On July 5, Zhu Youzhen arrived in Zhangjiakou, where he received a message from Yuan Chonghuan that Guiyingcha was lobbying Yuan Chonghuan in Fengzhen to support Ezhe to take over the position of Great Khan, and that Gunchuk Taiji had also sent an envoy in the hope that the Ming Dynasty would support Yuan Tutaiji to become the regent Khan of the Chahar Ministry.

Yuan Chonghuan was obviously stunned by this sudden happiness, he obviously didn't expect that both sides of the battle in the Naturalization City had chosen to move closer to the Ming Dynasty. As a result, he was a little hesitant and didn't know who he should choose who was more suitable for the interests of the Ming Dynasty.

After hearing the news of the Later Jin army's march towards naturalization, Yuan Chonghuan wisely handed over the choice to the emperor. After Zhu Youzhen met with the military and political chief who had arrived from Xuanfu, he turned to take the night train from Zhangjiakou to Datong. After many technical transformations, the speed of passenger cars of the railway has reached 12-15 kilometers per hour, and a batch of horses is replaced every 80 kilometers.

So at noon the next day, when the rickety carriage came to a standstill, Zhu Youzhen found that he had arrived outside the north gate of Datong. He had no desire to enter the city, but after summoning the military and political dignitaries in Datong City in the station and enjoying a meal of local Datong food, he ordered his special train to turn around and go to Fengzhen.

Before dark, Chongzhen's special train arrived at Fengzhen Station. On the platform of Fengzhen Station, Yuan Chonghuan, Cao Wenzhao, Cao Bianjiao, Zuo Guangxian and others who got the news were already waiting here to welcome the arrival of the emperor.

After seeing Chongzhen get out of the carriage, Yuan Chonghuan wanted to step forward to explain to the emperor the latest news from the Naturalization City, but Chongzhen stopped him and said: "No, don't tell me about the changes in the Naturalization City first, I want to know if the railway extending from Fengzhen to Jining Haizi has started now?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan looked back at his subordinates behind him, and then beckoned: "Captain Shao, about the construction of the railway, you come over and report to Your Majesty." ”

A young officer at the end of the queue immediately trotted forward and reported to Chongzhen about the preparations for the construction of the railway from Fengzhen to Jining Haizi, and finally he concluded truthfully: "... Judging from the current material preparations, it is unlikely that the railway will be built in ten days, at least thirteen or fourteen days. As for the construction of the double line, if the rails and other materials cannot be sent up from the rear, then I am afraid that the completion of the double line is also far away. ”

After hearing the captain's report, Yuan Chonghuan was about to say something, but Zhu Youzhen had already opened his mouth to ask him, "Captain?" What cohort are you in the Army Military Academy? ”

The young officer replied with some restraint: "Shao Ningchen, the eighth logistics scientist of the army officer, Your Majesty." ”

Zhu Youzhen thought for a moment and then continued to ask, "What do you think you need to complete the double-track construction of this railway within the time limit I require?" ”

Shao Ningchen was silent for a moment before saying: "Unless Your Majesty can give me the power of railway dispatching in Shanxi-Inner Mongolia, as well as the power of planned production of Shanxi's iron and steel, coal industry and mines, and the power of human resource management in Fengzhen and Datong." Then students can complete the construction of the single-track railway between Fengzhen and Jiningbao in about 11 days, and the double-track construction within 30 days. ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded at him and said, "Okay, Captain, now you have these powers." I now appoint you as the logistics director of the base camp, and I hope that you will set up the logistics office as soon as possible, and we are about to fight a big battle here in Jining Haizi, and this railway will play a decisive role in the victory or defeat of this war. ”

Yuan Chonghuan on the side suddenly said with some surprise: "Base camp? Your Majesty, is this too sudden..."

After Zhu Youzhen glanced at Yuan Chonghuan and the surrounding officers, he said with a serious face: "No, this is not sudden. We're going to have a fight soon.

Now in the name of the Ming Emperor, I have announced the establishment of a wartime base camp in Fengzhen, with Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Fengda, as the chief of staff of the base camp, Cao Wenzhao, the governor of the capital, as the deputy chief of staff, and Captain Shao Ningchen as the logistics staff and logistics director of the base camp.

