Chapter 390: Rest assured and delegate power to Mao Wenlong
If there had been no rebellion by the rebels, the Ming court would not have been in a dilemma internally or externally. Under the suppression of the government and the army, the peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty might have gone in another direction.
But as long as there is no food to eat, no land to cultivate, disasters continue, and taxes are not reduced, the peasant uprising will be difficult to completely contain.
Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong may have been wiped out, but new uprisings will arise again. There will still be soldiers and people who are appeased but then rebel, and there will still be hungry people who rise up again.
In the final analysis, the Ming Dynasty had already suffered from numerous abuses and the surging peasant uprising was just the general outbreak of accumulated contradictions.
Even if there were no continuous major disasters and no rebellion against the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was already decaying and entering its twilight years.
If we can't radically promote the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages, no matter how we paper it, it will only extend the life of the Ming Dynasty. Sooner or later, the illness will become difficult to treat.
The seriousness of land annexation, the greed of the privileged class, the corruption of officials, the huge gap between the rich and the poor... The Ming Dynasty's national power is riddled with holes, and its decline is irreversible.
In fact, from the Wanli Dynasty, the end of the dynasty has already appeared. If we push forward further, the Tumubao incident may be the turning point in the Ming Dynasty from prosperity to decline.
If we talk about the ultimate root cause, the rise and fall of feudal dynasties is an inevitable law and is determined by its centralized system.
A wise king can rejuvenate a country, but a cowardly king can destroy the world. The rise and fall of a country depends on one family, one surname, and one person, and depends on the ability of the emperor. How can peace and prosperity be guaranteed for all eternity?
Therefore, Guo Dajing has seen clearly and analyzed clearly.
He only needs to do the things in front of him well so that China will not fall into the evil. As for taking over the world, there are plenty of opportunities.
What to do if you don't have a chance? In Guo Dajing's view, that is impossible. Chongzhen is a "good man" who will create opportunities for you even if you don't have a chance. He will continue to use tricks to kill you, and you can't stop him.
Guo Dajing, who was full of confidence in this, finally ended his vacation of more than half a month and embarked on his return to the military camp.
Looking back, he could no longer see the figures bidding farewell to his relatives. Guo Dajing put aside his reluctance, immediately urged his whip, and with a few soldiers, accompanied Mao Wenlong as he galloped away.
Mao Wenlong returned to Dalian five or six days later than Guo Dajing, and stayed for about ten days in total.
On the one hand, he persuaded Mao Shen to temporarily give up his thoughts of building a mansion; on the other hand, he stayed in Lushun a year ago and returned to Dalian to take a rest.
"Mr. Shen -" Mao Wenlong shook his head and said in distress: "I originally wanted to rest for a few more days and leave after February 2."
Shen Shikui, who lives in Qingdao, came at the perfect time. He must have had eyes and ears in Jinzhou, so he knew that Dongjiang Town was selling silk brocades and came to get a share of the pie.
For Mao Shen's sake, and because of Shen Shikui's early contributions to Dongjiang Town, Mao Wenlong was helpless and wrote a note to Shen Shikui, asking Chen Jisheng to handle it as appropriate.
This batch of silk brocades was not sold to the public. Part of it was left to Japanese merchants in exchange for strategic materials such as saltpeter, sulfur and copper materials. The other part was given to the Lin family for sale and turned into cash. The remaining part was kept as a reward for meritorious soldiers.
reward.
After Shen Shikui got involved in this way, he could only take some of the Lin family's share and keep less as a reward, so he should be able to send Mr. Shen away.
Although Shen Shikui didn't ask for nothing, he was given a preferential price and credit, so the money he could withdraw was less and the time was extended.
Guo Dajing didn't take Mao Wenlong's helplessness and complaints seriously. Who doesn't have a relative to take care of? To be able to do this is pretty good.
Besides, Mao Shen should be able to make some private money from it. She was happy, she could be handsome to Mao in bed, and it would be more comfortable for Mao Hou to serve her.
"Why should the Marquis care about this matter?" Guo Dajing smiled and comforted: "I give it to everyone, even the Lin family, they also gave a preferential price. It's all to express gratitude for the support of Dongjiang Town. Mr. Shen's contribution is also very great.
Well!"
Mao Wenlong smiled bitterly and said: "Humans, once you see a profit, you will take advantage of it, but then your behavior will change."
Guo Dajing smiled and said: "Man perishes for money, and birds perish for food. This has been the case throughout the ages, and so is human nature. Even our officers and men of the Dongjiang Army, if they say unpleasant things, aren't they just for pay?"
"That's still different." Mao Wenlong shook his head, not wanting to talk about this topic anymore, and said: "I am stationed in Jinzhou Guard, and you are stationed in Fuzhou Guard. In terms of military affairs, you will have to work harder."
