Back to Daming to be a genius

Chapter 133 Wei Zhongxian's Thoughts

It is as fast as the wind, as slow as the forest, as plundering as fire, as immovable as a mountain, as difficult to know as cloud, as moving as thunder. ——From "Sun Tzu's Art of War. Military Struggle".

On the way back to the country by boat, apart from studying the difference between Da Yuer’s body structure and Korean women’s body structure all day long, Young Master Zhang also took time to summarize the offensive and defensive battle of Jinzhou and the battle of Shengjing with Man Gui, Wu Liuqi, Song Xiance and others who accompanied him back to China. After summarizing the gains and losses of the sneak attack for a long time, Young Master Zhang was very discouraged and found that Man Gui's direct army was considered the top army in the Ming Dynasty, but it was still far from the realm of wind, forest, fire, and mountains.Among other things, in the first battle of Jinzhou and the last battle of Dingliao, the Manchu cavalry fought against the wind, but the casualty ratio was still very high. The first battle was close to one to one, and the battle of Dingliao was slightly better. , reaching a higher ratio of one to four, but it was still based on the assistance of Mao Wenlong's allies in the battle. Compared with the almost abnormal average casualty ratio of one to fifty of the first army of the Ming Dynasty, Qi's Army, it was simply heaven and earth! ——However, what makes Young Master Zhang very proud is that his own performance is perfect, and his ability to grasp the opportunity of battle is innate, even Man Gui Old Qiuba and Zhao Shuilun were all in admiration.

"Why is our Ming army not as good as the slave army?" After dark music, Young Master Zhang began to study why the combat effectiveness of Ming soldiers was so low. Young Master Zhang asked the generals very depressed: "In terms of equipment, we Not only are their weapons better than those of Jiannu, but they also have far more types than Jiannu. There are bows and arrows and three-eyed blunderbuss for long-distance combat, and the best sabers made in Longquan County, Fujian Province for close combat. Not to mention the armor, the armor of the main army of Jiannu is still Steal us. In terms of treatment, although it is common for our Ming army to eat empty quotas and deduct soldiers’ pay, you Mangui didn’t do that. Each soldier is given 15 taels of silver every year. There are also horses, soldiers’ meals, and troops. Training these, our Ming army is inferior to the Jiannu army? But why, our Ming army can’t defeat Jiannu on the battlefield?"

Faced with this question of Young Master Zhang, Man Gui, Zhao Shuilun and the other generals didn't know whether they really didn't understand the reason, or if they knew the reason and dared not say it, they kept their heads down and didn't speak, but Young Master Zhang had a rebellious personality behind his head. Master Song Xiance put it thoroughly, "Boss, the answer to this question is actually very simple - our Ming army wears shoes, while the Jian slave army is barefoot! Since ancient times, barefoot fights have never been afraid of wearing shoes. Slaves have to fight to eat, and have to kill to survive. Of course they are brave and invincible on the battlefield, because they know that if they don't fight and kill, they can't live. But the soldiers of our Ming army, even if they don't fight, they still have other things. There is a way to support the family, as long as you are still alive, there are other ways to live, and of course you will not be desperate when you go to the battlefield."

"Is that true?" Young Master Zhang turned to Man Gui and Zhao Shuilun and asked.Man Gui has an upright character, of course he is embarrassed to say such embarrassing words, his black face turned into red face, Zhao Shuelun has a thicker skin, nodded honestly and replied: "Brother Zhang, Master Song is right, that's the reason. Once in Jinzhou, we were able to fight so well in defending the city. Except for Brother Zhang, you used your soldiers like a god. Everyone in Jinzhou knows that once the city wall is broken, all men, women and children in Jinzhou will die. Everyone put their lives in the fight with Jiannu, so the old Jiannu gambled on his old business several times, and we were all killed. I was repelled." Speaking of this, Zhao Shilun sighed, and said: "If there is no such thing, can Jinzhou..., alas."

"That's right, that's the truth." Young Master Zhang nodded, and then asked in a deep voice: "Since everyone knows what the problem is, tell me, what method should we use to completely reverse this situation? If Jiannu's army is tigers and wolves, we What method should we use to make our army more fierce and fierce?"

"Nonsense, if we knew, we would have done it long ago." Man Gui, Zhao Shuilun and the others muttered in their hearts, but kept silent.At this time, the veteran Zhang Dapao who had been left by Young Master Zhang stood up, bowed to Young Master Zhang and said: "Master Zhang, when the last general joined the Qi Family Army, General Qi Jin once told us the history of the formation of the Qi Family Army. At that time, Marshal Qi Jiguang also faced the same problem as you. The soldiers lacked blood, and the main opponents, the Japanese pirates and the Jiannu, lived by robbing and killing people. This kind of desperate courage, for which Marshal Qi suffered many defeats. Later, when Marshal Qi arrived in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, the hometown of the last general, he found that we Yiwu people were fighting, no matter men, women or children, we could fight with our lives. When the elder brother died, the brother went, and when the husband died, the wife went, Marshal Qi was very happy, and specially asked the imperial court to recruit more than 4000 troops for Yiwu, and only then did he train the Qi family army that is invincible in the world."

