"See Your Majesty!"
Sun Chengzong and the other seven people saluted again.
"My dear friends, no courtesy!"
Chongzhen stepped off the platform and said, "You guys have important matters to discuss here, so we won't go to Wuying Palace."
"My companion, please give me a seat!"
After everyone sat down, Chongzhen said in a deep voice: "Everyone, all Wei Zhongxian's remaining prisoners in Beijing have been cleared, and the rest are in the various states.
Li Guopu, you have to hurry up on this matter and ask Li Ruolian to cooperate with you. Make sure to clean it up in the shortest possible time. "
"I accept the decree!"
After Li Guopu responded, Chongzhen walked slowly around the Huangji Hall with his hands behind his back.
"Everyone, Wei Zhongxian and his cronies are dead. The party struggle has basically been put to rest. The first step of my dream has been completed. The court also has the energy to do other things."
Everyone looked at each other and saw the surprise in each other's eyes.
Chongzhen's article, regardless of literary talent, is definitely inspiring based on its content.
Nowadays, people in the entire city of Beijing, ranging from elders in their 70s and 80s to children as young as 78, can all recite a few sentences.
But my family knows their own affairs. As long as one of the nine dreams mentioned in the dream can be realized, it will be a great achievement.
As long as three can be completed, it will be comparable to Tang Zong and Song Zu.
If you complete six, you will surpass Qin Huang and Han Wu.
If all nine are completed, then there will be no one emperor for eternity.
But can this be accomplished?
Let’s not talk about the ultimate ideal of great harmony such as everyone is like a dragon, everyone is like a gentleman, the country is free of trouble, and the world is governed by justice.
Even the most basic things like having enough food, clothing, warmth, and enough food for the family are enough.
What does the emperor mean by raising this matter at this moment? Is it really possible?
"The next step is the second step - stabilizing the border army and training the new army."
"Stabilizing the border army means that the imperial court will quickly repay the military pay owed by the nine frontiers, so that the soldiers can feel at ease. Only when they feel at ease can they resist foreign enemies, ensure the internal stability of the Ming Dynasty, and buy us time."
"Training the new army, I think you all now understand the problems of the 21st Guards and the Beijing Army. I hope these two armies will go to war..."
Chongzhen did not continue speaking, the disappointment in his words was obvious.
Sun Chengzong and others also fell silent. It has been a long time since the two most powerful armies of the Ming Dynasty fell to this point.
In the final analysis, the power controlled by the recent emperors was too weak.
"Fang Zhenghua is currently reorganizing the Tengxiang Four Guards. After completion, the Tengxiang Four Guards will be expanded. After the expansion, the responsibilities of the Tengxiang Four Guards have changed and they will no longer protect me..."
When Chongzhen said this, he happened to see Fang Zhenghua standing outside the door: "Fang Zhenghua, you're here just in time. I just talked about rectifying the four guards of Tengxiang. Please tell a few of your thoughts last time." speak."
After Fang Zhenghua saluted, he began to describe the strategy he had discussed with Chongzhen last time.
It took a full quarter of an hour for Fang Zhenghua to stop. The content of his speech this time was more complete than last time.
After hearing this, everyone's eyes looked thoughtful.
After a moment, Sun Chengzong spoke up.
"I agree with Mr. Fang's idea. The main problem with Jiannu's arrogance is that our Ming Dynasty lacks cavalry that can compete with Jiannu. On the one hand, it is the physical problem of the people of Ming Dynasty, and on the other hand, it is the military system and living habits.
When I built the Jinning Defense Line, I wanted to use defense instead of attack in exchange for internal peace and buy time to build iron cavalry. Although there are now 30,000 Yiding cavalry in Liaodong, they cannot compete with Jiannu in terms of quantity and combat power.
In the Battle of Sarhu eight years ago, Jiannu dispatched 60,000 cavalry. Based on my understanding of Jiannu and after years of cultivation, it is very likely that they will now dispatch 100,000 cavalry.
If we want to compete with this, we must form a cavalry force of more than 100,000, which can be blocked with the assistance of existing troops. "
"But this is not realistic. The Ming Dynasty's cavalry requires an average of eighty taels a year, and one hundred thousand cavalry costs eight million taels a year. We simply cannot afford this expense."
