Ma Yi, Wang Shouren and Cao Shun personally led 3,000 troops and went out overnight.
Zhang Zhou personally saw him off, and then Zhang Zhou would lead seven thousand troops out of the fortress.
There was no swearing-in ceremony, and the soldiers embarked on a long journey. Zhang Zhou was riding on a horse, and the lights were brightly lit around him to show that he, a man who could understand the will of heaven, was on the side of the Ming Dynasty soldiers.
Many soldiers in Xuanfu are willing to follow Zhang Zhou on the expedition, all because of Zhang Zhou's face... There is no way, the ability to control the wind and rain is too bluffing, this is not the kind of magic stick who just blathers, everyone in the government and the public knows it.
"Immortal Master", plus the fact that Wang Yue, Zhu Feng and others treated Zhang Zhou as if he were a half-immortal, the soldiers had a different kind of ambition when they went to war.
It feels like...
I was deceived.
"When will the expedition begin tonight?" Zhang Heling arrived late at the gate of the city. As soon as he arrived, he asked Zhang Zhou about the situation of the Chinese army's dispatch.
Zhu Hui looked at him and asked, "Why did your uncle come here so late?"
Zhang Heling smiled and said: "The fans in the city are pretty good..."
Zhu Hui was ashamed, and then both of them turned their attention to Zhang Zhou.
"Food, fodder, and baggage for seven thousand soldiers and horses are still being prepared. It's impossible in the first half of the night. Let the soldiers rest for the night and leave tomorrow morning," Zhang Zhou said.
Zhu Hui asked curiously: "When the three armies went out for the expedition, even the food, grass and baggage were not prepared in advance?"
This question is a bit too direct.
Probably asking Zhang Zhou, aren't you so awesome that you can understand the will of heaven and ask ghosts and gods? How can you prepare food and grass in a hurry and not be prepared enough? They can't do it, but you can do it. Use some of your miraculous skills.
A gust of wind blows, shouldn't all the grain carriages be full?
"Why should we be so formal when we rush to the expedition?" Zhang Zhou's words surprised Zhu Hui.
That feels like.
We treat you like a semi-immortal, but you actually treat yourself as a mortal, or the kind of ordinary mortal that doesn't make sense?
Zhang Zhoudao: "We are too well prepared. If the Tatar sentry found out, they would think that we were really going to make some big move. We agreed that we were just going out to practice artillery. How big a battle would it take to fire up cannons and fry rabbits? What's the use of killing chickens?
Bullshit?"
"Hahaha……"
Zhang Heling felt very comfortable hearing this.
It's too much for his liking.
Zhu Hui asked the question that had been hanging in his mind before: "Mr. Zhang, I have always wanted to ask you, this surprise attack on Weininghai is so appropriate, and you are so well prepared, why don't you do it yourself? Even if Wang Weining was the Ministry of War at the time,
The Minister also went to battle in person and shared the joys and sorrows with the soldiers."
Zhang Heling said with a smile: "Old Zhu, what you say is not flattering. Why do you mean that we all share the joys and sorrows? I think Mr. Zhang is quite good. Look... how real a person he is?"
Zhang Zhou glanced at Zhang Heling, and his words did not sound like good words.
At this time, the generals on horseback were also looking towards Zhang Zhou. They were probably also wondering, what were these three pillars of the army talking about here?
Zhang Zhou said: "I came to Xuan Mansion, do you think I am here to charge into the battle? I have more important errands. I want to lay the foundation of the northwest military administration. If I were not in Xuan Mansion, what would happen to the Tatar raids in Xuan Da area?
Didn’t I live up to His Majesty’s hard work in entrusting me to control Xuanda’s military affairs? The situation has opened up!”
Zhu Hui smiled bitterly.
No matter how it sounds, it sounds like... Zhang Zhou is afraid of death.
So Zhang Zhou only used his words and left the actual charge to others.
…
…
Sent off the soldiers on the expedition.
Zhang Zhou returned to the city, and only Tang Yin followed him back to the governor's Yamen.
The previous words clearly fell into Tang Yin's ears.
Tang Yin asked: "Zhang Zhitai, you should have a more subtle arrangement, or should you appear in a more important geographical location in order to fight head-on with the main force of the Hulu?"
"What?"
Zhang Zhou glanced at Tang Yin.
Today he felt that the attitude of the people around him towards him seemed a bit strange, especially Tang Yin.
Tang Yin sighed: "Based on my observations over the past few days, senior brother's ability should not be limited to this surprise attack on Weining Hai. At present, Weining Hai only contains the old, weak, women and children of Hulu. If you want to make achievements, you must face the enemy head-on."
"Bohu, when I hear you say this... I feel like you are a bit of a demon."
