Hou Sui is a person with many adventures, but his civilian background has formed an indissoluble bond with the war.

Four years ago, he was recommended by someone to transfer from Shanxi Province to Guizhou to assist the governor to quell the chaos, and after meritorious service, he should have been promoted, but because he said bad things about Wei Zhongxian, he was driven back home, and now he has just recovered and returned to the court, and he has embarked on the road to the front line in Liaodong. When he was patrolling Guizhou, he met a young general, and after some talking, he found that this person had a flexible brain and strong martial arts, and recommended him to go to Liaodong to kill the enemy in line with the idea of promoting talents for the country.

Hou Yushi's adventure is not only this, two years ago on the way back to Beijing he met a seven-pin county order, see this person is very talkative and talk about things is the way, Daqi and recommended this county order to the imperial court, this person is now Ning Qiandao Yuan Chonghuan.

On the seventh day of the first month, Hou Sui went out of Beijing to the front line of Liaodong to issue an edict, and braved the cold wind for three days to arrive in Ningyuan City. Knowing that there was a Qin sent to issue the decree, Ning Yuan's civil and military officials had already prepared an incense case, and after Hou Sui finished announcing the holy decree, everyone immediately invited him to the banquet in the back hall and asked him to teach the opportunity. As soon as I entered the back hall, I saw a military general who was nearly thirty years a year rushing forward, knelt down in front of Hou Sui and bowed to pay respects, and said: "The last general, Zuo Liangyu, has seen Lord Engonghou." ”

Hou Sui hurriedly helped Zuo Liangyu up and said: "I haven't seen General Zuo's demeanor for a few years, and now you are in the position of a guerrilla, so you don't have to make such a big gift." ”

Zuo Liangyu bowed again and said: "My lord has the grace of recommending the last general, and the last general is unforgettable." ”

At this time, the superintendent Gao Di said: "This official still doesn't know that Lord Hou and General Zuo have such an encounter, it's really a good story." ”

Before the words fell, Yuan Chonghuan stepped forward, and also bowed to Hou Sui and said, "Xiaguan Yuan Chonghuan pays a visit to Lord Hou." The words were very respectful.

Hou Sui laughed and said, "I haven't seen Lord Yuan rise for two years, it's worth congratulating." ”

Yuan Chonghuan said: "The lower officials, like General Zuo, are unforgettable for the grace of the adult's recommendation, and the lower officials must obey their orders if the adults have any orders." ”

After listening to Yuan Chonghuan's words, Gao Di was secretly angry in his heart, and thought: "This Zuo Liangyu is a thorn in the head, and he is difficult to manage in a few guerrillas, and this Yuan Chonghuan is even more The stone in the pit is smelly and hard. ”

I thought like that in my heart, but I said: "The food is going to be cold, eat first, and then say goodbye after the meal?" Hou Sui replied.

Because alcohol is not allowed in the army, everyone goes directly to the meal, and after eating, everyone goes to the front hall to have tea, Gao Di asked: "Lord Hou began to announce the decree, and after listening to it, the official saw that the emperor basically agreed with our original report, but the difference is that the 5,000 sailors and land battalions should be taken away for other use, I don't know what the emperor means." There is also the holy decree ordering Sun Yuanhua and Mao Yuanyi to return to Beijing on a certain day, and the official does not understand very well, can Lord Hou elaborate? ”

Hou Sui said: "The Marine Battalion of the Navy Division will go to Deng and Lai to stand by, and the lower officials will immediately go to Dongjiang Town to see Mao Wenlong, if Mao Town allows the 5,000 Marine Battalion of the Navy Division to enter the Dongjiang River, and if he pushes the 5,000 Marine Battalion of the Navy Division to seek an opportunity to go to Lushun to occupy Jinzhou, these are the emperor's will." As for Sun Yuanhua and Mao Yuanyi, the emperor just said that there was another important use, and he didn't know what to send the lower officials. ”

Yuan Chonghuan said at this time: "Listen to the meaning of the adults, the 5,000 Navy Division Marine Battalion will not participate in this battle of Ningyuan, and the containment of Mao Wenlong of the Dongjiang River may not be expected, right?" ”

Hou Sui didn't speak, just nodded heavily.

Xiong Tingbi, the Liaodong Jingluo, asked at this time: "In this way, there are only 40,000 soldiers available in Ningyuan and one city, and most of the others are tired and weak brigades. With 40,000 people defending the danger and resisting the Jurchen Jiannu 80,000, although the danger is not a big problem, I just don't know if the emperor still has reinforcements? ”

Hou Sui said: "The latest information, the Jurchens have added 50,000 backups in addition to the 80,000 elite soldiers this time, a total of 130,000 people, so you must be prepared for a hard battle." However, the emperor also sent reinforcements. ”

When Gao first heard that there were reinforcements, he immediately rejoiced: "There are tens of thousands of reinforcements? Who is leading it? ”

Hou Sui said: "There are only 400 people, led by Zhang Xiang'an, Sun Chuanting and Ni Yuanlu of the Military Staff Office, and the three of them will come as the imperial history supervisor, and they will return to Beijing as soon as they arrive at Sun Yuanhua and Mao Yuanyi. ”

When everyone heard that it was three scholars who had brought 400 people, their hearts were half cold.

