The Prosperous Era of Longwan

Outside the city of Yongning Prefecture in western Guizhou, the Ming army set up a large military camp. All the troops Li Chengliang summoned from Sichuan, Guizhou and other places were stationed here.

A few days ago, Li Chengliang had received an official document from Wang Ning, the governor of Yunnan. Knowing the current situation in Yunnan, the Burmese king's intention to cause rebellion was already obvious, and he was close to starting the war in the Ming Dynasty.

"Father, when will we send troops into Yunnan?"

At this time, there were only the Li family and his son in the military tent, and they were discussing the next steps to take.

When the Li family father and son came here, although they were officials in the capital, local forces were intertwined and everyone maintained a superficial respect for them. This made him, the so-called left governor, unable to show off and could only be conceited.

Fortunately, there were orders from the court, and Li Chengliang did not dare to delay what he needed, including soldiers and grain.

"Has this batch of grain and grass luggage arrived?"

Li Chengliang did not answer Li Rusong's question just now, but asked about the food, grass and baggage that the army had asked for before.

"It is reported that the grain transport team has arrived in Zhenning and will arrive in Yongning in five or six days."

Li Rusong couldn't help Li Chengliang's attitude, so he had to tell everything he knew.

"But father, now in Yongchang, Yunnan"

Li Rusong wanted to say more, but was interrupted by Li Chengliang with a wave of his hand.

"Rusong, why do you think I didn't send troops immediately after receiving Wang Ning's document?"

This time, Li Chengliang chose to answer Li Rusong's question.

"Please let dad know."

Hearing this, Li Rusong hurriedly lowered his head and said.

"Idiot, do you think fighting is just about seeing who can win on the battlefield?"

Li Chengliang glanced at Li Rusong, and then his eyes fell on Li Rubai, Li Ruzhen, Li Ruzhang and Li Rumei.

This trip to the southwest is related to the rise and fall of the Li family, so Li Chengliang called all the children in the family.

One is to increase their experience in the army, and they are also preparing to report their merits and get an official position.

Li Chengliang was an outstanding military general in the late Ming Dynasty, but he was not a pure military general. He was good at using civil servant tactics. Perhaps this was the reason why he had been seeking to gain fame for a long time.

However, Li Chengliang's imperial examination path only stopped at being a scholar, and it was difficult to make further progress after that.

After all, Liaodong candidates go to the capital to take the provincial examination. It is not easy to stand out in the capital.

Li Chengliang may be the only general among the military generals in the middle and late Ming Dynasty who has seen through the political games in the capital.

Although many people expressed disdain and doubt about his so-called great military exploits, there is no doubt that he became one of the few generals in the middle and late Ming Dynasty who earned a title based on military exploits.

If Nurhachi hadn't become famous because of him, perhaps Li Chengliang's life would have been perfect.

And now, Li Chengliang is teaching his sons to let them understand at least one concept, that is, whether you are a civil servant or a military general, the rules of officialdom are rules after all and cannot be touched.

Seeing Li Rusong lowering his head, and the other four sons also lowered their heads, Li Chengliang said: "When my father left the capital, the imperial decree contained the word "expeditious", but do you really think that the imperial court can safely treat the people of Southwest China? Will the soldiers and horses be left in the hands of you and me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, before the other four people could respond, Li Rusong suddenly raised his head and looked at his father.

"Being easy is just to give me the right to mobilize troops and prepare for my father. You go out and look at the military camp outside. This is the result of being given easy access by the court.

Otherwise, do you think that just based on that piece of paper, the soldiers and horses of the imperial court would really come here to eat and sleep in the open? "

Having said this, Li Chengliang glanced at Li Rusong and then at his four sons who still had their heads lowered, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Among the several sons, it seems that only Li Rusong can become a great person.

As a teenager, he dared to lead soldiers to fight, while other children only liked to hide in the rear even if they had his military orders.

That's not right, Li Rubai and Li Ruzhen were also forced by him to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy.

The general is a tiger, is it possible that four of the five sons of labor and capital are cowards?

Thinking of this, Li Chengliang couldn't help but get angry.

"Well, father, now that Yunnan Governor Wang Ning has sent a document saying that Yunnan is in danger, why hasn't father sent troops yet?"

After all, it was Li Rusong, and he was the only one to ask at this time.

"Wang Ning sent the document and only talked about the situation on the Yunnan border. But he didn't ask me to send troops. Why should I send troops?"

Li Chengliang said with a sarcastic smile.

"this"

Li Rusong was very puzzled. Since there was already an enemy situation in Yunnan, shouldn't they rush to reinforce it immediately?

Why would my father say that?

