If you look at it this way, it is too simple and shallow.

If Hou Jin wants to attack the Ming Dynasty, the first thing to solve is to worry about the future, and to make three preparations: conquer Mongolia, surrender Korea, and defeat Dongjiang Town.

Even if there is no Dongjiang Town now, the other two goals have not been achieved, and the Ming army in western Liaoning has not been beaten to the extent that they dare not go further.

And Zhu Youxiao's emphasis on the coast and his vigorous support for Dongjiang Town are precisely a factor that makes Houjin unable to leave the nest and attack far away.

What made Zhu Youxiao feel gratified was that Sun Chengzong listened to his explanation and gave strong support to the coastal areas, believing that "the restoration of Liao must be in the sea."

"After the examination, I appointed Yuan Shi to Denglai to control Dengzhen and Dongjiang Town." Zhu Youxiao's wooden whip pointed at Denglai and said, "I have informed Master Yuan, and he is also willing to go to the border to relieve the crisis for the country and share my worries." ”

Sun Chengzong nodded in agreement and said, "It is necessary to suppress Denglai, it must be Yuan Gong." ”

After a pause, Sun Chengzong arched his hand and said: "The minister asked himself to supervise Liaodong, so that His Majesty will no longer worry about side affairs." ”

Zhu Youxiao pondered for a while, and said with a smile: "Master Sun is talented, I have more important work to be undertaken by Master Sun, so there is no need to worry." ”

If Xiong Tingbi can hold Guangning, or if he can survive this battle, Zhu Youxiao is still ready to hand over Liaodong to him to deal with.

It was because he was optimistic about Xiong Tingbi that Zhu Youxiao intervened in the Guangning War with the help of historical knowledge. It is not only for the people of Liaoxi, for the Ming soldiers, but also for Xiong Tingbi.

At first, Zhu Youxiao wanted to sit idly by, and by taking advantage of the fiasco in Guangning, he not only realized the unspeakable strategic contraction, but also swept away a wave of the Donglin Party by asking Wang Huazhen to blame him.

But in addition to being ruthless, there is also a problem that is difficult to solve. That is, Xiong Tingbi completely abandoned Liaodong, how to ask for the crime?

Of course, Zhu Youxiao didn't want to kill Xiong Tingbi, but he could pardon him, and even use "meritorious service" again, wouldn't it set a bad example for the Ming army, which was already afraid of the enemy like a tiger and good at breaking and fleeing?

It's okay to abandon Liaoxi completely, if I lose a battle and lose a city, it shouldn't be nothing, right?

Therefore, Zhu Youxiao didn't want to give some people a reason to be lucky. How can the law and military discipline be child's play?

In addition to Xiong Tingbi, Zhu Youxiao also had the idea of inviting Sun Chengzong to the border. But after several attempts to teach and dispel, Zhu Youxiao dispelled this idea again.

There is no way, Sun Chengzong's Liaodong strategy does not conform to Zhu Youxiao's analysis and judgment.

Therefore, Sun Chengzong and Xiong Tingbi must also have differences in strategy, wouldn't getting together add to the chaos and another farce of "economic appeasement" discord?

As a literati, Sun Chengzong has an extremely rare tolerance and trust for military generals; It is considered a Donglin party, and there is no excessive partisanship.

Although Sun Chengzong did not have Xiong Tingbi's strategy and tactics, nor was he as brave as Lu Xiangsheng's martial arts, he was worthy of the praise of famous ministers and national heroes in the late Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the strategy is different, and Zhu Youxiao must also be reused. It's just that people make the best use of their talents and want to use Sun Chengzong elsewhere.

"I don't earn more than three or four million in the Ming Dynasty, if I build a fortress in western Liaoxi and advance step by step, and garrison troops, how much does Master Sun think it will cost?"

Zhu Youxiao began to knock on the side, so that Sun Chengzong knew his family background first, if he couldn't increase his income, we couldn't afford to play the fortress advancement tactics.

