Chapter 967 It's a blessing for me to meet my ancestor
Under the afterglow of the evening glow, the soldiers in the three towns of Xuanfu, Datong and Liaodong were also busy and busy.
In the last battle before sunset, Prince Daishan of the Qing Dynasty commanded tens of thousands of Qing troops from the Eight Banners of Manchu and Mongolia, plus Han troops and thousands of Mongolian troops from the outer vassals. Despite fierce attacks, they still failed to break through the Ming army.
The defense lines of soldiers and horses in the three towns of Liaodong.
Seeing that he could not defeat the Ming army and that there was no hope of retaking the lost outer trench wall of Jinzhou Nanguan, he had no choice but to temporarily lead his army to retreat westward and set up camp first before discussing how to deal with it in the future.
The same was true for the Ming army. After two consecutive days of fierce fighting, everyone was exhausted. When the Qing army attacked fiercely, they managed to hold on with their blood.
Therefore, when they saw the Qing army retreating, the Ming army, from the generals of each battalion to all the officers and soldiers, secretly rejoiced in their hearts. It was not until the Qing army had completely retreated that they let out a mad cry like a demon.
In such a state, being able to repel the Qing troops and hold on to the fruits of today's successful meeting with Zu Dashou was already their limit for the Xuan Daming Army.
But even so, there was still no rest. They were divided into independent teams, searching for wounded soldiers on the entire battlefield, sorting out the ordnance left by the soldiers, and even carrying back the dead and wounded horses.
Of course, there were many teams of sergeants who were busy digging trenches and building walls, establishing lines of defense. Soon the prototype of a large camp gradually emerged.
In the south, at the Xuan Dajun camp on the Xiaoling River, things began to get busy. Zhang Guodong's Chicheng Battalion was arranged to stay on the south bank of the Xiaoling River to guard the pontoon bridges necessary for crossing the river.
After all, the military supplies of the Xuan Dajun soldiers and all the supplies for the rescue of Jinzhou must be transported through here. Although ferries can also be used for transporting supplies, they are not as convenient and fast as the pontoon bridge.
As Zu Dashou spoke, he waved his hand and pointed to the surroundings, saying: "Today, if we can advance to this point without being blocked by the Tatars, only the Xuanfu army and horses you brought can do it."
However, Marshal Zu said that he also needed to return to the camp to settle down, and would come back to Zhang Cheng's camp later to wait for Governor Hong Chengchou together.
Huang Taiji was very happy after hearing this. He sent Abatai to lead 5,000 Qing soldiers wearing Ming army uniforms to go with Zu Dashou. However, he never thought that there was heavy fog on the road, and Zu Dashou took the opportunity to get rid of Abatai and other Qing soldiers who were accompanying him.
, he entered Jinzhou City alone.
In this way, other Liao people and soldiers in Liaodong will only trust him more, and after he returns to Jinzhou, he can also take care of the families of those surrendered soldiers.
When he came closer, he stretched out his big hand to grab Zhang Cheng and said with a smile: "The slave thieves have besieged Jinzhou for more than a year. I never thought that it would be Zhang Cheng and your Xuanfu army who came to the city first."
"The praise from Commander-in-Chief is really well deserved. Zhang Cheng is just a martial artist, how can he be praised like this by Commander-in-Chief."
It was no longer necessary to raise swords and mount horses. Just this time, he felt that there was hope of lifting the siege of Jinzhou, so he personally led his troops out of the city to fight against the slave thieves. It can be said that his sword is still young.
After hearing this, Zu Dashou didn't see any change on his old face. He could only look at Zhang Cheng with his eyes. He looked left and right, and after a while he spoke again: "He is indeed a young hero, and his reputation is well-deserved. Uncle Chang
Boy, it’s really incomparable.”
He also bombarded Abatai and other Qing soldiers who came to attack. From then on, he continued to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty and defended Jinzhou for ten years.
