For this expedition, Huang Taiji aimed to occupy Qin. However, the population of Jianqi was too small after all, but the suggestion given by Hong Chengchou was to bribe the Qin people and drive them to be used by the Qing Dynasty. In this way, the problem of too few troops in the Qing Dynasty can be solved.
This involves the issue of rewarding the people who surrendered to Qin. Although Huang Taiji was in poor health, he was ready to go to war in person. In this way, he can award rewards casually and win people's hearts without wasting time.
Similarly, in order to ensure a success and effectively take advantage of the suddenness of the first attack on Qin, Huang Taiji was also prepared to gather as many troops as possible.
Because of the isolation of Shanhaiguan, the Liaodong captives, including traitors like Hong Chengchou, were unable to understand the situation in the pass in a timely manner and could only rely on their guesswork.
In fact, the same is true for Ming Dynasty. Regarding the Liaodong Jianlu, there is also a lack of information sources.
But fortunately, because Zhang Mingwei traveled through time, he knew that the Jianlu would invade Gyeonggi in October, and by reasoning backwards, he knew that the Jianlu must have exhausted their supplies after the Battle of Songjin, even if Eight major Shanxi merchants smuggled supplies to Liaodong Jianlu, but it was still not enough.
In this way, the Ming Dynasty can conclude that when the Liaodong Jianlu were in Chongzhen for fifteen years, there would definitely be an urgent need to enter the customs and plunder supplies.
Zhang Mingwei told Emperor Chongzhen about this matter, as well as Shanyong Governor Zuo Yingxuan and Shanhaiguan General Soldier Yan Yingyuan, and made a strategy of crossing the sea to raid the hinterland of Liaodong and contain the Jianlu.
Now there is an unprecedented all-out attack on the border by various Mongolian ministries, but the extent of the attack is not strong, so it can be basically inferred that they were ordered by their master to test the Ming Dynasty's border defenses.
Calculating based on this time, Yan Yingyuan can draw a conclusion as to when Jianlu will send troops.
In fact, even if Jianlu did not send troops, Yan Yingyuan would still implement Zhang Mingwei's strategy of harassing the hinterland of Liaodong.
On this day, after the coastal defense guerrilla Gu San Mazi was ready, Yan Yingyuan made the decision to personally lead the only four thousand cavalry in his hands to go on the expedition.
Speaking of which, there were not so many cavalry in the first place. It was Zhang Mingwei who casually arranged for people to go outside the pass to collect war horses. Sure enough, he got some of them, but Governor Zuo Yingxuan of Shanyong assigned all the war horses to Yan Yingyuan, and finally gathered these four horses. Qianqi.
On the school grounds, Yan Yingyuan rode a horse and walked slowly among these cavalrymen. While inspecting them, he said loudly: "Now when the imperial court spends money everywhere, it has also made up for you the previous arrears of pay, and the future military pay will also be paid on time. Former Not long after, the "Laws of the Ming Dynasty" were revised and the "Regulations on Pensions and Exemptions for Soldiers of the Ming Dynasty" were added. Such things are unheard of!"
"Serving as a soldier in the Ming Dynasty is the best job! Everyone is grateful, and this is how I am. I, Yan Yingyuan, have been appreciated by the court, and I have decided in my heart that I am a real man, wrapped in horse leather, and this is the best soldier of my generation. Home. The imperial court has high hopes for us, hoping that we can stop the Jianlu and stop them from causing harm to the country."
"This is the purpose of this expedition. We can only fight to the death, hurt the Jianlu, and let them know that we Ming soldiers are different now. If this purpose is not achieved, I will never return to the army. If you want to seal your wife Yinzi, if you want to protect your family members who have evacuated into the pass, don’t think about surviving, just follow me and fight to the death, so that you can put them to death and survive!"
Guan Ning's army had never taken the initiative to fight against Jianlu, let alone set out to conquer the hinterland of Liaodong like this time. Yan Yingyuan was worried about the unrest in the army, so he made this speech before the expedition.
But he didn't expect that after he finished speaking, the four thousand Guan Ning troops suddenly roared together: "Fight to the death, fight to the death..."
It's not that Guan Ningjun is inherently afraid of Jianlu. None of them has a deep hatred for Jianlu. But in the past, food and clothing could not be guaranteed. Only the general's servants could guarantee these. As a result, those with fighting ability in the army naturally had to rely on the general's will. Which of the generals in Guan Ning's army wants to conquer the hinterland of Liaodong? No! Then Guan Ningjun would naturally not do this.
Now not only are there no deductions in military pay, you don’t even have to worry about your family after you die in battle. The "Regulations on Pensions and Preferential Treatment for Soldiers of the Ming Dynasty" are written into the "Ming Law". In this way, there is no need to worry about the future. Who doesn't want to find it? Jianlu takes revenge and gives peace to his family in Guan?
The lives of big-headed soldiers are inherently cheap, and the commander-in-chief will fight to the death, let alone them!
Therefore, at this time, Yan Yingyuan saw that the morale was available, so he did not delay, returned to the front and back of the general platform, looked at the four thousand cavalry in front of him, and prepared to give the order to set off.
If he said he had no worries about this battle, it would be a lie. Of course, this concern does not mean that he is afraid of not coming back or that he is afraid of death.
As the saying goes, a scholar dies for a confidant. He, Yan Yingyuan, was directly promoted from a mere dianshi to the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan. This kind of kindness can only be repaid with death. It is no big deal.
