The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Tang Yin immediately made the final decision on the general plan for sending troops.

Ma Yi and Zhang Rui were also very ambitious. At least their immediate boss was not timid at all. On the one hand, he was thinking about retiring and returning home, on the other hand, he was also thinking about making achievements and proving himself.

Especially Ma Yi.

He suddenly felt that he had found the right person and that he had found a good boss like Wang Shouren who could help him realize his ambitions and ideals.

Because it involved the mobilization of money, food and supplies, especially to keep warm in winter, Tang Yin had to carry out some pre-war deployment and mobilization.

"Bo Hu, should we think about this matter in more detail? Sending out troops in such a hurry? Shouldn't we wait another ten days or half a month? At least prepare all the food and fodder first." Xu Jing said with embarrassment.

Tang Yin frowned and said, "Didn't you tell me that we can't give up the opportunity in front of us? Why do you sound like you don't support sending troops now?"

"I……"

Xu Jing couldn't help but smile bitterly.

I think we should send troops, and I even agree to go with you, but I didn't say I was prepared to go and never come back, let alone to complete a war that would cut off our own retreat! ?

It is good to achieve great things, but judging from what you say, Tang Bohu, you have had enough of living. Do you want me to accompany you to die?
Tang Yin said: "Winter is coming soon. After avoiding wars in summer and autumn, the Tatars can only find pastures to spend the winter. Only when the Ming Dynasty withdraws its troops will they think that we will not launch a second war into the grasslands."

"This..." Xu Jing didn't know how to answer.

Tang Yin pointed to a document on the table and said, "I've seen that the new crops planted in Yansui this year, especially potatoes and corn, are a bumper harvest. These two things can be stored for a long time during the march, especially in winter, and are very suitable as military rations."

Xu Jing said: "I think we should be more prepared."

"We can't wait any longer." Tang Yin said, "I have made it very clear to Ma Yi and Zhang Rui what I should say. They are also in urgent need of making achievements and have the same thoughts as me. It's rare to find people who share my firm beliefs. If you don't want to go to the grassland, I won't force you."

Tang Yin is still relatively reasonable.

I, Tang, am tired of living and have even begun to feel disappointed with the officialdom. I also feel that I am not capable enough and hope to find a way to prove myself.

But you, Xu Jing, are far from understanding as well as I do.

So your goal is to achieve success, and my goal is to prove myself. Our directions are different. I am not afraid of death, but you are. This shows that we are on two different paths.

Xu Jing sighed, "We have been through many storms, two trips to Liaodong, and two trips to Korea. Have we not experienced enough life and death scenes? This one is not enough."

Tang Yin was somewhat moved when he heard this. He walked over and patted Xu Jing on the shoulder, saying, "I never thought that the person who could stand firmly with me would be you. You are just a scholar like me. In fact, there is no need to fight so hard."

"Haha." Xu Jing smiled bitterly, "Besides risking my life, do I have any other chance to gain a foothold in the court?"

"This may not be the only way..." Tang Yin said.

Xu Jing said: "This way is still simpler, Bo Hu, this time I'm leaving my life to you. I hope that we can achieve great things and prove your strength at the same time, so that our goals will no longer conflict. Don't end up with you not proving yourself and me not achieving great things..."

Tang Yin sighed, "Who can be sure of this? But I have never been so excited and expectant as I am now. Even the last time I was asked to lead five armies into the grassland, I was never as enthusiastic as I am today. I feel that this battle has a great chance."

……

……

Tang Yin's dispatch of troops was extremely sudden. Not only was it unexpected for the Tatars, but even the entire Ming court was caught off guard.

Because many things were kept secret before the war, and the troops mobilized were still the Datong soldiers brought by Zhang Rui and Ma Yi, Tang Yin also brought a few hundred more personal followers with him, so that... after the troops were sent out, even the local military generals in Yansui were unaware of the situation.

For example, Duke Chengguo Zhu Fu.

As the commander-in-chief of Yansui, Zhu Fu had been trying to find out the news from the capital after retreating to Yansui. He did not care about his own safety and always wanted to do something big. He even led his troops out of the pass for patrol several times, but he did not dare to go north on a large scale.

He also hopes to get the support of his son Zhu Feng so that the father and son can achieve success together.

But Zhu Feng was transferred to Piantouguan at this time and did not return to Yansui. Zhu Fu was afraid of being held accountable by the court... so he was in a panic all day long. After November, he stayed in Yulinwei and did not go anywhere. He even closed the door to visitors and ignored the daily training of the soldiers.