"Don't worry, Lord Marquis." Guo Dajing said: "Besides, in the first half of this year, neither our army nor the slaves will have the conditions to start another war."
Mao Wenlong pondered for a moment and said: "Even so, we cannot take it lightly. There is no major civil strife in Jianlu, which is a bit unexpected."
According to the latest intelligence, although the situation in Shenyang City was tense and the atmosphere was very tense for a time, in the end there was no confrontation with each other, but there were signs of compromise and agreement.
Guo Dajing also felt a little surprised, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt it was relatively normal.
The Jianlu were severely damaged and the famine was not over. Under such a bad situation and with foreign enemies looking at them eagerly, it is reasonable to show solidarity.
Guo Dajing said: "In the face of pressure and difficulties, the Jianlu people are not all idiots by temporarily coexisting peacefully and uniting with the outside world."
Mao Wenlong nodded and said: Originally, Amin and Mang Gurtai were the most clueless, but Amin's strength was severely weakened, Mang Gurtai died in Zunhua, and we have greatly reduced the possibility of internal strife.
."
This was a change that no one could have expected. Guo Dajing agreed very much with Mao Wenlong's analysis and said: "Despite this, the conflicts among the top leaders of Jianlu are still there. They are at odds with each other and the Eight Banners are acting in their own way. The trend of Jianlu's defeat has become apparent.
."
"That's right." Mao Wenlong said: "So, it is not appropriate for our army to launch at this time. It will provide some buffer for the rebels and it is also a time to accumulate conflicts."
"Just wait and see what happens, Commander Mao's plan is clever." Guo Dajing said with a smile: "Let's see how the slave chief deploys and how his strategy changes. If our army waits for the opportunity to launch, it will be able to criticize the overlord and defeat the weakness and win the battle."
Mao Wenlong chuckled, stroking his beard and asked: "In your opinion, which slave chief can succeed to the throne?"
"It should be Dorgon." Guo Dajing answered without much thought, "Whether it is the strength of the two white flags or Dorgon's strategy, the general believes that this beast is superior to other slave chiefs."
Mao Wenlong nodded slightly and said: "Being able to escape with more than 3,000 troops after the tragic defeat in Zunhua shows his ability to make prompt decisions. Moreover, Huang Taiji killed tens of thousands of Manchu elites, which also affected Hauge.
This makes it difficult for him to compete for the throne of Khan."
Guo Dajing chuckled and said: "It is a surprise to the general that we can capture Huang Taiji alive. According to the strength of our army, the general does not dare to rely on the strength of the army to divide the troops and set up defenses to make arrangements for the total annihilation of the Jiannu slaves."
Mao Wenlong glanced at Guo Dajing with admiration and said: "Be cautious in using your troops. This is what I think most highly of you. If you move dangerously and rush forward greedily for success, I am really worried that this small fortune in Dongjiang Town will be ruined!"
Guo Dajing laughed and said: "The general is timid. He is not 70% or 80% sure and will never use troops easily. In fact, judging from the results afterwards, there is still a chance of annihilating the Jiannu."
"You cannot rely on hindsight." Mao Wenlong waved his hand and said: "Dongjiang Town has developed to the present level. Steady and steady progress can be enough to defeat the enemy. Don't be impatient, greedy for merit and take risks."
If the Ming court's strategy against the Jianlu was steady and steady, even if the economy was blocked and the Jianlu were not given the opportunity to plunder and enrich themselves, the Jianlu would not occupy Liaodong.
Fighting on the left and fighting on the right, not only did he lose his land, but he also became the captain of the transportation brigade. Countless weapons and armor, and grain and grass supplies became the nourishment for the expansion of the army.
From looking down on the enemy with thin strips, to fearing the enemy like a tiger. The constant defeats not only depleted the morale of the army, but also gave Jianlu an absolute psychological advantage.
Fortunately, the current situation is gradually reversing, and the Dongjiang Army is no longer afraid of Jianlu. But to truly compete with Jianlu in the field, Guo Dajing believes that it still needs training and improvement.
Regarding Mao Wenlong's warning, Guo Dajing took it seriously and said slowly: "Looking at the several victories of our army, including Zunhua, they were actually defensive counterattacks. If it is a wild battle, the general will not be sure."
Precisely because there was no certainty of victory in the field battle, Mao Wenlong and Guo Dajing formulated a combat plan to attack Zunhua and cut off the enemy's retreat.
Although he had achieved an unprecedented victory, the seeds of dissatisfaction would definitely be sown in the emperor's heart. But there was no way to choose the lesser of two evils.
Vigorous expansion of cavalry, improvement of artillery vehicles, and attempts to establish infantry battle formations for field operations are all time-consuming measures. They are also preparations for the inevitable field battles that will result from a large-scale counterattack in the future.
