In the study hall of the Taisun Mansion. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Hearing the news that the Tatars attacked the Hetao and defeated Baoyin, Zhu Zhanji just moved slightly, and said in a flat tone: "Now the Zhenguo Gong should be in a hurry, right?" ”

"Hehe, I haven't seen him express his position in front of the emperor, but I think I should be in a hurry." Yang Shiqi showed a clear smile and said: "He is more embarrassed in this matter, even if he wants to send troops to Hetao, he has to fake the mouth of others." ”

"Hmm." Zhu Zhanji responded and asked, "What does the bachelor think?" ”

"In the humble opinion of the following officials, this soldier must be released." Yang Shiqi obviously had a plan, and said slowly: "The Tatars have developed too fast in recent years, if they are allowed to get the Hetao again, they will have the ability to unify the eastern and western Mongolian tribes." At that time, I will be as bright as a man's back, and I am afraid it will be even more difficult to deal with them! ”

"That's the reason," Zhu Zhanji looked at Yang Shiqi with deep eyes and said, "Then the bachelor thinks, who will be the commander?" ”

"Zhen Guogong." Yang Shiqi was stunned word by word.

"Wang Xian?" Zhu Zhanji frowned and said: "He is already too powerful, if he is allowed to lead the army to the expedition and make a meritorious feat of defeating the Mongols, should the court give him the title of prince and add nine tins?" ”

"His Royal Highness is very worried," Yang Shiqi's expression was still flat, and he said softly to Zhu Zhanji: "But the emperor's dragon body will fall at any time......"

"This ......" Zhu Zhanji was first startled when he heard this, the light in his eyes was fleeting, and then he fell into a long silence.

Forbidden City, in the imperial hall of the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Gaochi and Wang Xian, the two monarchs and ministers, were sitting opposite each other. Compared with three years ago, Emperor Hongxi was much older, his face looked dark, his breath was weak, and his right hand couldn't help but tremble slightly...... In the past three years, Emperor Hongxi has been diligent in listening to the government, eating and closing, which can be described as a daily opportunity. This is naturally a great damage to the already sick and weak dragon body, and as a result, the emperor suffered two strokes in three years, although he recovered each time, but it was inevitable that he would leave sequelae.

In addition to the fact that his body began to disobey the call, what is more serious is that the emperor also has some problems with his memory and thinking, sometimes he can't remember the name of the minister, and sometimes the will issued is inconsistent.

But the emperor's health is naturally the top secret of the empire, and so far, the only people who know Zhu Gaochi's true condition are Wang Xian, cabinet scholars, and close eunuchs, a total of less than ten people.

Wang Xian didn't see much change, except that his bearing was more calm and his eyes were calmer, his face was the same as three years ago. But this is also normal, after all, he is the same as Zhu Zhanji, he is at his best age.

"Zhongde, you didn't express your position on the matter of Hetao before, but now you can talk about it, right?" Zhu Gaochi coughed twice and asked Wang Xiandao.

"Back to the emperor, the minister thinks that the Hetao will be saved." Wang Xian said in a deep voice: "Once the Hetao is lost, the strength of the Tatars will be greatly enhanced. What's more serious is that the Great Wall of Datong and Xuanhua will become the front line, less than 100 miles away from the capital, and my Ming Jingshi will be under the threat of Tatar iron cavalry, and the Ming Dynasty will never have peace! ”

"Yes." Zhu Gaochi nodded approvingly, and sighed: "When my father moved the capital to Beijing, I was very opposed to it, and I was worried about this situation. ”

"The first emperor wanted to use Beijing as a base camp for the northward advance, and naturally the closer to the front line, the better." Wang Xian nodded, and continued to say in a deep voice: "Since the national capital is set in Beijing, we must replace defense with attack, and we must not lose the Hetao!" ”

"Hey......" Zhu Gaochi sighed again, and then fell silent with a blank expression. Wang Xian knew that the emperor was having a thinking disorder again, so he had to wait for him to come back to his senses.

After a while, Zhu Gaochi's gaze refocused, but instead of falling on Wang Xian, he threw himself into the deep void, as if saying to himself: "It is urgent to return to Nanjing." ”

When Wang Xian heard this, he couldn't help but sigh secretly, saying in his heart that the emperor had already made the idea of returning the capital stunned. In fact, as soon as Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, he had the idea of returning the capital to Nanjing, but because the cost of moving the capital once was more than 10 million, and the imperial court at that time could not afford it at all. In addition, there are more imminent things that need to be solved urgently, so they have to be suppressed.

In the following years, the emperor wanted to mention the matter several times, but was persuaded by the cabinet scholars to make a preliminary decision and could not afford to toss again. However, as the emperor's dragon body deteriorated, especially after the two strokes, this thought had become more and more intense, and it was impossible to suppress it.

Regarding the return of the capital to Nanjing, Wang Xian and the crown prince agreed that they did not want to move the capital to Beijing. But now, his attitude has changed......

