Hong Chengchou sat back on the Taishi's chair, looking down at Chen Wang condescendingly, and slowly recalled various things about Chen Wang.
Chen Wang, a soldier in the first year of Chongzhen, has been fighting Cao Wenzhao for more than eight years. He was promoted to a personal guard in the third year of Chongzhen. He is only twenty-five years old now, only one year younger than Cao Bianjiao.
He was born in the Chen family in Guangning, Liaodong, a small and medium-sized clan. There are not many such clans in Liaodong.
In the second year of Tianqi, Guangning fell, and he moved into the pass with his brigade.
His father was the commander-in-chief of the Liaodong camp. In the second year of Tianqi, he accompanied General Hei Yunhe to guard Xiping Fort.
Because Xiping guard general Luo Guangyuan failed to wait for help, Xiping Fort was destroyed and died in Xiping Fort.
His mother was born in the Hu family in Guangning. The Chen and Hu families have been friends for generations for a hundred years. There are many intermarriages between the two families, and they have close relations with each other.
Chen Wang also has a younger brother named Chen Gong. They are one year apart. When they were young, they studied and practiced martial arts together in the clan school.
When Cao Wenzhao was serving as a guerrilla in Liaodong, he had good relations with the Chen and Hu families. Therefore, many of the children of the two families joined Cao Wenzhao as servants.
He is famous for his bravery in the army. In the army, there are seven-level Jinjia soldiers and thirty-two rogue leaders.
Hong Chengchou raised his eyebrows slightly and gently raised his hand to signal Chen Wang to stand up.
He has a very good memory, and he remembers Chen Wang's life clearly.
"When I was in Jingyang, I heard Wen Zhao mention you, saying that you are brave and extraordinary, and you are outstanding for your kind. It seems that it is true today."
Hong Chengchou looked at Chen Wang thoughtfully, but his tone and expression did not show it at all. Instead, he showed a little joy and praised.
The generals in the tent also turned their attention to Chen Wang because of Hong Chengchou's words.
Chen Wang's heart moved slightly. Hong Chengchou's tone sounded correct, but he still didn't dare to relax at all and said modestly.
"A humble position is nothing more than a humble one. It depends on the support of the general and the trust of the military to achieve such a status. Only by fighting hard on the battlefield can we achieve results."
Hong Chengchou's expression remained normal, but he felt something was wrong in his heart.
If this sentence were spoken by Sun Shoufa, it would be extremely normal for Zhang Quanchang, He Renlong, and Zuo Liangyu, but it would be abnormal for Chen Wang to say it.
When Chen Wangchu entered the tent, Hong Chengchou clearly felt the vitality in Chen Wang, which was completely different from the others.
But what he says now and what he does doesn't show any arrogance and energy that belong to young people, nor does he show any vitality.
"Li Yangchun and Lin Shengquan caused trouble in one area and caused harm to many places. They have always been a thorn in the side of the imperial court..."
Hong Chengchou's eyes were deep, and he did not relax at all. He kept his tone gentle, thinking secretly as he spoke.
There was no problem with Chen Wang's resume, and there was no problem in his life. Until the eighth year of Chongzhen, there was no problem anywhere.
The turning point came after the Battle of Qiutou Town. At that time, Chen Wang suddenly showed his commanding ability. It was also from that time that Cao Wenzhao began to use Chen Wang.
First he was promoted to Chief Hundred, then General Manager, then Chief Thousand, and then he became a guerrilla with a great victory in the battle of Chunhua.
The seal of Chen Wang's guerrilla movement was personally issued by Hong Chengchou.
Hong Chengchou asked Gao Jie clearly. He originally thought that Gao Jie took the initiative to look for Chen Wang in the Battle of Chunhua, but he did not expect that it was Chen Wang who took the initiative to find Gao Jie.
Hong Chengchou still remembers what Cao Wenzhao said when he recommended Chen Wang.
"He leads the troops in drills, marches, and fights in formation, just like the soldiers of Zhejiang in the past, with perfect form and meaning."
