On the second day of the banquet between Zhang Cheng, Wu Sangui and Chen Jiugao.
Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, was also discussing with his staff about the "four-pronged attack", but their direction was very clear, that is, how to respond to the court and Emperor Chongzhen in order to change this decision.
When the sky was getting dark, it was finally decided that Xie Sixin, one of Hong Chengchou's close aides, would write for him and report to the Ming Dynasty and Emperor Chongzhen. In the military affairs of Liaodong, the prudent strategy of fighting and defending should be the main one. In Songshan and Xingshan, Make a lasting plan in between.
Hong Chengchou believed that the longer the military campaign in Liaodong was delayed, the more detrimental it would be to the Dongnu and the forces such as Korea and Mongolia that assisted them in fighting.
Therefore, he concluded: "Our soldiers have been holding on to pine and apricots for a long time, and they have been transferred to pay, and the brocade defense is quite solid and will not be easily shaken. If the enemy advances again this autumn, not only will the enemy be poor, but Korea will also be poor. We can defend this and then fight." This is the strategy. Now we are debating the war. We dare not postpone it, but we are afraid that we will be defeated. We are beyond the reach of our whip. The country is at stake. It is better to wait a little longer and make the enemy trapped."
After the Shangshu was written, Zhang Zhongping, a thousand households in the Chinese army, was sent to the capital overnight.
…
On July 19, Zhang Zhongping brought back the emperor's decree. After discussions with the cabinet ministers, they all believed that Jiliao Governor Hong Chengchou's analysis of Liao affairs was indeed reasonable and agreed with his opinions on Liaodong's military affairs.
But he was also reminded not to delay deliberately, resulting in the loss of fighter planes and wasted food!
But before he had time to be happy, the court's will suddenly changed.
Three days later, a new imperial edict came, requiring the governor of Jiliao, Hong Chengchou, not to delay any further. He must march into Songjin before the end of July to break the siege of Jinzhou.
What frightened Hong Chengchou even more was the secret letter written to him by Chen Xinjia, the current Minister of War.
It turned out that on the day after Hong Chengchou went to the imperial court to talk about the military affairs of Liaodong, Zhang Ruoqi, the supervisor of the army, and Ma Shaoyu, a member of the army, also wrote a letter each and sent it to the Ministry of War. They also wrote a letter each and secretly sent it to the Ministry of War. Shangshu Chen Xinjia.
They said in Shangshu that nearly 200,000 soldiers and horses had gathered in various towns in Liaodong. They had already completed their training and training. Our troops were actually capable of fighting. However, the governor-general Hong Chengchou insisted on being cautious and did not want to march into Songjin, which would waste food and pay. To solve the difficulty of raising funds for the imperial court and so on.
The private message to Chen Xinjia stated that all the generals in Liao Town were secretly thinking of aiding Jin. They not only sent in troops to aid the towns, but also urged them to go out to fight. At this time, the morale of the army was at a standstill, and time was not waiting for us. If we did not urge Hong Chengchou to send troops to aid Jin, I was afraid that it would happen. Missed opportunity.
At the imperial court, the cabinet ministers made an agreement with Emperor Chongzhen, and based on the "cautious proposal" of Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, they would use Luesong and Xing as transshipment bases and confront Dongnu outside Jinzhou City until they ran out of grain and retreated. The idea of leading the army to pursue again in order to achieve complete victory.
Now, in less than two days, he received two memorials from Zhang Ruoqi, the supervisor of the army, and Ma Shaoyu, who joined the army. Both of them were contrary to Hong Chengchou. Emperor Chongzhen, who was naturally suspicious, could not help but feel suspicious in his heart.
As a result, there was a second court meeting. It was during this court meeting that Chen Xinjia, Minister of War, released a bombshell!
During the court meeting, Emperor Chongzhen first asked: "The slaves have been besieging Jinzhou for a long time. Although Hong Chengchou had many successes in the past, he just retreated, but it is difficult to understand the siege of Jinzhou. It was decided that caution is the priority, and Hong Chengchou also planned accordingly. Today Zhang Ruoqi and Ma Shaoyu also reported that the reinforcements from various towns were in high spirits and were ready for a battle.
Chen Xinjia, what do you think? "
"I believe that the prudent advice put forward by Governor Hong is indeed a mature plan for the country, and Jincheng should be strong. Hong Chengchou sent Wu Sangui and others to bring in a lot of grain. It is not difficult to hold on during March and May."
