Go back to the end of the Ming Dynasty to be a soldier

Chapter 121 Garrison at Xifengkou

Yang Tinglin read the imperial decree on the spot.In this decree, Emperor Chongzhen pardoned Lu Xiangsheng and Lin Yi for all crimes, and named Lin Yi a guerrilla general.

This decree came in a timely manner, and it also shows that Emperor Chongzhen was not a complete fool. If the guerrilla general said that he was not a big official, he was roughly equivalent to the brigade-level cadres of later generations. It belongs to the military rank of the field troops, which means fighting guerrillas everywhere.

There is nothing better than saving someone's meritorious deeds, and he won't be named a guerrilla general just by rescuing the capital.Just because Ji Dong's starting point is too low, and he was still the body of a sin in the eyes of the emperor before, so there is a sense of merit and demerit here.From this point, it can be seen that it was not easy to become an official in the late Ming Dynasty.

But this is undoubtedly a supreme honor. Although the official position is not big, it is very rare for the emperor to seal it with his own mouth and speak well, especially at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when culture was more important than military affairs.

After reading the imperial decree, Yang Tinglin also brought a robe to Lin Yi, saying that it was an extra reward from the emperor.

This is a unicorn suit. According to the regulations of Ming Dynasty, the clothes that the emperor bestows on meritorious ministers generally fall into the following categories: boa robe, flying fish suit, bullfighting suit, and unicorn suit.The emperor confers on the ministers, generally the first rank bestows python suits, the second rank bestows flying fish suits, the third rank bestows bullfighting suits, and the fourth and fifth rank bestows unicorn suits.

But most of these are given to civil servants. It is the first case to be given to military general Lin Yi, and only civil servants of the fourth and fifth ranks can be bestowed with unicorn uniforms. After Lin Yi is sealed, he is a small guerrilla general. The generals other than the military generals are far from the ranks of fourth and fifth rank civil servants.

It is very grand and a peerless honor for the emperor to bestow clothes on his subjects. Emperor Chongzhen undoubtedly wants to use this method today to prove his great grace, which can be regarded as a kind of compensation for Lin Yi.

Headed by Governor Yang Tinglin, Zu Keyong, Wang Jian, Xiaoying, Zhang Hua, Wang Qi and others congratulated Lin Yi.

Lin Yi thanked him, but he took this kind of supreme honor lightly, not because he was conceited and flattered.But he knew that in this declining dynasty, the size of the official position no longer mattered, and he knew that the Chongzhen Emperor was moody, happy in one way, and turned in another way.Don't be happy with things, don't be sad with yourself, he must do this.

But from now on, with the support of the imperial court, Lin Yi can kill Tartars in a legitimate way and do a vigorous career. He is still a general of the Ming Dynasty, and he is fundamentally different from those mountain thieves. Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong Waiting for others, it seems vigorous, but in fact it is difficult to become a master. This point, Ji Dong has already made a conclusion in his heart, so he will definitely not join forces with them.

Regardless of fame or fame, at least there is no need to hide in the mountains and forests. This is what Ji Dong is gratified about.

Lin Yi accepted the order and thanked him, and Yang Tinglin asked Lu Xiangsheng again.

Lin Yi shook his head, "Governor, Mr. Lu has disregarded the mortal world and is unwilling to come back. Let's let him go. Fortunately, the emperor has justified his name, so we can only express our congratulations to him from a thousand miles away."

Yang Tinglin also sighed, "From then on, there is one more high-ranking scholar in the world, and one less good minister and good general in the court."

Under the mediation of Yang Tinglin, Lin Yi and his troops were temporarily placed under the command of Chief Military Officer Liu Zhaoji.

Liu Zhaoji was originally Lu Xiangsheng's chief soldier and was ordered to garrison Yuyang. Huang Taiji sent troops to Gyeonggi this time, only a few hundred of Liu Zhaoji's 7000 troops remained, and Yuyang was also lost.Yang Tinglin gave him additional troops, plus Lin Yi's 1000 people, and now he, the chief military officer, directly dispatches and commands only 3000 people.

Liu Zhaoji led Lin Yi and other 3000 troops to station outside the city to clean up the battlefield and take care of the trophies. A few days later, Qin Wang from all over the country came late, and together, there were more than [-].Among them are [-] white soldiers from Zuo Liangyu, the loyal Marquis of Shizhu, Sichuan.

At this time, news came that Huang Taiji had left customs and returned to Shengjing. The 10,000+ Tartars have been showing off their power near the capital for more than a month. In the end, this warlord wasted all his previous efforts. He lost his soldiers and generals, and almost lost his food, grass and luggage. Seeing the Ming army's Qin Wang's divisions coming one after another, Huang Taiji had to go back home.

Next, Liu Zhaoji became the commander-in-chief of Miyun. After this battle, Emperor Chongzhen realized the weakness of the defense in Miyun area. Several times, Manchu cavalry broke through from here, so he allocated thousands of troops to Liu Zhaoji.

Lin Yi also moved to Miyun with his troops.Knowing that this Liu Zhaoji was Lu Xiangsheng's favorite virtuous minister and general, he was indeed very accomplished in history. After Chongzhen hanged himself, the Ming Dynasty perished.Liu Zhaoji was in the Nanjing area again, following several short-lived courts of the Southern Ming to fight against the Qing army. In this respect, he also belonged to the backbone of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, Lin Yi also moved all the savings of the private camp in the mountains to Miyun, where he had food and cannons.In addition, this time, the spoils obtained from defeating Huang Taiji were all used to equip this army.

