On the second day of the fourth month of the fourth month of summer, Gao Xu, the king of Bohai County, said: "I heard that Emperor Gao said that Hu Lu has been away for a long time, but he has not cherished it, so he must not be guarded against." Now the Marquis of Jiangyin Wu Gao led the Liaodong Mabu army to patrol the border, transferred the commander of the Bohai Jilin Wei to make Wang Yi the deputy, and opened the Bohai County Wang Zhizhi, selected the elite of Jilin Wei to be led by Wang Yi, and followed the Marquis of Jiangyin to the north of Zhaozhou. ”

On the 20th of April, early in the morning, Zhu Gaoxu received a message from the general of Jixi Pass, saying that the Liaodong Metropolitan Division had sent grain.

At first, Zhu Gaoxu didn't believe it, but when he came to Jixi Pass, he immediately saw more than 3,000 stone grains being transported, as well as 1,000 foot soldiers and 2,000 people who were escorted.

Without waiting for him to inspect the grain, he was summoned to the side by a seven-rank Wenlin Lang and read out the will given to him by Zhu Yunwen.

"Interesting......" Listening to the content of the will, Zhu Gaoxu subconsciously thought of the drama in history when Zhu Yunwen asked Song Zhong to transfer away from the three guards of Yanfu.

Although he didn't know if this was the drama in history, Zhu Gaoxu did not relax in his heart, but accepted the holy decree respectfully on the surface, and after getting up, he explained to Yizha on the side in a high-sounding manner:

"You personally selected the sharp soldiers who have been in the army for more than two years in Jilin City to go to Zhaozhou City, and told Wang Yi to wait for the Marquis of Jiangyin to go north, and then obey the moderation of the Marquis of Jiangyin."

"Yes." Yishaha didn't know what his Royal Highness was selling, but he was willing to play this scene with Zhu Gaoxu.

That Wen Linlang looked at the two of them, and to be honest, he was a little stunned in his heart.

Of course, this is not because of the dialogue between the two, but because of Zhu Gaoxu.

Nineteen-year-old Zhu Gaoxu is six feet two inches (198 cm) tall and has wide arms, which makes Wen Linlang, who is only five feet three or four inches, need to look up at him.

His figure is not exaggerated, but burly and very well-proportioned.

Although that figure was not as well-dressed as those battle-hardened generals, after listening to many stories about him along the way, Wen Linlang already had an understanding of Zhu Gaoxu's force.

With the gap between the two, Wen Linlang had no doubt that Zhu Gaoxu could pinch himself to death with one hand.

"Angel, please enter the customs, tomorrow Lone will send troops to Zhaozhou City to return to Wang Yi's moderation, and ask the angel to rest tonight."

Zhu Gaoxu spoke in a deep voice, and Wen Linlang also responded when he heard this, and entered Jixi Pass under the guidance of the officials on the side.

After he left, Zhu Gaoxu went up to the arrow tower of Jixi Pass, and Yizha also went up.

After arriving at the top of the arrow tower, Yizha expressed his doubts: "This person came with bad intentions, and the imperial court even wants us to transfer the elite of Jilin City, I am afraid that it may be necessary to do something to you." ”

"In that case, why do you need to be virtuous, it's better to kill him directly and lead the troops south!"

Yizha is no longer the eunuch on duty who guarded the door in Wuying Hall back then, and now he is also a person who has fought outside the gate with Zhu Gaoxu for many years, has been on the battlefield, and has handled government affairs, so he naturally knows the will of the imperial court and does not hold any good pee.

It's just that for his suggestion, Zhu Gaoxu reminded again and again: "Again, we must let them force us to go south, and let the soldiers and civilians of Jilin City force us to go south, not our own advocacy of going south." ”

"Besides, since my eldest brother has sent so much food, how can he act for his people?"

The corners of Zhu Gaoxu's mouth twitched, and his tone was sneering: "No matter what drama he has to set up on stage, in short, he has to sing first." ”

"As long as he starts singing this play, then this play must be finished, but how to play it, then I have the final say."

Zhu Gaoxu stepped on the women's wall, looking at the cart of grain sent into Jixi Pass, and couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"Three thousand stone of grain, enough for 50,000 troops to eat for three days, let that Wen Linlang be happy and happy."

"That's ......" Yisha laughed too, but after laughing, he still asked, "Aren't we going to make any arrangements?" ”

"Naturally." Zhu Gaoxu did not reply and ordered:

"Transfer 5,000 old soldiers to the north to the land of the six cities, and tell Xu Sheng to wait for my order to lead the troops to Changchun."

"Let Meng Zhang slow down, give them some time, and see how they want to play this play."

