When we arrived in Ningyuan City, we naturally no longer needed to rely on Zu Keyong’s connections.

In Ningyuan City, in addition to the garrison battalions affiliated with Liaodong Town, there are also the Liaodong Governor's Yamen and various civil servants' offices directly under the imperial court or belonging to local areas, such as Lu Zhide, the head of the East Factory, and Yang Zhen, the commander-in-chief.

Of course there is no problem if you go to the city temporarily as an official.

In Songshan City, Yang Zhen met with his nominal immediate superior, Fang Yizao, the governor of Liaodong, and also met with Yuan Shu and others who had already secured their position as the paymaster of the Ministry of Household Affairs.

These few people, the civil servants of Liaodong who were almost on the same side as Yang Zhen, were overjoyed at Yang Zhen's recent successes.

Especially for the recapture of Fuzhou, Jinzhou and Lushunkou, which were far behind the Manta Tartars, when everyone heard the news, they were all ecstatic and even called Yang Zhenzhen a blessed general.

Yang Zhen also took advantage of this opportunity to request Yuan Shu, the royal governor of the imperial court, to allocate a batch of food and wages to be transported by the Juehua Island Navy to the direction of Lushunkou.

As for Yuan Shu, as the son of Yuan Keli, the governor of Denglai in his early years, he had been serving his father Yuan Keli during his tenure as governor of Denglai. Naturally, he knew how important the strategic position of Lushunkou was.

Therefore, facing Yang Zhen's request, he agreed on the spot and promised to write to the court as soon as possible to help Yang Zhen gain a foothold at the southern end of the Liaodong Peninsula and raise food and grass in various ways.

As for Fang Yizao, although he was ecstatic about the news brought by Yang Zhen, he seemed to have had a premonition that his future might no longer be in Liaodong.

Therefore, although he was delighted with Yang Zhen's military exploits, he always felt depressed.

Especially when everyone switched from lamenting Yang Zhenxin's achievements to talking about Jin Guofeng's death in battle, they sighed with regret.

Yang Zhen carefully inquired about the story of Jin Guofeng's battle. Bing Bei Dao Qiu Minyang briefly introduced Yang Zhen to Yang Zhen, and finally sighed and said:

"If I had known this, Qiu would have risked his life to stop him! Unfortunately, the generals in the city have chaotic camps, inconsistent orders, and the army's ulterior motives. We can only do nothing but call for help!"

Qiu Minyang expressed deep regret when he mentioned Jin Guofeng's death, while Yuan Shu and Zhang Dou remained silent, only sighing.

Fang Yizao even shook his head and smiled bitterly and said to Yang Zhen: "If all the generals of Liaozuo were like you, Qing Han, General Jin's army would never end up like this! However, if you freeze three feet, it is definitely not a day's cold.

The general is very angry, but it is a pity that General Jin is so passionate!

"However, General Jin's death in battle has made Fang realize something clearly. Fang, the governor of Liaodong, is not very good at what he does! It seems that Hong Jingluo must be relied on, and Governor Hong will personally lead the troops to move.

Ning Yuan, it’s time to put things in order!”

What Fang Yizao said was equivalent to admitting that he was completely helpless and completely disheartened towards Zu Dashou and the Liaodong Army under his command.

In this regard, Yang Zhen had nothing else to say except gentle words of relief.

Yang Zhen himself hoped that Fang Yizao would continue to stay in his post, and at the same time hoped that Hong Chengchou would not leave the customs and simply stay in Shanhaiguan.

Because in comparison, Hong Chengchou is obviously a more difficult character.

Hong Chengchou himself brought a group of generals who had been trained on the battlefield of suppressing bandits in the pass. He had his own team, so he was more domineering and could not rely on Yang Zhen like Fang Yizao did, or tolerate Yang Zhen's various erratic behaviors.

If Hong Chengchou came outside Shanhaiguan to rectify the garrison garrison in the cities in western Liaoning, then he would probably be the first to do it, Yang Zhen.

