In the eleventh year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, on the fourth day of October, at the beginning of Shenshi, the cold wind of late autumn carried silvery white snowflakes flying all over the sky.
In Mafang Village, there is a slope from the dirt road at the west entrance of the village to the southwest, which extends to an abandoned stable a hundred meters away. There is an open space next to the stable.
The dark crowd was kneeling in the snow. There seemed to be 1,500 people. They were old and young, strong men and women. There were even groups of sergeants with helmets and armors kneeling on one knee. The cloaks they wore fluttered in the wind amid the falling snow, like red dragons.
Zhang Cheng stopped looking at the sky and glanced gently at the people kneeling in front of him. What a kind person, why did he let them suffer so much?
"Everyone, get up."
Zhang Cheng slowly waved his right hand and said in a deep voice.
The man looked up at Zhang Cheng, met Zhang Cheng's gentle eyes, and couldn't help but kowtowed three more times before standing up.
He said angrily, "I, Shi Zhuzhu, this life belongs to the boss."
"What a good guy, he's half a head taller than me!" Zhang Cheng looked at the man and thought to himself.
The guard captain behind him, Chen Zhong, also stood up. Over there, Chen Zheng, Hu Dake, Zhang Guangda, Wu Zhizhong and others all stood up, as did all the sergeants under his command.
But the three groups of refugees were still kneeling there, never getting up, and their eyes were still looking at Zhang Cheng pitifully.
Zhang Cheng walked over, stood three steps away from an old man, and said in a deep voice: "Old man, please get up quickly."
A slightly stout old man stood up, holding his blood-stained dark red hands in front of his chest, and said with a vicissitude of voice: "Old man Shitiegen is the father of that pillar, the horseshoe maker of this horse stable..."
Zhang Cheng waved his hand to stop Shi Tiegen from continuing, and shouted loudly to the refugees: "Everyone, get up, I will try to protect everyone."
The refugees turned to look at each other, and it was the old man Shi Tiegen who turned around and shouted loudly: "Folks, get up quickly, the general has promised us, please get up."
Under his call, the refugees stood up with each other's support. After they stood up, they squeezed together to resist the cold wind and snow.
Zhang Cheng said to the old man Shi Tiegen: "Old man, please wait for a moment."
Without waiting for the old man to answer, he turned around and told Chen Zhong: "Gather officers above the team level to find a larger house at the west entrance of the village. I have something to say."
Chen Zhong agreed and trotted off with a few guards to deliver the order.
Zhang Cheng then looked at the group of refugees gathered in three piles, turned around and said to the guards around him: "Take people to remove some wooden piles, light a fire, and drive away the cold for the villagers."
After doing this, Zhang Cheng turned around and headed straight for the west entrance of Mafang Village. The officers under his command followed him one after another, and the sergeants in front made way.
…
There is a dilapidated courtyard house about twenty steps south of the west entrance of Mafang Village. Although it is very spacious, it can only barely block the wind and snow. A group of military generals are gathering inside the house.
“In this battle, through many fierce encounters and ambushes in Guandao, Liulin, the west entrance of the village, the stables, the south of the village, and the north of the village, a total of 131 Tartar heads were captured, and 131 Tartar heads were captured. There were forty-two prisoners alive, and many of them were wounded." Chen Zhong announced the statistical results loudly.
A broken chair was placed against the wall in the middle of the ruined house, with a cloak spread on it. Zhang Cheng sat on it, and Chen Zhong stood sideways one step in front of him.
After hearing Chen Zhong say that more than 170 Tartars had been killed and captured, Chen Zheng, four other sentry commanders, and their generals standing in the room couldn't help but whisper.
He just said softly: "Continue."
"In this battle, our unit seized a total of 235 horses and mules, including 89 war horses, 146 mules and horses, and 11 injured horses. We met the officials in Liulin in the north of the village. There are still some injured horses on the road." Chen Zhong continued to report.
Seeing that Zhang Cheng was silent, Chen Zhong continued: "In this battle, a total of sixteen carts were harvested. After investigation, there were more than 3,200 taels of silver, more than 200 taels of gold, and nearly one hundred taels of rice, flour and beans. Twenty stones, in addition to some fabric tents and other sundries, there are also 873 refugees captured by the Tartars."
Chen Zheng and others were moved again, but this time they only showed surprise on their faces and looked at each other, but did not whisper to each other.
Zhang Cheng glanced at the people present. He recognized the performance of his commanders and commanders in today's battle, but now he needed their loyalty to him even more, which was crucial for his future efforts.
Zhang Cheng coughed, and when everyone was looking at him, he said: "Today is all thanks to your bravery, so that we can achieve this great victory. I am deeply gratified."
After Zhang Cheng finished speaking, he looked around the officers in the room and saw how happy they were, so he asked Chen Zhong: "What are the casualties of our officers and men?"
Chen Zhonglue hesitated, and then said with a hint of sadness: "Today our troops lost 12 soldiers and were injured 34, including several seriously injured, including Liu Quan, the left sentry officer, Chang Bai Shanzi, A Changsun Dashan and several other officers."
Everyone in the scene was silent after hearing this letter, especially Zhang Guangda who shed a few tears. Most of the casualties were low-level officers under his command.
Zhang Cheng glanced at everyone for a long time, and then said with a slightly sad voice: "Although we have gained a lot, our troops also suffered casualties. They all say that the army is fierce and dangerous. How can there be no casualties in the killing field? All the officers and men in this department are brothers and sisters, and I really feel sorry for him."
