Yang and mouth.

On this day, after Wang Shouren finished arranging military affairs at night, he went to Zhang Zhou to inquire about two points, one was to find out what his own task was next, and the other was to find out how to solve the confrontation between Zhang Zhou and the fire sieve.

After all, Yanghekou is just a pass of the Ming Dynasty, and this is just a military fortress, and for Zhang Zhou, it is far less comfortable than Xuanfu.

Most of the soldiers were camped in the fortress, and it would be good if he could have tiles to cover his heads.

"Brother Bo'an, have a bit?"

Zhang Zhou was still writing something, and Wang Shouren thought that Zhang Zhou was writing and playing, so he didn't bother too much.

But it was Zhang Zhou who pointed to the food on the table, there was wine and meat, Wang Shouren was stunned when he saw this scene, Zhang Zhou's living environment in the army was very luxurious, and he said that if you want to enjoy life, don't come here.

Zhang Zhou finished writing down the things at hand, and then summoned Sun Shangqi in and said, "Send it back to Jingshi." ”

At this time, Wang Shouren noticed that it was not a performance, but more like a private letter.

When Zhang Zhou walked towards Wang Shouren, facing Wang Shouren's suspicious gaze, he explained with a smile: "To be a doctor, you have to write a prescription for people, and after entering Yanghekou, I asked people for a little mercury and arsenic, and got some new medicine......

Naturally, it was prepared for the one in Li Dongyang's family.

promised to improve the arsenic, Zhang Zhou did what he said, anyway, he was not interested in the decisive battle with the fire sieve now, so he set up camp in Yanghekou while returning to the state of being in the capital...... He'll do all sorts of things anyway.

Wang Shouren did not ask Zhang Zhou who prepared the medicine for, and in his opinion, Zhang Zhou did not look like a soldier, and he did everything part-time.

Then Zhang Zhou invited Wang Shouren to the dinner table.

"Yang Hewei sent it to me by Commander Song Xian, don't give it back, as a military affairs officer of the Xuanda General System, after arriving at the office, the officials and generals everywhere want to cling to it, and it's annoying." Zhang Zhou sighed.

Only then did Wang Shouren know why Zhang Zhouren lived in a very ordinary place on the front line, but he was so "elegant" in terms of food.

It is said to be elegant, but it probably can't be compared with the comfortable life in the capital.

"The wine is gone, let's have a meal together." Zhang Zhoudao.

Wang Shouren said: "No need, before coming down, I have already had dinner." ”

Zhang Zhou nodded and said, "Okay, then let's finish talking in advance, I'll be eating in a while." Brother Bo'an is here to send troops to Maoerzhuang? ”

"Yes."

Wang Shouren had proposed a strategic strategy to Zhang Zhou before, mentioning how to sneak attack, including a head-on battle with the fire sieve, etc., but then he didn't get a reply from Zhang Zhou, he actually knew that Zhang Zhou meant to sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, but he always felt that this was a good opportunity to miss the fire sieve.

Zhang Zhoudao: "I've seen it, you mentioned it very well, people from all walks of life are gathered, and we are not afraid to fight head-on, and we can even copy his back road." But you must know that it is not whether we want to fight or not, but that the fire screen will not fight with us nine times out of ten. ”

Wang Shouren nodded and said: "But if you don't send troops for a long time, you will order the fire to screen Chen soldiers outside Datong Town, or make the court criticize." ”

"Huh."

Zhang Zhou smiled.

It seems that all of a sudden, Wang Shouren has understood the "essence" of governing the army in the northwest.

That is, no matter what the strategic situation is, whether it should be fought or not, that is not the point.

The point is not what you, the front-line general, think, but what the monarchs and ministers of the DPRK and China think, once what you do is different from what the monarchs and ministers of the DPRK and the central government expect, then they will attack you, even find fault with you, dismiss you, and even hold you accountable.

If you don't send troops to invade the Tatar territory, you can sit back and watch the Tatars plunder, which is a serious crime in the eyes of the ministers of the court.

"It's okay, the fire sieve is in Maoerzhuang, it's not that you knock on the gate and enter, no matter how much others criticize it, you can't say that the sky is broken, who let you have Bo'an's good news in front, we are so well-established?" Zhang Zhou was still smiling.

Unlike the Tatar Chen Bing in the past, Zhang Zhou was in the northwest this time, and the people in the DPRK and China did not seem to make irresponsible remarks about it.

Zhang Zhou's mode of fighting is unique, and he seems to have privileges in the deployment of Chen soldiers.

