"Master Zhong, I heard that the New Army is the strongest army in the Ming Dynasty?"
That afternoon, when Emperor Chongzhen saw Zhong Jinwei in the Wenhua Hall, he immediately asked with a smile.
Zhong Jinwei was stunned for a moment after hearing this. Who could talk so quickly? He had already reported it to Emperor Chongzhen.
He was ambitious about the title of the Ming Dynasty's most powerful army, and had even shouted the slogan of the world's most powerful army before. But it was a bit embarrassing to be raised by Emperor Chongzhen in person like this.
Zhong Jinwei blushed a little, shook his head to Emperor Chongzhen and said: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's too early to tell the story of the Ming Dynasty's strongest army. The current new army is all talk but no practice. It has no record of winning every battle, and no power to scare the enemy.
, I’m afraid some people will be dissatisfied if we say that we are the strongest army.”
Wen Tiren, the chief minister who was already in the palace with the Minister of War, laughed immediately when he heard Zhong Jinwei's words, and then said to Zhong Jinwei: "This is not easy. You will know after fighting Jianlu."
Liang Tingdong was a little jealous when Emperor Chongzhen praised Zhong Jinwei just now. Why did the army he spent so much money to train become the strongest army in the Ming Dynasty without making any achievements? So when Wen Tiren said this, he immediately followed him.
He said: "The chief assistant is right, it's a mule or a horse. You can tell by pulling it out and running around."
Zhong Jinwei did not feel a trace of sourness in Liang Tingdong's words. He nodded to Wen Tiren, then turned to Emperor Chongzhen and said, "Your Majesty, I think so too. I will try it on the battlefield after a while of training."
Emperor Chongzhen was a little worried. He said to Zhong Jinwei: "Master Zhong, if we go to attack Jianlu from the beginning, will the number of new troops be too small?"
But if we don't fight the Jianlu, it seems that there are no enemies in the north of the Ming Dynasty to fight for the time being, which makes Emperor Chongzhen a little hesitant.
Indeed, he very much wanted the new army to go and destroy the Jianlu, but the evil reputation of the Jianlu was not blown out. If such a small number of new troops were allowed to fight against the Jianlu, what if they never came back?
manage?
Wen Tiren also thought of this, and he immediately said: "Marquis Zhongxing, I was just joking just now. We can wait until the new army expands in size before talking about fighting against the captives."
Zhong Jinwei was moved when he heard that Emperor Chongzhen and Wen Tiren were worried that the number of new troops was too small and that they would suffer losses.
What he was actually worried about was not the issue of quantity, because it was impossible for the Jianlu to mobilize tens of thousands of people at once. As long as the timing was right and the Jianlu were not allowed to form an absolute numerical advantage, it was not impossible.
Zhong Jinwei was worried about the weather. It was okay to say that it was foggy, but if it was rainy, the new army's greatest advantage would not be able to be used. Letting the new soldiers fight hand-to-hand with Jianlu was something he did not want to see.
When he was about to explain, Emperor Chongzhen spoke first: "We will discuss this matter later. It has only been a few days since the new army was equipped with firearms, so we should practice some more first."
The emperor sets the tone, and no one else will insist on it.
After Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking, he said to Zhong Jinwei: "Master Sun reported victory to me, saying that Jinzhou sent out troops and captured many Jianqi. At present, Jianqi are huddled in various cities and do not dare to fight. Therefore, he reported to me
I request that now is a good time to build Dalinghe City..."
Zhong Jinwei was very surprised when he heard this. He couldn't help interrupting Emperor Chongzhen and asked: "Your Majesty, you said that Guan Ning's army took the initiative to attack and built the prisoners to hide in the city for defense?"
Seeing Zhong Jinwei's surprised expression, Emperor Chongzhen laughed and said to him: "I was quite surprised at first, but after Liang Qing's explanation, I understood."
Zhong Jinwei was even more surprised after hearing this. According to what Emperor Chongzhen said, it is inferred that this is a fact? But Guan Ning's Ming army and Jianlu suddenly exchanged offense and defense. How could this be possible?
He turned to look at Liang Tingdong, who was standing behind and to his left, his face full of doubts.
Emperor Chongzhen saw it above and immediately smiled and said to Liang Tingdong: "Liang Qing will explain it to Master Zhong."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Liang Tingdong agreed first, then turned sideways to Zhong Jinwei. At the same time, he thought to himself, things have changed. In the past, you were the one who talked freely in front of the emperor, and now it is finally my turn.
Wanting to think about it, he said calmly on the surface: "Zhongxinghou, you don't know something. Our Ming Dynasty suffered a disaster, and the Jianlu were no exception. They were short of food, and Governor Denglai happened to burn a batch of life-saving food.
If we can’t get food replenishment, we have to wait and defend in the city.”
When Zhong Jinwei heard this, it seemed that what he said made sense. As the saying goes, before the soldiers and horses move, food and grass go first. If there is no food, no matter how fierce the prisoners are, they will not be able to withstand the power of a hungry belly.
Seeing Zhong Jinwei's thoughtful look, Liang Tingdong seemed to agree with his analysis. He further added: "Because the food shortage was severe, the slave chief also ordered the Jianlu in North Korea to transport the looted food to
Liaodong. But don’t worry, Marquis Zhongxing. Governor Denglai will rob the grain again, and he will never let the Jianlu transport the grain back to Liaodong."
Zhong Jinwei laughed immediately after hearing this. This was really great news for Daming.
However, he laughed for a while and felt that this seemed like a pie in the sky, so he asked again with doubts: "Is this news true?"
"Governor Denglai sent a memorial to the court a few days ago, saying that he only learned the news after intercepting the messenger sent by the slave chief to North Korea. Various signs indicate that the Jianlu must be short of food."
After Liang Tingdong said so much, he still had questions when he saw Marquis Zhongxing, and he couldn't help but feel a little angry in his heart. Everything you said, Marquis Zhongxing, is right. I analyzed it so thoroughly and still doubted this and that. Am I jealous of my talent?
Therefore, there was a hint of impatience in his final answer.
Zhong Jinwei, however, was still stubborn. He didn't even know that people were complaining about him in his heart, and he still asked: "After all the signs, what other signs are there?"
Liang Tingdong wanted not to answer, but with the emperor and chief minister beside him, and the other party being a marquis with real power, he had to explain again: "If it weren't for the lack of food, why wouldn't he wait until the Korean prisoners of war were plundered and transported back to Liaodong?"
Should we send a messenger to urge them? If it weren’t for the lack of food, why would the Jianlu people in the Jinzhou direction huddle in the city? If it weren’t for the lack of food, would the Jianlu people let my Ming army roam freely in the wild? "
He asked three questions in succession, each one louder than the other, full of momentum, as if he wanted to directly ask Zhong Jinwei.
Emperor Chongzhen saw it from above and also said: "Master Zhong, it must be certain that Jianlu is short of food. I just want to ask you, based on your experience, can Master Sun's Daling River City be built?"
When Zhong Jinwei heard the words, he turned to face Emperor Chongzhen. After he finished speaking, Zhong Jinwei understood what Emperor Chongzhen meant. He was asking himself whether Daling River City had been built in the original history? After all, building a city is not a trivial matter and requires a lot of mobilization.
Migrant workers. If the construction is half completed and the rebels attack, the losses will be heavy.
Although history is different now, there is still a reference, or it can give them a sense of comfort and a basis for making decisions.