As the leader of the Liaodong warlord, he relied on these Liao soldiers who followed him. Rather than letting them die in vain, it would be of no benefit to Zu Dashou, but at the time of desperation, finding a way out for him would be beneficial.
Win people's hearts.
Zhang Cheng could only feel that his powerful hands were covered with calluses left by years of holding weapons. They were as hard as iron and stone, and he couldn't help but admire them.
"Hahaha……"
It was not until this moment that Zhang Cheng saw the long-famous Liaodong General Commander Zi Zu's birthday. At this time, he was already sixty-three years old. Thanks to the training he received in the military, he was still in good health.
It is health.
Zhang Cheng was quite surprised when he heard Zu Dashou's words of praise for him. You must know that Zu Dashou was the number one military leader in the Ming Dynasty in terms of his power in Liaodong.
And their two towns, one in the east and one in the west, are both important border towns that protect the capital of the Ming Dynasty. If they can make friends with Zhang Cheng, and the two towns can help each other, why not?
Of course, there is the fact that Zu Dashou is unwilling to give up his ancestral heritage and the hard work of his family for more than ten generations, but there is also his loyalty to the Ming Dynasty.
Zhang Cheng just said "I know" softly, and then ordered Zhang Chengfang to retreat, but said to Commander Zu, "Commander Zu, the governor is on his way here. Let's go into the tent and wait."
You must know that with his status and reputation in Liaodong at that time, if he sincerely surrendered to the slave chief Huang Taiji, he could earn the gate of Jinzhou City for him, and even the Ningyuan City behind him could easily earn it.
As a result, the power of the ancestral family has spread to all corners of Liaodong. Now, his brother-in-law Wu Xiang's clan has also risen with the help of the power of the ancestral family, making all the land of Liaodong belong to the ancestors and the Wu clan.
Rather than saying that he was an official of the Ming Dynasty, it would be better to say that he was a warlord of the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong!
Zu Dashou was wrapped in a thick white cloth from his left shoulder to his right waist, with a hint of dark red blood showing, as if he was seriously injured, but he didn't pay any attention to it.
The Ming Dynasty was able to hold on to Liaodong under the iron hooves of the Qing Dynasty's cavalry, so it actually relied on their group of ancestral generals and ancestral armies.
During the Wanli period, Zu Dashou's father Zu Chengxun, as the deputy commander-in-chief, followed the Liaodong commander-in-chief of the Ming Dynasty and the admiral Li Rusong to fight against Japan and aid Korea. He participated in the battle to regain Pyongyang and made contributions. During this period, he even trained troops in the fields of Korea.
Made great contributions to stabilizing the situation in North Korea.
However, just like Zu Dashou, who had been educated since childhood and had loyalty and integrity in his heart, he was still very loyal to the Ming Dynasty when his personal clan interests were not greatly infringed.
Dozens or even hundreds of members of the ancestral family served as officials and generals in Liaodong, stationed in various fortresses and castles in Liaodong. There were hundreds of loyal generals under his command, and thousands of servants.
Zu Dashou's gray beard was stained with a little blood. He waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter, these injuries are not a problem."
As Zu Dashou spoke, he clasped his fists again and said, "Zu will remember the kindness of coming thousands of miles to help."
Zu Dashou saw that Zhang Cheng was not arrogant in taking the credit, and he respected him very much, and he was also happy in his heart. However, he had experienced so many ups and downs in his life, how could he become emotional because of it.
Liaodong and Xuanfu were separated by Beizhili, so they did not interfere with each other. He did not need to worry that once Zhang Cheng gained power, his family's position in Liaodong would be endangered.
He had thought before that if there was a chance, he should form a good relationship with Zhang Cheng so that he could help each other in the future. And if he could make friends with Zhang Cheng, it would be even more fulfilling his wish.
But the defeat of the Tatars with the white flag and the killing of Dodo not long ago could not be a coincidence."