The ministers of the DPRK and China also seemed to understand that Zhang Zhou's strategy of using troops could not be speculated with common sense, and the pattern between the Ming Dynasty and the grassland tribes had been reversed, and now they were attacking Zhang Zhou...... If you go back and give you another victory, that is, to smear your face.

No one wanted to lean their faces over and let Zhang Zhou fan them in the face.

"I came up with the idea of sending troops, but at present, there is a shortage of food, grass and baggage, if we go to attack with light troops, the advantage is not ours, it is better to hold on to each other like this, give the soldiers around Datong a sense of urgency, and at the same time it is good to fight with the court." Zhang Zhou said it very clearly in front of Wang Shouren.

"?" Wang Shouren frowned, this word didn't sound so formal.

It's not like it's coming from the mouth of a commander in chief of the Northwest Army.

Zhang Zhou sighed: "It's just." Brother Bo'an, you also know that this good news, in terms of meritorious deeds, if according to the previous standards, the imperial court will not be able to reward so much money for the three armies, and my Xuanfu has not yet made progress in opening iron mines, if you want to calm the army's morale, you must have financial support, but do you think that there are so many coins transferred from the DPRK and China now? ”

"It's hard." Wang Shouren also knew that the Northwest wanted to use troops, and it was not simply a question of whether the monarch and ministers agreed.

It also depends on whether Daming can afford to use troops for a long time.

The minister's opposition is not simply because they are afraid of things, but because once the northwest wants to prepare for war on a large scale, it will involve the problem of labor and money, and the civil officials of the Hongzhi Dynasty, especially the cabinet ministers after Xu Pu, all they want is to "settle the people".

In order to reassure the people, it is necessary to reduce expenditures, which is contrary to the grand strategy of using troops in the northwest.

"Without the fire screening army to suppress the realm, I can't reach out to the court to ask for silver, and I also know that the court will not meet our needs, and we can't throttle, so we can only open source. However, the open source method will inevitably conflict with the existing system of the imperial court, and it is just right now that I can apply to His Majesty. ”

Zhang Zhou once again showed that he was different from ordinary people.

Wang Shouren, who was born in a traditional civil servant force, naturally felt that he couldn't accept it for a while when he heard this kind of words.

If this had been changed before, if Zhang Zhou said such things in front of him, he might have brushed his sleeves away.

You are a Xuanda general system, and you are actually thinking about how to calculate the imperial court?

But it's different now......

It was precisely because he didn't know the price of firewood and rice, Wang Shouren led the troops to the grassland, and after returning to Yanghekou, he deeply felt the bad situation in the northwest.

And all this comes from the conservatism and bigotry of the Chinese courtiers.

Wang Shouren asked: "If you want to prepare for war for many years, the amount of money spent is probably huge. If you don't rely on the deployment of Beijing reserves, just relying on the accumulation of Xuanfu in the past few years, I am afraid that it will only be a drop in the bucket. ”

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded, "So my strategy, on the one hand, is to take advantage of the current situation in the northwest to strengthen the military tun, and then by changing the grain opening medium, let the merchants come to the tuntian, recruit the army and civilians to reclaim the wasteland, and at the same time step up the mining of mines." After all, His Majesty has given me permission, and we have to make good use of it. ”

"Back to Xuanfu?" Wang Shouren frowned.

In Wang Shouren's mind, Zhang Zhou said that he wanted to open a mine, which meant that he was going to open an iron mine around Zhangjiakou Fort, and some of the locations were still outside the fortress.

But you Chen Bing are in Yanghekou, what else is this talking about?

"No, no, there is no need to go back to Xuanfu, it's good to stay in Datong Town, I can't open an iron mine, I'll open a few coal mines first, it just so happens that I have accumulated some experience in Xishan, and I can be familiar with the road." Zhang Zhou said with a smile.

Wang Shouren was stunned for a moment.

Your way of mining is magical.

Originally, when it came to opening an iron mine, don't say that the court is up and down, even if the Tartars know your intentions, they all think that the focus of your mining is on Xuanfu, but you turned around and ran to Datong to open a coal mine?

Do you think that there are mines everywhere in the world, and you want to open them wherever you want?

Wang Shouren said: "With the existing coal mines around Datong Town, it is not easy to open up new mines. ”

Zhang Zhou shook his head with a smile and said, "On the contrary, it's easy. The coal mines around Datong are abundant, and you know that I am good at feng shui...... It is easiest to use the Kanyu Xuankong set of prospecting, and I have asked Your Majesty to let you stay in Datong Town as the governor, and the matter of opening coal mines in the local area will be handed over to you. ”

“……”

Wang Shouren was speechless.

