Zhu Houcong still had two things to do before taking the imperial command.
The first thing is that after so many generals were lost in the battle of Xuanda, many positions and defenses in these two important towns need to be arranged as soon as possible, so Wang Shouren, the Minister of War, is coming.
The second thing is that he wants to meet the generals after the victory and motivate them before the reward results are determined.
Originally adhering to the principle of "come all come", he wanted to take a look at Xuanda and some border forts.
But the New Year was approaching, and the leader of Beiyuan died here. Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren were worried that Tatars would know the news and attack crazily for revenge. Even if this doesn't happen, the emperor patrols the border and is escorted by a large army, which is a waste of money and food.
So Zhu Houcong just stayed in Xuan Mansion, waiting for some people he wanted to meet to come over.
Yu Dayou was not in good health yet to travel long distances, so Zhu Houcong sent Lu Bing to go in person: Let him take a look along the way.
But Guo Xun's injury has healed, and he can come over quickly. Datong Defense had been rearranged a month ago, so it wouldn't be a big problem for him to leave temporarily for a few days.
Seeing the emperor, Guo Xun first knelt down on one knee and said: "The general is guilty of failing to defend Datong, which caused the Tatars to wreak havoc on Datong West Road. Please forgive me!"
"...Okay, stop pretending, get up."
"...If you sin, you will be punished by the holy hope. You sincerely plead guilty and accept the punishment."
Zhu Houcong said helplessly: "Leaving a loophole in the West Road is the strategy set by the imperial court. The fact that your subordinates are not quick to respond to the order is really because of your weakness. However, it is not a day to freeze three feet, and you have only been in Datong for a few months." , I won’t blame you. Get up."
Guo Xun then thanked him, stood up and said with a flattering smile: "Your Majesty, your Majesty is so powerful! After the imperial commander's personal expedition, he first defeated the Xuan Mansion on the West Road, then surrounded the little prince, and killed the leader of the Beiyuan Kingdom. Your Majesty's clever calculations and bravery are enough to inspire the generals. The soldier fought hard, and I admire him greatly!"
Zhu Houcong glanced at him: "Don't you know what the previous plan was?"
"The battle situation is unpredictable, and the results now far exceed what was planned at the time!" Guo Xun said seriously, "I am telling the truth!"
"You..." Zhu Houcong sighed, "I would rather kill Anda."
Guo Xun could see that the emperor really had some regrets, so he was a little confused: killing Bodi, wouldn't killing Anda be more of a meritorious service than killing Anda?
Zhu Houcong no longer counted on his overall view. It seemed that he had a very shallow understanding of Anda's intelligence and wisdom in this war, and could not tell who was Ming's more difficult opponent.
Looking at Guo Xun, he still smiled: "You didn't disgrace your ancestors. Were you afraid that night?"
"...I was afraid at first, but then I didn't care anymore."
"Although it was a reckless move to take the risk, the result was not bad." Zhu Houcong pointed at him, "You should thank Yu Dayou. If he hadn't beaten the captive first in Huangya Mountain, Gunbilik will not be suspicious when he sees you with only two thousand people. In that case, you will be in Heye Mountain."
After speaking, his tone softened and he said softly: "You don't have Li Jin's ability."
When Guo Xun heard him mention Li Jin's name, his face became serious: "I am indeed not as good as the Marquis of Chicheng in leading troops to fight against the enemy."
Now that the decree has been issued, when everyone talks about Li Jin, they must respectfully call him Marquis of Chicheng.
Before the reinforcements arrived, he led a few hundred soldiers out of Zhen'an Fort to stop the Tatars from breaking out from the north wall of Zhen'an Fort. His contribution was already great enough. If he cherishes his life, he may survive. But if he cherishes his life, he will not be Li Jin.
"Being loyal and brave is enough for an honorable minister." Zhu Houcong paused, "For the next two years, you will continue to stay in Datong. Just remember one thing, treat other capable people like you treat Yu Dayou. Just be generals. Let them train with peace of mind and have the opportunity to make meritorious deeds."
"I understand." Guo Xun immediately asked tentatively what was important to him, "Then Yu Dayou...will you stay in Datong?"
"Didn't he already promote you to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Western Route Guard for his merits?"
Guo Xun was immediately happy, which greatly increased his confidence in Datong.
Zhu Houcong also laughed again: "Looking at your appearance, I thought you wanted to ask yourself. You have contributed a lot to the victory of Jingping. This time, your son is allowed to still take the position of marquis."
Guo Xun was immediately overjoyed: "I thank your Majesty for your kindness! I will work hard to protect Datong for your Majesty, select good generals, and train frontier soldiers well."
