Letting the little Tatar prince enter the pass to fight was originally part of Zhu Houzhao's plan.
If the Fire Sieve Division is included, the Tatars have an army of hundreds of thousands. If the Ming Dynasty wanted to achieve a decisive victory on the grasslands, it would have to send an army of 500,000.
But no more.
Although there were some interruptions in the process, the loss of Bauhinia Pass surprised him, but as a new-age person who had been educated by teachers, he could still understand a sentence even if he followed the example:
Tactical victory cannot make up for strategic deficiencies.
As long as Zhou Shangwen returns to Datong, his tactics will be successful.
Now, he also got inspiration from Wang Shouren's "tiring the enemy" strategy and began to continuously send troops to harass.
This aspect has been arranged.
On the other hand, the matter between Datong and Zhou Shangwen still requires some more subtle operations.
Zhu Houzhao knew about Yuan Chonghuan. During the Chongzhen period, Yuan Chonghuan led his army to rescue the capital. How many things happened in the end?
As the emperor, how could he not make proper arrangements for this matter?
Not to mention,
It is actually quite sensitive for the general of the border army to return to the capital without orders.
You can be said to be returning to support the capital, but you can also be falsely accused of showing signs of rebellion.
Because no one can tell whether you want a Savior or something else.
In the late Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms, this kind of thing often happened. The emperor appointed a general to go out to fight, but the general immediately turned around and took the throne for himself.
So the first article is to solve this political hidden danger.
And as long as you think about it, this is actually not difficult to solve.
Zhu Houzhao wrote an imperial edict in his own hand.
Article 2: After Zhou Shangwen broke through the dense defenses, he would quickly return reinforcements. How could such an army fight a tough battle? Half my life has been spent just running.
So he drafted a second decree.
The third one is to inform him of the latest situation in the capital.
For example, there is food and soldiers in the city, as well as countermeasures provided by the court.
Everything is done to ensure that the information is communicated as much as possible to avoid misjudgment.
Fortunately, the road from Juyongguan to Xuanfu is open, so Zhu Houzhao ordered people to copy the battle report to Xuanfu and Datong towns every day.
These things may not seem important, at least not as important as directly commanding a victory, but in fact, information can often determine many things.
Because information is the basis for judgment. If the information is incorrect, how can we take the right response?
…
…
Yanghe at this time.
There was no time to repair the damaged city. After being baptized by the flames of war, many houses in the city were hung with white cloth.
datong,
Same thing.
Chang Dacheng personally went to Yanghe to pick up the commander-in-chief Zhou Shangwen.
I haven't seen him for more than a month, but the profound experience makes me feel like I'm a world away, as if I haven't seen him for a long time.
Zhou Shangwen found the newly established tomb of Liu Jiangjie.
The deceased is the most important, so he must come to pay homage this time.
Chang Dacheng was beside him. In addition to the two of them, there were also Sun Xilie and Xu Zhenan. Sun and Xu followed him out of the Great Wall. So far, neither of them had ever encountered a Tatar.
Four people knelt before the tomb.
Zhou Shangwen said: "The eight of us once swore an oath together in front of the King to be loyal to His Majesty and to open up territories for the Ming Dynasty. At the beginning, I also thought that maybe some of us would not live to the day of success, but I never thought that …”
"To die in battle is the destiny of a soldier. Lao Liu is a good man."
At times like this, men don't say much.
Zhou Shangwen just led them to kowtow, his eyes getting tougher every time he stood up.
Finally, he held the knife and asked, "Dacheng."
"exist!"
“What’s the latest trend among the Tatars?”
"The news I heard last night is that we have been attacking Zijingguan for three days."
"Zhen'an."
Xu Zhenan responded suddenly, "Yes!"
"The Tatars are marching from Yu County and Zijin Pass. You immediately lead them to pass Xuanfu and enter the capital from Juyongguan to pay homage to the emperor. You lead 3,000 people and when you pass through Xuanfu, you go to pay homage to Yang Xing, the commander-in-chief of Xuanfu. , take my handwritten letter to persuade him to send troops and go to the capital to serve the king."
The emperor wanted to contact Zhou Shangwenbu as soon as possible.
The same is true for Zhou Shangwen. He wishes he could ask for an imperial edict now to tell him what he should do.
As for the order he gave Xu Zhenan, half of it was okay.
But the other half, Xu Zhenan, was not sure.
"Brother, will Yang Xing listen to me?"
weeks Just show it to him. If he listens to the advice, you have a good talk with him. If he doesn't listen, tell him about the deeds of Yang Hong, the commander-in-chief of the Xuanfu during the orthodox period! If he doesn't know how to praise him, threaten him. After the war, I will definitely come to your presence to participate in the performance! I will participate in his crime of holding troops and horses instead of saving the capital!"
That Yang Hong was the commander-in-chief of the Xuanfu during the Battle of Tumubao. At that time, the orthodox emperor was in trouble, but he never sent a single soldier to rescue him. If Yu Qian hadn't suppressed the dissatisfaction in the court afterwards, Yang Hong would have ended badly.
Zhou Shangwen's words also contained some unreasonable tyranny. But he is not impulsive, and he will do it no matter how many times he is asked to choose.
The emperor deliberately transferred him away, attracting Dayan Khan. Now that he has returned to Datong, Dayan Khan is still in the pass. If he does not eat this group of people, he will not say anything about loyalty to the emperor or meritorious service.
First of all, he himself will be unhappy for the rest of his life!
These days, the frustration and anger in my heart must be washed away with the blood of the Tatars!
