Chapter 534: Shandong Military Affairs Must Listen to Me!

"Gentleman, teacher."

In the VIP room behind the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, Zhang Zhun said slowly to Gao Hongtu and Zhang Shenyan.

The light inside the VIP room was a little dark, because the curtains were not completely opened. The faces of Gao Hongtu and Zhang Shenyan were also a little gloomy and a little sad. After receiving the information sent by Ma Yi, Zhang Zhun summoned Gao Hongtu and Zhang Shenyan to discuss, and told the two of them the news that the Tartars might attack.

The two never expected that the Tartars had just entered the Kou last year, and they were going to be in the Kou again this year. Thinking of the losses caused to the Ming Kingdom by the first two Tartars, both of them were heartbroken. Through the previous two invasions, the Tartars greatly strengthened their own strength, and at the same time effectively weakened the power of the Ming Kingdom. The current northern part of the Ming Kingdom has not yet recovered.

Zhang Shenyan snorted heavily in his nostrils, tried to shake his spirits, and said coldly: "Do you really think that I have no one in the Heavenly Empire?" Come as you say, go as you go? ”

Gao Hongtu frowned and said, "There is indeed no one in the Celestial Empire at the moment. The Tartars are indeed said to come and go. If Yuan Chonghuan is still here, the Tartars will be rampant? ”

He is a fanatical Yuan fan, and he is bent on overturning the case for Yuan Chonghuan, as long as Yuan Chonghuan can be mentioned, he will not let it go. In fact, Zhang Zhun did not agree with his statement. When Tartar first entered the Kou, Yuan Chonghuan was also there. Isn't it true that the Tartars can come and go if they want?

Zhang Shenyan subconsciously glanced at Zhang Zhun and said slowly and meaningfully: "Yulin, if the Tartars really enter the Kou, where will the Tiger Ben Army go?" ”

Zhang Zhun said without thinking: "Of course, I will fight with it and fight to the last man!" ”

Zhang Shenyan subconsciously said: "In this case, the old man will repair a letter and explain the stakes to the ministers of the cabinet, and you will lead the army to King Jingqin!" I can't let the Tartars succeed. Today, the only people who can stop the Tartar soldiers are the soldiers of the Tiger Army. ”

Zhang Zhun said with a smile and a smile: "Gong Shan, don't be so naïve, okay?" What's the use of your book? Will the imperial court let me go to King Jingqin? Will they believe your words? ”

Gao Hongtu also shook his head and said: "This is categorically impossible and counterproductive." ”

Zhang Shenyan realized that he was in a hurry for a while, and he didn't think carefully about the powerful relationship before he rushed out. At this moment, the imperial court dared to let Zhang Zhun lead the army to King Qin? Think you didn't die fast enough? Zhang Zhun is nominally the governor of the Houjun Governor's Mansion, but his actual identity is a real thief. The imperial court didn't know how jealous it was of the combat effectiveness of the Tiger Army, and it was easy not to let the Tiger Army get close to the Jingshi, let alone such a thing as King Shangjing Qin.

Speaking of which, today's court is indeed very sad. The Ming State has people, some powerful armies, and some countless heroes. However, none of them were reused by the imperial court. The imperial court was even more wary of them than of the Tartars. For example, the number of troops used by the imperial court to encircle and suppress the rebellious army in Shaanxi was much greater than that of the troops stationed in Liaodong.

In desperation, Zhang Shenyan had no choice but to say: "Even if you can't go to King Qin, you must take precautions to save the countrymen from the upside down." We can't just watch the Tartars enter the Kou, do nothing, watch from the wall, and watch the fire from the other side, right? ”

Zhang Zhun said in a deep voice: "What I can do at the moment is to tell the imperial court that there is such a thing and ask them to beware of themselves." In addition, if possible, I will have people spread the news of the imminent entry of the Tartars in the north, so that the local people will move south as much as possible to reduce the possibility of the local people being slaughtered. Otherwise, even if I wanted to do it, I'm afraid the imperial court wouldn't allow it. ”

Zhang Shenyan could only let out a long sigh.

That's right, all Zhang Zhun can do now is to increase his vigilance and prepare for war with all his might, and at the same time remind the imperial court that he hopes that the imperial court can actively prepare for war and reduce losses. It would be even better if we could receive as many people as possible from the north. In addition, even if Zhang Zhun wants to do it, he has more than enough heart but not enough strength.

