In the early winter afternoon, the sun shines into the yard, dispelling the cold and spreading warmth.
In the late Southern Song Dynasty, the climate was warm, and the early winter in Hanzhong was not too cold. The temperature was around ten degrees, and could reach more than 20 degrees in the afternoon. It was very different from the cold Shaanxi north of the Qinling Mountains.
In the flowerbed in the middle of the yard, several clusters of chrysanthemums are blooming, as white as snow, as golden as brilliant, and as red as fire.
Zhao Hong especially likes red chrysanthemums, which are full of passion and unrestrained life, giving courage to humble hearts and the courage to fight against the cruel external world.
Many times, people are imprisoned by reality and lack the courage to break free from difficulties and constraints.
If everything goes as usual, the Song-Meng war is about to break out. He is sitting in Hanzhong and supervising the war here. Does he have to do some things personally?
Let Yu Jie, Cao Youwen, and Lu Wende face these things. Why should he do it personally?
Also, why didn't he defend the enemy outside the country and fight it out with the Torres in Shaanxi, instead of working hard to set up a layout in Hanzhong?
In the final analysis, he still lacks courage and the courage to face failure.
Victory is easy to say, there are flowers in bloom, and there is harmony. But if defeated, with the impact capability of the Mongolian army, the northwest frontier army is likely to be severely damaged, or even depressed, and it will be difficult to recover for several years.
This may be the reason why he hesitated and came to Hanzhong in person.
"Your Majesty, Chen Longzhi is waiting in the lobby. He said he has something important to report."
Dong Songchen came in and reported to Zhao Hong softly.
Seeing Zhao Hong's confused look, Dong Songchen quickly reported:
"Your Majesty, it seems something happened at Wuxiuguan. Pan Fu, the guard of Wuxiuguan, is also here."
Dong Songchen's words gave Zhao Hong an ominous thought.
Pan Fu, the guard of Wuxiuguan, appeared in Xingyuan Fucheng. Could something really happen to Wuxiuguan?
That is an impregnable pass!
"Your Majesty, in the heavy fog in early winter, the Tatar army took the opportunity to sneak into the pass, and then used thunder to blast open the gate. Tens of thousands of troops rushed in with sharp firearms. There is nothing the general can do!"
Pan Fu, the commander of Wu Xiuguan, knelt in the lobby and reported to Zhao Hong with a trembling voice.
For the loss of troops, we can only blame the weather and the Mongolian army's firearms.
"Your Majesty, this should be the work of the Han army under the command of Liu Heima, a large Tatar army. There are 1,500 people who retreated from Wuxiuguan to Hanzhong. The rest of the soldiers may not be able to come back."
Chen Longzhi glanced at Zhao Hong, whose face was ashen, and said something to the side with a dark face.
Before the army could fight, they lost Wuxiuguan, which was easy to defend but difficult to attack, and lost more than 2,000 soldiers. It's no wonder that Zhao Hong's face looks ugly.
"Your Majesty, Lieutenant General Ming Xinchengming blew up the closed baggage warehouse and burned the gunpowder and firearms. He asked me to report to Your Majesty that he is worthy of the Jinling Lecture Hall and your Majesty's teachings!"
Xue Xiaoyu reported to Zhao Hong with tears in his eyes.
"Ming Xincheng? A student of the third phase of the Jinling Lecture Hall!"
Zhao Hong nodded slightly, his expression softening a lot.
The officers of the Jinling Martial Arts Hall finally made him proud again.
"Pan Fu, was this the baggage firearm that you ordered to explode?"
Zhao Hong looked at Pan Fu, whose head and face were bandaged, and asked warmly.
Being attacked by the Mongolian army, it would be a good idea to destroy the firearms before withdrawing, so as not to leave the country's most important weapons to the Mongolian army.
Zhao Hong was thinking about whether Pan Fu could be promoted.
"Your Majesty, this..."
Pan Fu glanced at Xue Xiaoyu and said nothing.
"Your Majesty, it was Vice Admiral Ming's decision. At that time, Commander Pan had already... left."
Xue Xiaoyu replied with clasped fists, almost blurting out the word "escape".
"What?"
Zhao Hong glanced at Xue Xiaoyu in surprise, then his eyes returned to Pan Fu and began to become cold and stern.
Needless to say, the general was not brave enough, so he was leaderless and suffered countless casualties.
How could such a mediocre person serve as the guard of Wuxiuguan?
"Pan Fu, as the guard of Wuxiu Pass, you were attacked by the Tatar army and then fled in a hurry without making any resistance arrangements. Do you know your guilt?"
Chen Longzhi pointed at Pan Fu and scolded him angrily.
As the guard of Lizhou West Road, he immediately ran to Xingyuanfu City where the emperor was on Lizhou East Road after losing the pass. The purpose of saving his life was too strong.
He probably also knew that once he went to Mianzhou, he would be beheaded directly by his superior officer Lu Wende.
"I also want to resist, but the Tatar army is too powerful to resist. I have no choice but to do it without careful consideration. Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
Pan Fu knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead making a "bang bang" sound when it hit the ground.
