Chapter 271: Taking advantage of external chaos to quell internal troubles
Chapter 271: Taking advantage of external chaos to quell internal troubles
In the Yunlongzhou camp, Lu Yunyi was sitting behind a desk.
Looking at the intelligence summary and beheadings of this operation,
In the military tent, most of the main generals of the front scout unit were here.
They all held military newspapers and documents in their hands, writing and drawing.
They were changing the records of the clerks and the quartermasters and marshals,
Only the commander of an army can get a glimpse of the true picture of a war.
For the same local war, only one commander can have a complete overview.
If someone else were to record it, there would inevitably be mistakes and omissions.
If we try to improve based on errors and omissions, we will inevitably get wrong results.
Lu Yunyi only realized this after the Northern Expedition ended.
Some things about the Northern Expedition Army,
If he doesn't tell others, they will never know the essence of it.
They would only think that the scouts in the front army were extremely brave, luring the enemy deep into their territory and leading the northern expedition army to defeat the Northern Yuan central army in one fell swoop.
Little do we know that this is just the result, not the most important process.
When Lu Yunyi was in Beijing, he read the Southwest Military News and personally visited the Southwest War, and found many problems.
The preparations made by the front scouts were all based on the Luchuan combat power reported in the military report.
The weapons and equipment for mountain warfare and their redundant configurations were also designed based on the difficulties faced by the southwestern troops in the jungle.
But after visiting the southwest, he found that what was recorded in the military newspaper was completely different.
The elite troops of Luchuan were indeed powerful, but they were not so powerful that we were helpless.
Fighting in the mountainous areas of the southwest is difficult, but if you are well prepared, it is not that difficult.
Since there are such omissions in the documents of the Five Military Commanderies and the Ministry of War, what about the Front Army Scouting Department?
So he took out all the military reports that recorded all the battles, big and small.
Instead, the generals in charge of the war would check carefully, identify and fill in the gaps, so as to obtain the real situation on the battlefield.
Although it was extremely difficult to describe the war situation in the report to the court,
But at least you should know what war is like.
At this moment, Lu Yunyi seemed somewhat relaxed.
He had reviewed some of the military reports on the battles he had commanded.
He was very satisfied with the written records, which had an accuracy rate of 80%.
You just need to change the real purpose of some of the main generals.
Others, however, are somewhat unsightly.
At this moment, Qin Yuanfang kept scratching his head while reading the military newspaper, and his pen never stopped writing.
He had excellent hearing, and the war and various decisions were not as complicated as recorded, so he deleted and revised them.
The same is true of Sun Sian, who has a superhuman keenness in topographic survey and topography.
He wanted to determine the enemy's position, so he had to brainstorm.
If it were written on paper, it would not be simply classified into the four words "Sun presents the enemy situation".
He was the busiest person in the military tent at the moment. The military newspaper used to record the battle situation had only three pages, which was not enough to write.
Guo Quan was also busy with the subsequent blocking and pursuit of the enemy.
He only had a general concept in his mind and was unable to describe it concretely, so writing was particularly difficult.
At this moment, he was thinking hard, his young face was tightly wrinkled, like a middle-aged man who had been ill for a long time.
Liu Hei Ying, on the other hand, was quite free. He was good at gathering intelligence.
Practice makes perfect in expressing strategies and battle situations on paper.
At this moment, he was also sipping tea with a gloating look, watching the generals in the army busying themselves.
There is another one, Zhang Yu, although he is very busy,
But there was no obstruction in my mind.
His many years of experience as the Privy Councilor made him proficient in this kind of writing work.
It’s just that there are too many things to handle and judge during the caravan’s journey, so he couldn’t finish writing!!
Just when Lu Yunyi was thinking about whether to prepare some tea and dried fruits,
The sound of light footsteps was heard.
Li Jinglong and the governor Feng Cheng appeared at the entrance of the military tent.
Li Jinglong looked calm and looked at Guo Quan with some pity.
Feng Cheng on the side had a puzzled look on his face. He looked at the military tent full of people and wondered what kind of trick was going on.
When Lu Yunyi saw the two of them, he quickly put down his crossed legs, stood up, and went over to them.
"Master Feng, you are here. I have been waiting for you in Yunlongzhou for a long time."
