Everyone in the garrison at Fushun Pass was dumbfounded, and Xu He took the lead in asking sharply without waiting for Wu Yingxiong and Zhao Junchen to express their attitude.
Xu He's reaction was like the Liaodong frontier army facing a disastrous defeat without preparation.
But in fact, the real situation is quite the opposite.
The military attache of Liaodong Town who was responsible for reporting the news was startled when he saw Xu He's expression suddenly turned ferocious. He quickly calmed down his excitement and excitement, and cautiously said again: "Report to Zhao Gechen.
, Governor Wu, General Xu, and all the generals, good news came from the front...
When General Ximen led his army to follow and monitor the Jianzhou Jurchen troops as they retreated, they discovered that the Jianzhou Jurchens were plundering the people of the Ming Dynasty again during the withdrawal. So he led his troops into battle in anger. Not only did he completely annihilate the Jianzhou Jurchen raiding troops, but also waited until
When the Jianzhou Jurchens turned around and wanted to take revenge, they even repelled the main force of the Jianzhou Jurchens head-on!
In this battle, General Ximen defeated tens of thousands of Jurchen troops in Jianzhou. He only suffered more than a hundred casualties, killed more than 2,600 enemies, captured more than 100 enemy heads, and captured more than 80 people alive.
, those heads and prisoners of war were all seen with my own eyes, there is absolutely no lie, it is a great victory that has not been seen in a century!"
After hearing this again, all the civil and military officials in the lobby were filled with disbelief, feeling like they were listening to a fairy tale.
Such a great victory and such a record are beyond everyone's understanding!
In the past hundred years, the Ming army had indeed defeated the Jurchens in Jianzhou several times, but each time they defended the city and defeated the smaller ones with more. However, Ximen Sheng's great victory was not only a frontal battle in the open field, but also with a smaller number.
Defeat the many, the weak defeat the strong, this is definitely the first time in a hundred years!
If this great victory is true, it will definitely leave a mark in the history books!
Xu He's expression became duller and he murmured: "Impossible... absolutely impossible... how is it possible..."
At the same time, Wu Yingxiong's performance was slightly calmer, but he was also stunned. He couldn't help but ask: "Did General Ximen defeat the Jianzhou Jurchens in a field battle? Did he not defend the city?"
"Yes, it's just fighting in the field, not defending the city. Governor Wu, you also know that our Liaodong Town is east of Fushun Pass, and there is no large pass that can be defended."
"General Ximen is leading troops this time to follow and monitor the Jianzhou Jurchens. How many troops do he have under his command? Why do I remember that he only took away part of the North Road defenders? Could it be that there are Liaodong cavalry or Guanning cavalry to help?"
The next moment, Gan Cheng couldn't help but question.
"General Ximen Shen only has about 3,000 North Road defenders under his command, and there are no Liaodong or Guanning cavalry to help him."
Hearing such a conclusive report, Xu He could not believe it more and more, and he became more and more unwilling to believe it. He gritted his teeth and sneered: "You mean, Ximen Sheng has only three thousand ordinary border troops under his command, but they can fight in the wild
During the battle, they defeated the Jianzhou Jurchen army of tens of thousands head-on? And their own casualties were only one-tenth of the Jianzhou Jurchen army?"
The military attaché of Liaodong Town who was responsible for reporting the news also found it unbelievable, but he still had to bite the bullet and said: "The frontline victory report said so, and the enemy heads and prisoners of war will soon be sent to Fushun Pass, absolutely...
There shouldn’t be any lies.”
"How did the Jianzhou Jurchens react after this disastrous defeat? Did they fight back again? Are there signs of renewed fighting on the front line?"
Wu Yingxiong asked urgently with a solemn expression.
Wu Yingxiong knew very well the combat effectiveness of the Jianzhou Jurchen army, and also knew the actual combat effectiveness of the ordinary frontier troops in Liaodong Town, so he did not believe the authenticity of this victory at all, but just in case, he still needed to confirm the Jianzhou Jurchen army
Actual dynamics.
If Ximen Sheng's great victory made the Jianzhou Jurchens angry, Wu Yingxiong would have to quickly prepare for war to prevent the border war from starting again.
"After the Jianzhou Jurchens were defeated by General Ximen, they had no further reaction. They seemed to feel that they were in the wrong and did not dare to tear up the peace treaty without authorization, so they continued to retreat honestly."
After hearing this answer, Wu Yingxiong relaxed a little, a sneer flashed at the corner of his mouth, and glanced at Zhao Junchen, who had been silent.
After Wu Yingxiong compiled all the information, he had roughly guessed the truth of the victory and Zhao Junchen's actual intentions. However, considering that this matter had nothing to do with him, and he had just reached an agreement with Zhao Junchen
There was a tacit understanding, so I didn’t intend to continue to question and expose him, and just decided to sit on the sidelines.
