In the Privy Council and the military machine room, Guo Rong was immersed in public cases, reviewing official documents, concentrating, and his expression was not relaxed. The war in Hunan has ended, and it is not only the political hall that is preparing to accept state affairs and establish order that is busy.
Moreover, for now, the Privy Council's tasks are more arduous. After all, it is the army of the Han Dynasty that controls Hunan and maintains the order of the imperial court there.
With the formal establishment of Jinghu Road, the Privy Council also established the Nanmian Fang, which was in charge of the military and political affairs of Nanmian Daozhou and quickly deployed personnel.
He spread out the album in his hand, put down his pen and signed it, put down his pen, picked up the tea cup and took a sip, then rubbed his sore eyes, and then he breathed a sigh of relief. The piling up of official documents has finally been temporarily resolved.
After packing up a few confidential tasks that he had prepared in advance, Guo Rong stood up and prepared to go to Chongzheng Hall. Regarding the subsequent military arrangements for Jinghu, he still needed to report and communicate with the emperor in person.
"Prime Minister!" Before leaving, Li Chuyun, who was ordered by the Privy Council, hurried in, holding an urgent military report in his hand: "Military information in Hunan!"
"What's the matter?" Guo Rong asked.
"The Chenzhou garrison clashed with the puppet North Korean army!"
With his eyebrows slightly furrowed and a little confused, Guo Rong said, "What's the specific situation?"
Li Chuyun said: "According to the Changsha News, the puppet troops crossed Guiyang Mountain and entered the country brazenly. With their rampage, the marching messenger Cao Bin came south from Pingyang to reach the enemy. The two sides fought at the Guiyang Pass. Our army won. Four hundred were beheaded and captured. Thousands, the puppet army is low in strength and vulnerable! Changsha asks for instructions to send troops to attack the puppet army and capture Lingnan!"
After taking the military report and reading it carefully, his expression gradually returned to calmness. Guo Rong looked at Li Chuyun: "What do you think?"
Li Chuyun said in a deep voice: "In this matter, I am afraid that the generals in the south intend to use force to test the imperial court's will!"
Nodding slightly, he acknowledged Li Chuyun's judgment, put away the military report, and Guo Rong said: "I will go to see Your Majesty first! Your Majesty still needs to make a final decision on this matter!"
...
"...After the Battle of Yuezhou, Murong Yanzhao mobilized troops from Jingnan into Hunan to suppress public security, while Han Tong sent troops from the east route to temporarily station in Baling. Cao Bin guarded Dao and Chen, and Pan Mei stationed in Quan and Yong. , suppressed thieves and maintained public order, Dao and Chen were in good condition, but there were barbarian invasions and intrusions from the five states in Quanzhou and Yong, which were suppressed by Pan Mei. Li Jun went south from Chenzhou and temporarily stationed in Xuzhou to suppress the barbarians.
At present, the Forbidden Army, the Nanmian Prefecture Army, the Jingnan Army, plus the Hunan surrendered army, there are more than 80,000 troops in Jinghu, with Jiangling, Baling, Wuling, Changsha, Pingyang, and Lingling as the main garrison. So..." In Chongzheng Hall, Guo Rong reported to Liu Chengyou the situation in Hunan.
"With so many troops, the burden is heavy!" After hearing this, Liu Chengyou asked directly: "How does the Privy Council plan to adjust?"
"Although Jinghu is vast, there is really no need for so many soldiers and horses. I and the officials from the south side have already drafted the military plan. Please see it for your Majesty!" Guo Rong had obviously prepared to submit a seal.
While reading, Guo Rong calmly narrated the summary: "This campaign used a lot of northern soldiers and went deep into the southern soil. Although we had been on guard, they were ultimately unable to defeat the weather. So far, 1,478 people have been sick in the southern expeditionary force. I suggest that we gradually call back the imperial army and the state army, and at the same time, reorganize and train the army in Jinghu, and set up the capital command department!"
"The situation is not peaceful, so summoning is not conducive to suppressing it!" Liu Chengyou said.
Guo Rong said: "The Forbidden Army will be divided into one wing and two lieutenants of the Protective Holy Army, and will be stationed in Changsha and Jiangling, and then a cavalry will be stationed there. Three thousand soldiers will be selected from the soldiers of Xiang, An, Ying, Fu and other prefectures and temporarily assigned to the capital.
At the same time, the original Jingnan army was reorganized and reduced to 5,000 troops, and the Chu army was mobilized south to guard Hunan. After collecting the surrendered Chu army, 3,000 of the elite troops were selected and retained, and the rest were sent back to the people and returned to their farmland..."
