The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 475 Responsibility and Burden

Zhang Zhou didn't mind Lin Ting's refusal, but instead took him to meet the saint.

As the new instructor and Zhang Zhou's brother-in-law, Lin Ting received higher treatment than others, that is, he could receive a direct commission from the emperor.

"...Lin Qing's family has lived in the border area for many years. In addition to understanding the terrain of the northwest, they also know a lot about the customs and people's livelihood in the border area. I am deeply pleased that you will come to Yanwu Hall to assist Cai Guogong. In the future, the training of military and political talents can be It’s up to you, the Qing family.”

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youtang's words made Lin Ting almost look up to the sky and sigh.

How old am I?It has only been two years since I passed the Jinshi exam, but I was actually summoned by the emperor in person, and he still had such high hopes for me?

Even if I don't want to, I will definitely die for the Ming Dynasty.

"The junior minister is still young and I can't bear the responsibility." Lin Ting quickly showed his humble side.

Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "I trust the people Bingkuan uses very much. I not only trust his vision, but also your ability in Lin Qing's family. Although you are new to the court, you have a prominent family background and the guidance of famous teachers. What's more, With the experience of training in the border areas and fear of hardships, what difference does it make if such a talented person has junior qualifications or senior qualifications? Don't belittle yourself."

Lin Ting found that the Confucian humility he had learned before was a bit ineffective.

The emperor and Zhang Zhou didn't care whether he was young and vigorous, they just believed that he had the ability to do big things... But he had never had the experience of doing big things before... This was a headache.

When I say that I am incapable, I am belittling myself. If even His Majesty doesn't agree, then I don't need to be humble.

The only eunuch next to him, Li Rong, smiled and said, "Congratulations to your Majesty for another good day."

Zhu Youtang said: "It's rare for Bingkuan to enter the palace today. By the way, Bingkuan, I still have something to ask you. It involves the deployment of troops in Huamachi. I have already issued an order to the governors of Ningxia and Shaanxi, especially Ningxia. Make arrangements for the garrison of Huamachi and other matters. I just want to discuss it with you."

When Li Rong and Lin Ting heard this, they were suddenly at a loss.

In recent months, the emperor has arranged for Zhu Hui and other old heroes to lead the troops on expeditions. The government and the public have not understood what the emperor is up to. Now it seems that the answer is about to be given.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Your Majesty, I just proposed to strengthen the security in some places in the northwest that were once weakly defended. It is not just Huamachi, but also many pass fortresses around Ningxia. This is just to prevent the sudden attack of the Tatars."

"Oh." Zhu Youtang nodded, then looked at Lin Ting and said, "Lin Qing's family, do you know the reason?"

"..."

Lin Ting naturally didn't know what the relationship was.

Li Rong smiled and said, "Whatever Lin Yuanwailang thinks, just say it."

Lin Ting glanced at Zhang Zhou, and then said with all his strength: "Strengthening border preparedness is to...prevent Tatar attacks."

"It's really extraordinary." Zhu Youtang praised, "Bingkuan, you chose the right person."

Li Rong also asked tentatively: "Your Majesty, do you want to prevent the Tatars from suddenly attacking from Huamachi and other places? Then... we should prepare early."

Zhu Youtang said: "My Ming Dynasty sent tens of thousands of troops from Hetao. No matter how strong the Tatar army is, with their past robbery nature, how can they fight with the main force of our Ming Dynasty troops? Without those new cannons and new weapons Before the gunfire, they would hide and hide, but now that we have it, they will come to fight, right?"

"Yes." When Li Rong heard this, he felt that Your Majesty really knows the situation in the northwest.

Then Li Rong thought about how many ministers in the government and the public were guessing that the emperor was crazy for fighting, thinking that the emperor was moving the army to fight the Tatars. Only now did he realize that the emperor actually saw things more clearly than anyone else.

Zhu Hui's [-]-strong army was simply a guise.

Zhu Youtang said with a spring breeze on his face: "Bingkuan said a long time ago that if the Ming Dynasty sends tens of thousands of troops, the little Tatar prince will definitely send troops in order to show his identity as the co-owner of the grassland, but he will definitely use the weakness of the Ming Dynasty somewhere. To carry out raids and invasions, it may not be necessary to rob many things, just to show the determination to fight the Ming Dynasty to the end."

"And once he marches troops somewhere, the soldiers and horses sent by the Ming Dynasty will have to be mobilized to return, and the power of the Ming Dynasty's troops will be sharply reduced."

When Li Rong heard this, he looked at Zhang Zhou with slightly horrified eyes.

Have feelings been waiting here all this time?
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "I have analyzed the situation and thought about many places. I am not sure where the Tatars will invade from. However, based on the direction of the Tatar invasion in recent years, I think Huamachi and other places are still the most likely places." , instead of mobilizing a large army to attack the rear of the grassland, it is better to set up blockades and ambushes in some places and wait for the Tatars to take the initiative to invade."

"Haha." Zhu Youtang laughed, "So I can rest assured that you are here, Bingkuan."

