Song Yingchang didn't quite understand Li Rusong's decision to return to Kaicheng for rest at first. According to his opinion, since the army has been arriving continuously and the battlefield situation has improved significantly, shouldn't he take advantage of the situation to counterattack, or even pursue and attack all the way? Conquer Hanyang?
Therefore, when Li Rusong returned to Kaicheng, he was immediately approached by Song Yingchang for questioning. Although Li Rusong was not injured, he was covered in blood and sweat and had not had time to wash off. Naturally, the two of them had no time to be polite when they met.
Song Yingchang went directly to the topic and asked him why he withdrew his troops back to Kaicheng. He said that he had even instructed the military and logistics department to increase efforts to mobilize supplies to the front line. As a result, it was good for him to withdraw, and all his instructions had to be dispatched quickly. People revoke and change.
Although Li Rusong still seemed to be in good spirits, his voice could not be faked. There was a strong hoarseness as soon as he opened his mouth. He shook his head and said: "We can't defeat Hanyang now. In today's battle, we will lose more than a thousand servants." , they are all the real elites who formed an army from the hands of my father for a long time, let alone one against a hundred, but in the battles with the Mongols and Jurchens in Liaodong, it was common for one to fight against ten.
From the experience point of view, these losses are different from others. Firstly, they cannot be covered up and cannot be faked; secondly, they affect the morale of the army. Without them, even if there are more than 100,000 soldiers under the command, they may not be able to use their fingers; thirdly, they are the last generals and The Koreans were right, the consumption of gunpowder and other materials was huge, especially the generals who did not expect such a bloody battle, and it was not known whether the medicinal materials were sufficient.
To sum up these three points, the general believes that we must stop to rest and replenish ourselves. Otherwise, according to the current situation of our army, we can go to Hanyang to fight with at least more than 100,000 Japanese troops. If we fight well, it may be a stalemate. If we fight poorly, it may be a stalemate. , then I am afraid that even the previous results will be wiped out. "
After saying these reasons, Li Rusong didn't know what his mentality was. After a pause, he added a special sentence: "The above words are all the words from the bottom of the heart. If Jingtai still insists on our attack, the general... will still be ordered to do so." , but the last general will also send a letter to Mr. Gao Ge to say goodbye."
When Song Yingchang heard what he said, especially the last paragraph, he really didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but after thinking about it, he could understand it. After all, he is Li Rusong. How many civil servants who have worked with him have said good things about him? It seems that except for Mr. Gao Ge, there is no one left!
Why does this result occur? When Song Yingchang accepted the position of general manager, he had seriously thought about it. Li Rusong was a very assertive guy. He was from a top-level general. He had almost no defeats. He must always have his eyes on the top, and he would definitely look down on the combat command of most civilian officials. Eye.
Under such circumstances, except for Mr. Gao Ge, who was also victorious and "the best civil servant in the world", which civil servant could give him instructions on his command that he could accept?
Although Mr. Gao Ge was a strategist at the time, and he is also a strategist now, he relied on his own prestige to order him. What should he rely on now? You can only rely on yourself to be a member of Gao Ge Lao's faction... Hence Li Rusong's words just now, "The last general will still receive orders, but the last general will also send a letter to Gao Ge Lao to say goodbye."
In other words, if you force me to march because you are a member of Mr. Gao Ge, I will still obey your orders, but I will also personally seek an explanation from Mr. Gao Ge!
Of course Song Yingchang couldn't let this happen, otherwise what would Mr. Gao Ge think of him? Isn't this a typical example of incompetence? What's more, Li Rusong's analysis just now makes sense. His most elite subordinates suffered over a thousand casualties. Is that a joke?
In such a major battle as the previous battle to defeat the Yuan Dynasty, the core direct lineage of the Li family army may have lost thousands of people, but which one is more important, aiding the DPRK or defeating the Yuan Dynasty? How can a partial war and a complete war be the same? Therefore, Li Rusong's insistence on rest was completely reasonable, and Song Yingchang had no intention of objecting from the beginning.
So Song Yingchang quickly heard the words and comforted him, saying that such a decision was reasonable and that he came to him just to understand the situation, so as to repay the court and deal with North Korea, so that Li Rusong did not have to worry about these things, and could prepare the army well and restore his strength in order to benefit Hanyang.
Seeing Song Yingchang's attitude, Li Rusong was relieved. After thanking him, he left immediately, saying that he was going to visit the wounded and pay homage to the fallen warriors. Seeing that he was covered in blood, Song Yingchang advised him to go back to bathe and change clothes first. Li Rusong smiled and shook his head, then left. The Liaodong tiger general's back is still straight, as if it never bends.
At the same time, the North Korean court also started a discussion because of Li Rusong's decision. Zheng Che said: "Victory or defeat is a common thing for military strategists. Admiral Li Rusong fought at Bijiguan this time. Although he failed to advance towards Hanyang, it cannot be called a defeat. But when General Li Yi blocked the retreat of the Ming army, he was brutally beaten for disobedience."
