"He also gathered 50,000 troops earlier, and said that he would attack the Ming Dynasty, but he never made a move on the Nine Border Defense Line. As a result, it dragged on until the winter was freezing cold, and he resolutely attacked the Western Expeditionary Army that stayed and was stationed, and it seemed that he had great plans. ”

Under normal circumstances, the period from autumn to early winter is the most common period of attack by northern nomads. The reason is that the creature of the war horse is too delicate, and it is relatively sensitive to heat and cold, but once it exceeds the critical value of low temperature tolerance, the loss rate of the war horse will also be greatly increased.

Shen Yichen had learned of the Heavenly Saint Khan's change before, and he had already ordered the garrison of the Zhongguo Gong Shiheng to stay and prepare for a possible attack. But as autumn turned to winter, Shen Yichen's focus was on the implementation of the land tax, but he didn't expect to do it after all.

"The proprietor, you guessed it right, the military information information passed on by Uncle Zhangwu said that it was not 50,000 troops that were assembled first, but as many as 100,000 soldiers and horses. And this does not include the servant army of the Kansai Seven Guards, as well as the possible cooperation of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate. ”

"The plan of the Tartars is to take advantage of the winter when our vigilance is lowered and take us by surprise to encircle and suppress the Western Expeditionary Army. Fortunately, Yang Xin, a descendant of Zhangwubo, got the true inheritance of Ying Guogong, and it took less than half a day from gathering troops and horses to rushing to the battlefield, which made Yexian's ambush conspiracy bankrupt. ”

After listening to Bian He's explanation, a sneer appeared on Shen Yichen's face.

"It seems that it has also returned to the peak state of the Warat period, and in more than a month, it has not only gathered 100,000 troops, rushed from Horqin Mongolia to Chijin Mongol Guard, but also has the spare strength to join the Seven Guards of the West and the Eastern Chagatai Khanate."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Shen Yichen's words made Bian He's expression very solemn, it is true that the Heavenly Saint Khan also dealt with it too quickly first, but if the loyal prince Shi Heng led the army a little deeper, or the defenders of Jiayu Pass were a step slower, and now the Western Expeditionary Army has suffered heavy losses.

But even so, the surrender of the Seven Guards of the Kansai and the alliance of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate made the 50,000 Western Expeditionary Army led by Shi Heng invincible with two fists and four hands, and the huge Western Expedition Plan could not be aborted.

"Proprietor, what should we do next?"

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, of course!"

Shen Yichen gave an answer without the slightest hesitation.

Ban Gu once wrote in "Hanshu Su Wu Biography" that Nanyue killed Han envoys and slaughtered nine counties. King Wan killed the Han envoy, Touxian Beique. North Korea killed the Han envoy and immediately exterminated. ”

"Recovering the glory of the Han and Tang Dynasties is not by talking about it, but by relying on swords and blood to make the barbarians of the Quartet surrender. I don't care how heroic he is first, as long as he dares to use force against the Ming Dynasty, then he must pay a painful price, until he no longer dares to speak of swords! ”

Shen Yichen is bursting with momentum at this moment, this time is different from the past, and now the Ming Dynasty dominates the offensive power of the war. Gone are the days when the northern nomads would make mistakes at every turn, and the days when they were poor in materials and went south to fight grass valleys.

First of all, since I didn't realize the awakening of the lion of the Ming Empire, let me experience what is called Mount Tai pressing the top.

Kou can go, I can go too!

"Li Da, order the soldiers of the Shenji Battalion to assemble and prepare to return to Beijing overnight."

"To the north, are you planning an all-out war against the Tartars?"

Li Da listened to all the conversations between Shen Yichen and Bian He, and his heart was filled with a feverish battle intent at the moment.

In order to ensure the safety of Shen Yichen and to check and balance Cao Jixiang to continue to stretch his hand into the Beijing camp, Li Da bid farewell to the brothers of the Liaodong Army and stayed in the Beijing division to take over the Shenji Battalion under the command of Shang Shuyiming, the former military department.

So much so that the three battalions of the Beijing Division once again appeared in a three-legged scene.

As a soldier, the best place to return is to the battlefield, not to train on the battlefield for many years. Now Shen Yichen's tone and demeanor are like immediately going to the Northern Expedition, how can he not make Li Da excited.

"It's only a matter of time before an all-out war begins, and the specific plan will be discussed in Beijing."

This kind of thing of dispatching troops is not something that can be explained clearly in a few words, let alone a big thing like the Northern Expedition, and the preparatory work will be a huge amount.

"Well, I'm going to gather the brethren."

After Li Da received the order, he strode towards the Shenji Battalion station, ready to go to the Beijing Division at any time.

