On the morning of the second day of the Diaoyutai banquet, Zhu Youzhen listened to the plan for the Liaoning-Jizhou military exercise planned by the General Staff Headquarters in the Wuying Palace. It was at his request that this military exercise appeared as a military deterrent to Houjin.

Although it is said to be a military exercise, it is divided into two parts: the Ningjin regional defense operation exercise and the Jizhou Guanwai defense combat exercise. The former will mobilize 45,000 combat troops, while the latter will mobilize nearly 20,000 troops, with a budget of between 2.5 million and 3 million yuan for the entire exercise.

This cost seems quite staggering, but compared to the cost of the defense of Jizhou that happened last year, it only accounts for a quarter. This military exercise can scare Houjin from starting a war, which is a lot of cost for Daming, and even if it fails to scare Houjin, the army that has been mobilized can be regarded as preparing for war in advance.

After listening to Mao Yuanyi's report on behalf of the General Staff, Zhu Youzhen thought for a moment before nodding and saying: "I don't think there is anything wrong with the plan drawn up by the General Staff, but I hope that the General Staff will make such a plan, and once an emergency is encountered during the exercise, this exercise will be immediately transformed into real combat preparations, are you sure about this?" ”

Mao Yuanyi immediately said with a package ticket: "Back to Your Majesty, this situation has been considered by the General Staff. After all, one of the goals of our plan to design this exercise was to prevent a surprise attack by the Houjin army.

According to the comprehensive assessment of our General Staff Headquarters, if Houjin wants to attack our Ming Dynasty this time, the primary target will inevitably be the Jinzhou-Songshan-Ningyuan line, followed by the Jinzhou-Dalian-Lushun line. An attack from other directions is unlikely, and even if there is, it will only be a partial division. ”

Zhu Youzhen asked calmly, "Why?" On what basis did the General Staff come to this conclusion? ”

Mao Yuanyi replied without hesitation: "The General Staff has come to the conclusion based on the comprehensive existing intelligence, although Houjin's agricultural harvest this autumn is enough to support Houjin to launch a long-distance operation of the same scale as last year.

However, the current Great Khan of the Later Jin Dynasty, Huang Taiji, has just disposed of Erbeile Amin, and the original stable model of the four major Baylor in the Later Jin country has been destroyed. Until a new political balance was reached in the post-Jin dynasty, Huang Taiji, as the Great Khan of the Later Jin, could not leave Shenyang too far, otherwise there was a possibility of a coup d'état in Shenyang.

And it is impossible for him to hand over Houjin's army to others to lead the army, and he sits in Shenyang, which is undoubtedly handing over his net worth and life to the leader of the army. Therefore, if Huang Taiji must wage war against our Ming Dynasty, he must attack Ningjin and Jinzhou-Dalian, which are closer to Shenyang. Attacking both places, he was able to take into account the command of the army and the situation in Shenyang.

Compared with the deserted Jinzhou-Dalian, only by attacking Jinzhou and Ningyuan could Houjin obtain sufficient compensation for the benefits of the war. Therefore, we believe that if the Houjin army really wants to attack our Ming Dynasty this year, Jinzhou and Ningyuan are the first choice. ”

Zhu Youzhen thought for a long time before he spoke: "I agree to this military exercise plan, but I would like to add that the Jinzhou-Dalian-Lushun fortifications are not fully formed after all, and when the coastal waters freeze in winter, this area will become an isolated island. Therefore, I ask you to supplement the defense plan for the area, first of all, the non-military personnel in the area to withdraw to the Terrai area before the freeze; secondly, the replenishment of ammunition, food, and medicine in the region should be completed before the end of autumn, and more than one percent should be prepared; Finally, set up a defensive retreat plan, when the situation is unfavorable, you can abandon Jinzhou and Dalian, but you must defend Lushun to the death..."

Although Chongzhen's request was a bit conservative, there were not many changes to the entire military exercise plan, so no one raised any objections.

Between Mao Yuanyi and Chongzhen's questions and answers, Sun Chengzong, who was sitting on Chongzhen's left hand, couldn't help but sigh a little when he listened. If he hadn't personally listened to how these staff officers summed up the contents of the report, he really couldn't have imagined that this group of young people, who didn't look very outstanding two or three years ago, had grown to such a point.

Before the establishment of the General Staff Headquarters, Sun Chengzong never felt that a group of middle- and lower-class military attachés from the army would be able to complete such a perfect military exercise plan and judge a realistic offensive direction from the enemy's standpoint. This should have been a talent that only the disciples of the generals and the talented scholars had, and perhaps even they might not be able to deduce so meticulous and outstanding, which should have been close to the situation of a famous general who knows himself and his opponent.

In the past, Sun Chengzong was already regarded by the officials of the DPRK and China as one of the few ministers who knew the army, but Sun Chengzong also had no confidence in facing the Houjin that day, so he could only overhaul the fortress, fortify everywhere, reorganize the army, and then recapture the lost land outside the border step by step.

Sun Chengzong knew that the Ming army and the Houjin army could not fight a field battle, and he did not know the direction of the Houjin's attack, so he could only take fortifications everywhere, counting on the Houjin to start a battle to capture the city with himself, and use the Ming Dynasty's almost unlimited resources and population to consume the other party.