"Capturing the form and meaning" refers to the form and meaning of the Zhejiang soldiers under Zeng Jin Qi Jiguang. These last four words are undoubtedly the highest praise.
At that time, the Zhejiang soldiers trained by Qi Jiguang were invincible and outstanding.
Hong Chengchou knew Cao Wenzhao very well. Cao Wenzhao was good at dealing with people and had both sides, but he would never exaggerate about someone or something.
When Cao Bianjiao first became an official, Cao Wenzhao's evaluation of him was not as good as Chen Wang's evaluation.
Cao Wenzhao's evaluation of Cao Bianjiao was "more than enough bravery, but lack of caution."
From the time he went to Chunhua, Chen Wang showed his talents as more than just a guerrilla.
"Now you can add two more achievements to your list of achievements. Counting the previous achievements in annihilating Li Guo, these three achievements are enough to be promoted to the rank of general."
After Hong Chengchou finished speaking, the atmosphere in the Chinese military tent also condensed, and everyone's eyes were focused on Chen Wang.
The twenty-five-year-old general can definitely be called young, and for a person who does not have a prominent family background.
Cao Bianjiao was promoted to the rank of general at the age of twenty-two, but he was an exception and not an ordinary person.
None of the generals in the tent noticed Hong Chengchou's secret thoughts. They just lamented that Cao Wenzhao's line had another capable general and his position was more stable.
But Chen Wang was keenly aware that Hong Chengchou seemed to be wary of him.
Chen Wang did not raise his head, but still stood with his hands solemnly. Hong Chengchou's eyes were like a falcon. Just being looked at Chen Wang made him feel uncomfortable all over, and he felt like his heart was being seen through.
"Serving the country and suppressing the bandits is the duty of our military attachés. The battle between Ning and Qiang is not the work of just one person in a humble position. Only the Hanzhong Prefecture's internal defense office and the prefectures and counties can provide assistance, so that the battle can be completed."
Chen Wang lowered his head again and said what he had planned in advance.
Hong Chengchou narrowed his eyes and said nothing. What Chen Wang said was all for the occasion, but it was impossible for him to ask more deeply on such an occasion.
Moreover, he was just speculating on what Chen Wang was doing now without any solid evidence.
He also knew whether it was recruiting troops from among the surrendered soldiers, keeping most of the captured soldiers, or sending Hu Zhiyi to Liaodong to find relatives to serve as servants.
This does not constitute any crime, because as long as you become an officer, you must recruit servants from within the fifth server, because only your own relatives can entrust you with important tasks.
Although Cao Wenzhao ordered him to stay away from Datong, except for a small number of his servants who were descendants of the Chen and Hu clans, more of his servants were from the Cao clan of Datong and shared the same clan.
Chen Wang is just doing what everyone else is doing.
These are normal actions. Such things are reasonable and agreed upon.
Although Chen Wang selected his troops from hungry soldiers rather than from elite cavalry and horse troops, this was completely opposite to the other generals.
But Hong Chengchou also read the two books "New Book of Ji Xiao" and "Records of Military Training". He knew very well that Chen Wang learned his army selection and training methods from this book.
Qi Jiguang did not hide his secrets and wrote down all his understanding of military training and combat in the book.
But trying to do it all is extremely difficult for a general.
Qi Jun's military training method is very good, and all the generals in the court are clear-minded.
But everyone abandoned it, why?
Financial problems are the biggest problem, because it is impossible for the imperial court to issue sufficient food and salary, so how can they pay it to the soldiers below?
What's more, even if the full amount is paid out, how can these generals support their families and maintain a wealthy life?
The second reason is that what Qi Jiguang trained in his military training was public soldiers, not private soldiers.
Nowadays, all the battalions in the country have servants as the main body, and the rest of the regular soldiers are subordinates.
However, the military training methods used by Qi Jiguang and such a system are mutually exclusive.
