On January 29, the 15th year of Chongzhen's reign, which was the third day after the Yongyi Army completed its investiture ceremony, the emperor's newly appointed Yongyi Army Supervisor, Bian Yongqing, and Zhang Ruoqi, the right minister of the Ministry of War, unexpectedly arrived in Xuanbei at the same time.
After Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng heard the news, he first sent Wu Zhizhong, the commander of the Weiyuan Camp, and Wei Zhice, the commander of the Tengshe Camp, each leading 200 elite cavalry from the camp to go to Diaohao Fort to greet them, and escort them all the way back.
Then he sent He Biao, the commander-in-chief of the Yongyi Army, Zhang Guodong, the commander of the Qinglong Camp, and Zhang Guangda, the commander of the Zhuque Camp, to represent him and lead 300 fine cavalry to Yangtian Fort to meet him.
And he himself also left the south gate of the Red Castle early and set up a curtain next to the main campus, with a large curtain erected in the middle.
The curtain was surrounded by warriors wearing red cloth armor. They stood in a full circle outside the curtain. They were either holding tiger spears or holding new Yunzhou blunderbuss. They all stood upright and looked very mighty. .
In the distance, there is a cavalry team of more than ten cavalry. They are also wearing red cloth armor, and even the iron helmets on their heads are red. However, there is no red tassel on the tip of their helmets, but a stick. Feathers dyed red instead.
This is the elite Yulin Cavalry in the Yongyi Army. The ordinary knights among them have one red bird feather stuck on the tip of their helmet, two red bird feathers stuck on the armor length, and the captain has three stuck on it.
However, when Mr. Bai goes up, he no longer uses red bird feathers, but replaces them with silver-white pheasant feathers. Mr. Bai inserts one feather, and Mr. Qian inserts two feathers. Mr. Qian has three silver-white pheasant feathers.
The purpose of this is not only to distinguish the rank of officers and generals, but also to make it easier for team officers, commanders and soldiers to identify the leader, quickly gather to their respective commanders, and form a battle formation around the commander.
Wang Yuanjing, the camp staff officer, accompanied Zhang Cheng and said softly: "General, I wonder if this border supervisor is an easy person to get along with."
"Whether we get along well or not is not up to him!"
Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng didn't seem to care about Wang Yuanjing's words, and just listened to him continue to say in an understatement: "If he is easy to get along with, we will get along well with him.
If he is not easy to get along with..."
Zhang Cheng turned his head and looked at Wang Yuanjing and Liu Minshen, and said in a slightly sinister tone: "Isn't this uncle still afraid of him?"
Liu Minshen looked thoughtful when he heard the words, while Wang Yuanjing on the side looked at the smoke and dust in the distance and reminded: "General, it seems that Zhang Zhongjun is back."
Zhang Cheng looked in the direction he pointed, and saw more than ten riders galloping towards him, looming in the smoke and dust, galloping towards him like a red dragon.
When he got closer, he saw that it was not Zhang Chengfang, let alone who he was. He was riding on a maroon horse, shaking his red armor, and loudly reported: "General, He Zhenfu is accompanying the border supervisors, Zhang Shilang We have passed the Nanguandi Temple and are on our way here."
Zhang Cheng nodded slightly, but he still sat on his Taishi chair and did not get up because of this. He just said lightly: "Teachers, please be alert and don't lose the prestige of our brave army in vain."
Hearing this, Liu Minshen immediately understood what he said, and he loudly ordered: "order Yu Shangke on the left side of the artillery truck to prepare to fire the cannon. We are going to welcome the distinguished guests."
"Here!"
The ordering soldiers raised their golden arrows and galloped away on horseback. Immediately afterwards, the soldiers around the curtain took action according to the order, and light Folan cannons were pushed out from behind the curtain.
The gunners nervously fixed the gun positions and loaded gunpowder, but did not load the cannons. Obviously, these thirty-six Fran cannons were used as salutes, and all fired empty ammunition.
