'The iron cavalry battalion was added to the title of Mao Wenlong, abandoned Confucianism to Rong, destroyed the tiger in the period, fortified wide (Kuandian), and Zang (Sanyang), and the shape of the mountains and rivers in Yidi was insightful; The soldiers are proficient in the method of attacking and defending Qizheng, and those who have scheming, insight, courage, and deeds in the actual military force can not get more, and should be taught to the division in order to show their talents. ’

Mao Wenlong couldn't have imagined that the appreciation and attention of his former boss would bring him a different situation. Xiong Tingbi's comments on him before leaving office are not high, but in the eyes of those officials who dislike Xiong Tingbi's person, this undoubtedly adds a layer of obvious anachronism to Mao Wenlong, because after Yuan Yingtai took office, he was 'reinstated but not used', and now the function of managing the iron cavalry battalion is still there, but he has to live idle at home in Anshan, which is nearly a winter.

Therefore, when Wang Xingping's unfamiliar name was handed to him, he was also quite surprised, even if the worship note stated that he was a student of Shanyin Zhang Rulin, but it was just a very blunt connection, just like those businessmen who wanted to come to Liaodong to do business in the name of their fellow countrymen. And what kind of benefit can actually make this 'fellow villager' who claims to be from Guannai come to visit during the New Year's Festival, Mao Wenlong can't figure it out.

However, leisure has these benefits, and there is no need to worry about these private matters for the sake of official work, but it is the identity of a teenager that makes him a little curious, and he still decides to meet him because he can't understand it, after all, in the past few months, the family has been quite cold.

So it didn't take much effort to meet, the place was ready-made, and no one bothered this house now, even on the first day of the new year, it was very clean. There are only more than 300 people in the Mao clan, and Mao Wenlong's branch is already thin, and there are not many close relatives who need to move around. However, Wang Xingping was a little surprised, he thought that Mao Wenlong was a pretending to be a top priest, but he didn't want to see the situation of the Mao clan, but he seemed to be a real relative.

When I met, it was not bad for Wang Xingping to think, Mao Wenlong was magnificent, with a bearded face and no anger and self-authority, at first glance, he was a person who marched and fought, and the position of managing the iron cavalry battalion was indeed appropriate. It's just a padded jacket in the New Year's Festival, which makes the body look bloated.

"Three years ago, I had a relationship with my uncle Shen Lao Xianggong in Guangdong." Wang Xingping gave a light salute.

Mao Wenlong sighed lightly when he heard this, he didn't want this young man to have such a relationship, after his father died, he lived with his mother in his mother's house since he was a child, although he was scolded by his uncle when he was young because he liked to gamble money, but he was still like father and son with this uncle, not to mention that Shen Guangzuo later recommended him to Li Chengliang to be a personal soldier, which opened another life for him. It's just that my uncle didn't write to me, and the post didn't say anything about it, so I didn't think it was very close. However, he guessed that what Wang Xingping said on the post was Zhang Rulin's student, but this person was a little too young, and he didn't know what he meant, and he was followed by an older person, but he couldn't see the relationship with this young man.

However, he still let the two of them into the room and sat down with the guests and hosts, so that the subordinates who should watch the tea and the snacks that should be served are the snacks.

Seeing that Mao Wenlong still didn't answer after sitting down, Wang Xingping smiled again, "At the beginning, the person called Shen Ergou by your family and Zaixia went north on the same boat, and they were very kind along the way, and the general's affairs were also heard from him. ”

"It turned out to be the killer." When Mao Wenlong heard this section, he suddenly put down his stiff face and laughed.

Listening to Wang Xingping talk about Shen Ergou's matter, it really doesn't seem to be a fake, after all, it's not easy to inquire about this kind of family's private behavior, and when it comes to this person, Mao Wenlong's conversation box has also been opened, and it turns out that the noise about Shen Ergou is the same as Wang Xingping's. With a common topic, they became acquainted with each other after chatting a few words, and according to Wang Xingping, the Shen family owed this young man a small favor. However, human favor is always human favor, Mao Wenlong has his own chivalrous spirit, as long as Wang Xingping asks for something, as long as it is not excessive, it will not hurt to help.