Regarding Chen Wang's choice, Hong Chengchou just felt that he was not afraid of tigers as a newborn, and had not yet experienced the hardships of officialdom and knew the hardships of the world.
The combat power of the public soldiers is indeed strong. As the law of military training says, although there are thousands of troops, they are only like one person. Only in this way can we be invincible in the world!
However, the disadvantage is that if there are no servants in the headquarters, there will be no guarantee at all after the transfer order is issued, and after promotion and appointment, there is even a risk of being left out.
There are always people who think that the generals at the end of the Ming Dynasty were fools, but in fact, most people have a clear mirror in their hearts, it's just that people can't help themselves in the court.
Hong Chengchou knew that Chen Wang had obtained the property looted by Li Zicheng, but the property would eventually be used up.
Moreover, doesn’t Chen Wang have any selfish motives?
The current total assets of the Chen and Hu clans only amount to 10,000 taels, and Chen Wang's gains in Chunhua definitely exceed 100,000 taels.
Could it be that he, Chen Wang, would not be moved and would not want to keep it in his pocket to improve the family environment and adjust his own life, but instead use it to support the country's soldiers?
Hong Chengchou had already gotten the answer from Cao Wenzhao as to why Chen Wang went to Hanzhong Mansion.
"I went to Hanzhong for military training."
"Running back and forth, constantly going back and forth, the soldiers will be exhausted. No one will judge the merits of the victory. If the defeat is defeated, all the blame will be placed on them."
"I want to train an elite army in my humble position, and then rush to Liaodong to expel..."
Hanzhong Prefecture is located in the middle and is relatively isolated from other prefectures. The situation in the prefecture began to collapse a few years ago, and the banditry in the prefecture has not been solved for a long time.
After entering Hanzhong Prefecture, you can probably stay in Hanzhong Prefecture for a long time to fight. You don't have to travel to several provinces and prefectures, and you can concentrate on training your troops.
Hong Chengchou knew the reason why Cao Wenzhao took the initiative to go to Fengxiang Mansion to suppress the remaining party members.
After Cao Wenzhao met Chen Wang in Baoji, he already explained the situation to him when he returned to his hometown, and wrote down all the questions and answers between the two on paper.
Many generals in Liaodong have forgotten the blood feud, but most Liaodong people have not forgotten it. The vision of restoring the land still takes root in the hearts of many Liaodong people.
Hanzhong Mansion is indeed a good place to go. Although there are a lot of thieves in the mansion, they are not extremely vicious or powerful.
Compared to Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong and others, those people like Skywarp are just a group of little thieves who cannot make any waves.
In Hanzhong Mansion, not only can you safely train with these thieves, but you can also gain considerable military exploits.
As a military general, it is normal to have other thoughts in mind, such as preserving strength and making money.
Chen Wang had such an idea, and his foresight was beyond that of most people. Even he didn't figure out why Chen Wang wanted to go to Hanzhong at first.
However, although he knew why Chen Wang wanted to go to Hanzhong, he still felt that things were not that simple.
Many of the things Chen Wang did were normal when presented individually, but when they were all connected together, it felt inexplicably unclear.
Hong Chengchou's eyes were cold and he said calmly.
"Since Li Yangchun, Lin Shengquan, and Li Guo have been executed, and the Ningqiang and Lueyang bandits have been put down, you can lead the troops back to Xi'an first."
"Now the situation in Yan'an is in chaos, Li Zicheng and other troops have returned to Shaanxi, and Shang Luo's generation of thieves has taken over, all of which need to be dealt with."
There were so many doubts about Chen Wang that it was difficult to sort them out for a while, but Hong Chengchou now has a simpler way to deal with them.
Since there is no clue to know Chen Wang's true intention, then don't think about the whole story and just use the authority in your hands to directly transfer him back to Xi'an Mansion.
"You lead the troops back from Hanzhong and go straight to Shangluo to put down the rebellion."
Hong Chengchou's eyebrows relaxed, and during the conversation, he had thought everything clearly in his mind.
