Traveler Major League

Chapter 250 Confidence

Since the Ming Dynasty suffered heavy losses on the northwest battlefield of Guanzhong and was corrupted thousands of miles away, Chongzhen had no choice but to transfer Yuan Chonghuan who was stationed on the Liaodong front line, along with 10,000 elite cavalry and 10,000 standard battalions dispatched by the capital.

In the seventh year of Tianqi (1627), Ming Xizong died. After Ming Sizong Zhu Youjian came to the throne, he designed to remove Wei Zhongxian and demote those who had previously assumed military merit.

At the suggestion of the minister of the DPRK, Yuan Chonghuan was reactivated and appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of War and concurrently as the right deputy censor of the capital, supervising Ji Liao, Denglai, and Tianjin military affairs.

In July of the same year, Yuan Chonghuan returned to the capital and stated the military affairs in Shangshu. Zhu Youjian summoned Yuan Chonghuan on the platform. Yuan Chonghuan claimed that he could return to the Liao Dynasty in five years, which Zhu Youjian greatly appreciated.

Yuan Chonghuan took the opportunity to report and said: "The five-year plan to restore Liao Dynasty is not easy to complete. Since your Majesty has entrusted it to me, how dare I refuse this difficult task. But within five years, the Ministry of Household Affairs will transfer military pay, the Ministry of Works will supply equipment, the Ministry of Personnel will employ people, and the Ministry of War will When deploying troops and selecting generals, everything inside and outside the court must cooperate in order to be successful."

Zhu Youjian then asked the ministers of the four ministries to act according to Yuan Chonghuan's words. Yuan Chonghuan was afraid that after he went to the border, someone in the court would inevitably slander him again, so he told Zhu Youjian about the matter. Zhu Youjian learned from the great scholar Liu Hongxun and others. On the suggestion, the Shang Fang Sword of Man Gui, the king's minister, was recovered and given to Yuan Chonghuan.

In the second year of Chongzhen (1629), soldiers from Yuchuan, Hu and other places stationed in Ningyuan mutinied because of military pay. Yuan Chonghuan used a trick to pacify them. Then Yuan Chonghuan requested that Ningyuan and Jinzhou be combined into one town, and Zu Dashou was allowed to guard Jinzhou. He Kegang replaced Zhu Mei in Ningyuan, Zhao led the teacher to guard the gate, and Yuan Chonghuan stationed himself in Ningyuan. At the same time, he wrote to Zhu Youjian, praising Zu Dashou and other three. He also said that his five-year plan to restore Liao Dynasty relied entirely on these three people to realize his plan. If it was not realized in five years, he would kill these three people with his own hands and go to the judicial department to plead guilty and die.

Zhu Youjian named Yuan Chonghuan as the crown prince's Taibao and gave him silver coins in mangyi.

Therefore, although it was less than a year at this time, Yuan Chonghuan had already taken control of the entire military and political power in Liaodong, and selected physically strong people among the Liao people to enrich the armies. At the same time, he vigorously cultivated a large number of Liao generals such as Zu Dashou.

After the victory of Ningyuan, the morale of the Ming army recovered, and they began to have the opportunity to fight against the cavalry of the Jin army. Yuan Chonghuan worked hard to train a cavalry with a small number of troops, but a very strong combat effectiveness. This unit was later called Known as the "Guan Ning Iron Cavalry", they were the most elite troops in the late Ming Dynasty. Their combat power was higher than that of the Six Banners of the Later Jin Dynasty, and they could also compete head-on with the Eight Banners Army's protective troops.

This time the army was divided into two, half of which was led by Zu Dashou to guard Ningyuan, and the other half were all brought in by Yuan Chonghuan, and with Yuan Chonghuan came Man Gui, the most capable and powerful man in Liao Town The two generals Zhao Lijiao and Zhao Lijiao, as generals who had already risen to prominence during Sun Chengzong's time, had great military exploits and were self-contained, Yuan Chonghuan had his own small thoughts in bringing them here. His confidant Wu Zu Dashou, whom he personally promoted, was left to guard the family. After all, he was still thinking about the military order issued by Ping Liao for five years.

Although Zu Dashou had average military talent, he was very good at dealing with people. He not only coaxed the civil servants of Liao Town well, but also established a relationship with Gao Qiqian, the eunuch of the army, by asking his nephew Wu Sangui to be his adoptive father. As a result, he now has the title of deputy commander-in-chief of Ningyuan and has become the leader of Guan Ning's generals.

It's just that although this elite army has been decided to be mobilized to destroy Liu Ze, it is unlikely that they will arrive in a short time.

On May 10, the second year of Chongzhen, after various units of the People's Army were in place, a large-scale offensive was launched on more than 100 kilometers of plains centered on Luoyang and Yuncheng, Shanxi.

The first part of the Second Army crossed the Yellow River and went straight to Yuncheng to serve as an offensive base for the second phase of the battle to conquer the entire Shanxi Province. The First Army's goal was centered on Luoyang, reaching Jiyuan in the north and Ruzhou in the south. Through these two prominent Department, directly attack from the outside with a pincer offensive, completely crushing the Ming Dynasty's offensive power in the Central Plains region, and buying enough time for the Popular Alliance to completely integrate the local political power.

Commander-in-Chief Wang Renbai hurriedly walked through the corridor, stepped onto the stairs, and walked into Fan Jingwen's office with bated breath. Fan Jingwen was wearing a vermilion official uniform, sitting behind a dark desk, with his hands crossed and his eyes closed.

