Zhang Cheng had no intention of stopping in Yanqing Prefecture, but he reluctantly attended the banquet out of consideration for the face of Xuanda Governor Zhang Fuzhen, so he set off immediately after the luncheon.
Governor Zhang Fuzhen was invited by Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng to go to Chi Castle to participate in the public memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers who aided the Liao Dynasty, so his carriage also set off with Zhang Cheng's army.
However, after all, Zhang Fuzhen also served as the governor of Yansui in Shaanxi. He fought with the bandits with real swords and spears. In the third year of Chongzhen, he led four thousand troops to attack the bandits from Xi'an to Yan'an, defeating the enemy one after another. , accumulated merit and was promoted to participate in politics in Yulin.
After that, he defeated the bandit Zhang Cunmeng in Jiazhou and chased him all the way to Xichuan. He also killed the bandit Lao Chai, Xue Chengcai, Qingbei Lang and other bandits. Soon after, he defeated the bandit Zhao Sheng, and beheaded more than 700 thieves in five battles and five victories. .
In the fifth year of Chongzhen's reign, he was appointed as the censor of the capital, Yansui, because of his success in suppressing bandits. He raised military supplies by himself, trained his soldiers strictly, coordinated suppression and pacification, and supervised Cao Wenzhao and others in battles, and achieved great success.
Then he joined forces with Hong Chengchou to defeat Zhang Cunmeng and captured him. He then defeated the giant thief God Yi, killing more than 10,000 thieves successively, and finally stabilized the situation in Shaanxi.
At this moment, Xuanda Governor Zhang Fuzhen and Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng were galloping together, reminding him of the feeling he had when he led the army to suppress bandits in Shaanxi and personally charged into the battle.
Thinking back to the time when he personally risked his own arrows and defeated thousands of thieves with more than a hundred archers, he even charged on horseback and fought fiercely with thieves with swords, spears and spears. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel extremely proud.
But now he is an old man in his seventies. Although he can still ride a horse with all his strength, he is not as young and vigorous as when he was young. After only riding for more than ten miles, he felt that it was difficult to support him.
Zhang Cheng also admires Zhang Fuzhen in his heart. After all, Governor Zhang always has some shadow of Lu Xiangsheng in his body.
They are all rare among literati who know the military. They are loyal to the court. They are all upright and not good at communication and flexibility. Therefore, they have no allies in the court to serve as support.
Even people with outstanding abilities like them will not be able to survive in this troubled world for long if they are not good at socializing and courting and have no backers in the court to act as helpers.
Although Zhang Fuzhen is still the governor of Xuanda and is highly appreciated by Emperor Chongzhen, it is not as convenient as when Chen Xinjia was the governor of Xuanda. Yang Sichang was there to help him in the court, so everything was convenient.
How could Zhang Fuzhen be so hampered in everything? Doing something for the court was even more difficult than doing things for his own family. What was the purpose of this?
But even so, Zhang Fuzhen has still worked hard to manage the military defense of Xuanda area since he took office. Not only did he increase the length of the Great Wall by 13,000 feet, he also reclaimed 37,000 hectares of farmland, and recorded 24,000 hectares of farmland. More than seventeen thousand taels.
But even though he still made such contributions to the court in such a difficult and difficult environment, he still could not stop the courtiers from criticizing him personally. It can be seen that the political dispute in the court has completely evolved into an extremely dark party dispute. .
If you are not a member of our party, you will definitely have a different mindset. If you don’t get rid of it, you will be in serious trouble!
It is all of the above that further strengthened Zhang Cheng's intention to form a party, but he was also cautious about this. For the time being, he mainly made friends with lower-level officials who were not very prominent, while those who faced him tightly hugged Emperor Chongzhen. The thighs of the eunuchs and favored ministers around him.
At this time, he saw that Governor Zhang Fuzhen was already tired, so he took the initiative to slow down his horse and let the horse walk slowly so that Zhang Fuzhen could take a rest.
Seeing that the city of Chang'an Mountain is not far ahead, it seems that we can only stay here to rest tonight. After all, continuing on is the large section of the canyon where Zhang Cheng was attacked, so we don't dare to enter in the dark.
"Master Governor, we will rest at Chang'an tonight and then set off to Diaohao Fort tomorrow morning. Okay?"
Zhang Fuzhen was also very tired at the moment. Seeing Zhang Cheng's proposal to rest at the Chang'an Ridge Fort ahead, he naturally would not object, and at the same time he looked at Zhang Cheng in a different light.
Before that, he had a very good impression of Zhang Cheng. This was not only because of Zhang Cheng's ability to manage the army and his continuous achievements, but more importantly, Zhang Cheng's military achievements on the North Road.
Zhang Fuzhen has always believed that there is no shortage of generals who can lead troops to fight, but there are too few who can govern local areas and thoroughly clean up local military affairs like Zhang Cheng.
What he admired was Zhang Cheng's management of the North Road. It was the rarest thing to be able to raise such capable soldiers from a remote place on the North Road.
