Chapter 353 Contest?! Life and death do not matter
Everyone's status is different and they see things from different angles. Naturally, they will have different analyzes and come to different judgments.
Being in the position of Huang Taiji, he has a lot of power and also has to bear a huge responsibility. Many words and deeds are not what he wants, but he has to do them.
Just like Chongzhen, when Jianlu attacked the capital, he must be scared and worried. But on the surface, he could not panic, let alone make the decision to escape easily.
Therefore, Dorgon and others, who have no psychological burden, must be a little wary of confronting the Dongjiang Army head-on, and do not want their men and horses to suffer too much loss.
And this is also an important reason why Huang Taiji wanted to reform and strive to feudalize the Later Jin Dynasty.
No matter what kind of flag it is, it is essentially the national army of Hou Jin. With orders and prohibitions, how can the flag owner have the thoughts and actions to preserve his strength?
If the skin is gone, how can the hair be attached? The country is going to be destroyed, can each flag survive alone?
But everyone can tell the truth, but when it comes to individuals, they will inevitably have various reasons and feel righteous. Just like the warlords in the late Ming Dynasty, they only care about their own strength and don't care about the danger of the country and the emperor.
There are also nobles and civil servants in the late Ming Dynasty. Even though Chongzhen was so poor that he had to beg for alms everywhere, he couldn't bear to part with his family's millions of money.
What is the rise and fall of a country, what is loyalty to the emperor and patriotism? Those are ordinary and generous remarks. How can they be taken seriously at critical moments?
This is human nature, which is often exposed at critical moments. This is something that no one can do.
"Old Fourteen's worries are not unnecessary." Azig yawned and said, "When we started the war with the Dongjiang Army, we had too many minds."
Duduo agreed and turned to look at Dorgon. If there was nothing else, he wanted to take a rest.
Dorgon nodded, stood up first, and said: "I have already made arrangements. I don't know whether I will be able to use them when the time comes, but I think I am prepared!"
"Okay, I'll listen to you then." Azig was a little perfunctory, waved his hand, and turned to leave.
Duduo also said goodbye and left. Dorgon smiled helplessly and shook his head repeatedly.
The arrangement he made was to find a few people who were very familiar with the terrain around Zunhua among the looting people.
Zunhua is a basin surrounded by mountains. A long and narrow Zhongdao Mountain divides the mountain basin into two, forming a unique landform of three mountains and two rivers.
In Dorgon's view, if in a critical moment, one abandons all the luggage, goes into the forest, and escapes on a light horse, one can still escape.
Of course, this is the worst plan, and Dorgon does not want to be in such an embarrassing situation. However, things are unpredictable, and Dorgon already has some psychological shadows about the Dongjiang Army's combat power.
………………
Under the starry sky, the atmosphere in Zunhua City was extraordinary. At the city gate, fifteen or six hundred cavalry stood on horseback with their swords drawn, staring eagerly.
"Guo, say it again, dismount and obey orders." Guo Dajing, guarded by his own soldiers, stood at the top of the city and said loudly to the cavalry below: "Otherwise, we will treat you as a rebel and not kill him."
"Kill, kill, kill!" the musketeers on top of the city shouted, cheering for the commander, and pointed their black muzzles at the cavalry who were about to force their way out of the city.
These cavalry came from Shanhaiguan, Yongping, Jianchang, Fengrun and other places for reinforcements. The imperial edict asked the defense armies from various places to send horses, but it was the cavalry who came. To put it bluntly, they came to take credit.
They had a share of the credit for the victory of the Dongjiang Army; when the Dongjiang Army was defeated, they fled. Guo Dajing could not count on their combat power, and he did not dare to use it with confidence.
Therefore, Guo Dajing asked them to free up their war horses for use by the Dongjiang Army. This triggered a conflict. These guys refused to give up their war horses and even wanted to leave in a hurry.
"General Guo." General Yang Chun, who was assigned to guard Yongping after Yuan Chonghuan entered the pass, bowed on his horse and said, "I have worked tirelessly to mobilize all the cavalry to help, but you want us to give up our horses. It's really
It’s unacceptable.”
Guo Dajing pursed his lips slightly, revealed a sneer, and said: "This place is under the full command of Guo. Once you come to help, you must obey the orders."
With that said, he turned to Cao Huachun, cupped his hands and said: "Eunuch Cao, long live the war horses from all over the country, but you didn't ask them to send cavalry, right?"
Cao Huachun nodded and said: "Yes, that's exactly what it is. Long live General Guo, who has full authority to command. Those who don't obey orders will be subject to military law."
Guo Dajing turned to the cavalry under the city and said loudly: "How brave are you? How dare you resist the decree and disobey the order?"