It is very necessary to remind the court that there will be Tartars into the court. In the first two times, the imperial court was caught off guard by the Tartars and suffered heavy losses. If the imperial court were to be caught off guard by the Tartars again, the losses might be even heavier. If Shanxi, Beizhili, Shandong and other places are all in ruins, it is absolutely not in line with Zhang Zhun's interests. However, with the current capabilities of the Tiger Army, it is simply impossible to fully occupy these places. You must know that the Tiger Ben Army is currently encircling and suppressing the Wenxiang Sect.

In the end, it is possible to create rumors in the north of the Ming Kingdom, saying that the Tartars are about to enter the Kou, hoping that the local people will move south as soon as possible. This is the only way to preserve the local people. If the people believed these rumors and moved south as soon as possible, they could avoid losses. However, if the local people do not believe in the arrival of the Tartars, they will still be poisoned by the Tartars.

Will the imperial court believe Zhang Zhun's reminder?

Hardly.

The imperial court's scruples about Zhang Zhun are also very deep. Any action of Zhang Zhun is an ulterior motive in the eyes of the imperial court. Especially after Zhang Zhun ignored the content of the edict and brazenly sent troops into Andongwei, the imperial court would not easily believe Zhang Zhun's words. It's not good, the imperial court still thinks it's Zhang Zhun's plan to divert the tiger from the mountain! If you wait until the Tartars come over, the court will believe that the daylily is cold.

The same is true for rumor-mongering. If the local government thinks that the rumors have ulterior motives and prohibits the dissemination, the effect may not be good. It's already October, and it's probably less than two months before the Tartars enter the Kor. If the people in the north of the Ming Kingdom do not move south as soon as possible, they will suffer from the poisonous hands of the Tartars.

Gao Hongtu suddenly said: "Despicable Mountain, Xianzhi is said to have arrived in Shandong, and he will arrive in Fushan City in a few days, so it is better to ask him to convey this matter." Tartar is in the court, Xianzhi will definitely not ignore it, and he will come forward to relay it, which may be able to contribute to this matter. ”

Zhang Shenyan said worriedly: "Others are soft-spoken, and their strength is weak, and the court will not believe it." ”

Gao Hongtu said slowly: "Even so, we must do our best to make the court more vigilant as much as possible." Even if the imperial court did not believe it, it was necessary for the northern government to believe that it would collect the people in the city as much as possible, or allow the people to move south in large numbers. As long as you can keep people, there will always be a chance to make a comeback in the future. ”

Zhang Shenyan said helplessly: "That's the only way." ”

Zhang Zhun groaned and said: "Teacher, Duke of Shan, do you think that if the imperial court is on guard, vigilant, and deploys heavy troops on the nine sides, can it repel the Tartars?" ”

Zhang Shenyan shook his head and said, "It's difficult." ”

Gao Hongtu also shook his head and said, "It's difficult. ”

Zhang Zhun could only be speechless.

If the imperial court knew that the Tartars were coming to attack, but still couldn't stop it, then what was the effect of this reminder? The imperial court's army in Shandong is so wastewood, and the army in Jiubian is also so wastewood, and it is incredible that such a court can still support it.

Zhang Shenyan said slowly: "Of the armies on the nine sides, the most warlike is the Qin army. It's a pity that the Qin army is in the Central Plains and can't be transferred. The Jin army is erosive and has no combat power, and it is useless to come. The strength of the Ji army is insufficient, and it is in vain. Qin Liangyu's white pole soldiers, far water can't save near fire. Only more than 100,000 people in Liaodong still have combat power. However, how dare the imperial court let Liaodong's army leave the Ningjin front? Once the gate of the Jinzhou front line is opened, and the Tartars enter directly from Shanhaiguan, the destruction of the country and the extinction of the species are not far away. ”

Gao Hongtu also had deep worries, and said slowly: "From Datong, Shanxi, to the north of Jizhen, the Great Wall stretches for thousands of miles, and there are dozens of passes in the middle, all of which are breakthroughs for Tartars to enter the Kou. If the Tartars really had more than 50,000 men, they would have to attack in multiple directions, crossing the Great Wall from multiple places and heading south. It is inevitable that the officers and soldiers will be attacked and defeated. The cavalry of the Tartars was fast, and if they were outflanked, the losses of the officers and troops would be even greater. Therefore, the officers and soldiers will inevitably be still cowering within a few points as before. Elsewhere, only temporarily abandoned. ”

"When the Tartars entered the army last year, the soldiers went as far as Baoding Mansion. This time, maybe it will go straight to the edge of the Yellow River. Tartar entered the prison last year and killed Yan Shengdou, the governor of Baoan Prefecture, to set an example. It is expected that if Tartar comes again this year, there will be very few people like Yan Shengdou. If the officers and soldiers have no heart to resist and just want to defend the city and survive, then the Tartar soldiers can go farther. Even, it is not impossible to besiege the Jingshi. ”

After the two finished speaking, they both sighed constantly.