Li Rong and Lin Ting were both shocked when they heard this.

Zhu Youtang looked at Li Rong and said: "Maochun, didn't you tell me before that even an ordinary general in the government and the public thought that I had ulterior motives in this battle? They were not wrong. It's just that they thought that I wanted to use There is no need for Bingkuan or Xinjian Bodiao to march all the way into the grassland. We will not take the initiative to send troops this time, but just like the first battle at Pianguan, we will wait for work."

"Your Majesty is wise, Duke Cai Guo...has no plans left." Li Rong could only compliment him at this time.

Zhu Youtang said: "Well, it's not confirmed yet that he came from Huamachi. We are just strengthening defenses everywhere. In the previous battle on the West Road of Ningxia, both Anbianhou and Ningxia Governor Yang Yiqing failed to meet their expectations. This time Hua Machi I will leave the defense of Ma Chi to Yang Yiqing and let him instigate this battle."

"This……"

Li Rong was also surprised.

Yang Yiqing was clearly not Zhang Zhou's. After all, strictly speaking, Yang Yiqing was recommended by traditional civil servants. In the previous battle in Ningxia, if the emperor had not been protecting Zhu Feng, Yang Yiqing would have been guilty.

Now not only is Yang Yiqing not guilty, he can continue to be the governor of Ningxia, but few people in the northwest look down upon him.

Zhu Youtang said: "The little prince of Tatar should also regard Yang Yiqing as a soft persimmon for the defense of the northwest border town. From then on, this game has been laid out. Bingkuan, you will make a good calculation after you go back. Let’s see if the Tatars really come from Huamachi.”

Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the matter is uncertain, so I can only do my best to instigate."

"Look at you, you make me feel uncertain, hopeful and uneasy." Zhu Youtang said it was because he was uneasy, but his eyes were full of excitement.

No one in the government or the public understood it, and even the Tatars didn't know that this was the overall situation laid out by the emperors and ministers of the Ming Dynasty.

For Zhang Zhou.

It is not difficult to guess that the Tatars invaded from Huamachi, because this is "history". "In the fourth month of the summer (the 14th year of Hongzhi), fire sieved Guyuan from all tribes. On the [-]st day of the autumn month, Zhu Hui, the Duke of Baoguo, and Shi Lin, the admiral and military censor, attacked the enemy in Hetao at night with five divisions. , beheaded to the third level, drove more than a thousand breeding animals back, and received a generous reward. The little prince entered from Huama Pond and Salt Pond with one hundred thousand horses.

On the ninth day of the seventh month of the leap month, the young prince Wang Taiyu died in battle in the salt pond.

In autumn and August, the Huosi tribes entered the Huamachi Fortress, invaded Guyuan, plundered Weizhou, Huanxian, Mengcheng, and Lingzhou, and invaded the middle road of Ningxia. The three auxiliaries were shocked and the killings were brutal.He dismissed the general military officer and returned him to the capital, Zhao Jian, the Marquis of Wu'an (Zheng Ying).The minister, Li Sui, was in charge of paying Guanzhong, digging and transporting border towns, and the eight counties were in dire straits.

Since then, the invaders have captured Guanlong, and they often enter through Huamachi..."

In other words, starting from the 14th year of Hongzhi, Huamachi became a breakthrough in the defense of Shaanxi and Ningxia during the Ming Dynasty. The Tatars invaded from Huamachi at every turn.

The Ming Dynasty completed its defensive counterattack against the Tatars in the autumn and winter of the 13th year of Hongzhi. After Wang Shouren completed thousands of miles of raids on the grasslands, there was not much checking and filling of gaps in Ningxia and Shaanxi. Huamachi's defense It is even more motionless. This is also to prepare for Hongzhi's "offensive and defensive transition" in 14.

Because the Ming Dynasty's defenses on the front line of Xuanda were almost perfect, and the evil god Wang Shouren was still there, the Tatars' only chance of plundering was in the Guanlong area, and the importance of Huamachi was also reflected.

"Bingkuan, I want to have two more drinks with you today. Speaking of which, we haven't gotten together in a while. Let's go."

Zhu Youtang finished talking about the business, or it wasn't business at all. He just told Li Rong and Lin Ting some little secrets. Now he wanted to talk to Zhang Zhou even more.

Zhang Zhou said: "Your Majesty, you should drink less wine. If your Majesty wants to talk to a minor minister, you can do it at night by holding a candle."

"Haha." Zhu Youtang said enthusiastically, "We are just having a meal together. Send the message and prepare a banquet. Lin Qing's family, if there is nothing else, go back and prepare first. Yanwu Hall wants you to help Bingkuan more."

"Yes." Lin Ting also recognized the situation and knew that he was not qualified to eat in the palace.

Being summoned by the emperor was already a gift. He also found out that the Ming Dynasty was planning to set up ambushes in Ningxia, Shaanxi and other places to fight against the Tatars. This secret...

Only these few people in front of me know.

Then he is a core member of the ruling and opposition parties, wouldn't his future be...