Today, after the establishment of the General Staff, Sun Chengzong naturally knows how stupid this strategy is. But even such a stupid strategy was supported by most officials in the DPRK and China at the beginning, and the thought of this made him blush.

In today's General Staff, any staff officer can criticize this strategy of blind defense. They can also give an idea of how to build defenses, where to build them, and how to set up a suitable line of defense through the material conditions and strategic intentions of the adversary.

In Sun Chengzong's view, this kind of overall view is already very shocking. Not to mention that these staff officers are still growing up with various departments under the leadership of the General Staff, Sun Chengzong is now a little difficult to imagine what kind of existence the General Staff will become, and what will they use their strength after eliminating the external enemy of Houjin.

At the moment when Sun Chengzong was slightly distracted, Zhu Youzhen had already stopped asking and answering questions with Mao Yuanyi, and he said with satisfaction: "Regarding the content of the military exercise, it is roughly decided like this. As for the time when the exercise began, on 15 September, the Ningjin regional defense combat exercise began, which was presided over by General Chief Sun and Wang Bingbu. On September 20th, the exercise in the Jizhou area began, and I personally presided over it, and I also inspected the newly built castle and road facilities outside the Guanwai by the way.

That's all for the report on the military exercises, but now let's talk about it, do you have a clue about the plan to disclose the contents of the military exercise plan to the Houjin side? ”

Mao Yuanyi hadn't reacted yet, Sun Chengzong had already been frightened, he subconsciously looked at the emperor and asked, "Reveal the military exercise plan to Houjin?" What does this mean, Your Majesty? ”

Zhu Youzhen looked into his eyes and replied as a matter of course: "Of course, it must be revealed to Houjin, if Houjin does not understand the scale and purpose of this military exercise, and they make a wrong judgment, they still want to wage war against us, then wouldn't it lose the significance of holding this exercise?" Of course, what we disclose to Houjin must be what we want them to know, not the whole of the whole plan. ”

Chongzhen's explanation finally relieved the staff officers in the conference room, and Sun Chengzong also replied with relief: "Then let Mao Yuanyi compile a reduced version of this plan again, but in what way to disclose the content of the plan to the Houjin side, the General Staff does not seem to have such a channel, did Your Majesty lend us the channel of Jinyiwei for use?" ”

Zhu Youzhen thought for a while and said: "If this is the case, then the Sixth Division now set up by the General Staff Department can share and cooperate with Jinyiwei and the Social Investigation Department in this regard. This time, I will order the Jinyi Guard and the Social Investigation Department to cooperate with you. ”

Mao Yuanyi was suddenly happy in his heart, and without waiting for Sun Chengzong to speak, he interjected: "If you can get the cooperation of Jinyiwei and the Social Investigation Department, the task assigned by Your Majesty will definitely be completed by the General Staff Department, and the minister will personally be responsible for this matter." ”

Zhu Youzhen didn't respond to Mao Yuanyi immediately, he turned his head to look at Sun Chengzong on the side, and gave a hint of inquiry with his eyes, Sun Chengzong was silent for a moment, and then said out loud: "Zhisheng, you have so many things to deal with now, how can you distract him?"

The sixth place was originally Li Hongyuan in charge, and this matter should be handled by him. Staff Officer Li, do you have the confidence to complete this task? ”

Li Hongyuan, who had been silent, immediately got up and replied: "Back to Your Majesty, the Chief Minister, the minister promises to complete the task." ”

Seeing this situation, Mao Yuanyi could only sit down silently. When Zhu Youzhen was about to dismiss the meeting, Sun Chengzong seemed to remember something and asked him: "Your Majesty, since the exercise plan has been decided, the minister has a question he wants to ask His Majesty, that is, where should the funds for this exercise come from?" ”

Zhu Youzhen pondered for a moment before he spoke: "On the side of the Prime Minister's Yamen, I have already greeted Feng Quan, and he will transfer 1.5 million yuan to the account of the General Staff.

The remaining 1.5 million yuan, I and the household department Guo Shangshu met again, and the household department allocated no less than 750,000 yuan, and the rest was paid from the palace. If the military exercise escalates into war, the household department will use the salt tax as collateral to urgently raise special funds of not less than 5 million yuan from the three banks..."

Chongzhen's arrangement of the source of funds made Sun Chengzong let go of his last worries. Zhu Youzhen got up to end the meeting, and after he left the Wuying Palace, he summoned Tian Guozhang. This summoning is, first, to affirm the recognition of the directors of Sihai Trading Company for the bottom line of economic interests in Houjin; The second is to appoint Tian Guozhang to Shenyang for a series of negotiations.

Although this negotiation is only related to the business of Houjin of Sihai Trading Company on the surface, it actually involves whether Houjin and Daming have completely broken up, so Chongzhen has not agreed to the negotiator recommended by Sihai Trading Company.

After Tian Hongyu came out of the palace and got into his own carriage, although he kept a straight face, his heart was full of joy and worry. In his view, although the negotiations are risky, there is also a glimmer of opportunity. If he can gain the emperor's trust through his abilities, who says he can't go from being the emperor's father-in-law to the grandfather of the next emperor?