Chapter 1499 Xin Zijuan Early Warning, Response
"The news from the northwest is back. The abolition of Guyuan Town and the merger of Ningxia and Gansu towns have greatly damaged the morale of the army. Moreover, the result of the merger of Gansu and Gansu towns may be to make Dazhou withdraw from Hami and Shazhou to Ganzhou and return to Ganzhou. The situation was like five years ago, but the four towns in the northwest have been proud of their recovery of Shazhou and Hami, spent countless food and sacrificed countless soldiers' lives, and they actually retreated like this silently, and it has only been five years. , how can Liu Dongyang and Tu Wenxiu accept this?"
Feng Tang had a gloomy face: "Even people like Liu Baichuan cannot accept the court's arrangements. Can you imagine that military generals with more radical attitudes like Liu Dongyang, Tu Wenxiu, and Xu Chao would tolerate this situation?"
Feng Ziying was shocked. He only thought about the impact that the imperial court's abolition and merger of the four northwest towns might have on the soldiers. He only considered that the drought might cause these soldiers who were laid off and returned to their hometowns to become a major hidden danger and trigger. Think of the attitude of powerful generals like Liu Dongyang.
Recapturing Hami and Shazhou was a prerequisite for Liu Dongyang and the others to regain their status in the Zhou army. It can be said that it was precisely because they recaptured Hami and Shazhou that the imperial court pardoned their crimes of rebellion and decided to recruit them. They are now regarded as such. An act of atonement in order to rely on them was lightly discarded by the court, which meant that they could be criticized at any time by interested people in the future, and even be reclassified as sinners at a certain time.
“What is the attitude of these people?” Feng Ziying also felt that she had underestimated the significance of recovering Shazhou and Hami to this group of rebel generals.
This is their talisman. As long as Hami and Shazhou are there, it will always be difficult to criticize and slander them. After all, it was they who worked hard to bring back Hami and Shazhou that were lost in the previous Ming Dynasty, and realized the great cause of the Great Zhou Dynasty to restore the Han Dynasty. , no one can erase this glory and contribution, it is enough to offset their original rebellion, but if it is discarded in their hands again, then all the guilt in the future may be pinned on them, and they will never be able to stand up.
“They are opposed to abolition and merger, and they are even more opposed to the imperial court shrinking back to Hami and Shazhou.” Feng Tang’s eyes were a little wandering.
He had expected the attitude towards people like Liu Dongyang.
Recovering Hami and Shazhou is the foundation of these rebel generals. They must not lose it. If they lose them, they will be at the mercy of the imperial court. At least they still have a moral advantage. The generals in the army and even some northern warriors They all still recognized their contribution to the recovery of Hamisha Prefecture, and if the court wanted to move them, they would also bear moral pressure.
But how should I deal with it after going to the northwest? Tough crackdown?
If people like Liu Baichuan and He Zhisheng give their full support, and with He Shixian's Yulin Town as their backing, Liu Dongyang and Tu Wenxiu's troops are not large and most of them are stationed in the west of Ganzhou. Simply cutting off logistics will make it impossible for them to survive. But is this good?
Can you give me some kind words and advice? Giving both kindness and power?
Easier said than done, how to convince them?
Although it is true that the imperial court cannot support such a long front now, and it is helpless to shrink and withdraw to Hami and Shazhou, what does this have to do with Liu Dongyang and the others? This is a matter for the court.
But asking them to give up Hami Sandbank will make them lose their talisman and put them in a situation where they may be criticized and slandered by their opponents at any time in the future. They will definitely not agree.
“It’s understandable, but they should see that the imperial court really can’t support the expenses of the four northwest towns now.” Feng Ziying continued.
"So what if they know it? It's about their own lives and futures. How can we convince them with just one sentence of understanding the overall situation and considering the overall situation? They don't even recognize why a Huaiyang town should be established. The result is that they have to be sacrificed as the price. How can this be accepted?" Feng Tang laughed meaningfully, "Martial men are all about practical interests. If they lose Hami and Shazhou, they will lose their moral advantage. A civil servant or an edict can easily defeat them. This is important." It’s hard for anyone to accept it.”
Feng Ziying thought for a while and then slowly said: "Father, I thought this might be an opportunity."
"Still with the same point of view, my son feels that from the second half of the year to the first half of next year, there will definitely be trouble within our country. Now my son is not sure where the trouble will break out, but he feels that the situation in Shaanxi is not good, and his father should be firm Prevent the four northwest towns from becoming a source of fire, but if Guyuan is to be abolished and merged with Ganning, the risk will be great. The son means that no matter whether the father gets 800,000 taels of silver from the court this time, 600,000 Whether it's two taels of silver or even three hundred thousand taels of silver, it's best to temporarily stabilize the situation in the northwest and not to cancel the merger easily. It's best to maintain the status quo and delay it until the end of this year..."
"Ziying, what you said is simple. Without abolition and merger, how can I respond to the tasks assigned to me by the imperial court?" Feng Tang laughed and scolded, "If the imperial court only gives three hundred thousand taels of silver, will you let your father serve as a hostage for the northwest soldiers?" ?”
