Bang bang, bang bang... Seven or eight frontier cavalrymen in red jackets rode their horses regardless of the cold rain in early spring. When they arrived in front of the general military office, they threw their badges at the door from afar. The soldiers shouted loudly: "The commander-in-chief of the Xuan Mansion has ordered the Zhongying camp not to withdraw its command at night!"
When the guard at the door took over the badge, these people had already stood up and dismounted, and their movements were so skillful that they didn't look like Han'er at all - well, they were indeed not Han'er, but authentic Mongolians, but they had been naturalized a long time ago. I have been working in Ma Fangjun for almost ten years.
This situation may seem absurd to some descendants who do not understand the history of the Ming Dynasty, but it was a very common phenomenon at the time. What's more, Ma Fang has always been very Mongolian in leading troops, and even behaved "more Mongolian than Mongolian" on many occasions.
Ma Fang's resume is really full of positive energy: he was born in a farm family, was taken away by the Tatars as a slave at the age of ten, and spent ten years crawling on the grassland. At the age of twenty, Ma Fang fled back to the Central Plains alone and joined the army under Datong General Zhou Shangwen. Later, he grew from a squad leader to a Mongolian nemesis.
Compared with the other two generals Bijia, Long and Wannian, although Li Chengliang's prestige and military exploits were achieved, they were more or less flashy and came from the so-called "raising thieves and claiming credit"; although Qi Jiguang was invincible, his final victory was The fundamental and most outstanding ability lies in the construction and training of the army. Judging from the Qi Army's Great Wall tactics and use of firearms in the later period, this is definitely a quasi-modern team. In other words, other people's soldiers have changed a lot. Shuai may not be able to fight, but Qi Jiajun is not like that. Anyone can carry him with him.
But Ma Fang was unique. Relying on his understanding of the Mongolian habits when he was young, when most of the Ming army had no choice but to defend against the Mongolian cavalry, he often took the initiative to "strike the enemy first." From Xuanfu to Datong, from Datong to Huairou, he often had to do the work of outflanking thousands of miles, just like a poor version of Huo Qubing.
At that time, in various towns and cities around the Ming Dynasty, there were both Han people living in Mongolia and Mongolian athletes living in the Han area. In total, more Mongolians came to the Han area to make a living.
However, when Han people go to Mongolia, they mostly go to do work such as reclaiming wasteland, building cities, and building roads and bridges. But when Mongolians come to Han, they can do even smaller jobs. In all likelihood, they will go directly to join the army. He is good at riding and fighting, but his other talents are really lacking in Ming Dynasty.
Some historical researchers in later generations believed that the main force of the frontier army that could really fight in the late Ming Dynasty was actually no longer Han, but the so-called "Mongolian mercenaries" - because these people were the main retainers of the northern generals.
Although this statement is biased, it can also reflect from one aspect the high proportion of Mongolian athletes in the Ming army at that time and the great strength they contributed.
The situation in the towns in the north is also a very important reason why Gao Pragmatic insists that the Mongolian issue can be settled "almost" without fighting.
The Han people have a saying that "the emperor never needs hungry soldiers." This principle is also valid in Mongolia - it doesn't mean that if a descendant of your golden family shouts, I will prepare my own dry food and come all the way to work for you. Because it’s all about selling my life anyway. Even if I can’t do anything else but sell my life, at least I can choose to sell my life to the person with the highest bid.
Although the Ming Dynasty's frontier army was poor, it was not difficult to deduct those guard posts and military salaries that could not fight to buy and support an obedient, capable army with many Mongolians mixed in. It was not difficult.
The guard guard quickly checked the badge, waved his hand to let the door open, and handed the badge back politely.
Originally, several Ye Bu Zhan planned to go directly to the White Tiger Hall, but unexpectedly, a voice came from the study room next to them: "Stop running around, I'm here, you guys come here."
The few Mongolian athletes who were called "little bastards" were not angry but happy at night, with proud smiles on their faces - it was not that they had masochistic tendencies, but that they knew the habits of their own bosses. Only when the commander is the best among the juniors in the army will he call him "little brat".
It's a nickname, not an insult.
Several Ye Bushou stepped forward to see their commander. Although Ma Fang was anxious in his heart, he still had a carefree look on his face. He smiled and cursed: "What's the matter? I went to the capital with the money I gave you. I'll be back today." It’s already a damn hour late! Are you going to those flowery streets and willow lanes, where everyone is so excited that they can’t walk or ride a horse steadily?”
