"How did Chen Xuan fight?"

In the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies, Zhu Di looked at the report from the front line and directly threw it to the ground unceremoniously.

The purpose of Zhu Di's visit today was to listen to the reports of the generals of the Governor's Mansion on the situation related to the conquest of Annam.

The matter of the conquest of Annan was very loud before, and Zhu Di has been forcibly pressing, just to wait for Jiang Xinghuo to complete the water control in Jiangnan and settle the displaced people, so that large-scale cotton textile production can be carried out, and the handicraft workshop is opened, and the army of the Ming Dynasty can naturally find a market.

With this prerequisite, the conquest of Annam will not become a loss-making business, otherwise just by snatching a sum from Annam, it will still lose money, after all, hundreds of thousands of troops are pulled, and every day it is throwing money into the bottomless pit, not to mention the cost of maintaining the rule.

But the generals of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies don't care about this, they only have the expansion of territory and meritorious service in their eyes, so even Zhu Di can't suppress their voices.

The army is Zhu Di's basic plate and the core of his source of power, and Zhu Di cannot ignore the opinions of the generals.

Moreover, Chen Tianping, the grandson of Emperor Annan sent over from Laos a while ago, in front of hundreds of civil and military officials, when he met at the court, he burst into tears in the main hall and said that "the thief invaded Siming's mansion and seized its land, and he really wanted to resist the kingdom", clearly saying that the current puppet dynasty of Annan was against the Ming Dynasty, and then said that "Your Majesty is worthy of heaven and earth, hundreds of millions of people are all over the world, one thing is lost, there is no peace in the heart, the crime is hanged by the people, and the rise and destruction are extinct, this is the hope of the distant Yi, and the great wish of the ministers is also", encouraging Zhu Di to send troops.

In this way, the face of Zheng Annan was gone, and the generals became more and more excited.

Therefore, the specific strategy and campaign planning for the conquest of Annam were naturally put on the agenda.

Before and after Jiang Xinghuo prayed for rain, this process began, and these days, after the intense preparation of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies, a complete set of combat plans has been presented in front of Zhu Di today.

But Zhu Di was not very satisfied, not because he was not satisfied with the specific content, but with the people who led the army.

The three living Jingnan kilometers, Qiu Fu and Yao Guangxiao are all dying, only Zhu Neng, the Duke of Chengguo, is bent on letting it, and has asked for war several times, Zhu Neng is the best candidate, but unfortunately after Jiang Xinghuo's reminder, Zhu Di does have some concerns in his heart now, for fear that the pillar of the Mesozoic Era in the Ming military circle has three longs and two shorts.

Zhu Di personally visited Zhu Neng, and Zhu Neng was indeed in good health, but Zhu Di carefully found in his daily observation that Zhu Neng was indeed weaker than before in some details, such as coughing from time to time.

But Zhu Neng said that he was fine, although Zhu Di had the final decision, and he could also be dictatorial, but Zhu Di still talked about the opportunity to lead the army to go on the expedition with fair rewards and punishments, which is of course a reward.

Zhu Di is also not good at forcibly not letting Zhu Neng, the most suitable candidate, lead the troops with this ridiculous reason of "the national teacher predicts that you will have an accident".

Otherwise, it will make the generals think that the emperor is afraid of Zhu Nenggong's high shock? So is it time to release the military power with a glass of wine?

The world has decided that this is exactly what the generals are most worried about.

Zhu Di didn't want to say anything, so he picked a few small thorns casually.

However, coincidentally, Chen Xuan's military report also happened to arrive, and it touched Zhu Di's moldy head.

"Chen Xuan arrived in Jiangnan so long in advance, so he didn't know how to build bridges and pave roads, build military stations, and reserve food and salary?"

"Your Majesty is angry!"

The generals of the Governor's Mansion hurriedly knelt on the ground, and some even said in fear: "The ministers are incompetent, please your majesty to surrender ......"

Having said that, the teasing in the tone is obvious.

The progress of the Jiangnan Rebellion is slow, and it is not the soldiers they lead, it is the Pingjiang Bo Chen Xuan who is actually commanding, what does it have to do with them? It is nothing more than a detailed embodiment of the factional tilting within the Ming army.

