Nurhachi, the leader of the Jurchens in Jianzhou, proclaimed himself the "Eminent Khan of the Restoration of Nations" in the city of Hetuala, established the "Great Jin" Khanate with the title of Tianming, promulgated the "Seven Hatreds", launched an army against the Ming Dynasty, and the city of Fushun fell, shocking the Ming Dynasty and the public.
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After Wanli heard the news, he held an imperial military meeting overnight. The heads of the six ministries, as well as Luo Sigong and Yan Shoufeng, were all present.
Wanli said: "I want to appoint a capable person to manage Liaodong and wipe out the rebel Nurhaci. Do you have any suitable candidates to recommend?"
Yan Shoufeng said: "Your Majesty, Yang Hao, the minister of the Ministry of War, is familiar with military books and tactics, and has extremely high military command skills. During the period of military affairs to assist the DPRK, he made outstanding military achievements. The ministers think that Yang Hao is worthy of this post."
Wanli said "hmm" and nodded.
Yang Hao was a member of the Zheng Party. Luo Sigong thought: "If he is allowed to get military power, it may be detrimental to the prince in the future." Thinking that he could not let this position fall into the hands of a Zheng Party member, Luo Sigong said: "Your Majesty, Wei
I believe that the old general Li Chengliang is the best choice for Liaodong's economic strategy. General Li has guarded Liaodong for nearly thirty years. He is familiar with the military affairs of Liaodong. He has repeatedly defeated powerful enemies and wiped out Nurhaci. It is a matter of course. If the Holy Spirit orders General Li to take on this task
, Nurhaci will definitely flee in the face of the wind."
Yan Shoufeng said: "Your Majesty, General Li is over ninety years old, how can he take on such an important task?"
Wanli said: "Yes, General Li is too old after all. I'm afraid he is not up to his ability."
Zhao Nanxing, the chief minister, said: "Your Majesty, although General Li is a little old, he is full of energy. Just this afternoon, the old general found Wei Chen and asked him to recommend him in front of His Majesty to lead the troops to exterminate the rebel Nurhaci. Li
The old general is so old and yet has such an ambitious man. He is an old man and is admirable."
Wanli said: "It is commendable that Mr. Li Aiqing has been idle for many years and is still worried about the country. You all should step aside. I will give careful consideration to the candidates for Liaodong Manager."
After the ministers retired, Wanli summoned Li Chengliang overnight and held a candle-lit night talk. He found that Li Chengliang had a clear mind, flexible thinking, and was not confused at all.
Li Chengliang guessed Wanli's intention of summoning him. In order to show that he was strong-willed and capable of leading troops to fight, he specially gave Wanli a set of punches. Wanli saw that his punches were like meteors and his eyes were like lightning, and he was beating like a tiger, and he thought:
"It would be great if I had such energy when I reached this age."
The next day, Zhao Nanxing went to the Jinyiwei General Administration Bureau to see Luo Sigong and said: "The Holy Father has issued a decree appointing General Li as the Liaodong Manager, Yang Hao as the Liaodong Deputy Manager, Li Rubai, Li Rumei, Li Shizhong, Li Xingzhong, Li Huaizhong, Li Gengzhong, and Li Chunzhong
Waiting for someone to serve as a general."
Li Rubai is the second son of Li Chengliang, Li Rumei is the fifth son of Li Chengliang, Li Shizhong is the son of Li Rusong, Li Xingzhong and Li Huaizhong are the sons of Li Rubai, and Li Gengzhong and Li Chunzhong are the sons of Li Rumei.
Luo Sigong smiled and said: "These are really brothers fighting tigers. Father and son go into battle. Three generations of the Li family go out to fight. Nurhachi can defeat them."
Zhao Nanxing said: "Don't be too happy too early, there is bad news, I haven't told you yet."
Luo Sigong asked: "What's the bad news?"
Zhao Nanxing said: "Your Majesty ordered the prince to go out with the army. If the prince makes a mistake, we will all be ruined."