Lu Yunyi walked up to the two of them and stood still, his face solemn and his voice powerful:
"Your Excellency, there are 2,000 scouts in the front army.
The 2,350 soldiers who entered Luchuan have been strangled.
This is the captured document, and the battle report is still being recorded and will be presented to you later."
Feng Cheng's face was equally serious. He took the document and nodded slightly:
"Well done, you are worthy of being the elite troops of the Northern Expedition.
I received your letter this morning and I was a little bit incredulous. Very good!"
Feng Sheng's voice was not concealed, so many generals in the military tent heard it and couldn't help but show joy on their faces.
There was no smile on Lu Yunyi's face. Instead, he looked solemn. He extended his hand and made a gesture of invitation:
"Sir, please move to the nearby military tent. It's too crowded here to discuss matters."
Feng Cheng nodded, and went to the empty military tent next to him with Lu Yunyi. The furnishings in the military tent were very simple.
A table, a few chairs and a bed are enough for talking.
The three of them sat down one by one, and Li Jinglong spoke first.
He told everything about Du Yutao and Duke Ying, with some embarrassment and ashamedness on his face.
It would be embarrassing for him to talk about such things.
Lu Yunyi looked calm, and did not speak immediately after hearing the whole story.
Instead, they fell into silence, and the atmosphere in the military tent became somewhat depressing.
Li Jinglong glanced at Feng Cheng and found that the two of them had the same expression, both very calm.
There wasn't even a hint of embarrassment, which made him admire her very much.
Just when he was thinking about whether to speak to warm up the audience,
Lu Yunyi glanced at him and said in a deep voice:
"Du Yutao is a member of the Yunnan Dusi. How should we deal with him for neglecting his duties?
We, the Beijing troops, should not interfere, the commander-in-chief should make the decision freely."
After these words came out, Li Jinglong blinked his eyes and let out a long breath.
The calmness on Feng Cheng's face also dissipated a little, replaced by a smile:
"Yun Yi, let's not beat around the bush.
Changing generals before a battle is a taboo in military strategy, but what Du Yutao did was really too bad.
If it weren't for the Duke of Ying behind him, I would have killed him right now."
As he spoke, he looked at Li Jinglong again, and finally at Lu Yunyi:
"I hope you two can be more tolerant. Even if it's something as serious as killing someone, you should wait until the war is over."
"It all depends on Uncle Feng." Li Jinglong said in a deep voice.
Lu Yunyi did the same, and bowed gently: "It's all up to Lord Feng."
At this point, the atmosphere in the room completely relaxed.
Feng Cheng smiled and said in a deep voice:
"The Beijing army has now reached Kunming City. Dali is now the top priority.
The Dusi and Houfu wanted the Beijing army to guard the Dali defense line so that they could withdraw their best troops and rush to Jingdong."
As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Yunyi's eyes flashed and his brows frowned slightly, but he soon regained his composure.
Such military mobilizations are all indicative of
Xipinghou Mansion and Yunnan Dusi prepared to fight Silunfa in Jingdong Mountain Forest.
Rather than the Dali boundary he envisioned.
Lu Yunyi's face looked a little heavy, and doubts arose in his heart.
Even he could see that a decisive battle at Dingbian was the best battlefield for the Ming army.
If they were in Jingdong, fighting in the mountains and forests would allow the power of the elephant soldiers to be brought into full play.
Therefore, the Ming Dynasty was at a disadvantage as it was unable to use cavalry to contain the enemy due to the terrain.
How could the Dusi and the Marquis' Mansion not see it?
Could it be that Jingdong has already recaptured many cities and important strongholds and cannot afford to give them up so easily?
As a last resort, tactics distracted from strategy, and the decisive battle was held in Jingdong?
After a long silence, a flash of lightning flashed through Lu Yunyi's mind. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he realized something, and asked in a deep voice:
"Lord Feng, may I ask how the Silunfa troops are assembled?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Governor Feng Cheng's eyes flashed, his face showed realization, and he looked somewhat relieved, and he secretly said in his heart, "Not bad."
Li Jinglong narrowed his eyes.
To cover up the confusion in his eyes, why did he talk about Silunfa for no apparent reason?
Feng Cheng spoke slowly:
"According to the message sent back, Si Lunfa has gathered nearly 100,000 troops in the southeast of Jingdong.
