Chapter 206: The Method of Changing Generals, Father and Son

Chapter 206: The Method of Changing Generals, Father and Son

Chapter 206: The Method of Changing Generals, Father and Son
The dawn is breaking, the sun is rising higher,
Outside Yingtian City, on the vast parade ground,

Dust was rising and the sound of horse hooves came from far away, rumbling like thunder.

The 5,000 cavalrymen of the front scouts were arrayed in the open field.
The armor shone with a cold light in the sun, and the soldiers' eyes revealed their determination and fearlessness.

Not far away, officials from the Governor's Office and the Ministry of War who were in charge of the ceremonial guards, as well as some soldiers waiting on the side, all looked over here.

When the front army scouts first arrived in Yingtian, they were not well-known.
But as more and more soldiers from the Northern Expedition returned to the capital,
Through word of mouth, almost the entire Yingtian army knew about this army that had accomplished many remarkable feats.

Today, they also saw the marching troops of the vanguard scout unit for the first time, which made many people present feel more stressed.

There is no false person under the great reputation!
At this moment, more and more eyes were looking over.

Lu Yunyi had a calm expression. He was riding a majestic warhorse, standing in front of the formation, holding a long sword, looking heroic.

He shouted loudly, his voice penetrating the morning breeze and reaching every corner:
"Today we are here to perform a military parade, not to show off our military strength, but to defend our country and to shock the world!"

"Disperse!"

Following his order, five thousand cavalrymen surged like a tide, raising clouds of dust that dispersed in an instant.
However, within a very short period of time, they were divided into several teams according to the arranged tactics and began to assemble.

I saw a group of cavalry on the east side, as swift as a cheetah, marching like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.
In an instant, they circled around to the preset flank of the "enemy formation", which was the beginning of the "cavalry encirclement".

They used their speed advantage to quickly form an encirclement, and blocked the "enemy's" retreat route with the surge of horse hooves!
And in the next moment, something unexpected happened to everyone.
The commander of that team was replaced silently.

Wu Fuliu, who was originally standing in front of the formation, retreated quietly and was replaced by Zhang Yu in an instant.

This move made the Beijing Guards who acted as the "enemy" confused.

On the viewing platform, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and a group of military commanders all frowned, with some doubts flashing in their eyes.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened his mouth to ask, and his old voice echoed in the viewing platform:

"What's the point of this? Why don't you charge quickly after the cavalry encircles you? What's the point of changing the generals?"

General Lan Yu's eyes flashed with understanding.
He recalled the ideas and strategies for the Southwest War that Lu Yunyi had presented to him.
Finally, a method was proposed to change the combat style of the army by changing the leadership.

This seems to be the method right now.

Lan Yu thought for a moment, and finally explained:
"Your Majesty, this is a new tactic that the front army scouts are trying out."

"What tactics?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked calmly.

The other military officers also looked over with inquiring and puzzled expressions.

Only Guo Ying, the Marquis of Wuding, who was standing nearby, remembered something.
Guo Quan once told him about this, but he didn't take it seriously.

Lan Yu spoke in a deep voice:
“Reporting to Your Majesty, Lu Yunyi believes that although our Ming army is brave and valiant, it is constrained by the battle formation style and personal habits of the commanding generals.

If the commanding general is a brave fighter, the army will inevitably be influenced by his aura and become reckless and fierce.

If the general is good at calculating and planning, then the soldiers will be able to relax and use strategies and tactics."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded gently, his voice flat:

"Yes, Chang Yuchun and Xu Da's soldiers look different."

Many military officers present also thought of the two of them, with thoughtful expressions on their faces.

"Will changing the fighting style of the army change the future before the battle?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, his eyes fixed on the parade ground.

"Your Majesty, this is just a first attempt.

In the battle of Liaowang County, the 4,000 soldiers of the front army scout unit completed two outstanding battles by replacing the generals.

They were the pursuit and interception of the King of Liao, and the commander of the battle was Wu Fuliu, the captain of the front army.

He was a fierce warrior, and his personal bravery was extraordinary.

The King of Liao was located at the throat of Liao County, which was the gateway, so it was better to attack him quickly rather than slowly. Therefore, Wu Fuliu, as the battlefield commander, quickly captured the King of Liao.