Luo Sigong frowned and said, "It must be that bitch Queen Zheng who is behind this."
Zhao Nanxing said: "Brother Luo, you must send more manpower to ensure the safety of the prince."
Luo Sigong hummed and nodded.
After Zhao Nanxing left, Luo Sigong called Mou Rongtian and ordered him to take the Baiyun Double Sword and Shi Yi to accompany the prince on the eastern expedition. Feeling that it was not safe, he asked Mou Rongtian to call Li Tianmu as well.
That night, Li Jinzhong came to Feihu Escort to practice with Li Jiaoyue. When he was resting, he said: "In a few days, my father will go on an expedition with the prince. I don't know when the rebels will be eliminated? Our father and daughter will not see each other for a while.
Already."
While having dinner, Li Jiaoyue heard Li Tianmu talk about the Prince's Eastern Expedition and knew that Mou Rongtian would go. She thought that if she went too, she would have the opportunity to spend time with Mou Rongtian, so she said: "Dad, you old man, go
My daughter is really worried about the Eastern Expedition, how about I go with you?"
The battlefield was extremely dangerous. Li Jinzhong did not want his daughter to make any mistakes and deliberately prevented her from following him. However, he clearly knew that his daughter wanted to find a chance to be with Mou Rongtian. After much thought, he agreed. After pondering for a long time, he said: "It's rare that you have the opportunity to be with Mou Rongtian."
With this filial piety, let’s go together.”
Shengming, Hu Kan, and Guo Jin heard that Li Jiaoyue was going to the Eastern Expedition and wanted to go with them. Li Jiaoyue said: "You are not good at martial arts. It is too dangerous, so don't join in the fun."
Hu Kan said: "Why can't my martial arts be good? Junior sister, don't underestimate me."
Guo Jindao: "As the saying goes, everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of a country. Although our martial arts skills are average, it does not prevent us from serving the country."
Li Jiaoyue smiled and said: "If you want to go, go ahead, but you have to be careful. I heard that the Jurchens' fast horse scimitars are not vegetarian."
Hu Kan shouted: "Those big pigtails are nothing special. They haven't met me, Old Hu. I will kill them all when I pass by."
Li Jiaoyue said with a smile: "Second senior brother, look at what you are capable of. There is almost no room for you in this world."
Wanli mobilized troops from Sichuan, Gansu, Zhejiang, Fujian and other provinces to reinforce Liaodong, and notified the Goryeo and Yehe tribes to send troops to respond.
Reinforcements would not arrive for a while, so Li Chengliang couldn't wait any longer and decided to leave his deputy Yang Hao behind to wait for reinforcements to arrive while he headed to Liaodong.
Zhu Changluo did not want to stay in the capital and wait for reinforcements. Under the protection of Mou Rongtian and others, he set out with Li Chengliang and arrived outside the south gate of Liaoyang City at the third watch of the night.
Everyone reined in their horses and Li Chengliang looked up. Under the moonlight, he could not see a single soldier guarding the city. Li Chengliang immediately got angry and cursed: "What the hell, where are all the soldiers guarding the city dead?"
If that little bastard Nurhachi comes to attack us, it will be over."
When the prince saw that there was no one guarding the city, he also frowned.
Mou Rongtian shouted loudly: "Where are the defenders at the top of the city?"
The dozen or so soldiers responsible for guarding the south gate were all sleeping in the office. Some were lying on benches, some were lying on the table, sleeping soundly. Mou Rongtian's voice woke up all the soldiers.
Well, the soldier came out of the office, looked down at the crenel, and shouted: "Who are you?"
Mou Rongtian shouted: "General Li, the Liaodong manager ordered by the Holy One, and the prince arrived, and quickly opened the city gate to welcome them."
The soldier was startled and thought: "My mother, the prince is here." He shouted: "Please wait a moment for the prince and Lord Jinglue, we will open the city gate right now."
Li Chengliang shouted: "Hurry up, don't wait!"
