"Needless to say, you should also know that we are playing the role of the Great Tomorrow Army! All of them are brave generals who have spent more than half a year, going through many obstacles! Soldiers, you have also been training for three months. If you are in the north of the capital,
If we lose this battle, I will have no shame in continuing to control the Shenji Camp!"
Li Quanli is mobilizing.
The ten participating military generals who were left until the last round understood what he meant: if the defenders were defeated by simulating the Beibei border, wouldn't it mean that the Ming Dynasty was defeated?
What's more, the opponent's coach has just passed his junior year.
"The stronghold is where the people are! We must hold on to it!"
"Let's go!"
The defenders went first, and this time they didn't hide anything from anyone.
Everyone in the capital knows that this is an exercise. The exercise shows that it is not real. The practice shows the purpose of the training.
However, nearly five thousand generals marched from the south of the capital to the north. This movement seemed really big.
How many people of all kinds come and go between Tongzhou and the capital?
Go north, what on earth is this...
Word of mouth spread, and some people who had just arrived in the capital soon learned that there was a bigger battle a few days ago. Tens of thousands of troops gathered at the Fifth Military Camp in the southern suburbs of the capital, and cannons were heard.
Although the person who explained it also said, "I heard it was just an exercise and there was no real border danger," I still felt that there was some hidden secret behind it that could not be revealed, and now it was just a cover.
At this time, it is still the autumn harvest.
Although it is only a few dozen miles away, everyone knows that this is a test. Is it because there is no danger at this time that they march at full speed regardless of whether anyone will fall behind?
Therefore, on the way, there are also camps, pots to cook, and sentries to conduct investigations, all of which are indispensable.
From the southern suburbs of Beijing to Miyun, we camped in the west of Shunyi County on the first day.
"Only stay for one night. No one will leave the camp except for night watchmen and sentries! Everyone has been ordered to go down. Don't think about it just because you are a new recruit and now you know that the people are harvesting autumn grains in their homes. I have the ugly words ahead of you, Your Majesty.
In the army, military discipline is the first priority. Anyone who offends the people must be brought to justice!"
Li Quanli didn't dare to guarantee what would happen if a war actually broke out.
But now if he participates in the exercise and causes trouble to the local area because of the march, Li Quanli can really kill people.
"Don't worry, Governor, I have already restrained you during the previous competition."
Qiu Luan, who stayed in the Fifth Army Camp, started taking action that night.
"We can't just restrain our hands knowing that they will have spies all over the north." Qiu Luan looked at the veteran camp commanders under his command, "You are also famous generals selected from various places! You are leading veterans who have been practicing for many years. If you lose to
If you kill them, it is a trivial matter for Your Majesty to think of me, how to think of you, and how to think of Jingying?"
"Don't worry, Lord Marquis, brothers are all holding their breath!"
"Then as decided in the past few days, work harder and leave Juyongguan first and go around to Gubeikou!" Qiu Luan is still young now, and his eyes are full of fighting spirit. "Since the military affairs meeting is because of the consideration of the future of the Beibei captives from ancient times,
As for the hidden dangers going south from the north entrance, we have to find out all the hidden dangers in the defense line in the Miyun rearguard area!"
Maybe actually fighting Qiu Luan is not a strategy, but he understands this.
Then he said to one of them: "Chiang Guerrilla, you have been fighting the Tatars in Datong for many years. I will discuss more with my brothers on the way on how to proceed after going south from Gubeikou."
He showed a humble and sincere attitude that he valued his veterans very much, and both armies were gearing up.
After Liangxiang, Zhuozhou, Gu'an, Wuqing and other counties in the southern suburbs of Beijing experienced the previous panic, now it is the turn of Changping Prefecture, Shunyi County, Huairou County, and especially Miyun County in the north of Beijing.
Now, the magistrate of Miyun County is entertaining people sent here by the Ministry of War.
The location of the exercise was set in Miyun, and the magistrate was worried.