Zhang Zhou sighed, "Let's be normal, it's not that complicated. I don't go to the front line because my life is precious, and also because I am a person who does big things. Have you ever seen a person who makes decisions personally go into battle? Let others
There is no need for me to go into battle personally. You said we want a decisive battle... We will lead seven thousand soldiers and horses out of the fortress. The artillery can only be sixty or seventy, and the traveling speed can only be seventy or eighty miles a day. Who are we going to fight to a decisive battle with?"
Tang Yin was startled.
Damn it, I wanted to lift you up, but you gave in?
Zhang Zhou probably also saw that when Tang Yin and Wang Shouren listened to Zhang Zhou's explanation of the Battle of Weininghai, Tang Yin showed his own incompetence, but now he has learned to use his brain.
It's just that the way he uses his brain... doesn't rely on analysis of the situation, but relies entirely on... conjecture.
To put it bluntly, it is to raise Zhang Zhou's realm a little higher, and then use some personal imagination to think what will happen to Zhang Zhou, without analyzing what the entire situation will be like.
Wang Shouren had the opposite personality to Tang Yin. Even though Wang Shouren was 120 willing to attack Weininghai by surprise, he still expressed opposition when he first heard about it, until Zhang Zhou persuaded him with reasons and talked to him.
He discussed why this battle was feasible and the overall arrangements.
This shows that Tang Yin did not understand military and political affairs.
Zhang Zhou probably also felt that for Wang Shouren, it was normal cultivation, but for Tang Yin... it was more like pulling out the seedlings and encouraging them to grow.
…
…
Early the next morning, the 7,000 Chinese troops led by Zhang Zhou also left Xuanfu, preparing to march to the northwest border pass.
Because the expedition was not covered up, the soldiers and civilians in the city came out to see each other off. It was also because Zhang Zhou had performed miracles when he prayed for rain before, and he did not act like an official and walked with the people. He even visited the lonely old people, which won him many awards.
human heart.
As the current governor of Xuanfu, Ma Zhongxi should have come out to see him off, but because he was unhappy and had already submitted his resignation, he just asked someone to come out that day to inform him that he was ill and did not come out to see him off.
"Old Ma is still stingy." Zhang Zhou commented in front of Zhu Hui and others, "They are all serving the imperial court, so why care about the length of a moment? Besides, an inch is short and a ruler is long."
Zhu Hui asked curiously: "Isn't it true that a ruler is short and an inch is long?"
He seems to be still laughing at Zhang Zhou. You are the number one scholar in the Ming Dynasty. How can such a proverb be wrong?
Zhang Heling said: "Mr. Zhang is actually saying that no matter how much the old horse jumps, it is still an inch, and it cannot be compared with a ruler. The most important thing in life is to have self-knowledge."
"This..." Zhu Hui glared at Zhang Heling with an annoyed expression.
It seems to be saying, when did you learn to be clever? You are an ignorant relative, can you recognize all these words?
"Let's go! Go slower along the way and say hello to the people. We are going on an expedition for our fathers and fellow villagers. We must show that the army and the people are united. Whoever is holding back should go home and farm as soon as possible!"
Zhang Zhou completely regarded this as a show.
Anyway, his Chinese army was not the main force in the battle. It was just a show to show to the people of the Ming Dynasty, to let them know that he loved the people as his sons, and it was also a show to the Tatars.
The more public and high-profile he became, the more the Tatars' eyes focused on him, and the smaller the chance of Ma Yi and Wang Shouren leading the surprise attack to be discovered.
…
…
Head-turning pass.
An official letter was sent from the Xuanfu to mobilize troops. On that day, Zhu Fengben led troops to inspect an area more than ten miles north of Pianguan. He was also temporarily recruited by Wang Qiong and hurriedly returned to the city.
"Wang Zhongcheng."
After Zhu Feng met Wang Qiong, Liu Jin was the only one in the General Military Mansion besides Wang Qiong.
Zhu Feng was still very happy. He showed off his young man's show off and said, "Mighty gunpowder has been laid twenty or thirty miles north of the city, and the explosive points have been specially marked. If the Tatars dare to come, whether they send troops to attack at night,
Or an ambush attack can make it impossible to come back."
Wang Qiong actually admires Zhu Feng very much.
But he felt... Zhu Feng didn't seem to have the ability to replace Wang Yue.
Wang Qiong sighed and couldn't help but think of Zhang Zhou who was in Xuan Mansion. Zhang Zhou was the one who truly had the ability to determine the military structure of the northwest.
Zhu Feng?
At most, he was just running errands and doing odd jobs behind Zhang Zhou.
"Knowing the truth, there is no need to deploy defenses. Zhang Zhitai has just issued an order to dispatch troops within the next two days. The order was issued before he arrived at Xuan Mansion. I guess... he should be sending troops from Xuan Mansion.
