weaving

Chapter 1240 Independent Camp

On May 24th, a drizzle began to fall, which was a great blessing from heaven for the long-drought land of Zhongzhou, Henan.

However, the earth had been completely dry after a long drought, and the drizzle was not enough to quench its thirst. It had been almost an hour, and there was still no water on the ground, just barely wet.

After a whole night and a day of careful deliberation, Sun Shixiang, Hu Yiwen, Liu Chengzu, Chen Zhong, Lin Fangping and others finally finalized all the details of the "Aid Sun Chuanting Case."

Now, this document was placed in front of the desk of Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng. He had already taken a rough look at it. The content was basically the same as what was finalized the night before, but the details were more detailed and specific.

"Send it to Sun Baigu."

"My Lord, it was delivered this morning."

"Ah."

Yongning Bo nodded and said, "He wants soldiers, weapons, and money and food. Apart from our Xuanfu, no one can take on his big order. There is no doubt about that.

As for sending troops, I think it should not be less than 2,000, and 3,000 or 4,000 is appropriate, otherwise I am afraid that I will not be able to intimidate these cousins ​​in Shaanxi. However, do you have any opinions on the selection of the commander-in-chief?"

Sun Shixiang and others looked at each other and were speechless for a moment.

After all, how could they interfere in such a major personnel issue?

However, since Earl Yongning had asked this question, they could not remain silent any longer. They all looked at each other, and finally Sun Shixiang stepped out from the crowd and said, "Lord Earl, not only the chief general, but also the pacification officer, deputy general, and staff officer, all need to be carefully selected. We have not yet carefully considered this, and we don't know whether Lord Earl has already made up his mind about the number of people."

He was kicking the ball back to the Earl of Yongning. Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "Let's set the force at 3,000 for now, 1,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry, and a baggage carriage. In this way, the three major arms of infantry, cavalry, and artillery will be fully equipped. If anything unexpected happens, we will always be invincible!"

Earl Yongning looked around at everyone and suddenly felt that there were too few talented people around him. Looking back over the past four years, he had been working hard to consolidate the foundation and continuously expand the armed forces. However, the pace was too fast, and talent training could not keep up with the pace of military expansion. It was still the same old people who kept coming back.

Zhang Cheng slowly stood up and paced around the big tent, with figures of some people constantly passing through his mind...

The battalion sent to Shaanxi was different from those sent to other places. They were almost an isolated force in Shaanxi, and due to various restrictions, Zhang Cheng could not directly interfere in Shaanxi's military and political affairs. They had to solve all problems on their own.

Originally, Wei Zhice and Zhang Guodong were both talented generals who could be sent out to govern a region, and Chen Zheng could also be one of them, but at the moment they were all fighting on the front line against the Chuang army, and they could not be transferred back for the time being.

Now he only has generals such as Chen Zhong, Lin Fangping, Xu Jinyong, and Li Jiyu around him. Among them, only Chen Zhong and Lin Fangping are barely acceptable. After all, they are old people around him and their loyalty can be absolutely guaranteed.

  However, Chen Zhong is the commander-in-chief of the Yanhe Camp, so it is not easy to transfer him to Shaanxi. Lin Fangping also needs to stay by his side. After all, he is his main guard force, so how can he be transferred to another place?

Most of the remaining people are even less qualified for the job. They are either too young, lack experience and prestige, or lack the ability to adapt. If they are forced to do it, it may backfire.

It was like a movie playing in Earl Yongning's mind, with figures constantly floating by, and when the final frame stopped, only one person was left!

"Liu Shizun."

When they heard this name, some people in the big tent were surprised, some were amazed, and some kept nodding their heads.

At first glance, Liu Shizun is not a veteran of Zhang Cheng's original team. He is a new general who was incorporated into the Yongyi Army system after Zhang Cheng was promoted to the commander-in-chief of Xuanfu Town.

However, the old people around Earl Yongning all knew that Liu Shizun had actually been close to Zhang Cheng a long time ago and had expressed his intention to surrender. Moreover, Liu Shizun's parents and younger brother were serving in the Xuanfu Army, so their loyalty was naturally something that Earl Yongning could rest assured about.

"But... Lieutenant General Liu is stationed at Jinglongkou with his troops to monitor Yuan Shizhong's wife, and distant water cannot quench one's immediate thirst!"

Zhang Cheng looked at Sun Shixiang and said with a smile, "What about the 'Little Camp'? There are only about 200 girls left, and the male soldiers only have fire sticks in their hands. They can still make a fuss. As for Jinglongkou, we can just send someone else there."

As he spoke, he looked at Li Jiyu and suddenly asked him, "Li Jiyu, do you have anything to say about transferring Liu Shizun to Shaanxi?"

"It's all up to you, Lord. I will follow your orders."