I've been on the road for seven or eight days, and now I'm going to find a place to wash up. I'll give you three hours to form the base camp staff. When I'm done washing, I'd like to see all the members of the base camp staff standing in front of me..."

Looking at Chongzhen, who was leaving, Yuan Chonghuan could only discuss with Cao Wenzhao and other subordinates around him how to prepare for the organization of this wartime base camp. In fact, the emperor's request was not excessive, as a border garrison area, there was a staff department under the governor's palace and the governor's office, as long as the two sides merged in accordance with the regulations formulated by the general staff, there was an organizational system for managing the military and civil affairs of the garrison area.

After taking a hot bath to relax his mind and body, Zhu Youzhen found that Yuan Chonghuan's efficiency was still good, and the staff headquarters of the base camp he requested had been basically completed.

The first thing discussed in the newly formed General Staff Headquarters was whether to intercept Houjin's army in the area north of Jining Haizi and south of Daqingshan in the east-west direction proposed by the emperor.

Officials from the governor's palace headed by Yuan Chonghuan believed that they should use the Jining Fort that had been built on the west side of Jining Haizi as the core position to resist the Later Jin army. There are mountains in the west, wide Haizi in the east, and there are only about ten kilometers of plains and hills between the mountains and rivers, which can be said to be more favorable to the defense of the Ming army.

However, the young officers led by Cao Bianjiao opposed this conservative view, and Cao Bianjiao pointed to the map and explained to the emperor: "We have fortified the area of Jining Fort, and we can't block the Hongshan Pass, the northeast main road from Houjin to Guihua City. The Houjin army only needs to send a partial division to confront our army, and the main force can enter the Hongshan Pass from the east road north of our army's defense line and directly rush to Guihua City.

If, as Your Majesty said before, the main purpose of Houjin's dispatch this time is to naturalize the Chahar Department in the city, then there is no need for Houjin to attack the front line of Jining Fort, which is heavily defended by our army, then what's the point of us fortifying here?

Daqing Mountain spreads from the north of Guihua City to the north of Jining Haizi, which is really the best barrier to resist the attack of a strong enemy in the north. Although there are many north-south passages in the mountains, a small number of troops can block the mountain passes, which can prevent the enemy from moving south.

And only the valley connecting the Naturalization City and the plains and hills around Jining Haizi is flat and spacious and difficult to defend, which is the main road that we must block for the Naturalization City.

To the north of Jining Haizi, this basin surrounded by mountains on three sides is about 30 kilometers long from north to south and about 40 kilometers wide from east to west. The basin is flat with only a few low hills, and there are no large forests to block the view, except for the Ulanqab River, which flows north-south in the center, divides the basin in two.

The Ulanqab River flows through Uhuketu, which is the center of the entire basin. Whether it is to go west to Guihua City, to the south to Jining Fort and Fengzhen, or to the northeast out of the front mountain to the back mountain area, it is inevitable to pass through this place. Our army should be stationed in Wuhu Ketu and establish a large camp and defensive line, so as to force the Houjin army to take the initiative to attack our army, otherwise it will be difficult for them to pass through here..."

After listening to the opinions of both sides, Zhu Youzhen made up his mind to establish a main position in Wuhu Ketu, with Jining Fort as a logistics base. After determining this first thing, the next step is to decide on the plan for the allocation of supplies and the requisition of those troops to participate in the war.

The Sixth Field Army sitting in Fengzhen and Datong was naturally the main force of this operation, followed by the 1st, 7th, 8th, and 9th Cavalry Divisions and the First Guards Division, and then the 19 Mongolian Banner Local Self-Defense Forces that were incorporated by the Ming Dynasty, of which the Eight Banners Self-Defense Army was incorporated into the Chengde Theater, and the remaining 11 Banner Self-Defense Army was incorporated into Fengzhen, plus the 7 immigrant self-defense forces outside the Guan, the mobilized force reached 37,000 people, and there were about 20,000 migrant workers and local garrison troops responsible for logistics and construction in Fengzhen and Datong areas.

This number of troops is already comparable to that of the Houjin army with 40,000 or 50,000 horses, but Zhu Youzhen is not satisfied with this. It was only at the end of the meeting that he formally asked for detailed information about the city of Naturalization.

