In the hall of Beiping Fucheng, the generals were sitting on pearwood wooden chairs, their faces full of anticipation.
Who doesn’t want to see Huang Taiji’s head?
After a while, Jia Fang left and returned, holding a brocade box made of black and red peach wood in her hand. As she walked, she was full of energy, and her young and energetic face was full of determination.
All the generals in the hall looked at the brocade box with keen eyes, and for some reason, their hearts rose in their throats.
Jia Heng put down the tea cup, looked at Jia Fang, and said, "Open the brocade box."
A guard in brocade clothes wearing a flying fish uniform came forward and helped Jia Fang open the brocade box. Suddenly, a faint smell of blood escaped. The generals in the hall were slightly frightened, and they all stretched their necks to look. To the brocade box.
Li Zan was a little excited at the moment, staring closely at the opened brocade box.
Jia Heng said: "Let me show you the head of the slave chieftain."
Jia Fang made a promise and then approached with the brocade box in hand. A look of fear appeared on the faces of some of the civil servants in Beiping Mansion, while the generals' eyes were shining, staring at the head in the brocade box.
"This is the slave chief Huang Taiji. I met him from a distance when I was a general under Tang Zongbing in Jizhen. It is indeed this person!" At this time, a military general suddenly said excitedly.
Others were also talking with excitement and joy.
The head of a slave chief. This Huang Taiji is not obedient. He is the king of a country, but now his head is cut off for everyone to watch. It is really the pleasure of his life.
Li Zan looked at the head in the brocade box with a smile on his face. He looked around and said, "Although the slave chief has a bright head and a long beard, he is still heroic and bandit. Looking at this head, you can drink two kilograms of wine!"
This sentence is quite high-level, and its elegance has a bit of the weight of a history book.
It actually made Jia Heng take another look.
The generals present circulated the brocade box, looked at the head at close range, and marveled at it.
After the generals had seen Huang Taiji's head, Jia Heng asked Jia Fang to close the brocade box. He glanced at the generals not far away and asked, "Who is General Cao Bianjiao?"
As soon as these words came out, the faces of the generals in the hall changed slightly, and they turned to look at the young general Cao Bianjiao on the side.
Cao Bianjiao stood up suddenly. He was seven feet tall, tall and straight, with his head held high and his chest held high. He cupped his hands and said, "The last general, Cao Bianjiao, has met Marquis Yongning."
Jia Heng looked at the young general with a smile on his face and praised: "General Cao killed Adali in the battle of Miyun. When I see him today, he is really heroic."
Cao Bianjiao clasped his fists and said, "The Marquis of Yongning won a great victory in Ping'an Province, killed Huang Taiji, and became famous throughout the country. He is a true hero."
All the generals present looked shocked when they heard this, and Hebei Admiral Kang Hong looked at Cao Bianjiao with some worry.
Because this statement was quite reasonable in comparing himself with Jia Heng, all the veterans present secretly sweated after hearing this statement.
Officialdom is not about fighting and killing, it is about human relations.
When Jia Heng heard this, he was stunned for a moment, but he didn't take it seriously. He laughed loudly and said, "General Cao, you are so ambitious."
When the generals in the hall saw this, their expressions paused, and then they laughed, and the atmosphere gradually became lighter.
Chen Xiao raised her eyebrows and looked at Cao Bianjiao, thinking that he was also a good general.
At this time, the palace guard came to report that the food and wine had been prepared, which was regarded as a cleansing ceremony for the Marquis of Yongning and the generals of the Beijing camp.
Li Zan twirled his beard with his hand and invited him: "The Marquis Yongning has come a long way. His saddle and horse are tired. Let's have lunch first."
Jia Heng nodded, extended his hand to invite you, and said, "Li Ge, please come."
The generals were talking and came to the hall where the food and wine were laid out to have a banquet. The atmosphere was noisy.
After lunch, it was already the end of the afternoon, and the generals returned to the barracks to rest, while Jia Heng and Li Zan came to the study to discuss matters.
Li Zan looked at the young man in python suit and said, "Marquis Yongning, the Jurchen soldiers and horses in Datong must have retreated."
Jia Heng said loudly: "Since the death of Huang Taiji, the remaining female gods have tried their best to help the coffin return north. This war is almost over."
