Youzheng, Wang Keming got up and went to the Jinluan tent, and the Son of Heaven would give a banquet every night, and discuss military affairs with him, Miao Tieshan, and Qi Xinwen while eating. When Wang Keming arrived, Miao Tieshan and Qi Xinwen had already arrived one step earlier, and they were talking to the Son of Heaven, both of them were confidants of the Son of Heaven, and talking to the Son of Heaven was not as restrained as ordinary courtiers, and there was talk and laughter in the big tent.

"Keming is here, let's set the meal, and chat while eating." Shi Fangzhen commanded. When the army is out, it is impossible to pay attention to food, a simple meat, a vegetarian soup, and a plate of sauce, freshly baked pancakes with green onions, and no wine, but I don't know how much better than ordinary soldiers.

I don't pay attention to what "food is silent" when eating, Miao Tieshan is from Fangzhou, and the pancake rolls and green onions are dipped in sauce and eaten sweetly. Waiting for the two cakes to be eaten, Miao Tieshan wiped his mouth and said: "Long live, it took two months to come out of a thousand miles, at this speed, we can't beat the indifferent royal court, the ghost place of the Northern Desert is cold fast, it may snow in September, you must return to the army before the Mid-Autumn Festival, otherwise the soldiers will not be able to stand the cold." ”

It is taboo to go out of the army and return to the army, Miao Tieshan didn't care to say it, because he knew that the Son of Heaven in front of him wanted the generals to show loyalty and integrity. For the Son of Heaven's royal driving pro-campaign, the three people here have the same mind, taking off their pants and farting and hanging up their crotch, which is indescribably greasy and annoying.

Qi Xinwen lost the envoy of the Governor of Annan, fortunately, he was the old man of the Prince's Mansion, Shi Fangzhen scolded him a little and asked him to lead the troops in the camp in the north of the town, compared to Miao Tieshan's outspokenness, Qi Xinwen was a little more careful. Seeing the Son of Heaven looking at him, Qi Xinwen threw away the cake in his hand and said: "Long live, I haven't been to the Northern Desert, but I heard Shen Guogong and Lao Miao say that this place is so cold that this place is wickedly cold, and the baggage we brought on this expedition has no winter clothes, so we can't be careful." But it's only late June, and there are still two months before the Mid-Autumn Festival, so you can go further, otherwise don't say long live you, 180,000 soldiers are unwilling. ”

Unwillingly, this sentence said to Shi Fangzhen's heart, he had been preparing for more than 20 years, the treasury was empty, and countless grains, grasses and materials were consumed, so he ambushed a few small tribes to go back, how to explain to the minister of civil and military affairs and the people of the world.

Looking at Wang Keming, who was drinking soup with his head down, Shi Fangzhen said in a deep voice: "Shen Guogong, you are the commander of the three armies, what do you think?" ”

Wang Keming knew that although he was the commander of the three armies and was still cousins with the Son of Heaven, he was still inferior to Miao Tieshan and Qi Xinwen in the eyes of the Son of Heaven. After pondering for a while, Wang Keming spoke: "The minister agrees with General Miao's statement, our army is marching too slowly, and I am afraid that we will not be able to reach the Northern Desert Royal Court before the weather becomes cold." ”

Without waiting for Wang Keming to finish speaking, Shi Fangzhen said coldly: "You are the commander of the three armies, how to march and fight is your duty, the speed of the army is too slow, you can't escape the blame." ”

Wang Keming couldn't say what he was suffering, thinking that if it weren't for your old time in the army, the army would have already broken through to 2,000 miles, maybe the vanguard would have arrived at the edge of the Northern Desert Royal Court and was ready to fight. Shi Fangzhen continued: "I know that you have some scruples, I have already said that as long as you leave 20,000 horses to guard, you can just transfer troops and send generals to do it. ”

Miao Tieshan couldn't listen to what he said, leaving 20,000 horses to escort him, if he let the people of the Northern Desert know that he had copied the old bottom and captured the Son of Heaven, then he would lose his wife and fold his troops, and his merit would be better than the escort, even if he didn't have an inch of merit, he couldn't let the Son of Heaven take the risk.

