Huangming

Chapter 417 The Lean Horse of Jinling, The Liao Army's Campaign Against Jin

In springtime, the banks of the Qinhuai River in Nanjing are at their liveliest.

Yuan Keli was dressed in a blue cloth long gown, while the Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Weixian, wore a plain-colored straight robe. The two of them mingled in the crowd, looking just like literati and scholars going on a spring outing to Jiangnan.

As soon as I reached the edge of Wende Bridge, the sound of string and wind instruments drifted on the wind, mixed with the sounds of drinking games in the tavern and the shouts of vendors.

On the river, the painted boats glided along, their vermilion hulls reflecting the shimmering waves. Behind the window screens, the sleeves of ladies could be vaguely seen fluttering, and the sounds of music and singing drifted from the boats, filling the entire river.

The brothels and taverns along the riverbank stood side by side.

The signs for "Yihonglou" and "Zuichunfang" were written in gold powder and shone brightly in the sunlight. The doormen would bow and invite passersby with their voices full of eagerness.

"Jiangnan is a land of beautiful women, and Nanjing is the capital of emperors."

Yuan Keli stopped and looked at the bustling scene before him, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

In his early years, he served as a judge in Suzhou Prefecture in Southern Zhili. This time, he returned to Jiangnan and once again felt the lively atmosphere of Jiangnan, which was permeated with the fragrance of women.

Even the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus wine, a stark contrast to the chill of the capital.

Zhang Weixian frowned slightly and pointed to the street corner not far away:
"Minister Yuan, please observe."

Yuan Keli followed his gaze and saw a vendor carrying a vegetable basket squatting by the roadside, munching on a dark, brown pancake. He would bend down to pick up the crumbs that fell on the ground and put them in his mouth.

Along the riverbank, there were many ragged beggars begging for alms.

Beneath the surface of prosperity, sordidness has already emerged.

The two walked slowly along the riverbank, and the further they walked, the clearer they became of the cracks behind the bustling scene.

Inside the tavern, several merchants dressed in silk were engaged in lively conversation, with delicacies and fine wines laid out on the table.

The porters and women mending clothes mostly looked weary, and when asked about their days, they simply shook their heads and said:

"Rice is too expensive to afford; we're lucky if we can get half full."

"The price of rice in Nanjing has now risen to eight qian of silver per shi (a unit of dry measure)."

Zhang Weixian spoke softly to Yuan Keli, his tone heavy.

“When I came to Nanjing last year, it was only six qian. In just one year, it has increased by 30%. During the Wanli period, this price could buy two shi of rice.”

Upon hearing this, Yuan Keli's heart sank.

He recalled that when he left the capital, the emperor had specifically asked him to take some sweet potato seeds with him, saying, "If there is a famine in Jiangnan, sweet potatoes can be a lifesaver."

He hadn't paid much attention then, but now, seeing the price of rice in Nanjing, he truly understood His Majesty's profound meaning:

"Fortunately, His Majesty promoted the use of sweet potatoes. Last year, there was a severe drought in Beizhili, and people didn't starve to death because of sweet potatoes."

If sweet potatoes were grown in Nanjing, the people would at least have more food to eat, and rice prices wouldn't have skyrocketed like this.

As long as the people have food to eat, neither the White Lotus Sect nor any other scheming individuals can stir up any major unrest.

after all
Rebellion is a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. Who would take such a risk unless they were driven to desperation and had no other way to survive?

The people of the Ming Dynasty were quite tolerant.

Over the next three days, the two traveled all over Nanjing.

Outside the city, I personally talked with elderly farmers who were farming.

Only then did I realize that among the common people of Nanjing, only one-tenth owned land, and nine-tenths were tenant farmers.

These tenant farmers, who rented land from landlords, not only had to pay 50% to 70% of the land rent, but also had to pay "pre-rent" in advance, which meant paying half of next year's rent this year.

There was also a "deposit-back" system, where a deposit had to be given to the landlord before renting the land. If the harvest was poor and the rent could not be paid, the deposit would be confiscated.