Everyone burst into laughter, and the leader replied with a smile without stopping that night: "How can you not, Commander-in-Chief, you guys know how to behave. Of course you should go to the Flower Streets and Willow Lanes if you can, but if you play until you can't ride the horse steadily, you don't need to keep talking. Let’s tear off our heads and serve them as a chamber pot for the commander! Who among our brothers still doesn’t know the rules of our Ma’s Army?”
The rules of Ma Jiajun are: you can fight, and I can tolerate other minor problems. If you fucking shrink your eggs during the battle, I will simply cut off the eggs and send you to the palace to serve Long Live Grandpa.
It's... bandit, but it works.
If some people think that Ma Fang's temperament is really seeking death, and that something will happen to him sooner or later as an official, then they are completely wrong, because Ma Fang is a typical person who is both rough and fine.
When it comes to being an official, Ma Fang sometimes seems to be a "very unpromising" person. When Qiu Luan, the commander-in-chief of Xuanda, was in office, although he was a fool in fighting wars, he was shrewd in making money. Local generals in Shanxi had to give gifts as usual during the Chinese New Year, euphemistically called "winter gifts". Not only did Ma Fang not participate, she often used the excuse of "working overtime during the New Year" to stay away. Later, Qiu Luan was convicted and the imperial court "settled accounts", and Ma Fang became one of the few "innocent people" among local officers in Shanxi.
Yang Shun, the governor-general of Xuanda who succeeded Qiu Luan, was even more of a bastard. Whenever the Mongolian cavalry invaded, he would only retreat in seclusion to seek peace. Only after the enemy retreated would he come out to chase after the enemy with three swords. What is even more outrageous is that he actually ordered his subordinates to often slaughter fleeing Han people, cut off their heads and then shave their heads to pretend to be Mongolian soldiers to serve as side troops. Ma Fang angrily resisted this beastly behavior and strictly ordered his subordinates to "immediately kill anyone who dares to kill a good person and take credit for meritorious deeds."
Because he was "not on the road", when Qiu Luan was there, he took away his ability to surprise Anda; when Yang Shun was there, he was also fined for "defeating in a row".
Although his "small shoes" have been worn a lot, Ma Fang, who seems to be "not on the road", is actually a "very high-road" person in the officialdom. The bumpy military career not only created his iron bones on the battlefield, It also contributed to his well-behaved character in life.
He did not "respect" Qiu Luan because he knew very well that Qiu Luan was "unruly, greedy and violent, and his power would not last long"; he resisted Yang Shun's "killing a good man" because he knew that such a move "will inevitably arouse resentment and anger, and it will inevitably lead to sin" ".
In fact, the imperial censor Fang met at the right time, and several ministers of the Ministry of War, such as Wang Bangrui and Zhao Jin, were friends with him. Wang Chonggu, a famous civil servant and general who recently served as the governor of Xuanda, even regarded Ma Fang as a close friend.
Every time Ma Fang guards a place, in addition to carefully training his troops for defense, he also pays attention to collecting local rare local products to give gifts to the "superior leaders". His hard work finally pays off. Ma Fang will then select generals to train troops and organize armaments, from funds to weapons. They all have the support of all the big guys, and every time they are given "good soldiers and good weapons." In the past, Yan Song's eldest son, Yan Shifan, also had a very accurate opinion of Ma Fang. He once warned Yang Shundao: "Although (Ma Fang) is naive on the surface, he is as meticulous as a hair, and he also has a strategy in his mind. You should not make him an enemy."
At this time, Ma Fang had not changed his attitude towards her for several nights. She knew in her heart that these harmless words had brought her and them closer, so she asked: "Okay, gossip." Shao Xu, I asked you to go to Beijing to learn about the recent developments of the imperial court, especially the situation with Mr. Gao Ge, have you found out anything?"
The man who stayed up all night calmed down his smile, but his answer made Ma Fang look stunned, because he said: "There is nothing particularly important that happened in the court, but when it comes to Mr. Gao Ge... there is something I don't know how to settle." Not counting the matter involving Mr. Gaoge - his nephew was selected to be the prince's companion - this happened yesterday."