Looking at Li Rusong's puzzled gaze, Li Chengliang shook his head slightly and said, "Rusong, you must always remember that the soldiers we lead are soldiers of the imperial court. The only one who can mobilize them is the imperial court."

"Father, don't you want to wait for the paperwork from the capital?"

Hearing Li Chengliang's words, Li Rusong reacted instantly and asked urgently.

"Why can't you wait?"

Li Chengliang put away his previous smile and said nonchalantly.

"this"

Li Rusong really didn't know what to say to Li Chengliang's question.

"Above the court, it is the civil servants who have the final say, but you and I, the generals, do not have the right to speak.

Whether this battle is won or defeated, whether our father and son should be rewarded or punished, it all depends on their thoughts.

If we only relied on the documents from previous years, our father and son led the troops to the battle and won the battle. It was Wang Ning who had the greatest credit.

If we lose the fight, you and I will be the scapegoats and will be punished by the court.

Do you really think that even if you win, this matter will be over?

Who knows if you will offend some big shot in the capital one day, and he will find an imperial censor to sue you.

Don't find any other reasons, just say that you led the troops to win this battle this time, but you led the army into Yunnan without the imperial court's troop mobilization documents and went to war with the foreign vassal. How do you think the court will deal with us? "

When Li Chengliang said this, there was already a sneer on his face.

He had seen clearly the integrity of civil servants a long time ago, and he would use people forward and not use people backward.

"Rusong, you must remember one thing, that is, you must see the military order when leading troops to the expedition. Without the troop mobilization document, you don't need to care about anyone's order.

Because if something happens, the person who gave the order will never stand up to defend you.

Because you are no longer useful to him. "

Li Chengliang specifically reminded Li Rusong.

Although this son is intelligent, he is also a bit fierce in fighting and likes to lead the charge.

Li Chengliang doesn't like this.

When he returned to Liaodong, he did this in order to gain a foothold in the army.

Now that he has established himself, he naturally doesn't need his children to gamble with their lives like he did back then.

As long as you plan properly, you can win, so why put yourself in danger?

The other four sons will not lead the charge, but this is too timid, which makes him unhappy.

A military general is not qualified if he doesn't have the courage to fight to the death.

Headache.

This time, Li Rusong lowered his head and thought for a long time, then raised his head and asked: "Father, if it is as said before, my father and I led the troops into Yunnan and won the battle because of Governor Wang's document.

Afterwards, if someone impeaches my father and me, how will the court deal with us?"

"Hmm? "

Li Rusong's question surprised Li Chengliang. He didn't expect that Li Rusong was thinking about this.

After a moment of silence, he understood.

His eldest son was too arrogant. He had never lost in the battles with him in Liaodong over the years. Perhaps in his dictionary, there was no such word as losing.

So, he considered the problem from the perspective of what would happen after winning.

Li Chengliang didn't care about this.

Backed by the powerful Ming Dynasty, it was actually quite difficult to lose a war, especially since the current court was willing to spend money on the army.

Before, the northern border troops received a large number of the most advanced firearms manufactured by the Beijing Camp, from bird guns to Portuguese cannons, which could almost fill most of the military forts in the border towns.

These were all spent with real money by the Ministry of War, because these firearms were also proven in actual combat. The effect is very useful.

With so many firearms, even if we can't defeat the enemy, at least we can defend the city.

As for the attack, according to the drill issued by the Ministry of War at this time, it is the car camp.

Of course, this set of tactics is aimed at the grassland people.

The car camp is still effective in the southeast of Liaodong. After all, there are fewer steep mountains. Going north, it is not very feasible.

The same is true in this southwest region. The car camp is not suitable for the battlefield environment here.

However, compared with Liaodong, the soldiers in the southwest are not a little worse.

During this period, the father and son were training soldiers desperately to make them familiar with the use of firearms.

Yes, the father and son of the Li family not only use cavalry, but also firearms.

This time when I arrived in the southwest, I found that there were very few firearms in the garrison here. The first step was to ask Nanjing for a lot of firearms support.

During this period, Yongningzhou City There were rumbling sounds of gunfire outside, and the soldiers in the southwest were familiar with the use of firearms.

Thanks to Wei Guangde's entry into the cabinet, Zhu Heng's control of the Ministry of Works, and Tan Lun's control of the Ministry of War, the Ministry of War was willing to spend money to make firearms, and the Ministry of Works strictly inspected the quality of firearms. Although the firearms used by the Ming army now cannot be said to be 100% qualified, the quality is also acceptable.

At least, the soldiers will not worry about exploding and endangering their lives because of the use of firearms.

Now the Ming army in the southwest, although it is still a short time for training, it dare not say that it is a elite soldier, but it is far better than when it was first summoned.