Wang Yuanjing looked a little nervous, and he reminded softly from the side: "General, do you want to come out to greet us?"
"No need."
Zhang Cheng shook his head and said softly to him: "Commander Jin will be waiting outside the tent to greet them. I will wait here for their arrival."
…………
At the end of the day, the sun was already setting in the west, the cold wind suddenly started to rise, and snowflakes slowly fell from the sky. Looking up, the sky was filled with white.
Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng leaned on the Taishi chair, gently put down the hot tea in his hand, raised his eyes to the sky, and said leisurely: "It's really auspicious snow to welcome our distinguished guests!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of "Boom! Boom! Boom!..." the cannons soared into the sky, and the black muzzles of the cannons continued to spray out balls of fire, like fire dragons spitting flames. Not only was the sound amazing,
The scene is also very shocking.
The continuous rumbling of cannons lasted thirty-six times before finally stopping.
Bian Yongqing, the eunuch sent by the imperial court to supervise the army, and Zhang Ruoqi, the right minister of the Ministry of War, accompanied by He Biao and other brave officers, also walked towards the curtain.
Until this moment, Zhang Cheng still had no intention of getting up. Liu Minshen, who had been by his side, sighed in his heart that he had indeed chosen the wrong person. The general's behavior was indeed extraordinary and he was indeed calm.
But Wang Yuanjing was not as calm and calm as he was. He clenched his hands tightly, beads of sweat continued to seep out of his palms, and his eyes kept darting back and forth on the banners and Zhang Cheng in front of him.
In his opinion, the eunuchs who oversee the army represent the current emperor. They can be said to be people who "talk about the constitution of heaven". They cannot afford to offend them. Once they make them unhappy, they go back and say some unreasonable bad things in front of the emperor.
This is the calamity of destroying the Cao family!
Although Wang Yuanjing is becoming more and more important under Zhang Cheng, and has even entered the inner circle of the Yongyi Army, he may not have gotten over the pain of losing his wife and son. He has not renewed his relationship and is still alone.
Therefore, he is definitely not worried about his future or life and death now. It is obvious that he is worried about Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng, for fear that he will offend the eunuchs and be ruined because of his arrogant behavior.
own a bright future.
Looking at Bian Yongqing, Zhang Ruoqi and Zhang Ruoqi had already entered his line of sight. Zhang Cheng then said: "Be careful, I will meet Director Bian and Mr. Zhang to enter the account on my behalf."
Liu Minshen seemed to have expected it. After he smiled and promised softly, he walked outside the curtain to meet the supervisor Bian Yongqing and the minister Zhang Ruoqi who came as an angel to deliver the letter of reward from the Ministry of War.
…………
It wasn't until Bian Yongqing and Zhang Ruoqi came to the curtain door talking and laughing that Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng got up from the Grand Master's chair. He said with a smile: "The supervisors braved the wind and snow, and traveled all the way at starry night to come here."
In the bitter cold place of Xuanfu's frontier fortress, my heart shines with the sun and the moon, which really makes me admire you endlessly."
Bian Yongqing was chatting and laughing with Zhang Ruoqi before entering the tent, but after hearing Zhang Cheng's words, his face suddenly tightened, and he said in a thin voice: "We are the slaves of the emperor, and we should dedicate ourselves to the master."
work."
Although he was speaking, his feet did not stop. At this time, he had gone straight into the curtain. However, he did not go to the desk on Zhang Cheng's left. Instead, he stopped next to the stove in the tent and continued.
He said: "Uncle Yongning, bandits are rampant in Henan Province today. They are attacking prefectures and plundering counties. They are also besieging Kaifeng again. The Zhou vassal is in danger, and the emperor is also worried about it.
I don’t know when the Yongyi Army will be able to leave Xuanfu to aid Henan Province, relieve the danger of sealing, suppress bandits and bring peace to the people?"