Liu Zhaoji's team has now reached 8000 people, but this is still pitifully small for the establishment of a general army. You must know that one guard in Ming Dynasty has 6000 to [-] people.

Although there are still not many soldiers, they have sufficient food and wages. In addition to musketeers, there are more than 100 red cannons with sufficient ammunition. They can be called strong and powerful.

The current Liu Zhaoji regards Lin Yi as a general, and even as a deputy general. He is by no means a small guerrilla general.Discuss with Ji Dong about everything in the military.

It's not that Liu Zhaoji is modest, but he knows that this Lin Yi is superior to Liu Zhaoji in terms of talent, morality, and military exploits.If Lu Gongxiang was promoted at this time, Lin Yi would not be just a small guerrilla general. In terms of his meritorious service, he would have to be at least a general or deputy commander, or even be promoted to the commander in an exception.

In the Ming Dynasty, Miyun District had a vast territory and belonged to Changping Prefecture.However, since the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the border defenses have been slack, and the borders will not be trimmed. This area has become a weak defensive area. Especially in the Chongzhen era, the Manchu and Qing cavalry repeatedly crossed the Great Wall from this area to invade the Central Plains.

Liu Zhaoji took Lin Yi, Zu Keyong and others to inspect the Great Wall in this area. At Lin Yi's suggestion, Liu Zhaoji allocated 3000 troops to Lin Yi, including his original guards and nearly a thousand Guanning cavalry stationed at Xifengkou .

From Xifengkou to Qingziling, the Great Wall in this area stretches for 200 miles, and it has become Lin Yi's line of defense.

Lin Yi led his troops to inspect places from east to west, and repaired and strengthened the places that had been in disrepair and the places damaged by the Tartars, mainly Xifengkou and Qingziling.

After repair and reinforcement, Xifengkou and Qingziling became the two most important fortresses in this section. A total of 50 red cannons were set up in the two fortresses, of which 30 were set around Xifengkou, and around Qingziling. There are 20 cannons, according to the cannon for ten people, a total of 500 artillerymen. These cannons are mainly placed on the crenels to prevent the Tartars from coming to attack.

As Lin Yi's deputy general, Zu Keyong asked him to take 1000 troops, including 200 artillery, to garrison Qingziling in the west. Xifengkou in the east was no more than 200 miles away from a stone pass, one of the fortresses of the customs.

Lin Yi took the remaining 2000 troops, including 100 artillerymen, and more than [-] of his personal guards, to garrison Xifengkou Fortress. An important pass on the Great Wall.The renovated Xifengkou pass is divided into the inner city and the Wengcheng. Although it is not as large as Shanhaiguan, the most dangerous pass in the world, it is also divided into four gates. In addition to the north gate and the south gate, beside the north gate and the south gate There are auxiliary cities beside the gate, and the urn city inside.

Because this area is interlaced with low mountains and plains, the Xifengkou pass is just located on the low mountains.

Looking up from the city, it's like standing on the top of a mountain. Ji Dong has a feeling that he will be at the top of the mountain and see all the small mountains at a glance.The vast prairie in the far north, like the rippling sea, is refreshing.

To the east, the Great Wall twists and turns, winding above the high mountains, like a giant dragon lying on the shore of the Bohai Sea.

To the north of Xifengkou, there is a low valley. After a few miles out of this low valley, there is a vast prairie.

Ji Dong took a fancy to this place with rich water and grass, and set up the training ground here.As for the hundreds of artillerymen, they were training on the top of the city.

In addition to the artillery and patrol teams on Guancheng, Lin Yi took his men and horses, including his guards, to the grassland every day to practice riding and archery, attacking and defending, and individual combat.He also guided the artillery from time to time, and fired a few shots at the targets outside the Great Wall.

The days passed quickly, and it was November in 1637 in a blink of an eye.

The cold wind outside the Great Wall was raging, but Ji Dong's men and horses were in full swing on the training field. Some practiced archery on horseback, musketeers practiced shooting on horseback, and some practiced individual combat.

Xiaoying, Zhang Hua, Erhu, Wang Qi, Dong Sheng, etc., Lin Yi's personal guards, are practicing confrontation.

Lin Yi danced the big knife for a while, until his body was warm and he looked like he was about to sweat.

At this time, someone came to report that the Tartars were coming!
Ji Dong quickly stopped training his men and horses, and more than 1000 men and horses were ready to fight.

At this time, a group of people and horses appeared on the vast grassland in the north, as if they were chasing and killing a person, and they could only see clearly when they got closer. The one riding in front of them was a Mongolian woman, wearing Mongolian clothes, and wearing a white Hada sky. Fei Wu, with a scimitar in his hand, looked behind while running.

A few hundred meters behind, a group of Mongolian Tartars, about several hundred people in appearance, each holding a sword and gun, was hurriedly pursued by flying horses.

A leading Mongolian prince shouted: "Stop! Zhezhe, don't run any further, go back quickly, everything is negotiable, otherwise, I will shoot my bow and arrow for my father..."

(End of this chapter)