Before the royal driving class, Zhu Houxi still had two things to do.

The first thing is that after the loss of so many generals in the First World War of Xuanda, many positions and defense affairs in these two important towns need to be arranged as soon as possible, so Wang Shouren, the secretary of the military department, wants to come.

The second thing he wanted was to meet his generals after the victory and motivate them before the reward was decided.

Originally, adhering to the principle of "coming and coming", he thought of Xuanda and some border forts to take a look.

But the New Year is approaching, and the lord of the Northern Yuan Dynasty died here, Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren are worried that there will be Tartars who will know the news and frantically attack and take revenge. Even if this kind of thing doesn't happen, the emperor patrols the border, and the army is escorting, wasting money and food.

So Zhu Houxi just stayed in Xuanfu and waited for some of the people he wanted to see come over.

Yu Dayou's body was not suitable for a long journey, so Zhu Houxi sent Lu Bing to go in person: let him also take a look all the way.

But Guo Xun's injuries have healed, and he can come over quickly. Datong Defense had been rearranged a month before, and it would not be a problem for him to leave for a few days.

Seeing the emperor, Guo Xun first knelt on one knee: "The crime will be ineffective in guarding Datong, causing the Tartars to wreak havoc on Datong West Road, please surrender your majesty!" ”

“…… Alright, don't pretend, get up. ”

“…… Sin will have a negative hope, and it is a sincere request for punishment for sin. ”

Zhu Houxi said helplessly: "Leaving a flaw in the west road is a strategy set by the imperial court, and it is indeed your lack of strength if you don't rush to the aid when you receive the order." However, freezing three feet is not a day's cold, and you have only been in Datong for a few months, so I will not blame you. Get up. ”

Guo Xun thanked him at this time, stood up and said with a sneer: "Your Majesty Shenwu!" After the royal conquest, he first restored the upper west road of Xuanfu, and then surrounded the little prince and beheaded the lord of the Northern Yuan Dynasty. Your Majesty's clever and brave strategy is enough to motivate the generals to work hard, and the ministers admire him! ”

Zhu Houxi glanced at him: "You don't know what the previous plan was?" ”

"The battle situation is unpredictable, and now the results of the battle are far beyond what was planned at the time!" Guo Xun was serious, "What the minister said is true!" ”

"You......" Zhu Houxi sighed, "I'd rather cut me than answer." ”

Guo Xun saw that the emperor was really a little regretful, so he was a little puzzled: Killing Bodi is not more immortal than killing Meda?

Zhu Houxi doesn't expect his overall view anymore, it seems that he has a very shallow understanding of the intelligence shown by me in this war, and he can't see who is the more difficult opponent of the Ming Dynasty.

Looking at Guo Xun, he still smiled: "I didn't lose your ancestor's face." That night, are you afraid? ”

“…… I was afraid at first, but then I couldn't take care of it. ”

"Although it was a reckless move to take the risk, the good thing is that the result is not bad." Zhu Houxi pointed at him, "You, you should thank Yu Dayou." If he hadn't beaten the trap first in Huangya Mountain, Gunbirick would not have been suspicious when he saw that you were only 2,000 people on his side. In that case, you will be in Lotus Leaf Mountain. ”

After saying that, his tone softened, and he said softly: "You don't have Li Jin's ability." ”

Guo Xun heard him mention Li Jin's name, and his face became serious: "The ministers leading the troops to receive the enemy are indeed inferior to the Marquis of Chicheng." ”

Now that the will has been made, now everyone who talks about Li Jin must be honored as the Marquis of Chicheng.

Before the reinforcements came, he led hundreds of soldiers out of Zhen'an Fort to intercept the Tartars from breaking through the north side wall of Zhen'an Fort, and the credit was big enough. If he had spared his life, he might have survived. But if he spares his life, it won't be Li Jin.

"Loyal and brave, enough for the lord." Zhu Houxi paused, "In the next two years, you will continue to stay in Datong first." You just remember one thing, just treat other capable generals like Yu Dayou. Let them train with peace of mind and have the opportunity to make meritorious contributions. ”

"I understand." Guo Xun immediately asked tentatively about the important matter to him, "Then Yu Dayou...... Will it still stay in Datong? ”

"Hasn't he already promoted you to the general of the West Road Division because of his merits?"

Guo Xun was immediately happy, so his confidence in Datong increased a lot.

