On the morning of this day, He Tengjiao led a group of generals to inspect the barracks to see how the army was training and recovering.

In the camp, the military flag was flying, hundreds of two franc machine gun wagons were neatly placed on the wall, more than a dozen carts were placed on the school field, and the general in charge of the quartermaster ordered the long wooden box on the car to be lifted down, and then pried open with an iron rod, revealing a shiny new gun.

He Tengjiao walked through the school field, saw the soldiers lined up in a long line, accepted the new gun, and said to Li Dingguo beside him: "The military department has transferred 20,000 Lu Mi guns, 5,000 self-made fire guns, and 20,000 Lu Mi guns This pavilion let Chen Youlong and Wang Deren divide it, this self-made fire gun is said to show great power on the battlefield in Yangzhou, and this cabinet will be handed over to you to rebuild Zhongyi Town." ”

"The last general has thanked the superintendent for cultivation!" Li Dingguo was busy hugging his fists.

He Tengjiao waved his hand, "This is also what the King of Chu meant, just don't let down His Highness's trust!" ”

The number of soldiers in Zhongyi Town is 30,000, and there are only more than 6,000 people left, and it will take a while to replenish it, and after Yuan Zongdi died in battle, Li Dingguo is now the deputy commander to temporarily manage the military affairs of Zhongyi.

At this time, Fan Yixuan on the side, looking at the piled up ordnance materials, couldn't help but sigh, "It seems that the imperial court is really preparing to clear the southwest, we have asked the imperial court many times before, and the materials and equipment we have asked for are not as many as those shipped in the past six months." ”

In the past, the strategic center of gravity was not in the southwest, but now the center of gravity is adjusted, and equipment, grain, and silver are naturally transported here, Fan Yixuan seems to have some small complaints in his heart, but he is more happy, he is still guilty now, the court attaches importance to the southwest, and he has more opportunities to make meritorious contributions.

Fan Yixuan is not the only person who has the intention of making meritorious contributions, and the southwestern officialdom is looking forward to a battle to wash away the shame of the defeat in eastern Sichuan.

When He Tengjiao and the others were continuing to inspect, suddenly a team of people and horses hurriedly came, they turned over and dismounted at the camp gate, and the first scarlet-robed official hurried to find He Tengjiao.

The person who came was Zhang Tongchang, and when he arrived in front of He Tengjiao, he immediately clasped his fists and saluted, and then said: "Supervisor, Sun Kewang is not willing to accept the conditions of the imperial court. ”

When He Tengjiao heard this, he frowned, turned his head to Li Dingguo and said, "Arrange a big tent, let's go in and talk!" ”

In March, Wang Yan gave Bai Wenxuan the false impression that the Jin State invited the Ming Dynasty to carve up the Western Army in Nanjing, so frightened that Bai Wenxuan hurriedly expressed his willingness to pass on the conditions of the Ming Dynasty to Wang Yan, and quickly returned to southern Sichuan, reported the danger to Sun Kewang, and persuaded him to accept the conditions.

Before the negotiations, Wang Yan had already passed the cabinet and gave He Tengjiao a secret order, asking him to reorganize his arms and prepare to accept Sun Kewang's territory.

Wang Yan confessed in the letter that he asked him to garrison the border and put pressure on Sun Kewang, if he surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, then everyone would be happy, if he did not accept it, the pressure on the troops would become a direct attack, and Sun Kewang would be quickly annihilated.

About ten days ago, Bai Wenxuan entered southern Sichuan from Guizhou, He Tengjiao agreed on a fifteen-day period with the accompanying Ming Dynasty envoy in order to prevent Sun Kewang from delaying time, that is to say, fifteen days can get the answer, decide whether to fight or peace, if there is no news back within fifteen days, then He Tengjiao will no longer wait for the news, and go to war directly.

It was precisely because of the critical moment that He Tengjiao was in a hurry to inspect the barracks.

At that moment, everyone entered a big tent, the soldiers moved the seats, and after He Tengjiao sat down, he said to everyone: "Since Sun Kewang has rejected the conditions of the imperial court's surrender, then let's act according to the will of the king of Chu and start a war!" ”

Sun Kewang did not surrender, which was expected by He Tengjiao, if Sun Kewang was willing to surrender, he would not have gone to Yunnan in the first place.