The last thing Zhang Cheng was afraid of was talking about business, so he immediately replied with a smile: "The supervisors don't know something. Our soldiers of the Yongyi Army just returned from the Liaodong War. There were heavy casualties in the camp, and the soldiers were exhausted.
What's more, this time to help relieve Jinwei, Ben Bo's army consumed a lot of gunpowder and cannons, which could not be replenished at once. Many of the armor and weapons of his soldiers were also damaged, and they still need some time to rest and replenish the gunpowder.
After repairing the armor and weapons, we can send out troops to suppress the bandits again."
What Zhang Cheng said is indeed the truth, but it is slightly exaggerated. But how can outsiders tell how much of it is true and how false it is?
As expected, Bian Yongqing also fell into silence after listening to Zhang Cheng's words. After a moment, he said again: "Our family is also aware of Uncle Yong Ning's difficulties. We also know that Uncle Yong Ning has many friends in the capital and is very close to several officials in the inner court.
We have some contacts and a very deep personal friendship."
At this time, he suddenly changed the topic and said: "However, our family came to the Xuan Mansion to supervise the Yongyi Army this time in compliance with the emperor's order. Although we will not interfere with Yongning Bo's recruitment and training of troops,
But sending troops to Henan Province to help suppress the bandits was something that could not be delayed even for a moment.
If this job is not done well, or if the military period is delayed intentionally, it is no wonder that our family does not recognize the person. We must report the reason to the emperor. Even if there are several stewards in the inner court to protect us, our family will not care.
.”
"What the supervisor said is exactly what I am worried about."
Zhang Cheng took a step forward and continued with a stern face: "Zhang Cheng, under the influence of his ancestors, has been guarding the border for the Ming Dynasty to this day. Since my uncle sacrificed his life for the country and died on the battlefield, he can be said to be a loyal martyr and has been favored by the emperor in his life. How can he not do it now?"
Do you want to kill thieves for the country in order to repay the country's favor and relieve the emperor's worries?"
When he said this, Zhang Cheng also showed a trace of embarrassment on his face, and continued: "It's just that the soldiers are tired now, their armor and weapons are insufficient, and their food and fodder are insufficient. If we forcefully send out troops, I fear that the army's morale will be unstable. If it leads to military chaos,
, wouldn’t you miss the emperor’s errand?”
Bian Yongqing didn't know what to say at this time. Armor, weapons, and food and grass were really difficult to deal with. Now that the Ming Dynasty had been using troops for many years and there were constant famines, where could they collect the remaining food and grass?
In particular, military morale cannot be ignored. If it is true, as Yong Ningbo said, that the mutiny was caused by excessive pressure, even if it was finally calmed down, it is not known how long it will take to delay sending troops to Henan.
At the moment, he could only say to Zhang Cheng with a bitter look on his face: "Kaifeng is under siege and the Zhou vassal is in critical danger, so we cannot tolerate any delay. As for armor, weapons, money and food, we will report to the emperor and ask the court to mobilize them as soon as possible."
That’s it.
In short, if Kaifeng falls and Zhou Fan is in trouble, Uncle Yongning will have nothing to do with our family!"
Zhang Cheng is no longer the junior general he once was. Now he is the Ming Dynasty Yongning Bo, the chief military officer of Xuanfu Town, and the general of Zhenshuo. His status is high in the entire Ming Empire, even the leader of the Liaodong Army, Dashou, who just passed away.
Resurrection, that's a lot lower than him.
The tens of thousands of brave soldiers in Zhang Cheng's six battalions are even more prestigious. Even the once famous Liaodong Iron Cavalry is now difficult to compare with. Although the reputation is not much different, there is a world of difference in strength!
Regardless of status or strength, Zhang Cheng is no longer what he used to be. Today, he has completed a magnificent turn and has perfectly jumped to a position that ordinary people cannot reach in their lifetime.