Guerrilla Manku hurriedly bowed and said: "General Guo, it's not just us who disobey orders. It's really hard to believe that we behave like this."
"If you don't accept it, that's fine." Guo Dajing sneered and said, "Pick out the elite Hundred Cavalrymen of your unit and compete with the Hundred Cavalrymen of the Dongjiang Army to see if your combat power is worthy of the horses under your command."
Pointing in a circle, Guo Dajing continued: "Whoever is dissatisfied can still challenge. But there is one thing. When competing, life or death does not matter."
Cao Huachun swallowed his saliva, stepped forward and whispered: "General Guo, it doesn't have to be like this, right? Before the enemy troops arrive, our army will have to fight a civil war first?"
"Eunuch Cao, this is not a civil war, but a duel." Guo Dajing said calmly: "If we don't destroy their arrogance, we will not get the war horses. If we fight against the Jianlu, we will be hindered by them."
Cao Huachun smiled bitterly, took two steps back, and said no more.
Guo Dajing turned to Liu Xingzuo and other generals and raised his eyebrows. The meaning was obvious, who would bring someone to play with them.
Liu Qishi took a few steps forward and walked over, shouting to the cavalry below the city: "One hundred versus one hundred, life or death, does anyone dare to come out and practice?"
The cavalrymen below were a little confused. Yang Chun, Manku and other officers looked at each other, unable to decide for a moment.
"Eighty versus one hundred, how about we lose twenty people? You should be brave now, right?" Liu Qishi became more and more arrogant, his eyes widened.
"It's still not good, then fifty versus one hundred, let's give you half. If you don't dare, then you can still call yourself a man?"
Guo Dajing looked at the shouting eldest brother and rolled his eyes secretly, remembering a familiar scene in a certain film and television.
In fact, he also wanted to show off and loudly said the classic line, "I'm not targeting you, I'm saying that everyone here is a jerk."
"Okay, one hundred versus fifty, life or death." Manku thought he had caught Liu Qishi's loophole and immediately said: "Don't go back on your word, like a man!"
Liu Qishi snorted and said: "Tomorrow dawn, we will compete on the school field. If I don't go, I will be my grandson."
Guo Dajing waved his hand and said: "Since we have agreed, let's go back to camp. After tomorrow's battle, if our army wins, you will happily give up the war horses, and the achievements after the war will be indispensable to you. If you win, you can
Free to come and go.”
Seeing the city gates tightly closed and the muskets standing everywhere, these assembled cavalrymen did not dare to make any mistakes and unhooked their horses one after another and returned to the camp.
You are so shameless, do you really think you can stand a chance? If you meet Jianlu, let alone fifty, even twenty or thirty, you will be beaten and you will run away. It will be the same if you switch to flying cavalry.
When Guo Dajing saw that the matter had calmed down, he felt cruel in his heart but kept a calm expression on his face. He accompanied Cao Huachun down the city wall and went straight to his residence.
The Dongjiang Army not only made the Jianlu people fearful, but also made the Ming army tremble with fear.
Because, from what Guo Dajing heard, the military discipline of many Ming armies was indeed infuriating. There were not a few who killed good people and took credit for their merits, that is, they used fellow villagers to receive rewards.
Fearing the enemy like a tiger externally, and being like a wolf like a tiger internally, is almost the same virtue as Guan Ningjun.
Take the opportunity to kill and establish your authority, spread the word, and make these bastards restrain themselves when they fight together in the future.
When the time comes to defeat the Jianlu, Guo Dajing may still kill people, killing so-called friendly troops who only want to steal heads and property.
It's better to be in Liaodong. When I came to the Gyeonggi region, I didn't like everything I saw, and most of the things I encountered were unpleasant.
Others were accustomed to it, but Guo Dajing knew that this was not what he wanted.
In Liaodong, the newly recovered territory can be managed according to some of the plans he proposed. But in the interior, it can be said that it is absolutely impossible.
In this regard, Guo Dajing felt powerless and helpless.
I hope that this battle of the Dongjiang Army will teach the Jianlu and Mongolian tribes an unforgettable lesson, so that they will not dare to invade the border bandits again.
Otherwise, without the Dongjiang Army, if something similar happens again, the Ming Army in the mainland will still be vulnerable. This is not a problem of training or equipment, but a problem caused by the system that is difficult to correct.
No matter how hard we try, the Ming Dynasty's accumulated shortcomings will be hard to recover, and it will just continue to survive. Unless drastic reforms are carried out, Chongzhen does not have the vision or the courage.
Liu Xingzuo never left Guo Dajing. After sending Cao Huachun back to his residence, he rode alongside Guo Dajing and asked, "In tomorrow's contest, are we really going to kill him?"