"
Wang Qiong roughly judged from the time Zhang Zhou gave the transfer letter that Zhang Zhou would not be able to prepare in the Xuan Mansion for a long time.
Since Zhang Zhou asked both Datong and Piantou Pass to send troops together, the pattern could not be as simple as firing cannons to kill rabbits. It must be a cover for some kind of strategy.
But Zhang Zhou didn't explain what it was to Wang Qiong, and Wang Qiong couldn't guess what it was.
Liu Jin next to him asked in surprise: "Are we going to send troops to fight the Tatars?"
Zhu Feng said: "Although there are no traces of Tatar activities within a hundred miles around Pianguan, there are their tribes a hundred miles away. If we rashly attack deep into the grassland, the right time, place, and people will not be on our side.
,Why does Brother Zhang want us to send troops here?"
Like Zhang Zhou, Zhu Feng was averse to taking the initiative.
It cannot be said that Zhu Feng wanted to be a coward, or that he did not take the responsibility. In the two battles of Pianguan and Ningyuan, Zhu Feng also took the lead.
But the problem is... Zhu Feng is not the kind of ambitious person. He only holds the idea of defending success in his heart and does not have a great spirit of pioneering and enterprising.
Wang Qiong said: "Zhang Zhitai means Datong. There will be 10,000 soldiers at each point in the pass. After leaving the fortress, they will advance slowly. Based on artillery, cavalry will intersperse and the infantry will advance in formation. If the Tatars attack, they will face the enemy head-on.
, If not, the troops and horses in the two towns will each have their own limitations. I will march to the south bank of Tumao River, one hundred and seventy miles away, and the troops from Datong will march to Maoerzhuang."
Zhu Feng found these two marked points from the strategic map.
He wondered: "Brother Zhang, is he going to lead troops from Xuanfu to Mao'erzhuang? If the three armies and horses cannot cooperate, what use will they have?"
Liu Jin said: "You two, may I ask where the main Tatar force can be found now?"
Now Liu Jin is eager to fight.
I gave up the opportunity to serve as an attendant to the prince and came to the northwest. Of course, I wanted to make achievements. If I couldn't get even the most basic military merits and only got some trivial ones, I wouldn't be able to stand upright when I went back to brag to Zhu Houzhao.
Wang Qiong shook his head and said: "Perhaps His Majesty has the intention of asking the towns to send troops to enhance the prestige of our country. The purpose of sending troops is not clear yet. I have inquired with the warehouse and other officials in the city before, and this battle may cost a lot."
In fact, Wang Qiong didn't fully understand Zhang Zhou's intention.
Before knowing the tactics of the surprise attack on Weininghai, Zhang Zhou only asked the three towns of Xuanda to send troops to the north respectively, with very obscure intentions.
It is impossible for the Tatars to take the initiative to engage in battle at this time. They have marched more than a hundred miles from the fortress and are still making such a big fanfare. How could the Tatar tribes not know about it?
However, because of this dispatch of troops, things such as farming and building passes will be delayed, and the army officers and soldiers will be exhausted. There will also be great pressure on the treasury of the three towns, because whenever troops are sent out, money and food are needed.
During the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, the major issue that hampered the military and political affairs in the northwest was the change in the law on grain expenditure. The money and grain reserves of the towns in the northwest were gradually depleted.
Wang Qiong probably means:
Mr. Zhang, your intention of sending troops is very good, but don’t do it next time.
You don't know how expensive firewood and rice are.
After all, you, the General Secretary of Xuanda, are not personally involved in the management of military pay. You probably don't know how much food it costs to send troops, right?
It doesn't matter if you send troops with no purpose. If the purpose of sending troops is just to show the country's prestige, you can just send troops all the way to Xuanfu. Why bother with Datong and Pianguan?
Zhu Feng said: "When will the troops be mobilized?"
Although Zhu Feng couldn't understand what Zhang Zhou did, one good thing about him was that he obeyed orders.
At this point, Zhang Zhou may have misunderstood him and felt that it was impossible for him to lead troops to surprise Weininghai.
More... Zhang Zhou didn't want to embarrass Zhu Feng.
Knowing that this kid doesn't want to go and forcing him to go, can he perform at his best in this battle?
On the contrary, it is Ma Yi and Wang Shouren. Both of them have enough ambition and courage, much better than a hothouse flower like Zhu Feng.
Wang Qiong said: "After receiving the order, we will send out troops. After reorganizing, the three armies will set off tomorrow morning. The soldiers will each bring three days of rations, and the treasury will prepare fifteen days of rations. The horses will be used as old as possible to drag the artillery, and the main cavalry will follow the rear army.
"
Wang Qiong knew this was a grand strategy, but he didn't want Piantou Pass to be in danger.
The best way is... to carry out Zhang Zhou's military orders while being ready to retreat at any time and leave as soon as the mission is completed.