This exploitation of the people far exceeded that of Beizhili.

"With such high taxes, can we really make a living?" Yuan Keli asked, frowning.

“Sir, please allow me to explain. Last year there was a drought, and the harvest was reduced by half. I paid the advance rent and the deposit, and my family didn’t even have chaff to eat. I had no choice but to sell my youngest daughter to the landlord’s family as a maid.”

As the old farmer spoke, his eyes reddened, and he pointed to the barren slope not far away.

"On that slope, more than a dozen people who starved to death last winter have been buried."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Keli felt heavy-hearted.

He took out a piece of silver from his waist and handed it to the old farmer.

"Go and buy some clothes and meat for the family."

From the old farmer's words, Yuan Keli learned that his family was poor and only had two sets of clothes that they could wear when going out.

However, she had seven children.

His family members had no clothes and dared not even leave the house.

Life was difficult.

There was never a time when I was full.

"How does this work?"

The old farmer immediately refused, but Yuan Keli had already left.

Finally, the old farmer ran home, took out the only two eggs he had left, ran after Yuan Keli, and handed the two eggs to Yuan Keli like treasures.

"My benefactor, this is just a small token of my appreciation."

Seeing this, Yuan Keli silently accepted the two eggs, but his heart felt even heavier.

By the time he returned to Nanjing, it was already night.

The Qinhuai River was even more bustling.

The lights on the painted boats blended together, turning the river water a warm red, and the sounds of music and laughter drifted far away.

but.

Nanjing is indeed bustling, but this bustling atmosphere only belongs to the officials and gentry.

The lives of ordinary people are truly difficult.

On the morning of the fourth day, the two returned to the Nanjing Military Governor's Office.

Yuan Keli sat on a wooden chair in the hall, his face devoid of its usual composure, his tone heavy with emotion:

"I used to think Nanjing was a major city in Jiangnan, but now it seems the situation here isn't good either!"

Zhang Weixian, standing to the side, chimed in: "Officials and gentry are extravagant, the people are suffering, rice prices are soaring, and resentment is growing."

If we don't rectify the situation soon, things could get out of hand.

"Jiangnan is the heartland of the Ming Dynasty's wealth. If it becomes unstable, His Majesty will have no support in the north to deal with the Jurchens and reorganize the Nine Garrisons."

Most of the Ming Dynasty's taxes were collected from the Jiangnan region.

If Jiangnan falls into chaos, the imperial court will not be able to collect taxes, and there will likely be great turmoil!
Yuan Keli nodded.

"It seems we need to start with two things."

First, we promoted sweet potatoes so that people would have food to eat.

Secondly, we must investigate those officials and gentry who monopolize trade and annex land, and make them return the profits they have seized, in order to stabilize the hearts of the people in Jiangnan.

In addition, there are matters concerning the Jiangnan Textile Bureau that also need to be supervised and completed.

"However, we must first accomplish the tasks mentioned above, and also accomplish the most crucial task: to reorganize Jiangnan."

Only by firmly grasping military power can various policies be implemented in an orderly manner.

However, I am unaware of the specific circumstances of the various garrisons in Nanjing. Does the Duke know of them?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Weixian shook his head with a wry smile.

"Minister Yuan, you may not know this, but although I hold the title of Nanjing Garrison Commander, I am actually an 'Outer Garrison Commander'."

The appointment and removal of officers in the garrison depended on the attitude of the garrison eunuch; the allocation of grain and fodder had to go through the inner eunuch office.

Even the training of the guards was overseen by people sent by eunuchs.

"I, the Duke of England, have less influence in the Nanjing garrison than a mere eunuch in charge of court affairs."

He paused, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

"If you really want to know the details of the garrison, you have to ask Eunuch Gao."

Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao will arrive.

As soon as Zhang Weixian finished speaking, a hearty laugh came from outside the hall. The laugh was extremely penetrating and had a high-pitched quality characteristic of eunuchs.

