Chapter 522: Natural disasters are man-made disasters
Tongguan, Shaanxi.
After learning that Lu Xiangsheng had defeated Gao Yingxiang in Xinyang and Hou Xun had killed his old man in Tangyin formation and returned, Hong Chengchou could no longer sit still. He led Gansu commander Yang Jiamo, Ningxia commander He Huchen, and the new reinforcements commander Zuo Guangxian to lead 18,000 elite troops.
When they arrived at Luonan, they rushed to Tongguan and wanted to join forces with You Shiwei's troops to send troops from Tongguan to attack the Lu family. They joined forces with Hou Xun's troops from east to west to attack the bandits Luo Rucai and Guo Dacheng who were entrenched in the Zhending area. Unexpectedly, Shi Dayong, the commander-in-chief of Lushun, sent people
A letter was sent to Hong Chengchou, informing him that Gao Yingxiang might go south to Huguang and cross the Han River to attack Hanzhong, and asked Governor Hong to make preparations in advance to prevent losses in Xi'an.
Hearing this news, Hong Chengchou was greatly shocked. He even sent detective horses to thoroughly investigate Gao Yingxiang's movements after Xinyang's defeat. As expected, news came that tens of thousands of Gao Yingxiang's troops had fled into Huguang and were marching towards the Han River.
Although Hong Chengchou was timid at heart, he was cunning after all. He immediately believed what Shi Dayong said. Gao Yingxiang wanted to cross the Han River to attack Hanzhong, and then seize Xi'an while the main force of the army was in the east.
Compared with the gains and losses in Xi'an, the two thieves Na Luo and Guo are not worth mentioning. Moreover, the Liaodong Army has trapped them in Zhending. At this time, leading the army to kill them is just making people laugh at them and grab the credit. But if they can plan to ambush Gao Yingxiang, they will
It was a great achievement. Gao Yingxiang's bandit name was "Chuang Wang" and he was a real big bandit. If he could capture and kill this person, he would not only severely defeat the bandits, but also become famous all over the world and move the court. At that moment, Hong Chengchou changed his mind and stopped fighting.
After leaving the Lu family, he immediately ordered General Ge Wanhao to lead 3,000 Hong soldiers to Hanzhong to garrison. At the same time, he ordered all the generals to rest for three days and then march to Hanzhong with the aim of annihilating Gao Yingxiang in the Han River.
Sun Chuanting, the governor of Shaanxi Province who was inspecting the place in Huaxian County, learned that Lord Hong, the governor of the five provinces, was in Tongguan. He immediately rushed to Tongguan to visit Hong Chengchou. This was also the first time he met Hong Chengchou, the governor of the five provinces as the governor of Shaanxi. He had previously visited Hong Chengchou in Tianqi
In the second year, I met Hong Chengchou once, but at that time, he was appointed as the head of the Ministry of Personnel from Shangqiu County, and Hong Chengchou had been transferred from the doctor of the Ministry of Punishments to the post of Zhejiang University Scholars, so the two did not have the opportunity to have much contact.
When he learned that Shaanxi governor Sun Chuanting was coming, You Shiwei, who was stationed in Tongguan, went to greet him in person, and then led Sun Chuanting to see Hong Chengchou.
Hong Chengchou did not wear official uniform, but was dressed in casual clothes, but his beard was very neatly groomed, and his face showed calmness, sophistication, and fortitude. Chuan Ting couldn't help but admire him when he saw it. He took a step forward, cupped his fists and said, "Big
Commander, Sun Chuanting is at your disposal."
Hong Chengchou held Sun Chuanting's hand and said with a smile: "Bo Ya, you came at the right time. Are you and I the same age?"
"Yes, but your Excellency passed the imperial examination three years ago and is considered a senior."
Hong Chengchou waved his hand and said: "On the way to take office, you chased and killed King Zhizhi in Shangluo. You are no worse than a senior like me. However, I heard that you went to the post alone, but I don't know how to kill King Zhizhi?"
Chuan Ting said: "Yes, I have been recruiting soldiers all the way. I have already obtained ten thousand soldiers. The neat king is nothing more than a little thief. It is not difficult to defeat him with a little trick."
"Elite talents will be famous in the future!" Sun Chuanting said modestly, but Hong Chengchou knew the dangers inside.
"The commander-in-chief has said it before. The talents of those who pass the court are not half as good as the commander-in-chief. In my humble position, I only ask to follow the commander-in-chief, eliminate evil spirits, report to the court, and care for the people. This is enough!"
Sun Chuanting spoke so sincerely that Hong Chengchou couldn't help but be moved. He nodded slightly and said, "Very good! Let's not talk about this for now. You go have something to eat first, take a nap, and we can discuss things later."