Looking at Wang Xingping, who was much younger than his nephew, he said: "The prince came from afar, and he came to the door during the New Year's Festival, so you might as well speak up about it." ”

However, the expected request did not happen.

"Congratulations to Durong on his ascension first." It was Wang Xingping who congratulated first.

Just hearing this, Mao Wenlong, who was still smiling, turned his face half imperceptibly down, and snorted lightly, "I don't know where this joy comes from?" ”

Wang Xingping didn't seem to see the black face, but Shi Shiran said: "I heard from your family that Durong was a garrison in Sanyang, but now he has been promoted to Dusi, so naturally I want to congratulate him." ”

"It's just a plus, and it's not idle to say no." Seeing that Wang Xingping was not sarcastic, Mao Wenlong's tone was slightly slower.

"Before leaving the customs, I heard Xiong Xianggong mention that the general is really the pillar of the Liaodong Army, but now the situation is like this, this is definitely not the general's fault."

Mao Wenlong listened to the words, and then his face was a little pale, but he was also a little surprised, "What's the matter, Xiaoyou still knows Xiong Jingluo?" ”

"Xiang Ri once trained in Tianjin Guard, and had some opportunities with Xiong Xianggong."

"Tianjin...... Training ......" Mao Wenlong suddenly seemed to remember something, and after a while, he slapped his thigh suddenly, got up and said, "You are the Guizhou kid that Xiong Gong talked about?" ”

"Oh...... The kid is indeed a person from Guiyang Wei, but I don't know how Xiong Xianggong said it? Wang Xingping looked innocent and seemed a little surprised.

"Sure enough, it's very young." Mao Wenlong sighed before continuing: "Xianggong Xiong once said to me that day, if you help train the troops, it will be much easier for Liaodong to be stable. ”

"Jinglu is really good at complimenting people, don't make fun of me when I look at my age." Wang Xingping laughed, and he didn't know whether to admit Xiong Tingbi's praise or deny it.

Mao Wenlong was a little resentful, and there seemed to be unwillingness in his words, "I'm just a plus title of Dusi, don't mention the word Durong anymore, it's you, who is training in Tianjin, how can you get to the outside of the Guan, is it possible that you are also here to aid Liao?" ”

Wang Xingping saw that Mao Wenlong was thinking about it, and said straight to the point: "I can't hide it, I really came to Liaodong this time to receive the extra-prison history of the Guozijian, and now it is under the name of the Ministry of War." ”

"Xiaoyou is still a prisoner." Mao Wenlong was a little surprised, "So you have a business trip to find me?" ”

"There is no business trip, just talking about some private matters, and the right to collect the style is also the boy's homework. And I also admire Durong's high name, speaking of which, I visited Durong today, and there is nothing to do here, and I will go to Shenyang in two days. ”

Mao Wenlong smacked his lips when he heard this, looking like he wanted to say something and stopped, "It's not peaceful over there in Shenyang." ”

But before Mao Wenlong could continue, Wang Xingping pretended to be mysterious and preemptively said: "What, the general also heard about it?" ”

"What did you hear?" Mao Wenlong looked at the young man with a strange expression.

"Jiannu wants to attack Shenyang."

"Sooner or later." What kind of secret is Mao Wenlong, but after listening to Wang Xingping's words, he suddenly said, after all, Jiannu had the idea of Shenyang last year.

"Just two months later."

"Who did you listen to?"

"A few of the Fu Yu Wei's subordinates."

At this time, Mao Wenlong finally couldn't sit still.

"his blind mother's crooked ......"

"Who is Du Rong scolding?" Wang Xingping was a little stunned, but he didn't expect Mao Wenlong to suddenly burst into foul language in front of him as a 'little child'.

"Even the pearl sellers know the news, and the officials just pretend not to see it."

"This year, there is a great hunger in the Mongolian tribes, and it is not easy to come to Jiannu, even if there is no news, the attack on Shen is imminent, and I am afraid that it is the same for Kuan and Zhubao, and the Durong office is still there, so it is better to deal with it as soon as possible."

Mao Wenlong took a sip of tea to calm his mood, and then sighed: "Xiong Gong is in Japan, the law is solemn, and the army is purged, but it's a pity ......"

