When it comes to military strength and strength, Liaozhen is the first.

Two groups of officers and soldiers have been transferred from Shanhaiguan, all of whom have been incorporated into the combat unit, and in terms of troops, they can start a showdown with the main force of Jiannu.

Speaking of strength, Liaozhen is still the only unit equipped with Hongyi cannons, as well as many new artillery. In addition to artillery, there are also war horses, and the number is so large that it is also the first of the Ming army in the country.

This is only the current data, and the tens of thousands of flying horses in the Beijing camp that Zhu Youxiao wants to dispatch will also arrive after the autumn, so that the strength of Liaozhen will increase again.

Mao Wenlong wanted to be knighted, but Xiong Tingbi thought that after Pingliao was over, he should be promoted to the secretary of the Ministry of War, that is, the Minister of Defense.

Sun Chengzong is old, and after Pingliao, most of them will serve as the first or second assistant of the cabinet. The position of the secretary of the military department is vacant, and in terms of qualifications and military merits, it seems that only he has the most qualifications.

A soldier who does not want to be a marshal is not a good soldier. No one doesn't want to be promoted or get rich. The so-called utilitarian heart, to put it bluntly, is also a motivated heart.

It's that Lao Xiong is indifferent to fame and fortune, but what about the officers and soldiers in Liao Town? Generals want to be promoted because of military merits, and soldiers want to live in peace after the battle.

After the defensive battles of Guangning and Ningyuan, the flying dragoons joined forces to break the enemy and capture Amin alive, and the morale of the officers and soldiers of Liaozhen was greatly boosted, and they had completely gotten rid of the fear of Jiannu.

The generals often talk in private, the most troops, the strongest equipment, if the battle of Pingliao was robbed by Dongjiang Town, but it would be a big loss. In the future, when I met the officers and soldiers of Dongjiang Town, I couldn't lift my head.

Xiong Tingbi is very pleased with this, from fear of war to war, such a change would not have been unimaginable two years ago.

And in the past two years, how much the court has invested, Lao Xiong doesn't dare to calculate. Banzai hasn't seen gold and silver for two years, and this money is only a small part of what is invested in Liaodong.

If the Pingliao War drags on, the royal life will not be able to live, right? Every time Lao Xiong thought of this, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The emperor's impatience is understandable, and it is not unrealistic to want to complete the Pingliao War next year. But Xiong Tingbi knows that this is not very easy, and careful planning is the first step to success.

Directly smashing Liaoyang, although it is fierce, but Liaoyang must also be an important place for Jiannu to defend with all his might. According to the operational characteristics of Jiannu, defending Liaoyang must also be a field battle on the periphery of Liaoyang, rather than a retracting defense.

Liaozhen has more troops than Jiannu, but the absolute superiority cannot be talked about; The equipment should also be strong, but the coordination of infantry and artillery has not been practiced in actual combat.

Therefore, Xiong Tingbi wanted to grab military merits for Liaozhen, but he also maintained a bit of caution.

Now, the Inner Khalkha Five Alliances have all fallen to the Ming Kingdom, which is definitely a bargaining chip that can be used. Moreover, the Liaohe Loop was no longer an obstacle for the Ming army, and it did not have to be confined to crossing in one place.

To put it simply, it is the most direct route to go straight to Liaoyang from Zhenwu Fort and Xiping Fort; It is also feasible to dispatch from Zhenyuan Fort and Zhong'an Fort to the northeast and go straight to Shenyang.

To be more conservative, it is to march from the coastal areas, join forces with the Ming army in southern Liaoning at Gaizhouwei or Yingkou, and then attack Haizhou and Anshan to the north, and advance to Liaoyang with absolute superiority.

And from the emperor's secret recital, although the strategic deployment has not yet been finalized, it is still obvious that he tends to be conservative in his tactics and has begun to put them into practice.

It's no surprise that Viva has always been cautious and steady. Although he was in a hurry, he rarely took risks.

The Ming army in southern Liaoning had already stationed troops in Gaizhouwei and quickly built fortifications, which were basically firmly occupied.

Xiong Tingbi also ordered to dispatch a naval division to enter the Liao River from the mouth of the Liao River, first conduct reconnaissance and exploration, and then dispatch men and horses to occupy Yingkou and form a horn with Gaizhou Wei.

This deployment is not a complete operation, but a discounted connection by sea.

After all, if it was to be connected by land, the Ming army of Liaozhen would have to cross the Da Liao River, the Shuangtaizi River, and the Sancha River. Of course, the pontoon bridge can be built, but Xiong Tingbi feels that it is too early to act.

Moreover, after repeated setbacks and the implementation of a contraction strategy, Jiannu is unlikely to rashly attack the Ming army fortresses along the coast.

Therefore, even if the land route is not connected, Xiong Tingbi is not very worried about Yingkou being attacked. How iron is Jiannu's head, and he dares to hit his head and break the bloodstream?

Xiong Tingbi's main work at present is to improve the defense system of Quang Ninh, build the fortifications of various fortresses, and send troops to garrison them, so that Jiannu has no chance to take advantage of it.