"Atonement? General Pan, for the more than two thousand soldiers who were lost, who will be responsible for their deaths and injuries?"
Meng Gonghei's face turned red and he scolded Pan Fu angrily.
Zhao Hong glanced at Pan Fu coldly, then turned to Meng Gong and Chen Longzhi.
"Meng Qing, Chen Qing, in your opinion, how should Pan Fu be dealt with?"
If one soldier is frightened, the whole group will be frightened. One general is really incompetent and the three armies are exhausted!
The war is about to begin, should we kill the general before the battle to set the record straight?
How many thunders has this guy Cao Youwan laid for him?
"Your Majesty, if you run away from the battle, you should be killed according to the law. If you don't kill, the people will not be angry. If you don't kill, how can you comfort the soldiers who died in the struggle?"
Meng Gong had a dark face and an upright look, and his voice echoed in the lobby.
"Your Majesty, what General Meng said is right. Your Majesty, please make Pan Fuming an example to comfort Lieutenant General Ming and those soldiers who died in the battle!"
Chen Longzhi then spoke out.
Before Zhao Hong could speak, Pan Fu was already complaining.
"Your Majesty, there is indeed nothing we can do, and I have no choice but to withdraw our troops!"
He pointed at Meng Gong and Chen Longzhi, somewhat furious and panicked.
"Meng Gong, Mr. Chen, you and I have no grievances. You can't wrongly accuse a good person and avenge yourself!"
Pan Fu's words made Meng Gong and Chen Long blush for a moment. Zhao Hong slapped the table and shouted angrily.
"Pull Panfu out, rectify the law on the spot, and spread the word to the three armies to serve as a warning to others!"
At this time, they were shirking their responsibilities and blaming others. Not killing them would not make the people angry, and it would be difficult to face the souls of those who had surrendered to death.
"Your Majesty, please spare my life!"
Pan Fu was stunned, and then kowtowed and begged for mercy, but the guards came forward and dragged him out.
"I am guilty of appointing Pan Fu as the commander of Wuxiuguan. I feel sorry for Ming Xincheng and the soldiers who died!"
Pan Fu was dragged out, and Zhao Hong let out a long sigh.
It seems that not all generals are not afraid of death and are tough guys.
"Your Majesty, this is no one's fault. Pan Fu was once a fierce general in the frontier fortress, and he served with Cao Youwen in Ding Hainian. Unexpectedly, just a few years later, he was no longer able to fight, and he even lost his courage!"
Chen Longzhi comforted Zhao Hong in a low voice.
The battle had not started and the troops and generals had been lost, so it was no wonder that Zhao Hong was furious.
"Your Majesty, you don't need to feel guilty. Some generals are like this. They drink, indulge in wealth, and it won't take long, maybe a year or two, to become completely different and lose their fighting spirit. Although there are few generals like Pan Fu, they are inevitable. Your Majesty , things have come to this, let’s look forward.”
Meng Gong said with emotion, seeming to have some insights.
"Your Majesty, what General Meng said is absolutely true. The Tatar army will arrive in an instant, but Your Majesty has forgotten about it. At worst, he will come back again!"
Chen Longzhi echoed Meng Gong.
"Your Majesty, it is not appropriate to be sad at this moment. Your Majesty is strategizing and we will definitely avenge the vice general and the dead soldiers!"
Xue Xiaoyu clasped his fists below and said, his words sonorous and powerful.
"You are right! We must avenge all the soldiers who died in Wu Xiuguan!"
Zhao Hong nodded, with a hint of ferocity in his eyes.
A gentleman takes revenge from morning till night. Moreover, the Mongolian army has already arrived in Hanzhong, just in time for a vigorous showdown.
"Chen Qing, tell the whole army about Ming Xincheng's deeds. Ming Xincheng erected a monument at the Martyrs' Shrine for the world to pay their respects. Properly arrange for Ming Xincheng's family and arrange for pensions and food."
Zhao Hong warned carefully, and Chen Longzhi quickly listened to the order.
The emperor praised the heroes and inspired the troops, which came at the right time.
"Your Majesty, according to reports from Pan Fu and Xue Xiaoyu, the Tatar army moved south from Huayang Road and Yangming Road. Now they have broken Wuxiu Pass. It seems that the Tatar cavalry will soon arrive in Hanzhong."
Meng Gong glanced at Chen Longzhi, who understood and quickly advised:
"Your Majesty, the Tatar army is about to arrive. Your Majesty, why not withdraw to the Lizhou camp and sit in the rear. Leave this place to me, General Zhao and General Meng."
The emperor is here. If Xingyuan City is breached and the emperor is killed or captured, it will be a big joke.
"Your Majesty is the king of a country. He is connected with the country of the Song Dynasty. He has the hope of millions of soldiers and civilians. There must be no mistakes. Your Majesty, please sit at the rear so that the soldiers can kill the enemy with peace of mind!"
Zhao Shu, the commander of Xingyuan Prefecture, followed suit and persuaded him.
In case the city of Xingyuan City is destroyed, the emperor is killed or becomes a prisoner. These people are destined to die without redemption.