More than half a year ago, Chen Xuan, as a general of the Southern Army who was not the son of the founding of Hongwu, led the naval division to arrange the river defense to resist the Yan army, but took the initiative to surrender to the Yan army, so that Zhu Di successfully crossed the river. Compared with Li Jinglong, who also opened the door and surrendered, the gold content is slightly insufficient.

Therefore, in today's contempt chain in the Ming military circles, it is normal to be able to collect several keywords at the bottom of the contempt chain such as non-Hongwu nobles, generals, and sailors, and get the opportunity to lead an army alone to quell the rebellion and show his face.

Zhu Di's anger did not subside, and he pointed to Kanyutu and said: "Jiangnan has dragged on for so long, won't it delay the major event of my expedition to Annan?" ”

was awarded the title of Duke Rongguo, Yao Guangxiao actually participated in the important affairs of the temple and the military state as a military minister, so of course he attended the meeting of the expedition to Annan.

Seeing that the emperor was angry, the relationship between the rest of the generals and Chen Xuan was also average, so they naturally didn't bother to help Chen Xuan speak, but Chen Xuan's command was theoretically entrusted by Jiang Xinghuo, so for the sake of Jiang Sheng's face, Yao Guangxiao stood up and said a fair word.

"Chen Xuan, these thousands of sailors, received an order to dredge the channel before, not to prepare for battle. With the civil turmoil, Chen Xuan also did some garrison matters in Suzhou Mansion, and none of the cities in Suzhou Mansion fell, so His Majesty did not need to be too harsh. ”

"Humph!"

Zhu Di knocked on the sand table and said: "After all, his person is ill-thought, and he will be fined for one year as a punishment, and he will immediately issue an order to urge him to assist the national teacher to quickly advance and suppress the civil unrest." ”

Behind him, Zheng He bowed his hand slightly, but he turned around to pass the decree, and a few Hanlin edicts were outside.

In the military conference hall, Cao Guogong Li Jinglong was not there, as the leader of Hongwu Xungui at the moment, Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei, silently watched from the side and did not speak.

Of course, Xu Huizu could see that the emperor didn't seem to be really angry, but found some kind of excuse and scolded him openly, but he was still very happy in his heart.

Moreover, this accusation and Yao Guangxiao's tacit explanation are actually some kind of protection, and with the emperor's characterization of this matter, it is not good for others to attack Chen Xuan more.

"Ahem. Your Majesty, let's move on. ”

Chengguo Gong Zhu Neng covered his mouth and coughed twice, then said.

"Where did you just go?" Zhu Di asked, crossing his waist.

I don't know if the emperor did it on purpose or how, but the person next to him hurriedly reminded.

"Annan's elephants."

"Oh." Zhu Di nodded and said: "Annam, Champong, Siam and other countries have always liked to drive elephants to fight, elephants are huge, even if they are heavily armored and iron-clad, if they clash with each other, they will be destroyed head-on in front of the elephants in formation. ”

At this time, Liu Sheng, the governor of the Left Army, suddenly said: "Your Majesty, I heard that Muying, the king of Qianning, had broken the Luchuan elephant array with firecrackers, crossbow arrows, and cannons before his death. ”

"Oh." Zhu Di's eyes flashed with a gleam: "This is also a good idea!" As long as you are sure to deal with the elephant array, there is no trick that you can use to come to Annan to fight against our Great Tomorrow Army. ”

"Your Majesty is wise." The generals behind Zhu Di echoed one after another.

But Qiu Fu, the Duke of Qi Guo, frowned, and admonished unhappily: "Your Majesty, firearms are just a bit useful for scaring wild beasts. At the time of the disaster, the firearms were placed in advance, relying on the car array, and they were not also washed to pieces? Please also ask Your Majesty not to indulge in this crooked path. ”

Tong'an Hou Huozhen, as a Mongolian general from the cavalry, also spoke Chinese with a northern accent at this time, agreed: "Pingjiangbo's progress in the south of the Yangtze River is slow, there are not too few tax guards and cavalry, most of them are infantry armed with firearms and spears, when it rains, firearms are useless, and Annan is also hot and rainy all year round, if you really use firearms, I am afraid that you have to depend on the weather to fight, it is far better to ride on horses and rush back and forth." ”

This is Qiu Fu and other cavalry generals, who are clearly expressing their stance to the emperor.