Infinite? !
……

……

Lin Ting followed Li Rong out of the palace. This was the highest treatment he could receive. Li Rong, the admiral of Dongchang, personally led the way. He could feel that he was being looked down upon by anyone he saw along the way.

He knew in his heart that this was basically the kind of treatment that even the old minister of the Chao Zhong Pavilion would be deeply honored to receive.

"Liu Yuanwailang is so young and has just entered the officialdom. He has such a good future in the future. It is really enviable. I will be more grateful to take care of him in the future." Instead of putting on airs, Li Rong turned his head and let Lin Ting take care of him.

Lin Ting hurriedly held up his hands and said: "Eunuch Li, you are very polite. I still need your guidance."

"Serious words." Li Rong said with a smile, "Our family is old, but we are just taking advantage of half of the body to be buried in the ground to make a little more effort for His Majesty. We are not as good as an energetic young official like Lin Yuanwailang. In the future, the government and opposition parties of the Ming Dynasty will still be We need more young rising stars like you. I hope you will be worthy of Mr. Zhang’s true legacy. Even though your official rank is not high now, if you can gain trust, your promotion will be a matter of time."

Lin Ting looked somewhat embarrassed.

According to Li Rong, being praised depends entirely on Zhang Zhou's face.

Li Rong continued to lead the way, but he also said with emotion: "Before today, who would have thought that Mr. Zhang had already laid out everything?"

Lin Ting said: "I just found out about this, too."

"Haha." Li Rong said with a smile, "It seems that only His Majesty and Mr. Zhang had discussed this secret and ordered them to go to the northwest to arrange it. If there are so many people who know about it, how can such a big thing be accomplished? Just like the battle in Pianguan. Before, who would have thought that it would be so fierce? At that time, our family was just in a private house. After hearing about this battle, we were shocked. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, no one has dared to use a building like Cai Guogong and Weining Hou. Pass for a big victory.”

Lin Ting thought to himself, are you saying that Zhang Bingkuan and Wang Weining are both madmen?
Li Rong said: "Oh, but our family is also thinking that unlike the previous battle at Pianguan, there are no famous generals in this land of Ningxia now. And...if there is really a huge contribution, who should be given to it? But it is said that the person with the past The Xianguan governor of Ningxia is not Mr. Zhang’s person.”

Lin Ting said: "Since you are serving the Ming Dynasty, why do you care who recommends you?"

"Tsk tsk, how about saying that Mr. Zhang and the people he admires are all open-minded? But I'm afraid some people won't appreciate it after they get the credit."

Li Rong seemed to be thinking about Zhang Zhou completely.

Yang Yiqing is probably a "white-eyed wolf". After all, he is from the traditional civil servant faction. Now a huge contribution has been placed in front of Yang Yiqing. If Yang Yiqing grasps it well, it is not impossible to become the second Xinjian Bo in the Ming Dynasty. Direct knighthood by civil servants... something that many people dream of, and this opportunity can also fall into the hands of people who are not Zhang Zhou's faction?
Li Rong smiled again and said: "I hope Lin Yuanwailang will go out to lead troops one day and return to Yanwu Hall, not only to help the Ming Dynasty cultivate talents, but also to train himself."

Lin Ting hurriedly said respectfully: "Thank you very much, Eunuch Li, for the suggestion."

"Yes." Li Rong nodded, appreciating Lin Ting, a son from a noble family who knew politeness and rules, and smiled, "When Lin Yuanwai Lang leads the army in the future, I hope our family will be lucky enough to see him. It won't last for a few years. "

……

……

That night, Zhu Feng went to Lin Ting to clean up the dust, but Zhang Zhou did not show up.

Zhu Feng took Lin Ting to listen to a play, but Lin Ting was obviously not thinking about that. He had a family, and returning to the capital also meant that he could live a quiet life for a few days.

"Brother Li Zhan, I have good wine here. If you drink two more glasses, if you feel good about it, I will give you two jars later."

Zhu Feng invited Lin Ting to dinner for the purpose of drinking.

Lin Ting declined: "I'm tired from the journey and can't drink much."

"No, don't worry. The Yanwu Hall usually doesn't allow drinking, but if you don't have any teaching duties in the future, it doesn't hurt to drink some." Zhu Feng poured Lin Ting a drink with a smile, "I'm here for Zhang this time. Brother is here to receive you, he is a very busy man, and you rarely see his face."

Seeing Zhu Feng's enthusiastic look, Lin Ting couldn't help but ask: "How much does Anbian Hou know about using troops in the northwest?"

Zhu Feng asked: "Are you talking about Duke Baoguo leading the army? Brother Zhang said, it has nothing to do with us. We drink our wine and they fight their wars. If the sky falls, we don't need to hold it up anyway."

Lin Ting looked surprised.

I was wondering in my mind, could it be that Cai Guogong didn't even inform his confidants like An Bianhou about the layout in Ningxia and Shaanxi?
If I knew the secret, wouldn't it be a burden?
(End of this chapter)