After that, Prince Huining and Marshal Duoyan came to help.

The Liao King was far away from where they were, and their morale, food, and weapons were all low.

At this moment, it is better to go slow rather than fast. The 4,000 soldiers were commanded by Zhang Yu, the former Yuan Privy Councilor who was good at calculations.
The effect is obvious. Through meticulous command on the battlefield,

But in just a few battles, most of the young and strong reinforcements were killed, while the front scouts suffered very few casualties. "

As Lan Yu spoke, the eastern detachment of the front army scouts on the parade ground had already begun to break up into smaller units.
The team of only 2,000 people was instantly divided into more than ten cavalry groups, which surrounded the "enemy" from all directions.

The march is well-organized, you are in me, I am in you,
Often, through mutual entanglement and dislocation, more than a hundred people can gather together in an instant to attack one place.
And then they dispersed in an instant and gathered together in another place to attack!

The scene was silent, on the viewing platform and in the parade ground,
Almost everyone was staring at it intently, with their brows furrowed ever more tightly!
Especially the military marquises present, they have all fought for decades and can tell at a glance whether the tactics are effective and the quality of the soldiers.

The eastern army at this moment was just as Lan Yu had said.

The style has changed significantly from before. When charging, it is as fast as the wind and as aggressive as fire.
But when the fight really came, he became as still as a mountain, fighting steadily and cautiously.

Such a clear-cut change almost made them think that they had replaced a new army.

At this time, Lan Yu couldn't help but feel a little excited, and then he spoke:
"Your Majesty, Lu Yunyi is very agile and resourceful in fighting.
I have confessed to you more than once that the art of war is ever-changing.
A general cannot be perfect, even if he is a man of both civil and military talents.

There will also be battle formations that you are not good at, and you will also face difficulties with opponents that are difficult to deal with, and at this time, the complementarity of generals becomes a must.

I have carefully considered this method, and I find it often seen in the Ming army.
During the Longfeng years, most of the generals used in the Poyang Lake naval battles were good at water warfare.
When the Northern Expedition was launched to destroy the Yuan Dynasty, the generals used were those who were good at land warfare and raids. This move had the same effect.

It’s just that Lu Yunyi refined the method and applied it to the front scout unit of only 5,000 people.”

As he spoke, Lan Yu seemed to have thought of something and laughed:

"He once told me that this method is only applicable to elite soldiers in battle formations.

If the soldiers are not elite enough, they will not be able to adapt to the changes in battlefield conditions, which may backfire and make the army weaker instead of stronger. "

Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been silent for a long time, nodded gently, his face still calm, his mood undetectable:
"Well, it's a good method, but it can't be used by ordinary troops."

The prince stood aside and watched quietly, frowning and staring at the training ground below.

Listening to the words in my ears, my heart is already in turmoil.

He suddenly thought of something that might be able to solve the long-standing military problems that had remained unsolved throughout the dynasties.

The more he looked at it, the more he thought about it, and his breathing became more rapid. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was standing next to him, glanced at him slightly, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, and said with a smile:

"Prince, you should exercise more. You are already out of breath after just standing for a while."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was startled, and for the first time he took the telescope away from his eyes, and said with a smile:

"Your Majesty is right. I am a little tired."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled with a fake smile, pulled the corner of his mouth, and looked at Guo Ying:
"Go find a high chair for the prince to sit on."

"Yes!"

After a while, Crown Prince Zhu Biao was sitting on a soft chair. The chair was high enough for him to have a good view of the large parade ground below.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Guo Ying:
"Guo Ying, you are still as stupid as before.
Why didn't you bring me a chair? Now the prince is sitting and I am standing."

For a moment, the originally solemn atmosphere on the viewing platform suddenly became relaxed, and all the military officers present also laughed.

In the field, the front army scout unit's drills were still going on.
The battle on the east side ended easily. The Beijing guards acting as the "enemy" were killed in less than two quarters of an hour and were defeated.

On the west side, the "circumventing separation" displayed by the cavalry was even more eye-catching.

Following the winding route, skillfully weaving between the "enemy camps",
Using the terrain and speed, the originally tight "enemy formation" was cut into several pieces.