If such soldiers are taken to Yunnan, Li Chengliang does not know how he will lose.

As long as he takes steady steps, he is not afraid of fighting with the Burmese army.

Even if the opponent has elephants, what does it matter? A round of falconets will be fired. I don't believe that those big guys will not know the pain and can still be brave. Fearing death, they rushed forward.

Yes, after Li Chengliang arrived in Guangxi, he also asked about how the people in Myanmar fought.

Cavalry was rarely used there, and although there were war horses, they were really useless.

Like the Sichuan horses that Li Chengliang saw in Sichuan, although they could also carry cavalry to charge, the speed was not worth mentioning.

Sichuan horses are good at carrying goods over long distances but not good at charging on the battlefield, which Li Chengliang understood very well.

However, although cavalry was not used much in the southwest region, or was used very little, they had another killer weapon, that is, elephant soldiers.

Several people sat on elephants and headed north, commanding elephants to attack local defense lines, which was quite powerful.

However, Li Chengliang was also familiar with the Three Kingdoms, and knew how Zhuge Liang dealt with elephant soldiers. He also asked about the story of Prince Mu defeating elephant soldiers with firearms, so he was not worried about encountering them at all.

The firearms used by the Ming army now are stronger than those used by Prince Mu at the time.

As for the question about his son Li Rusong, Li Chengliang did not answer immediately. After thinking for a while, he said: "Although there is an impeachment by the censor, the key still depends on the attitude of His Majesty towards you.

If His Majesty thinks that you are available and useful, then impeachment will have no effect and will be just like a piece of waste paper that will be thrown aside by His Majesty.

But if His Majesty thinks that the presence or absence of you does not affect the overall situation, then it may be dangerous.

Perhaps, in recognition of your many years of merit, they will let you go home to retire, or they may punish you for this. "

Li Chengliang expressed his guess.

Although this guess was analyzed from the emperor's point of view, and it was already suspected of trying to figure out the holy will, but now there were only a few of them, father and son, in the military tent, and there were no outsiders, so naturally they were not afraid.

"As long as the court thinks you are still useful, there will be no danger?"

Li Rusong repeated the meaning of Li Chengliang's words.

Li Chengliang also nodded slightly in recognition.

"After my father wiped out Wang Gao's tribe, even though he knew the whereabouts of Wang Gao's sons Atai and A Hai, he didn't send troops to capture them. Is that why?"

Unexpectedly, Li Rusong actually asked about what happened before.

Li Chengliang glanced at Li Rusong, and finally nodded slightly, then a bitter smile appeared on his face and said: 'I just didn't expect that the imperial court did not want me to stay in Liaodong in the end, but sent me here. ’

"Then father thinks that in the eyes of the imperial court, you and I are still of use to the imperial court?"

Li Rusong suddenly spoke and continued to ask.

“This conquest of the Burmese Army is our opportunity to prove it.

If the war goes against us, we will lose everything and become officials with empty rank but no real power. "

Li Chengliang saw it very clearly. Although Wei Guangde said that he valued him very much and therefore transferred him from Liaodong to the southwest, that was just a euphemism.

The real purpose is to see the quality of the Li family and his son.

In that person's eyes, Ma Fang proved himself in the battle with An Da Khan, while Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang proved their strength in the war to suppress Japanese invaders in the south and in the north.

Only he, General Li of Liaodong, only used force against Tubarbarians and Jurchens.

Well, the Tuman and Jurchen tribes, which seem to be the weakest, are certainly no match for Anta Khan.

Although in the eyes of the border army generals, the Japanese pirates were actually the weakest.

“Therefore, in this expedition to Burma, we will only allow victory but not defeat. We must incorporate the land of the Toungoo Dynasty in Burma into the territory of the Ming Dynasty, the true territory of the Ming Dynasty.

This is what Mr. Wei Ge said when I left Beijing.

More than that, once war breaks out, not only can we not advance rashly, we must advance steadily and completely control the area we occupy. This is the purpose of our war.

In the south of Myanmar, Yu Dayou's navy will also come over to open a battlefield along the coast of Myanmar and disperse the strength of the Myanmar army. "

When Li Chengliang said this, not only Li Rusong's eyes widened, but the four brothers Li Rubai, Li Ruzhen, Li Ruzhang and Li Rumei also raised their heads and looked over in surprise.

"The imperial court's purpose is to govern Burma, which will be the outlet of the Ming Dynasty's West Sea."

After Li Chengliang said the last sentence, he let out a long breath.

"Then kill all those chieftains, otherwise, it will be impossible to govern Myanmar."

But at the next moment, Li Rusong said something that frightened everyone.