Xing, Gao Ze, and Li Benshen took 15,000 soldiers to the Huguang battlefield, but Gao Yuanjue was still forcibly retained by Fang Yuan and handed over to Jinyiwei to curb the ambitions of Gao Jie's department.

Xing's headquarters was the first support army sent by Fang Yuan to Huguang, and then the second support army was the 10,000 train battalion of Bai Guangen and his son, and the target was Li Guo in Henan. Li Guo's cavalry was fierce, and the train battalion could just be restrained.

These two armies, all of whom were born from rogue bandits, used them to fight against Li Zicheng, which is a typical example of using cowards to control cowards. Moreover, it can also cut off their ties with Shandong, which is a plan to kill two birds with one stone.

Next, it was time to send a large army back to help, but there was a problem that plagued Fang Yuan that after he left Shandong, who should be left to preside over Shandong's military affairs.

Shandong was a strategic place to contain the capital and even Liaodong, and Fang Yuan decided to stay in Shandong with at least 50,000 soldiers and horses. This position is very important, and it is also the second theater governor after Gan Hui, and he must be filled by a person with strong military ability and high prestige, otherwise, I am afraid that the sergeant will also be dissatisfied.

Jing Jie, the commander of the Xuanjia Army, is of course the best candidate, but Jing Jie wants to be in charge of the military affairs of the Xuanjia Army, and he must be transferred to the Huguang and Henan battlefields, and he cannot be tied up in the affairs of Shandong. Although Jing Jie could not personally serve as the governor of Shandong, he was most familiar with the generals of the Xuanjia Army and had a more accurate grasp of the army's heart, and his reference was the most important thing.

Fang Yuan summoned Jing Jie and asked him about his candidate for the governor of Shandong.

Jing Jie seemed to have been prepared, and as soon as Fang Yuan asked, he said the candidate in his heart, "Boss, I only have two candidates in my heart, and I ask the boss to decide." One of them is the deputy marshal Chigutai, but this person has a violent temperament and can be competent in marching and fighting, but if he wants to serve as the governor, he may still be lacking. There is also one person who is Zhang Ying, the commander of the infantry battalion, who is calm and moderate, and has the style of a general, and is the best candidate. ”

Jing Jie's thoughts coincide with Fang Yuan, with the performance of Chigutai and Zhang Ying in the battle of Shandong, one is a big ups and downs, first defeated and then won; One is decent, calm and moderate, and the best candidate is actually Zhang Ying.

Fang Yuan groaned, "Then the governor of Shandong is Zhang Ying!" ”

Jing Jie shook his head and said, "Boss, although Zhang Ying is the most suitable candidate, I suggest that Chigutai be appointed!" ”

Seeing that Fang Yuan was listening intently, he continued, "Now the Xuanjia Army is divided into the patriarchal faction headed by Chigutai, and the cavalry battalion and artillery battalion are all from this faction; There is also the Fujian-Guangzhou faction dominated by Gan Hui and Zhang Ying. Gan Hui, the commander of the previous infantry battalion, became the governor of Jiangxi, and the Minguang faction took the lead, and the veteran faction was already dissatisfied and full of resentment. If the governor of Shandong is handed over to the Minguang faction again this time, I'm afraid it won't end well! ”

There are hundreds of people, all kinds of people, and where there are people, there are left, middle and right. The Xuanjia Army cannot be a paradise, and there will inevitably be a struggle for power and interests. At present, there are three factions in the Xuanjia army, one is the veteran faction, and the other is the Fujian-Guangzhou faction.

In fact, there is another faction, Jing Jie deliberately avoided it, that is, the centrists, with the coach Jing Jie, the commander of the logistics battalion Hou Chengzu, and the leader of the drone team Su Hongyu.

As the supreme commander of the military and government, it was absolutely impossible for Fang Yuan to eliminate this kind of factional struggle. What he wants to do is to suppress this factional struggle under the red line that will not affect the combat strength of the Xuanjia Army and the battle situation. Therefore, any method of provoking contradictions is not advisable, and contradictions should be loosened, not blocked, let alone ignited.

Fang Yuan was reminded by Jingjie like this, and he also knew that the previous appointment was too casual and too hasty, and said lightly, "Third child, so be it!" You first go to the army to release the rumor that Zhang Ying wants to be the governor of Shandong, so as to see the after-effects. ”

Fang Yuan's method was to test the army's heart, and then decide on the next strategy, and Jing Jie certainly agreed.

The next day, the news that Zhang Ying was going to appoint the governor of Shandong began to circulate openly in the Xuanjia army. Although Chigutai and Zhang Ying guard Dongchang Mansion and Qingzhou Mansion on the other, they also have pro-soldier eyeliner in Jinan City.

Ten days later, the two got the news from Jinan City.

