When Governor Lu Xiangsheng finished the discussion and returned to the mansion from Anding Gate, it was almost the third day of the night.
Servant Gu Xian told him that many friends in Beijing came to visit him in the afternoon and evening to inquire about the defensive decisions against the Donglu. Some people actually waited until nearly three o'clock before leaving one after another.
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Lu Xiangsheng dressed neatly and entered the palace to bid farewell to the Emperor. Not long after he arrived at the court room and waited, a young eunuch came out and ushered him into the palace, to the magnificent left wing. In front of the door.
As with other ministers' speeches, Emperor Chongzhen did not come out in person, but a few eunuchs stood in two rows in front of the palace. Lu Xiangsheng knelt down respectfully at the steps of the white marble dragon carvings, facing the solemn and empty The throne kowtowed three times and sang loudly: "I, Lu Xiangsheng, kowtow to the emperor, wishing your majesty long live, long live, long live!"
This sentence was just a common court etiquette, but when the governor Lu Xiangsheng said it at this moment, his heart was full of pain and passion, and even his voice was slightly trembling, and he could hardly help but let it out. Tears come.
Because he had a vague premonition in his heart - after His Majesty resigned from the Emperor this time, he might not see the Emperor again.
At this time, a young eunuch came to the foot of the steps and orally conveyed the imperial edict that the emperor had given him a Shangfang sword. Lu Xiangsheng held the Shangfang sword in both hands and kowtowed again to thank him. Tears suddenly burst out of his eyes.
After the speech, Governor Lu Xiangsheng left Zuoshunmen and came to the cabinet office to bid farewell to cabinet minister Yang Sichang.
Due to the imperial court's policy that non-cabinet ministers were not allowed to enter the cabinet office, cabinet minister Yang Sichang did not let Lu Xiangsheng sit in the cabinet office, but sent him directly out of the Meridian Gate. When they were about to say goodbye, he seemed to want to He seemed to say something privately to Lu Xiangsheng, but his lips moved slightly several times, but in the end nothing came out.
They just looked at each other, speechless for a long time. After a while, the cabinet minister Yang Sichang finally couldn't help it. He whispered to Lu Xiangsheng: "Jiu Weng, you should understand what the emperor means by now. The patient of the country , it lies not on the outside but on the inside. If the inside cannot be settled, how can the imperial court gather all its strength to fight against the outside? The armies of Shanxi and Xuanda are all the elites of the country. Now that the thieves in the country have not been quelled, Jiu Weng must be the emperor. Leave this little possession behind."
Governor Lu Xiangsheng thought silently for a long time, bowed his hands to cabinet minister Yang Sichang, turned around and left.
As soon as he left Chengtianmen, he received a military report from Changping. It was said that although most of the Tartars moved to the area of Dongbianmen and Guangqumen of the capital, some rangers began to go from Andingmen to Changping. Sentries raided and harassed the area between them.
He decided to rush back to the army in Changping immediately. Before leaving, he said to a servant: "Go and tell Mr. Yang Tinglin that I cannot go to see him due to the tight military situation in Changping. Please ask him to move within the next day or two." Let’s talk about it in Changping.”
After giving the instructions, he did not even return to his residence in Beijing. After getting on his horse outside the right gate of Chang'an, he immediately rode out of the capital and hurried towards Changping.
…
On the fourth day of October in the eleventh year of Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty, at noon, Zhang Cheng, the cavalry commander of Qian Commander, under the command of the general, was in the camp of Xuan Town, east of Changping City.
Zhang Cheng was sitting at the top of the table in the middle of the military tent. He looked at the people in the tent and said in a deep voice: "Except for the right sentry, the second and third teams of each sentry will follow me to the vicinity of Ma Fang in the eastern suburbs. , to explore in the direction of Shunyi, Chen Zheng led the outpost B and the remnant of A to Lügezhuang, Zhang Guangda led the left outpost B and the remnant of A to Tangshan, and Wu Zhizhong led the right outpost B and the remnant of A to Guanniufang area. , Hu Dake led the second sentry general to go to the area of the cattle shed."