Although Mao Wenlong was helpless, the strategic initiative was being taken away by the Dongjiang Army, and he was basically self-sufficient, so he was not in a hurry.
Because, the longer time passes, the worse the situation for Jianlu will become and the more its strength will decline. Moreover, the continuous piecemeal attacks on Jianlu will add up to great harm.
In fact, Guo Dajing prefers this style of play, which uses less troops and is less prone to accidents in command and combat. It is the most secure.
Killing two to three thousand of them in one year is a relatively small feat. The Jianlu occupies such a large territory, but their troops are stretched thin, so there should be no shortage of opportunities to attack weak spots.
Going all the way, this may be another assessment of Guo Dajing by Mao Wenlong. Obviously, he is satisfied and can safely hand over the military to Guo Dajing and sit in Jinzhou Guard with peace of mind.
Having been promoted to a noble title, and still a loyal general holding a sword, Mao Wenlong felt that he had reached the pinnacle of his life and could hardly make any further progress.
You are already the most powerful general in the Ming Dynasty, what else do you want? Could it be that Liaodong can't accommodate you, so why don't you want to sit on the dragon's chair in the Forbidden City?
No matter how hard you work to make achievements, it will be very difficult for the emperor to deal with it. What does unrewarding merit mean and what happens to the leader of a town with high achievements? Mao Wenlong, a feudal head, knows better than Guo Dajing.
If Guo Dajing or Dongjiang Army performs meritorious service again, Mao Wenlong will naturally be rewarded, but it won't be too high. Mao Wenlong thinks he can afford gold and silver treasures, honors and merit.
It was a little early for Riliu Yong to return. Mao Wenlong felt that after Ping Liao, it would be time for him to retire and return to his hometown to honor his ancestors.
Small bridges, flowing water, misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River, this is the dream place where you can have your children around you and enjoy your family peacefully.
Guo Dajing could not completely guess Mao Wenlong's thoughts. It was not that he was not smart enough, but that he did not have the kind of feudal society thinking.
What does unrewarding merit mean? What does high merit mean? As a soldier, does one have a ceiling for one's achievements? Could it be that after repeatedly performing extraordinary feats for the country and the people, the final outcome can only be "death" in order for the emperor to feel at ease?
Who is a marquis? There are also dukes, princes, and princes above him! Why is it that someone with the surname Zhu, a bullshit, can be king and be prosperous and wealthy?
Nothing about returning home in glory, nothing about honoring his ancestors, nothing about everlasting Liaodong can satisfy Guo Dajing. His ambition is bigger than the sky, and his aspirations are higher than the sky.
………………
Time does not depend on human will, but follows its own pace in a fixed and monotonous manner.
No matter how the Dongjiang Army is expanding and training, no matter how hard the Jianlu are stabilizing the internal affairs, no matter how the emperor in the Forbidden City thinks he is wise and powerful, and is working hard to revive the Ming Dynasty.
More than a month has passed in the blink of an eye, the breath of spring is getting stronger and stronger, and it is the spring plowing time of the year again.
Food is the most important thing for the people, and the emphasis on spring plowing and autumn harvest has been the same from ancient times to the present. Even in ancient times, during these two seasons, even wars would not be launched to avoid missing a year's harvest.
Throughout ancient times, wars mostly occurred in the late autumn. Firstly, after the autumn harvest, one had food and grass reserves; secondly, one could "eat for the sake of the enemy" to support the war.
Moreover, the factor of the war horse is also very important. The so-called "horse fattening in autumn" refers to the period when horses are in the best condition during the cool autumn season.
It is precisely for this reason that both the Dongjiang Army and Jianlu tacitly have no intention or preparation to launch. The garrisoned guards will not be abolished, but that's all.
Moreover, after the Zunhua War, the Jianlu troops suffered heavy losses, and the Dongjiang Army also suffered heavy casualties, both of which needed rest and recovery.
Just like opponents in a boxing ring taking a break, both the enemy and ourselves have calmed down on the surface, replenishing their energy and preparing for the second half of the competition.
On the fields, there are still scattered patches of melting snow in some places, and in more places there are green grasses that have just emerged.
The air is filled with the renewal of everything and the vigorous vitality of spring, making people's breathing extraordinarily smooth and comfortable.
In the fields, there are more busy figures and animals.
From Jinzhou to Gaizhou, countless plowshares cut through the fertile black soil. Accompanied by people's exciting shouts, the animals took powerful steps, carrying people's hopes and marching forward boldly.
In this season of sowing hope, in addition to the necessary garrison troops, both soldiers and civilians, old and young, are all involved in this busy work.
With a large number of horses and a large number of people, this year's spring plowing is more vigorous than in previous years. There are lively scenes everywhere, and the fragrance of the black earth can be smelled everywhere.