Although he didn't finish speaking, he gradually regarded Wang Xingping as an equal, and forgot that he should still say some auspicious words in this New Year.

"Although the officials of Yuan Xiang are shrewd and resolute, they are not good at using soldiers, and there are many omissions in planning, and it is indeed a loss of leniency in governing the government."

Mao Wenlong raised his eyebrows, unintentionally meeting for the first time, this Wang family kid spoke so boldly, but this said it to his heart.

Wang Xingping saw that Mao Wenlong didn't say much, so he continued to talk.

"When I was in Liaoyang, I heard that Yuan Xianggong planned to rebuild Qinghe and Fushun Second Fort, which can be regarded as wanting to do something, right? But the city of Shenyang has been in disrepair for a long time, Qinghe, Fushun and under the nose of Jiannu, rather than rebuilding the false name of the two forts, it is better to repair the city wall of Shenyang. ”

"In addition, those Mongols and Jurchen surrenderers, it is better to be dismissed, no matter how bad it is, they should not stay in the city, this is the way to defeat."

In fact, Wang Xingping has learned a lot about Yuan Yingtai in Liaoyang in the past two days, and he also has opinions on some things, but it is difficult to say clearly.

For example, as soon as Yuan Yingtai arrived, he beheaded the general He Guangxian for corruption, and eliminated Li Guangrong and the following ten generals, on the one hand, for his own prestige, but also in order to implement his strategy of advancing Qinghe and Fushun, after all, these troops are against him at the moment, as for the corruption, it can only be said that there are a few people in the Ming officialdom who can be clean, so it is said that Yuan Yingtai is not strict in governing the army, but this trick of borrowing people has not been used less.

But these things are quite cruel and cruel compared to his treatment of the people.

Since Yuan Yingtai took office, Liaodong was hungry, and there were a lot of people from various Mongolian tribes who went south to eat. In the name of it, he said, 'If I don't give first aid, he will return to the enemy, and he will be a soldier of benefit.' ’。 But when he said this, Yuan Xianggong probably forgot that raising soldiers requires food, and this winter, Nurhachi is not having a good time.

Besides, here, those alien people are still given by the officials, after a long time, the returnees are numerous, and it is inevitable that they will live with the people in the city, and there are more stealthy and promiscuous, Wang Xingping also heard Cheng Xiangwen mention it when he was in Liaoyang, and the people were quite resentful.

As for the army, there were more criticisms, and the chief military officers He Shixian and You Shigong questioned it face-to-face, saying that there were too many people recruited in the city of Shenyang, and they were considered to be in the city or used by the enemy, or the enemy and miscellaneous spies were the internal response, and it was inevitable that there would be misfortune.

But Yuan Xianggong boasted of being a plan, and the flattery of the Mongolian tribes, thinking that he had won the heart of the Western Captives, the battle of Sancha'erbao, demoted to the vanguard, and killed more than 20 people, so he preached a lot to calm public opinion, since he was the ministers of Liaodong and did not say much, only the governor Xue Guo used the name of three concerns, but did not say much.

However, the whispers in the army have never been broken, but for the Mongols and the Jurchen tribes, it is indeed necessary to divide them.

Wang Xingping himself still came to a conclusion, "The idea of dividing and conquering the East and the West is not wrong." ”

Listening to Wang Xingping tell what he had seen and heard in the past few days, Mao Wenlong gradually relieved his guard and spoke frankly with him.

"Listening to Xiaoyou, do you agree with Yuan Xianggong's strategy?"

"Yuan Xianggong's means are poor, in fact, there is no need to recruit people, as long as it is stable for another year or two, Dongyu will defeat himself."

Wang Xingping came to see Mao Wenlong in the name of New Year's greetings, but he didn't want the two to gradually enter the alley, and in fact, since last year, in a series of military attacks in the face of Jiannu, the official army has won victories, but now no one on the official face attributes this credit to Xiong Tingbi.

Mao Wenlong motioned for him to continue.

"I have asked those subordinates about the affairs of the Mongolian tribes, and I have probably sorted out some clues."