I'm here to talk to you about sending troops, and you tell me that I'm going to stay in Datong and help you open a mine?

Although what Zhang Zhou said is in line with his expectations for governing the army, being able to be the governor of Datong will give him too much stage to play, and he can just realize his ambitions.

It has been less than half a year since he entered the court, and Wang Shouren does not expect to be an official in the capital to make any great achievements, and he can't enter the Hanlin Academy, but it is better to stay in the northwest to govern the army for a long time, at least this is his hobby...... As for studying, as well as doing things such as opening lectures on learning, those are all things that he hobby in his middle and later years.

"Originally, I planned to keep you in Xuanfu, but Ma Zhongxi, this person, has a strong temper, and he still has the ability. Capable people, even if they have a different temperament from ordinary people, can do things, it is better than those who do not act, the Ming Dynasty's absurdity in the past few decades in the northwest military affairs is from the inaction of many people! ”

Although Zhang Zhou did not directly criticize Hong Han, the governor of Datong, he derogated Hong Han to nothing.

After listening to this, Wang Shouren not only felt empathy, but also felt a kind of "admiration".

He was also thinking that this Zhang Zhengtai looked young, and he was still a close man in the eyes of others, he seemed to be competitive and competitive to deal with Ma Zhongxi, but he was also open-minded, obviously Ma Zhongxi had treated him as a traitor, and he was obviously qualified to remove Ma Zhongxi, but Zhang Zhou was still tolerant.

Instead, it was Hong Han......

This kind of inactive official, even if he meets again, will still be ordered to get out early.

Originally, Wang Shouren was not very confident that he would be the governor of the northwest, but seeing Zhang Zhou's determination, he would also be encouraged and thought that he could do a big job.

"As for sending troops to Maoerzhuang, forget it." Zhang Zhou said, "Unless we can transfer a large number of artillery and gunpowder from the side pass, but this does not meet the strategic needs." Now I want to see what kind of tricks the fire sieve can play. ”

Zhang Zhou is very leisurely.

Wang Shouren also obeyed.

Obviously, after Zhang Zhou arrived in the northwest, he didn't go to fight a tough battle in person, and he ran errands when he moved his mouth, but he didn't go into battle in person, and he avoided the battle when he had the opportunity to fight a decisive battle with the fire sieve, but Wang Shouren was sincere to Zhang Zhou.

Wang Shouren said: "No wonder Marquis Weining, before he died, he recommended to His Majesty many times, saying that the future of military affairs in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty is on the shoulders of Zhang Zhitai. ”

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Bo'an, you don't have to compliment me, let's work together in the future, how long can I stay in the northwest?" You may not be able to return to Beijing in the next few years, so it is more appropriate to say that the burden is on your shoulders. Let's work together. ”

"Hmm."

Wang Shouren didn't say to be humble.

Working together, Wang Shouren is also happy to accept it.

……

……

As Zhang Zhou expected, he then sent a report that he didn't collect it at night, saying that the fire screen had withdrawn its troops from Maoerzhuang and was in a hurry.

As for the reason for the withdrawal, it is also very simple......

Zhang Zhou sent 2,000 cavalry out of Yanghekou, did not go north, but went west along the north side of the Great Wall Pass to Fangshan, and the fire screen ran away.

When Wang Shouren got this battle report, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Isn't this all in line with Zhang Zhou's prediction?

It's not that Da Ming's side wants to fight a decisive battle, but a fire sieve...... Confidence is gone.

Or even if the fire screen still has confidence, the fire screen should know how to judge the situation, why should the soldiers under its command have the confidence to fight with the Ming Dynasty?

Obviously, the grassland is being annexed, and most of its tribesmen are still captured, so they are going to fight against the Ming Dynasty on behalf of the grassland? Even without the rise of Zhang Zhou, without the yellow powder and those advanced artillery, the power of the Ming Dynasty far surpassed that of Dayan Khan......

Now with Zhang Zhou, it is even more impossible for the fire sieve to take the initiative to touch the eggs and stones.

Then an edict was sent to Yanghekou.

Zhang Zhou was promoted to the left capital of the Imperial History of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the right attendant of the Military Department, and was promoted to the right governor of the Later Military Governor's Office...... The emperor sent all the important towns on the nine sides to Zhang Zhouren.

Zhang Zhou's civil service is temporarily the second grade, and the martial profession is the first grade, which is equivalent to becoming the most powerful man in the northwest.

