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"So, the border army cannot be trusted! If we really want to make a difference, we must not rely on those border army generals who are self-respecting, slack and fearless of war! We...must have an army that we can absolutely control and use with peace of mind! "
After hearing what Zhao Junchen said, the expressions of both Zhang Shengde and Li Ruan changed slightly!
The defense of Shaanxi and Gansu is generally similar to the separation of powers, that is, the civil prime minister, the military ministers commanding the troops, and the internal ministers supervising the army.
As the head of the civil servants of Shaanxi and Gansu, the governors of the three sides were responsible for overall responsibilities and controlling the generals, but their main functions were still reflected in logistics control, collaboration between towns, setting general directions, etc., and they did not have substantive military power in their hands.
However, as the imperial court's control over Shaanxi and Gansu became weaker and weaker, although the governors of the three border areas had the rightful name of the imperial court, their deterrence became weaker and weaker, and they had no actual military power to subdue the border troops. The generals in various places They are self-respecting soldiers and only care about their own private soldiers and one-third of an acre of land. Although they dare not directly disobey orders, perfunctory, delaying, and ineffective work are also common things. The warlord style is becoming more and more obvious……
In this way, even if the governors of the three sides are determined to do something, they are often unable to do what they want, and many times they can only compromise. After all, the governors of the three sides still rely on these frontier generals to control the overall situation and do not dare to push too hard.
Especially this year, the threat from the Mongols is extremely great. The border army generals must prioritize self-preservation, and they will become even more perfunctory with the orders of the governors on the three sides.
Now, Zhao Junchen has taken over the power of the Trilateral Governor, but he does not want to be like the previous Trilateral Governors who were resigned and restrained! If you want to do something practical, but you can't rely on the frontier generals, under such circumstances, you must have an army under your own control, which is a natural choice.
In fact, Liang Fuchen also made the same choice when he was the governor of the three sides. However, as soon as the new army he formed had some results, he was recruited by Emperor Deqing to serve as the central cabinet minister in the capital. This The plan came to an end.
Both Zhang Shengde and Li Ru'an could understand Zhao Junchen's thoughts, but in any case, it was always taboo for civil servants to interfere with military power, so they were naturally a little cautious.
After Zhang Shengde and Li Ru'an looked at each other, Zhang Shengde began to persuade: "Master Zhao, you are a civil servant. If you interfere with military power, it may be inappropriate to let the court know the news."
On the other side, Li Ruan also advised: "Yes, Mr. Zhao, now that the war is approaching, it may be too late to form an army from scratch! ... What's more, 50,000 Forbidden Army reinforcements are now at Huamachi Camp Defenses are deployed all around, and this army is led by Commander Guan, who can still be trusted. Mr. Zhao, you are not without troops, and the situation is much better than the previous three-sided governors."
Zhao Junchen shook his head and explained his reasons with a serious expression: "I naturally know that the court does not want to see civil servants in charge of military power, so after this army is formed, I will hand it over to a reliable military commander. Once this happened, the court could find no fault! In addition, although the Forbidden Army was trustworthy now, it could not be reused. After all, the combat power of the Forbidden Army was not as good as the private soldiers of the frontier generals. As guest troops, they did not defend Shaanxi. Gan's determination was used to the stability of the center of the capital. He also lacked fighting will and combat experience. He could only assist and not lead the battle... What's more, most of the Forbidden Army's troops had to sit in the Huamachi Camp to deter the border troops from all over the country. It’s easy to use, so we have to form another army!”
While explaining, Zhao Junchen concealed the most important reason - the Forbidden Army was a force that belonged to the imperial court and was loyal to the emperor, but only by forming another army could it be truly controlled by Zhao Junchen!
After hearing Zhao Junchen's explanation, Zhang Shengde and Li Ru'an were silent for a moment.
Then, Li Ruan asked again: "So, Mr. Zhao, how do you plan to form a new army out of thin air? Now the situation is urgent, I'm afraid it's too late."
However, Zhao Junchen had already suspected it and asked: "Just tonight, don't we have an extra 3,000 usable troops in our hands?"
Zhang Shengde was shocked and said in shock: "Master Zhao, do you plan to recruit the private soldiers of the border army generals from all over the country? Impossible! The private soldiers are regarded as taboos by the border army generals, and most of them are extremely loyal. It is impossible for them Hand it over! If it is forcibly collected, it will definitely cause a mutiny! Mr. Zhao, you must think about it carefully! Today’s Shaanxi-Gansu border cannot withstand any turmoil!"
Zhao Junchen naturally understood Zhang Shengde's concerns, but he was still full of confidence and said: "Don't worry, I understand what the priorities are, and I won't push the frontier generals too hard - we are not dealing with them now. At that time...the specific recruitment methods will be effective tomorrow, and most people will be satisfied! Now, I just want to know, will you two fully support me?"
Although Zhao Junchen was full of confidence, Zhang Shengde and Li Ruan still felt uneasy.
However, the two of them really had no choice. After looking at each other again, they said in unison: "Of course, I fully support Mr. Zhao, but Mr. Zhao will follow his lead."
Zhao Junchen looked satisfied and looked up outside the lobby. Seeing that the night was already dark and he found that his body and mind were exhausted to the extreme, he ordered: "In this case, it's getting late, let's all It’s time to go back and rest! Tomorrow morning you will follow me to summon all the civil and military officials from Huamachi Camp. All the doubts in your hearts will be solved by tomorrow!”
Although Zhang Shengde and Li Ruan wanted to continue questioning, they could only obey their orders after seeing Zhao Junchen's tiredness.
However, just as the two of them were saying goodbye, Zhao Junchen suddenly thought of something and added: "By the way, the way I control Huamachi Camp today also includes all the ways I will do in the future. Although it is urgent to follow the authority." , but after all, it was an overstep of authority. Your Majesty and the cabinet ministers will inevitably think too much... After the war between Shaanxi and Gansu is over, there will definitely be trouble! Now, such as Wang Zheng, the governor of the three sides, Zhang Wenhui, the governor of Hexi, etc. I'm afraid you are busy writing secret documents to impeach me! You'd better prepare a few memorials to impeach me. It's better to use stronger words and submit them to the court as soon as possible... On the surface, the relationship between us is the best. It’s better to keep a distance, it will be good for everyone’s future future!”
Hearing Zhao Junchen's reminder, Zhang Shengde and Li Ru'an were stunned for a moment, but soon figured out the secrets inside. Without any intention of resisting, they both nodded silently in agreement.
As Zhao Junchen said, this approach is good for them all.
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