Yan Yingyuan was just afraid that he left Shanhaiguan, and if the Jianlu invaders invaded Shanhaiguan in large numbers, if Shanhaiguan fell, Yan Yingyuan would die without redemption.
However, this expedition to Liaodong is also of great importance. If he didn't go in person, he was worried that he would just scratch the itch of Liaodong Jianlu in the end. Not only did it lose the benefits brought by the suddenness of the war, but it also prepared future Jianlu forces, and it might not even be able to restrain the main Jianlu forces from taking a detour through the Mongolian grasslands.
After careful consideration, he finally decided to let Chen Mingyu, who he had recommended to help him, defend him to the death, as a trade-off.
With this in mind, when he was about to give the order to set off, a horse suddenly came to the commander's station and reported to him: "The new Liaodong guerrilla Li Laiheng has led more than a thousand cavalry to report to the commander-in-chief."
Upon hearing this, Yan Yingyuan couldn't help but be overjoyed. He was short of cavalry, and now more than a thousand cavalry came. This is great.
The more cavalry you have, the more confident you will be in this battle.
So, without saying a word, he immediately sent an order for the Liaodong guerrillas to come over to the school grounds.
Li Laiheng did not delay along the way. It can even be said that he rushed as fast as possible. The whole army was covered in dust. When he came to the school field and saw this posture, he knew that if he came a little late, he might not be able to catch up.
It turns out that the imperial officers and soldiers actually took the initiative to attack Jianlu! Li Laiheng thought in his mind and once again changed his mind about the imperial officers and soldiers. Before he came over just now, he heard the roar of "fight to the death".
He could tell that this roar was not a casual shout. As someone who is used to fighting, I am sensitive to this.
When he saw the general on the general stage, he was also in military uniform and looked like he was about to go into battle. Li Laiheng also admired this kind of hero. He immediately turned over and dismounted, clasped his fists in his hands and reported: "Li Laiheng, a guerrilla from Liaodong, has come to report on the order of Duke Xing to participate in the battle of Liaodong."
After he finished speaking, he took out a letter from his arms, handed it to Yan Yingyuan with both hands and said, "This is the letter from Duke Xingguo to the commander-in-chief."
When Yan Yingyuan heard that Li Laiheng was sent by Duke Xingguo, he was even more fond of it. He immediately responded with a smile, took the letter and read it first.
He never expected that this Li Laiheng was actually a fierce general among Li Zicheng's bandits. Feeling the changes in the imperial court, he did not want the world to continue to be in chaos and the people to live in dire straits. He abandoned the dark side and turned to the bright side. He was conferred the title of Liaodong Guerrilla by Duke Xingguo. He did not want to fight against his original companions. , volunteered to come to Liaodong to build captives.
If it were any other general, he might have despised Li Laiheng's origins. After all, he was a gangster. However, Yan Yingyuan himself was born in a classic history and was suddenly promoted. In the eyes of ordinary people, his background is actually low.
Therefore, Yan Yingyuan didn't mind Li Laiheng's origins at all, and even had a hint of admiration. He didn't expect that he could distinguish right from wrong at such a young age. This matter of turning from darkness to light, and not surrendering after being captured, is very rare.
In addition, Zhang Mingwei also told Yan Yingyuan in his letter. Li Laiheng was born as a bandit, and he happened to be good at mobile warfare. He was the best candidate to be the coach to attack the hinterland of Liaodong. Therefore, Li Laiheng can be the main general in this expedition to the hinterland of Liaodong.
The main reason why Zhang Mingwei wrote this letter was to consider that in the original history, Yan Yingyuan was famous for defending the city. If possible, he hoped that Yan Yingyuan would guard Shanhaiguan and ensure that Shanhaiguan was not lost.
Yan Yingyuan definitely took Duke Xingguo's wishes very seriously.
So, without any other considerations, he immediately told Li Laiheng the meaning of the Xingguo official letter, and asked Li Laiheng straight to the point: "If you come to lead the army according to the Duke's arrangement, what will you do?"
If he can pass his interview, he will be relieved. Otherwise, the first expedition to the hinterland of Liaodong was of great importance, and even if it was recommended by the Duke, he would still have doubts.
When Li Laiheng heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He didn't expect that Duke Xingguo would value him so much and even consider giving him the command of the world-famous Guan Ning cavalry.
The average person would be frightened by this. However, you can say that Li Laiheng is not afraid of tigers when he is a newborn, or that he really wants to make meritorious deeds. In short, he did not have the slightest fear after hearing this. He raised his head and replied: "Just don't move. If you move like a rabbit, you will be struck by lightning." Escape from afar, be erratic and not give Jianlu any reaction."
It can be said that similar wars have been experienced many times.
After a pause, Li Laiheng added: "In this kind of war, the most important thing is not to be afraid of death, not to stop, and not to leave any traces!"
Yan Yingyuan was satisfied after hearing this, so he asked a few more questions. Li Laiheng answered them casually without thinking, and they all satisfied him.
In the end, he sighed with emotion: "The Duke is indeed a wise man!"
Little did he know that Li Laiheng could persist in resisting the Qing Dynasty until the end. If he didn't have a sense of danger, he would have been killed by the Qing Dynasty long ago.
Therefore, Yan Yingyuan ordered the army to set off after another day's rest. With Li Laiheng as the chief general and Chen Mingyu as deputy, he led five thousand cavalry troops and set off by sea to the hinterland of Liaodong.
This will be the first time that the Ming army sets foot in Liaodong after Dongjiang Town is gone!
