Zhu Houzhao is here.

The time was much earlier than Chen Xi had expected.

Zhu Houzhao personally brought not many people. Apart from Qian Ning and Zhang Yuan, there were only some guards. He came from the Leopard Room with a few steps. He walked leisurely and slowly along the way.

"See Your Majesty!" Everyone came out to welcome the carriage. Before they could reach the yard in front, they saw Zhu Houzhao entering the moon gate. The ministers could only salute and pay homage.

Zhu Houzhao was holding a folding fan in her hand and slapped it unconsciously, feeling a little dazed. Suddenly, seeing a bunch of people saluting him, scaring him.

Zhu Houzhao was stunned, looked at the crowd in front of him who were bowing their waists and bowing their waists, and greeted awkwardly: "Everyone is here? Ha, isn't this the British Duke and the uncle... This is..."

Zhu Houzhao felt very unfamiliar when she saw Xia Ru beside Zhang Mao.

The scene was very awkward. The daughter married into the palace early, but she was never favored by the emperor. Xia Ru, the father-in-law, was not worthy of her name.

Zhang Mao was experienced and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, this is the father-in-law. I am afraid I can't recognize him when I saw him in a hurry that day, right?"

Zhu Houzhao frowned. He didn't like Empress Xia, so naturally he didn't like Empress Xia's family. Fortunately, he didn't want to lose his dignity in front of the ministers, and said casually:

"It turns out to be Mr. Xia... The people who came today are all pillars of the Ming Dynasty. The military situation in front is urgent. I won't say much to you, let's talk to you inside!"

"Please, your Majesty!"

After leaving the line, Chen Xi led the way forward and took Zhu Houzhao into the conference hall.

Civil officials and military generals followed behind and walked into it with Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao entered the conference hall and saw the unique layout inside. His eyes lit up and he was excited: "Hey, Shangshu Chen has already arranged the venue? Even the military map has been hung, it is really meticulous..."

As he said that, Zhu Houzhao walked over to the military map that had been criticized by Zhang Yanling before, looked up carefully, and seemed to be very expert. He pointed to some notes in the military map, nodded, and said, "Is there a ruler, that's not the distance from the capital to the border cities, which can be clearly seen at a glance?"

When the people present heard the emperor's words, they couldn't help but look at Zhang Yanling.

Didn’t you say that this map is not necessary. Is it because Shangshu Chen’s private use of the money from the treasury for his own interests? Now that His Majesty has such a high evaluation of this thing, you have come forward to refute it!

Zhang Yanling was really unwilling to give up and walked out and said, "Your Majesty, this military map seems to be no different from those maps before!"

Zhu Houzhao glanced at Zhang Yanling and said, "Uncle Guo, you are a layman. The military maps drawn by Shangshu Chen are really different from those I have seen before... The maps used to be drawn very sloppy and accurate, but they are just a rough location and annotation. How can they compare with the military map in front of you?"

"Look, the distance between every two points above can be measured by a ruler, and then the actual distance can be calculated in detail based on the scale... Hi, why would I explain this to you? This is a profound arithmetic, you don't understand!"

It would be great for people these days to learn the Four Books and Five Classics, let alone arithmetic.

For scale and complex mathematical operations, you must find professional talents. As for Zhang Yanling, since he only knows simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division operations, nothing else has been involved. Even if he is given an accurate map, the actual distance cannot be calculated...

After studying in this area, Zhu Houzhao has been smart since he was a child. He heard that this is related to marching and combat, so he studied hard. In addition, Professor Chen Xi has a good attainment.

When Zhu Houzhao saw something that he was good at but others didn't know how to do it, she naturally had to show it out, which indirectly belittled Zhang Yanling.

If someone else knew the worldly ways, he would not denounce his uncle so much, but how could Zhu Houzhao care about this?

Chen Xi said respectfully: "Your Majesty, the military map has been drawn according to your instructions. In the future, the counselors in the military command post will teach you the calculation method of the ruler for the military map to ensure that everyone can calculate the marching route and time, and achieve the goal of knowing the situation of the war... If Your Majesty thinks there is still something that needs to be strengthened, please give me instructions!"

"Even if there is, I don't know."

Zhu Houzhao turned his head and smiled, "I think this military map is very good. Looking back, I will print a copy for me... I am going to hang it on the wall of the bedroom and study it carefully!"

Zhu Houzhao is very sensible and knows that the military pictures Chen Xi painted are good things. If he says he is the one who makes a decision, others should consider their own weight if they want to criticize them.

Zhang Yanling blushed and retreated reluctantly.

"Mr. Chen, since you are almost there, don't stand it and start discussing things. The situation at the border has taken a sharp turn..."

Zhu Houzhao came up and spoke alarmist, her tone exactly the same as when Chen Xi met him last night.

The civil officials and military generals present looked nervous. After all, they knew very little about the front-line battle reports. They looked at what happened west of Juyong Pass and Zijing Pass.