If you want to dig deeper, there is no need to go through life and death like this, and the son is also a marquis. But now that His Majesty has great talents and great plans, since it has been decided that ministers who have no merit will be demoted to a higher rank, the Hou family of Wuding has become the first family in the Jiajing Dynasty not to be demoted.
Your Majesty will reward you for your merits after all.
"Get up. You won't have an easy time in the next two years. Remember, you will listen to Bo'an in everything."
"...Da Sima?" Guo Xun looked at him in astonishment.
"I have discussed with General Staff Yang and Wang Shangshu to change him to the governor of Xuanda." Zhu Houcong said, "Xuanda has to deal with border troubles in recent years, and also to combat corruption and train troops. With Wang Bo'an here to take charge, I will be more happy." rest assured."
"I understand that I will not rely on the Marquis to interfere with Wang Dutai's grand plan!"
Compared to Wang Xian, Your Majesty is sure that Guo Xun does admire Wang Shouren more.
After a great victory, many people will be rewarded for their merits. I'm afraid there are not many generals who are greedy for merit and start provocations. Xuanda needs someone with more authority to convince him. Wang Shouren, who created this encirclement and annihilation fighter plane, must be convinced by everyone - he is the person who can bring greater credit to everyone.
"Go to General Staff Yang and the others. You are the commander-in-chief of Datong. Please share your opinions on how Datong will be deployed and transferred next."
"I must only recommend brave and resourceful generals."
In the next two or three days, Zhu Houcong met with some civil officials and military generals who had contributed a lot in this war.
Similarly, there was Yang Bo who rushed to Xuanfu from Jingping.
Zhu Houcong admired his enthusiasm for the fact that he had just picked Jieyuan and then left the army to join the frontier army.
Yang Bo was an eyewitness to the Battle of Huangyashan from beginning to end, and Zhu Houcong chatted with him in detail for two or three hours.
Although Yang Bo was not given any reward, everyone knew that if he had the talent to solve the Yuan Dynasty, Yang Bo would definitely take part in the examination the year after next. But now that he is in the emperor's heart, he is equivalent to being recommended as a Jinshi or even a first-class scholar.
After Yang Bo left, Zhu Houcong summoned Yang Yiqing, Wang Shouren, Tang Shunzhi, Guo Xun and others.
"The battle situation was tense before, and there was no time to review the battles in various places. Today, I learned from Yang Bo that Huangya Mountain passed by. Yu Dayou was able to achieve such a record. In addition to his personal bravery and the terrain of Huangya Mountain, I saw a bright spot in his defensive strategy: He has used up the potential of each unit and cooperated very well with each other. The mandarin duck formation soldiers, artillery soldiers, and fire musket soldiers not only use their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, but the timing of their use is also very important."
While introducing the details of the Battle of Huangyashan relayed by Yang Bo, he also expressed his views.
These days, Zhu Houcong has been thinking about a question.
The innovation, stable installation, and training of firearms all take time. The Ming Dynasty will still be in the stage of using a combination of hot and cold weapons for at least several years, or basically during Zhu Houcong's lifetime.
Cooperation between different military services will be extremely important in the subsequent training and fighting processes.
The lower the ratio of general casualties to casualties, the easier it is to produce brave generals and veterans, and the more growth in combat effectiveness is worth looking forward to.
Zhu Houcong had the concept and vague memory of the so-called multi-service combined army in his mind, but it must not be used casually - individual soldier lethality is not a concept at all, and mobility and battlefield intelligence are not a concept at all.
But Yu Dayou became famous in one battle, and the combat effectiveness of the Yuanyang Formation in small terrain or when facing small enemies at the same time is already worthy of consideration.
Naturally, the topic was thrown to Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren.
Large-scale changes were impossible, but they quickly reached a consensus: Shuozhou Guards Qianhu Station was merged into Jingping Guards Qianhu Station and upgraded to a guard. And all the guards in Xuanda sent a general banner to Jingping Guard to receive training and practice the mandarin duck formation.
Although most of the terrain where the Xuanda Border Wall is built is not dangerous, if there are hundreds of mandarin duck formations among the defenders of the outermost defense line, it is indeed very convenient to intercept and delay the enemy in suitable terrain, buying time for reinforcements.
At the same time, at least the personal barracks of the general soldiers of the two towns and the model barracks of the governor and governor can use higher standards to train the army. The total number is only a few thousand. If the cavalry, mandarin duck formations, artillery, spearmen, and sword players are properly deployed, they can become a mobile reinforcement force that Xuanda cannot underestimate.
