"Brother, we are about to arrive at Dafu Fort. After entering the border wall and walking 40 miles eastward, we will arrive at Guangning Zhongtun Guard. We can take a rest." A young Ming Dynasty man wearing Mingguang armor Jiang said with a slight sigh of relief.
"Why, you kid can't lift the knife now?" The leader, the fierce general, gave him a sideways look.
"Brother, don't make fun of me. Even if the main force of the Japanese pirates appears in front of me now, I can kill him seven times in and seven out." The young general stiffened his neck and replied unconvinced.
Another general next to him added: "However, since we are about to go to war with the Japanese soldiers, shouldn't we get to know our opponents first? I heard from the envoy from North Korea that the Japanese soldiers are vicious and good at fighting, and have both firearms and sword skills. "Jing, this battle doesn't seem to be an easy one." said a stocky general.
"Really? How difficult is it to fight?" The leading general smiled slightly and asked in return.
"No matter how powerful the Japanese are, how can they compare to the Northwest Kuaibai and the Mongolian Tumen? Even they are no match for my eldest brother, so what do they mean if they are just Japanese pirates!" Another general with a yellow beard caught up from behind and interjected proudly: "This time, even Gao Jingtai came forward to recommend my eldest brother to be the general officer to prepare Japanese troops to aid Korea. It can be seen that my eldest brother's position as the best general in the world has been confirmed. When we take a break in Guangning, we will definitely succeed in sending troops the next day! Brother We, when we make great achievements...haha, it's coming again!"
The general from before also smiled: "It's a pity that Ru Zhang and Ru Zhen didn't come. Otherwise, my brothers from the Li family would have made another great military legend if they had joined the battle."
These three people are brothers. The general leading the army is 44 years old. He wears a black gold helmet with phoenix wings, a tiger-swallowing bright light armor, a green face and a black beard, a tiger's back and an ape's waist. It is Li Rusong who has returned from the Western Expedition. , the other two are his second brother Li Rubai and younger brother Li Rumei.
"That's good, but why did Gao Jingtai do this? I always feel that he shouldn't give such a big contribution to our Li family in vain?" Li Rubai frowned and said: "If he really wants to praise our Li family, Then why don't we also go to the capital to participate in the triumphal ceremony - it will be the emperor's welcome in the suburbs!"
Li Rumei replied: "It doesn't matter whether we praise us or not, credit is the most important thing. Besides, Gao Jingtai may think that the North Koreans are not useful. We are already far away. If we delay going to the capital again, we may lose time." I can’t make it in time.”
"As for that?" Li Rubai shook his head: "Although North Korea is not that good, it still has more than 200,000 troops. If the Japanese pirates attack across the sea, they can't wipe out North Korea in a month or two. Let me see, This Lord Jingtai still has concerns about our Li family, but it can’t hinder the eldest brother’s great military exploits and the fact that he is the commander-in-chief of Liaodong, so he has no choice but to recommend him to be the commander-in-chief of aiding Korea and preparing for Japan.”
At this time, Li Ru let go of the tiger's beard, controlled the reins, and walked slowly. Listening to the discussion of the two brothers, he couldn't help but smile. He knew that the second brother Li Rubai was prejudiced against Gao Pragmatic, while the younger brother Li Rumei admired Gao Pragmatic very much. Once the two mentioned things related to Gao Pragmatic, they would have some objections, but it did not affect the brothers. feelings between.
He stretched out his hand to stop the small argument between the two, and said loudly: "The purpose of sending troops this time is to repay the emperor's favor and relieve the king's worries. It doesn't matter what other people think of me or what their intentions are. Second brother, fifth brother, As a general, I should be careful about my army and use my troops wisely. I don’t care how the court uses me, but I should keep one thought in my mind: Use me and I will win!"
Li Rubai and Li Rumei were shocked when they heard this. At the same time, they solemnly clasped their fists and said, "Brother, you have taught me the right lesson."
At this moment, the sound of horse hooves was heard, and a former military colonel came galloping towards him. "Report——Commander, Dafu Fort is just ahead. After hearing the news, the garrison in the fortress has already left the city to greet the commander. They will be there immediately!"
"Okay!" Li Rusong cheered up, raised his whip, and led a group of soldiers and horses to gallop forward through the snow. When they turned the corner of the mountain, a city appeared in front of them. A young general led dozens of people on horseback and rode forward. He dismounted, bowed down and said, "Wang Linhai, guard of Dafu Fort, pays homage to the eldest, second, fifth and other generals!"
