On the Jinluan Palace, the first assistant Wen Tiren looks at the nose and the nose and the heart, just like an old monk entering the meditation.

In the court discussion just now, in view of the fierce offensive of the peasant rebel army, the heart of the Central Plains of the Ming Empire has been thrown into chaos, and the local authorities are simply unable to withstand it. Therefore, the ministers in the court once again raised the issue of unification of powers. They believed that the reason why the rebel army was able to "flow suddenly and uncertainly" was because "the towns and towns had different powers to deal with each other, and they watched each other." It is advisable to open the governor's palace with important ministers, and command all the soldiers to fight the thieves."

This point of view was unanimously agreed upon by Emperor Chongzhen and the ministers. But when the ministers unanimously recommended Hong Chengchou as this candidate, the first assistant Wen Tiren remembered what he said to Emperor Chongzhen yesterday.

Because it was a secret performance, Wen Tiren's words at that time were particularly heart-wrenching. He first mentioned the moral issue of Hong Chengchou's killing of prisoners, as a way to kidnap Emperor Chongzhen, who paid special attention to the morality of officials.

Then, Wen Tiren intentionally or unintentionally mentioned Yuan Chonghuan's expectations at that time, so as to bury a thorn in Emperor Chongzhen's heart and arouse Emperor Chongzhen's rebellious psychology.

Then he mentioned that Hong Chengchou's responsibility is heavy, after all, the three sides he is now stationed on are the birthplace of Shaanxi bandits, plus the precautions of Western Mongolia (that is, Turkicized Mongolian tribes, and Eastern Mongolia, which basically defected to Houjin) are two different things, and it was originally necessary for a famous minister to suppress the formation.

Zuihou Wen Tiren simply showed a slanderous appearance, made the appearance of being a traitor for the emperor, and said that he wanted to prevent Hong Chengchou from "high merit and shock the master", so as to win the complete trust of Emperor Chongzhen.

Therefore, in today's court discussion, Wen Tiren, who knew Emperor Chongzhen's character well, knew that his approach had worked. Sure enough, Emperor Chongzhen then thought that Shaanxi was adjacent to the Mongolian tribes on three sides, and Hong Chengchou shouldered the important task of border defense, which was "not easy".

Then, Emperor Chongzhen made an arbitrary decision: "Chen Qiyu, the governor of Yansui, is the right attendant of the military department." The military affairs of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Huguang, and Sichuan were the governors, and they were pacified by the thieves according to their direction. ”

Chen Qiyu was fortunate to skip Hong Chengchou, who held a high official position, and became the governor of the five provinces under Wen Tiren's selfish intentions. This was the beginning of the Ming court's establishment of the governorship with the power to control the civil and military officials of several provinces in order to suppress the peasant rebellion.

However, this also reflected the fact that the rebel peasant Liliang had grown up in the struggle, especially the peasant rebel army, which was not moving and moved to the provinces, making it impossible for the Ming government to rely on the troops of any one province to cope with it.

Guan Kesong, the prefect of Runing Prefecture, and a group of civil officials of Runing Mansion stood on the wall of Runing Mansion City, looking into the distance.

In yesterday. Xue Yongli sent someone to report to Guan Kesong, the prefect of Runing Prefecture: The Shaanxi bandits have crossed the Yellow River and entered the hinterland of Henan, and the Runing army will set camp today to fight against the Shaanxi bandits.

Because these days in the Runing Army, high-ranking officials like Zhang Xuebin are very busy. In addition, it was a military affair, so Xue Yongli only sent a company commander with the rank of general flag. Take ten soldiers to report to the prefect's yamen.

Then. Guan Kesong was on the board of directors of the yamen when he heard a commotion at the yamen. When the company commander arrived at the yamen, he was stopped by the yamen's door. Of course, they looked down on people, and when they saw that it was only a general flag, and they didn't stuff red envelopes, they made it difficult for the company commander outside.

The company commander was unceremonious. Immediately commanded the soldiers to knock over the door of the yamen, and then rushed into the prefect's yamen to meet Guan Kesong.

Fortunately, Guan Kesong was quite calm, but the company commander was angry at the gate of the yamen. Seeing that Guan Kesong didn't even kneel, he told Guan Kesong the amazing news.

Suddenly hearing thunder, Guan Kesong didn't even have the heart to investigate the company commander's rudeness. Because until now, Guan Kesong did not know that the peasant rebel army had crossed the Yellow River. He didn't expect that he was still drinking and feasting yesterday, and today the Shaanxi bandits were about to fight.

In a panic, Guan Kesong hurriedly asked: "This military master, how far is the Shaanxi bandit from Runing?" ”

Unexpectedly, the company commander replied stiffly: "Military secrets!" Then he walked away.

Guan Kesong was half angry, but he didn't dare to slack off, so today he took all the civil officials in the Runing Mansion to the city wall to watch the Runing army set off from the Runing army camp.

Seeing a team of soldiers passing by the city of Runing Mansion, an official from the prefect's yamen couldn't help but say, "There are too many soldiers in this Runing battalion." It seems that the imperial court did not give so much military salary, right? ”

"Shut up!" Guan Kesong immediately stopped the official's nonsense. At this time, Guan Kesong wished that the Runing Army would scatter beans into a soldier and mutiny 100,000 heavenly soldiers in the future, where could he care how many people there were in the Runing Army?

On the official road leading to the city of Runing, a long march of soldiers rolled up billowing smoke and dust. On the side of the road, Yang Rusong and Liang Hui were riding horses, surrounded by a team of personal soldiers.