The other battalions of the Xuan Army have also been assigned. According to Zhang Cheng's latest deployment, they are moving their camps to the north of Jinzhou Nanguan. In this way, the Xuan Army has erected a row of camps from Xiaoling River to Jinzhou Nanguan.
, to guard the lifeline to save the siege of Jinzhou.
There were also many sergeants pushing carts, transporting carts of fuel wood and river water. From Xiaoling River to the wilderness outside Jinzhou Nanguan, there were all busy Xuan Dajun officers.
…………
If this is true, the vast land in Liaodong will be owned by slave thieves, the Ming Empire will retreat to Shanhaiguan more than ten years in advance, and the slave thieves will rise faster.
…………
…………
After bursting into laughter at this moment, he stood still and stopped moving forward. He turned around and said to Zhang Cheng: "You are not right. Even if you killed Ma Zhan and Yue Tuo'er before, it was just a coincidence.
Although it was already dark, there were fires every few hundred steps, and the torches held high by the sergeants made the road shine as brightly as the main roads of later generations.
However, in this battle of Liaodong, the Xuanfu army performed extremely well and seemed to have become the first among the towns that aided the Liao. Their various achievements had long been heard by Zu Dashou.
Seeing Zhang Cheng's modesty, Zu Dashou couldn't help but said: "In the eleventh year, I heard that you killed Ma Zhan and Yue Tuo in formation. I was quite surprised. How could such a fierce general be unknown before?
It wasn't until we met today that I realized that you, Zhang Cheng, are close in age to your eldest uncle. Heroes come from young, and with you and other talented young people, I can't bear to accept my old age."
After that, with Li Rusong's death in battle, the Li family in Liaodong had no outstanding figures and gradually declined, but the ancestral family continued to grow during this period.
It was only by chance that we killed Ma Zhan, Yue Tuo and other slave thieves. In fact, if it had been other commanders, they would have done the same."
He also cupped his fists and said: "Zhang Cheng, it is our great fortune to be able to meet Master Zu in this life, and to work together with Master Zu to fight slaves!"
Seeing what he said, Zhang Cheng had no choice but to reply: "It's all thanks to the bravery of the soldiers that we were able to drive back the slave thieves. It's just luck that we advanced here."
Zhang Cheng was quite surprised, and he stepped forward and asked, "Commander Zu, you were injured by a slave thief, why don't you rest for a while?"
Zhang Cheng looked at the old man in front of him. His beard and hair were all white, but he was in good health and had an aura of majesty in his movements.
As soon as Zu Dashou finished speaking, Zhang Chengfang trotted over and whispered softly in Zhang Cheng's ear: "Commander, the governor sent someone from the palace to convey a message, saying that Governor Hong has crossed the Xiaoling River and will be there later.
When I come to the army, I have important matters to discuss in detail.
Of course, if the power of the court is too strong, they will succumb to the power of the court and let it be slaughtered. But for the survival of the family, they will also try to place the children of the clan into different forces, so that no matter which side wins in the end, they will
The clan will not be cut off.
It was not until the old slave Nurhachi raised his army that the ancestral family finally became the largest clan in Liaodong, almost completely controlling the land and population in Liaodong.
Several reinforcements sent by Sun Chengzong were all repelled by the slave chief Huang Taiji. With no food and reinforcements, Zu Dashou had no choice but to surrender to the slave chief Huang Taiji, and then falsely claimed that he wanted to gain Jinzhou City for Huang Taiji.
Whether it was Yuan Chonghuan or Gao Di in the past, or Hong Chengchou, the current governor of Jiliao, if the governors of Jiliao want to make a difference in Liaodong, they must have the support of their ancestral families.
Zu Dashou was a very controversial figure in the Ming Dynasty. Although he was an important general of the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong, he was the governor of the left, the commander-in-chief of the forward troops in Liaodong, and he was also the general of the Ming Dynasty's vanguard in Liaodong.
Looking at the entire Ming Dynasty, I can probably count the number of people who could catch his eye on two hands, and there would definitely be no more than ten people.
