In the afternoon of the same day, Li Zhen sent Zuo Zongtang, Rong Hong, Fang Su, Zeng Jize, Zeng Jihong, Zuo Xiaowei and other people, and then took Liu Jintang, Chen Yucheng, and the soldiers of the 200 Sharp Knife Battalion to follow Lincoln and Seward on the train to Washington. Back in Washington, it didn't take too long.

Lincoln didn't have time to rest and immediately called a meeting.

White House, Presidential Palace.

In the hall, the lights are brilliant.

At this time, the White House gathered all the major dignitaries of the US Federation. US President Lincoln, Secretary of State Seward, and other important figures from the military and political circles, including the Secretaries of Defense, the Treasury, the Navy, and the Interior, all participated. At the same time, Li Zhen, Liu Jintang, Chen Yucheng and Huang Qiang also attended the meeting.

Compared with Li Zhen and the people he brought, the military and political dignitaries of the US Federation are all over 40 years old, and there is even an old man in his 70s. These people are quite rich in experience and experience. It's just that the people around Li Zhen are all less than 40 years old, and there is even Liu Jintang, a person who is less than 20 years old, which is undoubtedly a great contrast to the major generals of the US Federation.

As a result, when many generals of the US Federation looked at Liu Jintang and Chen Yucheng, they had contempt on their faces and did not take the two in their eyes. Prior to this, Colonel Grant's failure at West Point had been known to many generals in the military circles.

For this, Grant was ridiculed by countless people.

Shame on losing to a child!

In the eyes of these generals, Li Zhen, a man who has experienced a hundred battles, can still be said to be a qualified commander. But the people around Li Zhen don't look like leaders at all, but like scholars who follow Li Zhen.

Li Zhen didn't pay attention to the eyes of these people.

Liu Jintang and Chen Yucheng also smiled and sat quietly.

This indifference surpasses many people.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a little awkward, Lincoln took the lead in breaking the deadlock, waved his hand at Li Zhen, and introduced with a smile: "Gentlemen, let me introduce you to today's guests. This is President Li from China, who has been through a hundred battles and is sure to win every battle, and he has a lot of experience. This time, President Lee was invited to serve as a military adviser to the war and help us with the war in the South. ”

Li Zhen smiled slightly and nodded.

Lincoln waved his hand at Liu Jintang and Chen Yucheng again, and introduced: "These two are Brigadier Liu Jintang and Brigadier Chen Yucheng, they are both battle-hardened veterans, although they are young, they are the best generals under President Li, and they have extremely rich combat experience. ”

"Shogun? Hey, I think it's a teenager! It is small in size. ”

Among the generals, a middle-aged man spoke.

This man is about forty years old, with figure-eight eyebrows, hooked nose, thin lips, and a fierce aura.

His physiognomy has an aggressive citrus look.

Lincoln frowned and said solemnly, "Brigadier General McDowell, please respect the person I invited. The command ability of Brigade Commander Liu and Brigade Commander Chen has been recognized by Colonel Grant, please don't judge people by their appearance. ”

Immediately, Lincoln gave Li Zhengang the middle-aged man.

The man's name was Owen McDowell, a brigadier general, and a graduate of West Point.

Li Zhen suddenly realized why McDowell was thorny everywhere.

The reason for this must be that Liu Jintang and Chen Yucheng lost face at the West Point Military Academy, while McDowell, a West Point student, felt that his face was gloomy. Li Zhen smiled, not angry, and did not express an opinion.

McDowell snorted and turned his head away.

Grant glared at McDowell, changed his words, and asked, "President Lee, the war between the North and the South has begun." At this stage, the southern states are becoming independent, and the situation is very unfavorable for us. What is President Lee's view on this? ”

As soon as he spoke, he immediately brought the topic to the main topic.

Li Zhen smiled and said, "Please Colonel Grant tell me the details of the current situation!" ”

"Good!"

Grant has a lot of respect for Li Zhen and carefully explains the current situation.

It took half an hour for Grant to finish.