Now, even when faced with the eunuch Bian Yongqing, who talks about the Tianxian and can represent the imperial power to a certain extent, he is confident and will not flinch.
After listening to Bian Yongqing's words, he put his hands behind his hands and walked slowly outside the curtain. As he walked, he said: "The supervisors are worried about the safety of Zhou Fan, but in my opinion, Zhou Fan is bound to be surrounded by intruders this time."
Another near miss.”
Whether they were intimidated by Uncle Yong Ning's aura or attracted by Zhang Cheng's words, Supervisor Bian Yongqing and Minister of War Zhang Ruoqi followed behind him and walked out of the curtain together.
A gust of cold wind blew over Zhang Cheng's face, with scattered snowflakes falling on his face. He couldn't help but shiver. Lieutenant Commander Zhang Chengfang hurried forward and tied a thick woolen cloak around his shoulders.
superior.
Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng held both sides of his cloak tightly with both hands, and continued to walk out, saying to the two of them: "The governor Ding Qirui is in southern Henan, with tens of thousands of soldiers under his command, and the governor of the three sides Wang Qionian is also
He has led tens of thousands of Shaanxi soldiers out of Shaanxi and into Henan.
Kuang still has more than 10,000 elite soldiers from former governor Yang Wenyue in Kaifeng, especially Baoding General Soldier Hu Dawei's unit, which has always been known for their bravery and proficiency in battle. With these three troops in Henan, even if Chuangni cannot be defeated, they can still hold on to Kaifeng.
That’s more than enough!”
Bian Yongqing and Zhang Ruoqi were both surprised by this. When they left the capital, the news that Kaifeng Fucheng was besieged again had just reached the capital.
Even Zhang Ruoqi, who was not the Minister of War, only knew that there were about 100,000 people in the bandits. As for the whereabouts of other Ming army troops, even he, the Minister of War, only knew a little bit about them.
But how could Zhang Cheng know such detailed information while living in a cold and isolated place on the border?
Although Zhang Ruoqi has known Zhang Cheng for a long time and fought together in Liaodong for a period of time, he still couldn't understand this and couldn't help but think to himself: "Isn't it possible that there are also informants of Uncle Yong Ning in the capital?"
I heard the supervisor Bian Yongqing say: "Even if, as Uncle Yongning said, there are Ding Qirui and Wang Qiaonian in Henan Province, the bandits have always been cunning and cunning. How can we be sure that Kaifeng will be able to hold on?
If Kaifeng is really attacked by the bandits and the Zhou vassal is in trouble, wouldn’t it be too late to regret it?”
"Ha ha……"
After Yongning Bo laughed wildly for a while, he said: "The border supervisors don't need to worry about this. I also fought against Chuang Ni under Kaifeng City, but he was mediocre and far from as ferocious as the rumors say.
Moreover, the city of Kaifeng is tall and thick, and General Chen Yongfu is guarding it. It will still be possible to hold it for three to five months. In addition, the security guard Yang Wenyue has thousands of soldiers stationed in the city, so it will be absolutely safe.
As for the soldiers and horses of Governor Ding and Governor Wang, who had been there for several months, wouldn't they have been stationed at the gate of Kaifeng City. At that time, they were attacking from both inside and outside. Even though the two thieves who broke into Cao Cao had many soldiers and horses, there were not many who could fight, so how could they?
Invincible principle!"
Although Bian Yongqing, the supervisor of the army, felt that what Zhang Cheng said was quite reasonable, he did not dare to completely agree with it. However, since he had just arrived at the Xuan Mansion, he could not be too eager to press Zhang Cheng and could only temporarily follow him.
Unknowingly, a few people came to a row of carriages and saw that these sedan cars were all very beautifully made and covered with thick felt cloth to protect them from the cold.
"Border Supervisor, Zhang Shilang, I will ride into the city first. We will discuss other matters later."