Li Zan nodded and sighed: "The beacon fire in the north has only been extinguished now."
Looking back on this battle, it was not easy. Peiping was attacked and defended for more than ten days, Xuanfu was also attacked and defended for more than half a month, and the confrontation in Datong lasted for nearly a month. Fortunately, the Czech news was transmitted.
Jia Heng said: "Although this battle was won, there were still many mistakes exposed. The guards at Juyong Pass neglected their duties, which caused the city to be destroyed by the Jurchens. The soldiers and horses collapsed. The enemy invaders came to Hebei to plunder, just like in the past, while Shandong The failure to rush for reinforcements resulted in the failure to pursue the Jurchen invaders in time after Ping'an Prefecture, and it was a pity to watch the enemy invaders escape. Therefore, the troop deployment system from Ji Town to Xuanfu Town needs to be sorted out urgently."
Li Zan nodded and said: "Gu Yuanshao, the general at Juyong Pass, neglected his duty this time and caused a catastrophe. It was because I was ignorant of people. Shandong Admiral Lu Qi neglected military orders and should also be punished."
This cabinet minister also took the initiative to take responsibility for the previous invaders.
Jia Heng said: "You don't have to blame yourself, Mr. Ge. The generals of the Beiping Prefecture were originally old border generals, and old habits are hard to change. It is very difficult for Mr. Ge to repay Peiping without losing it with one person. After this battle, We can unearth some good generals who can be used.”
Li Zan said: "I am planning to re-adjust the defense of the school. If Marquis Yongning has a good opinion, can you tell me and discuss it?"
Jia Heng thought for a while and said: "The border towns, guards, and provincial armies in the northern provinces all need to be reorganized. Not only are they eliminating the old and the weak to save food and wages for the country, but they are also selecting loyal and good generals. The elder Ge is responsible for the affairs of the Ministry of War. You and I You can go to the Holy One to discuss it together."
In fact, this is a problem left over from history. There was no opportunity to rectify it before, and I was worried that the resistance would be too great, but this victory is a rare opportunity.
Taking advantage of the power of the great victory, we conducted a systematic and in-depth review of the military officers and soldiers in the four provinces of Shanhe and even Shaanxi and Gansu, as well as the border towns, and rebuilt the northern border security system.
When Li Zan heard this, he knew Jia Heng's intention, his eyes lit up, and he said: "I also have this intention, to eliminate the old and weak, select elite men, and rely on brave generals who dare to fight to defend the enemy outside the country. However, there are many constraints in the past. Now is really an opportunity.”
Chen Han's military system, from the northern and southern provinces to the capital camp, millions of registered soldiers have become a huge financial burden.
In the past one or two years, Jia Heng mainly organized the Beijing camp. He also organized a lot of rectifications for the Henan Zhenjun who took advantage of the chaos in the Central Plains. The combat effectiveness of the soldiers was greatly improved, and the atmosphere of the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps was slowly changing.
But looking around, whether it's the northwest, southwest, or northern border towns, the overall environment has not changed.
Even if Li Zan personally took control of Peiping, he would not be able to punish or terminate people on a large scale due to the sluggish military environment.
Now, the two military ministers are taking advantage of the great victory in the northern war to reorganize the border and provincial armies in the four provinces of Shanhe and Henan (except Henan), as well as Shaanxi and Gansu. This will undoubtedly greatly improve the defensive quality of the northern defense line.
As for the whole country, the amount of this project is relatively large, and it involves local military forces, so the two of them tacitly agreed not to mention it.
Jia Heng nodded and said: "Mr. Li Ge, let's just settle this matter for now. By the way, Cao Bianjiao can be promoted as an exception."
Mentioning Cao Bianjiao, Li Zan smiled and said: "I have written a memorial to the imperial court asking for merit, but the specific duties are still being determined. They can be used for personnel transfers to adjust the northern defense line."
Jia Heng said: "In my opinion, after this battle, it shouldn't be a big problem for Cao Bianjiao to be promoted to deputy commander-in-chief of the first town. He can guard the first pass."
Li Zan nodded and said: "I have been assigned the post of deputy commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan Pass for the first time."
The general commander of Jizhen has relatively many troops, and it is a bit unrealistic for a young general to suddenly command an army of 100,000 people even if he has just made a great contribution.