It was a sunny day. Zhu Fu had been drinking for half the night and hadn't even gotten up in the morning.

At this time, the sound of horse hooves was heard outside. Zhu Feng, with a dozen of his followers, rushed all the way from Piantou Pass to Yulinwei, the garrison of Yansui Town. Then he went straight into the general's mansion, but was told that his old father was still sleeping.

"Go and wake up my father." Zhu Feng said to the servant of Duke Chengguo's Mansion, and then seemed to realize that the situation was urgent, and without caring about anything else, he rushed in.

Because Zhu Fu had replaced all the soldiers inside and outside the general's mansion with his own soldiers, when these people saw that it was their young master who came, no one tried to stop him.

Even these people felt that their master was giving up on himself.

"Father, please get up soon." Zhu Feng walked directly to the bed, lifted the curtain, and then let him see a scene that he shouldn't see, so he quickly put the curtain down again.

Zhu Fu's voice came from behind the curtain, but it was just snoring.

"Who is it?" a female voice asked timidly.

Zhu Feng raised his voice again and said, "Father, something happened!"

"Who!?" Zhu Fu was awakened from his sleep and was so scared that he almost fell to the ground. Then he heard a "puff" sound, and Zhu Fu turned over and grabbed the hanging sword, as if he was going to fight the enemy immediately.

Zhu Feng said: "It's me, Dad. Something big has happened."

Zhu Fu paused for a long time, as if he realized who was talking, and then he lifted the curtain himself.

He was about to get off the bed, but he seemed to feel something was wrong, so he quickly went back and put on a coat casually, tying his belt while saying, "Second brother? Are you really that bold? You came here without informing anyone? And you just barged in? Don't you have any manners?"

Zhu Feng said helplessly: "Father, please come out quickly. I have something to tell you. It's a very important matter. I'll wait at the door first."

……

……

Zhu Feng was very embarrassed, and the pride in his heart seemed to have been destroyed by his unreliable father.

By the time Zhu Fu came out after tidying up his clothes, an incense stick of time had passed. Zhu Feng was getting anxious and almost wanted to go in and urge him, but he finally held back.

"You rascal, haven't you been in Pianguan? Why are you here? The court transferred you here?" After Zhu Fu came out, he seemed to be angry with his son, but he was not confident enough and didn't even dare to speak too loudly to his son, as if he was afraid of angering him. He had abandoned himself in Yansui, and he knew that doing so would disregard the interests of the old Zhu family, but he didn't seem to have any good ideas.

He even felt that the task of revitalizing the Chengguo Mansion in the future would have to be left to his son.

Zhu Feng said: "Dad, when you were in Yansui City, did the Tang army discuss the expedition with you?"

"W...what?" Zhu Fu was confused.

Zhu Feng said with a look of resentment: "Father, you don't know that Lord Tang has already led his troops into the grassland, do you?"

"This... when did it happen? Zhijie, you came from Pianguan, right? When did you arrive? Where did you hear the rumor? How could I not know that the Tang army was going to war?" Zhu Fu frowned and wanted to teach his son a lesson, but after thinking about it, he held back.

Zhu Feng said, "I only heard about it when I was about to reach Yansui. It was said that Marquis Pinglu and Young Master Zhang of the Duke of Yingguo Mansion were cooperating with Lord Tang's troops to march to the grassland. They had been gone for four or five days. I don't know the exact day they left, but I guess it was before I left Pianguan."

"No, no, someone saw him yesterday." Zhu Fu said, "He has been staying indoors recently, just like me."

Another big reason why Zhu Fu could be so unscrupulous and act like a coward is that he was imitating Tang Yin.

The chief officials of a place, even the chief officials of the northwest, are all giving up on themselves. Why can't I just live in peace for a few days? If the court wants to hold someone accountable, should it also hold Tang accountable first?
You can't always blame the generals for everything, can you?

Zhu Feng looked at Zhu Daqi who had just come over and asked, "Have you gone to the General Administration Office to ask?"

"Not allowed in." Zhu Daqi said.

Zhu Fu shouted, "You have nothing to do here, get out!"

"Yes." Zhu Daqi retreated reluctantly.

Zhu Fu then said, "Son, where did you get the news? The news in the northwest is too isolated. Don't jump to conclusions. If the Tang army really wants to go to war, it will definitely be a big battle. How is it possible that there is no news at all and even your father doesn't know about it?"

Zhu Feng asked anxiously, "Father, how long have you not been out?"