Miao Tieshan and Wang Keming once fought side by side, and the life-and-death friendship established on the battlefield was embarrassed to see Shen Guogong,

smiled and relieved him and said: "Long live, the last general can be reconciled for the Shenguo Communiqué, your safety is more important than everything, Bei Mo can't escape, you can't calm down this year and come back next year, but if you have a little mistake, the ministers will die and can't redeem." Shen Guogong's use of troops like this has put you in danger, the Northern Desert and the Central Plains have been competing for more than a thousand years, and the minister has never heard of a son of heaven who has personally conquered thousands of miles away. If you change the minister as the commander, at most you will be allowed to go 600 miles deep into the Northern Desert, enter the enemy territory for 600 miles, and subdue dozens of tribes. ”

"Hahaha, you Miao Heizi, don't make a sour mistake if you don't know how to drop the text, there is no ancient emperor before, and you laughed me to death." In the laughter, Wang Keming glanced at Miao Tieshan gratefully, and thanked his brother for relieving the siege.

The guards outside the tent came in to report: "The secret guard calms Huang Xi and asks to see him." ”

"Let him in."

The curtain was raised, and a green shirt walked in. After months of hard work, Huang Xi was as thin as a bamboo pole, his face was pale, but his eyes were shining like needlepoints. Wang Keming, Miao Tieshan and Qi Xinwen all nodded at Huang Xi, this secret guard under Huang Gonggong went deep into the Northern Desert to investigate intelligence, and since the march, more than 100 secret guards have died on the grassland.

This father-in-law of Huang Xi, who followed the march of the army, rested for less than three hours every day, and devoted all his energy to analyzing the collected spy reports. To keep the false and keep the true, the spy turned into the basis for the army's attack, advance, defense, and surprise attack, the Northern Expedition, the sneak attack of the desert people never worked, and the death and casualty rate of the army was extremely low, which was inseparable from the blood of the secret guards, as the commander of the secret guards, Huang Xi won the respect of Wang Keming and other generals. The Son of Heaven rewarded him several times, allowing him not to wear eunuch clothes, but to walk in front of the palace in Confucian clothes.

"The minions have seen long live, and they have seen the generals." Huang Xi came to the Son of Heaven and knelt down and kowtowed respectfully. The father-in-law in the palace can be regarded as a servant of the Son of Heaven, Huang Xi established meritorious deeds to make the Son of Heaven very face-saving, Shi Fangzhen said with a pleasant face: "Huang Xi, you haven't eaten yet, come here, give food, and talk about it after eating." ”

Liu Weiguo looked at this junior enviously, and hurriedly instructed the little eunuch to prepare another table, Huang Xi, who can be appreciated by the Son of Heaven among the father-in-law of the younger generation, is the first person, Huang Xi is only in his early thirties, and it is foreseeable that he will be in a high position in the harem in twenty years, surpassing himself and Feng Zhong and others.

Huang Xi thanked him, ate silently, and waited for the Son of Heaven and others to eat, and then he stopped. Shi Fangzhen saw it in his eyes, and he appreciated Huang Xi a little more, he was polite and festive, which was very useful.

After everyone drank tea, Huang Xi got up and said, "The slave has an important military report. ”

Liu Weiguo asked people to set up the marching map, dismiss the people serving in the tent, and personally guard the front door of the tent. Huang Xi's sharp voice behind him sounded: "The secret guards under the minions have detected that on both sides of the Wuena River, three hundred miles northwest of our army's station, there are a large number of desert tribes focusing on grazing......"

Including Shi Fangzhen, everyone stood in front of the marching map and listened to Huang Xi pointing out the map and explaining. The Wuena River is the third longest river in the Northern Desert, about 1,600 miles long, originating from the snow-capped mountains in the northwest of the Northern Desert, with more than ten tributaries, and is an important breeding place for aquatic plants in the Northern Desert. At this time, it is the season of grazing by the grassland tribes, and it is the habit of nomads to live in pursuit of water and grass, and there are tribes living next to the large and small rivers in the northern desert.