Zhang Cheng stood up as he spoke. He saw that several sentry commanders in the tent also stood up, and then said: "Each department will send a team to the front post, and the main team will follow behind. Keep a distance of less than 500 steps. If you encounter a captive horse, First fight with the envoys to escape, then pass on the message, and strive to encircle and annihilate them. If it is a captive cavalry group, do not waste the battle, and immediately retreat to the mafang to meet me."
The four sentry commanders shouted in unison: "I will obey the military order!"
Zhang Cheng added: "Each post must maintain a rhythm, not be too forward, and communicate with each other diligently. If there are traces of captive cavalry, they must report to me. If no trace is found, all units must rush to the mafang to assemble before dark. "
All the sentry commanders shouted in unison: "Yes!"
Zhang Cheng finally said: "Everyone should be careful. If you win, raise a toast to celebrate, if you lose, fight to the death to save each other. Now go back and get ready, and leave the camp in order immediately after lunch."
The commanders of all the sentries shouted in unison: "This is your order!"
…
At the end of the year, about forty miles east of Changping City was Guanniufang. Because of the gentle terrain and luxuriant pastures, cattle were raised all year round to supply the palace and the government, so it was named Guanniufang.
Five miles further east there is an unknown hill, about a hundred meters high. The hill is very gentle, with no big trees, but densely covered with weeds and shrubs. About a mile south of the hill is the Yu River, which flows eastward. go.
At this moment, about five hundred capable knights are standing around the hillside. On the hillside, there are more than a dozen knights in iron armor standing, looking towards the east. It is Zhang Cheng who came from the Xuanfu camp in the eastern suburbs of Changping. et al.
Wu Zhizhong, who was riding his horse and standing next to Zhang Cheng, said: "Master, Zhang Guangda has a sentry coming to report, and he will be here immediately. Should we wait a little longer?"
Zhang Cheng stood on his horse with his sword on his waist and said in a deep voice: "No need, there are only more than a hundred Tartars, and it is estimated that about half of them are elite horsemen. The rest are all coats or Yuding, and their combat power is limited."
After Zhang Cheng finished speaking, he looked at Wu Zhizhong beside him, and then said: "Old Wu, when we entered the capital to defend the capital, we came to kill the Tatar soldiers. Now we encountered this small group of Tatar cavalry, which is a good opportunity for our brothers." Let's try our hand and strengthen the power of our Xuanzhen army. Otherwise, in the future, our army will be timid and afraid of the enemy."
"Yes. It's just that the cavalry are fierce. I'm afraid that the boss will do something wrong..." Wu Zhizhong said worriedly.
"It doesn't matter. We'll attack him unprepared, if we're calculated mentally and unintentionally. If we still can't win, we can just flee back to Xuan Town and be so diligent." Zhang Cheng said confidently.
"Old Wu, lead your right sentry along the Yu River to the south of Mafang. Guard the pontoon bridge. Don't allow the captives to escape across the bridge. At the same time, closely observe the movements south of the Yu River. If there is a Tartar group coming to help, report it to me quickly."
Wu Zhizhong replied happily: "Yes!"
Zhang Cheng continued: "Chen Zheng, your outpost is on my left wing, and Hu Dake's rear outpost is on my right wing. I will lead my troops in the center and aim at the horse station of Mafang."
"Yes...yes." Chen Zheng and Hu Dake replied at the same time.
"Chen Zhong, you send two cavalry to find Zhang Guangda, the left sentry, and tell him that he does not have to come to Guanniufang to meet up. He can go straight to Mafang from the direction of Tangshan and attack directly from the north of Mafang. All units immediately form a team and target Mafang." Zhang Cheng ordered With.
Chen Zhong replied loudly: "Yes!"
It turned out that Zhang Cheng led more than 200 cavalrymen. As soon as they arrived here, they received a report from the sentry cavalry in front. There were more than 100 bandits and more than 300 horses, mules and horses gathered near the horse farm about 20 miles to the east. , dozens of large vehicles, and nearly a thousand civilians who were robbed.
Zhang Cheng immediately stationed his troops and horses at the foot of this hill, and immediately called the other four groups to join him. Wu Zhizhong was the closest and arrived first. Zhang Guangda was also on the way and would arrive soon. Chen Zheng and Hu Dake had just arrived here to meet up.