Although Zhang Zhou has not yet been knighted, it seems that everyone knows that Zhang Zhou can get the knighthood when he returns to the capital, and now he has not been knighted, but it is just convenient for Zhang Zhou to control the military affairs of the northwest as a civil official.

It's a matter of priority.

Although the emperor can also issue an edict to let Zhang Zhou control the military affairs of the northwest as a martial artist, it will form a bad precedent, just like when Wang Yue was promoted to Wei Ningbo, he also had to step down from the post of secretary of the military department.

The emperor is trying to gag other people's mouths as much as possible.

Wang Shouren was promoted to Langzhong of the Criminal Department, and also the imperial history of Zuo Du, and the governor of Datong military affairs.

Hong Han, the former governor of Datong, was dismissed on the spot and transferred to Beijing......

Everything was done on the premise that Zhang Zhou had never met Hong Han.

After the will, the next question is to perform their duties.

The fire screen withdrew the troops, and Zhang Zhou currently does not have enough firearms to send troops, Zhang Zhou has to carry out the two items of mining and security, which needs someone to help him execute...... The partial pass is more similar to a military station, there is no way to open mines around, and there is no way to go to Tuntian, and Anmin basically has to put all of it on Wang Shouren.

Zhang Zhou immediately wanted to make a trip for Wang Shouren and send him to Datong Mansion to take over.

"There's no hurry, is there?" After Tang Yin learned about it, he still looked a little surprised.

Obviously, I am your junior brother Zhang Banxian, why did all the good things fall on others?

is also the head of the six ministries, why was he promoted to governor?

Wang Shouren next to him also seems to feel that even if he is the governor of Datong, he does not necessarily have to go to Datong to perform his duties, and the situation in Datong is different from that of Xuanfu, and Datong Town, as an important town in Shanxi, itself has a collection of economic, cultural and military urban functions.

Being the governor of Datong is much more complicated than being the governor of Xuanfu and the governor of Biguan.

In the docking with the local government and other yamen, Wang Shouren felt that he was powerless.

Militarily, he is confident, but to manage such a complex system as a new science and technology scholar like him, no matter how confident you are, you can't rank seniority, you just lack confidence.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Bo'an, I will let Jinyi Wei Sun Qianhu accompany you over, and at the same time transfer 1,000 people from the Beijing Camp Shenji Battalion and 1,000 Xuanfu Town Soldiers to you, and try not to conflict after you pass." When everything was settled, the men withdrew one after another. ”

Zhang Zhou not only had to consider Wang Shouren's political pressure, but also his personal safety.

When a young governor goes to his office, he still goes to carry out rectification and reform, and it is easy to be dissatisfied with the local landlords.

These two thousand soldiers and horses are Zhang Zhou's personal soldiers to Wang Shouren, and there are talents around him who are easy to do.

Wang Shouren also understands that Datong is now a tiger's den in Longtan for him, and he will not refuse to accept it like a stunned young man, but may still feel ...... Two thousand is a bit less.

"I'll give you another 10,000 taels of silver." Zhang Zhou said, "This is the start-up capital, you can allocate it yourself." Rest assured, this silver is all obtained by me from mining and self-raising, and it does not involve the allocation of the imperial court, so you can use it as you want. ”

It was Wang Shouren's turn and Tang Yin next to him to be speechless.

Tang Yin asked: "Zhang Zhengtai, didn't you give the imperial court more than 10,000 taels of silver to fold the banknotes?" ”

Zhang Zhoudao: "At that time, I almost contributed my net worth, but recently I made a lot of money from opening a coal mine in Xishan, and the workshop business in the capital is also very good. ”

Tang Yin frowned.

He wanted to say that he had seen others move from the court to his own house, but he had never seen you move money from your own house to the court like this.

"There is no return if there is no investment, and 10,000 taels of silver is not enough to do much, the focus is to recruit some people to open the coal mine, and I will find someone to communicate with me about the specific location, and I will go in person when I have time."

Zhang Zhou continued, "As for the reward for military merits, the imperial court is already in the process of implementing it. If the first merit is not enough to be cashed, it will be cashed in the form of salt, tuntian, field, house, military rank, etc., and it is not within the scope of the use of this 10,000 taels of silver. If it is really not enough, maybe after the mine is opened in the future, the part of the income from the mining will be taken out again and the soldiers will be rewarded. Make the most of it. ”

Tang Yin said: "The imperial court even wants us to raise our own military rewards?" ”

Zhang Zhou shrugged and said, "We don't necessarily need to raise it ourselves, so we owe it first?" It is not good for us to govern the army. The treasury is short of silver, and we will help us find a way to stabilize the army. No problem. ”

(End of chapter)