"Have you two been touring all of Nanjing these past few days? I've been looking for you everywhere, twice in a row, but you're nowhere to be found!"

Gao Qiqian strode in, followed by two people.

Zhang Zhiji, Commander of the Noble Camp, and Luo Yangxing, Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Gao Qiqian didn't stand on ceremony. He walked straight to the armchair next to the main seat, sat down, picked up a celadon teacup from the table, tilted his head back, and gulped down more than half of it. A few drops of tea dripped from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't care. He casually wiped them away with his sleeve and looked at Yuan Keli and Zhang Weixian:

"You two have been traveling around the streets and alleys these past few days; you must have noticed something, right?"

Yuan Keli cupped his hands and said, "You have been in Nanjing for a long time, so you must be very familiar with the local situation."

I saw with the Duke of England that the banks of the Qinhuai River were teeming with pleasure boats, and the taverns were filled with revelry every night, yet ordinary people couldn't even afford coarse rice.

Please enlighten me, sir, on the undercurrents beneath this glitz and glamour.

Gao Qiqian put down his teacup, the smile on his face gradually fading, and his tone becoming serious:
"You two have indeed seen the essence of the problem these past few days."

The price of rice in Nanjing has risen to eight qian per shi (a unit of dry measure), which is 30% more expensive than during the Wanli era. Do you know why?

Yuan Keli and Zhang Weixian exchanged a glance and both asked, "Please speak plainly, sir."

Gao Qiqian smiled and said:
"This has to start with land, first and foremost with land consolidation."

The Xu Wenzhen family owned 240,000 mu of land in Songjiang Prefecture, which accounted for more than 10% of Songjiang's arable land!

This is the amount remaining after the land was returned to its original state. Before the land was returned, the land accounted for more than 30% of Songjiang's arable land, which was more than 10% of its total area.

The Dong Wenmin family did the same, seizing 40,000 mu of paddy fields in Huating and Shanghai through deceitful means and bribery.

“These fields are the most fertile paddy fields, yet not a single penny of tax is paid. The imperial court’s tax base is getting smaller and smaller, so the tax burden can only be placed on the remaining small farmers.”

As Gao Qiqian spoke, he pointed at Luo Yangxing.

"Commissioner Luo has investigated and found that in most parts of Jiangnan, only 10% of the common people now own land, while 90% are tenant farmers. They have to pay 50% to 70% of the land rent, and they also have to pay 'pre-rent' and 'deposit' in advance. Some tenant farmers have just harvested the grain and paid the rent, and now they are left with only bran and chaff. They are forced to sell their children, and there are quite a few of them."

Zhang Weixian frowned as he listened and couldn't help but interject, "If there's a food shortage, why not grow more grains? Jiangnan has plenty of water and is a land of plenty."

"Growing grain doesn't make money!"

Gao Qiqian sighed.

"Nowadays, the prices of cotton and silk in Jiangnan have doubled. Most of the fields in Songjiang Prefecture are planted with cotton, and mulberry and hemp fields are everywhere in Suzhou Prefecture."

If a farmer can earn the same profit from planting one acre of cotton as from planting three acres of rice, who would still be willing to grow grain?

But this meant there wouldn't be enough grain in Jiangnan, and it had to be transported from Huguang (Hubei and Hunan).

He held up his fingers and counted:
"The price of rice in Huguang was three coins per shi (a unit of dry measure), but when it was transported to Nanjing by the Yangtze River, the transportation cost alone was four coins. With the added extortion by officials and gentry along the way, the price rose to eight coins by the time it reached Nanjing."

"Don't all these transportation costs and extortionate fees ultimately fall on the shoulders of ordinary people?"

Yuan Keli's expression turned serious, and he asked again, "What about the officialdom? I've heard that officials and gentry in Jiangnan have close ties with certain officials in the court. Is that true?"

"They're not just close, they're practically inseparable!"

Gao Qiqian's voice suddenly rose.

