Chapter 346 The unpredictable battlefield
"If I don't tell you this a second time, I will be out here, and your life will be compromised..."
"this..."
The eunuch was embarrassed, and Zhang Yuan said again: "Father, the Northern Army has nearly 600,000 people in Gaoyou. If we abandon Yangzhou, the canals and waterways are not guaranteed, the Northern Army can take advantage of the situation."
"This slave knows this, but His Majesty..."
"Bang..." Zhang Gaoping grabbed the eunuch by the collar: "Where is Liang Fan's army?"
"My lord, please calm down, calm down..."
"Commander..."
Everyone stepped forward to persuade him. After all, he was an angel and could not be offended.
Zhang Gaoping angrily let go of the eunuch, and then sat on the commander's seat: "Does Liang Fan want to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight? Or do you think that the title of King Liang that His Majesty has given him is not enough?"
No one dared to answer this. Although everyone knew that Chen Cao had been rebelling before they rebelled, others always regarded Ming Dynasty as Zhengshuo and had never heard of changing dynasties.
Now everyone in the Nanjing court knew the strength of Liang Fan. Even the Northern Dynasty was also afraid of Liang Fan, otherwise they would not have given Chen Cao a prince at the same time.
"It is reported that the Liang Fan tribe gathered Song Che and nearly 100,000 people in Zhenjiang."
Zhang Gaoping took a sip of tea and then stared at the eunuch: "It is rumored that Li Wanchang surrendered to the Northern Army. What did your Majesty say?"
The eunuch bowed obediently: "There are ministers in the court who have proposed to wipe out Marshal Li's family, but there are still ministers who insist on not touching the general's family until there is no definite news."
"Ha... wipe out the three tribes..." Zhang Gaoping sneered, as if the eunuch in front of him was one of those ministers with bad ideas: "Does your Majesty think that Nanjing is impregnable and that the Southern Army can capture Beijing within a year?"
The eunuch was shocked when he heard this and his body started to tremble...
Zhang Yuan clasped his fists and looked at Zhang Gaoping with a solemn look on his face.
Zhang Gaoping then said: "Go back, Liang Fan will not sit idly by and watch. I will also sit in Yangzhou and guard the northern gate for Your Majesty."
The eunuch was relieved and immediately saluted and ran out of the Yamen as if in a panic.
Only then did Zhang Yuan speak: "Commander, you are so impulsive..."
Zhang Gaoping didn't care at all: "The late emperor would never be like this. Now His Majesty is frightened. As long as Li Wanchang is not dead, Nanjing will not be lost, and Liang Fan will not sit back and watch Nanjing be besieged."
Of course, Chen Cao would not sit back and watch Nanjing be besieged, so he ordered the troops to assemble two days after the eunuch who delivered the message left, and rotated troops to Zhenjiang, with the ten divisions of the Longwu Army as the main force.
The train was fully opened to Danyang at the end of last year. Even on the way there, Chen Cao saw that platforms and watchtowers were still being built along the way. Maybe it would be completed by the end of this year.
"Thanks for your hard work..."
Chen Cao patted Song Che on the shoulder: "I went to see my nephew before I left. He looks pretty good."
Song Che clasped his fists: "My lord, I will be very grateful for your concern."
"You and I don't have to be so at odds. How is the battle going?"
Song Che said: "Yesterday's military report showed that Yang He's Qin army has crossed the Xijiangkou and will attack Dasheng Pass soon. Also, Li Wanchang has arrived in Nanjing."
"He's not dead?"
Song Che shook his head: "No, I heard that when he was crossing the river after the defeat, his boat was hit by the Qin army's artillery and fell into the river. Fortunately, he was good at water and had the forethought to remove his armor when crossing the river. That’s why I didn’t drown in the river.”
Chen Cao nodded thoughtfully and fell into the water wearing armor. Not even the gods could save him. He couldn't help but admire Li Wanchang's alertness.