Seeing that the emperor brought up the old matter again, Wang Xian had no choice but to cough lightly and remind: "Your Majesty, isn't moving the capital at this time to boost the arrogance of the Mongols?" The whole North will be in crisis. ”

"Hey, I'm just talking casually......" Zhu Gaochi came back to his senses and smiled self-deprecatingly: "I'm just talking casually, you don't have to take it to heart." As he spoke, he looked at Wang Xian and hesitated, "Where are you going?" ”

"The emperor just asked the ministers if they wanted to save the Hetao." Wang Xian said softly: "For the ministers to return to the emperor, the Hetao will be saved." ”

"Well......" Zhu Gaochi nodded and said: "I also mean this, the Hetao will be saved, and in the first battle of the Hongxi Dynasty, Xu Sheng must not be defeated." ”

"Yes." Wang Xian agrees, once this battle is lost, the authority that the emperor has easily established will collapse, and those princes and nobles whose interests have been damaged in the reform will inevitably take the opportunity to fight back and smash the situation of Hongxi's reform to a pulp!

"So I don't worry about others going," Zhu Gaochi looked at Wang Xian deeply and said, "I can only let you lead the army." ”

"This ......" Wang Xian pondered for a while, and then accepted the emperor's appointment and said, "Obey the order of the ministers." ”

"Good!" Zhu Gaochi didn't expect Wang Xian to accept it so happily, and thought that it would take a lot of words to persuade him to accept this errand...... After all, with Wang Xian's current status and situation, it is the most beneficial choice to seek merit but no fault. The emperor couldn't help but laugh and said, "It seems that you take that confidante very seriously." ”

"The emperor laughed." Wang Xian said with a straight face: "The ministers are willing to lead their troops to the Hetao, not for personal interests, but purely for the sake of the country's society." ”

"Huh...... It's me who lost my words. Zhu Gaochi smiled and waved his hand and said, "I'm like this now, sometimes I don't speak in a very good tone, don't take it to heart." ”

"The minister is terrified." Wang Xian lowered his head and said softly.

"How many troops do you expect to need?" Zhu Gaochi coughed suddenly and rapidly, the gray color on his face became more and more obvious, and the eunuch on the side hurriedly served the emperor a decoction. The emperor drank a few sips before suppressing his cough, rinsed his mouth with sugar water, and wiped his mouth with a white towel.

"Your Majesty, why don't you discuss it another day?" After the emperor calmed down, Wang Xian said softly.

"No need, the military doesn't wait for anyone." Zhu Gaochi waved his hand and returned to the topic: "How many troops do you need?" ”

"The more the army, the better." Wang Xian replied in a deep voice: "In all the Northern Expeditions of the Ming Dynasty, none of them had less than 100,000 troops. This time is the same, more than 100,000 riders can be invincible. ”

"100,000, too much...... Zhu Gaochi frowned: "Although the treasury has accumulated some money in recent years, there are more places to use money, and you can't run out of money in one battle." Zhu Gaochi knew the state of the treasury well, and knew very well that although the Ming Dynasty could afford an expedition of 100,000 troops, no one could guarantee that this kind of war would end as scheduled, and once the war was extended, the cost would increase exponentially, and it was likely that the imperial court would not be able to afford it.

Moreover, Zhu Gaochi was bent on returning the capital to Nanjing, so naturally he didn't want to spend all his capital on fighting......

"At least 80,000, 50,000 cavalry, 30,000 infantry." Wang Xian sighed and could only take a step back.

"I can give you 50,000 cavalry." Zhu Gaochi pondered for a long time, then nodded and said, "If there are 30,000 infantry, it shouldn't be needed to send troops to the grassland, right?" ”

"The infantry should be used to carry grain and grass and baggage." Wang Xian explained softly: "Once the battle line penetrates deep into the grassland, the supply line will be very long, and it must be heavily protected. ”

"That's the case...... Zhu Gaochi pondered for a while, and asked tentatively, "Then what if you don't go deep into the grassland?" It was enough to drive the Tatars out of the loop so that they would not dare to come again. ”

"Your Majesty, the Tatars are wolves, and they have driven away and come back the next year. It's useless not to cripple them, but to be afraid. Wang Xian said in a deep voice: "May I ask the emperor, is it cost-effective to send troops to Hetao every year, or is it cost-effective to ensure peace for ten years at a time?" ”

"Of course it's the latter......" Zhu Gaochi was persuaded by Wang Xian, and asked worriedly: "Then, how long will it take for the 80,000 army to be able to take class?" ”

"This, the minister can't answer the emperor." Wang Xian shook his head slowly and said: "The battlefield is changing rapidly, especially the Mongols come and go like the wind, once they are allowed to flee into the depths of the grassland, or even into the desert, I am afraid that they will not be able to withdraw their troops within the year." ”

"Oops......" Zhu Gaochi wiped the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief, and said with a bitter face: "Zhongde, don't drag it out this year!" Be sure to collect your troops before winter! Otherwise, ......" The emperor originally wanted to say, otherwise I would not be able to afford it, but he felt that it was too undignified to say so, so he changed his words: "Otherwise, when the weather is cold, it will not only be frozen to death." ”

"I understand." Wang Xian nodded, and said with a resolute face: "But the emperor doesn't have to worry too much, the man's horse leather shrouded body is well deserved!" ”

"Hey, you promised me that I must return to the court before the winter, otherwise I won't be able to send this army." Zhu Gaochi insisted that Wang Xian make this guarantee.

"Okay, I promise." Wang Xian had no choice but to nod and say, "Before the winter, the class teacher." ”

"Good, good." Only then did Zhu Gaochi put his mind at ease, coughed twice, and said: "You hurry up and prepare to send troops, and half a month later, I will go to the suburbs to make a trip for the army." ”

"Obey." Wang Xian got up and saluted and retired. (To be continued.) )