"Which of the families, Gu Xiancheng's family in Wuxi and Gu Dingchen's family in Kunshan, did not make their fortunes through the imperial examinations and land acquisitions?"
They used the lectures at Donglin Academy to win over officials. Now that Ye Xianggao has returned to the cabinet, the gentry of Jiangnan are trying to further reduce local taxes under the pretext of "reducing commercial taxes" and "rectifying the canal transport".

But their commercial taxes were reduced, and the canal transport system was 'reorganized,' so where would the imperial court's expenses come from? It would still be squeezed from the people!

He paused, then brought up an even more pressing matter:
"The most troublesome are the local students. These scholars, though they have never become officials, are even more arrogant than the officials."

Last month, in Wuxi, a county magistrate named Pang Changyin failed to distribute the "deducted rice" to the students on time. A group of students went to the county government office, drove the magistrate out, and even forced the instructor to kneel down and admit his mistake.

This is the "rule" in Jiangnan: officials and gentry control the grassroots, and imperial decrees become ineffective at the county level.

Imperial power did not extend to the county level.

Land consolidation is rampant.

Yuan Keli leaned back in his chair, his brows furrowed in worry.

The problems in Nanjing were more serious than he had imagined.

The problems of land, grain, officialdom, and military power are intertwined, more complex than the corruption in Liaodong, and more covert than the unrest in the Nine Garrisons.

Seeing the solemn expressions on their faces, Gao Qiqian picked up his teacup, took another sip, and softened his tone:

"Don't worry too much, you two."

His Majesty sent us to Nanjing to eradicate these ills at their root.

But this can't be rushed. We need to take back military power first, and then slowly clean up the gentry and reform the tax system.

Yuan Keli took a deep breath and nodded:
“What my father-in-law says is true.”

The most urgent task is to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of each garrison, replace those officers who collude with the gentry, and then let General Zhang Zhiji's noble battalion take over the defense.

As for the gentry, we'll have to wait for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to thoroughly investigate their crimes before taking them down in one fell swoop.

"May I ask, sir, what is the current situation of the garrisons in Nanjing?"

"The garrison?" Gao Qiqian sighed upon hearing this.

"Lord Yuan, to be honest, the situation in the Nanjing garrison is also far from optimistic."

"Nanjing is the secondary capital of our Great Ming Dynasty. According to the ancestral system, the military force is divided into three parts: the capital garrison, the guard posts, and the local garrisons. In terms of organization, it is a real 'heavy military area'."

These three major battalions of the Nanjing Garrison inherited the system of Emperor Yongle's northern expedition: the Five Armies Battalion, the Three Thousand Battalion, and the Divine Machine Battalion, which theoretically should have a total of 150,000 troops.

But what is the reality?

In reality, the Nanjing Garrison was just an empty shell!

Of the garrison soldiers, only three or four out of ten had deserted, and half of the names on the roster were "dead men occupying the seats".

Either they had already fled and become refugees, or they had died of illness, but the officers concealed this to embezzle the missing military pay.

"Take the Jiajing era for example, the garrison troops of the 42 guards, including the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard, were reduced from 33,000 to 11,000."

The situation is even worse now, during the Tianqi Dynasty!

The Flying Bear Guard and the Heroic Guard in Jiangbei actually had less than 20% of their authorized strength.

Of the garrison units authorized to have 5,000 men, only a maximum of 1,000 could actually be mustered, and most of those were elderly, weak, sick, or disabled—men who couldn't even lift a sword.

"The officers were even more outrageous!"

"It is common for them to falsely report the number of soldiers and embezzle military pay."

In the 47th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the Nanjing Garrison actually had fewer than 40,000 troops available for use, and this number included many retainers of noble families and powerful clansmen.

They call it "military service," but it's really just about collecting pay and rations. They can't even stand in formation properly, let alone ride horses or shoot arrows!

He sighed and glanced at everyone in the hall:

"Not to mention that after the war in Liaodong became critical, Nanjing's elite troops were drawn away wave after wave."