After all, Zu Dashou and his Liaodong army had deep roots and had been operating in the cities outside Shanhaiguan for a long time. Hong Chengchou did not dare to move easily even if he wanted to.

But Yang Zhen is different. It is most appropriate to describe him as "killing chickens to frighten monkeys" or "killing one person to scare a hundred people."

Of course, Yang Zhen believed that Hong Chengchou would not do anything to him. He could be where he is today because Emperor Chongzhen used him to check Zu Dashou. Hong Chengchou would not fail to understand this.

But the problem is that after Hong Chengchou moved to Ningyuan, Yang Zhenke could no longer go his own way and do whatever he wanted as before.

Furthermore, if Hong Chengchou moved to Ningyuan City, would the rest of history still develop according to the original trend?

This is the situation Yang Zhen least wants to see.

But Yang Zhen could not do anything about it. With his current status, he might be able to influence Emperor Chongzhen's individual decisions on some minor issues, but it was not enough to influence the direction of the capital's court.

But it is said that the morning after Yang Zhen passed through Ningyuan City, he led Zhang Chen, Zu Keyong and others to the place where Jin Guofeng was martyred on the north hill outside Ningyuan City. After paying homage, he turned around and continued southward.

About eighty miles south from Ningyuan City is the central and rear post of Guangning’s former garrison, which was later called Suizhong.

Wu Liangbi, the guard of the Zhonghou Station, was also a confidant general under Zu Dashou, and he knew Zu Keyong.

Therefore, on the night of leaving Ningyuan, Yang Zhen and his party stayed overnight in the city of Zhonghou Suo.

The next day, we set out on the road again at sunrise, passing by the former garrison and the Acropolis, and finally entered Shanhaiguan at sunset.

Yang Zhen originally wanted to meet the famous Governor of Jiliao, Hong Chengchou, in Shanhaiguan. However, after entering the customs in the evening, he realized that Hong Chengchou, the Governor of Jiliao, was not always in Shanhaiguan.

Not long ago, Yang Zhen, Zu Dashou and others achieved a great victory in the Songjin area. After the accurate news that the Manchu Tatars who besieged Songjin Ningyuan and other places had withdrawn their siege reached the capital court, Emperor Chongzhen urgently sent Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, to

The capital was recalled for discussion.

A few days before Yang Zhen and his party arrived, Hong Chengchou had just left.

When Yang Zhen and his party arrived, Hong Chengchou had not yet returned.

At this time, the number one person staying in Shanhaiguan was Gao Qiqian, the chief eunuch of Jiliao Army who hated Yang Zhen to his core.

Gao Qiqian already had a deep prejudice against Yang Zhen and it was difficult to change.

Faced with the situation that Yang Zhen, a force that did not listen to his own orders, was rapidly rising among Shanhaiguan's foreign armies, Gao Qiqian had been planning countermeasures.

It's just that since Yang Zhen arrived outside the customs, especially after settling in Songshan City, he has never been victorious and has never been defeated, so he can't find a suitable opportunity to make a move.

This time, Yang Zhen came to Shanhaiguan and was ordered to offer prisoners to the capital. He couldn't stop him from hiding, and he didn't dare to stop him.

But when Yang Zhen arrived at Shanhaiguan, he did not summon him and simply ignored him.

Gao Qiqian thought that what he did was a humiliation to Yang Zhen.

But for Yang Zhen, it would be better if he could not see him.

Moreover, to this day, Yang Zhen can no longer afford to please the kind of people who are destined to be impossible to please.

Of course, Yang Zhen's name has already spread throughout Jiliao area. Although Gao Qiqian still looks down upon him, the generals who were brought to Jizhen by Hong Chengchou and temporarily stayed in Shanhaiguan are completely different.

As soon as Yang Zhen and his party entered Shanhaiguan, these generals came to the gate to greet Yang Zhen.