No matter what Chen Wang is thinking, it doesn't matter what he wants to achieve.
As a camp general, Chen Wang is now just a guerrilla. He has only two thousand soldiers in the camp, and only more than four thousand including the auxiliary soldiers. No matter what, he can't overturn the Ming Dynasty.
After figuring out the key, Hong Chengchou's mind returned to calmness again, and he regained his composure.
He saw a trace of astonishment flash across Chen Wang's face, and his expression slowly turned a little embarrassed. However, just a moment later, Chen Wang's head lowered for a moment and then returned to normal again. .
"I will obey the orders of the military commander!"
In the audience, Chen Wang bowed down again.
Hong Chengchou's eyes slowed down a little.
Thinking back carefully, he found that Chen Wang was still too young and did not do many things well enough.
Whether it was going to Hanzhong or all the planning, they were all too taken for granted and not subtle enough.
Thinking about it this way, Chen Wang is smart enough, but lacks experience. In fact, he can only be regarded as an above-average person at best.
Hong Chengchou slowly stood up, calmed down his expression, regained his dignity, and looked around at the generals in the tent.
"In the past few months, we have fought fierce battles with the enemy in Sanyuan, Jingyang, Hanzhong, Pingliang, Fengxiang and other places. All military achievements have been handed over to the Ministry of War and will be rewarded soon."
"Today, in all of Shaanxi, only three places, Hancheng, Yan'an and Shangluo, still have remaining bandits."
"Those who serve the country will never be grudged by the imperial court in terms of rewards, titles, titles, and wives."
"Today, everyone will go back to the military camp to gather the three armies. Tomorrow, we will make food at the fourth watch. We will break up camp at the fifth watch and march eastwards!"
Hong Chengchou stood with his sword in his hand, his eyebrows raised and his eyes cold.
After the words fell, all the generals in the tent stood up together and responded to the order with a bang.
Chen Wang lowered his head again and accepted the order.
After Hong Chengchou gave the order, he distributed the tasks concisely and concisely.
Chen Wang had already received the order first. He was going to return to Hanzhong to lead troops to suppress the bandits in the Shangluo area in the south of Xi'an Prefecture. He received the flag order and withdrew directly from the Chinese army's tent after receiving permission.
Before leaving, Chen Wang had been frowning, but after he left the camp on his horse, there was no trace of sadness on Chen Wang's face.
Chen Wang was riding on a war horse, followed closely by a group of personal guards. He looked back at the vast Miyuan Camp not far away, and then turned around and looked at the camp not far in front of him that looked dilapidated due to the war. Miyuan Cheng's eyes showed a little coldness.
Hong Chengchou summoned him to Sanyuan this time and was very wary of him. He even sent people to investigate his clan.
Cao Wenzhao had already told him all this. When he was in Baoji, Cao Wenzhao had already made it clear that he would relay some of his words to Hong Chengchou, and Hong Chengchou might summon him in person later.
It was precisely because of Cao Wenzhao's reminder that Chen Wang had a plan for this question and answer and had already made a plan in advance.
That's why Chen Wangcai specifically chose the beginning of December to kill Li Yangchun and Lin Shengquan, and come back with their heads.
Previously, Hong Chengchou ordered him to lead troops back to Xi'an Mansion to quell Shang Luo's bandits. His appearance of difficulty and embarrassment was just an act, just to make Hong Chengchou think he had control of the situation.
Chen Wang's eyes became colder and colder. The twists and turns he experienced this time made him understand a lot of things.
Many things are not as simple as they appear. Never treat other people as idiots or ignorant people.
Who are the people who can leave their names in history? Those who regard such people as fools are the real fools themselves.
They are all living, real people, and they all have their own thoughts and will.
Chen Wang knew very well that the road he was going to take was an extremely dangerous one. On this road, he must not take it lightly and must always be cautious.
Because as long as you are not careful, you will fall into the abyss!
(End of chapter)
