For this expedition, Huang Taiji aimed to occupy Qin. However, the population was too small after all, but the advice given by Hong Chengchou was to buy the Qin people and drive the Qin people to use them in the Qing Dynasty. In this way, the problem of too few troops in the Qing Dynasty can be solved.

This involves the issue of rewarding the surrendered Qin people, and although Huang Taiji is not in good health, he is also ready to go out in person. In this way, he can casually seal the reward and buy people's hearts without delaying time.

Similarly, in order to ensure a successful first attack and effectively take advantage of the suddenness of the first attack on Qindi, Huang Taiji was also prepared to gather as many troops as possible.

Because of the isolation of Shanhaiguan, Liaodong Jianyu, including traitors like Hong Chengchou, could not understand the situation in the customs in time, and could only rely on their Lianmeng guesses to estimate.

In fact, the same is true for Daming's side. For Liaodong Jianyu, there is also a lack of sources.

But fortunately, because Zhang Mingwei crossed over, he knew that the original history of Jianyu would invade the land of Gyeonggi in October, so he reasoned in reverse, and knew that Jianyu must have consumed the materials after the Battle of Songjin, even if the eight Jin merchants smuggled to Liaodong Jianyu to replenish the supplies, it was still not enough.

In this way, the Ming side can conclude that when Liaodong Jianyu was in Chongzhen for fifteen years, there would definitely be an urgent need to enter the customs and loot materials.

Zhang Mingwei told Emperor Chongzhen about this matter, and also told Zuo Yingxuan, the governor of Shanyong, and Yan Yingyuan, the chief soldier of Shanhaiguan, and made a strategy of crossing the sea to raid the hinterland of Liaodong and contain Jianjiao.

Now that there has been an unprecedented all-out attack on the border by the Mongol tribes, but the degree of attack is not strong, it can basically be inferred that this is ordered by their master to come to test the border defense of the Ming Dynasty.

Based on this time, Yan Yingyuan's side can conclude that when Jianyu will send troops.

In fact, even if Jianyu did not send troops, Yan Yingyuan's side would also implement Zhang Mingwei's strategy of harassing the hinterland of Liaodong.

On this day, after the coastal defense guerrilla Gu San Mazi was ready, Yan Yingyuan made a decision and personally led the only 4,000 horsemen in his hands to go on the expedition.

Speaking of which, there were not so many cavalry originally, but Zhang Mingwei casually arranged for someone to collect war horses outside the pass, and sure enough, he got a part, and he was assigned all the war horses to Yan Yingyuan's side by Zuo Yingxuan, the governor of Shanyong, so that he could be regarded as having gathered these 4,000 horses.

On the school field, Yan Yingyuan rode slowly among these cavalrymen, and while inspecting them, he said loudly: "Now when the imperial court uses money everywhere, it has also made up for your previous arrears, and the subsequent military salaries are also paid on time. Not long ago, the "Daming Law" was revised and the "Regulations on the Preferential Pension and Exemption of Daming Military Soldiers" was added. This kind of thing is even more unheard of! ”

"Being a soldier in my Ming Dynasty is the best job! Everyone is grateful, so it is human. I, Yan Yingyuan, was appreciated by the imperial court, and I decided in my heart that the husband, the horse leather shroud, this is the best destination for my generation of soldiers. The imperial court has high hopes for us, hoping that we will be able to stop the captives and stop them from causing trouble to the country. ”

"This expedition is the purpose, only to fight to the death, hurt Jianyu, let them know that we Ming soldiers are different now. If I don't achieve this goal, I will never return to my teacher. If you want to seal your wife and son, and if you want to protect your family members who have withdrawn into the prison, don't have the idea of living, follow me, and fight to the death, so that you can die and live again! ”

Guan Ningjun has never taken the initiative to go out to fight Jianyu, let alone go out to conquer the hinterland of Liaodong like this time. Yan Yingyuan was worried about the uneasiness in the army, so he made this speech before the expedition.

However, he didn't expect that after he finished speaking, the four thousand Guan Ning troops suddenly roared together: "Fight to the death, fight to the death......"

It's not that Guan Ningjun is naturally afraid of Jianlu, which of them doesn't have a deep hatred for Jianlu. However, in the past, the degree of food and clothing could not be guaranteed, and only the general's family could guarantee these, so that the combat power in the army should naturally be based on the general's will. Which of the generals in the Guanning army wants to go to the hinterland of Liaodong? No! Then Guan Ningjun naturally wouldn't do this.

Now not only is there no deduction of military salaries, but there is no even need to worry about the family after the death of the war, "Daming Military Soldiers' Pension and Preferential Treatment Regulations", which is written into the "Daming Law", so that there are no worries, who doesn't want to find Jianyu to take revenge and give the family in the gate a peace?

The life of the big-headed soldier is cheap, and the commander will fight to the death, not to mention them!

Therefore, at this time, Yan Yingyuan saw that the morale was available, so he did not delay, returned to the front and back of the point, looked at the four thousand cavalry in front of him, and prepared to give the order to set off.

In this battle, if he has no concerns, it is also fake. Of course, this concern does not mean that he is afraid that he will not be able to come back, and that he is afraid of death.

The so-called soldier is a confidant who dies, and he Yan Yingyuan was directly promoted from the history of the district to the chief soldier of Shanhaiguan, and this kindness of knowing is only repaid by death, and it is not a big deal.

Yan Yingyuan was just afraid, he left Shanhaiguan, and if Jianyu came to commit a big attack, if Shanhaiguan fell, then he Yan Yingyuan would die and could not be redeemed.