"Fatwa Fudaha, let him send troops to the area of the former Yuan Dongning Mansion to disturb the situation there."

After finishing his instructions about Jilin City, Zhu Gaoxu looked back at Yi Shiha: "How many soldiers does Cui Jun have over there in Sanchang?" ”

"There are three thousand and five soldiers transferred through the horse pulling team, plus the two thousand four in the original three games, making a total of five thousand nine hundred brothers." He also responded.

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu instructed without hesitation: "Let Cui Jun make military rations, leave 900 troops to garrison three fields, and the remaining 5,000 people will set off south on April 26, take three mountain roads, detour to Dongning Mansion, and go straight to southern Liaoning." ”

Zhu Gaoxu asked Cui Jun to set off first, just because the mountain road was rugged, and it was 1,500 miles from Jilin to the Changbai Mountains into southern Liaoning, even if Cui Jun and his troops marched fifteen miles a day, it would take a month to pass through the vast mountains and reach the coastal plains of southern Liaoning.

It's just that in this way, the strength of Jilin City is empty, so after hearing this, Yishaha said: "Your Highness, now there are 15,000 soldiers in Jilin City, and the 5,000 people in Jilin City have been transferred out of three fields, and then the 5,000 people in Jilin City will be transferred to the six cities, and there will only be 5,000 people left." ”

"Of these 5,000 people, 4,000 are military households who came to Jilin City with Liu Wu and others, and only 1,000 of our brothers obey our orders."

"Are you taking too much risk by doing this......"

Yisha was worried about Zhu Gaoxu's safety, but Zhu Gaochu seemed to have nothing to do with him: "No, I'm afraid that my eldest brother will send someone and dare not do it." ”

"What's more, the 4,000 military households are all trained by us, and you can see that Liu Wu and the three can only mobilize the more than 600 soldiers they brought at the beginning."

"With 1,000 against 600, plus the 500 defenders of Jixi Pass, and the 130,000 soldiers and civilians in Jilin City, do you think we still need to care about them?"

"Once you take down Liu Wu and the others, do you think the remaining 3,000 or so military households in the barracks will choose to help the imperial court or choose to help me?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked Yishiha, but Yishiha made a clear decision: "The slave understands that what His Highness wants is this situation, and only this situation can make the soldiers and civilians of Jilin feel the grievances suffered by His Highness." ”

"Hahahaha......" Hearing Yishuha say that he had been wronged, Zhu Gaoxu smiled heartily, but there was some bitterness in that laughter.

Yisha heard the bitterness, he could actually understand his highness.

If there is a peaceful day, who is willing to lick the blood with a knife.

His Royal Highness's move of gradually transgressing the law has now become a lifesaver for Bohai.

Come to think of it, perhaps from the very beginning of his inauguration, His Royal Highness thought that there would be such a day.

Thinking about it like this, I am glad that His Royal Highness is far-sighted, otherwise I am afraid that it will end up much better than Zhou Xiang and other domains.

Thinking of this, Yizha suddenly thought of the mention of Wu Gao's northern tour in the holy decree just now.

"Your Highness, if the Northern Tour mentioned by the Holy Decree is false, then Wu Gao ......"

"Maybe they're here to get me." Zhu Gaoxu chuckled, but his face was grim.

Wu Gao is famous, leading the footprints of troops from Mobei to Liaodong and Guangxi, because of his cautious character, his troops suffered few casualties in each battle and won a lot.

It's not a good thing to deal with such people.

"Wu Gao is a little difficult to deal with, but if you clean him up, then the rest of Liu Zhen, Bu Wan and others will not be afraid."

Zhu Gaoxu also bluntly praised Wu Gao, this is not his boasting, but the fact.

Not only him, but Zhu Di in the Battle of Jingjing in history also had a headache for Wu Gao.

Although Zhu Di said that 'Wu Gao is timid', this is actually a kind of discourse similar to 'tactically despising the enemy and strategically attaching importance to the enemy'.

Wu Gao's cautious personality made it difficult for him to be raided by the enemy, so he was a headache for both Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Di.

Zhu Gaoxu was not afraid that Wu Gao would fight a decisive battle with him with soldiers and horses that were multiplied by his own, but he was afraid that Wu Gao would fight a protracted war to drag himself down.

In terms of defensive operations, only Gu Cheng and Geng Bingwen in Nanjing can make Zhu Gaoxu jealous, and Wu Gao is barely half.

Of course, these three people also gave Zhu Gaoxu a lot of headaches in attack, Gu Cheng needless to say, one of the hundred people in the Hongwu period was beheaded, and no less than 100,000 people were beheaded in the southern and northern wars.