This person refers to the brothers of the Li family as "eldest master, second master, and fifth master". It seems that he is most likely to be a general of the Li family.
"It's Lin Hai, have you done your best to defend yourself? Do it well, do it well from now on, and lead the soldiers of Dafu Fort for me. Don't embarrass your father, do you understand?"
Sure enough, Li Rusong seemed to be quite familiar with the young guard in front of him. After speaking, he asked, "How is your father's health?"
"Thank you for your inquiry. My father is fine. Although he is missing an arm, he is still in good health. Sometimes he even shouts that he wants to continue serving the uncle!" The young guard kowtowed his head lower, but his voice sounded very strange. Excited.
Li Rusong laughed and said: "Lao Wang is still so unwilling to admit defeat, but he has been fighting for more than 20 years and has thirty-seven stab wounds on his body. It's time to rest now. You kid, just don't embarrass him. , you, the old Wang family, may also become generals in the future."
"Thank you for your cultivation, sir. I will do my best to serve you. Sir, although it is autumn now, the sun is still very scorching. I would also like to invite you, the second master, the fifth master, and all the generals to come to the fort and have some tea to relieve themselves." Quench your thirst."
"Okay, you lead the way!" The two exchanged a few words, and Li Rusong asked Wang Linhai to mount his horse, and the army reorganized their flag tents and filed into the city.
Dafu Fort was not enough to station the more than 30,000 troops brought by Li Rusong, so the army was stationed in the open space near the fort in the pass. The Li brothers and some generals went to the garrison Yamen for a meeting after bathing and changing clothes. However, everyone had just arrived and before the discussion started, they received the order from the Ministry of War.
In fact, this letter from the Ministry of War should be said to be more of a writing than an order. The full text was quite long and told the entire current situation in North Korea. Li Rusong glanced at it hurriedly, handed it to Li Rumei, and said: "Pick the key points and tell everyone. "
Li Rumei is the younger brother among several brothers. Not only is she good at marksmanship and archery, but she is also talented in literature. Li Rusong especially likes to take her with him. He is truly a model of brotherly friendship.
At this time, Li Rumei took the written text and read it, then said: "Everyone, last month, the King of Korea reported that hundreds of Japanese ships invaded Busan and burned houses, which was very rampant. The Ministry of War heard about it and issued an edict to Liaodong and Shandong. The coastal province's direct governor, Fudao Town, and other officials strictly organized the defense to ensure that there were no dangers.
Six days later, Jian Da, the governor of Jiliao, reported that the Japanese had invaded North Korea, and the Liaozu was on alert. He begged that Ni Shangzhong, the commander-in-chief of Baoding, be moved to Tianjin to take charge of the troops in the second town. Follow it.
On the fourth day, the Holy Order ordered Fuzhen, Liaodong, to send two detachments of elite troops to assist North Korea, and first send 20,000 taels of silver to the other country to reward the army. Give the king two pieces of red silk to express his condolences. An annual 200,000 taels of silver are still issued to Liao Town for future use. From the Ministry of War.
On the second day, the Ministry of War said: When the Korean ministers heard about the abuse of the Japanese, they cried loudly and begged for their lives, so they were sent back immediately. He had already ordered troops to be dispatched for rescue, but he still comforted the king not to blame the weak for being invincible, but to work hard to fight and suppress the thieves, in order to show that the imperial court was looking forward to the future.
The next day, Shandong Fu announced that there were Japanese pirates in North Korea, and they were located in Huanhai, East Province. They selected strong men from the remaining Baojia Army and assigned them to the defense. They begged for 40,000 yuan of grain and silver to stay in the camp, and paid them as per class. Hu Bu responded and promised it.
Wushen, the Ministry of War titled: Ji Liao Governor Fu Jianda and others revealed that the king of Korea had captured 110 Japanese-level pieces and sent his accompanying ministers for inspection. When you are homeless, practicing etiquette is more respectful, and loyalty is commendable. Obtained the decree: The king sent officials to inspect the Japanese ranks, and they were loyal and obedient. He ordered the king to use all his strength to annihilate the thieves. He sent officers and soldiers to assist in the suppression without distinguishing between them. Each of the six accompanying ministers was rewarded with twenty taels of silver, and each level was rewarded with five taels of silver. , showing the favor of the imperial court.