Early the next morning, Hou Sui led the 5,000 Marine Battalion of the Navy Division to Dengzhou by boat, and deliberately passed by Changsheng Island, Zhongdao, Shuangdao and other places close to Lushun on the way to look across the sea. After resting in Dengzhou for one night, Hou Sui asked the guerrilla Zu Dashou to lead the Marine Battalion of the Navy Division to rest temporarily in Dengzhou, and he himself took a boat to Dongjiang Town.

It was already the twelfth day of the first month when I arrived at the Phi Island where Mao Wenlong was, and after seeing Mao Wenlong, the general announced the decree, and there was not a word condemning Mao Wenlong in the holy decree, but only praised Mao Wenlong and his Dongjiang Army for their past achievements, which made everyone very happy.

After announcing the decree, Mao Wenlong asked Hou Sui to rest for dinner, and after Hou Sui was rested, Mao Wenlong came in to find out the emperor's true intentions. Mao Wenlong is just fifty this year, he looks like a tiger on his back and walks with a tiger's waist, and at a glance he knows that he is a person who is strong and energetic and kills people without blinking, he first asked Hou Sui: "Lord Hou, the emperor specially asked you to praise us this time?" Nothing else? ”

Hou Sui asked: "I don't know what else General Mao wants the emperor to say?" ”

Mao Wenlong said: "Wenlong has contradicted his boss many times, and the emperor didn't even scold him this time, and he was uneasy in his heart, and if the emperor really thinks that we are doing well, why don't you mention the matter of food and salary?" ”

Hou Sui said: "Whether it is the emperor or the boss, they scold you because they think that if you correct some shortcomings, you are still a good material, and they don't scold you because they feel that you are no longer worthy of scolding." ”

When Mao Wenlong heard this, he said urgently: "Where does this start?" ”

Hou Sui said: "The emperor requires all soldiers to know the three major disciplines and eight points of attention, will General Mao know how to carry it?" ”

Mao Wenlong said: "I have long been familiar with it. ”

Hou Sui said: "Then General Mao, let's talk about your understanding of the first line of all actions to obey the command, and by the way, why didn't you agree to listen to the order and send troops to contain it." ”

Mao Wenlong said: "Isn't this because of a lack of military salaries? My soldiers are recruited from all over the place, and they will not listen to me without money and food. ”

Hou Sui said: "It is precisely because of difficulties that you let General Mao come, and if you do well in difficult situations, it shows that your role is irreplaceable." If the court has prepared everything and is just waiting for you to sit and give an order, then you can do anything in your position, and what do you want to do with someone like you who doesn't listen to the court and your boss? And if you talk to the emperor about the conditions, the emperor thinks that you are holding the army hostage, do you think the emperor will be happy? ”

Mao Wenlong suddenly became anxious when he heard Hou Sui's words, and said loudly: "The emperor is above, if I Mao Wenlong has the slightest disobedience, I will be punished by heaven!" ”

Hou Sui said: "Why did General Mao swear? Even if the emperor trusts you, the rest of the court and others may not trust you, if someone replaces you one day, where will General Mao go to settle down? Others are left and right in the court, and you Mao Zongbing has offended up and down, if you leave Dongjiang Town, you can have a good end if you don't love your grandmother and uncle? ”

When Mao Wenlong heard this, he was even more anxious and turned around in the tent, and suddenly reflected and said to Hou Sui on his knees: "Wenlong is foolish, please teach me." ”

Hou Sui picked up Mao Wenlong and said, "Why should General Mao be like this? I have already said at the beginning that the best place for you to go is to stay here and not move, as long as you listen to the emperor, others will not be able to help you. ”

After stretching out his hand to invite Mao Wenlong to sit down, Hou Sui said: "The emperor gave Mao Zongbing four choices, and Mao Zongbing replied after thinking about it." ”

Mao Wenlong immediately knelt down and said, "Please announce the secret decree of the lord." ”

Hou Sui said: "First, the Dongjiang Army will be placed under the jurisdiction of the Liaodong Military Region under the jurisdiction of the Governor Gaodi, and all the treatment of the Dongjiang Army will be the same as that of the soldiers of Liaoxi. ”

Mao Wenlong thought for a while and said: "The officers and soldiers of the Dongjiang Army are all recruited, and it is difficult to manage them if they have food or not. ”

Hou Sui also said: "Second, if General Mao is unable to control his subordinates, General Mao will be moved to the governor of Deng and Lai, and the Dongjiang Army will send another person to command. ”

Mao Wenlong hurriedly said: "This can't be helped, most of his subordinates are arrogant people, Wenlong's personal gains and losses are small, and it is not good to spoil the major affairs of the court." ”