Geng Bingwen is not a mediocre man who can only defend, in the great victory of the fishing sea, he served as a pioneer to break the enemy, and served as a pioneer many times in the battles with Xu Da, Feng Sheng, and Fu Youde, even if he defended the city, he often staged a defensive counterattack.

Although Wu Gao is not as good as these two people, from his history, he led the Liaodong Metropolitan Division to contain Yongping, forcing Zhu Di to face the situation of having to return to defense many times, which can be said to be a very headache.

However, Zhu Gaoxu should be happy, because Zhu Yunwen wants Wu Gaolai to arrest him, or to assist in arresting him.

From Jilin City to Sanwanwei, this distance is too long.

Zhu Gaoxu knew the situation of the Liaodong Metropolitan Division, at most 4,000 cavalry and 7,000 horse infantry, and the rest were all foot soldiers.

On the other hand, Bohai, as long as Zhu Gaoxu nodded, Bohai could immediately pull out 30,000 horse infantry and more than 5,000 cavalry, and at the same time, he could also use tens of thousands of horses to pull artillery and baggage.

In terms of mobility, no one in the entire Ming Dynasty is as rich as Zhu Gaoxu in animal power.

The only drawback is that once Zhu Gaoxu uses these animal powers, the animal power that can be used for reclamation in Jilin City will be halved, and the reclamation speed will be much worse than before.

Zhu Gaoxu was also very helpless in this regard, in order to win, he had to do this.

Only by defeating Wu Gao, entering Liaodong, and taking the reserve warehouse and Chang Ping of the Liaodong Capital Division, can he further seek Shandong.

Only by taking Shandong will he not be afraid of fighting a protracted war because of food shortages.

This is a dilemma in front of Zhu Gaoxu, whether it is Daning or Liaodong, these two places are places to eat grain, not places to produce grain.

The local grain is simply not enough to feed the people on this land, so only by taking Shandong can Zhu Gaoxu solve the food problem.

However, he wanted to take Shandong, on the premise that Zhu Di must resist the attack of the southern army and attract enough troops for himself.

Zhu Gaoxu thought like this, and left Jixiguan after a short time.

The next day, under the watchful eyes of Liaodong soldiers and horses, Wen Linlang, Liu Wu and others, 5,000 veterans who had been in the army for more than two years in Jilin City were transferred to Zhaozhou in the north.

Since the horses and boats were all transferred to Blackwater City by Zhu Gaoxu, they could only walk north.

In the eyes of Liu Wu and the others, Jilin City instantly became empty, if it weren't for the fact that this army had not gone far and could be transferred back at any time, they all wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to make a move on Zhu Gaoxu.

But even so, Wen Linlang couldn't hold back.

After confirming that the old soldier of Jilin City was transferred to Zhaozhou in the north, he said goodbye to Zhu Gaoxu and happily embarked on the road back to Liaodong.

Without the shackles of escorting food, when he led 3,000 soldiers and civilians to Liaodong, it took only seven days to return to 30,000 guards.

Upon learning of his return, Wu Gao and Zheng Gongzhi also summoned him to the yamen for questioning.

"Those 5,000 soldiers and horses have really been transferred? Are you sure? ”

Zheng Gongzhi asked Wen Linlang, and Wu Gao watched from the sidelines.

"It was determined that they were transferred, and the lower officials sent people to follow them at that time, and they only dared to take people south after they had walked more than 40 miles."

"On the day I went south, I sent a team of pond horsemen to pursue it, and I chased it for a hundred miles without a trace, so that the lower officials dared to return with confidence."

After Wen Linlang finished explaining, Zheng Gongzhi set his eyes on Wu Gao.

To be honest, Wu Gao was not interested in their intrigues, the only thing he was interested in was the speed of the march of the army under Zhu Gaoxu.

"How many miles did they march on the first day? Is it walking? ”

Wu Gao asked, and Wen Linlang and Zheng Gongzhi were stunned, not knowing why Wu Gao asked this kind of question.

"Everyone pulls horses and rides horses, and they go out of the city at midnight on the first day, and they have already walked more than 40 miles when they rest at noon."

Although Wen Linlang didn't understand, he still said the general situation.

It's just that as soon as he said this, it was a headache for Wu Gao, who knew the soldiers.

There was a record in the Book of Han about the march, in which the situation of the infantry march was explained as "the soldiers marched lightly for fifty miles, and heavily for thirty miles." ”

The times have changed, and due to the increase in animal power, the marching speed of the Ming Dynasty has increased a lot, especially in the early Ming Dynasty.

