With the final shouts coming, the main force of the Northwest Army finally entered Jining City.
Feng Tang could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
I didn't expect this last battle to be so difficult. I originally thought that even Yanzhou had given up, but Jining had no reason for Niu Jizong to insist on not retreating. I didn't expect that the opponent actually relied on the advantage of the canal to fight a tough battle.
Sun Chengzong also had a hard time fighting in Dongping Prefecture.
As if feeling that they were about to be driven out of Shandong, both the Xuanfu Army and the Datong Army broke out into a desperate fight. Sun Chengzong broke through Dongping Prefecture and fought fiercely for five days. He originally thought he could easily recover it, but in the end, Dongping Prefecture turned into a scorched earth. This also made the court very dissatisfied.
However, the generals on the front line cannot think too much about the court's ideas. The right way is to maximize the destruction of the enemy and preserve oneself. As for other things, it is not the army's responsibility to consider.
It would be the same if it were Feng Tang, there was no choice.
Perhaps this is also a consideration on the part of Nanjing, which is to use this method to delay time in order to gain a breathing space. They may be waiting for something. This is what Feng Tang suspects, but he is not too worried.
In his current position, Feng Tang's considerations are no longer as simple as when he first launched his army from Qingyang. The imminent reality is that he will soon be removed from the post of governor of the three sides and will only retain the post of governor of Jiliao.
This is a very subtle arrangement.
The governors of Trilateral and Jiliao are theoretically equal, and they all feel that the governor of Jiliao has a higher status and greater power. This is when one position must be removed, which also highlights the trust and favor the court has for Feng Tang. .
And this is also a practical need. After all, Ziying has become the governor of Shaanxi, and his responsibilities have overlapped with his own. It is impossible for him to continue to serve as the governor of the three sides. This is reasonable.
But Feng Tang didn't see it that way.
Years of ups and downs in the officialdom of the Great Zhou Dynasty had long ago made him understand the urinal nature of the civil servants in the imperial court. The story of the bird disappearing, the bow hiding the rabbit and the dog dying will never end, and will always be repeated over and over again.
Weakening the Feng family's influence in the military is definitely something that civil servants will continue to do. The Li family and the Ma family have already done it, and the Feng family has temporarily stopped this process because they caught up with the change in the situation.
Even if Ziying is already a member of the civil servants, she will not show any mercy to them.
Feng Tang did not allow himself to serve as the governor of the three sides, but continued to lead the northwest army. Feng Tang felt that this was definitely a clever trick thought up by the civil servants.
Because this means that the leadership of the Northwest Army by himself is no longer consistent from a legal perspective. The court can arrange for someone to replace him at any time, and let him return to Liaodong to be a vacant governor of Jiliao.
You must know that the governor of Ji Liao has always served as the commander-in-chief of Liaodong, but now that Cao Wenzhao has succeeded him, the court will definitely not let him serve as the commander-in-chief of Liaodong again.
Moreover, when the "time is ripe", the imperial court will adjust Cao Wenzhao and You Shigong, two generals who have grown up in their own system, and choose non-Feng generals to take over as the commander-in-chief of Jizhen and the commander-in-chief of Liaodong, such as Xiao Ruxun.
As for Cao Wenzhao and You Shigong, most of them will be adjusted to either Gansu, Guyuan, or Jingxiang, which are far away and do not pose much threat to the imperial court and the capital.
It is definitely not appropriate to say that it is idle and scattered, but it is necessary to be far away from the core and the influence will be weakened.
This real threat is getting closer and closer, and Feng Tang has to think deeply.
Chen Jixian's constant letters also reminded Feng Tang that he was not the only one to see this.
This guy must have been aware of this, so he kept flirting between the imperial court and Nanjing, sometimes going east, sometimes going west, and never making his attitude clear.
Feng Tang has understood what this guy is thinking. He will not place a bet until the last moment, and will even continue to attract these forces that may change the situation to join. He only thinks about his own interests now and completely ignores others.
But Chen Jixian's actions and suggestions in the letter still made Feng Tang a little moved.
If a person does not serve himself, he will be punished by heaven and earth. The court's cold-hearted behavior still makes him a little resistant, even if he knows that he is sitting in the position of a civil servant.
Feng Ziying's letter was also delivered to Feng Tang in due time at this time.
After reading his son's letter, Feng Tang realized that the situation might be worse than expected.
Ziying's activities in Shaanxi cannot be hidden from anyone. Which civil servant in the court is not a good person, how can he not understand Feng Ziying's tricks?
But they would only acquiesce, and Feng Ziying would not admit it. Everyone knew it tacitly.
However, the unusual movements of the Tumut people in the east of Su Nang and Fengzhou Bailian are a very dangerous sign.
Feng Tang was not sure whether there was Nanjing's effort behind the interaction and coordination between the parties here. If so, it meant that Nanjing was unscrupulous and ignored the crisis when it was aware of but collapsed.
If that's all, what about bigger enemies?
Chahar people and Jianzhou Jurchens, were they also involved?
There is no doubt that if he were Prince Yoshitaka, he would be desperate and give it a go at this time.
As for other consequences, it is not an issue he needs to consider now.
"After taking Jining, should we take a rest or take the opportunity to move south to Xuzhou?" Feng Tang turned around and looked at the generals standing behind him, "Bai Chuan, what do you think?"
Liu Baichuan quickly glanced at his colleagues around him and said hesitantly: "Sir, would you like to slow down a little? Dongyang and the others have just taken Yanzhou and are still clearing out the remaining enemies. The Xuanfu army in Xuzhou has already made full preparations. , Chen Jixian is said to have handed over the entire Xuzhou city defense system to the Xuanfu army, even leaving the artillery on the city wall. If he attacks rashly, the losses will definitely not be small."
Liu Baichuan's words also attracted the approval of many generals, and even Tu Wenxiu, who had always been brave and brave, nodded in approval.
"In fact, we can let Dongyang and the others finish off the remnants of Yanzhou's enemies and move south first, outflanking them. It wouldn't be too late for us to rest for a few days and then slowly move south along the canal. What do you think, sir?" Tu Wenxiu suggested.
This is also in line with Feng Tang's intention. He wants to see what other unexpected changes will happen during this period. Nanjing has already made desperate moves. Is it just Tumut and Fengzhou who are involved?
How could the Chahars of Lindan Batur and the Jianzhou Jurchens of Nurhaci not seize such God-given opportunities?
As the North-South stalemate became increasingly tense, it was impossible for Prince Yoshitaka and the others not to seize such an obvious reversal opportunity.
If the situation is uncontrollable, then it is more appropriate to keep the pace steady to avoid being unable to adjust in time or making adjustments too costly.
(End of chapter)