Although the relationship between the Tiger Army and the imperial court was not good, and the hostility between the two sides was very serious, Zhang Zhun and others did not want to see the imperial court being bullied by the Tartars again. In fact, every time the Tartars enter the prison, it is only innocent people who suffer. The magnates of the imperial court are all cowered in the capital division, guarded by three major battalions, and naturally there is no danger, only the people outside the city are affected.

Remind the imperial court that it is necessary to try to avoid the people of the Ming Kingdom from suffering from the poison of the Tartars. But even this small wish may not be fulfilled. If in two months, the people in the north of the Ming Kingdom could not quickly enter the big towns to take refuge, or if they went south to escape, the Tartars would kill them, and they would no longer have a chance to escape.

Zhang Shenyan suddenly said: "Yulin, do you estimate that the Tartars will really enter Shandong?" ”

Zhang Zhun said with certainty: "There is a ninety percent chance." ”

Zhang Shenyan frowned and said, "Is Zhu Dadian the opponent of the Tartars?" ”

Zhang Zhun shook his head, and then fell silent.

Zhu Dadian, of course, is not an opponent of the Tartars. If the cavalry of the Tartars really killed the city of Jinan, Zhu Dadian would only be defeated. If he was strong enough, he might have been captured, he might have died in battle, or he might have committed suicide. But if you are not strong enough, you are likely to become a traitor. The Han people have never lacked heroes, but they have never lacked traitors.

Zhang Shenyan said hopefully: "Yulin, what can be done to prevent the Tartars from entering Shandong?" ”

Zhang Zhun said calmly: "It is necessary to fortify Dezhou, Jinan, and Yanzhou at the same time. ”

Zhang Shenyan frowned and said, "Is it necessary to fortify the three places at the same time?" ”

Zhang Zhun said affirmatively: "The three places must be fortified at the same time, and none of them is indispensable." ”

Zhang Shenyan was speechless.

Fortification in three cities at the same time, with the military strength of Shandong, that is impossible. Even with the addition of the Tiger Army, it is impossible. The Ming army in Shandong was only 50,000 or 60,000 people. Even if you add the soldiers who were temporarily transferred to the guard, and the young people who were temporarily mobilized, it was at most 100,000 people. However, these 100,000 people are definitely not defending the three big cities, and there are still many counties that need to be defended. After the division of forces, it will be very weak.

The mobility of the Tatar cavalry was very strong, and the western part of Shandong, which was mainly a plain area, was conducive to the rapid mobility of the Tatar cavalry. Once the Tartars send a small number of troops to monitor other towns, and then concentrate their main forces to storm a certain big city, this big city will not be able to hold it at all. In other words, the Tartars could take this approach and conquer all the towns one by one. Dezhou, Linqing, Jinan, Jining, Yanzhou and other cities, as long as one is broken by the Tartars, the losses will be very heavy.

If the Tatars really went south to Shandong, the two most dangerous towns were undoubtedly Dezhou and Linqing. Dezhou is the northern gate of Shandong and the first line of defense against the Tartars. Linqing, on the other hand, is a well-known and wealthy town in Shandong, and it is easy to become a target for the Tatars. However, the defense capabilities of the two cities are much worse than those of Jinan City and Yanzhou City. If the Tartars stormed these two towns, the local soldiers and civilians would have no way to resist them.

However, Zhang Shenyan did not give up. He always felt that Zhang Zhun would not be so passive in dealing with the Tartars. If you want to talk about the entire Ming Kingdom, which army has the most psychological advantage over the Tartars, it must be the Tiger Ben Army led by Zhang Zhun. The record created by the Tiger Ben Army in Huang County is beyond the reach of all other Ming ** teams.

Sitting next to Zhang Zhun, Zhang Shenyan never worried that the Tartars would wreak havoc on Laizhou Mansion, let alone rescue the Tartars in Dengzhou City. He estimated that Zhang Zhun must be selling Guanzi, and some secret ideas were not proposed. Zhang Zhun had no reason and could not watch the Tartars wreak havoc on the land of the Central Plains. Therefore, he continued to ask, "Yulin, is there any other way?" ”

Zhang Zhun said noncommittally: "It's okay to stick to Qingzhou City." However, sticking to Qingzhou City is equivalent to giving up Dongchang Mansion, Jinan Mansion, Yanzhou Mansion and other places. ”

Zhang Shenyan suddenly frowned.