"...In November, Your Majesty is really coming?"
The Staff Department of the Ministry of War is responsible for maps, military systems, cities, fortifications, condensations, conquests, etc. The person who is here to take charge of the logistics of this exercise is led by Yuan Wailang from the fifth rank, and he also brings with him a sixth-rank official.
The principal, and a secretary who was promoted from the ninth rank to the seventh rank after the restructuring.
The original secretary was of very low rank, but was under the direct control of the minister and was the secretary of the minister. Now, the secretary of each department under each ministry is an official of the seventh rank who handles specific affairs.
At the moment, the secretary looked at Yuan Wai Lang, the official of the Ministry of War's Staff Department, where he worked.
Facing the county magistrate's fake joy, Yuan Wailang smiled and said: "Don't worry, magistrate Tong. The grain, grass and military resources on both sides are not recruited from Miyun, and there are dedicated people responsible for the transportation. We are here just to prevent disturbing the place. Until November
In the month of March, not only will His Majesty come, but also the new martial arts scholars. Tongzhi County does not need to make too many preparations. When His Majesty arrives, he will also go to our exercise headquarters outside the city."
"...I see." Tong Zhixian said in embarrassment, "But there are many villagers to the north of Shixiabao. Every year after the autumn harvest and before winter, every household goes to the mountains to cut firewood, and most of them are women and children. Naturally, I can send people.
Send a message to the village to tell them not to go to that area, lest they be caught as scouts, but this firewood...is related to thousands of households spending the winter."
"This point has long been agreed upon at the Military Affairs Council. Your Majesty has given you a special favor. Among the military resources transferred back to the Ministry of War, there are several percent more firewood. Your Majesty allocates them from the palace expenses." The one who spoke this time was the one who spoke.
It’s not the Yuanwailang, but the head of the Military Affairs Department. “I came here today to ask Miyun County to inform the village. At the same time, Secretary Zeng will work with the county to distribute the extra charcoal one by one.
In every village.”
"...How can you have such a grace?" Magistrate Tong said immediately, "How can I make His Majesty worried? I will send someone to advise you, and it won't be too late to go to the mountains to collect firewood after this matter is over..."
"Since the people have been disturbed, some compensation is due." The chief emphasized, "There is still more than a month. In order to prevent the people from straying into the exercise area, His Majesty Tianen is also very important for this matter. If we can use some charcoal, we can
It's nothing if you can make the people understand, this is what your Majesty said."
After Tongzhi County was proclaimed a sage, he faced him with a smile and said: "The number one scholar is a talented man who often listens to the holy edicts, so I will make good arrangements. I wonder what the headquarters still lacks? Ge Xiangxian was frightened and asked for help.
Let me tell you. It’s just a house that the court wants to use and His Majesty wants to visit in person. It’s something you can’t even ask for. How can you safely accept the rent?”
"Tong County Magistrate, please tell him that this is a matter of business. Regardless of whether it is firewood or rented silver, the money consumed by this exercise was separately financed by Your Majesty from the internal transport treasury. I was ordered to make a budget for the required expenses.
If there is any shortage of money, it is that there is still a shortage of a few masons and carpenters..."
The head of the Ministry of War's Staff Department is none other than this year's top pick, Tang Shunzhi.
The other secretary, who had been standing aside very coldly and said nothing, now looked at Tang Shunzhi.
They were all from the same department, one was the number one scholar, and the other was just an ordinary scholar, but Zeng Mian knew that Tang Shunzhi was extraordinary.
In this exercise, Tang Shunzhi is a person behind the scenes who cannot be ignored at all.
Wang Shouren received the division of labor at the military affairs meeting and left it to Tang Shunzhi after returning to the ministry.
Later, he was even named by the emperor to attend a special preparatory meeting for the exercise.
But Zeng Mian is not bad either.
