The reason why the General's Mansion is located in Beiping City is because it is the center of the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun and the pinnacle of Xu Da and Chang Yuchun's life achievements.
Looking at the topography of the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, this narrow area of 1,200 miles from east to west and 400 miles from north to south has crisscrossed mountains and surging rivers. The terrain is very complicated. The majestic and steep Yanshan Mountains and the North Taihang Mountains are like two mountains.
The connected city walls stand in the northern part of the North China Plain, building a natural line of defense for the Chinese nation to resist the northern cavalry going south.
Therefore, since ancient times, the Central Plains dynasties have built defense lines here, built the Great Wall and the Five Passes to firmly keep the nomads out of the country and protect the Chinese people from living and working in peace and contentment.
However, at the end of the Tang Dynasty, the warlords of the Five Dynasties fought, and the traitor Shi Jingtang emerged. He actually dedicated the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun to the Liao Kingdom. From then on, it became a major concern for the Central Plains Dynasty. However, several Northern Expeditions were all defeated, and they all came to Xu.
Da, Chang Yuchun and the Northern Expedition finally recaptured Youyan, which had been lost for four hundred years.
During these four hundred years, Youyan was in the hands of the nomads, the Great Wall and the Five Passes were completely destroyed, and the entire defense facilities needed to be rebuilt. However, at this time, the Ming Dynasty had an absolute advantage over the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and everyone was thinking about the Northern Expedition and completing their achievements in one battle.
However, more than ten years after the cat caught the mouse, the Ming Dynasty gradually realized that the world in Mobei was really too big. As long as the Mongols wanted to escape, they could always escape to the vast lands further north and west. Even the most famous general Xu Da
, it is impossible to annihilate it, but it needs to maintain a huge Northern Expeditionary Army, which wastes national power.
Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang adjusted his strategy in time under the advice of Huai'an Hou Hua Yunlong, and decided to rebuild the Great Wall and restore the five passes. "Since Yongping, Jizhou, and Miyun are more than 2,000 miles west, nine out of 120 passes have been garrisoned.
'.
In this way, only a small number of border troops are required to be stationed, and together with the elite cavalry to go out and fight, border security can be maintained.
Xu Da's important task this year is to inspect the ancient Yanyun Defense Line and prepare for the official start of construction in the coming year.
So after the beginning of the new year, he took the time to take Duke Zheng, Marquis Changxing and other major generals to patrol from west to east in the vast mountains in the north of Youyan. It took him nearly half a year to inspect Jinpo Pass, Juyong Pass, Gubeikou and Song Dynasty.
After inspecting Tingguan Pass, and then the easternmost Yuguan Pass, the inspection of the Yanyun Five Passes has been completed.
Yuguan is located at the eastern foot of Yanshan Mountain. It has been an important military town in the Northeast since ancient times. When Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty conquered Goguryeo, he returned from here.
According to ancient records, the Yushui River has abundant water and rapid currents, so the Sui and Tang Dynasties established passes to rely on the natural dangers of mountain rapids for defense.
But when Xu Da led people to the former site of Yuguan, he was disappointed to find that the water volume of the Yushui River had decreased and the water potential had slowed down. Even in summer, it was not enough to serve as a barrier.
For the sake of rigor, he took water conservancy experts to inspect the source of the Yushui River. After some demonstrations, he determined that the reduction in water volume was not temporary, and it would not be possible to return to the prosperity of the Sui and Tang Dynasties.
This conclusion silenced Xu Da. He stood alone on the ruins of the ancient Yuguan Pass and wanted to be quiet.
"Alas," Geng Bingwen looked at the worried general at the pass, and he was also very depressed. "I just heard Mr. Shu talk about the vicissitudes of life, and now I understand. The Chongqing Pass that the emperor has been thinking about is no longer a natural danger.
.”
"It doesn't matter if you ask me, you can cultivate whatever you want." Chang Mao, the young Duke of Zheng, said with a nonchalant expression: "The Tatars don't even know where they were driven by us, so they dare to go south? It's okay if they dare to go south.