And an advance team has entered the Jingdong forest to clear out the many traps we set and the defensive fortresses."
Feng Cheng pursed his lips, his face looking somewhat gloomy:
"It's unstoppable."
After these words came out, Lu Yunyi's expression became subtle.
But Li Jinglong understood, and his expression changed drastically.
It turned out that Jingdong was already at war, so Dali's elite troops were transferred to Jingdong!
But the next moment, Lu Yunyi's question made him confused again.
Lu Yunyi's expression changed back and forth, and he asked in a deep voice: "May I ask Lord Feng, should the Beijing army defend Yunlongzhou and Yongping, or should it also include Menghuafu and Dingbian?"
“Naturally, it is included.”
Feng Cheng's face was calm, and he was extremely satisfied with Lu Yunyi.
At this point, Lu Yunyi no longer had any doubts in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face:
"Reporting to Lord Feng, the Beijing army will definitely be under the leadership of Duke Cao to guard the Dali border!"
"So best."
Li Jinglong was bewildered, but then he put away his bewilderment.
Then he showed an expression that I deeply agreed with him and nodded vigorously. Hmm~~
The atmosphere in the military tent eased. Lu Yunyi blinked and spoke softly:
"Sir Feng, I have an unreasonable request, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."
Feng Cheng seemed to be in a very good mood and laughed twice:
"You and Chu Ting are in love, and you still want to call me uncle. Is there anything wrong with that?
I will do my best to handle things that cannot be done, and I will naturally handle things that can be done."
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became more cheerful, and Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
"If the Beijing army is stationed in Dali, can the Beijing army take the responsibility of containing Luchuan in Dali?"
This time Li Jinglong really understood, but he was also a little worried.
If the nearly 30,000 troops of the Beijing Army advance across the board and then contain Luchuan, how can Dali be defended then?
Feng Cheng thought about it carefully, his expression changed back and forth, and he slowly shook his head:
"Defending the city means defending the city. Dali cannot afford to lose it."
Li Jinglong breathed a sigh of relief and looked towards Lu Yunyi.
The expected disappointment did not appear, and instead, he felt relieved as well.
Lu Yunyi then spoke up: "Sir Feng, can the front army scouts take on the responsibility of containing Luchuan?
The Beijing army has nearly 30,000 soldiers and horses, and the front scouts are only 5,000, so it should be fine."
"This..." Feng Cheng was stunned and a smile appeared on his face. It turned out that he was waiting for him here.
Li Jinglong also had some enlightenment and couldn't help but widen his eyes. He understood!
As expected, Feng Cheng nodded slightly after hesitating for a moment:
"The front army's scouts are no less advanced than the elite troops in the southwest. If they can contain the troops in Luchuan, it will naturally be a good thing."
At this point, Lu Yunyi let out a long sigh, slowly stood up, and said in a deep voice:
"Thank you, Lord Feng. The Front Army Scouting Division will live up to expectations and shoulder the heavy responsibility of the southwest."
Feng Cheng's face became serious and he nodded slightly:
"In a few days, the remaining soldiers of the Beijing Army and the front army scouts will arrive in Yunlongzhou.
I will serve as the commander of the Yunnan Western Front and also belong to the front army. I will stay in Dali, and you can go wherever you want."
"Thank you, sir!"
Soon, only Lu Yunyi and Li Jinglong were left in the military tent.
Lu Yunyi sat there quietly, his expression solemn and his brows filled with deep thought.
Li Jinglong's heart was filled with doubts.
He couldn't help but walk closer, sat on the chair next to Lu Yunyi, and asked softly:
"Yun Yi, how are the troops arranged? Are we going to have a decisive battle in Jingdong?"
The contemplation in Lu Yunyi's eyes faded away little by little.
Then he looked more dangerous and shook his head slightly:
"Jingdong is not the place for a decisive battle."
When these words came out, Li Jinglong was stunned.
"Then why transfer the elite troops to Jingdong?"
"Aren't we here?"
Li Jinglong suddenly opened his mouth wide, as if his heart was hit by a heavy hammer, turning his originally calm heart into turbulent waves.
Yes, the garrison commanders and soldiers of Yunlongzhou are all like this, how can they be considered elite?