Jia Heng asked calmly: "Who is the current commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan?"
Li Zan said: "Wu Xiang, that's the red-faced one at the table earlier."
Jia Heng pondered for a moment and said: "This person is not suitable to be the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan. He can be transferred to the Shandong Dusi as the commander and co-inspector of the capital. Cao Bianjiao will be the deputy commander-in-chief and take charge of the commander-in-chief's seal, and will guard the border with the commander-in-chief of Jizhen."
Li Zan said: "The commander-in-chief of Jizhen moved slowly this time and failed to guard Qianzi Pass. I plan to choose another good general. Who does Yongninghou think can succeed him?"
Jia Heng pondered for a moment and said: "Qi Jianhui is heavy and capable, and he can go to Ji Town, and he is also suitable for his grade."
Li Zan asked in surprise: "A member of the Hou Qi family of Xiangyang?"
Jia Heng nodded and said: "He is now the commander-in-chief of the Jingying regiment and is currently guarding Ping'an Prefecture."
The rank of the commander-in-chief of Jizhen is quite high. He is a first-rank commander, while the commander of the regiment and camp is also a second-rank commander. It would be appropriate to move up one rank.
Li Zan thought for a moment and said, "Then send this person to Ji Town to guard."
Li Zan pondered for a moment and asked: "How does Marquis Yongning plan to adjust the selection of garrison generals in Xuanfu and Datong?"
The two are both military aircraft, so they may not have disputes over personnel rights. However, Jia Heng's victory on the Western Front is a time of great prestige, and his right to speak in border affairs will be much more important.
Jia Heng thought for a while and said: "Wang Ziteng has been garrisoning at Dushikou in Xuanfu for many days. He is considered a diligent candidate. Mr. Ge can consider it."
After all, Wang Ziteng was a person who had served as the deputy inspector of the Beijing camp. As the commander-in-chief of the Xuanfu, there was no problem with his rank, and he was even considered a demotion.
Li Zan pondered for a moment and said: "It is appropriate for Xuanhua to be led by a mature and prudent general. Since Jiang Zining, the commander-in-chief of Datong, has been dismissed and retained, who does Marquis Yongning think is the most suitable person to take over Datong?"
Jia Heng said: "Datong is the gateway to the Jin Dynasty. Jiang Zining guards Datong. Although there are some mistakes, he can probably guard one side and can continue to serve."
He did not want his cronies, such as Cai Quan and Xie Zaiyi, to be placed in the border town, because this would affect his control over the Beijing camp.
If Xie Zaiyi returns to Beijing, he will most likely be knighted and take charge of a battalion independently. As for Cai Quan, he can continue to control Guoyong battalion.
In this way, he has two direct relatives of the entire Beijing camp system. Any more will arouse the vigilance of the courtiers and the emperor, at least it is not suitable now.
However, if Jiang Zining is left to continue to guard Datong, the generals will still be unable to lose their power. This has advantages and disadvantages.
As for Ping'an Prefecture, the title of Jiedu Envoy will be removed, and General Xie Jing will be promoted to a third-rank garrison envoy, leading troops and horses to sit in charge.
To select the general commander of Taiyuan Town, we still need to select good generals.
What kind of young general from the Jia family is still far from enough to hold up the important posts.
Li Zan thought for a while and said: "In this way, the generals of the northern border town have been roughly decided. The only thing left is to determine the number of troops and refine the soldiers. After these changes, I hope that the atmosphere of the northern border town will become completely new. .”
In just a few words, the two military and aircraft ministers selected the generals for the entire northern border guard. As for the Nan'an County Prince, he did not participate in the northern war and naturally had no say.
Jia Heng said: "That's what it means. However, due to the surrender of Chahar Mongolia, Xuan Da and the two regions should be regarded as Ping vassal. In the future, the focus of defense will still be on Jizhen and Beiping Dusi."
Li Zan nodded and said: "The defensive pressure in Xuanda and Dazhou will be lighter in the future."
This time he was deeply impressed. Not a single Jurchen entered the country from Xuanda and Dazhou, and the eastern front he was responsible for, Juyong Pass and Qiangzi Pass, were successively breached, and the Jurchen troops came to the city.
After Jia Heng and Li Zan finished discussing the matter, they didn't stay much longer, but returned to the official office used for entertaining.