The best cannons of the Shenji Battalion and the best horses of the Sanqian Battalion were all transferred to support Liaodong. Those remaining were more like "errand boys" than "soldiers."

talking.

Gao Qiqian took out an account book from his sleeve and handed it to Yuan Keli:
"This is the truth of our family's investigation, take a look."

The Five Armies now number about 12,000 men, of which only 3,000 are elite troops capable of fighting, guarding the four gates of the imperial city and key points outside the city.

Of the eight thousand soldiers in the Shenji Battalion, fewer than three thousand were capable of firing firearms.

The situation was even worse for the Three Thousand Battalion, which was left with only two thousand cavalrymen, most of whom were idle men from noble families who hadn't even mastered riding horses.

"What about the garrison?"

Zhang Weixian couldn't help but ask.

"The Imperial Guards, including the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Flag Guard, number a total of 15,000, but only 3,000 are actually capable of patrolling the Imperial City. The rest are all doing menial tasks for the bureaucrats, such as confiscating property, escorting goods, and even carrying sedan chairs for high-ranking officials."

The 32 guards under the jurisdiction of the Five Military Commissions numbered only 12,000, half of whom were garrison troops who had never touched a sword or spear in their lives and only knew how to farm.

The Jiangshui garrison at Xinjiangkou had over 6,000 men and 96 sand barges, but only about 50 were capable of going to sea; the rest were rotting on the riverbank.

Yuan Keli held the account book, his fingers trembling slightly.

"Father-in-law, aren't the figures in these ledgers a bit inflated?"

Gao Qiqian nodded with a wry smile:

“Minister Yuan is a sensible man. This number is still an overestimation. If we really investigate thoroughly and remove all the old, weak, menial, and vacant positions, the number of soldiers capable of fighting in Nanjing is at most 20,000!”

"Twenty thousand..."

Yuan Keli repeated the number in a low voice, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

The officials and gentry in Nanjing were extravagant, the common people were suffering, and now this dilapidated garrison has been added to the list.

To reclaim military power, to reorganize Jiangnan, and to deal with the deeply entrenched power of officials and gentry, we need these 20,000 "capable soldiers".
Yuan Keli's expression was somewhat unpleasant.

Zhang Weixian patted him on the shoulder, but didn't say anything.

Both of them knew that the mess in Nanjing was more difficult to clean up than that in Liaodong and the Nine Border Regions.

Corruption existed in Liaodong, but it was eradicated through swift and decisive measures.

If there are any disturbances at the nine border regions, we can rely on military pay and the Beijing garrison to deter them.

However, Nanjing was a tangled mess of officials, gentry, garrisons, and clans, and a slight misstep could lead to disaster.

Gao Qiqian observed their expressions and slowly said:

"Minister Yuan, Duke, I'm not saying this to discourage you."

I want you to know that you have to be more careful when doing business in Nanjing than in Liaodong.

Military power should be taken back, but not hastily; officials and gentry should be governed, but not recklessly.

One wrong step, and it wouldn't just throw Nanjing into chaos, it would mean losing half of the Ming Dynasty's tax revenue!

Yuan Keli took a deep breath, and his eyes sharpened again.

“What you say is absolutely right. No matter how difficult the situation is, we have to clean it up.”

His Majesty has entrusted Nanjing to us, so we cannot let him down.

Let's start by checking the vacancies in the garrisons, taking it one step at a time. Eventually, we'll be able to straighten out this system of wasteful spending!

Only now did he truly tear away the facade of Nanjing's "prosperous capital" and see its rotten core.

"Minister Yuan need not worry too much."

Seeing his brows furrowed, Gao Qiqian picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke with the composure of someone who had been through it all.

“Nanjing has been plagued by problems for decades, and it can’t be straightened out overnight.”

The civil officials were tightly knit, and the gentry had deep roots in Jiangnan, making them much more difficult to deal with than the greedy military generals in Liaodong.