At the same time, Xu He's attitude became more and more excited, and he was unwilling to admit this victory no matter what.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could the Jianzhou Jurchens be so vulnerable? Let alone the three thousand ordinary North Road defenders, even the three thousand Liaodong cavalry would face tens of thousands of Jianzhou Jurchens.
The main force of such a large size could only flee in panic to protect itself. How could such a ridiculous victory happen? Is Ximen Sheng the reincarnation of Sun Wu Bai Qi? Even if the Jurchens of Jianzhou were indeed defeated by Ximen Sheng, how could it be possible?
How could he just retreat without any reaction? This is definitely a lie about his military exploits! This is definitely a lie about his military exploits!"
Although Ximen Sheng's victory had little to do with Wu Yingxiong, it was crucial to Xu He.
The reason is also very simple. As the acting commander-in-chief of Liaodong Town, Xu He was originally in an unstable position and could not convince the public. However, this victory was so dazzling and legendary that it would definitely make Ximen Sheng's military prestige and reputation in the government and the public instantly.
After climbing to the top, if this great victory is recognized, then Xu He will have no choice but to abdicate in favor of others.
While repeatedly shaking his head in denial, Xu He turned to look at the civil and military officials in the lobby, hoping to seek their support for his views.
But the next moment, Xu He discovered that all the civil and military officials in the hall had the same reaction at this time, and everyone was secretly observing the changes in Zhao Junchen's expression.
After seeing this, Xu He was stunned for a moment, but soon came to his senses.
Since it is absolutely impossible for Ximen Sheng to defeat the Jianzhou Nuzhen force several times the size in a field battle, but it is impossible to fake the prisoners of war and heads captured by Ximen Sheng, then there is only one situation that can explain this absurdity.
A great victory - it must be that the Jurchens of Jianzhou deliberately lost to Ximen Sheng and gave Ximen Sheng a brilliant military exploit!
This situation is not uncommon. As long as the Jianzhou Jurchens are given enough benefits in private, the Jianzhou Jurchens do not mind cooperating with the Ming army and deliberately giving the Ming army generals a victory.
After all, the Jianzhou Jurchens' sphere of influence was a barren land with barren mountains and rivers, and all materials were extremely scarce. They cared more about actual benefits than superficial appearances.
In fact, Xu He himself had several "great victories", which were obtained by reaching a tacit understanding of deals with the Jianzhou Jurchens.
But generally speaking, even if the Jianzhou Jurchens cooperate with the show and deliberately defeat the sheep, it will only be an insignificant small defeat. The most common situation is to withdraw their troops voluntarily, so that the Ming army generals can claim that they have "repulsed" Jianzhou.
If you are a Jurchen, then you will have reason to ask for credit and reward from the court, that's all.
But Ximen Sheng's victory was too exaggerated. Not only did he defeat the main force of tens of thousands of Jianzhou Jurchens, but he also truly captured a large number of prisoners alive and captured a large number of heads...
This means that the Jianzhou Jurchens must have gained more practical benefits in private, so they took the initiative to destroy their prestige regardless of their dignity.
The most important thing is that a deliberate defeat on this scale must have involved the personal participation of Xuan Ye, the great Jurchen Khan of Jianzhou.
At present, in Liaodong, only Zhao Junchen has the means, the opportunity to persuade Xuan Ye, and the ability to offer benefits that are enough to make Xuan Ye tempted, and then cooperate with Ximen Sheng to perform this big show!
Therefore, Ximen Sheng's great victory was probably due to Zhao Junchen's secret arrangement.
*
Xu He is not a stupid person, and he is well versed in the relevant routines, and he quickly figured out these situations.
So, after Xu He took a deep breath, he turned his gaze to Zhao Junchen and asked with a solemn expression: "Zhao Gechen, this great victory of Ximen Sheng is really ridiculous! Not long ago, you had a big fight with Jianzhou Jurchen Xuan Ye
After the negotiation, have you seen some clues that can explain the real reason for this victory?"
When asking, Xu He's tone didn't sound like asking for advice, but more like questioning.
Of course, Zhao Junchen would not admit his true intentions, otherwise Ximen Sheng would be suspected by Emperor Deqing, and there would be more variables in the plan for Ximen Sheng to succeed Liaodong Town's commander-in-chief.
Therefore, Zhao Junchen must continue to show his hostility towards Ximen Sheng.
So, Zhao Junchen started his own performance.
Zhao Junchen was also seen looking stunned and in disbelief, as if he was unable to react due to shock.
After hearing Xu He's question, Zhao Junchen, just like Xu He, his first reaction was to deny the reality. He shook his head repeatedly and questioned loudly: "What General Xu said is reasonable! I am also a person who knows soldiers. This kind of
The good news is false at first sight! Even if Ximen Sheng faces an ordinary mob of tens of thousands, he may not be able to achieve such a great victory, let alone the Jianzhou Nuzhen power known as 'invincible to tens of thousands'! Absolutely impossible!
