"Axiu's craftsmanship is good." Mao Wenlong ate the dumplings and praised again.
He brought the frozen dumplings, but none of them were touched. This was a matter of politeness.
Guo Dajing also nodded in agreement. From the appearance of the dumplings, we can see Axiu and Fujino Hide's seriousness. They all look like little ducks with bulging bellies, and none of them reveal their fillings.
This seriousness includes the deep friendship and deep longing for my husband. Once you eat it, it is warm in your heart, and it doesn't matter how it tastes.
"Dumplings are like wine, and the more you drink, the better you get." Guo Dajing picked up his wine glass and greeted each other with a smile, "Shuai Mao, congratulations on the victory!"
Mao Wenlong raised his wine glass and said with a smile: "You still talk in one way, and you are more knowledgeable! Come and congratulate the victory!"
The strong alcohol entered his throat, burning straight into his stomach like a line of fire. Guo Dajing exhaled and felt - refreshing!
Mao Wenlong was also very happy and laughed. After listening to Guo Dajing's story, he knew that the forbidden sea had basically no impact on Dongjiang Town, and his mood relaxed.
Even if you can't purchase from Denglai, there is still Qingdao! If Qingdao is not available, you can go to the south of the Yangtze River. If there is a ship, you can't go anywhere. The imperial court prohibits merchants from trafficking to Dongjiang, so you can go to a place farther away to purchase.
What's more, as long as Jinzhou is stable, has the benefits of fishing and salt, and has high-yielding crops, it won't take much to purchase food from outside.
After filling Mao Wenlong's wine again, Guo Dajing peeled the peanuts, threw them into his mouth one by one, chewed them, and said slowly: "The commander-in-chief repeatedly went to court and reacted violently, which aroused even more dissatisfaction from the emperor and the court. I'm afraid he was tricked by Yuan Chonghuan."
Conspiracy.”
"He is deliberately irritating me." Mao Wenlong was somewhat aware of this. He shook his head slightly and said helplessly: "But for Dongjiang Town, I must fight for it. As for the consequences, I can't think so much."
Guo Dajing smiled bitterly and said: "Commander, according to recent spying information, Yuan Chonghuan and Huang Taiji exchanged letters and are discussing peace."
Mao Wenlong nodded slightly and said: "Master Yuan did not cover up this matter, and the court also acquiesced."
"But his rhetoric is to paralyze the captives and buy time to build Jinzhou, Dalinghe and other cities." Guo Dajing pursed his lips and said, "Commander, do you believe it?"
Mao Wenlong lowered his eyes and thought for a while, then looked up at Guo Dajing for a while and asked with some disbelief: "You mean Mr. Yuan really wants to negotiate for peace and is suppressing Dongjiang Town because of the peace negotiation?"
Guo Dajing said in a deep voice: "Being on guard against others is indispensable. Since Yuan Chonghuan took office, the suppression of Dongjiang Town has become more and more intense. He has dismissed Denglai, cut off food and salary, banned sea trade, and so on. They are doing everything. If you think about it deeply,
The reasons behind it are chilling.”
Mao Wenlong tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and after a long while he said: "Master Yuan wants to control Dongjiang Town, and he also wants to force me to bow my head and submit."
Guo Dajing said in a deep voice: "Yuan Chonghuan is full of malice towards the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief must be more careful. Do not leave Jinzhou or Pidao easily, let alone meet Yuan Chonghuan easily."
After a pause, he added: "The commander-in-chief is the backbone of Dongjiang Town. He is a man of great wealth. Don't take any risks."
Even though Dongjiang Town is very harmonious now, Guo Dajing knew that without Mao Wenlong, internal strife was inevitable. Without a leader with enough authority to suppress, it would be difficult for generals who were not convinced of each other to unite sincerely.
Mao Wenlong smiled and said with emotion: "I will let you go to the east side. If he doesn't obey the imperial edict, how can he dare to kill me? If he obeys the imperial edict, what's the use of not leaving Jinzhou?"
Guo Dajing looked at Mao Wenlong. His tone of voice was more tragic than arrogant.
Could it be that Mao Wenlong really couldn't see Yuan Chonghuan's sinister intentions? That would be to underestimate him.
As early as when the Dongjiang River was cut off, Mao Wenlong had already sensed the crisis and wrote to his wife in the south, saying: "If there are strong enemies outside and ministers inside, we will die soon."
But in the face of increasingly sinister oppression, Mao Wenlong could not shrink back.
Whether he was raising troops to the state or going to Ningyuan to ask for pay from Yuan Chonghuan, he was willing to die for the survival of the soldiers and people of Dongjiang Town.
As long as the emperor issues an edict, Mao Wenlong is ready to accept it no matter what.
If the king asks his subjects to die, they must die. In that era, this kind of thinking habit was deeply rooted.
Guo Dajing did not remind Mao Wenlong that Yuan Chonghuan was bold and might violate the imperial edict.
