Chapter 197: An unexpected surprise, boosting morale

Chapter 197: An unexpected surprise, boosting morale

Chapter 197: An unexpected surprise, boosting morale

In September, the autumn breeze is refreshing and the sky is blue and high.
In the afternoon, the breeze was blowing gently, the sun was shining obliquely on the earth, and it was secretly hot and humid!
Puzikou City has a majestic gate and guards wearing armor and holding spears.
Even though he was sweating profusely, he still looked solemn.

There was a constant stream of civilians and soldiers coming and going at the city gate.

At this time, a steady and rhythmic sound of horse hooves came from afar, attracting the attention of the people and the soldiers guarding the city.

A group of people were slowly approaching from a distance, and the person leading them was Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao of the Ming Dynasty.

He rode a great horse, and wore a magnificent robe.

The horse's movement caused his body to sway slightly, and his brows revealed a heroic spirit that was intimidating without anger.

But the sweat on his forehead made him secretly regret that he would have taken a car if he had known the weather would be so hot.

Behind it, an ornately decorated carriage was moving slowly.
It was pulled by two strong horses, and the body was made of dark wood with exquisite carvings.
The curtains of the carriage hung lightly, swaying gently in the wind, revealing the densely packed documents inside.

The wheels made a squeaking sound as they pressed against the bluestone road. A quick glance revealed that the carriage was carrying a heavy load.

Around it, more than a hundred armored soldiers from the Beijing Camp stood guard on one side, wrapping the carriage tightly.

Just this kind of scene made the people present retreat one after another.
Pile up on both sides of the road to make way.

Seeing this situation, the generals defending Puzikou City
He rushed out of the city and immediately saw Duke Cao, who was in the lead. He bowed and said:
"I, Lu Chen, the guard of the south gate of Puzikou City, pay my respects to Duke Cao. May I ask why Duke Cao is here?"

Because of the hot weather, Li Jinglong was a little irritated and waved his hand impatiently.
The accompanying general of the Beijing camp hurried forward and handed over two documents.

A hint of surprise flashed across Lu Chen's eyes. The two documents belonged to the Five Military Commandery and the Ministry of War.
This made him look serious. He turned his head to look at the heavily guarded carriage and asked in a deep voice:

"May I ask Duke Cao what is inside the carriage?"

Instead of an answer, I got a whip.

Li Jinglong swung the horsewhip in his hand with a look of anger on his face.

"The Five Military Command is transporting confidential documents. Do I need to inform you?"

A red wrinkle suddenly appeared on Lu Chen's face, and a burning pain swept over him.

But he remained calm and turned to look at the document in his hand.
It was not until the end that I saw the prince’s seal!

After seeing the seal, Lu Chen calmly closed the document and handed it back.

He stood slightly sideways and said in a deep voice:

"Duke Cao, please."

Seeing him like this, Li Jinglong felt irritated for no reason. He panted slightly and held the reins tightly.
But in the end, he did not continue to argue with him. Instead, he pulled the reins and said coldly:
"go!"

The men and horses slowly drove away, and when they were all gone,
The north gate of Puzikou was noisy again. People pointed at the convoy and seemed to have some guesses.
He would occasionally glance at the ever-so-dignant Lu Chen, with a somewhat strange expression on his face.

At this time, the guards came hurriedly with medicine for wounds.
Seeing the red marks on Lu Chen's face oozing blood, his face darkened:
"Are you alright, sir? Duke Cao is too stubborn."

Lu Chen's face was calm. He took the medicine and said coldly:

"Return to guard duty."

"Yes!"

The troops and horses traveled through Puzikou City for nearly two quarters of an hour before arriving at the front military camp.
Li Jinglong sat high on his horse and saw more than ten people running on the playground.
They were carrying new backpacks that had just been registered.
He couldn't help but look strange, but he didn't care.

Soon he came to the front army tent,
Without any communication, Li Jinglong walked straight in.

The cool breeze blowing on his face made him feel refreshed, and his irritability subsided a lot.

In the afternoon, the sunlight shines through the gaps in the military tent, making people feel lazy.

The atmosphere in the military tent was tense and solemn, with the air filled with the faint scent of ink and the unique smell of paper.