"What do you think I am, running away from the battlefield?"
Zhao Hong smiled slightly and shook his head.
"Can't the hundreds of thousands of Song Dynasty warriors in the northwest still be unable to protect me? If this is the case, I will have no choice but to consider myself unlucky!"
Zhao Hong waved his hand to stop the ministers from trying to dissuade him.
"I am sitting in Xingyuan City, waiting for the Tatar army to arrive. I have made up my mind, no need to say anything!"
Xingyuanfu City is strong and tall. In addition to the 10,000 soldiers in the city, there are also his 3,000 infantry and cavalry forbidden troops. Not to mention, there are at least 10,000 soldiers and civilians in the city.
With so many people and horses, relying on firearms to defend the city, there should be no problem for a month or two.
The generals and ministers had no choice but to remain silent.
The emperor is fierce, who dares to object to what he decides?
The point is, it’s useless to object.
"The war is about to break out, so everyone should defend the city. The Tatar army also has firearms, so all troops should be careful."
Zhao Hong looked at Zhao Shu and Meng Gong and warned them seriously.
It is not surprising that the Mongolian army possesses firearms. There are many craftsmen in the Mongolian army. Although hundreds of craftsmen in the Subutai army were killed in the battle of Mianzhou City four years ago, this did not affect the quantity and quality of the craftsmen in the Mongolian army, and it was not enough to make firearms. strange.
Of course, Zhao Hong has absolute confidence in his firearms.
Zhao Shu and Meng Gong quickly accepted the order, and Zhao Hong continued to ask.
"Has there been any report from Lu Wende and Jiang Wanzai?"
If the Mongolian army was really divided into two groups, the western front should reach Mianzhou City first, and Lu Wende should also report.
"Your Majesty, Mianzhou City Army Report!"
Before Zhao Hong finished speaking, the sergeant came in to report, and everyone was refreshed.
Needless to say, when Lu Wende came to report at this time, the Mongolian army must have moved south in two directions and was about to join forces at Hanzhong at his feet.
Sure enough, the sergeant came in to report, which basically matched Zhao Hong's estimate.
"The rain is coming and the wind is blowing all over the building!"
After reading the military report, Zhao Hong chuckled and said:
"Lu Wende set up a formation in the east of Mianzhou City to block the way south and fight in the field with Subutai's Tatar army. It seems that he is very ambitious!"
What pleased him was that the Northwest Frontier Army finally had the ability and courage to fight in the field.
"Your Majesty, the Tatar army was divided and defeated by our army one by one. In this way, Wang Jian and Jiang Wanzai will not be under so much pressure."
The relief on Chen Longzhi's face could not be concealed.
"Your Majesty, I hope that all the Tatar army will come to Hanzhong and have a good field battle with our army. Only through continuous actual combat and continuous victory can we build a truly strong army. This is one. Second, if something happens quickly, If the Taiwanese troops retreat and encounter my reinforcements from the south, I'm afraid it will alert the enemy and the war will be unpredictable!"
Meng Gong's tone was calm, but he had another opinion.
Zhao Hong nodded slightly and passed down the military order.
"Send someone to notify Lu Wende and Jiang Wanzai, asking them to get out of the way and speed up Taiwan's eastward advance. Let's concentrate our forces and fight the Tatar army in Hanzhong!"
As Meng Gong said, only continuous victory can give soldiers confidence and build an iron army.
"How long can the food and grass from Lizhou and Lizhou last?"
Wu Xiuguan was breached, and Zhao Hong's confidence dropped inexplicably. He could not afford the casualties of such a war.
"Your Majesty, you can hold on until February next year."
Chen Longzhi and Meng Gong looked at each other with uneasiness.
"Your Majesty, there is no need to worry if the general is incompetent in a sneak attack. Our northwest frontier army is elite and has many good generals. Wang Jian on the eastern front, Yu Jie on the northern front, Cao Youwan, Lu Wende on the western front, Jiang Wanzai, all of them They are all brave and courageous, and no one is weak or incompetent. Your Majesty has no worries."
Meng Gong probably guessed Zhao Hong's worries.
"Your Majesty, success or failure is nothing more than common military matters. A small setback will only make our officers and soldiers know their shame and become more courageous, and they will be able to kill the enemy and serve the country."
Chen Longzhi followed.
The ministers seemed to have misunderstood what he meant. Zhao Hong shook his head and smiled bitterly.
"Do you think I'm afraid? I just can't bear to see the young people of our Song Dynasty bleed and sacrifice. They are all the hope of our Song Dynasty. They are young and in their prime. Watching young lives passing away, I really feel so sad. I can’t bear it!”
One general succeeds and ten thousand bones wither. After this war, tens of thousands of young lives will probably be lost. Thinking about it makes people feel cruel and sad.
The emperor loved his soldiers as his sons, and all the generals admired him.
In the face of a powerful enemy, they had no choice but to fight bloody battles to repay their kindness.
"My lords, the war is about to break out. Let's work together to find out what we have missed and make up for it, so we can fight against the Tatars together."
The war is coming, and it is worth looking forward to how it will develop.