"Mr. Bian, you arrange for the guards to prepare the carriage, and I will leave tonight."

"Yes, proprietor."

Bian He nodded, and was ready to do something without saying a word.

But at this time, Shen Yichen remembered something, and called out to Bian He and said: "Mr. Bian, I still have to go to the Yamen of the Political Secretary of Kaifeng Mansion first, and I have to explain to Yang Zhongtang before leaving." ”

The fourth year of the land tax is the first year of implementation, and it is also a crucial year, Shen Yichen decided to return to Beijing ahead of schedule, so he must complete the handover with Yang Hongze to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy.

Taking a step back, even if you really want to go on the Northern Expedition in an all-round way, the implementation of the land tax is related to the foundation of financial and logistical expenditure. To put it bluntly, fighting a war is burning money, and the battle of national fortune is a competition for the national strength of both sides, and Shen Yichen doesn't want to give up halfway.

"My subordinates understand."

It didn't take long for Canghuo Tou to come with a carriage, and after Shen Yichen got into the car, he galloped towards Kaifeng City.

Compared with the previous dark night roads, many people did not skimp on lamp oil on Chinese New Year's Eve, and almost every house hung a big red lantern in front of their door. In addition, in order to allow the people inside and outside the city to better celebrate the New Year, the city gate of Kaifeng Mansion will not be closed tonight, which can be regarded as convenient for Shen Yichen to enter and exit.

At this time, in the yamen of the political secretary of Kaifeng Mansion, Yang Hongze stood in the attic, looking at the scene of the brilliant lights in the city. After a month of recuperation, his injuries are almost healed, but the whole person has lost a lot of weight, and he looks a little weak.

Standing next to Yang Hongze, there are several Qingliu of the Hanlin Academy and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, in the past, the Ming Dynasty did not have a clear official holiday, even if it was the New Year's Chinese New Year's Eve, the holiday was more in accordance with the usual practice, and the officials had to rush to the Forbidden City early in the morning to participate in the Zhengdan Dynasty meeting.

However, Shen Yichen has been in power in the past few years, and with the help of Emperor Mingliang's young excuse, he greatly reduced the number of early dynasties, and at the same time implemented monthly leave for civil and military officials and local officials, and officials who were not on duty during the New Year's holidays had additional holidays.

These Qingliu officials took advantage of their free time during annual leave to visit Yang Hongze.

"The night sky on Chinese New Year's Eve this year is exceptionally beautiful."

Yang Hongze expressed the same emotion as Li Tingxiu, he couldn't remember how long it had been, and he hadn't seen the scene of fireworks all over the city. To be precise, there have been Jingshi people, and the people of the local state capital have no spare money to do this kind of luxury at all, even once a year.

"The land tax has not yet been fully implemented, you can see such a scene, it seems that our previous insistence is wrong, and the people have verified the success of the old Shenge New Deal with their changes."

A Hanlin official also sighed that it is not easy for people to admit that they are wrong many times.

"The clearing of acres of land has reduced the burden of the people by half, and the implementation of a whip law and the land property tax can be reduced by half at least next year, who would have expected that the prosperous era would come so soon."

Another inspector added that they used to be high in the capital, and they didn't know how much harsh taxes the people at the bottom bore at all. Now that we are fully dispatched to the countryside, we can get first-hand feedback from the people and experience the innovation and changes brought about by the New Deal.

Since the end of the ancient dynasty, the government forced the people to rebel, and according to the development of the road implemented by Shen Yuanfu's new policy, a new Ming Dynasty will appear.

Just when a few people were speculating about the future of Da Ming, Shen Yichen's figure quietly appeared behind them.

"Colleagues, I didn't expect such leisure and elegance on Chinese New Year's Eve, it seems that it is not the right time for the cabinet to disturb."

Shen Yichen gave up his hand and teased with a smile, interrupting the conversation between these people.

To be honest, I can hear this group of pedantic "old opponents", and now they are sincerely praising their new policies, and Shen Yichen still has a dark feeling in his heart. However, the Western Expeditionary Army was in a hurry, and there was no way to continue to be self-absorbed, so he could only show up and interrupt.

Hearing Shen Yichen's voice behind him, several people present were stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly bowed back and said, "Xiaguan has seen Shen Yuanfu." ”

"You're welcome, and happy new year, everybody."

"Happy New Year, Motosuke."

Now that the kneeling salute between officials has been abolished by Shen Yichen, the kind of hierarchy between superiors and subordinates is relatively much better, unlike the previous kind of silence in the face of superiors.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this cabinet department has some serious matters to discuss with Yang Zhongtang, can you borrow a little time?"

"Yuanfu worked tirelessly to make the officials admire, so he retired first."