We can't just think about starting a counteroffensive next winter and spring, but also take into account the possibility that the river will freeze and Jiannu will launch an attack.

Xiong Tingbi raised his binoculars and looked at the opposite bank and the surrounding terrain.

The river barrier is only a difficulty, and the swampy wetlands are even more difficult to travel, especially for heavy vehicles.

"When Qi Shaobao was fighting against the Japanese invaders, he once encountered muddy tidal flats, and he ordered his soldiers to carry grass at night, and paved a passage with grass to smash the small island occupied by the Japanese invaders......"

Listening to the discussion of the generals behind, Xiong Tingbi pursed the corners of his mouth. Such a method may work, but it is only applicable to small troops, but it is not applicable to thousands of troops.

And the one who is energetic in the vernacular, who somehow hears the story, believes it to be true, and shows it off to others!

When I go back, I will think about it carefully, and when I enter the capital and face the saint, I will definitely be able to find the best counteroffensive strategy, and strive to pacify Liaodong in one or two years.

Xiong Tingbi thought of this, pulled out the horse's head, and took the lead in galloping.

…………………………

Gaizhou Acropolis.

Zhang Keda, the general soldier of Dengzhen, stood at the head of the city, looking at the vertical and horizontal trenches and breastwork outside the city, and bowed his head slightly.

Even without the condescending city walls, with field fortifications alone, 5,000 Ming troops were enough to resist the attack of tens of thousands of Jiannu.

Although in the battle against Liu Xingzuo anyway, Dengzhen played a great role. However, Zhang Keda also knew in his heart that in terms of combat strength, the officers and men of Dengzhen were inferior to the war-hardened Liaoning and Southern Liaoning Associations.

Actual combat experience is quite important, and this is what the officers and men of Dengzhen lacked. There are also officers and soldiers in Jinzhen, who have the same problem.

The troops led by Zhang Bang in Dengzhen and He Zan in Jinzhen were better, they fought side by side with Zhang Pan and Kong Youde, and the troops also experienced the training of war.

Therefore, the coordinated operations of the officers and men of Deng and Jin towns were mostly to defend the city, so that the left and right associations in Dongjiang Town could free up their hands and feet.

Zhang Keda is also self-aware of this, and does not expect the troops he leads to reach the level of combat power of the left and right associations in a short period of time.

Originally, the officers and men of Dengzhen also had their own advantages, that is, they were adapted to ship navigation, and some of the meaning of the marines.

After the shrinkage of Kejiannu, almost all the coastal areas were abandoned, and Zhang Keda wanted to lead his troops to land and harass, but there was no such opportunity.

And this time, the garrison of Gaizhou Wei is not surprisingly the task of the officers and soldiers of Dengzhen. In view of the fact that Gaizhouwei had become the front line facing Jiannu, Zhang Keda was quite serious and cautious, personally supervising the construction of the fortifications.

"Your Excellency." An officer next to him bowed down and said: "The training of the officers and soldiers in Dengzhen is personally supervised by the old ancestor (Yuan Keli), and it will not be much worse than other military towns, right?" ”

Zhang Keda shook his head and said, "Training is training, and actual combat experience is indispensable. I know that you are eager to make meritorious contributions, but now is not the time. ”

After a pause, Zhang Keda stretched out his hand and pointed in the direction of Lianyun Island, and said: "After the exploration of the Liao River and the Sancha River, the dispatch of the sailors is the best action of the officers and soldiers in Dengzhen. ”

"I heard that my husband and ancestor are going to move to Lushun, I don't know when?" Another officer diverted the topic and asked about Yuan Keli's move to the mansion.

In the eyes of these officers and generals, Yuan Keli was the chief officer who controlled the Dongjiang River and Dengzhen, and if he could move to Lushun, the waists of these officers and soldiers in Dengzhen would be straighter.

"The court has not yet decided." Zhang Keda waved his hand and said, "This matter is not something we can worry about, let's concentrate on training soldiers and guarding the city!" ”

Zhang Keda did not agree with Yuan Keli's move to Lushun, and he believed that the imperial court would not allow it.

The current Ming army in southern Liaoning includes the officers and soldiers of the three towns of Dongjiang, Deng, and Jin, and then there are Liaozhen towns that will be connected in the coastal zone.

If you want to unify the command, Zhang Keda thinks that Xiong Tingbi is more suitable than Yuan Keli. And the two associations in Dengzhen will be transferred to Phi Island and commanded by Mao Wenlong, which also indirectly confirms Zhang Keda's speculation.

Xiong Tingbi and Mao Wenlong will be the supreme commanders of Pingliao, and the command post will launch an attack on Jiannu from three directions: east, west, and south.

If Yuan Keli moves to Lushun, this matter will be a bit chaotic. Yuan Keli and Xiong Tingbi are both governors, and Xiong Tingbi has the official position of governor of Liaodong, which seems to be more justifiable.

Of course, Yuan Keli did not care about everything about Dongjiang and Dengzhen's moderation. At the very least, Yuan Keli did not command the battle directly.

