Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 247: Plan to Aid Guangdong
Luo Chengyao was the general of Dongxun. He had been stationed in Nanxiong and Shaozhou for more than half a year. He collected taxes from merchants passing through Meiguan, and the army had considerable wealth.

Cen Danchu and Li Yuanyin killed Luo Chengyao, and together with Ma Bao annexed his followers, obtaining countless weapons and property, which was considered a small fortune.

When the news spread, Cen Danchu's reputation was greatly enhanced. The military governors inside and outside Zhaoqing City restrained themselves, and the three armies were in a state of shock.

The next day, everything was settled. Danchu and Li Yuanyin went into the city to meet He Wuzuo, the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion.

Many troops were dispatched to rescue Guangzhou, but not many were willing to fight, and even fewer were strong enough to fight. Although Cen Danchu and Li Yuanyin were young, they were in a special position. The Red Army was good at fighting, and they were valued by He Wuzuo.

Therefore, upon hearing the news, He Wuzuo immediately went out of the house to welcome him.

"Old sir, we two brothers apologize to you." As soon as they met, Danchu pulled Li Yuanyin to bow to him with a very sincere attitude.

The execution of Luo Chengyao was a major event, but He Wuzuo knew nothing about it beforehand. When the incident happened, people in the city were in a panic, thinking that a mutiny had occurred, and the gentry sent people to inquire about the news.

He Guozuo only received a verbal message from Cen Danchu and Li Yuanyin, so he had to close the door and leave everything to fate. He Guozuo was furious that he was a great scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion and was ordered to control the war on the front line, but was kept in the dark by Xunzhen.

However, the matter was done, so he had to give up and said with a smile: "Why do you say that, Marshal? To eliminate the traitor under the order of the emperor, we must keep the plan secret in order to eliminate Luo Chengyao."

After entering the lobby, the three of them sat down as host and guest, and after a brief greeting, they got down to business.

Dan Chuyao bowed to the west and said, "The emperor has appointed me as Duke of Ningguo and General of the Aid Suppression Army, and sent the Prime Minister to see me off in person. The grace and honor are profound, and only by shedding blood on the battlefield can I repay the court's reliance on me.

"The Red Army has come from afar, traveling thousands of miles, just to fight against the Tartars. Now the various towns have gathered in Zhaoqing and Sanshui, and their fighting spirit is high. We should attack as soon as possible. Please speed up the arrangements, old sir. I will lead the various towns, and we will obey your orders carefully."

Li Yuanyin said: "Luo Chengyao has been executed, the three armies are in good spirits, it is time to use the troops. The old gentleman is the Grand Secretary of the Superintendent, and he ordered the aid of Guangdong, and all the towns will obey his orders."

As a commander-in-chief, he was most afraid that his subordinates would disobey orders and respond passively. Seeing that Cen and Li were willing to do their duty, He Wuzuo's confidence increased greatly, and he said, "The two commanders are brave enough to take on the task, so I, the commander-in-chief, have a chance of winning."

The three of them conspired for half a day, reached a consensus on the issue of aid to Guangdong, and parted happily.

On April 12, He Wuzuo and Cen Danchu jointly convened a meeting of various towns in the name of the Grand Secretary of the Inspector General and the General of the Suppression Force.

At 9:00 pm, the various townsmen came to the Grand Secretary's residence one after another. Inside the residence, there were many guards, wearing bright armor, and the atmosphere was brand new. On the flagpole outside the hall hung Luo Chengyao's head, with his eyes and lips pecked out by magpies, which was shocking to see.

Luo Chengyao's death undoubtedly sounded a warning to all the towns. He Wuzuo might only have a false reputation, but Cen Danchu was a little tyrant who had fought through the sea of ​​fire and swords, and he had Li Yuanyin as his backer, so he should not be offended easily.

The eight people who attended the meeting included Nanyang Earl Li Yuanyin, Boxing Marquis Zhang Yue, Dudu Tongzhi Chen Qice, Anding Earl Ma Bao, Dudu Tongzhi Guo Dengdi, Wenshui Earl Chen Zengyu, Wen'an Marquis Ma Jixiang, and Dudu Tongzhi Liu Guochang. Chen Zengyu was the eldest son of Qingguo Duke Chen Bangfu, and he accompanied Chen Bangfu to aid Guangdong. Chen Bangfu was conferred the title of Duke earlier, but was expelled from Wuzhou by Danchu and had to be controlled by Danchu, which made him lose face, so he sent his son to attend the meeting instead.