If we can seize military power in Nanjing this year and ensure the supply of raw silk from the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, and if nothing goes wrong, then our efforts won't have been in vain.

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Yuan Keli before settling on Zhang Weixian beside him, a faint smile playing on his lips:
"During this period, try not to fall out with the gentry in Jiangnan. If you can join in the fun, then join in. Don't make things worse."

In this respect, the Duke of England handled things very well. He accepted the women from Yangzhou who were known as "slender horses" (a euphemism for prostitutes), and the gentry of Jiangnan treated him very well, considering him almost one of their own.

Zhang Weixian felt a little uncomfortable when he was called out. He cleared his throat and explained:

“That Yangzhou slender horse… does indeed have some beauty, and I took her in for the sake of the greater good.”

When dealing with those salt merchants and gentry, they wouldn't feel at ease without accepting some of their "gifts."

Besides, I didn't take them for free; I gave each of them one or two taels of silver, which was considered 'buying' them, not accepting bribes.

Even he himself felt that his words were somewhat forced, and his cheeks flushed slightly.

That one or two taels of silver was merely a symbolic amount compared to the silks and jewelry worn by those women; in the end, it was still a "tribute" from the gentry.

Gao Qiqian, however, had no intention of exposing him. Instead, he waved his hand, his tone relaxed:

"Your Excellency need not worry. His Majesty has already given instructions that what Nanjing needs right now is stability."

As long as maritime trade can be established, canal transport can be unblocked, and tax revenue can be collected, everything else can be done gradually.

Once the Jurchens are dealt with in the north and the nine border regions are stable, there will be plenty of time to deal with the deeply entrenched forces in the south.

His gaze deepened, and his words carried a deeper meaning:
"It wouldn't be unreasonable to accept some gifts and take in a couple of beauties during this period."

By making those gentry think we are 'easy to deal with' and lower their guard, we can secretly find out their true colors.

His Majesty understands this principle, so we just need to keep that in mind.

These words seemed to relieve Zhang Weixian's embarrassment. His tense shoulders relaxed a little, and he picked up his teacup and took a big gulp to hide the awkwardness on his face.

Yuan Keli had been listening quietly the whole time, and slowly began to speak:
“What you say makes sense, but none of the three things His Majesty has entrusted us with—maritime trade, canal transport, and taxation—are without military power.”

If the military garrisons were still in the hands of those gentry, they would secretly sabotage our efforts to implement the new policies, making it difficult to succeed.

"Fortunately, I transferred three thousand elite troops from the Beijing garrison. They were all newly trained musketeers last year, with strict military discipline and strong combat capabilities."

With these three thousand men in command, even if some people are dissatisfied when the garrison is cleared or officers are replaced, they won't be able to cause any major trouble.

Seeing this, Gao Qiqian nodded: "With people from the capital and the Beijing Garrison backing us up, this matter is halfway settled."

But don't rush. First, transport the raw silk from the weaving bureau to Tianjin and connect it with the Portuguese merchant ships.

Once the maritime trade opens and we have money, everything else will be much easier.

the other side.

In April of the first year of the Tianqi reign, spring finally arrived in Liaodong.

The wasteland ravaged by war last year has now been leveled and tidied up, and soldiers are working in the fields with their oxen.

Women and children squatted by the edge of the field, holding sweet potato seeds in their hands, and scattered them along the furrows.

However, this vitality of spring is always tinged with a lingering sense of desolation.

On the distant official road, mule and horse caravans carrying grain came and went in an endless stream, and the "Ming" flags on the grain carts were particularly eye-catching against the lush green landscape.

Everyone knows that this spring planting is just a respite before the big battle.

In about ten days, once the rice seedlings are planted in the fields and the laborers have been conscripted, the war to destroy the Jin dynasty will begin.

now.

Inside Shenyang, the atmosphere at the White Tiger Hall was even more somber than outside the city.