Yang Rusong loosened the face towel that covered his face to block the dust, and said: "This time, all of our Runing Army will move north, and after arriving at the Runing Army camp, you will take an infantry regiment to stay in the camp, and I will take the rest of the soldiers to Nanyang to meet the battle of the main force." Alas! It looks like they won't be able to get a fight, and they're going to have to eat all the meat! ”

Liang Hui smiled "hehe" and said, "It's okay, it's just in the camp to replenish weapons, horses and supplies, sharpen knives and don't cut wood." There are so many Shaanxi bandits, and it is not possible to fight in one battle. Where it comes to us! ”

In the fortress of the Thousand Households of Guide Mansion, Xue Yong said to Qian Qi: "This time Mr. Deng has sent a letter to Commander Zhao (Zhao Ming), if the imperial court is transferred to Dewei, our Guide Legion will be nominally under the command of Commander Zhao. ”

"But we can't wait for the imperial court's orders. Leave you an infantry regiment to cooperate with the two militia regiments in Gui Dewei, not only to guard the gate of the line of the Evil Tiger Village and the Qianhusuo Fortress, but also to ensure that Gui Dewei is still under the control of our Runing Army. So you have a lot of responsibility. ”

"I took the rest of the troops and broke into Kaifeng Mansion. If the Shaanxi bandits turn to Kaifeng Mansion and threaten Runing Mansion and Guide Mansion from the north and west, I will flank the Shaanxi bandits with the main force of the headquarters led by Li Ye and completely defeat them. ”

Qian Qi's consideration was more delicate, and he asked, "Do I want to press the center of gravity on the Evil Tiger Village and the Thousand Households Fortress?" "Qian Qi means that in case the Runing army is defeated, his troops will be able to go up to meet it.

Xue Yong thought for a while and said, "You can deal with it on the spot." But I don't think it's needed. We've been training hard for five or six years, and if we can't even do these bandits, then we won't have a future. ”

It should be said that except for Wu Shigong and Shumo, the two best masters and servants, all the other officers were fanatical supporters of offensive operations. And Xue Yongli, who led the troops for the first time, wanted a happy victory.

On December 8, all the armies of the Runing Army converged at the camp in Luojia Town. The whole army rested for a day in the large camp. On the same day, Ye Zhong, the supervisor of Nanyang Iron Mine, heard that the peasant rebel army was approaching, and he was immediately frightened and fled into Ye County in a hurry under the escort of more than 500 miners.

Shumo ignored the protests of Niu Wenqing, the magistrate of Ye County, and forcibly took over the command of Ye County's defense. Shumo gathered Ye Zhong's miners, the private mine owners' families, and the young people drawn from Ye County, a total of more than 3,000 people, strengthened the city wall, and prepared to defend the county seat of Ye County.

And in the list of the Runing Army's expedition this time, there are two people who are not from the Runing Army. One is Li Lu, the garrison of Nanyang; There is also one who is Qianhu Qiaosong.

Although the Ming Dynasty also stipulated that in an emergency, the Ming army could cut itself off and leave its garrison area to fight in adjacent areas. However, the nominal command of the Nanyang Army was still the Nanyang garrison Li Lu. And because of the absence of Wu Shigong, the capital of Runing, the highest military attache in the Runing army is Xue Yongli and Qiao Song, the general manager of Qianhu.

As the garrison of Nanyang, Li Lu is also responsible for guarding the land, he can't escape, but Qiao Song is tragic. Because of his outstanding performance in Tuntian affairs, coupled with Qiao Song's original identity, Wu Shigong had already appointed Qiao Song as the senior civil official in charge of Tuntian in the entire Runing Mansion.

But this time, the Runing Army could not have gone without them. Xue Yongli said it very thoroughly, he told Li Lu and Qiao Song: It's okay if the two of them don't go on the expedition, but they must hand over their official seals, otherwise, the Runing army will be in danger of becoming famous. But who dares to hand over the official seal? If the Runing Army did something with the official seal behind their backs, neither of them would know, so when they arrived in Zuihou, Li Lu and Qiao Song still went out with the Runing Army with a bitter face.

On the ninth night of the first month of December, Xue Yongli summoned all the officers for a military meeting before the expedition. In the military discussion, Xue Yongli pointed out that this expedition will adopt the tactics of rapid attack, brave combat, and rapid retreat. Strive to beat the peasant rebel army to the cold at one time, so that it does not dare to approach the area controlled by the Runing army.

Because it is necessary to leave enough grain and grass in Yexian, Luojia Town, Daying and Longyan Village, the grain and grass carried by the Runing Army this time, plus the dry food bags on each soldier, can only support the consumption of the entire army for a month.

Therefore, the time for the sortie was set at ten days, and it was expected to advance about three hundred miles. And when attacking, they will try not to get close to the city, and march on a remote road, so as to be sudden and hidden. However, in this way, the supply of grain and grass will basically be gone.

The search for bandits and the fight lasted up to 10 days. Once the time is up, the whole army will quickly retreat. If it is a big victory, then the march of the withdrawn troops will be slowed down and the cities along the way will be replenished with food and grass, otherwise, they will be withdrawn to the current defense line in Nanyang as quickly as possible.

In the early morning of 10 December, the 500 scouts of the Runing Army, divided into ten squads, set off first. At noon, the whole army of Runing Army left Yexian County and took the initiative to seek an opportunity to fight a decisive battle with the peasant rebel army. (To be continued......)