Zhu Houxi also laughed again: "Looking at your appearance, I thought you wanted to ask yourself." Jingping is a great victory, and you have a lot of credit. This time, your son will still be a marquis. ”

Guo Xun was immediately overjoyed: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers will be smeared with their hearts and brains, guard Datong for His Majesty, select good generals, and train border soldiers. ”

If you want to dig deeper, you don't need to be born and die like this, and your son is also a marquis. But now His Majesty is eloquent and strategic, since it has been decided that the lords will be demoted to attack the lord if they have no merit, the Wuding Marquis family has become the first lord of the Jiajing Dynasty who is not demoted.

Your Majesty will be rewarded for his merits after all.

"Get up. You won't have a good time in the next two years. Remember, listen to Boon in all things. ”

“…… Da Sima? Guo Xun looked at him in amazement.

"I have discussed with General Staff Yang and Wang Shangshu, and he will be reappointed as the governor of Xuanda." Zhu Houxi said, "In the past few years, Xuanda has not only to deal with border troubles, but also to reform and train soldiers. ”

"The minister understands that the minister will not worry about the marquis and disturb the plan of the king to supervise the platform!"

Compared with Wang Xian, His Majesty is very sure that he Guo Xun does admire Wang Shouren more.

After a great victory, there are not many people who are rewarded for their merits. I am afraid that there will be no fewer people who are greedy for merit and provoked. Xuanda needs more prestigious people to be convinced, and Wang Shouren, who created this encirclement and annihilation fighter, must be convinced by everyone - he is a person who can bring greater credit to everyone.

"Let's go to General Staff Yang's side. You are the chief military officer of Datong, and you should also talk about your views on how Datong will deploy and transfer in the future. ”

"Ministers must only recommend brave and resourceful generals."

In the following two or three days, Zhu Houxi met with some civilian officials and military generals who had contributed a lot in this war.

Similarly, there is also Yang Bo who rushed to Xuanfu from Jingping.

As soon as he won Xie Yuan, he put aside his pen and made a contribution from the Rong border army, and Zhu Houxi admired this enthusiasm.

Yang Bo was a first-hand witness of the battle of Huangya Mountain from beginning to end, and Zhu Houxi chatted with him for two or three hours.

Although Yang Bo was not given any reward, everyone knew that with Xie Yuan's talent, Yang Bo must participate in the next year's examination. And now that he is in the heart of the emperor, he is equivalent to being sent to Jinshi or even a first-class.

After Yang Bo left, Zhu Houxi summoned Yang Yiqing, Wang Shouren, Tang Shunzhi, Guo Xun and others.

"The war situation was tense before, and it was too late to review the battles everywhere. Today, from Yang Bo's mouth, I know that Huangya Mountain has passed, Yu Dayou can have such a record, in addition to his personal bravery and the terrain of Huangya Mountain, in his defensive strategy, I can see a bright spot: he has exhausted the potential of each army, and he cooperates with each other very well. Mandarin duck formations, artillery, and firecrackers not only make use of their strengths and avoid weaknesses, but also use the timing of their use. ”

While introducing the details of the battle of Huangya Mountain relayed by Yang Bo, he said his opinion.

These days, Zhu Houxi has been thinking about a question.

It takes time for firearms to be innovated, stabilized, and practiced, and the Ming Dynasty will at least have a few years, or basically in Zhu Houxi's lifetime, it will still be in the stage of combining cold and hot weapons.

Coordination between different branches of the armed forces will be an extremely important matter in the course of training and fighting wars in the future.

The lower the proportion of casualties, the easier it is to precipitate brave generals and veterans, and the more worthy of expectation is the growth of combat effectiveness.

Zhu Houxi had in his mind the concept and vague memory of the so-called multi-arm composite army, but it must not be used at will - individual lethality is not a concept at all, and mobility and battlefield intelligence are not a concept at all.

But Yu Dayou became famous in the first battle, and the combat power of the Mandarin Duck Array in small terrain or when facing a small enemy at the same time is already worth thinking about.

The subject was naturally thrown to Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren.

Large-scale changes were impossible, but they soon formed a consensus: Shuozhou Shouyu Qianhu was merged into Jingping Shouyu Qianhusuo and upgraded to Wei. And the Xuanda Guards all sent a general flag to Jingpingwei for training and practice the Mandarin Duck Formation.

Although most of the terrain where the Xuanda side wall is built is not precipitous, if there are hundreds of mandarin duck soldiers in the defenders of the outermost defense line, it is indeed very convenient to intercept and delay the enemy army in the right terrain and buy time for reinforcements.