Yi Dooshou added: "In Wangjing, people are massacred by Japanese pirates every day. The Ming army actually treats our Korean generals as slaves and beats them at will. I really don't know whether they are reinforcements or enemy troops."
Li Hengfu, the military judge, also commented: "Even if the Ming army has the command power of North Korea, it must not arbitrarily insult North Korean officers and soldiers. The Ming army must be severely punished until it obtains a commitment and returns the independent military power of the North Korean army."
Li Dexin also said: "Your Highness, if this matter is not pursued, North Korea will become the laughing stock of the Ming Dynasty, and the North Korean soldiers and the people of the world will be extremely chilled."
Ping'an Road Observer Li Yuanyi said: "There is an uproar in the military camp now, and a conflict with the Ming army is about to break out. Others say that if the division of the dynasty is still there, they will never turn a blind eye."
Zheng Zhuo finally added: "Since all the ministers are unanimous, please call your highness Song Jinglue to come to hold him accountable and give you more advice." Jin Yingnan and other ministers also unanimously requested Li Huo to inspire North Korea and punish the Ming army's criminals.
This time, Li Huo could no longer turn a blind eye to the word "all officials were united", so he had to play it accurately and immediately arranged to summon Song Yingchang to meet him.
When the two sides met, Li He said: "Victory or defeat is a common matter for military strategists. All we need to do is reorganize our armaments and fight again. Although North Korea is assisted by the Ming army, the Ming army cannot be so contemptuous of a country's generals and wantonly humiliate them. What a shame!" This is like showing contempt for me and the Korean court. I thought, when the emperor ordered to send troops, didn't he also order that Korea should be treated in this way?"
Song Yingchang stood up straight and replied: "Your Highness, our headquarters only heard that Li Rusong was ambushed by heavy enemy troops and retreated north, but we did not know about such a thing. It is really unexpected. Our headquarters will immediately send someone to hold Li Rusong and the generals involved in the case accountable. This kind of incident will never happen again, please rest assured, Your Highness.”
Li He smiled at the corner of his mouth: "Since the general said so, how can I care about it anymore? Please sit down, the general, but I have one more request. Now that the war is going well, the number of Korean soldiers gathered from all over the country is gradually increasing, so I We want to make the Korean army independent from the command of the Ming army. In this way, conflicts will probably not occur, and the Korean army will have higher morale in future battles with Japanese pirates."
Song Yingchang saw that Li He was taking advantage of the situation. He took a sip of tea and stood up again. He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for the tea, Your Highness. I believe that the Korean army will double its combat power after independent command and completely defeat the Japanese pirates. In this case, the headquarters can also immediately Withdrew troops from Liaodong and returned to Beijing to resume his duties.
Please rest assured, Your Highness, our headquarters will truthfully report to the emperor that North Korea will be able to persevere to the end and annihilate all the Japanese pirates. We, the Ming Dynasty, have fulfilled the righteousness of our suzerain country. From now on, we only need to watch and cheer. "
Hearing this, the kings and ministers of North Korea were all shocked. Li Hao was shocked and hurriedly persuaded him to stay, saying that it would be difficult for North Korea to regain its territory by itself. Song Yingchang looked surprised and asked: "Didn't His Highness just now say that as long as the North Korean army can become independent, it will be more conducive to the battle? Since our Ming army has become a disservice, why not go back early and stay in North Korea for dinner?" What does the wind drink from the snow?"
Li Hao repeatedly denied this, saying that he had no intention of doing so and that without reinforcements from the Ming Dynasty, he would never be able to defeat the Japanese pirates.
Song Yingchang smiled softly and said: "Your Highness, if you have any feasible suggestions, the headquarters will naturally accept them, but this matter is too ridiculous. The North Korean ministers have been complaining about being under the unified command of the Ming Dynasty, and the headquarters has already understood it. In fact, the ministers have been complaining about being under the unified command of the Ming Dynasty. In the final analysis, it is just the so-called self-esteem that is frustrated and the eagerness to regain face. It is not that our Ming army is bullying others and wants to bring North Korea under its command, but that the effective unification of the command system is one of the elements for decisive victory on the battlefield.
Here is an example. The Mongolian right wing has 100,000 cavalry and covers an area of thousands of miles. However, since the tribute was paid during the Longqing period of the late emperor, it was brought under the command of our Ming Dynasty. Gao Ge Lao has commanded his army in battle several times. This department has never heard of the strange thing that King Shunyi asked to do his own thing during the war and did not listen to the command of Gao Ge!
One hundred thousand Mongolian cavalry is such a powerful military force. I think His Highness and the North Korean ministers must have a clear opinion. They can honestly fight under the command of the Ming Dynasty. What's more, the North Korean army does not have the ability to win independently in the region, but it insists on enjoying it. Higher treatment than King Shunyi?