On the same day, the Ministry of War responded to the announcement by the Governor-General Xiao Daheng, saying that the two towns' military commanders, Ma Gui and Ma Cheng'en, etc., had ordered 16,000 soldiers to prepare for the Japanese police. We should consult the Ministry of Household Affairs and discuss the issue of hundreds of thousands of money. We will send a minister to supervise the food and salary management nearby so that the common people can avoid temporary shortages. The decree is approved.
On the same day, Chen Lin, the deputy commander-in-chief of Yunnan, who was familiar with Japanese affairs, was pragmatically recommended by the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty's economic advisor, and was ordered to add control of the fourth town of the Imperial Guard. He immediately sent people to guard the capital, and went to the capital at starry night to await dispatch.
The next day, the Ministry of War said: It was previously agreed to send two detachments of elite troops to support North Korea along the river. Prior to this, the governor of the country, Gu Yangqian, said: North Korea is very urgent to invite troops, and plans to send guerrillas to stop at the Yalu River first, but does not dare to advance. How can my husband's life and death be controlled like this? Begging for camera support. According to the order: Reinforcements have been sent for a long time, so there is no room for delay. From now on, there will be no need to report urgent matters in the border towns, causing the loss of military aircraft. "
Li Rumei stopped reading at this point, looked around at the generals and said: "The above are the most important points in the text. It seems that the situation in North Korea is more urgent than we previously expected."
Li Rubai immediately said: "It seems that we are in big trouble. At the beginning, these lines were once every few days, and later they could even come out three times a day. From this point of view, the king of Korea is still in Seoul." It’s hard to tell if it’s not in Li Hao’s hands.”
Zu Chengxun frowned and said, "Gu Fujun asked the imperial court for the right to 'camera aid and suppress'. Is it possible that he meant something?"
Everyone was startled when they heard this, but someone soon agreed: "I think it is very possible. Judging from the time, when Gu Fujun came to seize power, we should still be in Tumut territory. At that time, he wanted to use the power to carry out "camera support and suppression". It was certainly not to mobilize our army in western Liaoning, but to mobilize Xiao Ruxun's troops in eastern Liaoning... Commander, this is stealing credit."
Everyone couldn't help but turn their attention to Li Rusong, but Li Rusong didn't have much expression. He just asked Wang Linhai: "Lin Hai, you can see the newspaper here. Has Gu Fujun sent troops to aid North Korea?"
Wang Linhai had a low status and was originally standing in the corner. At this time, he was called out by Li Rusong and was able to stand up. He clasped his fists and shook his head and said, "No, no."
Li Rusong narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "Oh, you didn't send troops to help?"
Zu Chengxun asked: "Then what did he do? Since he wants power, he won't just sit idly by and ignore it, right?"
Wang Linhai shook his head and replied: "That's not true. Gu Fujun recalled all Xiao Fujun and others who were still stationed in Chahanhot to Liaodong, including Horqin's brothers Weng Guodai, Ming'an and Hong Guoer, and Yehe's Nalin. Brothers Bulu and Buzhai, as well as Menggebulu from Hada, Shuerhaqi from Jianzhou Right Guard, and Mantai from Wula, were ordered to rush back to their headquarters as soon as possible to defend themselves carefully."
The three brothers Li Rusong looked at each other, and Li Rumei said in surprise: "It seems that what worries Gu Fujun more is not the Japanese, but the Jurchens. However, Ye He, Hada, Wula and Jianzhou Youwei all directly sent troops to help this time There is only one Nurhachi left in our empire, how dare he take advantage of the situation to stir up trouble?"
Li Rubai twisted his beard and said thoughtfully: "After all, this transfer should have been completed, right? So, how will Nurhachi react?"
Wang Linhai replied: "There was no response at first, but yesterday's newspaper said that Nurhachi sent an envoy to ask for orders, saying that he was ready to enlist to fight against the Japanese pirates, and he was waiting for Gu Fujun's order."
Hearing this, Li Rusong snorted disdainfully and said scornfully: "Assuming that he knows the truth, if he dares to make any changes, this town will not mind it being troublesome, and we will not mind cutting him to sacrifice the flag before sending troops to aid the DPRK."
Everyone laughed, and Li Rubai persuaded after laughing: "Brother, you don't have to be like this. It's actually a good thing to keep Nurhachi. After all, as long as he is still there, Gu Fujun can only leave Xiao Ruxun and the others in Liaoyang and other places. To avoid any eventuality.