At the same time, at least the pro-barracks of the commander-in-chief of the two towns and the pacesetter battalion of the governor-general can be trained to a higher standard. The total amount is only a thousand, and if the cavalry, mandarin duck formation, artillery, spearmen, and sword players are well configured, they can also become a mobile reinforcement force that should not be underestimated in Xuanda.

"Xuanda will definitely encounter enemies year after year, and fight and practice." Zhu Houxi looked at Wang Shouren and Tang Shunzhi expectantly, "You are all good at the art of war, and there are two masters and apprentices of Yu Dayou over there in Datong." If there are two more Marquis of Wuding and Yu Linbo, I will entrust Xuanda to you. ”

Fu Duo finally woke up, and Zhu Houxi had already decided to give him credit for rushing to the battlefield in time to bite the troops after the Tartar was broken, and for dispatching the troops of Xuanfu North Road to block along the border wall.

As for the first merit of this battle, everyone is afraid that it will fall on Wang Shouren's head, although he did not rush to the battlefield in the final battle of Luohangou.

The formation of the entire final battle situation was facilitated by Wang Shouren. He not only stabilized Jizhou, but also let Zhu Qi walk around obediently, first went to Santun camp, and then rushed back to Xuanfu to recapture Longmensuo, and finally risked being punished by the emperor to let Zhu Qi "disobey the order" from Longmensuo to Zhen'anbao to help.

If Zhu Qi hadn't arrived in time with so many people, in the face of the crazy counterattack or breakthrough of so many enemy horsemen after Bodi's death, the Ming army would not have been able to annihilate so many enemies in Luohangou.

After Wang Shouren's Chenhao Rebellion, Zhu Houxi reused him to replace Yang Yiqing to participate in the national policy. His new uncle, when Wang Shouren guarded Jiangxi during the Huguang Rebellion, settled down because of his merits.

This time, Wang Shouren will be promoted to marquis, and Li Quanli's Xiangcheng Bo will also be promoted to marquis, but he will still be demoted, while Zhu Qi, like Guo Xun, will not be demoted in the next generation.

The next day, in the west of Xuanfu City, this time many representatives of meritorious soldiers in Xuanfu, Datong, and Jingying, including those who were slightly injured in the first battle of Luohangou, were waiting there early in the morning.

Bao Zhengchuan led two teams of mandarin duck soldiers and stood there excitedly. Their achievements had already reached the Xuan Mansion, and the Mo Dao Halberd and Fang Shield made them an extremely eye-catching team in the crowd.

Some of the soldiers who were lightly wounded in the Battle of Luohangou were still wrapped in cloths, and some of their hair and beards were missing.

Yan Chunsheng was naturally among them, and many people behind him were pointing at him and talking softly.

Next to Li Quanli is Li Jingang's nine-year-old son Li Yuan, who wears linen and filial piety.

Guo Xun and Zhu Qi also stood under the stage.

After the news that the Emperor's chariot had arrived, the flat place fell silent. In the east, I don't know how many local people in Xuanfu went out of the city gate and looked at this side from afar.

Zhu Houxi boarded the temporary wooden platform, and behind him, others held the Ming Sanchen flag and the military flag, and Li Jin's general flag, while Lu Bing held the broken Bodi Daxu Khan flag.

"Rites! Hundreds of cannons are fired, and I am comforted by the sacrifice of the Ming Dynasty! ”

Tang Shunzhi presided over the ceremony, and in the north, ten groups of tiger squat cannons were lined up.

More than a hundred paces away, there was another open field, on which the heads of the Tartars were piled up.

"Boom!"

The sound of cannons reached the west of Xuanfu City, and the common people panicked, and someone shouted there to maintain order: "Don't panic, this salute is called firing cannons, bombarding the head of the Tartars, and comforting the heroic souls of the generals!" ”

After ten sets of cannon fires in a row, the people on the other side used shovels and other tools to collect the blasted heads, and then a fire was lit.

Looking at the raging fire over there, Guo Xun was the first to shout: "Long live Your Majesty!" Daming Wansheng! ”

The sound shook in the wilderness, and it was quiet after a few sounds.

"Silence! Stand silent for a moment, remember your comrades! ”

Then there was only the sound of the fire in the north, and the north wind brought an unpleasant smell.

In this battle, in the three main battlefields of Xuanda, the Ming army killed more than 14,000 in total, and the enemy was only less than 8,000 in total.

In a quiet quarter of an hour, only the north wind in the wax moon blew the mountains and forests, and the sound of the ocean river flowing on the side.

"Flag! Respect the Ming national flag, the military flag, and the flag of the general! ”

On the wooden platform, the Ming Sanchen flag and the military flag are in the center, and the left and right are the generals who died in battle and were qualified to have their own flags before.