"Is your father so unsure? Is Uncle He's Yulin Army a vegetarian? Doesn't Liu Baichuan know that he and Liu Dongyang are not the same people? You can only stand firm by relying on your father? He Zhisheng and a military general like He Zhisheng with a martial arts background There are also many in the four northwest towns. They will definitely welcome you, father, to serve as the governor of the three sides..."
"Besides, the commander-in-chief of the three towns of Gansu, Ningxia and Guyuan has always been vacant. The commander-in-chief of Ningxia Town has always been vacant. The post of the commander-in-chief of Ningxia Town has been left unoccupied. Chen Jingxuan has been implicated. Now he is probably without a master. If my father goes away, shouldn't he hurry up and hand in his certificate? The general soldier of Guyuan Town was unmotivated, especially because of his poor performance in the Southwest War, and the court was not satisfied with it. As long as his father gave him a hint, he would definitely submit a request to become an official immediately. Two general soldier positions were hung there, plus one in the future. Father, the general soldier who can only follow his father's lead, and a general soldier who is originally your father's old subordinate, father, you are still unable to control the situation. I really have to wonder, father, how you have been able to sit still in Datong, Yulin and Liaodong for so many years. ”
Feng Ziying's smiling words made Feng Tang quite proud. Although the three sides were not as good as Ji Liao and Xuanda, they were four towns after all. With this turmoil, there must be a lot of vacancies, and since he had to comfort himself , If you don’t have enough money, you will definitely need seats.
What do warriors want? Position and money, the young and powerful figure is the position, and the old figure is the silver. If you grasp these two points, you can operate with ease, but the money is indeed a big problem.
The money difference is too much, even if there is a seat, these people sitting on it will not be able to comfort the people below, and there will still be trouble.
"Ziying, you are talking too easily. Liu Dongyang and the others still have some influence, and as a father, he is not willing to antagonize Liu Dongyang and the others. To be honest, Liu Dongyang Tu Wenxiu and the others are very good at leading troops and they also have a lot of military morale. Even Liu Baichuan admitted that Liu Dongyang and his soldiers were elite, and his father was also a warrior who led troops in war. He really couldn't bear to part with these people. If they could be used to fight against the Jurchens and Chahar people in Jianzhou and make meritorious deeds on the battlefield, that would be great. What my father wants to see."
Feng Tang's words were sincere. Whoever has led a army doesn't want to have a group of soldiers under his command who are accustomed to fighting? Especially now that Dazhou is facing various threats, having a strong army at hand can give him a lot of confidence.
Feng Ziying's thoughts were racing and she was silent.
“Ziying, what’s wrong?” Feng Tang also noticed the change in his son’s face.
"Father, you are right. It is not easy to bring out an army that can fight. It would be a pity to disband and eliminate it easily. Liu Dongyang and Tu Wenxiu can fight. As long as they are given a chance, they may not be able to make contributions. By then They may not continue to cling to Hami and Shazhou." Feng Ziying carefully considered her words, "Hami and Shazhou cannot be maintained with the court's current financial resources, and they will have to take them back sooner or later, but Liu Dongyang and the others can consider using other achievements to prove it. Own,…"
Feng Tang knew that his son's thinking was different from ordinary people's. He could often stand out from the crowd and think of things that others couldn't. He didn't say anything. He just nodded and motioned for the other person to continue talking.
"My son always feels that something will happen in the second half of the year, whether it is the southwest war situation, the crisis in the south of the Yangtze River, Prince Yi Zhong, or the hidden danger of the White Lotus Sect, including the danger that may be brought about by the severe drought in the north. If you are not careful, you may be When it breaks out, if new troops are needed to join in, how much can the nine-sided army draw?"
Feng Ziying looked at her father: "My son thinks that when his father goes to the northwest this time, why not take a gamble and not abolish the merger for the time being, but withdraw Liu Dongyang's elite troops and put them on the line of Guyuan Town or Yulin Town, as your three Of course, the reserve team of the Border Governor's Mansion can also be drawn from Guyuan, Ganning and Yulin to form a reserve team. Externally, it can be said that the survival of the fittest will be carried out, the army will be trained, and the decision will be made after combat drills to delay time..."
"Awaiting a change?" Feng Tang's eyes fell on Feng Ziying, "Ziying, are you so sure that there will be a big change in the second half of the year?"
Feng Ziying nodded very confidently: "Father, I am very sure, and I have also made various preparations for this. We should not take any chances. Once the incident occurs, many preparations will be too late. My son has never been willing to put it aside." Thinking of things on the bright side, as long as one unexpected factor triggers the various things that the son and his father discussed before, it may involve everything else..."
Feng Ziying said so definitely, and also said that he had started to make various preparations, Feng Tang had to take it seriously, and Feng Ziying was right. As the governor of the three sides, he had the power to do some work, so he could delay it for a while. There is no problem with the time. The worst thing is that it may be more difficult next year as Ziying said.
“Okay, I understand, but for money, you still have to think of a way for me.” Feng Tang nodded.
(End of this chapter)