"This section of the Wuena River is about 300 miles long, focusing on more than 10 large and small tribes, about 400,000 people, and more than 1 million cattle and sheep. There is a distinction from the flag

The eagle's head, the horns, and the sparrow should be headed by the three tribes of Badai, Saman, and Naifu. ”

Badai, Saman, and Naifu are all large tribes in the Northern Desert, each with more than 100,000 tribes, these three tribes are nomadic near the Wuena River, nominally under the control of the Khan's court, but in fact, except for the festival day to pay tribute to the royal court, do not participate in the royal court's deliberations. If the Great Khan started a war and sent a messenger, the tribe sent defenders and servant armies into the war, participating in the distribution of the spoils according to the number of troops sent. After the death of Ushi Khan, the Northern Desert was divided, and the three tribes did not even bother to offer symbolic tribute, let alone obey the royal court.

Zheng Jun went on a northern expedition, and the three tribes naturally knew that they originally planned to move westward and cross the Heluo Mountains to avoid this war. All the way along the river to walk and graze, from the Helao Mountain is not far away, the Helao Mountain Range is rugged and difficult, hundreds of thousands of people drive millions of cattle and sheep to cross the mountain range, it is a difficult trek, not to mention to climb over the mountain range, to prepare pasture and application of livestock in advance, cattle and sheep can not get enough food to lose fat, winter will be sad.

The leaders of more than a dozen tribes gathered together to discuss, and everyone had different opinions, and the leader of the Saman tribe, Jitu, suggested that the direction of the Zheng army should be investigated, and if the Zheng army went north to attack the royal court, it would be nearly three hundred miles away from them, and they would not have to worry at all. And these tribes are focused together, there are 100,000 warriors, as long as they don't face all the Zheng army, they can also fight.

The results of the investigation made them feel relieved, and the route of Zheng's march was directed to the royal court, which was more than 300 miles away from them, and it was estimated that they were not interested. However, the herders were so encouraged by the decision that they did not dare to go far at first, and gathered at the foot of the mountain to graze together. There are many cattle and sheep, and the pasture is not enough to eat, and the grazing team goes farther and farther to the east and south, gradually dispersed a distance of hundreds of miles, during which small tribes continue to join, bringing news that the Zheng army does not have many horses and will not run long distances, which makes the leader of the tribe settle down and boldly graze on the banks of the Wuena River.

After Huang Xi introduced the situation, he took a few steps back and gave the position in front of the marching map to the Son of Heaven and the three generals, he was just the head of the espionage, it was his duty to report information, and how to fight was the business of the Son of Heaven and several generals. Although he really wanted to show himself in front of the Son of Heaven, so that the Son of Heaven could see that he still had the ability to strategize, but the past told him that there must be enough support behind him to appear prosperous in front of people, maybe this will please the Son of Heaven, but it will undoubtedly offend others.

Wang Keming and others pointed out the marching map and discussed, the Son of Heaven interjected a few words from time to time, Huang Xi quietly stayed away a few steps, and stood gently behind the Bingli eunuch Liu Weiguo, although the Son of Heaven did not let him leave, but there are some things that he should not hear should be consciously avoided.

Huang Xigong whispered hello to Liu Weiguo, Liu Weiguo smiled and nodded, this junior is smart, cautious, and polite, and can only last long in the palace. My family has been in the palace for more than 40 years, and I have seen many favored people, and the scenery has disappeared quietly after a few years, only a loyal and cautious person like his own family can go to the end, Huang Xi obviously also realized this true meaning.

There are many juniors in the palace, and when they are old in the future, they may have to rely on Huang Gonggong to take care of them, so they might as well form a good relationship today, and when they can carry them, they will also take care of them in the future. Thinking of this, Liu Weiguo whispered softly and started a family routine with Huang Xi's father-in-law, and everyone passing by outside the tent saw that two eunuchs, an old man and a young eunuch, were like a spring breeze in front of the tent. ()

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