Li Jinglong saw Lu Yunyi at first sight.
He was wearing casual clothes at the moment, sitting behind a large desk, brows furrowed, concentrating on writing and drawing.

On the table, there were more than a dozen yellowed maps spread out.
The intricate routes and troop distribution were marked in red and blue, and most of them had fallen to the ground.
The ground was also a mess, with no less than twenty crumpled paper balls of varying sizes, and stains of undried black ink.

Seeing this scene, Li Jinglong frowned slightly, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

He had only seen this kind of situation when the "experience" and "dushi" of the Dudufu were making military strategies.

The whole room would be filled with maps and documents alone.

His expression was the same as Lu Yunyi's at the moment, solemn and irritable.

He took two steps forward, and the sound of footsteps was heard.
Lu Yunyi also looked over at this moment, his eyes sharp and cold.

Li Jinglong felt his body stiffen and his hair stood on end.

It was like being targeted by arrows on the battlefield, but this feeling was fleeting, and then Lu Yunyi's slightly calm voice rang out:

"Duke Cao? Why are you here so early?"

"Morning?"

Lu Yunyi was startled, raised his head and looked at Shi Chen, blinking gently.
It turned out to be noon, and two hours had passed without realizing it.

Seeing him like this, Li Jinglong laughed and teased:

"General Lu's reputation for being meticulous in detail in battle is well-deserved."

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, looking puzzled.

Li Jinglong smiled and explained:
"This is what Uncle Wang said yesterday when he was drinking with all the uncles.
And he said that with your battle strategy, even a fool could win.
Seeing it today, it is indeed extraordinary. "

Li Jinglong glanced at the paper ball on the ground, then looked at the many maps piled on one side, secretly admiring them in his heart.

He had absolutely no patience for such things.

Lu Yunyi had a strange look on his face. He had expected the court's propaganda and was mentally prepared.

But such flattery still made him feel a little pressured.

If we lose a battle, it will be a disgrace to our country.

After a pause, Lu Yunyi said:
"May I ask Duke Cao about the map and military report you mentioned yesterday?"

Li Jinglong interrupted him and said loudly with some boasting:

"I have brought them, General Lu, rest assured, in order to bring them all,
I specifically asked His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for permission, otherwise it would be really troublesome to enter this Puzikou City. Come, let's take a look."

Lu Yunyi showed a look of joy, and quickly threw away the brush in his hand and hurriedly followed him out.
Soon, Lu Yunyi's steps became slower and slower.
The excitement on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by dullness.

The carriage had stopped in front of the central army tent, and the curtain had been lifted.
It revealed layers upon layers of military reports and documents piled up in the carriage like bricks and stones.

Li Jinglong stood beside the carriage with his hands on his hips, looking somewhat ostentatious.

"so much?"

Lu Yunyi approached little by little, his eyes gradually widening.

He picked up a book at random and flipped through it.

The year that came into his sight made him frown. The fifteenth year of Hongwu?
Li Jinglong said on one side:
"I don't know which documents are important.

How about bringing all the military reports and documents since Si Lunfa presented the Yuan Dynasty seal to the Ming Dynasty in the 15th year of Hongwu? "

"Okay, okay," Lu Yunyi said excitedly.
These documents can be said to have filled the biggest gap in his strategy formulation.
It enables him to know Si Lunfa's military habits and deployment from the 15th year of Hongwu to the 21st year of Hongwu.

Although every battle is different,
However, the habits of the generals cannot be hidden, and some clues can be detected from the deployment of troops and the distribution of the battle lines.

This is why some famous generals would be discovered by the enemy even if they concealed their names.

The most prominent one is Chang Yuchun, the King of Kaiping.
When he set out on the Northern Expedition to capture Shandong, he was often recognized because he often charged into battle and boosted the morale of the soldiers.

After being recognized, the Yuan army often fled, and the battle ended hastily after the order was issued.

Xu Da did the same, and he pacified Shandong in just three months.

Lu Yunyi, who was flipping through the documents, was stunned. Suddenly he thought of something and looked at Li Jinglong:

"May I ask Duke Cao, if you take all the documents away, how can the Five Military Commandery formulate a marching strategy?"