"Commander," Sun Chuanting hesitated for a moment and said, "I'm not busy eating. Commander, please take a seat. I have a humble position and I have something to ask for advice."
"Oh? Okay." Seeing that the court seemed to have something important to do, Hong Chengchou didn't say much. He immediately sat down and motioned to the court: "Sit down too." He also asked You Shiwei and Yang Jiamo who were in the tent to sit down.
After Sun Chuanting sat down, he sighed softly and said: "As Chuanting walked, the fields were deserted everywhere. No one was working, only refugees blocking the way. Therefore, Chuanting could easily recruit tens of thousands of people. Even if it is a natural disaster, there are also disasters."
The court believes that if there is no solution to the root cause and we just block it from left to right, thieves will appear here and there, and we will never be able to solve it."
Hong Chengchou nodded, deeply agreed, and sighed: "A natural disaster is a disaster."
"how do I say this?"
"In recent years, natural disasters have spread and the water conservancy has been in disrepair. I have made a decision early in the morning that the Yellow River must be dredged regularly, with a small dredging every three years and a large dredging every five years. Taicang and the local government share the cost. But after Wanli, Taicang suffered a deficit and no longer needed to be dredged.
If money is provided, the local area will not take it. Water conservancy cannot be maintained. River beds are silted up and river embankments often burst. Therefore, Shan, Shaanxi, and Henan are particularly affected by disasters, and the same is true in Jiangnan. As for the imperial court's heavy taxation and cruel officials' urging, it is also difficult for the imperial court.
Ah. When he ascended the throne today, the Beijing Transport Silver alone had been in arrears with border salaries for eighteen years, accumulating more than nine million taels. Towns in Guyuan, Yansui, and Ningxia often had no salaries for many years or even
There has been no pay for several years. Now, except for the Liaodong salary and silver payment, which can still be paid out on time, even the salary for me can be delayed as long as possible. Not only that, even the royal family salary is still owed? The Qing Palace only received Wanli two years ago.
In the twenty-sixth year of Zonglu's reign, Prince Dai's palace has not received his rice for eight years, and King Lingqiu has not received his portion of rice for fifty years."
"Fifty years?!"
Not only the court was surprised, but Yang Jiamo and You Shiwei found it unbelievable when they heard that the dignified vassal king had not received Lumi for fifty years. How depleted the treasury must be for such a thing to happen!
Yang Jiamo was a little distracted: "What happened to the court?"
Hong Chengchou narrowed his eyes and spat out six words: "Natural disaster, border trouble, corruption!"
After hearing these six words, Sun Chuanting slapped his thigh and said: "Your Majesty, you hit the nail on the head! Because of the border troubles, we increased the number of troops; because of the extra troops, it encourages corruption. Years of famine are also a punishment from heaven."
Hong Chengchou stood up and walked around with his hands behind his back, saying: "The Holy Emperor's heart is like a clear mirror. When he came to the throne, he said: 'The campaign to increase the sect is a last resort. Recently, some ministers have been knocking on the bones and sucking out the marrow to make it stronger!' But starting from Wanli, the salary was not enough to support the family.
, if he is an upright official, he must be poor, so why not be greedy?"
Sun Chuanting also stood up, "Before my departure, I went to the Ministry of War to check the account books. The Xi'an garrison should have been 24,000, but the actual number was less than half? Alas..."
Hong Chengchou naturally knew the true situation of the Xi'an garrison a long time ago. Seeing Sun Chuanting's lonely expression, he immediately didn't want to talk about it anymore and said: "Okay, let's not talk about this for now. Let's think about the matter at hand first." He turned to the door and said loudly, "Speak.
Of!"
Hearing the Master Superintendent calling him, the new reinforcements and suppression commander Zuo Guangxian rushed in. He was the younger brother of Zuo Guangdou who was killed by the eunuchs during the Tianqi period. Unlike his elder brother who was a weak scholar, his younger brother was known for his bravery.
After Ai Wannian and Cao Wenzhao died in battle, Zuo Guangxian was favored by Hong Chengchou to take over the post of commander-in-chief of the reinforcement and suppression campaign.
Hong Chengchou told Zuo Guangxian: "Go and arrange a room for Mr. Sun to take a rest and discuss matters in the afternoon."
"Yes, Supervisor!....Master Sun, please!"
Zuo Guang first made a "please" gesture to Sun Chuanting. Sun Chuanting bowed his fists to Hong Chengchou, turned around and followed Zuo Guang out first.
Hong Chengchou walked back to the inner room and stayed shut. He didn't even eat lunch. He just wanted to figure out how to wipe out Gao Yingxiang's troops. When he finally made up his mind, it was already late and he was about to go to Sun Chuanting.