"The man was lucky. He used the broken sampan to swim down the river and floated directly outside Nanjing. He was discovered by a patrol boat and was rescued."
"Have you received the imperial edict?"
Song Che laughed and said, "My lord, don't believe it. The imperial court made me a marquis just to allow me to send troops into Nanjing."
"You didn't agree?" Chen Cao raised his eyebrows.
"Hi..."
"Hahaha..."
Everyone behind him was envious. Commander Song was the prince's confidant...
The two chatted and laughed all the way until they entered the palace of General Pingbei in Danyang.
"Does the Fourth Division have all its uniforms changed?"
"The equipment change was completed at the end of last year, and every one of my soldiers couldn't put it down after getting the rifle."
At this point, Song Che's energy and energy came to him. It was also the Dingwu Army, but all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Divisions were equipped with rifles, but they were nearly a year late.
At this stage, in Liang Fan, those who own rifles are elite troops.
Tang Kainian is also looking good. Four divisions of the Longwu Army under his command have been equipped with rifles, and there will be three more divisions rotated this year. Now he can be said to have strong troops.
"If Li Wanchang is here, I will not enter Nanjing City. Besides, I stopped kneeling on my knees a few years ago."
Everyone present knew it and laughed at each other. Chen Cao continued: "Shixiu led the fourth division into Nanjing City to assist in the defense. If the emperor asks, just say that I have just returned from the expedition to Korea and have been ill." The field will come when it’s ready.”
Not to kneel to Zhu Yousong was his purpose, and in order to win over Chen Cao, Zhu Yousong just promoted Chen Cao into the ranks of princes, and even gave him a surname.
Zhu Cao, this name is really unpleasant...
.
"Your Majesty, General Song Che of the Liang Domain has entered the city from Qilin Gate with more than 10,000 people."
"Is Chen Cao here?"
Sun Dewen shook his head: "Back to Your Majesty, King Liang sent someone to report that he was ill during the expedition to Korea. He will come when he recovers."
Everyone in the palace knew this, and a censor was not angry. He immediately came out and loudly said: "Your Majesty, the reason why the King of Liang did not come to resist the decree is because he has despised Your Majesty. I want to impeach King Chen Cao of Liang for his transgression."
Is this guy crazy?
Many people looked at the censor in surprise. Several big bosses from the Metropolitan Procuratorate had cold eyes. After exchanging glances, they vowed to remove this harmful person.
Zhu Yousong was stunned, and then said: "Now that the country is in a difficult situation, why don't you think of ways to serve the country and impeach important ministers?"
"Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Emperor Taizu Gao, why have there been any kings with different surnames? Even so, there is Liezi over at Xiaoling..."
The example of Xiaoling mentioned by the censor is Xu Da, the king of Zhongshan. This person was named king as a founding hero, and he was also a posthumous prince.
"Your Majesty, although the Yinjian of the former Tang Dynasty is far away, it is enough to serve as a warning to those who come after..."
As he said that, the censor knelt down, touched his head to the ground, and rang his head several times. Even the floor was covered with blood: "For the sake of the Ming Dynasty, I beg your majesty to take back your life..."
This is a death remonstrance. There were officials who gave death remonstrances in the Ming Dynasty, but they only appeared in the Yongle, Zhengde, Jiajing, and Wanli dynasties. Without exception, they were seeking fame.
And now...
Everyone was silent, no one wanted to come forward, even the big bosses of the Metropolitan Procuratorate were staring at their toes, wishing they could count every line of their boots.
Zhu Yousong, the young emperor, was no match for these people, so he looked at Li Wanchang below.
Li Wanchang found that the emperor was looking at him, and felt a little embarrassed, so he handed over his hand and said: "Your Majesty, now that we are facing a powerful enemy, it is the time for the court to unite and face the outside world. We must not do anything that is beneficial to our opponents."
This is against the current handling of Chen Cao.
