are all privately owned by military chiefs and generals in various places, and the land and land of military households have also become their private property.

If we copy what we did in Yu Province, I’m afraid it won’t work!”

As he spoke, he raised his eyes and looked into the distance again, and said leisurely: "Everyone has his own fate. Perhaps the people of Liao here are destined to have such a fate, and no human power can save it.

However, just like a person's life and fortune, it will eventually come to an end. Once the life is exhausted, it will be in vain in the end. I think the disaster of the Liao people must be like this, and it is coming to an end soon!"

A gust of morning wind blew, and the chill was so intense that Zhang Cheng couldn't help but shudder, and he quickly tightened the woolen cloak around him.

Zhang Mingyuan, who was beside him, also tightened his cloak and asked: "Commander Father, the Tatars have escaped, why don't we send troops to pursue them?"

Zhang Cheng didn't say a word. He just stared at the east, showing a little bit of white fish belly, as if he was meditating on something.

After all, Zhang Chengfang has been with Zhang Cheng for a long time. When he saw Zhang Cheng looking at the horizon in a daze, he answered on his behalf: "Mingyuan, think about it. The sentry reported that the Tatar camp was empty. Based on this, we learned that the Tatar thieves had taken advantage of the situation."

He retreated at night and left.

However, we do not know the specific whereabouts of the Tatars. Moreover, the Tatars have white flags and yellow flags. Although their troops and horses suffered heavy losses in the battle with me, their entire army was not defeated and they still had some remaining strength.

Furthermore, the Tatars raised red flags and attacked Changling Mountain yesterday. It was not as violent as before. It is expected that the losses will not be big. Even if our army sent out a sentry to detect the direction of the Tatar thieves, if we attack rashly, once we are ambushed by the Tatars, we will lose a lot of money.

What should we do?”

After Zhang Chengfang's explanation, Zhang Mingyuan seemed to have some enlightenment and fell into deep thought. Looking at his two adopted sons, Zhang Cheng felt deeply comforted.

At first, on a whim, Zhang Chengfang, Zhang Jintai and other thirty-seven people were adopted as adopted sons in the Xinzhuang Fort outside Xuanfu Town. Now they have grown into strong young men, and they all follow Zhang Cheng as their own soldiers.

.

There are only about a dozen of them who are outstanding, but they are still young, so they all practice with Zhang Cheng. For the time being, none of them have been sent to the camp below to train.

However, everyone now knows that after Zhang Jintai recovers from his injury, he will be transferred to the Tiger Guard Camp to serve as a sentry rider, which is really enviable.

For example, Zhang Chengfang and Zhang Mingyuan serve as military officers next to Zhang Cheng. They can get closer to their father-in-chief every day, which is what all the adopted sons long for.

However, the number of officers in the midfield is limited, and no one dares to hope too much, so they eagerly look forward to being able to go down to the camp to experience like Zhang Jintai, so as to have the opportunity to repay their adoptive father for his upbringing.

In their hearts, Zhang Cheng has long been regarded as a reborn parent. They all admire and are loyal to Zhang Cheng, and they are still die-hard loyalists!

These adopted sons only believed in what Zhang Cheng said, and even copied all the words Zhang Cheng said into small notebooks as classic quotations. Whenever they discussed matters, they would use Zhang Cheng's words to answer them.

Officers at all levels in the various battalions of the Xuanfu Army were also influenced by them. They wrote down Zhang Cheng's teachings in small notebooks and arranged time for recitation every day. Some team officers and commanders even organized sergeants to read them.

Recite.

If we now evaluate the personal loyalty of Zhang Cheng and the generals and sergeants of the Xuanfu Army battalions, there is no doubt that his adopted sons are the most loyal.

Secondly, there are the old brothers who worked for the king together at the beginning, such as Chen Zheng, Zhang Guangda, Wu Zhizhong and other four major sentry commanders, as well as Zhang Guodong, Chen Huzi and other people who were the first to follow Zhang Cheng after the Julu War.

In addition, the people who were rescued in Mafang, as well as the new heroes recruited by Zhencheng and Xuanbei, were all extremely loyal to Zhang Cheng. After all, they received full pay, and after they joined the army, their families' lives improved greatly.

Since Zhang Cheng arrived in Xuanbei, after his vigorous management, bandits have stopped appearing, every household has a surplus, and there has been no starvation. However, this has gained a large number of people's hearts.

However, after Zhang Cheng arrived in Xuanbei, the people he gathered, such as Jin Xinpeng, Yan Qingrong and others, as well as the officials from the capital who gathered after that, etc., in Zhang Cheng's view, it was not loyalty yet, maybe it was just a bundle of interests.

After all, these scholars are not as easy to fool as the rough people at the bottom. They are sensible in reading, but their vision and thinking are also broad, and these people who already have some status and wealth are also more greedy.

No different than those at the bottom, once their lives improve slightly, they will be greatly satisfied, and they will even regard them as benefactors. And because they have lived enough poor lives, they naturally do not want to go back to the past, let alone

I hope my descendants can live like they did before.

Therefore, in order to protect their current little interests, they are willing to risk their lives. Now that Zhang Cheng is in their hearts, he is like the living Bodhisattva who saves the world. They will naturally gain their support and even die to protect Zhang Cheng.

.

Because in their minds, protecting Zhang Cheng means protecting their own good life today, and protecting the good life of their descendants!

It was precisely because of the support of the people at the bottom of Xuanbei, as well as the middle and lower-level officers and low-level sergeants of the Xuanfu Army that Zhang Cheng was able to carry out reforms in Xuanbei and dared to frequently adjust the chief generals and commanders of each battalion.

The reason why he is like this is to send a signal, that is, the soldiers are not generals, but all belong to him, Zhang Cheng, and the soldiers in each battalion can only be his subordinates forever.

They can lead troops on Zhang Cheng's behalf, but once they want to do something detrimental to Zhang Cheng, the junior officers and sergeants in each battalion will not do it.

Zhang Cheng firmly believed that as long as he could always insist on providing full pay to his soldiers, then they would always be loyal to him alone.

After coming back from his reverie, the sky gradually brightened, and the huge red sun in the east also revealed a light that was not dazzling. Zhang Chengcai smiled at the two of them and said, "Go back."

On the way to the Chinese army's tent, Zhang Cheng told Zhang Mingyuan: "Give me the order. After finishing the meal at Mao Shi, we will march to the foot of Changling Mountain at Chen Shi and join forces with General Chen."

"Here!"
Chapter completed!