In any war of the Ming Dynasty, the initial combat strategy was formulated by the Five Military Commands and the princes.

To serve as a reference for the real commanders in using troops, this is the power of commanding troops of the Five Military Commanders' Office.

Li Jinglong laughed and waved his hand casually:

"Don't worry, these confidential documents are stored in three places. If they need them, they can just go and get them."

Lu Yunyi's face suddenly showed realization:
"That's great, Duke Cao doesn't know.

The strategy I formulated was only used by the front scouts.
If the military strategy is delayed, the gain will outweigh the loss."

"Don't worry. Yun Gong is now in charge of the military strategy. When I take these documents, let me express his gratitude to you on his behalf. Thank you for teaching Xu Zengshou how to march and fight."

As he spoke, Li Jinglong stepped forward with a smile and said in a low voice:
"General Lu, please don't mistreat me. You must teach me some methods of marching and fighting."

"You are well educated, and my tricks are not up to par."

Lu Yunyi was not being modest, but speaking frankly.

I learned from Xu Zengshou and Guo Quan that these founding heroes all had family traditions.

It records the essence of their fathers' military marches and battles, and passes them on.

Based on this method alone, the descendants of nobles will start much faster than ordinary soldiers.

These tricks of his could not compare with those military officers who were immersed in this art. After all, he had participated in too few wars.

"Family traditions are family traditions. What is written in them is all nonsense. It gives me a headache.

My father once said that to learn real skills,

You still have to fight down to earth, and then combine your family's knowledge with each other to gain something.
To be honest, I have memorized all the family knowledge and am now ready to go into battle myself. Now it is up to General Lu."

As he spoke, Li Jinglong couldn't help but feel excited.
The hand placed on the side quietly reached for the long sword at his waist, with desire burning in his eyes.

Lu Yunyi blinked, scratched his head lightly, and asked in a low voice:

"You still want to go into battle yourself?"

"Of course. I am a member of the Five Military Commanders' Office. If I don't understand the fighting on the battlefield, how can I command the troops?"

Li Jinglong spoke confidently, his hand already on the hilt of the knife, his knuckles clenched until they turned white.

Seeing him like this, Lu Yunyi naturally wouldn't spoil the fun:
"Then please ask Duke Cao to come to the camp in five days to train together."

"Practice?" Li Jinglong was stunned and asked:

"Is Xu Zengshou coming to practice as well?"

"That's natural."

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong straightened his back and said unyieldingly:

"Okay, then I'll train with you in five days!"

Lu Yunyi nodded, and then called on the soldiers to move the large cart of documents and military newspapers into the military tent.

Seeing them starting to move, Lu Yunyi pulled Li Jinglong aside and asked in a low voice:

"May I ask Duke Cao, when will the ceremonial guards begin? Are there any rules?"

After hearing this, Li Jinglong also remembered something and said excitedly:
"The general presented the charter you submitted to the crown prince, who was very satisfied.
We immediately decided to add the disabled guards to the front.”

At this point, Li Jinglong lowered his voice a little, and a bit of mystery appeared on his face:

"I heard that. I just heard that.
It is said that His Majesty also saw it and was very happy!

He immediately issued an order to have the ceremonial guards conduct drills ten days later, and to have them conduct drills three days in advance, and to allow the common people of the capital to come and watch.

General Lu, do you want to show your face in front of all the civil and military officials in the capital?"

Lu Yunyi's eyes widened little by little, and he took a breath of cold air:
"I don't quite understand what Duke Cao said."

"The northern expeditionary army that came to Yingtian this time numbered 50,000 to 60,000 people.

There are only 20,000 people who can participate in the military exercise, and even if the front scouts can participate, they won’t be able to show their faces.”

"What does Duke Cao mean?"

Lu Yunyi also had a mysterious look on his face and asked slowly.

Li Jinglong chuckled, smoothed the hair stuck to his forehead and said softly:

"Among the ceremonial guards, cavalry tactics such as 'cavalry encirclement' and 'circumvention and separation' will be demonstrated.

The initial number of troops was 3,000, and General Lu's troops were 5,000.