First of all, this was impossible in Mao Wenlong's view at the time; secondly, Guo Dajing had his own plans. If the historical double-island military parade was repeated, it would be a good opportunity for him.
Now, what Guo Dajing lacks is qualifications and prestige. Although he has stood out among the generals of the Dongjiang Army with his interests and military exploits, this is not enough.
Therefore, Mao Wenlong cannot die. The Dongjiang Army must be united sincerely and enforce orders and prohibitions. Apart from him, no replacement can be found.
Guo Dajing needed Mao Wenlong to help him get on his horse and take him on a ride. Otherwise, the plan to destroy Pingliao would be delayed for an unknown amount of time.
"The last general gave Fang Zhenghua a suggestion and asked him to send someone with a letter to Ningyuan to collect food and wages." Guo Dajing said with a smirk: "Whether it succeeds or not, the soldiers and civilians of Dongjiang Town will be grateful for his kindness."
Mao Wenlong chuckled and said, "You know how to make arrangements, and how dare the eunuch in charge of the army give you the mission? However, this is not bad, as it saves him from having nothing to do."
Guo Dajing said: "Fang Zhenghua, the eunuch, is pretty good. Unfortunately, the emperor now only believes in Yuan Chonghuan, and does not even believe the reports of the internal officials."
"It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that I can't get the money, or I spent the money in the wrong place." Mao Wenlong sighed and said: "The imperial court began to reduce the Jizhou army, and the governor Wang Yuanya presided over it. The commander-in-chief asked Jianlu to detour into
Guan’s warning was completely ignored by the court.”
The total number of troops of Jizhou, Miyun and Yongping is 107,000, and the total annual fee is 1.08 million taels.
Although in the late Ming Dynasty, all border towns had the problem of empty troops and unpaid wages, but without follow-up resettlement methods, Chongzhen ordered to eliminate redundant troops in each border town, which was bound to cause chaos.
Wang Yingzhi, the governor of Shuntian, carried out the elimination in accordance with Chongzhen's order, saving 570,000 taels of annual expenses. However, a mutiny in Jizhou was triggered in August. Chongzhen mercilessly jailed him and replaced him with Wang Yuanya to continue the elimination.
The fact that Chongzhen, who was loyal to his duties, was imprisoned for investigation, and that Chongzhen, who was carrying out his duties according to the order, did not protect him, shows his despicable character and cold temperament.
However, Chongzhen eliminated redundant troops in order to save money, which not only caused turmoil in Jizhou, but also provided favorable conditions for Jianlu to plunder after entering the pass through a detour.
Historically, Ji Miyong's garrison surrendered in defiance of the wind, allowing Jianlu to conquer Zunhua, Santunying, Shimenyi and other cities almost without a single blow, and wiped out the Ming army strongholds north of Jizhou's defense line.
He always makes appropriate or inappropriate actions at inappropriate times. Anyway, the result will only be worse. This is also a characteristic of Chongzhen.
If his identity is eliminated, there will definitely be too much proof to say that Chongzhen was a spy of Hou Jin.
It was Chongzhen's bizarre operation that he thought was clever that brought more and more serious disasters to the Ming army and people, and pushed the Ming Dynasty, which was already full of shortcomings, into the abyss of destruction.
Guo Dajing did not react much to the new news told by Mao Wenlong. Even if those officers and soldiers, who were short of food and pay, full of resentment, were retained, how much of a threat could they pose to Jianlu?
Guo Dajing basically had a clearer understanding of the combat power of the Ming army.
Except for the border town garrison who had fought against the Jianlu or the Mongols, the Ming army in the interior was all at the level of the fifth scum. If one out of ten fought, they would not be a match for the Jianlu.
In field battles, the Ming army in Bianzhen was no match for Jianlu, even if it had several times the strength advantage. For example, Liaozhen, and the Datong army in Mangui, etc.
Similarly, the Dongjiang Army had no chance of winning in a field battle, but its combat power was much higher than that of the frontier army.
Through such a comparison, Guo Dajing increasingly believed that there were not many Jianlu who took a detour to enter the pass. According to the current total strength of the Jianlu, Guo Dajing felt that it was at most half, that is, about 30,000.
"Shuai Mao, how many troops do you think Jianlu will send if they take a detour to enter the pass?" Guo Dajing used the topic to raise his own question, "I think it will only exceed 30,000."
Mao Wenlong stroked his beard and smiled, and said: "Your judgment is similar to my own. I believe that at most 20,000 Jianlu troops will be dispatched, and together with the Mongolian tribes who have taken refuge, the total is only about 30,000."
Reaching out and tapping the plate with peanuts, Mao Wenlong analyzed carefully: "The huge territory needs to be defended, especially after our Dongjiang Army occupied Jinzhou, and the Jianlu troops had to station heavy troops in Liaoshen. Even if they shrink, there are only tens of thousands
People and horses cannot defend such a vast area..."
Even if Jianlu left tens of thousands of his main force, it could be spread over a vast area of control, and it would still appear to be weak.