Mou Rongtian thought to himself: "This old man is already ninety years old, and he still has such a hot temper."
The soldier had no right to open the city gate and had to report to his superiors. His superior was a small flag official named Liu, who was born with a lame leg. Everyone secretly called him Liu Laizi.
Liu Laizi drank a lot tonight and played in the brothel for a while. He was very tired. In normal times, he would have gone home and slept. Now, it is an extraordinary time for the Jurchens to invade the border, so he has to feel aggrieved.
Sleeping in the office by myself.
Seeing that Liu Laizi hadn't woken up yet, the soldier rushed to push him and shouted: "Liu Laizi, wake up, wake up."
Liu Laizi was woken up by him. He opened his sleepy eyes and shouted with an unhappy look on his face: "What the hell are you doing?"
Seeing that he was angry, the soldier hurriedly explained: "Master Jinglue and the Crown Prince are here. They are at the bottom of the city and asked us to open the city gate."
Liu Laimei was taken aback. He suddenly woke up and shouted: "Hurry, hurry, open the city gate!"
A tall soldier said: "Wait a minute, Mr. Liu, don't open your mouth for now. You are talking nonsense. How can we know whether the other party is true or false? It wouldn't be bad if they were Jurchens pretending to be Jurchens."
Liu Laizi blinked his bitch eyes, thought for a moment, and felt that what the big man said was reasonable. He nodded and said: "Old Wu, you are still smart. You really need to ask this matter clearly. You can't be rash."
He got up, limped to the edge of the city, stuck his head out of the crenellation, and shouted: "We can't figure out your true identity and dare not open the city gate. How can you prove that the governor and the prince have arrived?"
Prove their identity?”
When Li Chengliang heard this, he felt very happy. He looked up to the sky and shouted, "Boy, what is your name? What is your position?"
Liu Laizi said: "My name is Liu Laoqi, and I am a small flag official."
Li Chengliang said: "Boy, you are very vigilant and very good. After I enter the city, I will promote you to an official position and make you a hundred households."
Liu Laizi was overjoyed and shouted: "Thank you sir, thank you sir!"
The big man stood next to him, thinking: "This lame Liu is as stupid as a pig, how can he be cautious? This is what I reminded him. Damn it, this guy got a big advantage."
He was always getting angry.
Li Chengliang shouted: "Liu Laizi, put a bamboo basket down, and I will show you the credentials."
Liu Laizi called to his left and right: "Go and get the rope and basket quickly."
Li Tianmu urged his horse to take a few steps forward and said to Li Chengliang: "Commander, give me the certificate and I will send it up."
Li Chengliang said: "You have to climb up. Hey, why bother doing that? Let them use a basket to move it up."
Li Tianmu smiled and said: "I have some small skills. Climbing up to the top of the city is just like going up to the table. It's not troublesome at all."
Li Chengliang said: "Yeah, well, I want to see your skills." After saying that, he took out his official certificate from his arms and handed it to Li Tianmu. He flew up, spinning upward like a top.
He jumped up and reached the top of the city in the blink of an eye.
Li Chengliang had never seen such a skill in his long life, so he was dumbfounded and shouted: "Sword Flying Immortal is indeed well-deserved."
The dozen or so defenders on the top of the city were also dumbfounded. The big man shouted: "Oh, Master Li, it turns out to be you!"
Li Tianmu was startled and said with a smile: "Brother Wu, it's you." It turned out that the big man was Wu Xiang. A few years ago, Li Tianmu met him when he was escorting Pang Xian to Beijing. At that time, Li Tianmu was poisoned and his body
Weak, and Pang Xian were almost eaten by wolves in the barren mountains. Fortunately, Wu Xiang rescued them and took them home. At Wu Xiang's house, he met his uncle, Zu Dashou. Under their escort
, met with Mou Rongtian, and later everyone escorted Pang Xian to Beijing. Mou Rongtian asked Luo Sigong to recommend Wu Xiang, Zu Dashou, and Lin Ba to serve as errands in the Liaodong Army.