Li Yuan, the son of Li Jin, looked at the flag with red eyes.

This flag is newly made, not just a Li character, but now there is more than Akagi. His father used his life to exchange him for the title of Earl Akagi. When he grows up, he will be able to attack the seal.

Li Quanli raised his hand and pinched his shoulder: "Your father is a good man!" When I arrive in the capital, I will raise you and my brothers on his behalf. ”

Li Yuan also has a younger brother, who is only six years old, and he stays in Datong.

Li Quanli didn't know Li Jin, but he couldn't forget how Li Jin was finally carried in front of him and said the last sentence.

Unfortunately, Li Quanli's own grandfather, the fourth generation of Xiangcheng Bo, is also called Li Jin.

"Oracle! All the generals will see and listen to the hadith! ”

"See Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Banzai! Hooray! ”

"All the soldiers are flat!"

Zhu Houxi walked in front of the Ming flag, and Lu Bing also held the big flag, but threw it under the wooden platform in front of him.

Looking down at the big man, Zhu Houxi was silent for a while, and then raised his eyes a little and looked at the generals in the audience.

"Seventy-eight years ago, the Tartars captured Yingzong in Xuanfu. This year, you have killed nearly 10,000 enemies and beheaded the Great Khan of the Northern Yuan! I thank you for fighting bravely and raising the prestige of our country! ”

A simple comparison attracted the tsunami-like "Wan Sheng of the Ming Dynasty" and "Long live Your Majesty".

"In this battle, the soldiers of the border town, it is useless to sacrifice their lives, and it is heartache to win! But the Tartars have invaded my territory, taken my people captive, destroyed my houses, and robbed me of my goods. They are insatiable, they only know knives and guns! The north is endless, and the Ming frontier will never be peaceful! ”

"There will be battles. Kill their Great Khan, and they will have a new Great Khan. It's snowing, it's melting again, and next year, they'll come again. If they are not subdued, they will be beaten to the cold, and there will be more generals and civilians who will die because of the invasion of the northern captives! ”

"This year, I drove the Xuanfu, I can't talk about the pro-conquest, I haven't even come out of the side wall, what is it called?" Zhu Houxi paused, and then shouted louder, "I hope you understand that the more cowardly you fight, the more the Beiyu will feel that the Ming Dynasty is weak and can be bullied, and the border troubles will never be extinguished!" One day, I will really drive the Tartars away, and I will never dare to approach my Ming Frontier! ”

"Your Majesty is mighty!"

After all, this was the emperor's admonition to the generals of Xuanfu, after all, he came to the border town under such a situation where the army of thousands of miles of border walls was pressing. Moreover, the battle was won, albeit tragically.

"I don't want the Ming soldiers to die in battle against the enemy, so I hope that from today onwards, you will not slack off in your practice."

"I don't want the border army to worry about food and salary, so I will try to keep you safe."

"I don't want the border army to be cowardly, so merit will be rewarded, crime will be punished, and death will be merciful!"

"This year, the Great Khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty was beheaded in the Ming Dynasty. Next time, I hope you are captive chieftains! Zhu Houxi stretched out his hand, "Take the bow!" ”

Guo Xun saw Lu Bing hand the bow and arrow to the emperor, and then the emperor stretched his bow on the platform and aimed at a newly built stone platform in the west of Xuanfu City not far away. Now, the stone platform is not high, and a board is nailed to it. On the board, the side wall of the Ming Dynasty is carved, and there is a place outside the side wall, which is engraved with words.

Zhu Houxi stretched his bow and pulled out the arrow, and an arrow hit the yuanzi.

Only then did Guo Xun remember that the emperor had been running for the first time in the court, and he had always been a martial emperor - although this stone platform was not far from the wooden platform, this hand archery skill was not very good.

But this did not prevent the generals from immediately applauding and looking at the emperor excitedly: What is this going to do?

"Erecting this monument will engrave the names of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in this battle. Keep this arrow, and wait for the day when Meng Yuan no longer has a Khan court. Zhu Houxi handed over the bow to Lu Bing, "The northern troubles that the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty and generations of soldiers have not been able to get rid of will be determined for the rest of my life, and I will take this as my ambition to ensure the peace of the northern border of the Ming Dynasty and the people live and work in peace and contentment!" ”

On the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the sixth year of Jiajing, the emperor shot arrows in Xuanfu as an oath.

But the new phase of the Ming and Mongol disputes has only just begun.

(End of chapter)