So it's a bit too much, but it's still possible if you study it a little bit.

Even if we can't practice with all of them, three thousand people will do, what do you think, General Lu?"

Lu Yunyi thought to himself, since it was inevitable to be in the limelight,

It would be better to take the initiative into one's own hands and use the matter of ceremonial soldiers to actively publicize one's name.

Having made up his mind, Lu Yunyi showed excitement and asked quietly:

"Duke Cao has a solution?"

"There are some ways, but the matter is too urgent.
No military officer would miss such an opportunity to show off.

I can only try to grab this one.

But General Lu, rest assured, since we should do our best for our comrades, our guild will do its best to handle this matter.
If it doesn't work, General Lu shouldn't blame me.

After all, I am a person without any achievements, so many things are difficult to handle."

The meaning of the suggestion was self-evident. Lu Yunyi gladly accepted it and nodded with a smile:

"Thank you, Lord Cao. Whether it succeeds or not, I will accept it with pleasure.
If we, the military, want to establish ourselves in an upright manner, we still have to rely on military merit.”

Li Jinglong agreed with this and nodded repeatedly:
"That's fine. I will do my best to handle this matter. I won't bother General Lu anymore. I will just wander around in this military tent for a while."

"Duke Cao, please."

Lu Yunyi bowed slightly, smiling, feeling extremely comfortable!
After Li Jinglong left with his hands behind his back and the group of soldiers,
Only Liu Heiying and others who were standing respectfully on the side dared to step forward.
I stared blankly at the departing figure, my heart filled with shock beyond words.

Seeing them like this, Lu Yunyi shook his head helplessly and turned to enter the military tent.
When he saw the piles of military newspapers, documents and maps on one side, he could not help but stand there in a daze, and was suddenly surrounded by a great sense of happiness.

From these military reports, he could not only see Si Lunfa's military tactics,

We can also see how Xiping Hou Mu Ying and other generals used their troops.

For a young soldier like him, it is worth 100,000 gold!

Just as he was stunned, Liu Heying, Wu Fuliu and others hurried in.

Wu Fuliu was talking to Zhang Yu who was standing beside him. Zhang Yu immediately understood and bowed:

"Excuse me, sir. Who is Duke Cao?"

Lu Yunyi turned around and said with a smile:
"This trip is to the southwest. Duke Cao will follow the front army scouts. He may be the deputy general or the main general."

Li Jinglong was the Duke of the state, and it was not proper for him to be a deputy general.
The imperial court would most likely give him the title of general or commander-in-chief and place him on a high pedestal.

For a moment, everyone gasped, their faces showing even more shock, and they felt a sense of absurdity in their hearts for no reason.

He has only been in Beijing for two days, so how come he has become connected with Duke Cao?

Could it be that your Excellency has some background in the capital that they don't know about?
Several people were daydreaming, but no matter what, they couldn't hide the excitement in their hearts.
The presence of a senior officer in the military means a lot!

Especially Zhang Yu, he was the former Yuan Shumizhiyuan,

He is well aware of some of the dirty things in the military.

If there is no big man in the army, they will be bullied in vain.

The most intuitive ones are food, weapons and various military supplies.

The same feather arrow and long sword, the new one is better than the old one,
There will be a fight over who gets the new and who gets the old.
Without big shots to rely on, you can only use the old ones, which is in line with the rules, and you can only suffer in silence.

Lu Yunyi did not bother to explain to them. He looked excitedly at the pile of military newspapers and documents in front of him and ordered:
"You are all here, come and help, sort them by year and location.
Remember, from today on,
No paper in this general's account may be taken out, especially these military reports and documents, which are court secrets."

"Yes!"

They all straightened their backs and shouted in unison, all with excitement on their faces.

Whether you are the Duke of Cao or a general, if you hold one, you will have no worries in your life.

And now the front scout has picked up two! !

Time passed by little by little, and a day passed quickly.

Li Wu completed today's work and found many problems.

As the city gates were closed, he was arranged to spend the night in the army.

It was getting dark, but the lights in the big tent were still on.
The dim lights swayed gently in the night breeze.
(End of this chapter)