Who will sit in Liaodong and continue the task of exterminating slaves and expanding the territory, what kind of considerations will the emperor have, Mao Wenlong and Chen Jisheng's speculation is not unreasonable.

It's a bit like the bidding of later generations, what can be done by 30,000 people, but you say that you need 40,000, what will the emperor think? How much more will it cost to pay for food and materials?

The emperor didn't say anything for a few years, but looking at the cruel things he did, he knew that the money was not so abundant. Now the reconstruction of Liaodong requires a lot of money, and the number of troops will definitely be reduced or transferred.

Of course, this can't be nonsense either. The emperor is not easy to deceive, let alone deceive.

Oh, whoever can blow it will let him do it, Chongzhen in history has done this. As a result, not only did Pingliao fail to achieve five years, but Jiannu all hit the capital.

Therefore, the number of this army must be both realistic and capable of fulfilling the task. If you blow it big, you have to catch the blind, and if you don't blow it a little, the emperor will definitely feel sorry for the money.

"Dashuai, how about subtracting another six thousand?" Chen Jisheng tentatively said his estimate, "With our army's current firepower and equipment, 10,000 horses are enough to resist the northern captives." What's more, Beiyu's demand for the horse market also made it dare not use the sword lightly. ”

Mao Wenlong thought about it, and said, "Just subtract 10,000." 16,000 prisoners, 10,000 horses guarding the border. It will only take a few months to fight Jiannu, and in case something happens, the defenders can also support it, waiting for the main force to return to the division. ”

After a pause, Mao Wenlong added: "As you said, our army's current firepower is not something that Jiannu and Beiyu can resist. There are fewer troops, but there are more artillery, and the cavalry is stronger, so there is no problem at all. ”

The Battle of Pingliao not only recovered the lost territory, but also showed the self-confidence of the soldiers of the Ming army.

No matter how fierce Jiannu is, he can't resist the shooting of lead bullets, let alone the bombardment of artillery. The supply of the imperial court was sufficient, and the tactical style of winning with firepower was gradually formed.

Of course, the Ming army never gave up hand-to-hand combat, vigorously promoting the bravery of bayonets.

The artillery is long-range, the musket is medium-range, and the bayonet is melee combat, which can withstand the blows of these three-plate axes, but not Jiannu, let alone the northern captives.

Mao Wenlong and Chen Jisheng talked and discussed, and finally finalized the final strength at about 26,000. This is more reliable, and presumably it will not make the finances of the imperial court too tight.

"When the marshal enters the capital to face the saint, he should also take the initiative to ask Banzai to send a prison army." Chen Jisheng looked at Mao Wenlong and said another important thing.

Mao Wenlong lowered his eyes and understood what Chen Jisheng meant. If you want to sit in Liaodong, you naturally have to gain Banzai's trust and dispel Banzai's concerns about the self-respect of the generals.

Although after the opening of the town in Dongjiang, Banzai sent people from the Zhenfu Division to manage food, salary, military law, and intelligence, in addition to not interfering in command, it also had the role of supervising the army.

But this may be an expedient measure made by Banzai in order to change the situation of the war, and now that Liaodong has been flattened, you are still unconscious, won't you make Banzai embarrassed?

Even if Banzai doesn't mean this, if you take the initiative to send an overseer, such a gesture will win Banzai's favor, showing that you don't have the heart to be arrogant.

Thinking about it, Mao Wenlong agreed, and said slowly: "Long live to implement the separation of military and political affairs in Liaodong and improve the status of martial artists. ”

Chen Jisheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, he thought that it would take more persuasion before Mao Wenlong could agree. I didn't expect it to be so happy.

Thinking about it, it is natural to enter the Beijing Face Saint to satisfy Banzai and leave a good impression on Banzai. It's not that you have to be the main general in Liaodong, but don't let Banzai be unhappy and uneasy.

The two chatted until the night was quieter, and only then did they finally finalize the matter. Feeling that there was no more problem, Chen Jisheng just said goodbye and left.