It saves us the trouble of searching for a needle in a haystack all day long.”
"Haha, the Lord is right." Geng Bingwen is famous for his good temper, and he can get along well with an arrogant second-generation general like Chang Mao. He smiled and said:
"But no one can say what will happen in the future. Thirty years from Hedong to Hexi and thirty years from Hexi. Thirty years ago, who would have dared to say that we Han people could drive the Tatars out of the Central Plains and regain Youyan?"
"That's true." Chang Mao nodded and said with a smile: "I heard that the Tatar cavalry were invincible in the world, and they fell so fast."
"How dare you say that in another thirty years, our Ming army will still be invincible?" Geng Bingwen looked at Chang Mao and said in a serious tone. The second generation of generals is still like this, and the next three generations and four generations will really make people lack confidence.
.
"Thirty years from now, my Ming Dynasty will also be invincible...right?" Chang Mao put his arrogant words aside, feeling unsure.
"That's probably the case, but we're always afraid of the unexpected." Geng Bingwen said solemnly: "So we must rebuild an impregnable line of defense, so that if our descendants are unworthy, we will have something to rely on in the future. This is called a great plan for the future."
"Hehe, okay. You old men have the final say." Chang Mao saw Xu Da coming down from the ruins of the ancient city tower and hurried up to help him. "General, watch your step."
"Haha, no need to help, your uncle's legs and feet are still strong." Xu Da smiled and refused Chang Mao's help. At his age, he is very sensitive to these things.
"General, have you made a decision?" Geng Bingwen asked in a deep voice.
"Well, it's decided." Xu Da nodded and said slowly: "I will inform Emperor Ming that the ancient Chongqing Pass is no longer a key point to control, and it is necessary to choose another dangerous place to build the pass."
"Understood." Geng Bingwen had expected this result. He also knew that with the character of the general, he would definitely not throw the problem to the emperor. Since he said he wanted to present a memorial, he must have already found a better location.
"Does the general have a charter in mind?" he asked.
"Yes." Xu Da nodded, pointed to the east and said, "Sixty miles to the east."
"Then let's go to the beach." Chang Mao interjected.
"Yes, just use the sea to replace the Chongqing River and build the Great Wall to the sea. Then you will never have to worry about drying up." Xu Da said solemnly: "Using the natural dangers of the Yanshan Sea to build a new Guancheng, the North Control Liaoxi Corridor
, and it can also defend sea routes!”
"If it can really be built, it will be much better than here." Geng Bingwen said excitedly.
"Without further ado, let's go and have a look on the ground." Xu Da acted resolutely and immediately called for his soldiers to bring their horses over.
However, the plan could not keep up with the change. At this time, a cavalry of soldiers came galloping over.
"There is something urgent to report to the general!" The soldier took out his waist badge, held it high and passed through the layers of guards, came to the general, turned over and dismounted, knelt down on one knee and said: "report to the general, my wife is sick, please go back quickly.
.”
"What's the disease?" Xu Da asked in a deep voice.
"I don't know this..." the soldier shook his head and said, "That's what the lady told me, and she didn't say anything else."
"It's normal if you don't say it. How can you tell outsiders about a woman's problems?" Geng Bingwen said: "General, please go back quickly. My wife must be very ill, otherwise no one will come to call you. In the end, the general will go to the beach with Zheng Guogong.
, I will give you a detailed report when I come back.”
"Alas." Xu Da frowned and did not agree immediately.
"Yes, uncle, go back quickly." Chang Mao also helped to persuade: "Auntie is alone in the north with no relatives. She is sick and has no family around her. Now she is neither fighting nor practicing, so she will not go back.
It really doesn’t make sense.”
"Hey, okay, I'll go and come back." Xu Da finally nodded and said: "You guys will wait for me for two days when I arrive, and I will arrive soon."
"No hurry, no hurry." Geng Bingwen and Chang Mao agreed and sent the general back on his way.
Seeing the general galloping away with the billowing smoke raised by his horse's hooves, it was obvious that he was already returning home.