If North Korea really had such capabilities, there would be no need to ask Ming Dynasty for rescue in the first place. If His Highness wants the Korean army to fight independently, then please show the power of Korea to me, the court, and the emperor. "
After that, Song Yingchang left in a hurry, but the North Korean monarchs and ministers were speechless.
Shortly afterwards, Li Rusong learned that Song Yingchang had made a verbal commitment to North Korea for the Ming army's beating of a North Korean general, so he took the initiative to plead guilty to Song Yingchang.
Song Yingchang seemed to be less talkative this time than before. He gave him a lesson and said: "If you go deep alone and attack the enemy's front, there will be accidents. And if the general dies, the imperial power will be greatly damaged! By then, tens of thousands of soldiers will be implicated and punished by you." , how to annihilate the enemy and restore the emperor's order?
Your father, Li Ningyuan, is a master of military affairs, bold and careful, brave and resourceful, but you are so reckless and reckless. You must take a hard time to reflect on yourself and never act like this again. "
Song Yingchang knew that if he just criticized Li Rusong, he might not be convinced by Li Rusong's temper, so it was his father Li Chengliang who compared him with him. In the Ming Dynasty, filial piety was as great as heaven. No matter how awesome you are, do you still have to argue with your father about your superiority? Believe it or not, Li Chengliang slapped you? So in this way, Li Rusong had nothing to say and could only accept the instruction obediently.
But Song Yingchang went on to say: "However, this battle is not without merit. The Northern Army is so brave that it scares the enemy. It is only under your rule that they can achieve such combat power. Normally, the army would have already laid down and asked to surrender.
With an outnumbered enemy, you were still able to stand firm and wait for reinforcements in the face of ten times the enemy, and finally defeated the main force of the Japanese army. I will take credit for you for this, and with the presence of Gao Ge Lao in the cabinet, I will naturally not fail to see this. The difficulty of the battle and your courage in facing it. "
This is just giving someone a date with a stick. What else could Li Rusong say but thank you. Song Yingchang was a manager and had a high status. After saying this, he left first.
But something went wrong when he left. The Southern soldiers who had been treated differently before took the opportunity to use this situation to ridicule the Northern Army and vent their dissatisfaction with the last report of merit.
Runan General Wang Bidi publicly questioned Li Rusong: "Abandoning the army and only leading the vanguard to attack, only to be trapped in a tight siege. If the general has a shortcoming, the whole army will be demoralized and even retreat. Shouldn't the general be severely punished?"
Other generals of the Southern Army, such as Luo Shangzhi, Wu Weizhong and others, also made accusations, but Li Rusong ignored them and left. Zu Chengxun, Zha Damou and other generals of the Northern Army in turn accused the Southern Army of being incompetent, and the Northern and Southern Army generals broke up unhappy.
Not only the generals, but also the soldiers of the Northern and Southern Army had been quarreling for several days, taunting and insulting each other, which eventually led to a large-scale brawl between the two parties, and the Ming army camp was in chaos. Song Yingchang stepped forward in time and ordered people to fire cannons to stop them. He ordered his own soldiers to arrest the soldiers of the North and South Army who were the leading troublemakers and behead them on the spot. He gave public instructions and awarded rewards to appease the army.
After the Battle of Biti Hall, Li Rusong's troops suffered a lot of casualties, many of his trusted generals died on the battlefield, and his own elite suffered heavy losses. Looking back, he even almost died. If these things are common to generals, then the Northern and Southern armies are full of contradictions and incompatible with each other. It is difficult to say whether the admiral himself can command the Southern army, and whether he can trust the Southern army on the battlefield.
With such thoughts, Li Rusong's fighting spirit sank into depression and he no longer even wanted Kaicheng. He simply used the excuse that the losses were too heavy and retreated the main force of the Li Army all the way to Pyongyang. Song Yingchang ordered not to move, and was so angry that he only led the rest of the army except the Li family army to garrison in Kaicheng, claiming that if the Japanese army came, his strategy would die in Kaicheng.
Fortunately, the Japanese troops will not come at this time. In this bloody battle at Bi Tiguan, the Ming army actually only had 6,000 troops participating in the battle, while the Japanese army had as many as 43,000 troops. The final result was more than a thousand casualties for the Ming army and as many as 4,000 to 5,000 Japanese casualties. It was true that Li Rusong felt sorry for his core direct descendants, so why weren't the Japanese troops afraid of being beaten?
Kobayakawa Takakage, the wise general, personally commanded, and Tachibana Munesege personally led the elite as the vanguard. In the early stage, he surrounded Li Rusong with ten times the force of three to four thousand people, but he could never break this hard bone, and instead broke his front teeth. As soon as the results came out, the Japanese army asked themselves that they could hold Hanyang because of the blessing of Amaterasu, so how could they still have the courage to attack!
Now the Japanese army is focused on seeking help from the country. If that fails, they will have to consider withdrawing south. However, the Ming army also caused problems because Li Rusong retreated without permission.
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