Sun Chengzong stroked his beard and groaned silently, and said uncertainly for a while: "More than 100,000 horses are enough, and if you build a castle and build armor, equipment, bows and arrows, cannon stones, canals, and brine tools, the annual cost is probably around one or two million." ”

One or two million burned high incense, and the Ming Dynasty in history may be able to support it for a few more years.

Zhu Youxiao smiled bitterly and shook his head, if he said that Liaoxi spent five or six million a year in history, he was afraid that he would scare Teacher Sun's eyes off.

Besides, even one or two million, which is almost half of the current imperial court income. You are not happy in the rebellion of luxury, you don't give relief to natural disasters, and you don't practice the tired soldiers in the guards......

"You can open the people's tun and the army, and you can save a lot of grain." Sun Chengzong thought of a way and said.

Yes, that's what you did in Liaoxi.

But the so-called "400 miles of land, 5,000 hectares of Kaitun, and 150,000 yuan per year" is not too far behind the five or six million invested by the imperial court every year?

Of course, Zhu Youxiao did not doubt Sun Chengzong's honesty and integrity, and knew that he was not the kind of person who wanted to make money by embezzling civil engineering.

But the actual situation is that maintaining the Guanningjin defense line, making the warlords of western Liaoxi sit big, and fattening a group of civilian and military generals, did not play its due role, and the efficiency was extremely low.

Therefore, as long as the Liaoxi fortress advance tactics began to be implemented, the imperial court would have to throw money in an uproar. From the six cabinet ministries to local officials, I don't know how many people want to make money from this.

After tasting the sweetness, this group of corrupt officials will shout that the Guan Ningjin defense line is good, it is good, it is good. If the enemy destroys it, let's repair it again, and if the wall is destroyed, let's come again!

If someone proposes to abandon the Guanningjin defense line, the corrupt officials will immediately attack it en masse, and the ready-made big hat of "not wanting to forge ahead, abandoning the land and fearing the enemy" will be snapped.

Then, the state's financial revenues, the blood-stained fat and ointment of the people, will flow into this bottomless pit and continue to fill the pockets of corrupt officials and corrupt officials.

Zhu Youxiao was noncommittal to Sun Chengzong's suggestion to Tuntian, stretched out his hand and put a war game in Lushun, and said: "A fortress will be built here, and a large port will be built to become a steel fortress that will never fall." ”

Sun Chengzong was stunned for a moment, looked at the sand table carefully, nodded in agreement: "Lushun is bordered by the Yellow Sea in the east, the Bohai Sea in the west, and Weihaiwei in Shandong is the gateway to the Beijing-Tianjin sea. In order to prevent the Japanese invaders, our dynasty once built a city here, placed heavy troops, and set up the Jinzhou Central Guard. ”

Zhu Youxiao smiled, stopped talking about military affairs, invited Sun Chengzong to sit down, and talked about the imperial examination.

The chief examiner of the examination is Yuan Keli, and the deputy chief examiner is Xu Guangqi; The examiners of the palace examination were Sun Chengzong and Liu Yijing, a university scholar.

And the strategy questions for the palace exam were personally written by Zhu Youxiao, and even the strategy questions for the exam were snatched by him.

"I've already thought about the topic, but I shouldn't divulge it." Zhu Youxiao smiled a little proudly, and a little cunning, "Emphasizing practice over empty talk, emphasizing ability over articles, Master Sun knows the purpose of taking talents this time." ”

Sun Chengzong smiled and said as if reminding: "Your Majesty's use of internal funds to fund the martial arts examination is really a benevolent act that has not been seen in previous dynasties. However, if you are about to try, will Your Majesty also be gracious to Wenju? ”

This-Zhu Youxiao touched his chin and thought about it, and said: "Master Sun's words are very good, wait for me to think about it." ”

After chatting for a while, Sun Chengzong got up and retired, and Zhu Youxiao sent him to the palace gate, and sat alone, still thinking about how to be kind to Wenju.