Chen Xi looked around and said, "Since that's the case, the military conference will be officially held today. Please sit down!"

The ministers quickly sat around the central sand table, just like a roundtable meeting in later generations, and the generals could express their opinions based on the information they learned.

As for who is capable, Zhu Houzhao will have a clear understanding of who is not required to make a judgment on Chen Xi. Afterwards, Chen Xi will discuss with Zhu Houzhao and decide on the list of participants next time.

Zhu Houzhao sat on the main seat in the middle, and Chen Xi did not sit down. As the meeting chair, he needed to stand and guide the meeting throughout the whole process.

The participants were mainly officials of the Governor's Office and the Ministry of War. The cabinet master and the other five ministers of the court did not come... Of course, the only one who was invited by the cabinet was the chief assistant Xie Qian, but he did not fulfill the contract.

Everything was ready, Chen Xi said loudly: "I received an urgent report from the front line yesterday. Now the Tatar soldiers are divided into several routes, and they are invading the border of Daming. There are many urgent issues in the Sanbian and Xuanda front lines..."

Chen Xi repeated what he said to Zhu Houzhao last night.

When the generals present learned that the Tatars sent more than 100,000 troops, they all became nervous and muttered to themselves that this should be the largest and most widely affected foreign battle after the 16th year of Hongzhi.

After Chen Xi finally analyzed and found that the main Tatar troops were still mainly Dayan Khan's tribe, and the number was only about 30,000, the people present breathed a sigh of relief.

After Chen Xi's speech ended, Zhang Mao, as the highest-ranking generals present, stood up and saluted Zhu Houzhao, saying, "Oh, Your Majesty, this situation is a bit tight... The number of defenders on the front line of Xuanda should be enough. There was a victory as support before, but the Tatars have been raising their energy for the past two years. Now that they are suddenly invading, I'm afraid there is a premeditation."

"If there is a deliberate plan, if there is a mismanagement in our border army, I am afraid that the Tatars will invade our heartland in the Central Plains again and re-enact the disaster in Hongzhi for the 16th year!"

This is basically a cliché.

It sounds very reasonable, but it is too simple. Anyone can say something similar to Zhang Mao. When the civil and military officials present heard Zhang Mao’s speech, they basically nodded. Only those who have prejudices towards Zhang Mao chose to be cold-eyed.

Zhu Houzhao frowned: "Duke of England, I can see what you said. Can you give me some suggestions for making achievements?"

Zhang Mao originally thought that his active speech could be praised by the emperor. At least he said the same thing in front of Emperor Hongzhi before, and he would definitely be approved by Zhu Youzhang.

But unexpectedly, Zhu Houzhao's request for his subordinate ministers was obviously higher than his father. The problem was that Zhu Houzhao was still as good as his father. He relied on his certain understanding of military affairs, so he required civil and military officials to be on par with his level and could not be a Xiong Bao who was just waiting to die.

As for the nobles like Zhang Mao, who had hereditary positions, they usually stayed in the capital, paid attention to politics and authority, and never officially set foot on the battlefield. It was somewhat unrealistic to ask him to talk to Zhu Houzhao like Chen Xi.

Zhang Mao was choked by Zhu Houzhao and coughed twice, so he could only continue his high argument: "Return to Your Majesty, the old minister thought that the garrisons of the border towns who were plagued should not stand firm, so that the Tatar soldiers and horses could hit a wall in front of our Ming army. As long as the Tatars could not capture our city as they wished, they would not dare to go deep alone. After a month or two, when the weather was severely cold, their troops would retreat!"

As soon as Zhang Mao finished speaking, Zhu Houzhao slapped heavily on the wooden table in front of him.

Even though Zhang Mao was tough in mind, he was shocked by Zhu Houzhao's actions.

Zhu Houzhao said: "Mr. Zhang, according to your wishes, my Ming army cannot stand firm and let the Tartars run rampant in the border areas of our Ming Dynasty? If so, why is the purpose of building a city block? Is it just to wait for the Tartars to attack the city and let them destroy the civilian houses and fertile fields outside the city, and wait for the court to allocate funds to rebuild it next year?"

It was quiet for the audience to be present.

No one was willing to speak out because what Zhang Mao said was exactly what they really thought.

At any time, civil and military officials in the Ming Dynasty were thinking about how to defend, and Zhu Houzhao had always been unaware of the strategy of firming the walls and clearing the world. He had already shown this tendency before, and the officials present did not know that, so when Zhu Houzhao got angry, the scene was silent.

Zhu Houzhao stood up, looked at the officials present, and asked, "Why, let you come to the military aircraft, the conclusion is that you can't stand it and wait for the Tartars to withdraw their troops on their own?"

Zhang Mao didn't know how to face the little emperor who was tempted in front of him. He found that the master's temperament was more difficult than the emperors he had experienced before, especially in military strategies, which was as helpless as a war madman.