After Zhang Tongchang sat down, he was going to report the news from the envoy in detail, but he didn't expect He Tengjiao to hear that Sun Kewang did not accept the conditions of the imperial court, and decided to send troops to attack without asking, he couldn't help but stand up and said: "Supervisor, Sun Kewang Sun Ran did not agree to the conditions of the imperial court, but it does not mean that he has no intention of peace talks, he put forward new conditions, asking the imperial court to crown him king, and he accepted all other conditions." ”

Zhang Tongchang said, stood up, and took out a line, possibly Sun Kewang's handwritten letter, from his sleeve, with his conditions.

He Tengjiao saw that Zhang Tongchang was about to hand over the letter, but he hurriedly waved his hand and refused directly: "Sun Thief also wants to be crowned king, he is either mad or deliberately delaying, and the letter will not be read." His Royal Highness the King of Chu has already explained that if Sun Thief does not accept the conditions of the imperial court, we will immediately start a war, and we cannot give him time to communicate with Haoge. ”

Sun Kewang wants to be crowned king, isn't this a joke, how many people in the Ming Dynasty want to be crowned yet, let him be crowned king?

Except for Li Dingguo, the other generals in the tent nodded their heads, obviously supporting He Tengjiao's decision.

If you want to say that a prince, for a thousand miles of land, 100,000 horses, no matter how you say it, it is a good deal, but He Tengjiao has his plans.

This is not because he saw through Sun Kewang's intentions, and saw through that Sun Kewang really wanted to delay time, even if he was sincere, He Tengjiao would not consider it, and he had to mess things up.

If it was another minister who presided over the southwest, he might talk to Sun Kewang again to avoid using swords, but Sun Kewang miscalculated He Tengjiao, and he proposed to be crowned king, which just gave He Tengjiao an excuse.

This is his jealousy, how much credit he has, he has not been crowned king, why should Sun Kewang ask for the king.

The second is that He Tengjiao holds a grudge, after Sun Kewang occupied Yunnan, he repeatedly created friction on the border of Guizhou, and also encroached on several counties of He Tengjiao, creating a lot of trouble for him, and He Tengjiao naturally remembered it in his heart.

Third, because of Sun Kewang's background, he killed too many gentry and offended too many people, coupled with the policies he implemented against the gentry class in Yunnan, the gentry on the side of the Ming Dynasty were extremely disgusted with him, and countless people wanted him to die.

Fourth, He Tengjiao needs credit, now that the southwest army is gathered, the Jin army is not easy to fight, he can only fight Sun Kewang, if Sun Kewang surrenders, he will have no chance to make meritorious contributions.

He Tengjiao announced the war without asking for details, none of the generals below raised objections, after Zhang Tongchang finished speaking, they still nodded in support of He Tengjiao, which shows that for many generals, the same is true, the army also needs military merits, after all, after the title reform, they all have to make more military merits and improve the title, so that the title can be passed on to several more generations, or simply earn a lord, which can be passed on to future generations forever.

In addition to these four points, there is another important reason why He Tengjiao wants to fight with the Western Army so much, that is, the interest groups behind the Chu Party also hope to solve it by force.

In addition to the army, the various businesses in Guangdong and Huguang are also a big help, even the biggest help, because they have mastered a large number of weapons, armor and other military workshops, and if the court does not fight, they will have no orders to receive and no silver to earn.

From raw materials, to production, to government procurement, to equipping the army, there is a powerful vested interest organization, including the military, civil officials and merchants, as well as the big landlords who provide raw materials, and they desperately hope that the war of the imperial court will not be finished.

Zhang Tongchang saw that He Tengjiao decisively refused, so he had to return to his seat and sit down, He Tengjiao saw it, and then said: "If no one has an opinion, then act according to the previous plan, Wang Deren led 30,000 people to guard Chongqing, guarding against the Jin army on the other side, Guangxi side by, Wang Jincai as the mainstay, Liu Wenxiu as the auxiliary, 40,000 people to collect Yunnan, Guizhou side Chen Youlong led 10,000 people to cut off the connection between Yunnan and southern Sichuan, the governor personally led Ma Jinzhong, Wang Guangtai, Li Dingguo a total of 66,000 people, attacked Luzhou, captured Sun Kewang alive. ”

Since the end of the Eastern Sichuan Campaign last year, the Ming army in the southwest has been preparing for war, nearly seven months of preparation, but it is said that it is one of the longest prepared battles of the Ming army, which can almost be compared to the preparations for attacking Jiangnan, the three-way army, 110,000 people to destroy a thief, He Tengjiao is still very confident.

If Sun Kewang knew such a result, he was afraid that he would vomit blood immediately, he miscalculated, He Tengjiao was not an upright official.