"You Yiwu people, why are you so unafraid of death?" Young Master Zhang asked curiously.Zhang Dapao smiled awkwardly: "There is no way, our Yiwu is too poor. Although Zhejiang is relatively rich in Daming, our Yiwu is too poor. In order to have a meal, we can give our lives. And we People in Yiwu are quite straightforward, and they don’t like stealing, raping and playing tricks. When it comes to fighting, they only know how to beat the enemy to the ground, and rarely think of running away. It is said that Marshal Qi is interested in the advantages of our Yiwu, so he is in Yiwu. Recruit soldiers."

After listening to Zhang Dapao's words, Young Master Zhang remained silent for a long time, and after a long time, Young Master Zhang stood up, stared at the turbulent sea, and said slowly: "It has been decided. After returning to Beijing, I will immediately ask the imperial court to personally To train an invincible new army, the number should not be too many, three or four thousand is enough!" Zhang Dapao next to him hurriedly said: "Master Zhang, how about you go to our Yiwu to recruit new soldiers?"

"Based on the current situation in the imperial court, Nine Thousand Years will not let me go to the south. I will definitely be left in the north to serve when I go back this time." Young Master Zhang shook his head with a smile, and muttered to himself: "As for where? Recruiting and training recruits, I have to think carefully, which position will allow me to train recruits without any constraints?"

………………

After more than ten days of rough seas, on the fifth day of April, Master Zhang’s fleet finally arrived at Tanggukou Wharf in Tianjin. As soon as the ship docked, Young Master Zhang saw that the wharf was already crowded with people, and there seemed to be many people among them. Few acquaintances can hear the old acquaintances shouting from a distance, "Tanhualang, Tanhualang is here!" When the boat arrived at the pier, when Master Zhang walked off the gangway with a smile, a large group of civil and military officials cheered. All of a sudden, they rushed up, and before Young Master Zhang could say some clichés such as thank you for welcoming him, a huge crowd rushed in, "Tanhualang, you are finally back, I really miss you. "Master Zhang, the last general of Tianjin Wei, the deputy commander-in-chief, here you are..."

"Help—!" Amidst the overwhelming voices of politeness and flattery, an extremely unsatisfactory voice suddenly sounded——Master Zhang's small body couldn't resist the power of the raging crowd, and he was squeezed off the pier, killing pigs He fell into the sea screaming and screaming, struggling and wailing in the salty and fishy sea water, "Help me! I can't swim! Help me!"

Fortunately, Young Master Zhang, who has a bright future, will never lack flattering and flattering villains. Once Young Master Zhang fell into the water, no matter whether he was a civil or military official who knew how to swim, he immediately jumped 30 people into the sea. He hurriedly fished out Young Master Zhang, who had already filled a lot of seawater, and at last he didn't let Young Master Zhang, who didn't even lose a single hair in the battle of Shengjing, where he built a slave and puppet capital, hang up in Tianjin, otherwise it would be called Worse than Dou E.But in this way, Young Master Zhang, who was just glad that he didn't have to be bumpy on the sea, had to go back to the boat to change clothes. The wishes of countless Tianjin officials who planned to invite Young Master Zhang to their homes for a banquet also came to nothing. They had to come from the capital to greet him. Cui Chengxiu was able to board the boat alone.

"Ah, ah, ah!" While sneezing, Young Master Zhang ordered Zhang Shitou, who was leaning back and forth with laughter, "Shitou, immediately lead all the soldiers down, and drive all the officials on the pier ashore. I don’t want to be pushed into the sea by them again.” Zhang Shitou laughed and agreed while rubbing his belly, while Cui Chengxiu and others over there laughed and slapped the table, gloating.After finally laughing enough, Cui Chengxiu asked Young Master Zhang again: "Brother Zhang, have you listed your meritorious personnel? Use it for your reference."

As soon as Cui Chengxiu met, he urged to see the list of meritorious service listed by Young Master Zhang. Of course, there was a plan to get a share of it, but more of it was kindness—if Young Master Zhang foolishly took out a list of meritorious service that only frontline soldiers The list, if this list is handed over, Wei Zhongxian must turn against Young Master Zhang.And Young Master Zhang, who has been in the officialdom for two eras, also understands this very well, so he hurriedly asked Lu Wanling for the list he had prepared a long time ago, and held it in front of Cui Chengxiu, "Brother Cui, please help me refer to it and see if there is anything missing. ?”