Under the condition that Wu Gao controlled the three armies, he could ensure that the chariots and marches in Liaodong for 60 miles a day and camped for food and lodging, and if they traveled day and night, they could reach about 100 miles.

It's just that at present, according to Wen Linlang's description, Zhu Gaoxu's soldiers and horses are horse infantry, and they march more than 40 miles in only three hours, which means that they can reach at least 80 or 90 miles a day, and I am afraid that they can reach more than 120 miles, or even 150 miles day and night.

With this speed of marching, once someone who does not know the Bohai Navy engages it, it is easy to be hit by a surprise attack.

Thinking of this, Wu Gao only felt that this matter was even more tricky.

He didn't approve of cutting down the feudal domain against Zhu Gaochu by force, but now Zhu Gaoxu's horse infantry could achieve such a marching speed, let alone cavalry.

For example, if the 3,000 cavalry that appeared in the city of Uliangha last year were to go out of the border to fight him, I am afraid that he might not be able to defeat him.

"Zheng Yushi, the old man suggested that the move to cut the Bohai domain should be postponed."

Wu Gao was cautious, he knew very well that once he failed to leave the customs, Liaodong would have no resistance, so he advised Zheng Gongzhi.

However, Zheng Gongzhi was very displeased with his exhortation: "Although the Bohai march is fast, our army occupies the righteousness and the Bohai occupies the unrighteousness. ”

What Zheng Gongzhi said does make sense, because this is Qi Tai's opinion.

Qi Tai believed that it would be difficult to hold the long border road with less than 40,000 soldiers in Liaodong, so he had to take the initiative to attack, even if the battle was to be placed in Changchun and Jilin City, so as to avoid the flames of war igniting Liaodong.

Qi Tai's idea was good, but he didn't know much about the Bohai Navy, and even Wu Gao was the same.

Today, he only learned a little about the marching speed of the Bohai Sea from Wen Linlang's mouth, and Wu Gao knew that he could not go out of the pass to fight with Zhu Gaoxu, so he persuaded Zheng Gongzhi Gui: "The old man told Zheng Yushi the truth......

"There are 4,000 cavalry in Liaodong, 12,000 chariots, 23,000 infantry, and in terms of marching speed, cavalry can only march 120 miles a day, 80 miles of infantry and 70 miles of infantry."

"At present, according to the old man's knowledge in Bohai, there are 3,000 cavalry, at least 5,000 horse infantry, and there may be horse infantry among the remaining 8,000, and there may also be chariot foot."

"Judging from the fact that the 5,000-horse infantry marched more than 40 miles in three hours, and were equipped with horses and horses, they only left some of our cavalry on the march, but they were half or even twice as fast as my chariots and foot soldiers."

"If the old man leads the troops out of the customs, it is easy to encounter a surprise attack in the area of Changchun, and once it encounters a surprise attack, the entire territory of Liaodong will be in danger."

Wu Gao painstakingly analyzed the difference in strength between the two sides, but for Zheng Gongzhi, he was originally Huang Zicheng and Fang Xiaoru's people, and now he had followed Qi Tai's advice, but Wu Gao was still hindering himself, and he was naturally uncomfortable, so he said in a deep voice:

"Right now, our army is standing in righteousness, if the Marquis of Jiangyin doesn't dare to fight, then change to Governor Liu!"

"Zheng Yushi, do you understand?" Wu Gao also became angry, and he talked about the gap between the two sides for a long time, but Zheng Gongzhi didn't understand.

You must know that Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the Ming Dynasty literati to take the imperial examination of cavalry and archery, technical attack and military theory, although it is not the main subject, but at least it can cultivate a civilian official with basic military knowledge.

But now, after talking for a long time, Zheng Gongzhi was indifferent, but he still had to forcibly send troops by himself.

In fact, Wu Gao didn't know that Zheng Gongzhi was a disciple of Fang Xiaoru, although he couldn't beat others in technical attack and cavalry shooting, but he didn't like the theory of soldiers, so he naturally didn't know the difference between the two armies, one fast and one slow.

"This imperial history will also say it again, please ask the Marquis of Jiangyin to order all the soldiers and horses, and send troops on the same day!"

Zheng Gongzhi ordered Wu Gao in a commanding tone, Wu Gao gritted his teeth, but he was helpless in the face of Zheng Gongzhi, and in the end he could only snort coldly: "I will give this matter to the Qi Army, but I will also send troops, but if it is cut or not, the blame lies with Zheng Yushi." ”

For Qi Tai, Wu Gao can still be trusted, after all, Qi Tai has supervised logistics for so many years, so he naturally knows the importance of the speed of the march to lead the troops to fight.