After all, even if North Korea is lost, Gu Fujun will not have much responsibility for him. But if Liaoyang is lost, Gu Fujun will lose his head even if he is a civil servant. "
Li Rusong frowned slightly, but before he could speak, Zu Chengxun took over and said: "Xiao Ruxun is good at defense but not necessarily good at attack. Keeping him in Liaodong is also the purpose of the question."
When Zha Dashou heard this, he became excited and said: "Yes, yes, the general has the same idea. Commander, let me tell you, for this kind of thing like 'sweeping thousands of armies like a rolling mat', you have to take action, it has to be It’s up to our Li Jiajun to take action.”
Li Pinghu said coldly on the side: "I heard that the Japanese pirates are all three-inch chickens. I don't know how many of them I will eat in one meal with my appetite?"
Everyone couldn't help but feel sick after hearing these outrageous words, but Li Pinghu was really a fierce general, especially when he was originally the leader of Li Chengliang's bodyguards. He didn't look at the monk's face or the Buddha's face, so everyone had to apologize. Haha cover it up.
However, Li Rusong obviously didn't want to give face to him. He frowned and criticized: "Men in the army only kill according to their own masters. If they kill, they will be killed. Why do they always think about cannibalism? Can't my Li family afford the money to buy meat?" "
Li Pinghu turned away and said calmly: "Young master, there is no need to be angry. All kinds of people have different ways of living. Just like you fight just to repay your gratitude to the emperor, I fight just to repay your gratitude to the commander-in-chief. As for cannibalism or not, You are all going to burn the body anyway, so what if you let me eat it, and you can save some rations."
Li Rusong's temper suddenly changed. He was about to stand up suddenly, but unexpectedly, Li Rubai beside him saw the situation quickly and had already stretched out his hand to hold his brother's shoulders, and quickly advised: "Brother, don't be upset, or you will teach your father how to speak poorly."
"Big brother" and "daddy" are both colloquial terms. Their identities are generally not used. If they are used, it means that they are speaking in a purely private capacity. Li Rusong took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and stared into his second brother's eyes for a while. However, Li Rubai was very upbeat this time and looked at his eldest brother seriously.
After a while, Li Rusong suddenly waved his hand, brushed away Li Rubai's hand on his shoulder, and said, "Continue the discussion."
Zu Chengxun, who was next to him, breathed a sigh of relief and said quickly: "Commander, the army has been on an expedition for half a year. Now it is back to Liaodong. It must take a rest at least, otherwise it will be too unkind. But the situation in North Korea is urgent now, and the court I also promised to send two elite troops to assist the DPRK as soon as possible. The general is not talented at the end, so I am willing to be the first pawn for the commander-in-chief."
After hearing this, Li Rusong's face finally looked better. He nodded to him approvingly and said, "Uncle Zu is thoughtful. Rusong is very pleased."
Zu Chengxun had been fighting with Li Chengliang for most of his life. In theory, he could indeed be called "uncle" to Li Rusong, but didn't he know Li Rusong's temper? This kid has been as arrogant as a child. The last time he was called "Uncle Zu" was probably not more than ten years ago. Today's call really made Zu Chengxun's bones melt. He said quickly: "How dare you? You should, you should."
Good guy, how dare you, or should you?
Fortunately, all the generals also knew that Zu Chengxun was overly excited, so they all just smiled kindly, while Zha Dashou expressed his position: "Since Brother Zu has come first, I don't dare to fight timidly, Commander-in-Chief, What if the other spot is given to the general?"
Li Rusong thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "Although the imperial court said that it would send two groups of elite troops as reinforcements, the troops you two have are quite limited. If you divide your troops and attack, the Japanese invaders may take advantage of it. I think so, you two They are called two groups, but they are actually joining forces...Uncle Grandpa was the first to ask for help, so he will be the vanguard. What do you think?"
"The last general who dares to fail will die."
"But it depends on the command of the commander."
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Thanks to book friend "Cao Mianzi" for your reward and support, thank you!
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PS: I learned that my second grandpa passed away in the afternoon. I will go back to my hometown tomorrow. I don’t expect to be able to get back at least the day after tomorrow. I'm trying to see if I can write out tomorrow's chapter tonight in the early hours of the morning. I can only say that I will try my best but I can't guarantee it, so if there is no update tomorrow... I apologize to all readers in advance.