The hall doors were tightly closed, but the interior was brightly lit by candlelight. A map of Liaodong, about ten feet long, covered the long table in the center. The flickering flames of the tallow candles cast the shadows of the generals onto the mottled walls, making them look like towering iron towers, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

In the main seat, Xiong Tingbi wore a scarlet military governor's robe with a jade belt around his waist.

His gaze swept over the assembled generals below, his voice steady as a bell:

"The reason I have summoned you all here today is to discuss the strategy for attacking the Jin. Now that spring planting is almost finished and our provisions are sufficient, it is time to set a date for our advance."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Ce, who was at the very front, stepped forward and volunteered for the battle:
"My lord, my 10,000 infantrymen have completed their training and are equipped with muskets and spears. They can serve as the vanguard and strike directly at the fortresses surrounding Hetu Ala."

Tong Zhongkui, who was standing next to him, also stepped forward to volunteer for the battle.

"My troops are ready!"

No sooner had the two finished speaking than a hearty laugh came from the side.

Liu Xingzu strode out, clad in black iron fish-scale armor, his tone brimming with confidence:

"My seven thousand cavalrymen are all horses from Sanhe captured from the Jurchens and Mongols. Each man has three horses and can travel a hundred li a day."

If the strategist gains the trust of the commander, this humble general is willing to lead cavalry to flank Hetu Ala and cut off his retreat!

Besides these three, all the generals in the hall stepped forward to volunteer for battle.

Li Hongji, Qi Jin (who had recovered from his injuries), He Shixian, Zhu Wanliang (the general transferred from Liaoyang), Jiang Bi, and Shunli Wang Buhe from the Khorchin tribe.
Seeing the generals' high morale, Xiong Tingbi nodded, his face full of satisfaction.

"Very good. With such a fighting spirit, why worry about not destroying the Jurchens?"

Xiong Tingbi looked at the crowd below, his eyes darting around.

He silently calculated the number of troops needed for this campaign against the Jin dynasty.

With Chen Ce's chariots, Liu Xingzuo's cavalry, Qi Jin's infantry, the elite troops transferred from Liaoyang, and the Mongol cavalry brought by Buhe, the forces under the control of the people in the hall numbered nearly 80,000.

If the conscripted laborers and supply train guards are included, the claim of an army of 100,000 is by no means an exaggeration.

When he first arrived in Liaodong two years ago, the area was a mess with low morale, insufficient food and pay, more than half of the garrisons were vacant, and the soldiers couldn't even get enough winter clothes. Even defending Shenyang required a lot of effort.

In just two years, the government has cleaned up corruption, replenished military pay, and reorganized the military, and has already assembled such an elite force.

This is both a result of His Majesty's trust and the unity of the generals.

but
Xiong Tingbi did not let his guard down.

Although the Ming Dynasty held a significant advantage, the Jurchens should not be underestimated.

Huang Taiji fortified the city walls of Hetu Ala and set up hidden sentries along the Suzi River, clearly preparing for war.

Although Ligdan Khan's son Ejei has not yet made a move, he is secretly colluding with the Jurchens, and there is no guarantee that he will launch a surprise attack during the war.

And that old fox who stirs up flowers, we still have to be wary of him.

If we win this battle, Liaodong can be pacified, and the threat to the northern border of the Ming Dynasty will be largely eliminated.

If we fail, all the previous efforts to reorganize will be in vain, and the Jurchens may even take the opportunity to march south. At that time, the nine border regions will be shaken, and the whole situation will be lost.

and so!
This battle.

Win!

We must win!

Furthermore, the goal is to 'defeat the Jurchens in one battle and pacify Liaodong in one battle'!

The Nine Border Uprisings, the Western Barbarians' Disturbance of the Coast, and the Sichuan Tusi (local chieftains
Your Majesty can wait for him to wipe out the Jurchens and then eliminate other hidden dangers to the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore.

He wanted to pacify Liaodong as quickly as possible!
Thinking of this, Xiong Tingbi's eyes blazed with murderous intent.

Huang Taiji!
Your life is almost over!

PS:

An extra chapter will be added tonight!
(End of this chapter)