Zeng Mian didn't know why His Majesty specially sent someone to ask him when he was conferred, whether he wanted to be conferred directly to the local area as the county magistrate of the sixth grade, or to work with Tang Shunzhi, the Staff Department of the Ministry of War.
Do you still need to ask this kind of thing? How much better would it be if you were of a higher rank when you were appointed, and you were a county magistrate who was in charge of civil affairs after the reform of the local government office?
But for this arrangement, the emperor personally sent someone to ask about it, and naturally he hoped that he would choose the latter one.
Seeing that the emperor personally cared about his appointment, Zeng Mian did not hesitate much.
Already twenty-eight years old, he is one of the many people this year who is worried that it will be more difficult to take the exam in three years. Unexpectedly, the current affairs test this year gave Zeng Xian an unexpected advantage.
He doesn't just study.
Thinking about it this way, if I take the exam again three years later, I might do better. But by then, I will already be thirty-one.
The Ministry of War is now responsible for the exercise headquarters. Wang Shouren naturally assigned it to Tang Shunzhi, but he also named Zeng Mian to come here to help.
So weird.
Why do Your Majesty and Da Sima pay attention to a mere second-ranked person like themselves?
After leaving Miyun County Government, several of them walked out of the county town and arrived at a village in the northern suburbs.
At this moment, the mansion is heavily guarded, all dressed in Feiyu uniforms.
Seeing the return of Tang Shunzhi and the others, the gate of the village opened immediately, and He Quan'an, who was in charge of the Fusi Teqin Qianhu Office in Jinyiweinan Town, had already come up to him. He said to Tang Shunzhi: "I have to report that the Marquis of Xianning has led his troops on a night march.
Leaving the main camp of the Fifth Army Camp."
"Oh? Commander He, let's go to the sand table and talk first."
He Quan'an, who had faced Pu Zitong in front of Hengshan City, was also here, and was already very familiar with Tang Shunzhi.
Although the official position of the foreign minister was higher than that of Tang Shunzhi, he also knew very well that he was only responsible for logistics. If the General Staff, Chief Sima and others did not come to the exercise headquarters, Tang Shunzhi was actually in charge.
At this moment, in the main hall of the house, there is a large sand table.
He Quan'an said as he walked: "We need to prepare more sand tables in Weili. Master Qu wants the masons and carpenters. How did Mr. Tang find them?"
"It'll be there tomorrow!"
Tang Shunzhi looked at the sand table in front of him with shining eyes.
Quietly, how many things has the emperor done through the Jin Yiwei and the Internal Inspectorate in recent years?
The sand table is easy to use. During this exercise, when Tang Shunzhi attended the preparatory meeting and listened to the emperor's talk, he felt that it was too difficult to implement the many methods of simulating the battle situation.
How can we prevent the two sides from leading into a real battle because of their desire for victory when they meet each other?
With the future of so many generals at stake, can the rules just be explained in advance?
So He Quan'an and his special service Qianhu Branch showed up, bringing with them a sand table and three hundred elite troops.
"Report in an hour, Xianninghou's troops have arrived here, and there is no division of troops."
He Quanan walked to the sand table, picked up a small wooden flag and planted it in a place.
The word "Qiu" has been written on the small wooden flag, and below it is a series of numbers.
There are many wooden flags like this, with simple horses, cannons, bows and other shapes on the top of the flagpole.
Tang Shunzhi nodded: "Going to the west, it seems that the Marquis of Xianning is planning to leave Juyongguan and go around to the north. Commander He, just be careful of misunderstandings between their sentries and the soldiers and people in the suburbs of Beijing."
He Quan'an laughed: "Don't worry, Mr. Tang. With me here, the headquarters can know the situation of the battle in advance. The rules are still here. As long as they really meet each other and admit that they are mistaken scouts, my brothers will only watch from a distance."
With."
"...are you really so mysterious?"