Among them were Ma Ke, the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan, who later participated in the Songjin War in the 14th year of Chongzhen, and several other generals under Hong Chengchou, Cao Bianjiao, Wang Tingchen, Liu Zhaoji and others.

These people were all generals who had grown up with Hong Chengchou on the battlefields of suppressing bandits in the northwest and Central Plains. After being brought to the Jiliao Army by Hong Chengchou, they were all entrusted with important tasks.

Ma Ke, who was older and more senior, was elected as the Commander-in-Chief of Shanhaiguan by Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao. Cao Bianjiao was promoted by Hong Chengchou as the Commander-in-Chief of the ASEAN Association in Ji Town. Because he led the army in Yutian, he was commonly known as the Commander-in-Chief of Yutian.

As for Wang Tingchen and Liu Zhaoji, in the original history, as soon as they followed Hong Chengchou out of the customs, they were assigned to the positions of the former Tunwei Commander-in-Chief and Ningyuan Commander-in-Chief.

But at present, Hong Chengchou has not moved to Ningyuan City, and they have not yet obtained their due position in history.

But Yang Zhen, a time traveler, knew very well that these people would play an important role in the subsequent Liaoxi defense line, especially in the subsequent Songjin battle.

Moreover, among these characters, except for Ma Ke, the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan, the remaining few, whether they are Cao Bianjiao, Wang Tingchen, Liu Zhaoji and a bunch of generals under Liu Zhaoji, they are all late Ming Dynasty men whom Yang Zhen respected very much.

historical figures.

At this time, when Yang Zhen met them in Shanhaiguan, it was like a fan meeting his favorite star. The initiative, enthusiasm, admiration and respect in his words and deeds could not be concealed even if he wanted to.

And these people, after witnessing with their own eyes the grand spectacle of the ten princes of the Manchu Tatars being transported into the city in prison cars, they directly welcomed Yang Zhen to the Shanhaiguan General Military Mansion.

As the saying goes, heroes are more important than heroes, and heroes are more important than heroes.

Although among these people, except for Liu Zhaoji, who had been to Songshan City and met Yang Zhen several times, the others met Yang Zhen for the first time, but they became very attached to each other after meeting.

Speaking of Yang Zhen's old and new achievements, everyone admired and admired him, including fierce generals like Cao Bianjiao, who also admired Yang Zhen's achievements on the Manchu Tatars.

After all, no matter how great the success of suppressing bandits is, it cannot be greater than the success of pacifying the captives.

What is the combat effectiveness of the bandits and what is the combat effectiveness of the Manchu Tatars? These veterans who have been on the battlefield for a long time naturally know it well.

The soldiers under their command were invincible on the battlefield in pursuit of the bandits, but now when they arrived in front of the Jiliao army and faced the Manchu Tatars, they themselves were not sure whether they could win the battle.

This was also the fundamental reason why Hong Chengchou had been hesitant and unwilling to move forward in Shanhaiguan.

Now that Yang Zhen has arrived at Shanhaiguan, these generals who have always been apprehensive about sending troops outside the pass have surrounded Yang Zhen and asked questions. At the same time, they also gained great confidence from the victory achieved by Yang Zhen's troops.

Especially the news that Yang Zhen returned from the Liaonan Peninsula and brought it to Shanhaiguan opened their horizons and thinking.

Many strategies and tactics that had never been thought of before have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain.

Wang Tingchen and Liu Zhaoji took Yang Zhen one by one and asked Songshan officers and soldiers how they crossed the sea to recover Jinzhou, Fuzhou and Lushunkou.

And Yang Zhen didn't hide it. While drinking with everyone, he asked Zhang Chen to introduce to everyone the process of avoiding the truth and attacking the false to regain the Liaonan Peninsula. These generals who were accustomed to fighting couldn't help but admire him.

That night, Yang Zhen, Ma Ke, Wang Tingchen, Cao Bianjiao, Liu Zhaoji and others had a banquet until midnight. They dispersed after having a good time and returned home very drunk.
Chapter completed!