Chapter 547: Prime Minister Wen, I can console you
Speaking of knitting sweaters, Zhang Ximeng was really good at it. As for military matters, he left it to Xu Da and three others. If you can figure out the results, you three will do it.
Only if you quarrel and can't come up with a strategy, come back to me.
Once this happens, you will probably have to settle the accounts afterwards.
After all, we have learned from the experience of the Central Plains War, and if we still fail to make a good choice, we are really underestimating our talents as a general.
In fact, this was indeed the case. Xu Da had already made arrangements. He gathered troops and horses from the Central Plains one after another and placed the main force in Linqing. Behind him was the Grand Canal. Chang Yuchun's troops were on the left and Hu Dahai was on the right.
The three main forces formed a pin-shaped shape, like sharp blades, piercing into the heart of Yuan Ting.
At the same time, Feng Guoyong also mobilized troops and horses, preparing to attack Tongguan and fight to the death with Li Siqi.
On the other side, the Yangtze River Navy actively mobilized, and a large number of flat-bottomed boats carrying food and ammunition took the Grand Canal into Shandong. There were also thousands of sea-going ships leaving the Yangtze River estuary to transport supplies northward.
The huge Ming Dynasty formed a series of material supply routes around the Grand Canal, coastal waterways, Huaihe River, Yellow River, Hanjiang River, Ganjiang River... like blood vessels, extracting nutrients from the huge body, supplying the front line, and allowing the fists of the Northern Expedition
, swinging more powerfully.
Only by being in it can you feel how huge and magnificent this epic is, magnificent, unparalleled and indescribable!
The descendants of Yan and Huang, the people of China, who have been silent for hundreds of years and have been oppressed for hundreds of years, are finally going to let out the strongest roar, to expedition to the north, restore Yanyun, wash away the shame, and revitalize China!
Zhang Ximeng held a bamboo needle in his hand, and while knitting a sweater for his son, he examined the map, looked at the flag marks, and calculated the situation of the soldiers.
Outline the progress in your mind.
It is said that one general can kill thousands of bones. In such a large-scale war, not only tens of thousands of bones will be withered, but even hundreds of thousands of bones, millions of bones, etc. There will be rivers of blood and mountains of corpses.
It takes countless lives to achieve it!
Zhang Ximeng seemed to understand why the emperor was so angry that he laid down millions of corpses and shed blood for thousands of miles... Because behind the emperor's anger, he represented the will of a country.
And when a huge country is rolling forward, individuals are really too small, too small to be worth mentioning.
Like ants and worms.
Ordinary people are the consumables and fuel of this huge country. They are the consumables that push the country to become stronger.
If you want to achieve hegemony, you must be ruthless. Compassion does not control troops, and justice does not amass wealth... Is this really the case?
Zhang Ximeng gradually stopped knitting the needle in his hand and stared at the map. He seemed to see the female workers in Suzhou, weaving silk day and night as the lining of the warrior's armor.
I saw sailors from Wenzhou and other places, loaded with food, fighting against the wind and waves, transporting baggage northward.
I saw skinny trackers on the canal, dragging heavy ships, transporting grain to the soldiers in front.
Farmers in Huaihe and Huaihe Rivers, people in Jiangnan, and even Huguang, Lingnan, Henan, Shandong...everywhere there were people who contributed to this magnificent Northern Expedition.
Behind a grain of grain or a piece of silk is the blood and sweat of countless people.
In the workshop, the hot red iron is the temperature of people's hearts.
Zhang Ximeng's thoughts were flying, and someone behind him put a big cloak on his shoulders, and put a Tang woman in Zhang Ximeng's arms.
"What else are you thinking about?" Jiang Nan asked softly.
Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "It's nothing, I'm just wondering, what does our Northern Expedition mean to the people?"
"People?" Jiang Nan pondered slightly, "Didn't your ancestors say that it's hard for the people to prosper, and it's hard for the people to die? Everyone understands the misery of losing a country, but how can there be misery when it's prosperous? Ordinary people must not know. They only know how to keep fighting.
, conscripting grain and fodder to the people, delaying the farming season, and killing and injuring relatives every time they fight, and families are torn apart, making it miserable. In the prosperous Tang Dynasty, there were so many poems complaining about the bitter fighting on the frontier and the emperor's endless troops... This master knows best!
"
Zhang Ximeng nodded, "I do know, but I don't think you should think this way about this matter, and you can't think this way!"
Jiang Nan blinked, "Why, Mr. Zhang wants to care what everyone thinks again?"
Zhang Ximeng paused and said in a deep voice: "It's not about controlling, but telling everyone the truth, telling everyone that the destiny of the country and the destiny of the individual are connected, sharing weal and woe, living and dying together. Our Ming Dynasty is here
Becoming better is also a matter of honor for the vast majority of people. And our battles and expansion are also for the people on this land to live better! Our family, country, and world are one.
of!"
When Zhang Ximeng got excited about it, he actually stood up, put Mrs. Tang aside, and waved his hands with great force.
He smiled and said: "During the Northern Expedition, I'm afraid I won't have much time to knit sweaters. We need you to work hard to make our son's clothes."
Jiang Nan chuckled and said: "I have known for a long time that as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, can you really do nothing?" She reached out and grabbed the knitting needle and said with a smile: "Based on your craftsmanship, our son can't stand it.