Firearms are used to scare elephants, don't really use them as independent troops.

In fact, as the principal of the Daming Army Military Academy, Qiu Fu has always had a disdainful attitude towards the teaching of artillery and firearms related firearms subjects in the school.

There is also cutting watermelon, and if you cut more, I will have less worries.

Traditional cavalry officers are very, very attentive to safeguarding their own interests.

And Ping An and Sheng Yong, who also support the use of firearms, but have an extremely embarrassing position in the army, have been sent to the north at this time to train the three guards returned by the kings, so Liu Sheng looked around, and he was a little isolated.

But fortunately, at this time, Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei, stood up to help him speak.

"Whether the firearms can be formed into an army alone, the performance of the tax guards is not easy to say now, after all, they are not equipped with new arquebuses and bronze cannons, Your Majesty might as well send this batch of firearms made by the War Bureau to the front line to give it a try."

"If you can't get food, how can you transport firearms?" Zhu Neng also read Chen Xuan's battle report, and naturally knew how difficult the transportation conditions in Jiangnan were now.

Xu Huizu explained: "The grain bags are not carried by legal persons because they are afraid of water, and the amount of grain required is too much, and it is a drop in the bucket to transport less." But the number of these firearms is not very large, and put them in a box covered with a tarpaulin, and a box that can always be transported is estimated to be able to put dozens of arquebuses, and organize a team of people and horses, how can they be transported to the front line through the difficult road of Suzhou Prefecture, and at most it will be transported slowly. ”

Zhu Di said thoughtfully: "The national teacher is vigorous and resolute in Changzhou Mansion, but it has set up a solid rear for the action in Jiangnan, and it is not easy to go at this time, but it is just the middle section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Suzhou Mansion."

"I understand your concerns."

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Di made a decision.

"But the new type of firearms should always be in actual combat, just according to Wei Guogong's wishes, organize people to send a batch to the front line, dozens or more than a hundred large boxes."

"Liu Yan's business."

Liu Sheng, who was named, hurriedly responded: "The minister is here." ”

Zhu Di instructed: "With my will, all the guns and a few small cannons made during this period of time transferred from the War Bureau will be transported to the Jiangnan Quelling Front Line first, and then to Hushu Pass to see the specific situation, if the rain is light or stopped, then it can be transported; If it is still raining heavily, you can also help carry food. ”

"Obey the order!"

At this moment, Zheng He suddenly came back with a recital.

"Your Majesty, the national teacher has a performance."

Zhu Di hurriedly unfolded, and immediately became a little puzzled.

"Do you want a large number of craftsmen from the War Bureau to take the Yangtze River waterway and then go from the sea to Songjiang Mansion? And in addition to that, to carry a batch of gunpowder? ”

"What is the national teacher going to do?"

However, although he had doubts in his heart, Zhu Di still maintained his trust in Jiang Xinghuo and changed his orders.

"Liu Yanshi, you take the arquebus and bronze artillery and follow the craftsmen of the War Bureau to Songjiang, the national teacher said that he has a way to open up the Great Huangpu and Wusong River, and then take the waterway to transport the materials to the front line."

Liu Sheng bowed down and asked, "But the minister would like to ask Your Majesty for permission to bring some military cadets who are proficient in artillery skills with him." ”

"Naturally."

So, Liu Sheng and a large number of craftsmen from the War Bureau, as well as Xu Jingchang, Zhu Yong, Zhang Anshi and other military cadets, took several boats of gunpowder, and under the escort of Zheng He, they embarked on a new journey.

Jiang Xinghuo didn't know that he took the time to write the memo before the banquet of the local gentry of Songjiang Mansion, which was originally just to shake some people to help, but he shook so many reinforcements at once.

In fact, this is also the first time that gunpowder and firearms have exerted a power that can touch the government and the opposition in a specific event.

(End of chapter)