Zuo Guangxian, You Shiwei, Yang Jiamo and others came, but Liubaili rushed to report that they had arrived.
...........
"The army of 100,000 soldiers from the East was divided into three groups and invaded the capital. The Holy Emperor has asked the local kings to be diligent, but he did not want me, Hong Chengchou, to go. What do you think?" Hong Chengchou's face was solemn.
You Shiwei said: "Far water can't save the near fire. Maybe the Holy Lord knew that we couldn't get through, so he didn't ask the Governor to come in for help."
After hearing what You Shiwei said, Sun Chuanting shook his head and said: "No, I think the emperor cares about the governor and does not want to ruin the governor's plan to defeat the invaders because of the Donglu incident."
"I think so." Hong Chengchou nodded and stood up, "Well, since the Holy One wants me, Hong Chengchou, to be at peace with the bandits, then I, Hong Chengchou, will give the Holy One great good news."
"Good news?" Everyone was stunned, not understanding what good news Governor Hong was referring to.
Hong Chengchou smiled and waved his hand: "You come with me."
Everyone followed Hong Chengchou to the desk. Hong Chengchou smiled and stretched out his right index finger, waved it gently, poked at the map on the table, and said in a deep voice: "The encirclement and annihilation of Gao Yingxiang is the good news from this governor to the court and the Holy Emperor.
!”
"Encircle and annihilate Gao Yingxiang?" Zuo Guang, the commander-in-chief of the reinforcements and suppression, was very puzzled after hearing this, "The high thief has hundreds of thousands of horses crossing the Han River, but we only have 50,000, how can we encircle and annihilate him?"
"Bo Ya killed King Zhengyi with 10,000 recruits. Are our 50,000 elites still too few?" Hong Chengchou turned to Sun Chuanting and asked him: "Have you read the memorial to Chang Ziyu from the Military Department?"
"Is it the memorial that says, 'There are dozens of rogue bandits, but the strongest one has no fault and is the king'? Have you read it?"
"Shu Zhong blamed the governor and Lu Xiangsheng for fear of King Chuang and did not dare to fight, so they only took some small troops from other battalions to report the victory. Xiang Sheng proved that he was not afraid of the enemy and chased King Chuang from Chuzhou to Yuzhou. Indeed,
Shan, Xinyang. Although Xinyang was victorious, the battle was very difficult and the troops suffered heavy losses. Moreover, the main force of the Gao thieves was not wiped out. Instead, they fled to Huguang. Now they are thinking of Xi'an. Hum, wipe out Gao Yingxiang, and others.
The bandits naturally collapsed. I had never had a chance before, but now the opportunity has come. Look," Hong Chengchou pointed at the map, "if I'm not mistaken, after crossing the Han River, the bandits will deploy their troops in Wugong, Fufeng,
In the Liquan triangle area, he must have thought that we must put our main force in front of this triangle area to prevent him from breaking through. When we get what he wants, this high-ranking thief will definitely come out of here with a feint shot!" Speaking of this,
Hong Chengchou pointed to the location of Yusun County in the right corner of the triangle area on the map.
Zuo Guangxian finally understood what Governor Hong meant, "The commander-in-chief's idea is to move his troops southward and take advantage of his plan?"
"The mountainous areas of southern Shaanxi are full of barren mountains and ridges, with nowhere to find food. The thieves were driven from southern Henan to Huguang by Xiangsheng, and they fled all the way. They must be hungry and out of horses. In order to confuse me, the number of troops sent south will not exceed 50,000.
." Hong Chengchou looked confident, "Gao Yingxiang wants to enter Xi'an and has something unexpected, so he must take this road," pointing his finger to a point on the map following the sound, "Here - Heishui Valley!"
"Heishui Valley?" Yang Jiamo couldn't believe that Gao Yingxiang would take this dead end. He shook his head and said: "If you go to Heishui Valley, you must enter Ziwu Valley. It is a dangerous road. Back then, Chen Qiyu lured them into Carriage Gorge. This Ziwu Valley
It's even more dangerous than the Carriage Gorge. A high-ranking thief has suffered a loss once, how can he suffer another loss?"
"Yes, when Wei Yan proposed a plan to attack Chang'an through Ziwu Valley, Zhuge Liang did not agree because this road was too dangerous. But if Gao Yingxiang did not take this road, it would be even more dangerous! I was in front of him, Hong Chengchou, and on the side were the Huguang pursuers, Xiangsheng tribe ancestors
Kuan Ye is following. If he has self-awareness, even if there are more versus fewer, he will hardly be sure of victory. If we wait for us to encircle him from three sides, he will not be able to escape even if he takes wings. Therefore, he must take this risk!"