Absolutely impossible!"
Later, Zhao Junchen slapped the table, finally found a doubt, and said sternly: "By the way, Ximen Sheng claimed that he defeated tens of thousands of Jianzhou Nuzhen's forces head-on, and killed nearly three thousand enemies, but why only
More than a hundred heads were captured, but there were only a few dozen prisoners? This number is hugely different! So it absolutely cannot be true!"
However, after hearing Zhao Junchen's question, all the generals in the lobby looked embarrassed, even Xu He was no exception.
Although Zhao Junchen's statement is very reasonable, he said that he had defeated tens of thousands of enemies and killed nearly three thousand enemies, but the actual results were only more than a hundred heads and dozens of prisoners of war. The numbers were indeed very different. If
If we insist on pursuing the case, we can say that Ximen Sheng faked military achievements and lied about the victory.
However, if one examines this carefully, the military achievements of all the generals present may have shrunk by more than 90%.
For example, Xu He himself once only held three heads and two prisoners of war, but he vowed to ask for credit from the court and claimed that he had wiped out more than a thousand enemies.
Similar things have been done by Wu Yingxiong, Li Zehe and Gan Cheng.
In comparison, Ximen Sheng's good news is quite restrained.
Therefore, including Xu He, all the generals in the hall did not dare to agree with Zhao Junchen's inference, otherwise they themselves would be implicated, which would be asking for trouble.
Therefore, Wu Yingxiong took the lead in explaining: "Chen Zhao, in my view, the situation on the battlefield has always been complicated. It is very common for the actual number of enemies to be killed and the number of beheadeds and prisoners of war to deviate greatly. We must not infer this.
General Ximen Ginseng lied about his military exploits."
Li Zehe also nodded repeatedly and said: "Yes, maybe most of the corpses were taken away when the Jurchens were defeated in Jianzhou, and some of the enemy corpses were easily destroyed when the soldiers were chasing horses, making it difficult to recover and identify them.
Situations are very common...well, very common."
Zhao Junchen sneered and asked: "So, you all think... Ximen Sheng's ridiculous victory might be true?"
Zhao Junchen's doubts related to the interests of all the border military attachés. Gan Cheng looked a little embarrassed. Although he did not believe in this victory at all, he still said bravely: "General Ximen is a famous general in the world. He has been stationed in the north all year round.
Lu's battle with the Jianzhou Jurchens can be said to have made outstanding achievements, and everyone in his humble position is ashamed of himself, so if he personally leads the army, such a great victory may not be impossible."
As Gan Cheng finished speaking, all the military attachés present also expressed their agreement.
In this way, although anyone could see the absurdity of this victory at a glance, all the military attachés still expressed their trust one after another.
This is the power of "hidden rules". Although they are in the dark and cannot be stated clearly, they are related to the foundation of all vested interests. The actual impact is far greater than the explicit rules, even if everyone knows the truth of the matter.
, they all pretend to be ignorant and spare no effort to maintain its operation.
Of course Zhao Junchen understands the importance of "hidden rules". Now he seems to be questioning Ximen Sheng's military achievements, but in fact, he is using the generals' instinct to protect the hidden rules, which has made Ximen Sheng suffer from the majority.
The support of the border military attache further confirmed the authenticity of this victory.
After seeing the reactions of the military attaches, Zhao Junchen had a plan in mind, but on the surface his attitude became more and more serious. After raising his hand and slapping the table gum hard, he said loudly: "Even if what you said is reasonable, Ximen Sheng also has some.
It may be that he killed good people and took credit! Maybe the heads he captured and the prisoners of war he captured were just ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty! No! This matter is really suspicious, and I must confirm it myself! "
Zhao Junchen's acting skills are superb and superb, and he looks completely jealous and resentful of Ximen Sheng's success.
After seeing Zhao Junchen's acting skills, the civil and military officials in the lobby were completely unable to find any flaws, and they couldn't help but doubt their previous judgments.
Could it be said that Ximen Sheng's great victory really had nothing to do with Zhao Junchen?
Then why did Jianzhou Jurchen deliberately lose to Ximen Sheng?
Or is it that Ximen Sheng was possessed by the Ten Philosophers of the Martial Temple and really achieved this incredible feat by defeating the many with less and the stronger with the weak?
But before everyone could think clearly, Zhao Junchen stood up suddenly and said in a loud voice: "This matter is of great importance. I have to personally take action. Not only must I verify the results of the battle with my own eyes, but I must also strictly interrogate Ximen Sheng. He must not be allowed to lie about his military merits."
, deceive the court!"
After saying that, Zhao Junchen no longer ignored everyone's reaction and took the lead to leave the lobby of the garrison, leaving only the civil and military officials looking at each other in confusion.