After that, dozens of Zu family members served for the Qing Dynasty and fought in all directions. In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, the whole family was prosperous and the whole family was prosperous.
Zhang Cheng and Zu Dashou walked to the military tent and said: "Commander Zu praised me so much that Zhang Cheng was too embarrassed to accept it. Although I have been in the army since I was a child, I have always been under the protection of my uncle. After the battle of Julu, I was especially sad.
I just want to fight with the slaves and don't care about life or death.
But Zu Dashou did not do this. Although he left more than ten thousand elite Liaodong troops for the slave thieves when he surrendered at Dalinghe Fort, he did so as a last resort.
In fact, as a well-established local clan, its core interest is always the inheritance and continuation of the family, and its loyalty to the court depends on whether the court can guarantee its interests.
"Easy to say, easy to say. In Liaodong, Datong is declared as the barrier of the capital, so we must move around frequently to rescue each other."
The rise of the ancestral family in Liaodong occurred after the Taifu, Ning Yuanbo and Li Chengliang's clan lost power during the Wanli period. It can be said that the expansion of the ancestral clan's power was accompanied by the growth of Jiannu.
His movements while speaking were a bit large, as if they were touching the wound on his chest. Zu Dashou stood still, his brows furrowed, as if he was forcing himself to endure.
In China's thousands of years of history, whenever a person's surname is added in front of a military leader, it actually has more or less the meaning of a family soldier. This is also one of the things that the emperors of all generations were most afraid of.
Therefore, as the ancestral family of local powerful people, the Wu family, although they were still ministers of the Ming Dynasty, had secretly formed a complex interest group. They were united for their own interests and naturally gave priority to protecting their vested interests.
He went on to say: "Zhang Cheng is a latecomer in his studies, and there are still many things that he does not know about the military. From now on, he will have to ask Commander-in-Chief for advice. I hope Commander-in-Chief can help those who are behind him and give Zhang Cheng some pointers."
Just like the last time when slaves were besieged in Dalinghe Fort, Zu Dashou and his deputy He Kegang led their soldiers to fight to the death with the slaves. They tried to break out dozens of times, but the slaves surrounded Dalinghe Fort.
Damn it, I never got what I wanted.
As a warlord, he naturally puts the interests of his family and clan first, because what brings them substantial benefits is not the official position awarded by the Ming Dynasty, but the land, Dingkou and army he owns in Liaodong.
Looking at the retreating figure of Marshal Zu, Zhang Cheng's heart was very complicated. He still knew something about Zu Dashou. In the original history, after the defeat of the Songjin War, he surrendered to the Qing Dynasty for the second time.
Please, Commander-in-Chief and Commander-in-Chief Zu, please do not leave the camp and wait patiently for us!"
After holding on to Dalinghe Fort for three months, all the food in the city was eaten up, so they began to kill the war horses to get their meat. The horses were also eaten by the horses, so they began to kill each other. The people in Dalinghe Fort
Almost all the people were killed.
But Zhang Cheng also thought that at that time, the Ming Dynasty's hundreds of thousands of reinforcements were defeated and fled. Even Hong Chengchou was captured by the Qing Dynasty, while Qiu Minyang, Cao Bianjiao, Wang Tingchen and others were beheaded by slaves and thieves.
He led more than 10,000 troops to defend Jinzhou. There was no food, grass or fuel inside, and no reinforcements arrived from outside. Apart from surrendering to the Qing Dynasty, he had no choice but to die.
Although in that original history, Zu Dashou was desperate and chose to surrender to the Qing Dynasty for the sake of his family's interests, he still tried hard to persevere until the last moment.
Nowadays, the Ming and Qing wars between Songjin and Ming Dynasty are equally powerful, with each other winning or losing. Zu Dashou no longer has the external conditions to surrender to the Qing Dynasty. Zhang Cheng believes that he can still be a qualified general defending the territory of the Ming Dynasty.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but blurt out: "Zu Dashou, I hope you can take care of yourself!"