The most striking thing is that the cavalry on the west side is not limited to the change of the main commander.
You can even see the centurions changing between the two centurions.

Throughout the entire process, the cavalry soldiers worked in perfect harmony, had superb horsemanship, and executed tactics smoothly.

Arrows rained down and swords flashed like shadows. Although it was just a martial arts performance,

But the majestic momentum of charging into battle cannot be ignored, and it is beyond the reach of those Beijing guards who have been away from the battlefield for a long time.

Soon, nearly half an hour passed.

As the last horn sounded, the five thousand cavalry regrouped and lined up in neat rows.
Their faces showed the afterglow of the charge, and they were secretly suppressing their excitement, as if they were looking for the lofty ambitions they had during the Northern Expedition.

As the messenger in the parade ground waved the flag,
Their figures gradually faded away in the sunlight, and they slowly retreated from the parade ground, waiting for the afternoon training.

The next to appear was the infantry phalanx, which adopted the new slogan and became more majestic.

The sound of boots clacking on the ground made countless people look at them with admiration.

Time passed, the sun rose higher, and in the blink of an eye it was noon.
Wuding Hou Guo Ying raised his head to look at the sun, and whispered softly beside Emperor Ming Zhu Yuanzhang:

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. How about we go back to the palace first?"

Zhu Yuanzhang turned to look at the prince:
"Prince, have you seen enough? I still have many memorials to review."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked emotional, as if he was still a little unsatisfied:
"Father, my great Ming dynasty is a powerful country with the best military power in the world. I cannot get enough of it.
But there are so many political affairs to attend to, so I'd better go back to the palace with my father to handle the affairs."

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up from his chair, shook his sleeves, laughed and said:

"Hahaha, come on, come on, after this busy period, you can look at it however you want, Prince."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao smiled bitterly:
"Father, I am already this old, please don't lie to me anymore. I don't know how to handle the affairs of the court."

"Hahaha, I forgot Biao'er is already this big, and I'm old too."

For a moment, the atmosphere was a little weird.
Emperor Ming Zhu Yuanzhang turned his head and glanced behind him, looking at the many military commanders:
"You guys stay here and take good care of the ceremonial guards, so that I and the prince can have a rest and not have to worry all day."

"I obey your order," all the military officers bowed and spoke in a loud voice.

Half an hour later, the emperor's dragon sedan returned to the Daming Imperial City and entered the Daming Imperial Palace.

A long square table has been set up in Wuying Hall, on which rare dishes are placed.

There are copper stoves placed in the four corners of the hall, with ice cubes emitting a slight chill.

"My prince, I have specially ordered the imperial chef to prepare some delicious dishes in advance. Let's eat together."

The sound comes from far to near,

Soon, the figures of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and Crown Prince Zhu Biao appeared in the Wuying Hall.
The prince looked at the many dishes on the table and couldn't help but pursed his lips:
"Father, how can the two of us eat so much?"

"Hey~ What are you talking about? I worked so hard to build this kingdom so that you can enjoy a good life, but you despised my previous life."

Zhu Yuanzhang walked into the hall, casually threw away the robe he was wearing, sat down, and looked at the prince:

"sit."

After the prince sat down, he looked at the many palace maids and eunuchs present and waved his hand.

The red-robed eunuch standing at the side immediately understood, waved his hand gently, and left with a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

The Wuying Hall suddenly became quiet and a little deserted.

The father and son sat opposite each other, eating their meal in silence.

After an unknown amount of time, Crown Prince Zhu Biao raised his head and said in a deep voice:

"Father, this morning I thought of something."

Zhu Yuanzhang also raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips:
"I know what you are thinking, but Prince, you must remember that as a ruler, you must keep your anger in your heart and not show it on your body.
Coming back in a hurry right after watching the martial arts performance is clearly telling all the officials in the court that there are important matters to discuss with me.

Don't underestimate the court officials. What you and I can see, the smart people in the court can also see.
They can't do anything to you or me, but they will hurt the young general."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao pursed his lips and sighed softly:
"I was anxious at the time and did not dare to deceive my father.