"Mr. Ge, I think you misunderstood!"
Fang Zhenghua said solemnly: "First, the purpose of our formation of cavalry is not to directly destroy the Jiannu, nor is it to form a hundred thousand cavalry at once, but to intimidate a cavalry that can confront the Eight Banners Army guard head-on.
I think it is impossible for Jiannu to send out 100,000 cavalry at once. We rely on the power of the firearms of the Jinning Defense Line Castle to stop Jiannu head-on and buy time for the Ming Dynasty to recuperate.
Second, after the formation of the Tengxiang Four Guards, we can imitate the Han champions and conduct long-distance raids, quick raids, large detours, large penetrations, and annihilation battles.
Although the Jiannu have now moved their capital to Shenyang, most of them are still nomadic. We detoured through Mongolia and entered the territory of Houjin, wiping out the effective forces of their tribes in order to support war with war. "
"If they send troops to surround the four guards of Tengxiang, then the army of Jinning Defense Line will attack Shenyang, and Denglai's new army will attack from behind."
Everyone was dumbfounded, Fang Zhenghua's idea was too bold.
After a while, Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Household Affairs, said softly: "But will Mongolia borrow the road?"
"You can't help them!"
Chongzhen, who had been silent since Fang Zhenghua came in, snorted coldly: "If you don't lend it, then destroy them. If you can't defeat Jiannu now, can you still destroy Mongolia?"
Li Guopu said: "Destroying it is easy, but after we destroy Mongolia, there will be no barrier in the north. We can build slaves from Mongolia, but can't slave builders also attack us from Mongolia?"
The eyes of several others were also full of doubts.
Chongzhen sighed, these people still have limitations and always place their hopes on others.
"Date companion, bring me the map!"
After a while, Wang Chengen hung up the map, and Chongzhen stood in front of it: "Everyone, the reason why the Jinning Defense Line was able to defend against Jiannu was that the two wings of the defense line played many roles. The left wing was for the Chahar Tribe of Mongolia, and the right wing was for Shandong Denglai.
The Jiannu have never been able to break through the Jinning defense line, but if they want to develop, they have only three ways to go. Attack the Chahar tribe to the west, attack North Korea to the east, and attack the Jurchens in the East China Sea to the north.
Korea is a barren and bitter cold land of Jurchens, which is of little significance;
The only option is to attack the Chahar tribe. The vast grasslands and major tribes can provide them with war horses and warriors.
Then attack Monan Mongolia, then the Jinning defense line will have no meaning. "
"This is impossible……"
Sun Chengzong shouted subconsciously, and everyone else was dumbfounded.
It is true that Chongzhen's words are too shocking.
If he does this, the Jinning defense line that he spent a lot of money to build will have no meaning, and he will be the sinner of the Ming Dynasty.
At this moment, Sun Chengzong's face was pale and his body was shaky.
"Nothing is impossible. There are no permanent enemies and no permanent allies. Enemies can become friends as long as the benefits are sufficient."
Chongzhen looked at the map, his eyes filled with sadness.
In fact, the line he mentioned will be implemented by the establishment slaves in the near future.
Poverty leads to change, change leads to communication, and by opening up Chahar, Ming Dynasty will be exposed to the cavalry of Jiannu.
Mongolian Chahar Lindan Khan was bribed by the Ming Dynasty in the early stage and led troops to fight against the slaves. However, he was completely defeated. From then on, he became very passive in dealing with the slaves and turned to annexing surrounding tribes.
In the first year of Chongzhen, the Jiannu conquered the Dorote tribe of Chahar vassal, and tribes from Monan Mongolia came to join the alliance one after another. Lin Danhan saw that the situation was not right and directly gave up the original pasture and ran away.
From then on, the left wing of the Ningjin Defense Line was wide open, creating conditions for Huang Taiji to lead his army to bypass Mongolia and invade the Great Wall.
"Instead of letting the Jiannu invade and occupy Mongolia to increase its land and strength, it is better for us to strike first."
