Prepare for war.
The capital prepares for war.
At the beginning of September, Man Gui and Hou Shilu received a secret order to train their troops into strong troops within two months. If there was any slack, they would come to see you. Along with the secret order, sufficient military pay and a new army arrived. A batch of bird guns and several red barbarian cannons.
The Hongyi cannon is a weapon for city defense and siege. Anyone with some experience in the military has seen it. However, unlike the previous Hongyi cannon, the newly shipped Hongyi cannon is lighter in weight, has more complicated calibration equipment, and is even equipped with A wind power and wind direction detection instrument, as well as a new calibration method - taught by a specialist from the Gunpowder Department of the Inner Palace Warfare Bureau.
The blunderbuss was even stranger, with a trigger and an unprecedented firing device. It was no longer controlled by a match rope, but instead used flint to ignite the explosive.
This type of flintlock gun has a fast rate of fire and high accuracy. It is more than one level higher than the original matchlock gun. It also has an additional sleeve on the front, which can accommodate a bayonet. However, there are not many flintlock gun guns. The troops were only allocated a hundred guns, but the emperor's order required them to use these dozens or hundreds of flintlock guns to train a thousand-man spearmen unit.
Because the tone of the secret decree was very tough, even if they had doubts, Man Gui and Hou Shilu did not dare to neglect it. They cooperated with the eunuchs who specialized in instructing shooting, and practiced spearmen and artillery day and night.
At the same time, a large number of Jinyi cavalry and Dongchang servants rode out of the capital on fast horses and went south along the canal basin. They framed the big businessmen and landowners in the area, arrested them on charges of doubting the emperor's identity, and ordered a ransom according to his net worth. If you pay enough money, you can let people go home; if you don't pay enough, you can kill people and exterminate their clans.
Only then did those lively civil servants realize that the emperor's southern tour last year was really just indulging in pleasure? Or, as popular rumors say, he went to Hangzhou to find the woman he liked when he was King Xin?
Maybe it was all a cover-up, otherwise why would he have known so much about the local gentry during his southern tour, and now he sent the royal guards and Dongchang servants to extort money? The key point is that "doubting the identity of the king and spreading rumors" is a crime. Even the first and second ministers of the cabinet were beheaded and their families were exterminated. What does it mean to kill hundreds of local gentry?
In addition, when arresting people, the Imperial Guard Tiqi and the Dongchang Fanfu would read out an edict, calling on the poor peasants to expose the tax evasion and adultery of the wealthy gentry and merchants, and in return, after killing the gentry and wealthy merchants, The confiscated land will be distributed equally to the informants.
For a time, the rich were in danger and the poor were rejoicing. A large amount of money obtained from ransacking houses was transported to the capital in boxes and boxes along the waterway.
At the end of September, an old minister wrote a memorial to reprimand the emperor for his disorderly behavior, saying that this was an act that would shake the country's foundation.
The answer of "Emperor Chongzhen" was that what I want is to shake the foundation of the country, because the Ming Dynasty has reached a critical point. Whether to take a strong dose of medicine to break it and then stand up again, or to wait for the day of collapse in the wind and rain, it all depends on this toss. , you civil servants, whether you choose to live with me through the difficulties and destroy the entire Jurchen clan, or continue to work in both positive and negative ways, it is up to you.
Then, the old minister was beheaded and the ten tribes were executed.
While he killed the civil servants and the wealthy gentry group with civil servants as the core, he tried his best to appease and reward the generals.
After that, the first heroes who were "aware of current affairs" to stand up were not the civil servants and generals in the court, but the concubines and concubines in the harem headed by Queen Yi'an and the descendants of the clan who stayed in the capital. In order to show their support for the emperor, they voluntarily donated half of their salary to the national treasury. To support the war in Liaodong and provide compensation to people in the disaster-stricken areas in the west.
Some smart people finally understood that everything the emperor did was to pave the way for a large-scale war. In the past, the Ming Dynasty focused on passive defense in the Liaodong battlefield. Now the emperor seems to have the intention to change the combat policy. The civil servants and officials who have been fattened over the years have The rich and squire group he represents is the source of wealth in his eyes - pigs must be killed when they are fattened.
He recruited military generals and defeated civil servants; he equalized the land and destroyed the country gentry; since the gendarmerie camp became famous in the first battle, and then fought in the capital and destroyed the Ministry of War, he took over the command of all the imperial troops guarding the capital, and started to do so in mid-September. They have been conducting large-scale military training, and at the same time purging the army of children of aristocratic families with mixed seniority, as well as the old, weak, sick and disabled.
Thinking again about the previous killings of Han Kuang, Zhu Guozhen and others, maybe the rumor that the emperor was a fake was deliberately spread by the emperor himself, because only by engaging in "literary inquisition" can the civil service system be penetrated and shaken after more than 200 years. The largest interest group ever developed.
This emperor is so capable!
On the one hand, he strengthens the centralization of power, on the other hand, he divides the civil servants and generals. On the one hand, he launches literary prisons and kills wealthy gentry families to make money. On the other hand, he recruits and subsidizes the common people to stabilize the country. On the other hand, he prepares for a large-scale war. How anxious is this guy?
Of course they don't know that Lin Yue's time in the world of "Xiuchundao" is running out, and he must take down the Tatars in the next few months.
Some people admired his generosity, while others naturally made sarcastic comments. When did the Ming imperial power begin to be significantly weakened by the civil servant group? The answer is the Tumubao Incident.
Ming Yingzong led his army to the Northern Expedition, but he was captured by Wala. Could it be that Emperor Chongzhen wanted to make the same mistake as Ming Yingzong only two years after he ascended the throne?
The key is that the Ming Dynasty was strong during the Zhengtong years, but what about now?