This was the former residence of a merchant in Peiping, which was temporarily converted into a residence for Jia Heng, the Pinglu general.
Jia Heng entered the hall, looked at the girl in brocade and flying fish clothes, and asked, "Xiaoxiao."
Chen Xiaoning looked at it, her clear eyes sparkling, and asked, "Has the negotiation been concluded?"
Jia Heng nodded and said: "We have roughly finalized the candidates for the border affairs general arrangement, and the rest is to organize and eliminate the Peiping Dusi and Jizhen soldiers and horses."
Chen Xiao thought for a while and said softly: "This is not a day's work."
Jia Heng said: "In a few days, we may return to Beijing with our troops. After bringing back the soldiers and horses, we can then organize the border affairs of the nine borders and the provincial armies of the provinces."
It is estimated that the emperor can't wait to see the head of the slave chief Taiji.
Chen Xiaoqing's eyes showed thoughtfulness and asked: "You didn't want to use the navy to attack the Jurchen country, but you wanted to remove the Shandong admiral and reorganize the Denglai navy and the Shandong army?"
Jia Heng nodded and said: "But Lu Qi is the admiral of a province after all. If he is replaced, he needs to find a reason. The ineffective rescue this time and the delay in fighting are originally a crime."
"Lu Qi has a lot of leverage in Shandong. He has support from people in the government and his local foundation is not shallow." Chen Xiao explained.
Jia Heng turned to look at Chen Xiao and asked, "Is it related to the White Lotus Sect?"
Chen Xiao shook his head and said, "Behind Lu Qi is the Qi Party, and he is also related by marriage to the descendant of Qufu, Shandong."
Jia Heng frowned, with a cold expression on his face, and said, "Shenggong Yan? It is said that the Kong family has vast hectares of fertile land and bullies men and women in the local fish and meat village."
It can be said that the Confucius family in Qufu, who is the descendant of Confucius Sheng, is like a parasite of the dynasty. Since this dynasty, they have also been granted the title of Duke without merit.
According to the history of parallel time and space, when the Qing army entered the customs, the Kong family took the lead in shaving their hair and changing clothes. Needless to say, among the eight major Shanxi merchants, the Kong family also led the way.
If there is a chance, we will catch all the parasites in this country.
Chen Xiao's delicate brows were slightly frowned, and her voice was as clear and cold as melted ice and snow, and she said: "They also gathered bandits, and they used it in secret. Even if the local officials knew about it, they would not dare to arrest them."
As a saint in the White Lotus Sect, she has been living in Shandong for many years, so she naturally knows a lot about some of the activities of the Confucius family.
Jia Heng's eyes were filled with coldness, and he said: "The Kong family is not engaged in production, and they received the title of nobility in vain, but they have no intention of serving the country. This is causing harm to the countryside. It is really a cancer for me."
Chen Xiao reminded in a low voice: "The Kong family is admired by scholars all over the world and is regarded as sacred. It is not advisable to act rashly."
Jia Heng said: "It's not yet time to deal with the Kong family. Let's look for an opportunity before making further calculations."
Chen Xiao said: "Fei Ge just sent a message to report that Qu Lang has already asked people to investigate the eight major Shanxi merchants gathered in Taiyuan Fucheng, and is about to ask how to deal with it."
Originally, not all the eight major Shanxi merchants gathered in Taiyuan Mansion, because the imperial court purchased logistics and military supplies, so several family heads gradually gathered in Taiyuan Mansion.
Just when Jia Heng was reorganizing border affairs in Beiping, the vast grasslands south of Songzhou, hundreds of miles away from the capital of Beiping, were full of green grass and wind.
A large number of soldiers carrying banners arrived at Songzhou and camped on the grassland in the evening. Military tents were set up like stars.
Daishan, his father and son Yue Tuo, and Hauge, who led the Zhenglan Banner, were temporarily stationed in a larger tent. While sending envoys to report the news to Dorgon in Datong, they were waiting for Adali and Tong Tu, the soldiers who had been cut off from the rear. The arrival of Lai, Ming'an and others.
At this time, when the military tent was filled with gloom and gloom, an assistant leader entered the tent, clasped his fists and said, "Prince Li, the generals under Prince Adali have returned with a great defeat."