Mao Wenlong drank tea, calmed down, and picked up the pen again, writing thanksgiving.

Although he was about to set off, this was a procedure, and even if he arrived in the capital later than him, it was something that the courtiers had to do.

In the same dead of night, Xiong Tingbi of Liaodong Jingluo also wrote a note in the candlelight, but it was a secret play.

Mao Wenlong was rewarded, as the commander of the Pingliao battle, Xiong Tingbi did not receive the holy decree here, but it was a secret letter from the emperor.

How many men and horses do you need to keep in Liaodong? Who would be the right person to be the Lord? How many miles to expand north each year is more safe and appropriate......

The emperor's plan has been basically determined, but Lao Xiong's opinion has to be consulted on the details.

Xiong Tingbi knew the reason why the emperor didn't immediately reward him, and Yuan Keli was not the same. A good meal is not afraid of being late, this is a more popular explanation, and it is also a normal manifestation that the emperor has not yet finalized the chief general of Liaodong.

In fact, there are several general soldiers with the same official qualities as Mao Wenlong, including Zhou Yuji and Cao Wenzhao of the Beijing Battalion Flying Cavalry, and Zhang Keda, the chief soldier of Dengzhen.

But they all have congenital weaknesses, except for their qualifications, they are not familiar enough with Liaodong. For Mao Wenlong, this is certainly his advantage.

But if the emperor is not satisfied with Mao Wenlong, it is not ruled out that Xiong Tingbi will continue to stay in Liaodong.

Xiong Tingbi is not unable to stay, as long as the emperor decides, he will naturally work hard to complete the task of exterminating slaves and expanding the border.

Groaning and thinking, Xiong Tingbi's wording was more cautious, and he recommended Mao Wenlong to determine the number of people guarding Liaodong at 30,000.

Expecting the enemy to be lenient, Xiong Tingbi didn't want to press too hard, making it difficult for the Liaodong lord to do it, even if this lord was him in the end.

"The reconstruction of Liaodong has not officially begun, and Banzai has already put the extension of the border on the agenda of the Japanese ......"

Xiong Tingbi put down his pen, looked up at the map on the wall, and fell into a long thought.

To the north is the grassland, which is the western part of the sea, sparsely populated and has a harsh environment. The main factors blocking the northward advance of the Ming army were not these, but the transportation and supply of grain and grass materials.

Why was the Nuergan area designated as a place of bondage, and why was the Nuergan capital moved to Sanwanwei (now Kaiyuan, Liaoning) during the Xuanzong period?

The reason is actually very simple, the Nuergan area is bitterly cold, the roads are inconvenient, and the burden on the imperial court's finances is very large.

Xuanzong implemented a strategic contraction, abandoning Annam, moving slaves and children from within, disbanding the Westerners, and thinking of recuperating the people, so he could be called a virtuous monarch in terms of cultural governance.

However, Xiong Tingbi did not agree with this move, and thought that it was regrettable to implement a contraction policy at the height of the world. Although frontier affairs are complicated, they are often not suitable to be handled in the simplest way.

Hands swiped up on the map, Xiong Tingbi estimated the distance. If Kaiyuan or Jianzhou is used as a base, if the Ming army expands to the north, there will be a fort in ten miles, a village in thirty miles, and there will be no problem in advancing hundreds of miles.

But considering the transportation and supply of materials, Xiong Tingbi's fingers shrank down again, and it was set at about 100 miles.

The emperor's question is difficult to answer accurately, and it is uncertain what the specific progress of the reconstruction of Liaodong will be, whether the wind and rain will be smooth next year, and how much grain will be produced.

And to expand the border to the north, but also to Liaodong as a base, these must be taken into account. Relying solely on the transportation of grain to support, how much does it cost the military and civilians together?

Xiong Tingbi smiled bitterly, thinking that it would be good to explain all these problems to the emperor. Banzai's eagerness for expansion is clear to him, but he can't be too impatient.

………………………