"Emperor Ma" Ma Jixiang stayed in Zhaoqing and failed to accompany Wuzhou. There is a story behind this. Last year, Liu Yuansheng was transferred from the Minister of Military Affairs to the Minister of War. He was eager to do something and intended to reorganize the imperial camp. The imperial camp had always been controlled by Ma Jixiang and Pang Tianshou. Liu Yuansheng got their cheese and soon squeezed them out of the court. When the Qing army invaded Guangdong, Emperor Yongli simply promoted Ma Jixiang to the Minister of War and stayed in Zhaoqing to supervise the war.

He Wuzuo and Cen Danchu sat together in the hall, He Wuzuo on the left as the main seat and Cen Danchu on the right as the deputy seat.

"Gentlemen, the country is in a difficult situation and the situation is critical. I have already returned to my old mountain springs and am powerless. I am also angry about the current affairs and am willing to serve the battlefield with my old body. You have strong soldiers and horses, high positions and noble titles, and you should serve the country with all your strength. You must not be like Luo Chengyao, secretly communicate with the Tartars and agree to surrender Zhaocheng."

Danchu echoed him and said, "When I was in Wuzhou, the emperor taught us that all the frontline towns should work together to resist the Tartars. Although I came later, the court has appointed me as the general of the support and suppression, so I have no choice but to take on the responsibility and be brave enough to do it.

"Many of you are my predecessors, good at fighting and have made outstanding contributions. A few months ago, the court promoted you to higher positions in order to encourage the soldiers to overcome the difficulties together. This time the Tartars are coming with great force, and we should work together to deal with the overwhelming enemy. Otherwise, if there are those who are selfish and self-serving, if there are those who secretly appease the enemy, Luo Chengyao will be a lesson for us."

Cen Danchu was already the most powerful military leader in Guangxi, and he had fought against the Eight Banners in Quanzhou, making him famous. When the Red Army first arrived to aid Guangdong, they killed Luo Chengyao with lightning speed, which made the townsmen fear him even more.

Generals Li Yuanyin and Ma Bao all echoed this.

Only when the troops are strong can you speak with confidence. He Wuzuo sighed to himself and said, "My lords, the army of heaven is too large and is confined inside and outside Zhaocheng. The army is old and the soldiers are tired. I plan to split the troops into two groups, one to counterattack Qingyuan and the other to reinforce Guangzhou. Please let Duke Ningguo make clear the specific deployment."

The implication was that the Grand Secretary and the General of Support had reached a tacit understanding. The generals became more alert and focused their minds. They only heard Danchu's calm tone, which was powerful without anger, and he said concisely:
"The old gentleman will be stationed in Zhaoqing and coordinate the whole process. Boxing Marquis Zhang Yue will help guard Zhaoqing and ensure that our army's food supply is not lost.

"I used the seal of the General of Aid and Suppression to command the troops of Anding Earl Ma Bao, Nanyang Earl Li Yuanyin, and the Governor-General Chen Qice to march east to guard Sanshui, contact Guangzhou, and jointly attack the main force of the Tartars.

"Wenan Marquis, Minister of War Ma Jixiang, used the seal of the Minister of War to control the troops of the three garrisons of Duke of Qing Chen Bangfu, Vice Governor Guo Dengdi, and Vice Governor Liu Guochang, and marched north to counterattack Qingyuan and threaten the Tartars from the rear.

"All troops must move out of camp on time in two days. Do not be afraid to move forward, and do not act selfishly. Otherwise, military law will be ruthless. Do not say that I did not warn you."

He Wuzuo was secretly delighted to see the generals were very respectful, and said with emotion: "General, I am the Grand Secretary of the Military Command, how can I retire in the rear? Sanshui is the main battlefield, and I can't do anything. I will take care of the troops in the counterattack against Qingyuan."

Qingyuan is located northeast of Sanshui and northwest of Guangzhou, and is the northern gateway of Guangzhou. The Qing army gathered in Guangzhou. If the Ming army could capture Qingyuan, it would threaten the Qing army's retreat. The Qing army would have to divide its troops to counterattack, and the pressure on Guangzhou and Sanshui would be greatly reduced.

The military governor and the Grand Secretary had come to the front in person, and the generals dared not shirk their responsibilities and expressed their support. The generals were willing to help Guangdong this time, and the prospects seemed promising.

(End of this chapter)