With his ability as the governor of Xuanda, he worked hard to govern the entire Xuanda area for more than a year, but he only managed to cultivate 37,000 hectares of farmland and gained more than 247,000 taels of silver.
Practical people pay more attention to capable people who are also practical, while practical people with good character only have respect and admiration for those who are better than themselves.
On the contrary, those who are treacherous and cautious have long forgotten their conscience and only remember to pursue personal fame and fortune. Whenever they meet someone who is stronger than themselves, they will feel jealous and try every means to get rid of them.
Zhang Fuzhen, the governor of Xuanda, felt magnanimous. He laughed and said: "No, it's really impossible for people to disobey the old man."
He also slowed down his horse, rode alongside Zhang Cheng, and continued: "When Uncle Yongning was young and vigorous, it is truly a blessing for the emperor and for our dynasty to have such a pillar of our country!"
Zhang Cheng had already let go of the reins of his war horse and allowed it to walk slowly forward along the official road. However, he smiled at Zhang Fuzhen and said, "Thanks to the governor for not giving up, please call Zhang Cheng by his nickname. Always. Addressing Uncle Yongning like this makes him seem a bit distant."
In fact, Zhang Cheng, as the boss of the Ming Dynasty's emerging military group, has now become the chief military officer of Xuanfu Town, the head of the three towns of Xuanda, and has even been named General Shuo.
Even though General Zhenshuo only has one more "big" character than the former Xuanfu Commander-in-Chief Yang Guozhu, but just this one word, how many military men worked hard to serve the court, but failed to win the title of general throughout their lives?
Even Zu Dashou guarded Liaodong for decades, and was only given the title of vanguard general in conquering Liao until his death. Even the title of "Uncle Ning Yuan" was given as a posthumous gift.
It can be seen from this that Zhang Cheng, the "General Zhenshuo", has a high level of value. What's more, he is now a super-level and dignified earl. His status is far above all levels of civil servants and generals, but he has the ability of "not worshiping officials before they see them". privilege!
Zhang Fuzhen felt a hint of sincere respect from his words, and felt very grateful in his heart. He couldn't help but said: "Zhongchen, if all the soldiers in the towns of the Ming Dynasty were like you, there would be no need to worry about the slaves and thieves being destroyed and the bandits being unjust." .”
Zhang Cheng rode his horse without saying a word, but he was thinking in his heart: If all the soldiers in the towns of the Ming Dynasty were brave and brave, but the emperor was still at this level of ability, the world would probably only become more chaotic!
But these words could only be kept in his heart and could not be spoken out. He sighed secretly and said: "The governor has given me too much praise, and Zhang Cheng only did his part."
He went on to say: "Since Cheng was a soldier in the Xuanfu, it is indeed Cheng's duty to join the army and serve the country. Moreover, now that I have great favor and trust in Cheng, how dare I not repay him with death!"
Seeing that not far ahead, the outline of Chang'anling Fort was already vaguely visible. Zhang Cheng reined in his horse, stopped and said: "But in today's world, the Tartars are peeping from the outside, the bandits are raging inside, and the court is short of money and food, and it is unable to defend externally. Tartars, internal suppression of bandits.
The reason for this is that there are constant party disputes at the top of the court, and below that there are many officials at all levels who are corrupt and corrupt, and there are not many people who truly love the people. Floods, droughts, and locust plagues are happening all over the place, and the people are in dire straits.
Naturally, there will be no end to those who follow the thieves, and their momentum will be strengthened. However, the various prefectures in the imperial court cannot even collect money and food, and they are unable to protect the land and the people, let alone prevent and suppress thieves. "
As he spoke, he brought the topic to Zhang Fuzhen, and heard him continue: "As for Datuk, since I took up my duties and declared the University, I have worked hard and worked hard to repair more than 10,000 feet of defense line of the Great Wall and cultivate more than 30,000 hectares of wasteland. Hundreds of thousands of taels of silver were accumulated for the imperial court.
Everything the governor has done for Xuanda has been witnessed by all. Not only the soldiers and people of Xuanda are grateful for the governor's kindness, but even the current emperor also praises the governor highly.
But even so, there was no lack of criticism in the court, and people who did their job sincerely were criticized by these mediocre people. Seeing this, Zhang Cheng was really depressed and angry, and wished he could kill all the young people in his generation. "
Zhang Fuzhen smiled instead of being angry when he heard this. He even comforted Zhang Cheng: "I act with a clear conscience, be loyal to the emperor, love the people, serve the country, and fulfill my mission. Why should I care about what others say."
He turned his head and looked at Zhang Cheng, his eyes full of expectation and continued: "Zhongchen, you have already become the commander-in-chief of a town before you were even thirty years old, and you were even awarded the title of general and the title of Yong Ningbo. This shows that The emperor values you so much that even a seventy-year-old man like me can’t compare to you!