Compared with this, Yongping is not much better.
Both are said to be the elite troops in the southwest, but they are still far inferior to the troops in Beijing.
Others didn't know, but Li Jinglong was in the front scout unit.
Knowing how powerful and capable the front-line scouts are,
This is the advantage brought by the military system, which will be more evident in more intense battles.
"Yun Yi, do you mean that the real decisive battle will still take place in Dali?"
"In Dingbian." Lu Yunyi said affirmatively.
Li Jinglong opened his eyes wide and thought deeply.
He had read the combat strategy of the front army scouts and the predictions for the subsequent war.
The location of the final battle is Ding, but why should people be transferred to Jingdong?
Soon, he remembered something, his eyes widened slightly, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
"To retreat without fighting is surrender, and to fail to help someone in danger is treason."
What Xiping Hou said in the military tent that day was like the sound of a loud bell.
It kept echoing in his ears, making him uneasy.
Li Jinglong didn't have time to think quietly, and instead grabbed Lu Yunyi's arm:
"Yun Yi, he he he, me I, Jing Dong and those people?"
Lu Yunyi's face was calm. He sat there quietly and spoke lightly:
"Jingdong is now a garbage dump, with Luchuan, Tusi, and Daming making a mess of it.
Now that Silunfa wants this garbage dump, we naturally have to dump more garbage."
After hearing this, Li Jinglong was suddenly stunned, and it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind, and the fog gradually dissipated.
After personally going to the battlefield, he thought he had made great progress.
But his joy did not last long, as he once again witnessed the cruelty of the battlefield.
I don’t know how many people will die for a casual sentence.
Lu Yunyi sighed with some emotion, glanced at him, and said in a deep voice:
"The soldiers we saw at the east gate of Yunlong Prefecture today were all surrendered Tusi soldiers.
Not only is he greedy for money and lustful, he also doesn't follow the law.
It is useless for the Ming Dynasty to keep these people, it is better to let them shine on the battlefield."
"What a pity." Li Jinglong murmured.
Lu Yunyi shook his head, his eyes were a little empty, revealing some amusement.
In the end, it turned into self-mockery. He smiled bitterly and spoke in a deep voice:
"Duke Cao, I once asked Yue Zhongda, the commander of Dingyuan Guard, how to quell the rebellion in Yunnan.
He told me that we should take time to let the next generation of chieftains grow up and become Ming people.
I think this method is not good, it is too slow, and I have thought of other ways.
At first I was complacent and thought I was ahead of the times, but now it seems that I was wrong.”
Lu Yunyi smiled helplessly and shook his head vigorously.
During the Northern Expedition, he realized that his thoughts were different from those of the military officers.
But no one took it seriously, thinking it was a relic of the times.
Now, in the Yunnan Provincial Administration, the cruelty of these military officers taught him another lesson.
He is still thinking about using barbarians to control barbarians and using economic interests to complete the integration of various departments.
But we ignore the simplest and most direct method.
As for the rebels, nothing is simpler and quicker than killing them all.
Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi suddenly felt a chill in his heart and understood.
In the Battle of Jingdong in the 18th year of Hongwu, the Ming army was defeated and Jingdong fell.
But until today, it has been almost the 22nd year of Hongwu.
The imperial court and Xiping Marquisate had never mentioned completely conquering Jingdong.
Instead, they just let it go and only recaptured some important towns and strongholds.
Countless lives have been lost in these four years.
Of course, the ones who died could not be the elite troops of Xiping Marquisate and Yunnan Dusi, but only those chieftains who surrendered.
He had a hunch that the imperial court and Xiping Marquisate had been waiting for Si Lunfa for a long time.
It was delayed again and again until this year when action was taken.
Li Jinglong watched his expression change back and forth, and his whole body became solemn.
When Lu Yunyi calmed down, Li Jinglong couldn't help but ask:
"Yun Yi, what happened?"
Lu Yunyi did not answer directly, but turned his head, his eyes burning:
"Duke Cao, do you know where Du Yutao will be transferred to?"
"Jingdong."
"That's it."
Lu Yunyi stood up suddenly and walked out. Li Jinglong was confused and hurriedly chased after him.
"Yun Yi, where are you going?"
"Go see Si Yuanheng."
(End of this chapter)