Zhu Houzhao said coldly: "Forget it, I don't expect you to be like Secretary Chen, who has a clear understanding of military affairs! Secretary Chen, I don't want to listen to too much nonsense today. Why don't you analyze the situation of the war? I want to hear a correct answer!"

Zhang Mao looked at Chen Xi with his eyes squinted and found that this young man who should have been arrogant looked very cautious at this time.

Soon everyone's eyes gathered on Chen Xi, and they all wanted to know whether the Minister of War could express the "true insights" that convinced everyone.

Chen Xi immediately bowed: "In my opinion, the strategy of strengthening the wall and clearing the countryside proposed by Mr. Zhang is actually the best strategy!"

"hiss……"

Zhu Houzhao was full of expectations, but who would have thought that when he heard Chen Xi say such words, he was naturally very dissatisfied. He took a breath and didn't know how to refute it.

He told him that he even called Chen Xi and said that now Shen Xi just added a "stand firm wall and clear the field" to Zhang Mao's words, which was really speechless.

Seeing this, Zhang Yanling couldn't help but gloating and asked, "Shangshu Chen, strengthen the walls and clear the country? Then do you agree with the strategy mentioned by the British Commission?"

Chen Xi saluted slightly: "The nine-sided areas, except for Xuanfu and Datong, the rest of the areas must naturally be firm and cleared. It is probably because they are not the main target of Tatar invasion. As long as they defend the city blockage, the Tatars' troops invading the border will automatically stop attacking!"

"But on the front line of Xuanda, since the court has sent Wang Shouren, the Ministry of War and the eunuch Liu Jin, the military supervisor, to go there, he naturally cannot defend the city and wait for the bandits to withdraw on their own..."

Zhu Houzhao clenched her fists: "I knew that Shangshu Chen would never agree with the tactic of hiding and defending to the death. How to fight the battle between Xuanfu and Datong?!"

When he heard that he was going to fight, Zhu Houzhao's momentum became stronger again, as if he would go to the battlefield himself.

Chen Xi moved to the north wall, facing the military map hanging above, picked up a bamboo stick, pointed to the location of Xuanfu, and said aloud:

"The Tatars' invasion troops were mainly the Central Army of the Dayan tribe, and the main attack direction was the same as three years ago, with Zhangjiakou Fort and Xuanfu as the center. This time, the Tatars did not encircle the rear troops from Yansui. In other words, in this war, as long as the main force of the Dayan tribe can be disintegrated from Zhangjiakou Fort to Xuanfu, it is enough!"

Zhang Yanling said: "Thirty thousand Tartars are still the most elite force among the Tartars. If they say they collapse, they will collapse. Are you a god as a Ming soldiers?"

Zhu Houzhao was very dissatisfied when she heard this and asked, "Uncle Guo, have you forgotten that three years ago, the 100,000 Tartars army collapsed and collapsed? At that time, Shangshu Chen could have personally led his troops on the front line. If you say this, you have doubts about the achievements recognized by the previous emperor? Since that's the case, let me tell you why!"

Zhang Yanling finally knew how partial Zhu Houzhao was to Chen Xi. If he questioned Chen Xi's voice, he would reject it without Chen Xi's own explanation.

Zhang Yanling blushed and speechless. Under Zhang Heling's stern gaze, he could only sit down in a frustration and get angry depressedly.

Chenxidao: "If you use the traditional strategy and want to defeat tens of thousands of Tartar cavalry from Zhangjiakou Fort to Xuanfu, it is a bit unrealistic."

"But now there is a dispute within the Tatars. The Mongolian national army Yisimayin's troops and the Dayan Khan tribe are in disagreement. They have expelled the Dayan tribe and headed westward. If you can take advantage of internal conflicts among the grassland ethnic groups, differentiate and divide, and use Yisimayin's troops to sneak attack the royal court, maybe this battle can be easily won!"

Zhu Houzhao widened his eyes: "Mr. Chen, is it too bizarre to say this? You also have to use the Tatar National Master's troops? Who knows whether these people can help the Ming Dynasty? Besides, even if they can use it, it will take too long to go there and go, but the war in Xuanfu is imminent now!"

Zhu Houzhao used to support Chen Xi, but now she is beginning to express dissatisfaction.

Zhu Houzhao is impatient. In his opinion, all problems should be solved in the simplest and most rude way.

Since the Tartars are invading, they should lead their troops to fight head-on and win.

Any strategy that violates this principle is not advisable.

Chenxi Road: "The battle in Xuanfu should focus on stability. If you are eager to achieve success, you will inevitably face the risk of failure!"

Zhu Houzhao would accept whatever Chen Xi said unconditionally, but this time Chen Xi said that he would fight against the Tatars in conjunction with Yisimayin troops, but he could not get Zhu Houzhao's support.

Zhu Houzhao was eager to achieve success. Before, the Xuanfu local government falsely reported his military achievements, which had a considerable impact on him, so he wanted to show off his emperor's majesty in front of the ministers.
To be continued...