Guo Dajing glanced at Liu Xingzuo and said: "Treat them as Jianluo, the battle is also a life-and-death battlefield."
Liu Qishi laughed heartily from behind, obviously hearing Guo Dajing's words and feeling completely relieved.
Liu Xingzuo shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's okay to kill people to establish your authority, so as not to cause trouble to us during the war."
Guo Dajing also meant the same thing. Since he can't count on him in battle, it doesn't matter if he offends him.
"Jianqi has passed Jizhou and is not far from Shimen." Guo Dajing said in a deep voice: "In two or three days, the war will break out. This is the decisive battle that determines the rise and fall of Liaodong."
Liu Xingzuo nodded and said: "With the strength of our army, it will be very difficult for Jianlu to escape. However, the casualties of our army will probably be relatively large."
"It's worth it." Guo Dajing said: "If we return Liaodong, wouldn't it be more difficult to fight? There is no need to count on Guan Ning's army. We still have to rely on ourselves to destroy Pingliao."
Liu Xingzuo hummed, looked at Guo Dajing with some curiosity, and asked, "What did you say to make Eunuch Cao obedient?"
"Convince people with virtue." Guo Dajing laughed and said, "Eunuch Cao said that he is an honest man. His words and deeds also prove that he is not lying."
Liu Xingzuo rolled his eyes and said jokingly: "There are not many honest people in this world, so you have to cherish it!"
Hesitantly, he directly said that he would use it and not finish it.
Guo Dajing smiled faintly, and did not go into detail on this topic. He asked: "Next year, the main purpose is to expand the cavalry. The flying cavalry must be at least doubled in order to conduct a large-scale counterattack in Liaodong."
"Twenty thousand flying cavalry?!" Liu Xingzuo nodded, not finding it difficult, and said, "As long as there are enough war horses, expansion is not a problem. As for the big counterattack, do you plan to do it in the year after next?"
"The plan may not necessarily go as expected." Guo Dajing said slowly: "Next year our army will mainly recuperate and expand its training. It also depends on how much the Jianlu can weaken in the great famine."
Liu Xingzuo thought for a while and said: "I'm afraid it's not realistic to starve the Jianlu to death, but their weakening strength is certain. They are likely to shrink their defense lines and abandon more territory. In my opinion, this does not seem to be a serious problem.
favorable."
Guo Dajing said: "As the territory increases, we must divide our troops for defense. You are worried that our army will become the same as before the Jianlu and reveal its flaws."
"Isn't it?" Liu Xingzuo asked back: "Without more land, how can we settle the people and feed the expanded army?"
Guo Dajing smiled and said: "This is indeed a possibility, but there is also a way to solve it, that is, not only to expand the army, but also to increase the army's maneuver speed. If there are 30,000 to 40,000 cavalry, there is no need to worry too much."
Before Liu Xingzuo could ask, Guo Dajing had already waved his hand and said: "My ideas are not mature yet, so there is no need to be too hasty in thinking about what will happen in one or two years. There are too many variables."
"That's true." Liu Xingzuo agreed, saying: "Yuan Chonghuan is finished. Who will the imperial court appoint to supervise Liaodong next, and how much support will be given to the Dongjiang Army are all uncertain."
"However." Liu Xingzuo added: "After this battle, the imperial court will definitely change its view of Dongjiang Town, and it will definitely change for the better."
"It should be said that no matter how bad it is, it can't be any worse." Guo Dajing said with a smile: "Whoever supervises Liaodong is better than Yuan Chonghuan."
Liu Xingzuo gave Guo Dajing a meaningful look, he knew a lot about the action to get rid of Yuan Chonghuan.
"Let me interrupt." Liu Qishi suddenly stepped forward and asked, "In tomorrow's battle, are they allowed to surrender? If they surrender, will they still have to be killed?"
Guo Dajing and Liu Xingzuo both looked at Liu Qishi with strange eyes. There was no need to explain this question. They were not real enemies and they did not even give them a chance to surrender and save their lives.
"What's the matter?" Liu Qishi didn't think there was anything wrong with his inquiry and said, "Why don't you ask clearly? I have to explain it clearly to my subordinates!"
Guo Dajing nodded and said: "If you surrender, then spare their lives. But you must show off your momentum and scare those guys. From now on, you will be honest."
"Don't worry!" Liu Qishi smiled and said, "If you use all your energy to fight the Jianluo, why don't you kill them to pieces?"
"You should do this to avoid losing the reputation of Feiqi." Liu Xingzuo said with a smile: "After this battle, Feiqi will surpass Guan Ning's cavalry and become the most powerful force in the Ming Dynasty."