However, when you are so young and in a high position, you are afraid of being jealous in life, so you must act more cautiously. Don't be too arrogant and teach people to tell the truth, only to create right and wrong, and it will not be helpful to the big things. "
He turned his gaze from the distant castle to Zhang Cheng, and then advised him: "Nowadays, the world is full of troubles and great strife has appeared. You will definitely achieve great things in the future, so you must be extremely cautious in your actions. Don’t be misled by the words of these villains.”
"The Governor's words must be kept in mind and never forgotten."
Zhang Cheng continued: "It's just that famines have continued in recent years, especially in the north of Henan Province. Most of the people are hungry, and the court is unable to save them. Once the bandits enter, many will join the thieves in order to survive. If this happens, If it cannot be handled properly, it may cause serious trouble."
Zhang Fuzhen also shook his head and sighed: "Hey, I can only do my best and obey fate."
At this time, a plume of smoke and dust floated in the distance in the direction of Chang'anling Castle. It was obvious that cavalry were galloping towards them. Zhang Cheng raised his finger and pointed in front of him and said, "Supervisor, Liu Shoubei is here to greet us."
…………
In the early morning of the next day, the cavalry was still leading the way, with the chariot battalion in the middle and the infantry battalion in the back holding down the formation. Thousands of soldiers drove out of Chang'anling Fort towards Diaohao Fort.
Chang'an Ridge guard Liu Shizun personally sent him several miles away before saying goodbye to Zhang Cheng. Before leaving, he sincerely begged Zhang Cheng, hoping that he would have the chance to fight again next time and take him to the front line to gain experience and experience.
To put it bluntly, Liu Shizun is still jealous of the military honors obtained by the generals in battle!
Nowadays, the military attaches on Xuanfu North Road and East Road are very jealous of the generals who often follow Zhang Cheng in battles. Every time they return from a battle, a group of them will be promoted and become rich.
Didn't you see that the hundreds of households back then are now powerful guerrilla generals, and Chen Zheng and Zhang Guodong are expected to be promoted to another level this time and become generals in Xuanfu Town.
The current speed of promotion, not to mention in Xuanfu Town, even if you look at the entire Ming Dynasty, you can't find a few, how can it not make people jealous.
After bidding farewell to Liu Shizun who was guarding Chang'an Ridge, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Fuzhen no longer rode horses this time. Instead, they both boarded their respective carriages and walked slowly behind the cavalry team.
There are a total of four carriages here, occupied by Zhang Cheng, Zhang Fuzhen, Tang Chunru, and the Wu family's mother and daughter. The entire team stretches for several miles, and is filled with cavalry, convoys, and infantry camps. It is really a mighty and mighty force. , mighty and majestic.
Although the north wind is howling outside, the doors and windows of each car have thick felt curtains, and the interior is decorated with a layer of flannel to resist the cold. Finally, there is a heater inside the car, so you don't feel the cold at all. meaning.
On the same day, Zhang Cheng and his party arrived at Diaohao Fort smoothly. Liu Zhongshi from Qianhu had already prepared a banquet and a place for them to stay.
Diaohao Fort is located on the North Road, an important official road that connects with the outside world. Zhang Cheng has passed through this place many times before, and Liu Zhongshi has already expressed his loyalty to him, and now he is trying his best to please Zhang Cheng.
Zhang Cheng was already feeling a little tired after the long journey, not to mention the 70-year-old Zhang Fuzhen, Tang Chunru, the Wu family's mother and daughter, and other female figures.
Especially Tang Chunru, who had been living deep in the palace before. Although she was later given the gift of Zhang Cheng by Emperor Chongzhen, she had also lived in the palace for a long time and had never left the capital.
This was the first time she had left the capital as an adult. Everything outside surprised her. She felt refreshed along the way. Even her physical fatigue was diluted by this excitement. A lot.
But as the journey progressed, the novelty of the scenery along the way gradually weakened, and physical fatigue set in. By the time they reached Diaohao Fort, Tang Chunru was already complaining in her heart.
But even so, she could only force herself to be patient in her heart, and did not dare to show any fatigue or complain at all. Perhaps this was a virtue she had developed while in the palace.
Along the way, the Wu family's mother and daughter got along well with Tang Chunru. Tang Chunru's life in the palace was very repressive. In addition to abiding by the rules, she had to be careful everywhere. A small mistake could lead to severe punishment.
Since she was given to Zhang Cheng, although she has lived alone in the mansion for a long time, she has lost the rules in the palace and feels much more comfortable.
Later, after Zhang Cheng returned to Beijing from his victory in Liaodong, he also doted on her. The entire Earl's Palace naturally respected her, and she never put on airs in front of the servants, and she remained innocent and innocent.
On this trip from Beijing to return to Xuan, she also treated her aunt from the Wu family with the courtesy of an elder, which really pleased her. Even Wu Tingyue had some objections to Tang Chunru because of her grievances against her best friend Ji Xuanzhu.
But after getting along with her for a few days, my view of her has changed greatly!
(End of chapter)