"Xuan Da will definitely encounter the enemy for many years from now on, fight and practice." Zhu Houcong looked at Wang Shouren and Tang Shunzhi expectantly, "You are all people who are good at military tactics and strategy. There are two masters and apprentices of Yu Dayou in Datong. And Wu Dinghou and Yulin Uncle two, I will entrust Xuanda to you."
Fu Duo finally woke up, and Zhu Houcong had already decided to cite his merits for his timely arrival on the battlefield to seize the Tatars' retreating forces, and for dispatching the Xuanfu North Road troops to intercept along the border wall.
As for the first victory in this battle, everyone is afraid that it will fall on Wang Shouren, even though he did not arrive on the battlefield during the final battle of Luohangou.
The formation of the entire final battle situation was facilitated by Wang Shouren. He not only stabilized Jizhou, but also made Zhu Qi walk around obediently. He first went to Santun camp, then rushed back to Xuanfu to recapture Longmensuo, and finally risked being punished by the emperor to let Zhu Qi " "Disobeying the order" went from Longmen Station to Zhen'an Fort to rush for reinforcements.
If Zhu Qi had not arrived in time with so many people, and faced with the crazy counterattack or breakout of so many enemy cavalry after Bodi's death, the Ming army would not have been able to wipe out so many enemies in Luohangou.
After Wang Shouren's rebellion in Chenhao, Zhu Houcong reused him to replace Yang Yiqing in participating in national policies. His uncle Xin Xin was able to defend Jiangxi during Wang Shouren's Huguang Rebellion and settled down due to his merits.
This time, Wang Shouren will be promoted to a marquis, and Li Quanli's Xiangcheng Bo will also be promoted to a marquis, but he will still be demoted. Zhu Qi, like Guo Xun, will not be demoted in the next generation.
The next day, in the west of Xuanfu City, representatives of many meritorious soldiers from Xuanfu, Datong and Jingying, including those who were lightly injured in the battle of Luohangou, were waiting there early in the morning.
Bao Zhengchuan led two teams of Yuanyang soldiers and stood there excitedly. Their achievements have spread to the Xuan Mansion, and the Mo Dao Long Halberd and Square Shield make them an extremely eye-catching team among the crowd.
Some of the soldiers who were slightly injured in the Battle of Luohangou were still wrapped in cloth due to burns, and some were missing some of their hair and beards.
Yan Chunsheng was naturally among them, and countless people behind him were pointing at him and talking quietly.
Next to Li Quanli is Li Jinggang's nine-year-old son Li Yuan, wearing sackcloth and mourning.
Guo Xun and Zhu Qi also stood in the audience.
After the announcement that the emperor's chariot had arrived, the flat place became quiet. To the east, countless local people in Xuanfu came out of the city gate and looked at this place from a distance.
Zhu Houcong boarded the temporary wooden platform. Behind him, others held the Ming Dynasty Sanchen flag and military flag, Li Jin's general flag, and Lu Bing held the broken Bodi Dahu Khan flag.
"Sacrifice! Fire a hundred cannons to commemorate the heroes of the Ming Dynasty generals who sacrificed their lives!"
Tang Shunzhi presided over the ceremony. To the north, ten groups of squatting tiger cannons were lined up.
More than a hundred steps away from them, there was another open field, with Tartar heads piled up like a mountain.
"boom!"
The sound of cannons reached the west of Xuanfu City, and the common people panicked. Someone there to maintain order shouted: "Don't panic, this ceremony is to fire cannons, bombard the heads of the Tatars, and comfort the heroic spirits of the generals!"
After ten consecutive groups of cannons were fired, the people over there used shovels to collect the blown heads, and then lit them on fire.
Looking at the raging fire over there, Guo Xun was the first to shout: "Long live your Majesty! The Ming Dynasty will be victorious!"
The sound shook the field, and it became quiet after several sounds.
"A moment of silence! Stand silent for a moment to remember our colleagues!"
So then there were only sounds from the fire in the north, and the north wind brought an unpleasant smell.
In this battle, the total number of Ming army casualties in the three main battlefields of Xuanda was more than 14,000, but the total number of enemies annihilated was less than 8,000.
For a quiet quarter of an hour, there was only the north wind blowing in the mountains and forests in the twelfth lunar month, and the sound of the Yangtze River flowing beside it.
"Respect the flag! Respect the national flag of the Ming Dynasty, the military flag, and the flag of the generals who died!"
On the wooden platform, the Three-Chen Banner of the Ming Dynasty and the military flag are in the center. On the left and right are the flags of generals who died in various battles and were previously eligible to have their own flags.