After saying that, Zhang Cheng actually shed a few tears. The officers in the room were moved by his words. Although some of his subordinates had few casualties, they could not help but feel a little sad at this moment. After all, they were all members of the ministry, and even more However, a few people were immersed in the scene and sobbed softly involuntarily.
Zhang Cheng slightly wiped the tears from his eyes and continued softly but majestically: "The brothers who died in the battle today are all brothers and sisters of our generation. Your parents are the parents of our generation. Your brothers and sisters are our brothers and sisters. From today on, all brothers and sisters who have died in the war will be treated equally."
All the officers in the room knelt down on one knee, bowed with their hands clasped in fists, and shouted neatly: "Good!"
Zhang Cheng waved his hand, signaling everyone to stand up, and then continued: "What a certain person just said, you must inform every soldier, everyone knows it."
Everyone clasped their fists again and collectively declared: "Yes!"
Zhang Cheng nodded and then continued: "After you return to camp today, you must find documents and tell all the battles you experienced today. It must be detailed and no concealment is allowed, so that you can check and fill in the gaps in the future. Knowing what you have lost today will be your teacher in the future.”
Among the people present, some people seemed to understand it, and some people seemed to understand it somewhat. Some of them lowered their heads in deep contemplation, while others turned their heads to wait and see.
Zhang Cheng also knows that they may not be able to understand some things that can be done in a short time. After all, they have never experienced these things before. After winning a battle, they just celebrate and receive rewards. Why do they still need to keep a notebook and prepare for the future? Teacher or something?
He coughed twice again, focused everyone's attention, and then said: "In a war, there are always winners and losers. No matter whether you win or lose today, you must know where you win and where you lose." Only in this way can we fight more and more wisely. Only if we win more battles, the brothers and sisters in the army will die less in battles."
Zhang Cheng looked at the subordinates in front of him. He needed them to grow. No matter who among them could continue to follow him after Julu, there were some things he had to start doing because time was running out!
Everyone could understand these somewhat simple words, and most of them lowered their heads in deep thought. Only those few with well-developed limbs but simple minds couldn't figure it out for the moment.
After all, he was older and had more experience. Wu Zhizhong, the right guard commander, was the first to say: "Master, when you say this, I understand. I will find the paperwork when I get back to the camp."
This is true in everything, the power of example is always great!
With the leader in charge, everyone in the room actively agreed, for fear of falling behind others, even the few who looked at it and knew they hadn't really figured it out yet.
In any case, it is not easy to do this today. After all, there is a problem of the limitations of the times, and everything will take some time.
If time is really not enough, then ask God to borrow another five hundred years!
Zhang Cheng said in a deep voice again: "That's it for today. We are now planning the next steps."
Everyone was alert and ready to receive military orders.
"Left Sentinel Officer Huang Daguang took two carts to Liulin. After meeting Yang Chun, you will command them and return to the camp quickly; Left Sentinel Officer Yu Jin took a cart straight to the official road and met with the Outpost Commander A. After Team B reunites, we will return to the camp together." Zhang Cheng ordered in a deep voice.
"Yes." The two of them knelt on one knee, clasped their fists and saluted loudly to receive the order.
Zhang Cheng moved his eyes to the several sentry commanders and said in a deep voice: "Right sentry Wu Zhizhong, please go to the pontoon bridge quickly, pay attention to the movement on the other side of the Yu River, and wait for my military order before making the next move;
Zhang Guangda, the left sentry, after things are finished and set off from Mafang, you will send someone to the south pontoon bridge and inform the right sentry Wu Zhizhong that your second unit will be responsible for cutting off the rear. Remember that the sentry cavalry cannot spread too far apart and be careful in everything;
Chen Zheng, the outpost, and Hu Dake, the back post, your two units are responsible for capturing supplies and prisoners, as well as the peripheral defense and security of the refugee team. You need to spread out the team, with A as a unit, and set up security around the refugees. "
The four commanders just stood there, clasping their fists and receiving orders.
Zhang Cheng nodded and continued to order: "Official officer of the first sentry team, your team is responsible for escorting the carts, and officer Li Damu of the rear sentry team is responsible for escorting the mules and horses. Officer He Kuan of the rear sentry team is responsible for guarding the refugee team. ;
You tried your best to transfer the captured materials to the spare mules and horses, and the freed carts were loaded with Tatar heads, wounded soldiers, and the old and weak among the refugees. "
"Yes." The three of them knelt down on one knee and clasped their fists in salute to receive the order.
Zhang Cheng watched the three people stand up before continuing: "One more thing. Except for the right sentry and the second team of Huang Daguang and Yu Jin, the rest of the troops immediately sorted out the seized materials. The armor of the Tartars was taken off, loaded into the car and brought back, and the clothes They were distributed to the elderly, weak and women among the refugees to keep them warm from the cold, and the bodies of the Tartars were carried to the west entrance of the mafang and arranged neatly."
Zhang Cheng paused briefly while saying this, and glanced majestically at everyone present. After a long time, he said: "For the captured Tatars, if their injuries are serious, only the heads will be kept, and the bodies will be disposed of as before. Only the lightly wounded prisoners will be kept until they return to the camp. After that, he handed it over to Yang Junmen and asked the governor to deal with it."
All the officers in the room said loudly: "I will obey the military orders of the commander-in-chief."
Mafang Village suddenly became lively, with people busy everywhere. The west entrance of the village was dyed red with blood, and a small red stream flowed downwards along the potholes in the road.
Zhang Cheng stood on a mound, watching all this, watching the heads of the invaders rolling to the ground.
He just felt extremely happy in his heart, it was simply hearty!