"The year before last, Jiannu attacked Tieling, and the nephew of Nanuan Rabbit (note: Bahadarhan) Zai Saiin had an alliance with Marin, and led 10,000 troops from his headquarters and Zalut to help, but he was defeated by the old slave, and Zai Sai and his two sons were also captured."

He continued to explain the great significance of this matter to Mao Wenlong, in the twenty-second year of Wanli (1594), after the death of Bahadarhan's younger brother Boyan Da'er, his son Zai Sai inherited his subordinates and soldiers and horses, and then gradually grew and became one of the three major forces in Inner Khalkha, it is said that his troops have 15,000 cavalry, and the 22nd battalion of Inner Khalkha plus the two battalions that originally belonged to his grandmother, a total of 24 battalions of men and horses, with Zai Sai being the most powerful. There was a rumor in Liaodong that there were 'twenty-four battalions, but the slaughter race was the strongest, and the battalions did not dare to move, and the battalions did not dare to move.

Mao Wenlong naturally knew that during the Battle of Tieling, Zaisai was captured by Nurhachi, but he only knew that this person was the son-in-law of Yehebu, but he did not know much about the various interests of the Mongolian tribes and Jiannu, but Wang Xingping analyzed it for him here.

After being captured by Zaisai, Nurhachi hoped to use this hostage to coerce the five Inner Khalkha tribes to join Jianzhou in their crusade against Nikan.

But it backfired, although because of the relationship between Zai Sai, the Houjin and the five Inner Khalkha tribes reached an alliance, and the highest rank in the five tribes, Duling Hongbatulu (note: the eldest son of Hu Lahachi, the eldest brother of Wuban, the ancestor of Zai Sai, the Ming Dynasty called fried flowers) was at the end of the year before last year to personally attend the alliance, but he also did not want to be an enemy of the Ming Dynasty, and his descendants Zhu Beile was very angry about the Hou Jin prisoner Zai Sai, since last year, the Inner Khalkha tribes have privately robbed the Houjin envoys, and robbed the Jurchen cattle and horses.

Wang Xingping believes that these things naturally have the meaning of showing favor to the Ming court, and they are also the impact of a series of military victories of the official army since last year, but the famine in Liaodong is also a natural move for the tribes of the two ethnic groups to compete for resources for survival. If Yuan Yingtai is a changeable person, he should make full use of the current situation to guide the contradictions between the two ethnic groups, and then strengthen the defense of Liaodong and wait for the enemy to cause chaos.

Now that he has gathered and surrendered people, he has gained a reputation in Xilu, but he has spent his own money and food to help Jiannu alleviate the crisis.

And when the Mongolians looked at Da Ming's appearance, it was inevitable that they would not have other thoughts.

Listening to Wang Xingping's eloquent words, Mao Wenlong also had a sense of enlightenment, and said: "It's rare that you understand it in such detail, so do you think Shenyang will be lost?" ”

Wang Xingping's conclusion was based on what he learned in the past few days, but his judgment was more than that.

"Not only Shenyang, if it goes on like this, I'm afraid Liaoyang may not be able to keep it."

[References]

1, "Daming Huidian"

2, "Records of Emperor Ming Xi Zongyi"

3, "History of the Late Ming Dynasty" Fan Shuzhi

4, "Wanli Ye Ed" Shen Defu

5. "The Record of Crimes: The Biography of the Economic Ministers"

6, "History of the Ming Dynasty • The Biography of Yuan Yingtai"

7, "The Biography of Erchen"

8. "Ming Dynasty Timber Valuation and Timber Volume Calculation" He Weiguo

9, "A Brief Exploration of Liaoyang Inscriptions in the Ming Dynasty" Li Luhua

10. Analysis of the Plane Structure and Layout of the Main Buildings of Liaoyang City in the Ming Dynasty by Yang Furong and Wang Sa

11, "About the Dongning Wei of Liaoyang in the Ming Dynasty" Yoshihiro Hanoi

12. "Research on Liaoyang Town in the Defense System of Liaodong Town in the Ming Dynasty" Huang Huan

13, "Quanliao Zhi"

14, "Zai Sai's Aid to Tieling and the Relationship between Houjin and the Inner Khalkha Ministry" Dong Yuying

15, "Jianzhou Examination" Chen Jiru

16, "Manchu Old Files"