"Use Jing to Zhenxiang, multiple checks and balances!" Liu Chengyou muttered, looking satisfied with the Privy Council's arrangements for the aftermath.
"In this way, after the removal of the imperial army, there will be 11,000 troops under the jurisdiction of the Jinghu Dusi. This aftermath reorganization is expected to last for three months, which is enough to cooperate with the Chief Secretary's administration!" Guo Rong said.
"It seems that Guo Qing has considered it very comprehensively!" Liu Chengyou smiled slightly and said: "However, this is enough to defend it, but it is difficult to advance. The imperial army who is not accustomed to the southern soil will eventually have to be transferred from the north!"
Guo Rong also understood the emperor's implication and responded: "At the beginning of Jinghu Lake, this adjustment is just the foundation. Restoring public order is the first priority. From then on, the number of troops and horses required to restore peace will not increase!"
"The Privy Council should make preparations for taking Lingnan in the future and deploying troops and horses!" Liu Chengyou said directly.
After hearing what he said, Guo Rong showed no surprise on his face, but asked: "I wonder what your Majesty's instructions are?"
"In the future, I don't want to use northern soldiers and horses to attack Lingnan. What if I only use the people of Jinghu?" Liu Chengyou asked.
"The expedition of the people who worked in the Central Plains is indeed twice the result with twice the result. If Hunan's military equipment is integrated, it can be of great use!" Guo Rong thought for a while and said: "Hunan has no shortage of elite soldiers, but it has been in civil strife for many years and has lost its vitality. It will be difficult to recover in a short period of time. If we move south in the future, we still need to increase our troops!"
"I suggest that we recruit Miao and Yao barbarians from the five states in western Hunan to fight!" Guo Rong said.
Hearing this, Liu Chengyou smiled: "Heroes have similar opinions! Guo Qing and I thought of going together. Yesterday I met the Yao chief Qin Zaixiong. I thought this man was a good talent and he was respectful to the court.
Didn't Liyang capture a group of barbarian soldiers? I intend to use them as a basis, and then recruit Miao and Yao elites from the five states with heavy capital to form an army for mountain and jungle warfare, with Qin Zaixiong as the military envoy.
It will be of great use in the future! "
Guo Rong nodded and asked, "I wonder how many troops your Majesty thinks is appropriate?"
"Three thousand!" Liu Chengyou said directly.
"Your Majesty, when it comes to Lingnan, I just received the military report from the south before I came to visit you!" Guo Rong said.
Liu Chengyou became interested, and Guo Rong immediately told the "conflict" between the two sides in Guiyang Mountain and submitted it to the general.
After reading, Liu Chengyou also raised a question: "How dare soldiers and horses of the puppet dynasty take the initiative to invade the country?"
"If he intends to invade the north, he will definitely not wait for the imperial court to capture Lingbei before marching!" Guo Rong shook his head and reported his and Li Chuyun's speculations.
"General at the front, the fighting spirit is still there!" Liu Chengyou sighed slightly, thought about it for a moment, and gave the order: "Command the camp to the south and let Murong Yanzhao restrain the troops. Do not start the war without getting the order!"
"Your Majesty, in the battle at Guiyang Pass, the Puppet Dynasty suffered a lot of casualties, and it may not be willing to give up!" Guo Rong reminded.
"Then make a slight change. You are not allowed to take the initiative to stir up trouble. We put the stability of public security in Hunan first!" Liu Chengyou also changed his tune.
In fact, after taking Hunan, Liu Chengyou, like the front line and the generals, also set his sights on Lingnan. From his true heart, he really wanted to take advantage of the trend and go south and simply destroy the Southern Han Dynasty. After all, how could there be a reason for the two Han Dynasties to exist side by side in the world.
But reason told him that he should not be in a hurry. Military attack was not the most difficult part of fighting the Southern Han Dynasty. What was difficult was the logistics. What was difficult was an army that could adapt to the southern climate.
"In January and a half, we will set up Jinghu Lake. I really want to give the order to take advantage of the situation to advance south and destroy the puppet dynasty entrenched in Lingnan!" Liu Chengyou confided his thoughts to Guo Rong.
Guo Rong shook his head calmly: "I know your Majesty's ambition, but I have to say that it is not a good opportunity now, so please suppress your desire to swallow the world for the time being!"
"Speaking of which, the Battle of Guiyang Mountain was the first time that the Han Dynasty and the Puppet Dynasty came into contact since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Although it was not very harmonious." Liu Chengyou muttered and ordered to Guo Rong: "Military Intelligence Department, we should strengthen the control of the Puppet Dynasty. Spy!"
"yes!"