The main economically developed areas of Shandong are in Jinan, Dongchang and Yanzhou in the west, especially along the canal. Dezhou, Linqing, Liaocheng, Dongping, Jining and other towns are the richest towns in Shandong. The land on both sides of the canal is also the most fertile land in Shandong. What is the difference between giving up these areas and letting the Tartars run rampant, and giving them away?

Gao Hongtu said tentatively: "If the imperial court can hold the line of Baoding Mansion and Hejian Mansion, and Yulin leads the army to help defend Dezhou or Jinan, maybe Shandong can protect itself." ”

Zhang Shenyan frowned and said: "Beizhili is a horse and Pingchuan, and the Tartars are all cavalry, they come and go freely, how can they prevent it?" You don't know the combat effectiveness of the officers and soldiers. Unless Yulin personally led the army to defend Baoding, there was no hope at all. ”

Unconsciously, he had pinned all his hopes on Zhang Zhun. Again, this is a huge change. When he first served as the prefect of Dengzhou Prefecture, he still had a lot of feelings for the imperial court. Now, his confidence in the imperial court is becoming less and less. The impression of the imperial court is also getting worse and worse. The distance between the two sides is naturally becoming more and more estranged.

Zhang Zhun said with a smile: "Then I can't help it." ”

Zhang Shenyan said suspiciously: "The Tiger Ben Army can really only hold the front line of Qingzhou Mansion? ”

Zhang Zhun nodded and said affirmatively: "The central and southern parts of Qingzhou Mansion are all mountainous areas, and there is no cavalry, only the northern cavalry can pass. If the Tartars who went south wanted to join the Tartars in Dengzhou City, they had to take this road. And Qingzhou City is just on this only road. As long as Qingzhou City is stuck, the Tartars who go south, and the Tartars who go to Dengzhou City, they don't want to have a chance to meet. ”

Zhang Shenyan said hopefully: "That...... Somewhere else, could the offensive line of the Tartar cavalry be jammed? ”

Zhang Zhun shook his head with a smile.

Zhang Shenyan finally couldn't bear it anymore, and said bluntly: "Yulin, if you have any ideas, just say them directly." I, Zhang Congshan, will definitely not hold you back. If you are good for the country and the people, I will definitely support you. ”

Zhang Zhun said slowly: "I do have an immature idea. This idea really needs the support of the Shan Gong. ”

Zhang Shenyan said briskly: "Yulin, you can say it quickly." As long as I can stop the Tartars from wreaking havoc and prevent the people from suffering from the poisonous hands of the Tartars, I can do it even if I go to the soup and the fire. ”

Zhang Zhun nodded lightly and said slowly: "The contempt of the mountain is serious. My idea is very simple, since the Tartar wants to enter the Kou, we will let him enter the Kou. Since the Tartar is coming to Shandong, we will let him come to Shandong. Fighting on our doorstep, we always have to take advantage. ”

Zhang Shenyan said suspiciously: "Let the Tartars come to Shandong?" Take advantage of it? What do you mean? ”

Zhang Zhun said softly: "I hope that the imperial court will appoint me to preside over the military affairs of Shandong." I will set up enough battlefields in Shandong to annihilate the Tartars on the territory of Shandong. The more the Tartars come, the more they die. ”

Zhang Shenyan's eyes sank slightly, and he frowned and said, "Yulin, at this time, you are still thinking about expanding your power and territory, is it a bit frivolous?" The Tartar atrocities, the people and gods are angry, even if you don't preside over the military affairs of Shandong, you must fight against the Tartars! ”

Zhang Zhun said slowly: "No! To effectively annihilate the Tartars, Shandong's military affairs must listen to me! If you think there is a better way, please bring it up. The Tartars are in the Kou, and I have no ability to defend the North Zhili, which is too far away from me. However, I have the ability to make the Tartars unable to please in Shandong. The premise is that Shandong's military affairs must be under my command. Anyone who doesn't obey the order will have his head cut off on the spot. ”

Zhang Shenyan shook his head and said: "This is impossible, the court will definitely not agree." ”

Zhang Zhun said lightly: "If you want to keep Shandong, Zhu Dadian is not able to catch it, if Gong Shangong is willing to watch millions of people being poisoned by the Tartars, I will say nothing." If the Duke of Shan thinks that I am competent, I will ask for a letter to be sent to Empress Yi'an to clarify the matter. ”