Therefore, as long as the performance is handed over, Wu Gao believes that he should be fine, but Zheng Gongzhi is afraid that he will be impeached and imprisoned.

"Don't bother with Jiangyinhou!" Seeing Wu Gao tearing his face, Zheng Gongzhi also snorted coldly, and left the 30,000 Wei Yamen with Wen Linlang.

As soon as the two left, a general, also in his early forties, walked in from outside the yamen.

He saw Wu Gao's ugly face, and when he knew that Wu Gao was afraid of a conflict with Zheng Gongzhi, he asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Then Zheng Gongzhi asked me to force me out of the customs, but I didn't want to, so he used His Majesty to pressure me." Seeing the visitor, Wu Gao also breathed a sigh of relief and told his difficulties.

This person is Geng Bingwen, the second son of Geng Bingwen, Marquis of Changxing, who has been in the army with Geng Bingwen for more than 20 years.

"Why can't you send troops?" Geng Xuan didn't know the situation yet, so he asked.

Seeing this, Wu Gao told him about the speed of the Bohai Navy's march, and after hearing this, Geng Xuan's face gradually became solemn, and he echoed: "You are right, you really can't go out of the customs. ”

"If there are only these 5,000 horse infantry in the Bohai Sea, it is good to say, if there are more, I am afraid that my army will be out of the pass and it will be difficult to return."

"It's just that now I have to get out of the customs." Wu Gao was angry and sighed at the same time.

Seeing this, Geng Xuan had no choice but to echo: "I will also write a note with you and hand it to Your Majesty, hoping that Your Majesty can know that Bohai is different from other feudal domains." ”

"It's just that this is out, how are you going to go?"

"Only one step ahead of the people to arrive at the Changchun Institute, and then control the 1,000 military households in the Changchun Institute, and then go north to wait for the success or failure of Zheng Gongzhi."

"If it fails, you and I will pretend to rescue, and then withdraw, and we must not fight with the King of Bohai County in Guan."

"Indeed!" Geng Xuan agreed: "Although you and I are familiar with the terrain outside the pass, we are naturally familiar with the King of Bohai County. ”

"Right now, his army is fast and I am slow, if I am still in the hands of foreign affairs, I am afraid that I will lose."

Wu Gao nodded, and said that he was ready to deal with Zheng Gongzhi's plan to reduce the failure of the domain: "If Zheng Gongzhi fails, I will return 30,000 guards to defend it, and at the same time ask Daning for help, you go to southern Liaoning, if the war is not smooth, you can burn the grain of southern Liaoning, and you must not let the king of Bohai County get it." ”

"Before you fight, you will be defeated, this is not your character." Geng Xuan listened to Wu Gao's words and was a little unconvinced.

"Although it shouldn't be like this, but I ......" Wu Gao sighed and shook his head, he always felt that Zhu Gaoxu's means were more than just fast marching.

He recalled the situation when Zhu Gaoxu met in Wuliang Ha Bald City, and now that he thinks about it carefully, he seems to have something wrong at that time, and often observes the soldiers and horses of various armies.

In addition, his relationship with King Yan is also a little stiff on some days, and it is difficult to ......

Wu Gao was cautious and wise, and because of this, when he now recalled the situation in Wuliang Ha Bald City, he only felt that Zhu Gaoxu probably knew that there would be such a day.

If he really knew, then I am afraid that he would have stockpiled more food than he had estimated.

Although Liaodong is full of military forts, it is more stable than the city in the Guannei, but in the final analysis, Liaodong cannot be self-sufficient, once Zhu Gaoxu breaks into the hinterland of Liaodong, the military households will not be able to cultivate normally, except for the four guards in southern Liaoning and the guards in Liaodong, the rest of Liaoshen and 30,000 guards will be under Zhu Gaoxu's horseshoe.

He must be fully prepared, even if he can't defend Liaodong, he must teach him not to bargain.

The grain in southern Liaoning was either transported away or burned, and in short, it must not be left to Zhu Gaoxu.

Once he has no worries about food, it will be even more difficult for him to deal with.

Wu Gao slowly raised his head and looked at the sunny weather.

"I hope that Zheng Gongzhi succeeds......"

"Ming Shizong Record": "At the end of April, Gao and the bell conspired, and the words should not be the enemy, so they should defend to the death, and do not conspire with the public. ”

"Bohai Chronicle": "In April, the troops were transferred to Zhaozhou to tour the north, and Gongzhi and Gao Mou said, 'Jilin is empty, this is an opportunity to cut the domain', and the next day 30,000 troops were dispatched. ”

(End of chapter)