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saw Yuan Chonghuan smile faintly: "What is there to consider about this?" Although the Manchurians are extremely fierce, but today they have suffered this setback, and they should be more restrained, presumably licking their wounds and self-healing, right? ”

"After today?" Lu Xiangsheng asked.

Yuan Chonghuan glanced at him and replied: "It is reported that the main reason for Huang Taiji's entry into the Kou this time is that the drought in eastern Liaodong and the inability of the Manchurians to be self-sufficient, so they entered the customs and plundered. Therefore, presumably after Huang Taiji rested for a while, he would have to plunder everywhere again......"

Yuan Chonghuan didn't finish speaking, but was interrupted by Lu Xiangsheng: "Then Inspector Yuan let the Manchurian Tartars plunder the Quartet?" Xiaguan Xi lived in the prefect of the Daimyo Mansion, and he couldn't see that the people in his jurisdiction were slaughtered by the Tartars. Therefore, it is hoped that the superintendent can make a decision as soon as possible and expel Huang Taiji from the pass. ”

Yuan Chonghuan is a man of his word in Liaodong, he has never been the only one who interrupts others' words, and no one dares to interrupt his words.

Therefore, Yuan Chonghuan could barely hold back the anger in his stomach, and asked rhetorically: "Lord Lu is full of poetry and books, he must have a strategy to break the enemy, right?" It's better to say it, and we can all think about it. ”

Lu Xiangsheng was neither humble nor arrogant, and said in an unusually calm tone: "The lower officials are foolish. Today, the Inspector Banner is victorious, just in time to take advantage of the victory to pursue, and defeat the elite of the Eight Banners in one fell swoop. ”

"Humph! You say it lightly. But it's just a scholar's opinion. I ask you, where is the Eight Banners Elite now? And how to defeat it? After being defeated, how can they see that they will obediently retreat? Yuan Chonghuan asked three questions in a row.

These three questions really made Lu Xiangsheng speechless.

After being silent for a long time, Lu Xiangsheng said: "That's the lower official's thoughtlessness. However, around the capital division, there are all the estates and properties of the elders, scholars, and ministers of the court. Now that these industries are being ravaged by the Manchurian Tatars, the officials of the DPRK and China will inevitably be dissatisfied, and they will be angry with the Yuan Governor's conquest and suppression. In the long run, it is difficult to guarantee that nothing will change in the Sacred Heart......"

Lu Xiangsheng's words are very pertinent and clear.

But although Yuan Chonghuan was also born as a Jinshi, in the process of dealing with those coarse generals in Liaodong for a long time, he has grown into a straight intestine, and has lost some necessary skills to survive in the officialdom of the late Ming Dynasty - such as figuring out the holy will, ushering in the send-off, and flattering the horse.

Therefore, Yuan Chonghuan somehow heard another meaning from Lu Xiangsheng's words, and said with a sneer: "Listen to what you mean, it seems that Lord Lu also has a lot of industries near Jingshi?" It seems that they are also afraid that these properties will be ravaged and robbed by the Manchurian Tatars, right? ”

Anyone who has a bit of blood will feel humiliated and angry when they hear these words.

Unexpectedly, Lu Xiangsheng showed an unusual calmness at this moment.

I only heard him say: "Xiaguan's ancestral home is from Nanzhili Changzhou Mansion, although the family has little money, but they are all in their hometown Yixing, and they have nothing to do with the Manchurian Tatars entering the Kou this time. ”

"Oh? Then Lord Lu is really selfless and loyal to the country! Yuan Chonghuan said, "In this case, then please ask Lord Lu to personally lead the army and go out of the city to visit and investigate, once the main force of the Tartars is identified, I will definitely attack with the whole army, and I will be able to win the victory and drive the Jurchens out of the pass in one fell swoop!" ”

When the generals in the room heard such an order, they all felt a chill in their hearts, and dozens of pairs of eyes hurriedly looked at Lu Xiangsheng's face - they all knew that just by relying on Lu Xiangsheng's 3,000-odd township brave regimental training called the "Tianxiong Army", leaving this Jizhou City to act alone to find the main force of the Eight Banners, that is a sheep into the tiger's mouth, not much different from throwing himself into the net.

Although Lu Xiangsheng is a civilian official, he is not ignorant of military affairs, of course he knows the stakes, but when he says this, he can't stop talking, so he can only bow his hand to Inspector Yuan: "That's good!" The subordinate will obey the general's orders! ”

As he spoke, Lu Xiangsheng turned around and was about to walk outside the house.

This is a big deal for Ji Qingwen.

It turned out that Ji Qingwen saw that although Lu Xiangsheng's temper was tougher, he was not only familiar with government affairs, but also understood military affairs, and was very familiar with the rules of officialdom, so he was the most useful official in the Ming Dynasty. And Lu Xiangsheng is an official from Nanzhili, and Ji Qingwen, now as the weaving admiral stationed in Suzhou Mansion in Nanzhili, can't help but speak.