"I...I never go out." Zhu Fu still wanted to struggle.

Zhu Feng said: "Before I even entered the city, someone came to complain to me, saying that you, father, no longer intend to lead the troops, and even put aside the military and political affairs in the city. Many things in the city are in a state of depression and desolation."

Zhu Fu said angrily, "Listen, is this human language? In every winter in the northwest, it has always been like this. It's already winter, and the first snow has already fallen. Who has such high demands? Do you want us to be ready for war all the time?"

Zhu Feng shook his head helplessly and said, "I'm afraid that Lord Tang has already taken his troops away. If His Majesty knew that you were still like this... our family would really be in trouble."

"Okay, okay." Zhu Fu said, "You kid, you don't believe your father, right? Your father will take you to see the Tang army. After we meet, you will know how wrong you are..."

……

……

Two hours later.

Zhu Furen was sitting in the General Administration's Office, looking annoyed. He looked almost dead.

Zhu Feng was holding the decree left by Tang Yin before he went on the expedition, which was given to Zhu Fu. Not only Tang Yin and Xu Jing went on this expedition, but even Cao Mao, the eunuch guarding Yansui, went with them. Among the civil officials, garrison eunuchs and military heroes, only Zhu Fu was kept in the dark.

And it's still six full days.

That is to say, Tang Yin was missing in the city for six days and Zhu Fu didn't notice it. Of course, Zhu Fu was also missing during these six days and others couldn't find him even if they wanted to.

Zhu Feng said: "I don't know what happened here during this period of time?"

Zhu Feng looked helpless. He seemed unable to figure out what kind of strange things had happened in Yansui to lead to the current situation.

Zhu Fu looked at his son and asked stupidly, "Did Lord Tang deliberately hide the fact that he sent troops from me?"

Zhu Feng shook his head and said, "Not only did he hide it from you, father, he also hid it from the soldiers and civilians in the city. He was determined to defeat the Tartars in this battle, and he even deceived his own people. I finally know why I came here."

"Then how did you get here?" Zhu Fu asked, "On your own?"

Zhu Feng sighed, "I received a transfer order from the court. It was an order from the Ministry of War, asking me to rush here from Pianguan to serve as your deputy."

Zhu Fu said, "Son, calm down. I have figured it out. It was Duke Cai who wanted to start a war that would leave the Tatars defenseless. He specifically asked Lord Tang to keep it a secret from us and transfer you here... This is not my fault, and it is certainly not your fault. You don't have to worry."

Zhu Feng said, "Father, didn't you read Lord Tang's letter? He clearly stated that he made the decision to send troops on his own, without even asking the court for permission."

Zhu Fu frowned and said, "If the court didn't know about this, why did the Ministry of War transfer you here? Oh, that Duke Cai is very smart. He must have expected all this to happen and made preparations in advance. It's not our fault."

"Ugh!"

Zhu Feng sighed helplessly. Faced with such an incompetent father, he suddenly felt that he could not take care of him.

Originally, he had felt that he was a coward, and even often asked for resignation and complained in front of Zhang Zhou. But now, seeing the character of the Chengguo Mansion represented by his old father, he realized how difficult it was to lead this team.

"Why are you sighing?" Zhu Fu asked.

Zhu Feng said: "Father, I now know why His Majesty wants to replace an old honor like you."

Zhu Fu said coldly: "Who are you looking down on?"

Zhu Feng shook his head and said, "This Tang Junmen is not a conservative person. He will definitely find ways to send troops if he has the chance. That's why Your Majesty and Brother Zhang trust him and let him take charge of the Northwest military affairs."

Zhu Fu cursed: "Who does he think he is? He sent out troops without even notifying his own commander-in-chief? He is deliberately teasing me!"

"Father, don't be so angry yet." Zhu Feng said, "For now, we need to think of a remedy. If the court finds out that you knew nothing, you will still be held responsible."

"He ran away with his troops and deliberately hid it from me, and now you blame me?" Zhu Fu seemed righteous at this time.

But his weak voice betrayed his inner feelings.

Zhu Feng said: "You must not say that you are unaware of this. Instead, you should say that this is all a deliberate scheme to paralyze the Tatars. I believe that the Tang army is not deliberately making things difficult for you. Now that I am here, I will help my father to sort out military affairs. At least we must... escort the soldiers on the front line and let the Tatars know that our Ming soldiers are fighting bravely."

Zhu Fu frowned and said, "You are so eloquent, I don't know what you are talking about. Just make the arrangements, I will listen to you." (End of this chapter)