As long as the Dongjiang Army retains the strength to defend Jinzhou, other troops can be mobilized to launch an attack on the Jianlu-controlled areas.
In other words, the Dongjiang Army can form a strength advantage in local areas and defeat all the garrisoned soldiers.
"It is not necessary to go straight to the heart of Jianlu. If our army really has the strength to attack the city, and the casualties are not very large." Mao Wenlong looked at Guo Dajing and said with a smile: "The attack on Zhenjiang next year will be a test opportunity."
Guo Dajing was grateful, raised his glass, toasted Mao Wenlong, and said confidently: "Don't worry, Commander, the general has made a good plan. He will attack Zhenjiang next year and will definitely win a big victory."
Mao Wenlong drank the wine with a smile and said: "Although there are two plans, I have thought about it and concluded that if conditions permit, the 'King of Qin' operation will be more beneficial to the development of Dongjiang Town."
After a pause, he added: "It can not only intercept the built captives, but also prevent them from obtaining population, wealth and materials through robbery. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."
Guo Dajing agreed with this and said: "The commander-in-chief is absolutely right. The general is making full preparations, and we will see the outcome in the middle of next year."
Mao Wenlong stretched out his finger and emphasized: "This battle to defend Nanguan is also a test. Do you understand?"
"I will finally understand." Guo Dajing nodded vigorously.
Jianlu's detour to enter the pass should be about 30,000, and the number of men and horses that the Dongjiang Army can dispatch may be even less than Jianlu's.
They all had concerns. The Jianlu did not dare to send out all their troops, and the Dongjiang Army also had bases to defend.
With the strength of the troops being about the same, whether the Dongjiang Army could withstand the Jianlu who were eager to return and achieve a satisfactory battle loss ratio was what Mao Wenlong had to consider.
If the cross-sea "King Qin" has little chance of winning, or it can be said to be a miserable victory, then what is the meaning of the action?
The Nanguan Defense Battle, which is about to begin soon, will be a touchstone to test how many captives the Dongjiang Army can resist in a defensive state and what the casualty ratio is.
The Battle of Fort Arthur at the beginning of the year can be used as a reference, but it is not accurate.
The Dongjiang Army, which was marching for a long distance, did not have time to build such a strong fortress. At most, it relied on the current inland towns or built simple fortifications in the wild.
Guo Dajing knew this very well. There were advantages and disadvantages to the two plans, and Mao Wenlong did not make the final decision. What's more, it depends on the specific situation next year before he can choose the most suitable plan.
Even if Jianlu did not take a detour to enter the pass, the preparations would not be in vain. But failing to seize the opportunity when it comes is the most regrettable thing.
All the work Guo Dajing has done in the past few years has given Dongjiang Town the capital to fight Jianlu. Even if the court continues to suppress and refuse to support it, it will not have a fatal impact on Dongjiang Town.
It is precisely because of this confidence that Mao Wenlong will not react excessively and fall deeper and deeper into the trap set by Yuan Chonghuan.
As for how Yuan Chonghuan fell, or how he accomplished the five-year Ping Liao campaign, Guo Dajing simply ignored him.
Depending on Chongzhen's vision and the virtues of the civil servants in the court, the person who replaces Yuan Chonghuan may not be that smart.
Mao Wenlong and Guo Dajing ate, drank, and talked and discussed until very late, still feeling like they still had unfinished business.
From the upcoming defense battle of Nanguan to the development plan for next year and even the year after that, both of them had ideas and formed a rough blueprint.
This was a heart-to-heart conversation, good communication, and candid expression, which made the relationship between the two more harmonious.
"Dajing, your knowledge has grown very quickly!" Mao Wenlong drank the tea brought to him and praised with a smile: "I have said a lot of idioms, but I haven't used them wrongly."
Guo Dajing chuckled twice and said: "In front of Marshal Mao, the general is just a master of his own trade, how can he dare to say that he has any knowledge."
Mao Wenlong waved his hand and said: "Don't belittle yourself, you can tell it when you talk. What book have you read recently to practice your handwriting?"
Guo Dajing scratched his head and said: "I read "Mencius" at the end, and I didn't see much of it at a glance. As for this word, I really don't have time to practice it, so I have to use a quill pen to deal with it."
Mao Wenlong chuckled and said: "Fujino Hide is not around, and it is not very convenient to ask someone for advice or to read to you. As a military general, if you can read and hyphenate, you are considered very good."
Guo Dajing also felt that he was quite powerful. Even if he deliberately hid his clumsiness, his cultural level was much higher than that of other generals.
Mao Wenlong looked at Guo Dajing with a smile on his face and couldn't help but secretly laugh, and asked: "Tell me, what words do you remember most clearly after reading "Mencius"?"
Guo Dajing thought for a while and said: "If the king regards his ministers as his brothers and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his confidant; if the king regards his ministers as grass and grass, then his ministers will regard him as a bandit."
Mao Wenlong's face hardened, he stroked his beard and remained silent.