Anyway, Zhang Zhou's transfer order did not mention any tough battles along the way, and Wang Qiong also felt that even if the troops at Piantou Pass left the fortress and traveled 170 miles to the north, the Tatars would most likely not fight.
Liu Jin said with excitement on his face: "Three armies of soldiers and horses are sent to the grassland. They are going to conquer the grassland."
"It's not three roads, it's four roads, and there's Yansui Road one." Wang Qiong said.
"That's even more true." Liu Jin became even more excited.
It seemed that the Ming Dynasty's feat of pacifying the grasslands, which had not been achieved for more than a hundred years, was to be realized today, and he was still a personal participant.
"hehe."
Wang Qiong could only smile bitterly in response to Liu Jin's statement.
Liu Jin asked: "What? Isn't it?"
Wang Qiong said: "Four routes out of the fortress, it looks like a big battle, but the total number of troops in the four routes is only thirty or forty thousand soldiers. The number of soldiers in the fire screening and other departments alone is not less than this. What if we divide the troops into four routes?
Concentrate superior forces?"
"this?"
Liu Jin could only look at Zhu Feng.
Wang Qiong sang the opposite tune. You, Zhu Feng, have been with Zhang Zhou for a long time and know his military strategy best. You shouldn't be so disappointed, right?
Zhu Feng said: "It is good to go out to prepare for war, even if it is not a decisive battle with the Tatars, but just to calm the situation around the border towns. I think Brother Zhang must have his reasons for doing this."
"hehe."
Wang Qiong's smile this time was a little kind.
The same confidence in Zhang Zhoumi, at least according to Wang Qiong, Zhu Feng is an optimist, unlike Liu Jin who speaks and acts with a strong sense of utilitarianism.
…
…
The troops who unexpectedly attacked Weininghai were dispatched on the night of the first day of June.
The three days and four nights scheduled for the journey were very busy for the Ming Dynasty soldiers. Basically, they could only rest for about two hours a day. On the first day, they had to travel day and night.
The Battle of Weininghai expected by Zhang Zhou is likely to take place on the fifth or sixth day of June. The sixth day is because it may involve the Huoshi headquarters retreating westward after hearing the news and need to pursue it.
Most of the people in the headquarters are old, weak, women and children, and it is difficult to move quickly with herds of cattle and sheep. As long as the pursuit is done properly, it basically does not need to spend more than a day. Moreover, if you go west out of the Weining Sea, you may be counterattacked or even surrounded by troops from the Mongolian right wing.
, so the war can only be postponed for two days at most.
Otherwise, the strategic significance of the surprise attack will not be achieved.
Like Xuanfu, Datong Town sent out troops on the second day of June, but the soldiers and horses of Datong Town did not leave the border until early in the morning on the third day of June.
The troops sent out to Pianguan were earlier. They were assembled in the afternoon of the first day of June, and the soldiers and horses had already left the pass on the second day of June.
Yansui sent troops much later, and on the third day of June they still stood still. Obviously, Qin Hong, as the trilateral commander, could not strictly enforce Zhang Zhou's military orders.
The news of the dispatch of troops to the border had already spread throughout the government and the public in the early morning of the third day of June.
During the court meeting at the Fengtian Palace, there were already censors who had criticized Zhang Zhou's behavior of sending troops.
"I agree with Bingkuan's dispatch of troops." Seeing that the situation was somewhat uncontrollable, Zhu Youtang directly gave "reassurance" to those present.
Participate in the impeachment of Zhang Zhou?
He is just carrying out my will. If you want to participate in the impeachment, then participate in my impeachment!
It sounds much more reasonable for the emperor to use various troops to attack the border. The emperor has the power to order the border fortress to take the initiative. If he doesn't have this power... don't be the emperor.
"I have discussed with the main officials of the Ministry of Cabinet and the Ministry of War in advance and believe that this move is feasible!" Zhu Youtang continued to drag Liu Jian, Ma Wensheng and others into the water, "People from all walks of life attacked, and the purpose was to attack Di Yi.
Show my Ming Dynasty’s determination to pacify the grassland. The grassland is also the territory of the Ming Dynasty!”
Tu Fu, the Minister of Civil Affairs, came out and asked: "Your Majesty, if the soldiers and horses of the northwest towns are out of the fortress and the war goes wrong, who should bear the responsibility?"
Zhu Youtang said: "What I want is for me to bear on my own. Is it possible that all parties sending troops can't even see the most basic judgment of the situation? When the main force of Di Yi invades, if they avoid fighting, the commander-in-chief will be fully responsible!"
"
This means.
Although I asked you to go out and scare people, if Tatars really come to kill them, whoever dares to withdraw will be contrary to the general policy I have formulated. Whoever dares to withdraw will be fully responsible!