Cui Chengxiu was not polite either, and directly looked through the list after receiving it, and Cui Chengxiu was very satisfied with the result.Master Zhang is indeed very sensible. In this long list, the first contribution to the victory in Liaodong is of course the emperor's, the second contribution is to Wei Zhongxian, and then the officials of the Wei Party and Wei Zhongxian's nephew who were planning and planning in the rear, as well as everyone in charge of the ceremony. Cui Chengxiu, the father-in-law and the eunuch who supervised the army, also got a lot of credit, and Feng Quan's eunuch officials disappeared from this list completely—as for the officials of the Donglin Party, Young Master Zhang didn't remember their names at all.Cui Chengxiu asked for another brush from Lu Wanling, painted and added a few names, and said with a smile: "Wang Weizhou and those bastards have already turned to Feng Quan, Brother Zhang, you don't need to take care of them anymore Although Cao Luji and the others are Feng Quan's henchmen, they have gotten closer to me recently, and giving them a little favor also made Feng Quan suspicious of them and forced them to come here."

"Understood." Young Master Zhang smiled evilly, and ordered Lu Wanling to re-draft the memorial according to Cui Chengxiu's list, and it was only at this moment that Cui Chengxiu suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly asked: "Brother Zhang, why is your name not on this list?" ? Have you forgotten yourself?"

"Master Cui's words are wrong." Young Master Zhang shook his head, and said with an extremely treacherous smile: "Brother, my victory in Liaodong this time was all due to the wise command of my godfather nine thousand years old. What is the merit of running errands at the command of Sui?" Cui Chengxiu laughed knowingly, gave a thumbs up to Young Master Zhang, and said with a wicked smile: "Brother Zhang, Gao Ming, it seems that as long as you are willing this time-the six books of the imperial court, brother you You can choose whatever you want.”

"No, I don't want to be the Minister of the Six Departments." Young Master Zhang was very frank, and said directly: "I still want to continue to lead the army and rule the army. As long as I have military power, I can even be a magistrate. When the time comes, I will trouble you, brother Cui. In front of Nine Thousand Years, I will help you with a few kind words."

"Brother Zhang, we thought of getting together this time." Cui Chengxiu slapped his thigh and said with a smile, "To tell you the truth, brother, Jiuqian also thinks it's a waste of talent to let you take up a civil job again, and I want you to continue to govern." Bing—the governor of the three major battalions of the capital, are you satisfied with this position?"

"Admiral of the Beijing Camp?" Master Zhang never dreamed that Wei Zhongxian would be so generous that he was going to hand over the three most important armies under the Great Tomorrow to himself!But Young Master Zhang changed his mind, broke out in a cold sweat immediately, and blurted out, "Is the emperor sick recently?"

Cui Chengxiu's eyes widened. Ming Xizong fell into the water while riding a sleigh in Beihai and fell ill. Because it was too embarrassing, the news was not reported to the world through the mansion. Even in the nearby capital city, not many people knew about it, but Young Master Zhang At that time, he was still surrounded by Jiannu in Jinzhou, so it was even more impossible to know about it—but Young Master Zhang actually analyzed that the emperor's body was in danger from the fact that Wei Zhongxian planned to let him take charge of the three major battalions of the capital. How many people in the world can achieve it?After being shocked, Cui Chengxiu nodded and replied: "Yes, Brother Zhang, you guessed right. On the fifth day of the first month of this year, the emperor took Jiuqiansui and Mrs. Fengsheng to the North Sea for a sleigh ride. After falling into the water, although he was rescued immediately, he was frightened and froze, and the emperor suffered from the root cause of the disease, and the dragon's body has not been very well for several months."

"Ming Xi Zong fell into the water now?" Young Master Zhang was a little dumbfounded—in Young Master Zhang's memory, Ming Xi Zong seemed to have fallen into the water and died not long after. Now Ming Xi Zong fell into the water ahead of time, could it be Does that mean he's about to die?Then the eunuch party is about to cross the stage?Thinking of this, Young Master Zhang hurriedly asked: "Is the emperor seriously ill? Is there any danger?"

"Fortunately, it's not too heavy, at least there is no delay in the morning." Cui Chengxiu's answer made Young Master Zhang heave a sigh of relief, and Cui Chengxiu said: "But just in case, Jiu Qiansui plans to take charge of the Beijing camp like you , this time Nine Thousand Years sent Brother Yu to Tianjin to pick you up, just to ask Brother Yu to ask your opinion and see if you are interested?"