Li Yuan, Li Jin's son, looked at the flag with red eyes.
This flag is newly made, not only has the character Li, but now has the character Akagi. His father used his life to buy him the title of Earl of Chicheng. When he grows up, he can conquer the title.
Li Quanli raised his hand and squeezed his shoulder: "Your father is a good man! After arriving in the capital, I will raise your two brothers on his behalf."
Li Yuan also has a younger brother, only six years old, who stays in Datong.
Li Quanli didn't know Li Jin, but he couldn't forget the way Li Jin was finally carried in front of him and said the last words.
Unfortunately, Li Quanli's biological grandfather, the fourth generation Xiangcheng uncle, was also named Li Jin.
"Holy edict! All the generals and soldiers will meet and listen to the holy instructions together!"
"See your majesty! Long live your majesty! Long live! Long live your Majesty!"
"All the soldiers are safe!"
Zhu Houcong walked in front of the Ming Dynasty flag, and Lu Bing also held up the big banner, but threw it under the wooden platform in front of him.
Looking down at the big banner, Zhu Houcong was silent for a while, then raised his eyes and looked at the generals in the audience.
"Seventy-eight years ago, the Tatars captured Yingzong in Xuanfu. This year, you killed nearly ten thousand enemies and killed the Great Khan of Beiyuan! I thank you for your bravery in killing the enemies and promoting the prestige of our Ming Dynasty!"
A simple comparison triggered the roar of the mountains and the tsunami of "The Ming Dynasty will be victorious" and "Long live your Majesty".
"In this battle, the soldiers from the border towns sacrificed their lives in vain, which makes me heartbroken! It's just that the Tatars often invade our territory, capture my people, destroy my houses and fields, and rob my property. They are greedy, and they only know swords and guns! The Northern Tatars If this continues, there will never be peace on the Ming Dynasty’s frontier!”
"There will still be wars. Kill their big khan, and they will have new khans. When it snows and the snow melts again, they will come again next year. If we don't defeat them and make them timid, there will still be More generals and civilians died because of the Northern invaders' invasion of the territory!"
"This year, I, the emperor, will declare the palace. There is no personal expedition. I have not even gone out to the border wall. What do you call a personal expedition?" Zhu Houcong paused, and then shouted louder, "I hope you understand, the more timid you are, the more likely you are to fight against the enemy." The more the captives feel, the Ming Dynasty is weak and can be bullied, and the border troubles will never be eliminated! One day, I will definitely go on a personal expedition to drive the Tatars away, and they will never dare to approach the Ming Dynasty’s borders!"
"Your Majesty is mighty!"
After all, this was the emperor's instructions to the generals in Xuanfu. After all, he came to the border town in a situation where the army was pressing down on the border with thousands of miles of border walls. Moreover, the battle was won, albeit tragically.
"I don't want the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty to die fighting against the enemy. Therefore, I hope that you will not slack off in training from today on."
"I don't want the border troops to worry about food, wages, and family safety. Therefore, I will try my best to ensure that you don't have to worry about it."
"I don't want the frontier troops to fight cowardly, so merit will be rewarded, crime will be punished, and death will be punished!"
"This year, the Great Khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty was killed in the Ming Dynasty. Next time, I hope you will kill the chieftain outside the territory!" Zhu Houcong stretched out his hand, "Bring the bow!"
Guo Xun only saw Lu Bing handing the bow and arrow to the emperor, and then the emperor set up the bow on the stage, aiming at a newly built stone platform not far away in the west of Xuanfu City. Now, the stone platform is not high, and a board is nailed on it. On the board, the Ming Dynasty side wall is carved, and there is a place outside the side wall with engraved characters.
Zhu Houcong drew his bow and arrow, and shot an arrow at the character Yuan.
Only then did Guo Xun remember that the emperor ran when he first came to court. He had always been a martial emperor - even though the stone platform was not far from the wooden platform, his archery skills were not very good.
But this did not prevent the generals from cheering immediately and looking at the emperor excitedly: What are you doing?
"This monument will be erected to engrave the names of the soldiers who died in this battle. Keep this arrow until the day when the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty no longer has a Khan." Zhu Houcong handed the bow to Lu Bing, "The ancestors of the Ming Dynasty, generations of soldiers If we fail to eliminate the dangers in the north, I will keep this as my ambition throughout my life to ensure peace in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty and for the people to live and work in peace and contentment!"
On the 12th day of the twelfth lunar month in the sixth year of Jiajing, the emperor shot an arrow at Xuan Mansion as an oath.
But the new stage of the dispute between Ming Dynasty and Mongolia has just begun.
(End of chapter)
