Chapter 2 Thistle Liaoning Grain Desolation
While Hong Chengchou was at a loss about this, Yang Guozhu sent people to ride a fast horse to Ningyuan to find Hong Chengchou and told him that Xiao Tianjian, the thief chief of the Xing Tianjun, had issued a decree to inform them that he was willing to provide 20,000 stone grain for the Guanning Army from Shanxi for the use of all departments of the Guanning Army, and this matter was once spread by Guan Ning. Everyone knows it, and the soldiers and generals are also looking forward to it.
And this news, before Yang Guozhu sent people to Ningyuan, Hong Chengchou learned in advance that someone directly sent a letter to Hong Chengchou's house and told Xiao Tianjian's decision to Hong Chengchou. Hong Chengchou was as big as soon as he heard it. Xiao Tianjian was really a guy who did not follow common sense. Obviously, now they are Hostile relationship, but he actually told the world that he was willing to provide 20,000 stones of grain for Guan Ningjun, and everyone was noisy!
It is true that he is short of food at present, but can he take the food given to them by Xing Tianjun? If he wanted to, there is no doubt that the ministers in the court would let him say that he colluded with the thief army and plotted wrongly, and his reputation as a loyal minister would be ruined! Therefore, it is obviously not appropriate for him to accept the food given to them by Xing Tianjun.
But if you don't want it, can the court give him 20,000 stones of grain? Not to mention 20,000 stone grain, now the imperial court of the capital is unable to provide them with 2,000 stone grain. These tens of thousands of soldiers and horses are screaming one by one to wait for the rice to be put into the pot. If there is no food to eat, they have no strength to fight with the slave army, and they can't defend the line of Shanhaiguan. Now Jinzhou has been cut, and Ningyuan is now in danger. There is only one left in the north of Beijing. The last line of defense under the mountain customs. Once the mountain customs is lost again, the Jiannu army can rush straight to the capital city, with more than 100,000 Jiannu troops. He does not dare to go to that time. Can the Ming Dynasty still exist?
Xiao Tianjian made such a loud claim to provide him with 20,000 stones of grain. It was clear to tell him that the Ming court and the Guanning army could not be expected. They either accepted Xing Tianjun to be their master, or gave up this opportunity and finally collapsed in hunger and became the ghost under the knife of the Jiannu army.
How to make a decision? Hong Chengchou suddenly got up with a big fight, and he didn't know how to decide for a while! If you want it, it's unfaithful to the Ming Dynasty. If you don't want it, you're looking for your own death! In short, there is no third way to choose from! Of course, he can also choose to surrender to the Jiannu side, but Hong Chengchou did not make such a consideration at this time!)
Before Hong Chengchou could figure out what to do, the soldiers in the house told Hong Chengchou that Guan Ning would seek to see him outside the house.
Not long after, a group of Liaodong generals led by Zu Da Shou were brought into the lobby of Hong Chengchou's mansion, and the generals knelt down to Hong Chengchou one after another.
Hong Chengchou sat behind the handsome case and slowly glanced at the generals who came to see him today. He only saw that it was Jinzhou's general soldier Zu Dashou. Zu Dashou had been sitting in Jinzhou for so many years, but last year, because of the peace between the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Jinzhou was cut off to Jiannu. Zu Dashou was quite angry about this matter and was retreating. After arriving in Ningyuan, I couldn't get sick for a long time.
You should know that Zu Dashhou is a very contradictory person, but in terms of loyalty to Daming, at least there is nothing to say at this time. Although Chongzhen's four years of Huang Taiji led the army to surround the Daling River, and Zu Dashou once surrendered to Jiannu, he later cheated Huang Taiji and ran back to Jinzhou City, even if he turned against the water again. The army fought against the Jiannu army, so when he surrendered, he completely surrendered fraudulently, and he didn't really want to surrender to Jiannu at all.
And he has been stationed in Jinzhou for nearly ten years. He fought more than dozens of battles with Jiannu, big and small, and worked hard to defend Jinzhou City. However, he did not think of the peace with the court, so he gave up Jinzhou to Jiannu, and his hard work and price he paid for more than ten years wasted. No one will feel comfortable.
Now the slave army once again pressed the border and went straight to Ningyuan City. The people of Ningyuan had to give up their land and escape to the customs in large numbers again. On the road between Ningyuan and Shanhaiguan, a large number of refugees pushed and trampled on the dead and injured Chen Ji. I don't know how many people are on the way to escape outside the customs. This situation is even more Zu Dashou was very angry. He was in his barracks all day. He couldn't get sick and didn't see Hong Chengchou at all.
But today, Hong Chengchou didn't expect that Zu Dashou would personally bring him to Hong Chengchou in the future. Although he had not asked their purpose, Hong Chengchou also guessed some of their intentions.
In addition to Zu Dashou, there are also Cao Changjiao, the general officer of the Eastern Association, Wang Tingchen, the general of Liaodong, Li Fuming, the deputy general of Shanxi, Zu Dale, the deputy general of Jinzhou, and even Qiu Minyang, the former soldier of Ning, also came with the generals. Everyone's face looked rough. During this period, they were mobilized repeatedly, and the army kept coming out. Things make everyone look a little tired, and each face has an anxious look.
