On the ninth day of the first lunar month in the thirteenth year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen summoned Chen Xinjia, Governor of Xuanda, to replace Fu Zonglong as Minister of War.
Since Jia Jun in the Hongzhi Dynasty, no one with a good family background has served as a minister. However, at this time, the country's military was in crisis, and none of the ministers wanted to serve as minister of the Ministry of War. Therefore, it was the turn of those who had the reputation of knowing the military. Chen Xinjia was chosen.
Chen Xinjia was indeed one of the few people who knew the military. When he met with Emperor Chongzhen, Chen Xinjia presented ten strategies for defending the country, although most of them were based on what previous courtiers had said.
However, Chen Xinjia suggested that it is advisable to set up general troops to guard behind Tianshou Mountain, and Xuzhou should also set up heavy troops to guard it, opening the throat of the two capitals, protecting Fengling in the south, and preventing water transportation in the middle. Emperor Chongzhen adopted it, and Chen Xinjia added Chen Bing When the four key points of the ministry's affairs and military affairs failed, Emperor Chongzhen immediately ordered him to rectify and implement them.
In the first month of the first lunar month, Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, also wrote a memorial: Ningyuan City has guards, military supervisors, governors, military preparations and other officials. The camps are complicated and the power is limited.
He specifically asked Emperor Chongzhen for instructions on all military affairs, and all military matters were subject to the control of the commander-in-chief. Any officers such as military supervisors, governors, and guards who were in the same city should also be handled in this way, or with Emperor Chongzhen's permission.
On the seventh day of February, Superintendent Yang Sichang commanded General Zuo Liangyu and others to defeat Zhang Xianzhong at Manao Mountain in Taiping County. Zhang Xianzhong's wife and concubines were captured and fled into the borders of Xing'an and Fang counties. The officers and soldiers were afraid of danger and did not attack, while Zhang Xianzhong lurked in the dense forest. In the middle of the war, he bribed the mountain people to buy salt and rice, and the mountain people became the eyes and ears of the rebel army. Zhang Xianzhong recruited scattered soldiers and regained his momentum.
On the seventh day of March, Emperor Chongzhen also issued an edict to dismiss the eunuchs who had been sent to various towns and armies to serve as supervisors and monitors.
The notice said: "The officials in each town have been under supervision for a long time. There have been slight changes in terms of troops, horses, money, food, equipment, etc., but the war, defense and assistance have not been fully fulfilled. So the general manager, division guards and other internal ministers were all Withdraw to the capital and use it for other purposes. All border affairs such as money, food, troops and horses, border defense, and suppression of imperial troops will be shouldered by the governor, government, town, and road."
Li Guofu, the surveillance eunuch who was previously sent to the North Road, was also summoned back to the capital. Zhang Cheng was grateful to him. Zhang Cheng's support was quite great when Li Guofu's father-in-law was appointed as the surveillance eunuch. If he hadn't recruited craftsmen from the capital in time to supplement it, Yunzhou's gun production may never be increased.
Therefore, when Li Guofu's father-in-law returned to the capital, Zhang Cheng not only sent carriages and guards, but also brought many gold, silver, silk and other items in large and small packages.
Although Li Guofu refused in every possible way, under Zhang Cheng's insistence, he finally returned to the capital with two thousand taels of silver, twenty pieces of silk and satin, and two sedans escorted by twenty pro-combatants.
On April 15, Emperor Chongzhen told the ministers of the Ministry of Personnel: In recent years, the qualifications have limited the territory, and talents have been suppressed. The examination and selection have been repeatedly ordered to pay tribute and accept both. However, they do not comply. This is not the intention of the ancestors to appoint people outside the rules.
Therefore, a total of 263 people were consulted as Gongshi and passed the annual Gongsheng examination. They were all under the Six Ministries, Duchayuan, General Affairs Department, Taichang Temple, and the vacancies of the inferred Zhengguan Tongxingchao were filled in turn. And it is clearly stated that this is for special use and will not be used as an example in the future.