When Dai Shan heard this, his expression suddenly changed, and he immediately looked at Yue Tuo aside, his old eyes full of surprise.
With Adali's bravery and the Han army's timidity, it should not have been defeated.
Hauge snorted coldly and said: "The Han army really dares to go out of the city to pursue?"
Yue Tuo stared sharply at the messenger who reported the news, and asked: "Bring the person over."
Not long after, the deputy commander-in-chief, who followed Adali to the rear, entered the military tent with a staff leader, three assistant leaders, and a total of five generals. They looked at Daishan, saluted and said, "I have seen Prince Li, Prince Su. .”
Yue Tuo frowned and asked: "Where is Adali?"
Adali is the son of Saharin, that is, the nephew of Yue Tuo, and holds the title of Saharin.
The commander looked sad and said in a low voice: "Back to the prince, a young general from the Han army in Beiping City led an attack. The prince fought with him, but was defeated by his martial arts and was killed. The incident happened in a hurry, and the general was waiting to save him. It was too late, and we fought a bloody battle with the Han army until evening, before the general and others led the troops away from the battlefield."
Hearing this, Hauge's eyes were full of anger, his face was as gloomy as iron, and he shouted coldly: "The general has been beheaded, do you still have the nerve to come back? Come on, push these defeated generals out and chop them down!"
The commander's face was pale, but he didn't dare to call for mercy, and the four generals behind him didn't dare to call for mercy either.
Just when the guard with the blue flag came out and was about to hold the commander's arm, he heard an old voice saying: "Slow down!"
The guards who were holding down the generals couldn't help but were startled and looked at the person who made the sound, it was Daishan.
Hauge frowned, cupped his hands and said, "Uncle, Adali's nephew was killed in the rebellion. These are all these people who are greedy for life and afraid of death. Our Qing Dynasty does not want such people who are greedy for life and afraid of death."
Daishan's old face showed a sad look, his voice was low, and he suppressed the sadness in his heart and said: "I know Adali's temperament. He is competitive and unwilling to admit defeat. He will fight with Han generals and lose his life. It is also because he is not good at martial arts. Although these generals have committed crimes, they are able to bring back the soldiers and horses, so their sins can be offset."
Now the Qing Dynasty has lost many soldiers, from Duduo who was good at conquering and fighting to his son Shuo Tuo, one died and the other was imprisoned. Now Adali also died in the army. If he sacrifices the butcher knife to his own people again, There is no such thing as committing suicide.
Hauge's eyes flashed, a look of reverence appeared on his proud face, he cupped his hands and said, "My nephew admires my uncle's magnanimity."
At this time, Yue Tuo looked at the governor with cold eyes and shouted: "You can avoid the death penalty, but you cannot escape the living penalty. Someone comes, give them thirty lashes, and leave them in front of the army to listen to."
After hearing this, the deputy general kowtowed again and said, "Thank you so much, Your Majesty, and thank you so much, Your Majesty. Even if we are broken into pieces, we will never be able to repay Your Majesty and Your Majesty's grace for sparing our lives."
The other generals and commanders behind him also thanked him profusely and kowtowed.
When all the generals left, Dai Shan saw grief and anger on his face, tears glistening in his old eyes, and said angrily: "In this battle, our Qing Dynasty lost troops and generals, which is a national shame!"
What is it if it’s not a national humiliation? Even the emperor of the Qing Dynasty was buried in Ping'an Prefecture, and his body was found in a different place. It can be said that the entire Qing Dynasty was like mourning an heir, with a gloomy cloud.
Hauge's eyes flashed, and he took Daishan's arm to comfort him: "Uncle, you still need to look forward."
When they returned to Shengjing, there was still competition for that chair, and the two red flags held by my uncle and Yue Tuo brothers, plus his Zhenglan flag, would have the upper hand against Dorgon's two white flags.
Yue Tuo comforted him and said: "Father, when we can regroup and take control of the Central Plains, we can just sacrifice the head of Marquis Yongning of the Han Dynasty to the Emperor."
Daishan sighed heavily, tears welling up in his old eyes, and his heart was extremely melancholy.
At this moment, an assistant leader strode into the military tent, clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, Prince Rui's envoy has arrived."
After many days of rapid march, Dorgon gathered Huang Taiji's body and led his troops to Songzhou.
(End of chapter)