"My lord—" A communications soldier flew up, knelt down on one knee and finished saluting, and presented the letter in his hand to Zhang Keda.

Zhang Keda read the seal before he opened the letter and read it. This is written by Yuan Keli, and the content is similar to what Zhang Keda guessed.

After reading the letter, Zhang Keda did not convey it to the generals. It wasn't an order in the first place, but more like a private correspondence.

…………………….

In the battle of southern Liaoning, the two associations on the left and right sides of the Dongjiang River and one association in Dengzhen defeated Daishan's two red flags in the melee, which was equivalent to completely stabilizing the base area of Jinzhou.

After the Luda area was defended by a co-ordination in Dengzhen, the left and right associations were stationed in Fuzhou Wei and Luanguguan respectively to recuperate and replenish their personnel.

Compared with Xiong Tingbi, Mao Wenlong and others, Zhang Pan and Kong Youde still know little about the big counteroffensive next winter and spring. They can only guess that there will be a big operation from the increased logistics supply of the imperial court.

"Lao Zhang, look at the map, if you want to attack Liaoyang, we happen to be on the south road." Kong Youde's finger swiped across the map, "Take Haizhou Wei, and then capture Anshan, only Liaoyang will remain." ”

Zhang Pan just smiled at this and said: "The recovery of Liaoyang naturally has extraordinary significance, but according to our troops, I am afraid it is not enough to reach the main force." ”

"The main force is Liaozhen?" As soon as Kong Youde finished speaking, he waved his hand, signaling that Zhang Pan didn't need to answer, and then said: "Nine times out of ten, this is the case, we really can't grab Liaozhen, unless the people and horses of the headquarters are with us." ”

"Whether it's the main attack or the response, the big action is certain." Zhang Pan looked at the map, stretched out his hand and nodded at the location of Liaoyang and Shenyang, and said: "After recovering these two places, Jiannu can only return to Jianzhou Weigou to breathe." ”

Kong Youde nodded in agreement, leisurely took out a cigarette, lit it and took a puff comfortably. It was only after a while that smoke came out of his mouth and nose.

Zhang Pan also got used to it, shrugged his shoulders, and lowered his head to study the map.

"When Pingliao wins, I'm afraid our military merits are not enough to be knighted, right?" After Kong Youde finished speaking, he smiled to himself and said, "Mao Shuai should be qualified, we have to continue to boil." ”

Zhang Pan didn't care about this, arched his hand, and said: "Long live the wise, I will not treat the meritorious people badly." ”

"Long live the wise." Kong Youde also arched his hand, and then said with a smile: "If you can smoke the soldiers, you will be more wise and martial." ”

Zhang Pan knew that Kong Youde was just casually talking, according to his money, smoking was nothing at all. Of course, in addition to tobacco and alcohol, there are more places to spend money, but it is not like a year or two ago, when there was no place to spend money.

Haha laughed twice, which was considered to have been revealed, Zhang Pan stretched out his hand to beckon, pointed to the map and said, "Maybe we won't go north, but connect with the headquarters to the east." ”

Kong Youde just glanced at the map, then shook his head and said, "I think it's unlikely." Jiannu has abandoned the coastal land, and it doesn't make much sense for us to occupy it. Besides, being connected with the headquarters doesn't seem to have a big effect on the battle situation. ”

As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and stroked, and said, "Advancing northward, oppressing Jiannu, and forcing it to fight is the best policy." ”

"Kill a thousand, and lose eight hundred." Zhang Pan smiled bitterly and said: "Consuming the manpower of Jiannu is very effective, but I think there should be a better way." ”

"Ci is not in charge of the army." Kong Youde commented briefly, which could be regarded as a reminder, got up and said: "I haven't seen the newly shipped artillery yet, let's go and take a look." In the future, it is easy to arrange the battle and better exert the power. ”

Zhang Pan put away the map, followed Kong Youde out of the house, rode on a war horse, and galloped to the training ground with a few personal soldiers.

……………………

Since ancient times, Liaodong has been "the land of heroes and a hundred battles, the so-called tiger and dragon, high and low." However, the safety of the world is often related to the Liaoye, and the Liaoye is safe and the wind and dust in the sea are not moving, and the Liaoye disturbs the golden drums of the world......"

Although Zhu Youxiao did not understand this very thoroughly, it did not prevent him from doing his best to pacify Liaodong and solve the problem of Jiannu.

Through the tantric recital, the emperor also learned about the psychological changes of the front-line commanders and generals.

After two years, the Ming army in Liaodong has undergone amazing changes, and it is not too much to say that it has been reborn.

It is naturally a good thing for generals to actively seek war, and it is no problem to make military achievements.

However, Zhu Youxiao still had a lot of brains on how to make all departments sincerely unite and coordinate closely to fight this decisive counteroffensive.

Xiong Tingbi and Mao Wenlong's feud seems to have become a foregone conclusion. But Zhu Youxiao asked people to investigate and found that things were not as simple as imagined.

It is normal for all armies to compete for merit, as long as it does not affect the battle. Of course, it is necessary to warn them not to lose a big mistake because of a small one, let alone to make the war unfavorable because of this.