However, this expedition to Liaodong is also very important. If he didn't go in person, he was worried that in the end it would just be an itch for Liaodong Jianyu. Not only did it lose the benefits brought by the suddenness of the war, but it also allowed the future Jianyu to be prepared, and it may not even be able to contain the main force of Jianyu from detouring through the Mongolian steppe.

After weighing, he finally decided that Chen Mingyu, who asked him to recommend him to help him, was a strict defense, which was considered a trade-off.

Thinking so, when he was about to give the order to set off, a fast horse suddenly came to Dianjiangtai and told him: "The new Liaodong guerrilla Li Laiheng led more than 1,000 cavalry to report to the commander. ”

As soon as he heard this, Yan Yingyuan couldn't help but be overjoyed, he was short of cavalry, and there were more than a thousand cavalry, which was great.

The more cavalry, the greater the certainty of this battle.

So, without saying a word, he immediately sent an order to let the Liaodong guerrillas come to the school field.

Li Laiheng did not delay along the way, and it can even be said that he had hurried as fast as possible, and the whole army was dusty. When he came to the school field and saw this posture, he knew that if he came a little late, he might not be able to catch up.

It turns out that the officials and soldiers of the imperial court will really take the initiative to attack Jianyu! Li Laiheng thought in his heart, and once again changed his mind about the imperial court officials and soldiers. Before he could come over just now, he heard the roar of "Death Battle".

This roar, he could hear, was not the kind of casual shouting. As a person who is used to fighting, he is sensitive to this.

Seeing that the general was on the stage, the main general was also dressed in military uniform, looking like he was going to go on the expedition, Li Laiheng also appreciated this kind of hero. He immediately turned over and dismounted, clasped his hands into fists and said: "Liaodong guerrilla Li Laiheng, I came to report on the order of Xingguo Gong to participate in the battle of Liaodong." ”

After finishing speaking, he also took out a letter from his arms, handed it to Yan Yingyuan with both hands, and said, "This is a letter from the Duke of Xingguo to the marshal." ”

As soon as Yan Yingyuan heard that Li Laiheng was sent by the Xingguo Gong, he was even more impressed, so he immediately responded with a smile and took the letter and read it first.

He never expected that this Li Laiheng turned out to be a fierce general among the thieves in Li Zicheng's department, feeling the changes in the imperial court, he didn't want the world to continue to be in chaos and the people were struggling to make a living, so he abandoned the darkness and turned to the light, and was named a guerrilla in Liaodong by the Duke of Xingguo, and he didn't want to fight his original companions, so he voluntarily came to Liaodong to fight Jianjiao.

If it were another general, he might feel contempt for Li Laiheng's origin, after all, he was born as a thief. However, Yan Yingyuan himself was born in the classics and was suddenly promoted. In the eyes of ordinary people, in fact, the background is also low.

Therefore, Yan Yingyuan didn't mind Li Laiheng's origin at all, and even had a trace of admiration, but he didn't expect him to be able to distinguish right from wrong at a young age. This thing of abandoning the darkness and turning to the light is not surrendering after being captured, which is very rare.

In addition, Zhang Mingwei also told Yan Yingyuan in the letter. Li Laiheng was born as a thief and happened to be good at mobile warfare, so he was the best candidate for the commander to attack the hinterland of Liaodong. Therefore, this expedition to the hinterland of eastern Liaodong can be dominated by Li Laiheng.

The main purpose of Zhang Mingwei writing this letter is also to consider that in the original history, Yan Yingyuan was known for defending the city. If he could, he hoped that Yan Yingyuan would guard Shanhaiguan and ensure that Shanhaiguan was not lost.

Xingguo Gong's meaning, Yan Yingyuan definitely attaches great importance to it.

So, he didn't have any other considerations, and immediately told Li Laiheng the meaning of the letter of the rejuvenation of the country, and asked Li Laiheng straight to the point: "If you come to lead the army according to the arrangement of the Guogong, what will you do?" ”

If he can pass his interview, he can rest assured. Otherwise, the first expedition to the hinterland of Liaodong is very important, and even if it is recommended by the national government, he will have doubts.

When Li Laiheng heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He didn't expect that the Duke of Xingguo would value him so much, and he also considered handing over the world-famous Guanning Iron Cavalry to him to command.

If the average person is concerned, they will be scared by this. However, you can say that Li Laiheng's newborn calf is not afraid of tigers, or he really wants to make meritorious contributions, in short, he did not have the slightest fear after hearing this, and replied with his head held high: "If you don't move, it's enough, moving like a rabbit, a thunderbolt strikes, and then it will be far away, ercareless, and don't give Jianyu a reaction." ”

It can be said that similar wars have been experienced many times.

After a pause, Li Laiheng added: "The most important thing in this kind of war is not to be afraid of death, not to stay, not to leave a trace!" ”

Yan Yingyuan was satisfied with what he heard, so he asked a few more questions, Li Laiheng didn't think about it, and he answered casually, which made him satisfied.

In the end, he sighed with emotion: "Guogong is really wise! ”

He didn't know that Li Laiheng could persist in resisting the Qing until the end, and if he didn't have a sense of danger, he would have been killed by the Manchus a long time ago.

Therefore, Yan Yingyuan ordered the army to set off after resting for another day, with Li Laiheng as the main general and Chen Mingyu as the deputy, leading 5,000 cavalry to go by sea to the hinterland of Liaodong.

This will be the first time that the Ming army has set foot in Liaodong after the loss of Dongjiang Town!