Chen Xinjia paused slightly when he said this. He quietly observed that Emperor Chongzhen had no special reaction. Suddenly he changed the topic and said: "However, there are only 50,000 or 60,000 slave thieves in Jinzhou, and there are tens of thousands more slave thieves who don't know where they are." where.
Recently, there have been reports from all three associations in Ji Town, saying that there are frequent traces of captives and cavalry outside the fortress. I am deeply afraid that the slave thieves will take advantage of our frontier fortress troops to gather in Liao Town, and then surprise troops to break through the border and invade the capital.
At that time, Ji Town was an empty city with no soldiers to defend it, and the troops aiding Liao were mixed up in Liao Town by Dong Nu. How could they protect the people of the capital and protect His Majesty! "
When he got excited, he stood up from his seat, prostrated on the ground, burst into tears, and kowtowed while crying.
After deliberation among the cabinet ministers, Zhang Ruoqi and Ma Shaoyu reported together as if they were close friends, "Our soldiers are ready to fight"; later, Chen Xinjia, my own soldier, reported that the slave thieves were suspected of committing Western crimes.
When the Ming Dynasty was besieged from east to west, Emperor Chongzhen did not forget his desire to destroy the invaders and avenge his shame. In addition, Liaodong now had many soldiers and poor pay, so Hong Chengchou's long-term strategy was abandoned.
It became a quick decision-making strategy of "advance troops at the right time".
After all, nearly 200,000 of the Ming Dynasty's elite border troops gathered in Liaodong. If they still cannot defeat the slave thieves, they cannot even contain the slave thieves, and instead they take advantage of the opportunity to invade the capital, then the capital will be in danger!
…
For Hong Chengchou, Emperor Chongzhen's imperial edict asking him to "advance troops as soon as possible" was far less powerful than the private letter secretly sent by Chen Xinjia.
If he disobeys the imperial edict, he still adopts a prudent policy. If the Liaodong war can be a little successful, as long as the crisis in Jinzhou is resolved, it will even turn into a situation where he will gain both fame and fortune.
Even if the Liaodong war has been fruitless for a long time, Emperor Chongzhen may send Tiqi to capture him, bring him back to the capital, and send him to Zhenfusi Prison. At most, he will die, but his reputation may not be ruined.
But what my soldier Chen Xinjia said in the letter is indeed very relevant. If you are not careful, your reputation will be ruined. After all, there is the precedent of the former superintendent Yuan Chonghuan, which is really there.
In a letter written by Chen Xinjia, Secretary of the Ministry of War, he warned Hong Chengchou that if he delayed further, the Ming Dynasty's nearly 200,000-strong army would be restrained in the direction of Jinzhou.
If the slave thieves suddenly send out another powerful force and invade the capital, then your troops, Hong Chengchou, will spend more than a year out of the customs, and there will be no money and money. The siege of Jinzhou has not yet been solved, and the interior of the capital is troubled.
Furthermore, when the Dongnu invaded, if you, Hong Chengchou, did not march into Shanhaiguan to drive out the slave thieves, then there would be no soldiers in Ji Town and the three alliances would be weak. There would be no way to stop them, and they would have no choice but to be ravaged by them.
But if you, Hong Chengchou, go to aid the capital and return with nothing, how can you repay the emperor for his great grace?
What do you use to apologize to the civil and military ministers of the DPRK?
The Lord is worried about the humiliation of his subjects, and the Lord is worried about the humiliation of his subjects.
Presumably Governor Hong would feel uneasy even on a cool night, right?
At the end of the letter, Chen Xinjia kindly reminded: "Brother Hengjiu, don't you know Yuan Chonghuan's disaster?"
What Chen Xinjia said in the letter can be said to have hit the soft underbelly of Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao!
Sure enough, in the early morning of the next day when Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, received the order to "advance the troops on time" and the personal letter from his soldier Chen Xinjia, each flag officer rushed out of Ningyuan City on horseback and rushed in all directions to summon Each official will go to the superintendent's office to discuss matters. After receiving the order, the officers and generals inside and outside Ningyuan City did not dare to delay. For a moment, the battalions were shaken. Teams of fine cavalry escorted their generals and masters, rushing towards Ningyuan City from all directions!