Zhang Cheng nodded, and then comforted him, "Qi Yu, since your Xuanwu Battalion entered Henan, except for the time when we supported Yuan Shizhong and ambushed a group of rebels, we have not experienced any wars. Now the troops of each unit are scattered in different places and cannot gather in one place. Do you have any complaints about this?"

Li Jiyu grinned awkwardly and said, "Jie Shuai, if I say I have no complaints, then I am not telling the truth."

Seeing that Zhang Cheng didn't care, he continued, "But Li Jiyu, this 180 jin, has been handed over to you, Marshal Jue, since the day he surrendered. We can go wherever you want us to go and do whatever you want us to do. As long as you obey Marshal Jue's military orders, Xuanwu Battalion will fight wherever he points, and Jiyu has no complaints in his heart."

"I am also going to transfer another part of your troops to Shaanxi. Are you willing?"

Li Jiyu suddenly stood up and walked to the empty space in the middle, bowed and said: "Li Jiyu's life is yours, Marshal. Let alone transferring part of the Xuanwu Camp, even if it is all the troops of the Xuanwu Camp, Li Jiyu will resolutely carry out it without any hesitation."

Zhang Cheng looked at Li Jiyu lying on the ground, nodded with satisfaction, and said gently, "Get up, don't kneel down at every turn. You are loyal to me, and heaven and earth can see it. I believe it, too."

After hearing this, Li Jiyu stood up and returned to his seat. Hearing this, Earl Yongning said again, "Liu Chengzu, write a letter to Lin Fangping."

"Lin Fangping, go to Jinglongkou to replace Liu Shizun."

"Here."

In fact, Huimei no longer poses any threat. With the left wing of the Xuanwu Camp guarding there, it can be guaranteed to be safe. But just like Li Zicheng kept Zuo Liangyu's adopted daughter Zuo Mingzhu, Huimei is also a "rare treasure" in Zhang Cheng's hands. Keeping her may be of great use in the future.

After all, Huimei is not alone like Zuo Mingzhu. She has four or five hundred male and female soldiers around her.

Moreover, they are all soldiers who are very loyal to Li Zicheng. If one of them is not handled properly, they may take advantage of the situation to cause chaos, which would be bad. Therefore, there must be a general who can control the situation here.

"Li Jiyu, Hou Xuguo's left wing will remain at Jinglongkou. Also, transfer Shen Jingbang's front wing troops from your camp to accompany Liu Shizun to Shaanxi."

"Yes." Earl Yongning looked at everyone and said, "The second commander of the Yulin Cavalry and the second commander of the Huwei Cavalry will be combined into one unit. Zuo Qinghe will be appointed as the commander of a thousand men and Tan Zhenlin will be appointed as the deputy commander of a thousand men. They will be assigned to Liu Shizun's camp and go to Shaanxi."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this. This was definitely a big deal!

The Yulin Cavalry and the Huwei Cavalry are not only the best in the Yongyi Army, but also the core force of Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng. Now they have transferred half of their elite troops to accompany Liu Shizun to Shaanxi. This shows how much importance they attach to lending troops to Sun Chuanting.

"Marshal, the Imperial Guards and Tiger Guards are the elite troops of the entire army. Isn't it a bit too much to transfer half of them away at once?"

Zhang Cheng looked at Lin Fangping and said, "It's okay. Zhang Guangda's Suzaku Camp will be here in the next few days. The central army has 3,000 elite cavalry, which is enough for great use. But Shaanxi doesn't have a strong force. I'm afraid it won't be able to suppress He Renlong, Niu Chenghu, Zheng Jiadong and other Shaanxi warriors."

Yongning Bo continued, "In addition, the three baggage carts of Ding Yukui from Weiyuan Camp will also be incorporated into Liu Shizun's camp and will accompany him to Shaanxi."

Sun Shixiang then interjected, "My Lord, the troops entering Shaanxi should also have a camp name!"

Zhang Cheng nodded, closed his eyes and thought for a moment, but he was too ignorant to think of a suitable camp name. He suddenly opened his eyes and said, "Independent Camp, let's call it the Independent Camp!"

"Liu Shizun led his army alone in Shaanxi, thousands of miles away from our Xuanfu. All military operations must be handled independently, so we use the name 'Independent Camp'."

"Independent...Independent Camp?"

"Okay, the Independence Camp is great!"

All the civil and military officials praised the camp name, saying it was very appropriate.

In fact, Zhang Cheng always felt that the military system of the Ming Dynasty was very awkward, but he did not dare to change it at will, for fear of causing everyone to be uncomfortable, which would be counterproductive.

But because of the camp name of Liu Shizun's troops, he began to try to establish the military system according to his own understanding. Now seeing that everyone did not take it seriously, he could not help but feel more confident.