"Go quickly!!"
Xu Zhenan was shaken by the call. When he looked up and saw Zhou Shangwen's eyes that seemed to be able to shoot out flames, he seemed to understand a lot.
"Brother, take care of yourself!"
Zhou Shangwen's army returned to Datong and could no longer leave.
Although the capital was in need of rescue, his troops had done nothing this month but were marching, and for the next ten days or so they were anxious, so they could be said to have been working day and night.
If you don't rest, you will really die.
At this time, the benefits of Chang Dacheng's defense of Datong became obvious. The army's food and grass could be replenished, the soldiers could eat some oil and water, and the war horses could also be replenished with refined beans.
But the army rested, but Zhou Shangwen did not rest. He called Chang Dacheng, Ma Yihuai, Yan Xingkui, Ma Rong and others to discuss the war.
In the afternoon of this day, another battle report came, saying that Dayan Khan was still attacking Zijingguan with more than 10,000 casualties, but the offensive continued unabated.
"What on earth is this little prince going to do?"
Chang Dacheng was very puzzled, "I thought he was a little unusual this time when he attacked Datong. This time he went to such great lengths to attack Zijingguan. Do you want to seize the city in the pass and become a local emperor?"
"It's normal that General Chang can't figure it out. This time is different from the past. In the past ten days, we couldn't do anything, but we talked among ourselves and assumed some of his thoughts." Ma Rong said, " This little prince let Huo Si invade Shaanxi and led his troops into Datong. I estimate that his plan has three levels."
"The best outcome is that everything really goes well, and the elites that Ming Dynasty has trained in recent years are eliminated, and they can attack the capital city. That can threaten the court to cancel the blockade and reopen border trade. In this way, for him Just say everything and live. In other words, he is not attacking the capital, but the two strategies of 'suppression' and 'blockade'."
"The second point is to rob money, food, people, and livestock to make up for the losses of the blockade. At the same time, we can survive this winter safely, and then kill our majesty so that we dare not fight with him, so that he will not be blocked by the court. It’s so miserable.”
"The worst result is that he won't get much and the battle won't go smoothly. However, no matter what it is, he has to fight. The court's blockade strategy is to force him to fight. If he doesn't fight, he will die. One piece."
Chang Dacheng asked: "Can this explain why he stormed Zijingguan?"
"Yes!" After so many days, Ma Rong had already thought clearly, "No matter how much the losses at Zijingguan Pass are, he will still have 50,000 or 60,000 soldiers and horses. At this time, the problem is on our side. Because behind Zijingguan Pass is Capital, we cannot stay too long in Datong no matter what. The soldiers and horses of the capital will not leave the city. No minister in the court dares to make this suggestion. So he can wait for work.
As for the Ming cavalry led by General Zhou, they were only 24,000 in number, including the 3,000 they had just subdued. General Xu divided another 3,000 troops. Twenty thousand people fight more than fifty or sixty thousand people, but our army is still exhausted. How can we win? "
Zhou Shangwen caught up and said, "If we lose, it will be no different from what happened during the Zhengtong years."
All the elites were defeated, and the result was that Ming Dynasty completely lost its ability to intercept the enemy army in the hinterland.
The only thing I'm thankful for is:
This time at least the emperor didn't clamor for a personal expedition.
After hearing this, Chang Dacheng suddenly felt that Dayan Khan's role was more flexible at this time.
And looking at the people in front of me, although they all rested in Datong, where could they dare to rest?
The Bauhinia Pass is in danger. They have already arrived in Datong. They can sleep for one night at most. Even if they risk losing their heads and sleep for two nights, they have to set off the day after tomorrow.
"It's a pity that I really don't know what the situation is in the capital, and what your Majesty's plans are. If we can ask for your Majesty's orders, the general will still suggest that we march safely."
Ma Rong has said this many times.
But this is a big question of right and wrong.
Everyone also knows that it is not feasible,
How is it possible that the little Tartar prince is already at Zijingguan, and you haven’t come to rescue him quickly?
So Ma Rong had to admit that the little prince's plan was indeed brilliant.
However, there is one variable in this, which is the emperor and Zhu Houzhao.
When they were in the middle of their discussion, a soldier with quick hands and feet came outside. He knelt down on one knee when he entered the door, raised his hands and said: "To report to the general soldiers of Zhou, there are guards in imperial clothes outside, saying that they want to declare the imperial edict!"
Yes, the imperial edict issued by Zhu Houzhao had already been sent to Datong by Jin Yiwei, and the day that Zhou Shangwen was waiting for came to Datong from Yanghe.
Zhou Shangwen still doesn't understand the situation. How come there is an imperial edict as soon as he comes back? Could the emperor predict when he would return to Datong?
However, no amount of doubts could affect the acceptance of the order, and the original discussion on military affairs had to be suspended. Zhou Shangwen led the group, and a group of people followed them and knelt down.
"Then take the order!"
While he was talking, three imperial guards came in holding an imperial edict each.
"Commander Zhou, Your Majesty has ordered us to wait here for many days. The little Tatar prince has raised troops to Zijingguan. It can be said that the thieves have entered the game and a counterattack is imminent. Your Majesty hopes that Commander Zhou can fight well in this battle. In this way, the vows made back then can be considered fulfilled.”
Being able to utter words like the oath he made back then, Zhou Shangwen knew it must be the emperor's personal order.
"Your Majesty, Datong Commander-in-Chief Zhou Shangwen, accept the order!"
(End of chapter)