After clearing his throat, Hong Chengchou asked the generals, "You are not in charge of the army, and suddenly come to the governor. What's the important thing?"
After the generals looked at each other, Zu Dashou, who has the highest status and the oldest qualifications here, came forward and replied, "Your Excellency! Now all the departments have been evacuated to the inside and outside of the customs, and have begun to be prepared, but the middle of the court has not been allocated a grain of grass for a long time, let alone the army's salary. The last generals want to command the troops. At present, there are many fugitive soldiers in the army. If there is no more food and salary, the last generals will be really powerless to control the troops! That's why I came to ask the governor, when will the court allocate the grain? Since ancient times, there has been a saying that the emperor is not hungry. Now the slave army is about to attack, and we have no food and no salary, how can we lead the soldiers to fight against it? Today, please wait for an explanation for the last general!"
After listening to it, Hong Chengchou said that this group of soldiers came to force the palace! These Liaodong soldiers and generals are proud and tough generals. They have always been not so obedient to the court. In the past, the court invested most of the most of the fiscal revenue in the Liaodong area. Over the years, it has contributed to the arrogance of this group of military generals. They felt that the Ming Dynasty could not leave them, and gradually formed their respective Although some people in the middle of the court began to worry about this, there was a threat of building slaves outside the customs, but they could not change the situation.
And this Zu Dashou is probably the most difficult person to control among the generals in Liaodong. At the beginning, he was a general brought out by Yuan Chonghuan, and even surrendered to Jiannu in the battle of the Daling River. Later, although he ran back, the court did not pursue any responsibility for him and still entrusted him with heavy responsibility.
When Yuan Chonghuan was finally arrested and questioned by the imperial court because he released the Jiannu into the customs, it turned out that it was Yuan Chonghuan who pulled up the group of proud soldiers and fierce generals. Even if they were birds and beasts scattered, there was no concept of the court in their hearts. Zu Dashou did not fight in the capital and the Jiannu army at all, and directly led the troops to withdraw. Back outside Shanhaiguan, it can be seen that Zu Dashhou and the generals of the Guanning army did not pay attention to the court at all. In the past, they could still be obedient with the grain salary of the court. Now that the court can't be paid off, it is even more difficult to control them.
Although Hong Chengchou has the Shangfang sword given to him by the emperor in his hand, and nominally, he can behead the generals who do not obey the military order below the general, but this Shangfang sword has now become a decoration, which can't scare these tough generals at all! Today, Zu Dashou and others came to ask about food and salary. In fact, it was clear that he was asked to make a decision.
However, Hong Chengchou really doesn't have a good way. His personal charm is not good at this moment, so he meditated with a difficult face and then replied, "You all know that the court is very nervous because of the luck! Nowadays, the emperor is busy with this all day long, and it is estimated that the next batch of grain and salary will be allocated to be delivered in the near future!
At present, we still have some grain reserves, which can still support for a period of time, and I am also trying my best to raise food and salary. I will definitely solve some food and salary problems in the near future. At present, you still need to control the soldiers under your respective command and do a good job in the deployment of defense everywhere. The matter of food and salary will be solved by me!"
After listening to Hong Chengchou's words, the generals looked at each other again, with a look of disbelief on their faces, and Zu Dashou immediately shook his head and said, "I'm afraid it's difficult to convince the public!" You should know that since October last year, the government has not allocated any grain and salaries to Guanning. In the past few months, the troops have been supported by the grain stored before, or some of the grain and salary have been solved by themselves. For this reason, we have lost all our wealth, but with so many soldiers and generals, it can only be a drop in the bucket!
We have been asking for food and salary from adults for a long time. Adults have repeatedly said that it can be solved immediately, but so far, the court has not allocated any salary. We are guarding the border for the court. Although it is a matter within the matter, we can't continue like this. Now because of the lack of food and salary, the army has long been complaining. The army's heart fluctuates. Although the last generals try their best to suppress it, there are still a large number of fugitive soldiers in the army every day! If it goes on like this, I'm afraid that the army will disintegrate by itself without waiting for Jiannu to invade!
Good! Even if the military's expenses are aside for the time being, the court is difficult, and the last generals can understand it, so let's not talk about it for the time being! But the grain can't be given! Otherwise, so many soldiers will wait to eat with their mouths open, and it is a big number for people to eat and chew every day. Now the rations of the troops have been halved for more than a long time. How can soldiers not eat enough to fight? If the adults are still so perfunctory, then the generals will die here today! Otherwise, you can't explain it to your subordinates when you go back!"
Zu Dashou is a rough man, and he comes from a military family for generations. He is deeply rooted in the Liaodong area. When he really doesn't give Hong Chengchou face, Hong Chengchou really has nothing to do with him.
After listening to Zu Dashou's words, the generals also nodded one after another and agreed with Zu Dashou's words one after another. Today, Hong Chengchou has to give them an explanation about the matter of grain and salary anyway. Otherwise, they will not be able to explain to their subordinates when they go back. Only Cao changed as a general who has been following Hong Chengchou in recent years. He chose silence, but his silence also represented an attitude, that is, he also wanted the food.