Li Zhen already had a thought in his heart, waved his hand and said, "Bring the map!" ”

After a few moments, the attendant brought a map and placed it on the conference table. Li Zhen stood up, stared at the map for a long time, and then said in a deep voice: "I think that although the south is arrogant and well-prepared, but in real comparison, the south is a golden jade and a defeat in it, which looks very powerful, but in fact it is a paper tiger, which can be broken when poked, and cannot pose a substantial threat to the north." ”

McDowell frowned and said, "It's so simple, a bunch of nonsense!" ”

The corners of Li Zhen's mouth hooked up a sneer, and continued: "Compared with the south and the north, the industrial base of the south is very low, most of them are crops, and they must make money by selling tobacco and cotton. At the same time, the industry in the south is underdeveloped, and military equipment is all dependent on purchases, which is not as self-sufficient as the north. I believe that in order to conquer the south, we should take a two-pronged approach, both militarily and economically, in order to achieve the ultimate victory. ”

Lincoln's eyes twinkled, and he nodded repeatedly.

The connoisseur's shot is really extraordinary.

"President Lee, how do you operate the economic and military strategies you mentioned?" An old man in his seventies sitting in the back asked. The old man was sitting upright, his body standing upright, like a pine. His face was resolute, and although his face was already covered with wind and frost, his eyes flashed with wisdom, giving people the feeling of a wise man.

The bearing shown is very extraordinary.

Who is this person?

Li Zhen muttered in his heart, remembering the old man in his heart.

Li Zhen said slowly: "The economic blockade is mainly by sea, mainly aimed at important ports in the south, gaining control of the sea, curbing the export of cotton, tobacco and other goods in the south, and paralyzing the economy of the south. After the blockade of the port, it also forbade the south to seek support from Britain, France and other countries, gradually stifling the economy of the south and weakening the strength of the south. ”

"Militarily, the land battlefield is dominant. The battlefield in the southern slave states was divided into the eastern and western battlefields with the Mississippi River Valley as the dividing line. Troops were dispatched separately to put pressure on the south from the eastern and western battlefields, and gradually occupied the territory of the south. As long as the south is cut in two, the army in the south will be difficult to take care of, and coupled with economic pressure, the south will be defeated. ”

Li Zhenkan said very easily: "With the dual control of economy and military, the south is like a grasshopper after the autumn, and it won't last long, and the final victory must belong to the north." According to the Chinese saying, the war must be about the time, the place, the people, in my opinion, the north can have all of these, depending on how Mr. President and the generals who participated in the war decide? ”

After listening to Li Zhen's words, the old man had a smile on his face and looked very happy.

Lincoln had a bad face and seemed embarrassed.

McDowell smiled and said, "President Lee's idea is very similar to the plan of the former army commander Winfield Scott. It's a pity that according to President Lee's plan, it will take too long to slowly occupy the ports and so on. This plan has already been rejected by Congress, so it is impossible to carry it out. ”

After a pause, McDowell added: "As President Lee said, the North has a strong economic base, a strong industrial advantage, and the support of the people, and since we have so many advantages, why don't we directly attack the seat of government in the South?" After the capture of the southern government, it will win in one fell swoop. ”

Li Zhen ignored McDowell and asked, "Mr. President, who is Your Excellency Scott?" ”

Lincoln pointed to the old man and replied, "He is the former Commander, Lord Scott, who is now retired." Because this time the war was complicated, the Lord Scott was brought in as a staff officer. ”

Li Zhen nodded and nodded in greeting.

McDowell was sharp and said loudly: "His Excellency Scott has made great contributions in the war between the United States and Mexico, and he is the father of the country, but he is old, has lost his sharpness, and has no courage to fight, which is not worth mentioning. ”

Scott sighed lightly.

Li Zhen looked at Scott's expression in his eyes, and his eyes swept over the many generals around him, and found that these generals all had the same expression on their faces, and they all looked at Scott with a look of disdain in their eyes.

Why?

ps: the seventh update, working hard;