Chigutai is a fiery temper, and when he heard that Zhang Ying, who was from the Fujian and Guangzhou faction, was going to be the governor of Shandong, he was so angry that his head exploded, and without saying a word, he rushed directly to Jinan City with a hundred personal soldiers, and wanted to meet Fang Yuan to talk about things.

Fang Yuan had expected that he would come to make trouble, so he ordered Jinyiwei to take him into the mansion, but this time, he did not let Jingjie come to watch.

In front of Fang Yuan, Chigutai began to shout, "Regent, this is not fair! ”

Fang Yuan ordered the maid to hand him tea, and asked with a smile, "Chigutai, don't be impatient, if you have something to say, what's unfair?!" ”

Chigutai drank a bowl of tea buffalo and put it on the table with a clattering sound. Of course, this is already Chigutai who didn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of Fang Yuan, if it wasn't for Fang Yuan's presence, he would have smashed the teacup to the ground a long time ago.

Chigutai opened his mouth to complain, and the person who complained was not Zhang Ying, but Jing Jie, "Coach Jing Jie is suppressing the soldiers from our cavalry battalion!" There can be two governors in the infantry battalion, but not one in the cavalry battalion! ”

Fang Yuan took a sip of tea leisurely, still smiling, "It turned out that Zhang Ying was the governor of Shandong, heh!" This is not Jing Jie's idea, it is my proposal, Chigutai, you are coming to me to sue me?! ”

Of course, Chigutai knew that Jing Jie had no power to propose the governor of Shandong at all, and proposing the governor of Shandong could only be Fang Yuan's idea. He deliberately accused Sang of scolding Huai, and by suing Jing Jie, he was actually pouring out his dissatisfaction to Fang Yuan.

Chigutai didn't expect Fang Yuan to directly take all the responsibility on himself, this time it was his turn to be embarrassed, his face turned red, and he shook his hand again and again, "No, Lord Regent, I didn't know, I thought it was Jing Shuai and he ......."

Fang Yuan gently put down the teacup, and said solemnly, "Let's get straight to the point!" Do you think Zhang Ying is not qualified to be the governor of Shandong, who can be competent?! ”

Chigutai lowered his head and hesitated for a while, then raised his head and looked at Fang Yuandao, "Regent, I will fall into this cheek, and I will recommend myself to you, I am willing to be the governor of Shandong!" ”

"Hahahaha!"

Fang Yuan laughed a few times, and in Chigutai's embarrassed expression, he said slowly, "Chigutai, let me ask you, if the soldiers of the capital go south, how are you going to resist?" ”

This is Fang Yuan's interview and inspection of him, Chigutai didn't think about it and said, "Lubei is a horse and Pingchuan, I will lead my troops to snipe in Jinan Mansion." ”

Fang Yuan nodded, and then asked, "What if the Manchu Qing Tartars land from Deng, Lai?!" ”

Chigutai continued to reply, "In the coastal guards, I will build a lookout, and once there is a policeman, I will immediately lead the army to snipe and attack halfway. ”

Fang Yuan nodded again and asked again, "What if the Imperial Court of the Capital and the Manchu Tartars come together?!" ”

Chigutai thought for a while and said, "Zhao Quanzhong and I divided our troops and refused!" ”

Fang Yuan smiled, shook his head and said, "Chigutai, you remember a little!" We and the imperial court are just a civil war, and we can sit down and talk peacefully slowly. Even if Shandong is given to the imperial court, it can be taken back at any time. and the Manchu Qing Dynasty is the enemy of life and death, once Shandong is lost, the young and strong and women will be looted to Liaodong. At any time, you have to beat the Qing Tartars first, got it?! ”

Fang Yuan's earnest persuasion, Chigutai listened to it and was taught again and again, "Follow the instructions of the regent!" ”

He was obedient and asked happily, "Regent, are you ready to make me the governor of Shandong?!" ”

Fang Yuan clicked the letter on the table, handed it to Chigutai, and said with a smile, "This is Zhang Ying's letter requesting not to be the governor of Shandong, and he recommended you to be the governor of Shandong in the letter." ”

Zhang Ying didn't know about the battle between the veteran faction and the Minguang faction in the Xuanjia army, and he knew that he had written to give up the position of governor of Shandong, which was to extinguish the fire for Fang Yuan.

Only then did Chigutai know that he was a gentleman with the heart of a villain, and before he came, Fang Yuan had already decided that he would be the governor of Shandong.

Chigutai half-knelt on the ground in shame, and Chong Fangyuan arched his hand and said, "Regent, I, I ......"

Fang Yuan saw him spitting and spitting, and laughed and helped him up, "Chigutai, we are brothers from birth to death, what else is polite, don't say anything more, Shandong will be handed over to you!" ”

Chigutai was moved to tears, and kowtowed to him again to thank him.