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On April 18, the 13th year of Chongzhen reign in the Ming Dynasty, it was still quite cool on the North Road of Xuanzhen. After all, it was close to the outside of the Great Wall, and the moonlight seemed to be a month or two later than on the East Road.
Since the beginning of February, the banner of recruiting soldiers has been set up again. There is an endless stream of children from military families applying every day. Fortresses in Chicheng, Yunzhou, Dushikou, Maying, Zhen'an, Longmensuo and other places are all applying. Those gathered.
I have to say that the role of role models is too strong. Ever since the soldiers in the three military camps of Dushikou, Yunzhou and Chicheng had holidays at the end of August last year, they have become the most beautiful cubs on the North Road!
Wearing brand-new military uniforms, they were walking in the streets and alleys of the forts everywhere. They were particularly eye-catching, and they were all polite to others. Although there were some who were not good at communicating, not only looked ferocious, but also had loud voices, but But there is no such thing as eating and drinking for free, or even not paying the bills if you get credit.
Precisely because they all have a salary, and because of the hardships of camp training on weekdays, the brotherhood between them is growing day by day. Every holiday, they go to the streets and alleys in groups to find shops and have a big meal.
Fortunately, they all took turns to treat each other. If one person treated each other once, he could eat five or six times, which also enhanced the relationship between the brothers. Zhang Cheng also strongly supported this.
Although their consumption each time is not a lot, the base of the sergeants is large. Therefore, every time when the military camps in various places are on holiday, it is like a festival in every castle.
All the restaurants and bars had their halls tidy, and the waiters were shouting hard along the street, for fear of missing a group of customers.
This time, Wu Zhizhong sent team officers specializing in recruiting troops to various fortresses on the North Road. They strictly followed the standards set by Zhang Cheng. They not only eliminated the weak and selected the strong, but also required good family members and even three-household joint guarantees.
Even so, there is still an endless stream of people signing up. Just imagine, not only do you have enough food every day, but you can also eat three meals of meat every month, and you can also receive monthly salary, let alone the North Road, even if it is the entire Is there one in Xuanzhen?
As of today, more than 4,000 young and strong men have been recruited. They are trained in Chicheng, Dushikou and Yunzhou. During the first three months of recruitment, if they are not eliminated, they will be divided into various battalions. More rigorous training is carried out.
Just as the four thousand new warriors were conducting military operations, Tang Ruowang arrived at the Red Castle. What he saw along the way was becoming more and more desolate.
But as soon as he passed the Diaohao Fort, he was doubly surprised. Xuanzhen North Road was supposed to be the northernmost edge of Xuanfu Town. It was supposed to be deserted and desolate, but what he saw was a thriving scene. Bustling scene.
Especially in the Red Castle, at first glance, it is not inferior to the prosperity of the capital. Of course, this is just a metaphor, after all, the population base of the capital is there.
However, the sense of vitality displayed by the soldiers and civilians on the North Road was the first time Tang Ruowang felt it since arriving in the Ming Dynasty, especially after he visited the Yunzhou Craftsman Camp.
In the main hall of Yunzhou Post House, Zhang Cheng, Wei Zhice, Chi Yuan, Shi Tiegen and others were accompanying Tang Ruowang to sip fragrant tea in the hall.
Zhang Cheng then spoke up and said: "Mr. Tang is a master from the Western country. How about meeting me at the craftsman's camp and workshop on the North Road today?"
Although Tang Ruowang had heard Zhang Cheng mention that there were craftsmen camps and workshops in Yunzhou, which were quite large, he had only heard about them after all. When he saw them today, he was also frightened.
The scale of Yunzhou's craftsmen's camps and workshops alone may exceed the scale of the Ministry of Industry and War of the Ming Dynasty, and even the scale of the craftsmen's workshops in the palace. What's even more rare is that the management of Yunzhou is also special.
Although Tang Ruowang came to the main business of North Road to preach, he was still very interested when he saw the assembly line operation in the workshop. In particular, he was surprised that all the components he saw were generally sophisticated.