Wang Renbai quickly saluted Fan Jingwen indoors, and then said: "Sir," indicating that he had arrived.

Fan Jingwen nodded to Wang Renbai, stood up, and waved to him to go to the small hall behind to talk.

Just as Wang Renbai expected, unlike his usual serious face, Fan Jingwen's eyes flashed with a look of worry, but the uneasiness caused by this worry was offset by Fan Jingwen's confident tone. .

Wang Renbai naturally knew that this was supported by Fan Jingwen. As a general, even if he did not have the confidence to win the battle, he still had to pretend to be confident in front of his subordinates.

He can do this trick too.

However, Wang Renbo was a little surprised that Fan Jingwen was uncharacteristically different from his usual roundabout ways. He neither asked about his physical condition nor whether he was warm or cold, but directly brought the topic to the war.

"Luoyang is the key point of the three provinces of Qin, Jin, and Henan. It is the key pass from the Central Plains to the northwest. It must be defended for a long time. Luoyang must be given priority and strong soldiers from all over the province be dispatched to help. If Luoyang does not defend it and Henan does not defend it, If Henan is not defended, the world will rot." From Fan Jingwen's calm words, Wang Renbai still fully felt his urgency.

"At least one month, at most we only need to hold on for two months. Reinforcements from all over the country will surely arrive and the bandit army will be defeated."

Now the strategic intentions of the People's Army are completely clear. Almost everyone who has read history books knows the direction of the next attack. However, this sense of powerlessness is most obvious here in Fan Jingwen. He knows but cannot stop it.

Yuan Chonghuan, who was two thousand miles away, personally led more than 10,000 elite cavalry and a total of 200,000 reinforcements from all over the country to aid Luoyang. This was the picture cake brought by Chongzhen's imperial edict. As a person who knows the military, Fan Jingwen certainly knew that there were almost no available troops in the hinterland of the imperial court. soldiers.

The elite soldiers of the Ming Dynasty are all located in the nine major military towns of Liaodong, Xuanfu, Datong, Ningxia, Gansu, Yunnan, Guangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang. Liaodong is too far away, and Xuanfu and Datong are The people's army in Shanxi is restraining them. Ningxia, Gansu and other places have been cut off by the people's army at Xiaoguan in Pingliang Prefecture. Most of the troops in other southern places are infantry. It is not known how long it will take to reach Luoyang.

After this period of fighting with the People's Army, Wang Renbai was completely shaken away from his confidence. Although he felt that Fan Jingwen was dreaming, when Fan Jingwen personally gave him orders, he had to muster up his courage and praise him repeatedly.

"Luoyang's terrain is dangerous and easy to defend." Fan Jingwen waved his arm and said, "Luoyang's Mangshan, Longmen, and Xigong are three important areas that require fortifications and heavy defense."

After Fan Jingwen inquired in detail about the army's food, supplies, and training, he emphasized this point to Wang Renbai.

As the backbone of Luoyang City, this time, Fan Jingwen did not sit on the chair as usual, but stood up and held Wang Renbai's arms with both hands.

The sincerity in this moved Wang Renbai very much. He knew that Fan Jingwen was determined to defend Luoyang, so he thought about it for a long time before saying: "Now that the spring harvest is coming, there is no food and no money everywhere, the army can barely defend the city. Once they leave the city, , then the division will be undisciplined, and they will plunder the towns and villages they pass by, calling them "graining", and the wells will become ruins. The officers and soldiers often kill the leaders of the people to "dedicate their merits", and the soldiers will "use fools to lead the generals, and the leaders will use fools to imprison them." Discipline, supervise discipline and report to the court. This disadvantage has been common for a long time. In the end, the general will know that the treasury is already insufficient. It is better to seek the fortune of the king to get some money and food to boost morale and fight to the death with the thieves. "

What Wang Renbai could think of, Fan Jingwen as the governor had of course thought of it a long time ago. He had met with King Fu Zhu Changxun many times before, but King Fu would not listen at all. Even in the face of such a dangerous situation that the people's army had arrived under Luoyang's nose, King Fu still turned a deaf ear and said, "I won't give any money."

Seeing Fan Jingwen shaking his head, Wang Renbai sighed and said: "Prince Fu's palace is richer than Tianfu. When the reinforcements passed through Luo, they said in the colloquial book or in the Taoist road: 'The palace has millions of money, but it hates the meat and rice, which makes us stupid. A deadly thief!"

In the end, Wang Renbai had no choice but to say solemnly: "Unless the general dies, Luoyang will definitely sit back and relax."

Fan Jingwen was stunned for a moment when he heard this and could only say: "What's the use of dying? You need to win."

"The last general can do nothing but lead troops to fight. He can only serve the imperial court with the belief that he must die!"

Fan Jingwen nodded and said: "The success or failure of the military in this battle is related to the survival of the world. If we cannot defeat the rebel army, we will die."

Before that, due to Fan Jingwen's firm eloquence and puzzling optimism, Wang Renbai had long been filled with bitterness, but he just didn't dare to speak directly to Fan Jingwen.

He could only blame Fan Jingwen in his heart for not understanding the situation below and the power of the rebel army. However, Fan Jingwen's heartfelt words seemed to ignite the blood in his body, and he couldn't wait to fight to the death now.

Wang Renbai walked out of the Yamen with his head high and his chest high. When the cold wind blew outside, his mind cleared up in an instant, leaving only a sigh.

(End of this chapter)