So Ji Qingwen hurriedly stood up and said to Lu Xiangsheng's back: "Lord Lu, please stay, now that the lights are blind outside, where can I find the main force of the Manchurians?" Even if he finds it, how can he go back and forth to Inspector Yuan? ”

How could Lu Xiangsheng not know the difficulties? It's just that the words were said in a hurry to the awkward point, so I had to agree to it.

However, the ladder handed over by Ji Qingwen was not strong enough, not enough for the arrogant Lu Xiangsheng to get off the bar.

I saw Lu Xiangsheng take a deep look at Ji Qingwen and said, "The kindness of my lord, the lower officials have understood it." It's just that as soon as the military order is issued, you have to follow the law, how can you escape from the battle? What's more, as the saying goes, there must be a road before the car reaches the mountain, as long as the main force of the Eight Banners is found, Lu will climb, and he will climb back to report to Inspector Yuan! ”

At this time, Li Yan interjected again: "Lord Lu's integrity and courage are admired below. It's just that although Lord Lu is not afraid of death, these children and soldiers recruited by your subordinates still have parents, wives and children at home who need to be taken care of. Could it be that Lord Lu can't bear to let them go with you to death? ”

Hearing Li Yan's words, Lu Xiangsheng's face suddenly showed an obvious hesitant expression, and he didn't know how to answer.

Seeing his demeanor, Ji Qingwen knew that he was also a good boss who loved soldiers like a son, so he attached more importance to this person, and said: "In this way, if Lord Lu does not dislike it, then I will ask Inspector Yuan for a favor - let the soldiers under Lord Lu have a good rest for the night, and then I will set off with Lord Lu early tomorrow morning to find the main force of Manchuria." ”

After speaking, Ji Qingwen immediately turned to Yuan Chonghuan, slammed at him to the end, and asked, "I wonder if Inspector Yuan can agree?" ”

Ji Qingwen is a celebrity in front of the emperor, and his face is naturally big, he pleaded respectfully and respectfully, so that Yuan Chonghuan couldn't refuse, and said coldly: "That's okay, let's leave tomorrow if we leave tomorrow!" ”

After saying that, Yuan Chonghuan squeezed out a few words from his mouth: "Lord Ji, you intercede for Lord Lu today, but I don't know who will intercede for you in the future?" With that, he brushed his sleeves and walked away.

When Yuan Chonghuan walked away, the generals in the house surrounded him and persuaded one after another:

"Don't be surprised, Master Ji is this temper, and he will be fine in three or two days......"

"Not really! If the last general dared to confront the Inspector like this, he would have already cut off his head by the Inspector with Shang Fang's sword, how could he still speak here? ”

"Yes, Inspector Yuan has actually given the two adults a lot of face!"

I heard Zu Dashou say again: "Don't panic, adults. Inspector Yuan is angry now, and he can't listen to anyone's words. Tomorrow Inspector Yuan's anger is gone, we will ask the Inspector for mercy, and at that time, for everyone's sake, the Inspector will not be embarrassed for the two adults. ”

…………

However, the face of these generals was still not used after all.

It turned out that when the sky was still bright the next day, a fast horse rode straight into Jizhou City and sent a holy decree to Yuan Chonghuan.

The holy decree did not mention the victory achieved yesterday, that is, on November 15, but scolded Yuan Chonghuan with a scolding face, scolding him for hesitating and fearing the enemy and avoiding battle, so that the emperor Taiji was so arrogant that the whole army was going to Beijing. Yuan Chonghuan was strictly ordered to set off immediately, and to be sure to block Huang Taiji from the Beijing Division, and if there was a situation where the Manchurian Tatars besieged the Beijing Division, he would inevitably be severely punished.

Yuan Chonghuan saw this holy decree, and in the cold winter wax moon, sweat appeared on his forehead, and regardless of the fact that it was not yet time for the soldiers to get up and go out to exercise, he ordered the soldiers of the three armies to get up to eat and prepare for battle.

The reason why this happened has a lot to do with the next battle in Jizhou City yesterday.

It turned out that Huang Taiji thought that the Ming Dynasty only had the Liaodong Iron Cavalry under the command of Yuan Chonghuan to fight, as long as the opponent had just entered the pass to help, and was still very tired, he could gather and annihilate it, then there would be no opponent in the Ming Pass, and he could calmly attack the Beijing Division.

However, in the next battle of Jizhou City, the team of 500 people under the command of Ji Qingwen, who suddenly came out with an unbelievably strong combat effectiveness, had completely destroyed the plan of Huang Taiji to annihilate Yuan Chonghuan's department, and he had to change the plan and think of another strategy.