The news sent back by the envoys sent by Gunchuktaiji, Gui Yingcha and Liu Jingting finally gave Chongzhen a more comprehensive understanding of the current situation in the Naturalization City.

Although everyone at the meeting hoped that Chongzhen would make a decision to choose one side, so that the chaos in the Naturalization City could end as soon as possible, so that the Chahar Department could help their side.

But Chongzhen didn't want to make this decision by himself, because now both sides have expressed their intention to take refuge in Daming, no matter which side he chooses, the other side will turn hostile to Daming, and even flee to Houjin's side. Therefore, after saying that he needed time to think about it, he ended the first military meeting after the formation of the base camp.

At dinner, Zhu Youzhen invited Gui Yingcha to have dinner with him, and Gui Yingcha, who had not received a reply from Yuan Chonghuan for a long time, couldn't help but complain to him when he saw the emperor.

After listening to Gui Yingcha's complaint very patiently, Zhu Youzhen opened his mouth and said to him: "I have already understood, what Su Tai Fujin and you mean.

Lin Dan Khan formed an alliance with me and Qiuketu Khan in Zhangjiakou, and I naturally couldn't watch his bloodline being bullied. It's just that now the Houjin army is pressing, Lin Dan Khan's whereabouts are unknown, and the Chahar Department is still fighting for the Khan's position, do you think this is appropriate?

In other words, whether it is Ezhe or Gutu Taiji who have ascended to the throne of Khan, will they be able to ensure that there will be no internal division in the Chahar Ministry? ”

Gui Yingcha was silent for a moment and then said, "If there is His Majesty's support, the minister can still guarantee that a large number of people will support Ezhe to become the Great Khan." The minister can also assure His Majesty on behalf of Sutai Fujin that after Ezhe inherits the throne, he will present His Majesty with the jade seal of the Great Yuan, and from then on, all the Mongolian tribes will be completely subjugated in front of His Majesty. ”

If Zhu Youzhen was a person of this era, he might have been moved by Gui Yingcha's words, but for Zhu Youzhen, the soul of later generations, Dayuan's heirloom jade seal is just a noble cultural relic. In the hands of those who have strength, this jade seal can naturally exert extraordinary effectiveness; But in the hands of those who have no strength, it is nothing but a stone. Otherwise, Lin Dan Khan would have been able to unify the southern and northern parts of Mo long ago.

Zhu Youzhen shook his head and said: "I swore a blood alliance with Lin Dan Khan, so naturally I will not take advantage of the danger of others to seize the jade seal in the hands of orphans and widows. For the Ming Dynasty, a Chahar ministry that has appeal to the Mongolian tribes and is internally united is better than a dead thing.

I also believe that it is not in line with my values to kill Tu Taiji and Uncle and Nephew Ezhe, nor is it in line with my values. What I mean by this is that the decision to succeed the Chahar Khan should not be based on strength, but on who is more favorable to the interests of the Chahar people and the Mongols, as well as to the interests of China.

Of course, no matter who ascends to the position of Great Khan, the interests of Sutai Fujin and Ezhe will be protected by me..."

Regarding Chongzhen's words, although Gui Yingcha complained a little in his heart, he was still relieved in his heart. As a Mongol, he naturally did not want the Mongol Yuan Empire to end. Even if the name of this empire lasted a little longer, he felt that it was a good thing.

Since the emperor wanted to go to Guihua City in person to solve the internal strife for the Chahar Department, Gui Yingcha naturally supported it. He also hopes that the Chahar Ministry can be reunited, which is a good thing for the Chahar Ministry's Taiji and Nayan.

After convincing Gui Yingcha, Chongzhen summoned an envoy from Gunchuktaiji, who simply told him that he would rush to the Naturalization City in the near future, hoping that when he arrived in the Naturalization City, the city would be at peace.

At noon on July 7, Zhu Youzhen ordered the Eighth Cavalry Division led by Cao Bianjiao to escort himself and Guiyingcha to Guihua City. On the afternoon of 10 July, Zhu Youzhen set up camp outside the south gate of Naturalization City. That night, the Guihua City's Gantu Taiji, Gunchuk Taiji, and the Nayan of the Chahar Department all went out of the city to meet Chongzhen and brought a large amount of fresh meat.