"Farewell, Shen Yuanfu."

Several Qingliu were quite knowledgeable, and they all said goodbye to Shen Yichen, and soon only Shen Yichen and Yang Hongze were left in the entire attic.

With everyone leaving, Shen Yichen took a step forward and stood next to Yang Hongze, put his hand on the railing and whispered: "Yang Zhongtang, the cabinet department will return to Beijing overnight, and the implementation of the land tax will be entrusted to you." ”

"Did something big happen to Kyoshi?"

After all, having worked with Shen Yichen for many years, the other party's temperament and temperament are quite familiar, and it is bound to happen if he comes to say goodbye in such a hurry.

"The Jingshi is not a big deal, the northwest side also led troops to fight a battle with the Western Expeditionary Army of Zhongguo Gong, and I am ready to teach the Tartars a lesson."

Hearing Shen Yichen's words, Yang Hongze frowned, and after hesitating for a moment, he still said: "Yuanfu, the temporary suppression of the grassroots level of the northern gentry does not mean that they will be willing to pay taxes, if a war is launched at this time, I am afraid that it will give those who have a heart an opportunity to take advantage of." ”

"Really?"

A playful smile appeared on the corner of Shen Yichen's mouth, and he turned sideways to stare at Yang Hongze and said, "This is a problem that belongs to you, Yang Zhongtang, should solve, and the cabinet department believes that there will be no scene of a fire in the backyard." ”

Although Shen Yichen said this sentence in a joking tone, it actually contained a kind of trust in Yang Hongze, which made the latter feel indescribably moved in his heart.

After all, Yang Hongze was not successful in the implementation of the land tax, but Shen Yichen personally rushed from Beijing to Henan to clean up the mess. The other party never blamed a word, and came to express support and trust before leaving.

No wonder there are so many civil and military generals who are willing to die for Shen Yichen, if the two sides do not have so many grievances and grievances before, Yang Hongze is estimated to have the idea of dying for his confidant.

"Unless I die here, I'm going to push the land tax!"

There are no bells and whistles, Yang Hongze gambled with his life to give Shen Yichen a promise, he has failed once, and he will never fail a second time.

"Okay, Yang Zhongtang's words are enough, and the cabinet can return to Beijing with peace of mind."

After that, Shen Yichen looked at the city and muttered: "I hope that the future Kaifeng Mansion will always have today's brilliant lights." ”

"Yes."

Yang Hongze responded silently.

On the eighth day of the first month of the fourth year of Ming Liang, Shen Yichen and Li Da led the soldiers and horses of the Shenji Battalion from Kaifeng Mansion in Henan Province to return to Beijing.

There was no lively welcome ceremony, let alone those gorgeous banquets that caught the wind and washed the dust, after Shen Yichen returned to Beijing, he only met with his mother, wife and children, and then came to the Wenyuan Pavilion of the Forbidden City, and summoned Xiao Yi, the secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Nian Fu, and Yu Qian, the secretary of the Ministry of War, to discuss the counterattack against the Mongol Khanate.

Xiao Yi and Nian Fu are Shen Yichen's own people, and they often discuss with the two of them. The only difference is that Shen Yichen summoned Yu Qian over this time, which can be regarded as preparing to completely implement the separation of the cabinet.

Before Shen Yichen did not suppress the civilian clique and fully controlled the government, many decisions and executions on the use of troops were made by using the title of his military secretary, bypassing Yu Qian and directly giving orders to all the soldiers and horses.

The reason is that Shen Yichen knows Yu Qian's stubbornness and rules too well, and many of his radical ideas and decisions may not be recognized and supported by the other party, and Shen Yichen has no confidence to convince Yu Qian.

So the best solution is not to discuss with the other party at all, anyway, the Ming Dynasty military department is not only Yu Qian, as long as the title is supported by real power, then it is more than a false name.

may also be aware that Shen Yichen is in power and he has no ability to stop and veto, Yu Qian's attitude is just like the eve of the Nangong Incident in history, in the face of Shi Heng and Cao Jixiang to raise troops in tandem, he can only be forced to choose to stand by and let the situation develop.

But Shen Yichen understands that bypassing Taiqian to remotely control the military department is not a long-term plan after all, and this is in great conflict with the Ming political system he planned.

You must know that the implementation of the eight cabinet decision-making departments is the foundation of the future pattern of the Ming Dynasty, so as the first assistant of the cabinet, you can't both make decisions and implement them.

Now that Shen Yichen has leaned into power and the opposition, and the Eighth Ministry has no power to reject cabinet decisions, it is time to give full play to his commanding ability out of humility and let him carry out the important task of dispatching troops.

Make the best use of things and make the best use of talents, which is the way of employing people in the upper position.