The censor's head was covered with blood, and he turned to look at Li Wanchang with a terrifying look: "Mr. Chang Guo, you are raising a tiger for trouble. The Northern Dynasty is a lesson for us."
"enough..."
Zhu Yousong scolded: "This matter is put on hold and cannot be discussed further."
Zhu Yousong also rarely lost his temper. After going to court, he only asked Li Wanchang to receive Song Che, but he met several close ministers in the Qianqing Palace.
After a round of abuse, Huang Guangwei, a bachelor, said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. The former Tang Dynasty was indeed feeding a tiger by banishing Li Keyong, but the purpose was also to contain Zhu Wen. However, both of them were ambitious, and the former Tang Dynasty eventually ruined its great country." In my own hands.”
Qin Weimin originally did not want to serve as an official, but Zhu Yousong gave him the status of the Minister of Rites and the Bachelor of Wenhua Palace as soon as he came up, so that he, who had experienced three dynasties in Nanjing academic affairs, had to become an official: "Your Majesty, Chen Cao's wolf ambition is obvious, but Changguo The Duke's words are also very reasonable. Now that the Northern Army is pressing the border, An Guogong's army is stationed in Yangzhou again, and Chang Guogong is newly defeated. The defense is sufficient but the initiative is not enough. Therefore, Liang Fan's army is very important to the court. "
It was also a chance that Ma Shiying, the Minister of Personnel, became an official. If the officials of the Tianqi Dynasty in Nanjing were not very willing to serve, Ma Shiying would not have such a good opportunity: "Shi Kefa also said these words to the old minister."
Zhu Yousong looked at Ma Shiying: "That doctor from the Ministry of Finance?"
"It's this person..."
Ma Shiying decided to recommend Shi Kefa: "The veteran recommended Shi Kefa to serve in the Ministry of War."
Zhu Yousong looked at Xue Fengxiang, Minister of the Ministry of War: "What does the Ministry of War think?"
Xue Fengxiang was the left minister of the Ministry of War of the Tianqi Dynasty. Chongzhen was demoted to Nanjing at the beginning and replaced the original Qi Boyu. After Zhu Yousong came to power, he promoted him from minister to minister: "Old ministers have also heard of Shi Kefa."
This is recognition.
Zhu Yousong said: "Transfer him to the Ministry of War as a doctor."
"The veteran recommended him as the Left Minister of the Ministry of War..."
Zhu Yousong was stunned, and Xue Fengxiang was also stunned. You, a fifth-rank doctor who was transferred to the Ministry of War, actually became a third-rank minister?
Live promotion?
Seeing Ma Shiying's sworn look, Zhu Yousong looked at Xue Fengxiang: "Ministry of War?"
Xue Fengxiang didn't care. He was old. Although he was demoted, he still knew his reputation, so he nodded: "Both the ministers on the left and right are vacant, and Shi Kefa has deep experience and has considerable insights into military matters. The veteran thinks so."
If something happens to the recommended person, the recommending person must also bear responsibility. This is the recommendation system, so Xue Fengxiang agreed. When Zhu Yousong also saw that Ma Shiying was willing to recommend, he nodded: "Since it is the person recommended by Aiqing, I should use it seriously." , came and conveyed the order, Jin Shi Kefa was appointed as the Left Minister of the Ministry of War."
"Your Majesty..." A chamberlain stood outside the royal gate of Qianqing Palace: "Your Majesty, Duke Chang Guo sent someone to report that Song Che of Liang Fan was stationed in the outer city with more than 18,000 people. Duke Chang Guo asked to report At which gate will Your Majesty place them for defense?"
Zhu Yousong looked at Ma Shiying, who handed over his hand: "Ande Gate and Fengtai Gate are opposite Dasheng Pass, which is the most important."
Zhu Yousong nodded: "Send the order and order Song Che to lead his army to station at Ande Gate and Fengtai Gate."
"According to the decree..."