In Zhang Cheng's heart, he still prefers the military system of "army, division, brigade, regiment, battalion, company, platoon, and squad", and he directly uses numbers to distinguish them. For example, the first army, first division, first brigade, first regiment, first battalion, first company, first platoon, and first squad are such direct names that make him feel extremely cordial.

Sun Shixiang then reminded him: "My Lord, there are also personnel such as the pacification, deputy generals, and staff officers. Have you decided on them all?"

"Have it."

Zhang Cheng, Earl of Yongning, said: "The commander is Liu Shizun, the deputy commander is Zuo Qinghe, and Huang Baozhong is also the deputy commander and the military advisor. As for the pacification officer..."

Zhang Cheng's eyes became deep, and after a moment, he said, "Zhang Chengfang has been by my side for a long time, is familiar with military affairs, and knows military rules and discipline. He is also steady and capable of seeing the big picture. Let him be the pacification officer of the independent battalion."

All the civil and military officials in the big tent looked at Zhang Chengfang. They were surprised, envious, and mostly happy. At the same time, they secretly admired the thorough consideration of Earl Yongning.

From the composition of the independent battalion, it can be seen that Earl Yongning really put a lot of effort into it!

The transfer of infantry from Xuanwu Camp did not affect the current battle situation, but also could take the opportunity to weaken Li Jiyu's power. After all, Shen Jingbang was his old friend when he was a bandit in Dengfeng. It was reasonable to separate them now to prevent them from being together and causing trouble in the future if things did not go as planned.

The cavalry, the strongest force of the independent battalion, is composed of the most loyal Yulin Cavalry and Tiger Guard Cavalry. Their combat effectiveness is unquestionable, and their loyalty is completely trustworthy.

The next baggage carriages were drawn from the Weiyuan Camp. Its captain, Ding Yukui, was also promoted from the captain-general of the old camp. He was originally from a military household in Xuanfu and his family members were all in Xuanfu, so he was naturally not afraid of being bribed.

Finally, there is the design of the central leadership core of the independent battalion. The commander, Liu Shizun, comes from a family of military generals, so his loyalty and personal ability are guaranteed.

The two deputy generals, Zuo Qinghe, are the direct descendants of the Earl of Yongning, and Huang Baozhong has been actively performing since he joined the Earl of Yongning. He was originally the head of Yang Guozhu's retainers, and has sufficient military qualities and personal abilities, making him the best candidate to be a deputy general and part-time staff officer.

Of course, the highlight is Zhang Chengfang. He is Zhang Cheng's adopted son and has worked for Zhang Cheng for a long time. He admires and is loyal to Zhang Cheng the most. After several years of experience, he has some methods of handling various affairs and has indeed grown very fast.

The most important point is that the person whom Earl Yongning trusts the most in the entire independent camp is Zhang Chengfang. Rather than saying that he is the pacification officer of the independent camp, it is better to say that he is the military supervisor sent by Earl Yongning to the independent camp.

Moreover, as a pacification officer, Zhang Chengfang had the power to commend, comfort, and reward or punish all the soldiers in the army. He could decide the promotion of the soldiers with a single word. He could be said to be an absolute authority.

Naturally, everyone had no objection to this arrangement.

The most surprised person was of course Zhang Chengfang. He walked out from the side of the Earl of Yongning, came to the middle of the military tent, knelt on one knee and saluted, saying, "Father, Chengfang is still young, I am afraid he is not up to the task, and will hinder your important work. Please choose another talented person to take the position."

  Yongning Bo looked at Zhang Chengfang below, secretly praising him in his heart, but said: "My son Chengfang, you must remember that this is the army, and the ways of scholars are not allowed. You should be brave enough to take on the responsibility, how can you shirk it like this?

Father raised you just to use you today. Since you know how to repay the favor, you should not refuse, but take up the post generously and share Father's worries."

Zhang Chengfang looked up at Earl Yongning, his eyes becoming resolute, and he clasped his fists and said loudly, "Zhang Chengfang obeys!"

Yongning Bo nodded with satisfaction and said to him, "Over the years, you have been training with me and have grown very fast. You have become more calm and capable in handling affairs. It is time for you to go out and train more so that you can serve your father better in the future."

"Yes. Please rest assured, Father, Cheng Fang will never fail in your mission!"

…………

In Xinchengji, in a military tent on the east side of the Yongyi Army camp, the newly appointed Governor-General of the Three Borders of Shaanxi, Sun Chuanting, was filled with anger, yet also with a hint of sadness.

The staff around him were all shocked and angry, and a feeling of humiliation immediately surged into everyone's heart!

The document sent by Yongning Earl Zhang Cheng contained numerous detailed terms. In Zhang Cheng's opinion, it was a normal transaction that could not be fairer. If you gain something, you have to pay something.

But in the eyes of Sun Chuanting and others, these clauses - just like the unequal treaties in later generations, give people a strong sense of humiliation!

(End of this chapter)