"Old eunuch Wei wants me to take charge of the capital camp, and then asks for my opinion first, what does it mean?" Young Master Zhang's eyes rolled wildly in his mind, "Could it be that Wei Zhongxian is really planning to usurp the throne as it is said in wild history? So let me be in charge of the defense of the capital, and if necessary, I can take over all the princes and ministers in Beijing? Why did he ask my opinion first? Test my greed for power? But I am only 22 years old now, and the old eunuch Wei suddenly Just want to promote me to be a second-rank official like Shangshu or Du Yushi who is qualified to be in charge of the Beijing camp. How much pressure from the government and the public will I have to bear? Unless he is dizzy, otherwise he will use such a big thing to test me? Wait, could it be...?" Thinking of this, Young Master Zhang hurriedly asked Cui Chengxiu: "Brother Cui, since Nine Thousand Years wants to promote me as the Admiral of the Beijing Camp, why does he ask my opinion? Is Nine Thousand Years afraid of I don't want to lead troops?"

"I'm also very puzzled about this matter." Cui Chengxiu, who was also puzzled by this question, replied: "Originally, Jiuqian wanted you to take up this position, so I just persuaded the emperor to order you to appoint me, but Jiuqian didn't. Send me to ask you what you mean first, as if if you don’t agree, this matter can be forgotten, and I don’t understand what Jiuqiantui is thinking.” Speaking of this, Cui Chengxiu shrugged and said: “ Or just like what you said, Brother Zhang, Nine Thousand Years loves you and worries that you don’t like to continue to lead troops and want to return to the capital to continue serving as a civil servant, so I was sent to ask you first.”

"Brother Cui, do you think I should take this job?" Young Master Zhang tentatively asked Cui Chengxiu, Wei Zhongxian's number one confidant.Cui Chengxiu didn't even think about it, and replied directly: "Of course I accept it, why didn't you accept it? If you accept this job, it will be easier for us brothers to deal with Feng Quan together. When the emperor can't hold on, no matter what The new king succeeds, as long as the military power of the capital is in your hands, brother, we can all sit back and relax."

"Understood, it turns out that Old Man Wei has this in mind." Young Master Zhang suddenly realized that he had already guessed Wei Zhongxian's real intentions with a good degree of accuracy, but he smiled and said, "Brother Cui, I just came back from Liaodong. I'm not very familiar with the situation, so let's talk about this matter when I meet my godfather. By the way, I succeeded in a sneak attack on Shengjing and found some good things in the old Jiannu's treasure house. State treasury, brother Cui, go and see if there is any sister-in-law who likes it, even if the younger brother respects several sister-in-laws, how about it?" Cui Chengxiu was overjoyed when she heard that, and immediately put aside the question of Master Zhang's tone, and happily accompanied Master Zhang to appreciate it. The loot went.

"Old man Wei is also hesitating!" Cui Chengxiu was still crawling like a hungry dog ​​to choose among the gold, silver and jewels that Young Master Zhang had snatched. Young Master Zhang was already thinking about his next move, "He must have some After the death of Ming Xizong, he wanted to usurp the throne, but he was afraid that the people would not accept him, and he was even more afraid that his lackeys would not agree with him, so he asked me to serve as the admiral of the Beijing camp to test the lackeys' tone, and wanted to see if there were any lackeys. Suggest that he seize the opportunity to act. However, the replies given by Cui Chengxiu’s lackeys must have disappointed the old monster Wei. They all just think that after I take charge of the three major battalions of the capital, the eunuchs will benefit greatly, and at the same time, it will prevent the new emperor from attacking the eunuchs. , continue to manipulate the new emperor like Mingxizong, but no one suggested that the old man Wei took the opportunity to usurp the throne. Disappointed, the old man Wei was not so enthusiastic about letting me take charge of the three major battalions of the capital, so he let Cui Chengxiu Come to test my tone, one is to give me some care, to see if I want to continue to lead troops, and the other is to test whether I support his attempt to usurp the throne."

"Old Man Wei's mind is almost at this point. What should I do next?" Young Master Zhang pondered, "Should I firmly support what Old Man Wei thinks in his heart and continue to please him? Or pretend to be confused and let The old demon Wei gave up this idea in disappointment? And what will Zhang Weixian's hardcore royalists react and plan? What should I do to make the most of this matter, maintain the current situation, and escape the future? The beheading of the eunuch who fell from power?"

It was almost as guessed by Young Master Zhang. At the same time, in the Beijing Imperial Palace, Wei Zhongxian, who was serving the Marquis in front of Ming Xizong's hospital bed, was also feeling uneasy. There was only one thought in his mind, "Will that little monkey Zhang Haogu understand our family's situation?" If he understands, will he support our family, or will he oppose? Or, if that little monkey Zhang Haogu doesn’t understand our thoughts, shouldn’t our family test his tone again? From the present point of view, after the emperor's death, he is the most reliable person who can lead the army to assist our family to sit south and north."

(End of this chapter)