In early October, "Emperor Chongzhen" gave Shangfang swords to several confidant eunuchs who came from the gendarmerie camp, and sent them to Zunhua, Santunying, Jimen, Sanhe and other places. No one in the civil and military circles of the Manchu Dynasty knew what they were doing, but since then The emperor did not go to court early, and all government affairs were handed over to the ceremonial supervisors and the learned eunuchs and eunuchs who had received the emperor's ideological guidance, forming a cabinet of eunuchs.
It wasn't until mid-October that the ministers figured out the whereabouts of "Emperor Chongzhen" - there were tens of thousands of forbidden troops in the capital, leaving only more than 2,000 people to garrison. The rest were all pulled out of the capital by "Emperor Chongzhen" and entered Yanshan , Nanhaizi, Xijiao and other places for training.
Towards the end of October, a news that "Emperor Chongzhen" fell from his horse and was injured during a drill and had been sent back to the Forbidden City for treatment spread throughout the capital. A part of the Forbidden Army returned from Yanshan, Nanhaizi, Miyun and other places, which proved the authenticity of the news from the side. .
Those descendants of the civil servants who had accumulated anger because of "Emperor Chongzhen"'s "reverse actions" in the past few months clapped their hands and applauded. The dandy circle was as festive as the Chinese New Year - they wanted to change the current situation and launched the Northern Expedition to establish slaves. What was the result? He fell off his horse and was injured. He really didn't succeed at the start of the battle. Oh no, he fell ill before he even got out of the battle.
…
The time has come to October 29th.
Shanhaiguan General Military Mansion.
Supervisor Yuan Chonghuan was walking back and forth in the hall. Although he had his hands behind his back and looked like he was strategizing to win a thousand miles away, everyone who knew him knew that he was very panicked...
He never expected that Huang Taiji would bypass the Guanningjin defense line, pass through Mongolia, and then go south. On October 27, he would break through the Great Wall defense lines at Hongshankou and Da'ankou, and advance into the two important military towns of Santunying and Zunhua. .
Not long ago, he ordered his subordinate Zhao to lead troops to rush for reinforcements, hoping to stabilize the situation before Huang Taiji occupied Zunhua.
Zhao Shujiao said that he would complete the task, but will things really go as expected?
He had a very bad premonition. As for the battle meeting just now, what Zu Dashou, Wu Xiang and others said made sense. Huang Taiji didn't know how many troops they had invested and what their goals were. If the main force of Guan Ning's army was sent there in one go, , the Guanningjin defense line is bound to be empty of troops. If the enemy really falls into the enemy's plan to divert the tiger away from the mountain, the consequences will be serious. However, if preparations are not made in advance, what if Huang Taiji is serious and captures the Santun camp, Zunhua and then moves westward? Then the capital...
I heard that the emperor had strengthened the training of the Imperial Army over the past year, but how could those people confront the Houjin Iron Cavalry?
However, given the current situation, we can only adapt to changes. In short, we should first find out Huang Taiji's path.
"Report..."
At this moment, I heard a shout from outside that was half anxious and half frightened. A personal attendant trotted in, half-knelt on the ground and clasped his fists, saying: "Supervisor...Emperor...Emperor..."
"Why panic? Think about it later."
The people around him had all fought in battles and seen blood. When had they ever been so panicked like now?
"Supervisor, I'm not panicking...it's the Emperor, the Emperor is here."
emperor?
Yuan Chonghuan's expression changed upon hearing this.
Didn’t the emperor break his waist and have been bedridden? How could I come to Shanhaiguan?
"Say it to me again."
Just as he was about to repeat the story, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps outside. A young man wearing armor came from outside, followed by four guards with swords. Judging from the aura exuding from his body, he had killed at least dozens of people.
"Yuan Chonghuan."
Yuan Chonghuan naturally recognized that very recognizable face. Although he didn't know why the emperor came to Shanhaiguan, at this moment and in this scene, all he could do was kneel on the ground.
"Yuan Chonghuan has met the emperor, long live my emperor..."
"The military situation is urgent, so compliments are unnecessary." Lin Yue glanced at his personal entourage: "Did Huang Taiji break through the Great Wall defense line?"
Yuan Chonghuan broke off the engagement and then said in surprise: "How does the emperor know?"
You must know that the place where Huang Taiji attacked is located on the midline between the capital and Shanhaiguan. There will not be a big time difference between the news reaching him and reaching the Forbidden City. And the distance from the capital to Shanhaiguan... If the horse is fast, it will take more than a day to travel, unless the emperor When Taiji attacked the Great Wall defense line, the emperor was near Zunhua and Santun camp, otherwise it would be difficult to know this military information in front of him.
Lin Yue said: "Not only do I know that Huang Taiji broke through the entrance of the Great Wall, but I also know that you sent Zhao to lead 4,000 elite cavalry to Zunhua for reinforcements."
Yuan Chonghuan was shocked again, wondering if there was an informant planted by the emperor around him?
"Yuan Chonghuan, you immediately send people to chase Zhao Lijiao and give him my handwriting."
Lin Yuechong winked at the guard beside him, and the man handed over a letter.
"Your Majesty?" Yuan Chonghuan looked at the thing in his hand and looked thoughtful. The matter involved military affairs, and he wanted to know what was written in it.
"You can watch."
Upon hearing this reply, he opened the letter in front of his eyes.
"After Jin sent out troops claiming to be one hundred thousand, Zhao led his troops to Zunhua, and the 4,000 fine cavalry were bound to be ambushed by Huang Taiji."
On one side was the emperor's assertion, on the other was the content of the handwriting. Yuan Chonghuan was stunned after reading it.
"Your Majesty, you...are you...the Emperor really wants to do this?"