"Is Chief Tang worried that the veterans of the Fifth Military Camp are just showboats?" He Quan'an said something rude, and then said, "Your Majesty ordered me to train them for five years. If I can't let all the participating generals know that Your Majesty has already planned a strategy,
How can I use my life fully in the future without being afraid of the head and the tail? Regardless of this, Mr. Tang, let's practice again? I will defend this time."
Another purpose of the exercise is to make the Ming Dynasty's strong generals more focused.
Although all this was done under the eyes of the emperor, the power cultivated by the emperor and the methods that had been improved in intelligence and logistics could still be seen by these generals who truly knew the troops and were able to fight.
To be honest, the general is really worried that the commander or even the emperor will not know the soldiers and command blindly.
Now Tang Shunzhi just shook his head after hearing this: "Tomorrow those generals who are not in the top ten will be here. I'm afraid it won't be until dawn again. You and I will have to dissect them in detail tomorrow!"
Tang Shunzhi is looking forward to it. These brave generals who really know how to fight are just "talking on the sand table". They should also be able to learn a lot of things, right?
One of the results of the special service teams sent by the secret service to the public security departments of various provinces to inspect the people in the police factories is this sand table.
It cannot be said that it is only their achievement, but they have worked the hardest.
Tang Shunzhi's eyes were a little straight when he first saw this thing, and then he heard that the academy was involved, and both the Military Academy and the Engineering Academy sent craftsmen for further training.
The Secret Service has too many marching drills, but every time they will specially choose a place and lead people to survey. The person in charge of the survey has studied at the Military Academy. They also carry a notebook and a round ruler with them, and they write down a lot of things densely.
number.
Tang Shunzhi, who thought he already knew a lot about new arithmetic, learned a new word: contour.
As for how it was roughly measured, Tang Shun figured it out later.
Nowadays, it is naturally impossible to measure accurately. After the past two years, I heard that the Jinyiwei Special Service Office only roughly measured the terrain of the innermost defense line in northern Beijing and made some sand tables.
I'm afraid it will take several years for Bian Town and even Beiyuan to slowly measure the data.
But this sand table is paired with many small wooden flags representing various arms and forces, and a set of rules like this exercise, it is simply... fascinating.
This kind of thing did not exist before. It is said that during the Han Dynasty, Ma Yuan used rice grains to pile up the mountains and landscapes of Bin County and the enemy's troop deployment, and used this as a plan to defeat the enemy.
But now the emperor is preparing to create a complete set of sandboxes in the form of Ming Dynasty strategic key points and border towns. For the staff at the military affairs conference, I am afraid it will be indispensable in the future.
After seeing this thing, he played with it with Wang Shouren and Yang Yiqing.
Although His Majesty proposed this kind of thing, he doesn't seem to know how to set the rules. But Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren are different. They have both served as commanders and fought in real wars.
While teaching Tang Shunzhi in this way, they also discussed and perfected the rules of this exercise, the rules of sandbox military chess.
It is not only a game, but it is also a tool to deduce the battle situation and find a strategy that is more likely to win.
Although Tang Shunzhi rejected the request to "fight again tonight", he still asked with great interest: "Commander He, in your opinion, after leaving Juyong Pass, will the Marquis of Xianning go south around Baima Pass or go to Gubeikou?"
"I thought……"
Zeng Mian's face was still serious. Seeing the two people discussing animatedly, he was still thinking about the issues he had been thinking about for the past few months.
By allowing himself to serve as secretary under Tang Shunzhi, did His Majesty and Grand Sima want him to study military affairs like Tang Shunzhi?
At this moment, Zeng Mian didn't know what he would be like in the future, and he didn't know that Zhu Houcong recalled the word "Hetao" in his mind after seeing the word Zeng Mian among the new scholars.
While Zhu Houcong was thinking about the Loop, when Li Quanli and Qiu Luan were heading north, when Tang Shunzhi and He Quan'an were finally playing military chess again, the information about the competition and the exercise in the Fifth Army Camp was also spreading to the north.
Inside and outside the Great Wall, everyone has to face something very new.