!It doesn’t matter if I work harder, as long as you do something that benefits the country and the people.”
Zhang Ximeng laughed and said: "Madam understands justice well and is indeed a good wife. Don't worry, when I finish this period of work, I will take care of all the things at home."
After Zhang Ximeng finished speaking, he couldn't wait to give orders. He immediately sent orders to all ministries and asked officials in various places to cooperate in publicity and tell the story of the Northern Expedition clearly to the people.
Zhang Ximeng felt that just giving the order himself was not authoritative enough, so he immediately asked to see Zhu Yuanzhang.
When Zhang Ximeng told Lao Zhu what he wanted to do, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately cheered up, and the little unpleasantness in front of him had long since disappeared.
"Sir, you have thought long and hard, and you really have good intentions!"
Zhang Ximeng said: "Lord, we are writing the annals of history now, and those who are writing together are not just the emperor and generals, but all the people, all the people of the world. This Northern Expedition is our best material for educating the people. In fact, it is not
It’s just that this time, it was the same in every previous battle. It’s just that we put too little effort in the past and only went to sacrifice Zongze, Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang and others. The influence we can have is still limited. In the previous test of hundreds of officials, there were still many people
There are so many lakes and lakes, how can we expect the people to understand this?"
"This time we must be really attentive and mobilize all over the country, from top to bottom, to make the meaning of the Northern Expedition clear to the people, truly gain the support of the people, and complete the great cause of the Northern Expedition! Our war will not only contribute to the contemporary era, but also benefit the present generation.
In Qianqiu, everyone who participates in the battle is a hero and can be boasted for a lifetime."
Zhang Ximeng said excitedly, and he could clearly feel that Lao Zhu's eyes lit up and his fists gradually clenched.
Could it be that Zhu Yuanzhang had some ideas?
"My lord, how about I go on the expedition myself this time?"
Lao Zhu stared, suddenly punched the table hard, and said angrily: "We have already decreed something, how can we take it back!" Then Lao Zhu said again: "Sir, I gave you such a big lottery, you can keep it for us.
Did you order anything?"
"Yes! Of course!"
Zhang Ximeng said: "My lord, what I have thought about is that in addition to the Northern Expedition, there are also thousands of countries coming to court, ennobling vassal states, and rebuilding the order of China... There are too many things waiting for my lord! As long as your lord is not too tired, that's fine.
!”
Lao Zhu took a deep breath and finally nodded.
"Okay, sir, let's go ahead and do it this time!"
Zhang Ximeng nodded, "My lord, you can also look for officials. If you have done well this time, will the court set up another department to be responsible for this matter in the future?"
Lao Zhu thought for a while and suddenly slammed the table, "Yes! Why didn't we think of it! We should find a new yamen to do this kind of thing, and shouldn't let those losers from the Ministry of Etiquette do it! A female ring,
After cultivating like that, I was scolded by the girl for several days..."
Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly shut up. Zhang Ximeng just didn't know and left quickly. I have no interest in what you two are doing.
Zhang Ximeng came out of the palace and went to see Li Shanchang again.
During this meeting, we could clearly feel that Li Shanchang was full of sorrow and bitterness.
He thought about the matter wrong again. Originally, Li Shanchang thought that Zhu Yuanzhang was the commander of the expedition himself. If something happened, he would be involved in the aftermath. He hoped that Zhang Ximeng could help resolve the matter.
But in fact, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't have a chariot to fight in person at all. This time, it was better. He didn't have to wait for the emperor to come back. Something might happen at any time now.
Li Shanchang needs Zhang Ximeng's help so much.
"Xiang Zhang, don't worry, I will definitely give orders to treat this matter as a top priority."
Zhang Ximeng could only smile bitterly, "Brother Li, this is to cooperate with the Northern Expedition. In order to make the battlefield smoother, it would be bad if the order is messed up."
Li Shanchang thought for a while and said: "Let's do this. You write a detailed document and I will ask them to strictly comply with it. We have done such a big thing, it is impossible not to publicize it!"
Zhang Ximeng reluctantly nodded, recognizing what Li Shanchang said.
But obviously, counting on Lao Li, this matter might cause trouble... Zhang Ximeng immediately went to see Zhu Sheng, and then Song Lian and others.
After all this busy work, I finally got some ideas.
After everyone's discussion, it was decided that Song Lian would go to Luling and go to Wen Tianxiang's temple to read out the proclamation for the Northern Expedition to comfort the predecessors and boost morale...
"Don't worry, Mr. Zhang, I will definitely handle this matter well."
Before Song Lian took action, he specially invited writers from several newspapers... Although the Ming Dynasty had already had newspapers, they generally continued the style of Di Bao, which was a collection of news from all walks of life. This time, Song Lian used Hanlin to
As a bachelor of the academy, it was the first time for me to be interviewed, to directly promote national policies, and for a big girl to get on the sedan chair.
These writers were also trepidatious when facing Song Lian, for fear of offending this powerful scholar Song.
However, as the exchanges unfolded, Song Lian was elegant and easy-going, and was still very popular.
They kept talking about the second watch. After returning, these guys wrote all night long and didn't even dare to sleep... By the next day, all the newspapers had the headline: Prime Minister Wen, the soul in heaven, can comfort you!