Sitting on that chair this morning, I felt very uncomfortable and wanted to go back to the palace immediately. I didn’t want to watch the martial arts performance any longer.”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Not bad, Dad didn't notice it."

The atmosphere in the hall relaxed somewhat, and Zhu Biao continued:

"Father, the country has been established for 20 years, people's hearts are settled, and foreign enemies have been defeated.

Our Ming Dynasty inherited the Yuan system and established the country through military force, but it faced the same problem as the Song and Yuan dynasties: how to put down weapons and focus on internal affairs.

The biggest obstacle is the old military commanders who helped his father conquer the country.
They have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty and shed their blood for it.

If their power is seized, even if they do not resist, both father and son will be branded as "the cunning rabbit dies and the running dog is cooked."

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled slightly, his eyes were a little cold, and there was some reminiscence:
"Prince, you are wrong.
If they were willing to admit defeat, they would not have joined me in the rebellion."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao fell silent for a long time.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him and snorted coldly:
"Prince, you are easily influenced by others.

When someone says something nice to you or begs for mercy, you feel compassion for them.
So many people who should have been killed were not killed, and now they have become troubles. The initial request for mercy was just a delaying tactic. "

Crown Prince Zhu Biao became increasingly silent and sighed softly.
He personally handled several previous major cases, killing some people and naturally sparing some.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued:
"Back then, I started an uprising against the Yuan Dynasty and gained considerable momentum after several twists and turns.
When Gu Yuan saw that he could not do anything to me, he issued an imperial decree to grant amnesty, and my father agreed without even thinking about it.

But is Dad really convinced?
Dad knows that once you rebel, there is no turning back. You either succeed or die.
Dad has received the imperial edict from the Yuan Dynasty and is just waiting for the opportunity.

Similarly, what have those people whom I spared despite your repeated begging for mercy done behind our backs?
Guo Ying went to Liaodong and investigated all the events of the past. He had already found some clues.
Prince, this time I will listen to you. It is up to you whether to kill or not."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao sighed silently, put down the chopsticks in his hand, and said in a deep voice:
"Father, the court has given them a chance, but they just won't give up their evil intentions and are doing things that are against the will of heaven and earth."

As a result, Emperor Ming Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and was somewhat relieved:

"That's right. They are all tough guys who survived the turbulent times. No matter how hard we fight them, they won't break. The only way to have peace is to kill them all.
Don't worry, I will take care of the matter, but I won't let you take the blame."

"Father, please stop adding to my bad reputation." Crown Prince Zhu Biao was moved.

But Zhu Yuanzhang didn't care and waved his hand casually:

"I don't care if I'm cursed or not. When I die, I don't care if there's a flood.
I am a commoner. I have been raising an army for fifteen years to overthrow the tyranny of the Yuan Dynasty. My reputation can't be too bad.
But you, the prince, must not leave a bad name.
I have fought the battles that needed to be fought. Prince, you should rest and recuperate, enjoy life with the people, and make life better for the people.
The Ming army should also change its offensive strategy to defensive strategy. This can only be achieved through slow grinding, which is like water dripping through a stone. "

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was moved, and after thinking for a long time, he said in a deep voice:
"Father, I think Lu Yunyi's method is a good one.

It can maximize the abilities of soldiers and mid-level generals, thereby weakening the power of the main general.
Every dynasty has inevitably had to deal with the accumulation of power among military commanders. Soldiers only recognize their commanders and not the affairs of the court.
This method can exchange generals, and the court only needs to train the soldiers.

What I am thinking is that the Ming army of one million is deployed in various places, and whoever leads the army can win the battle.
In this way, the army is strong, not the generals.
The imperial court was also able to control the army and make it as easy as using its own arms.
There is no need to worry about changing generals as before."

After the words fell, the Wuying Palace fell into silence.
Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time, while the prince frowned and asked directly:
"Father, is there something wrong with what I said?"

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, his face full of kindness, and gently patted the prince's hand:

"Prince, it's Dad's fault.

In the early years, your mother was reluctant to let you go to the front line to fight, and your father was soft-hearted, so he listened.

Actually, Dad is reluctant to let you go to the frontline, he is just giving you a way out.

But now I feel a little regretful. Things in the military are not as simple as you think."

(End of this chapter)