Chongzhen's domineering

Chapter 264 The Rebels Launch an Attack on Shanxi (Part 2)

By the end of April, the spring breeze brought warmth, and the capital region of the Ming Dynasty, including the Central Plains, Shanxi, and Shaanxi, gradually became warmer.

This is the perfect time for planting. Spring planting has already begun in the Central Plains, and although Shanxi and Shaanxi have suffered from disasters, spring planting has gradually started in arable areas as well.

It was the planting season, and few people would raise troops, but Zhang Yun, the King of Hanzhong, suddenly went mad again. This guy actually split his troops into two groups and headed straight for Zezhou and Lu'an Prefecture!

Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong were not unprepared. They knew that once they sent troops to Taiyuan, Zhang Yun, the King of Hanzhong, would likely attack their rear.

Therefore, they strengthened the defenses of Zezhou and Lu'an Prefecture. They repaired every city in each prefecture and arranged for a large number of troops to be stationed there, and also built many defensive facilities.

Unfortunately, their forces were simply no match for the Hanzhong army.

This is because they are still bandits. In the past few years, they have been wandering around and have never stopped to properly reorganize their troops, let alone train them.

In other words, their men were still a rabble and had no fighting ability whatsoever.

Pan Yunteng's troops were different. He had organized and trained 900,000 men from the very beginning, and he never forgot to urge his disciples to train as they marched from Hanzhong to the Central Plains.

They train whenever they have free time; they train whenever they are not fighting.

More importantly, the vast majority of their 900,000 troops were the same 900,000 troops that were initially recruited, and after fighting for so long, their casualties were not significant.

Even if there are casualties, they will be replaced by reserve young men drawn from Hanzhong, and the troops left to guard Hanzhong have been training these reserve young men.

It can be said that Pan Yunteng's 900,000 troops are well-trained and well-equipped, and after being tempered on the battlefield, they become stronger with each battle.

Such a force is obviously far superior to a rabble.

Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong's men were no match for them!

Their meticulously constructed defenses in Zezhou and Lu'an Prefecture were quickly breached.

While millions of rebels in Shanxi were embroiled in a chaotic battle, the capital was also teeming with troops.

The outer city camps in the east and northeast were packed with able-bodied men and soldiers conscripted from all over the country.

The barracks, which were originally only meant to house 200,000 soldiers of the Beijing Garrison, were now crammed with at least 300,000 able-bodied men and soldiers, and naval ships were still pulling more and more troops towards the area like a confluence of rivers.

Lu Xiang-sheng put everything aside and personally participated in the selection and training of the host, Ma.

Zhu Juena would also come over to check on things from time to time.

Around 9 a.m. that day, he had just finished processing the memorials and then rushed over with Zheng Zhilong, Wang Chengen, Fang Zhenghua, and others.

At this moment, the huge training ground of the East Outer City was densely packed with young and strong soldiers who had been conscripted. These young and strong soldiers were lifting stone weights, shooting arrows, wielding swords and spears, and even riding horses. The scene was just like a martial arts examination.

Lu Xiang-sheng sat high on the central command platform, constantly reviewing the various documents submitted by the officers and soldiers of the Beijing Garrison, keeping himself very busy.

When they walked onto the platform, this guy was still busy working.

The officers and soldiers of the Beijing garrison were constantly moving up and down, as if they hadn't seen them at all.

Zhu Jue did not show any displeasure upon seeing this.

This is because he had already said that when he was traveling incognito, there was no need to pay attention to so many formalities, and if everyone was busy, they did not need to stop to greet him.

The officers and soldiers of the Beijing garrison were all too busy to stop and pay their respects to him.

He also took the opportunity to observe the selection and training of the able-bodied men in the garrison.

Lu Xiang-sheng was truly skilled at selecting and training personnel.

Although the huge training ground was packed with people, it was not chaotic at all.

The newly arrived young men of the garrison were all lined up in dense rows, waiting to undergo various tests. After the tests, the young men of the garrison were either taken to the barracks to rest in groups or taken to the northeast training ground for drills in groups. Everything was done in an orderly and disciplined manner.

He looked at it carefully for a while before turning around and coming to Lu Xiang-sheng. He coughed and asked, "Jian Dou, are you busy?" Upon hearing this, Lu Xiang-sheng looked up, quickly stood up, and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

Zhu Jue nodded slightly and then asked, "How many able-bodied men have been recruited for the garrison? How is the selection process going?"

Without hesitation, Lu Xiang-sheng replied, "We have recruited over 300,000 able-bodied men for the garrison. Among them, over 100,000 soldiers from the Beijing garrison have been selected, and nearly 100,000 are preparing to transfer to the navy and are currently resting in their barracks. The remaining 100,000 are still being selected."

Zhu Jue nodded slightly and then asked, "With so many troops, can the barracks in the eastern and northeastern outer cities accommodate them all?"

This is not a big problem.

Lu Xiang-sheng explained in detail: "Your Majesty, our barracks are built to be quite spacious. Twenty people can lie down side by side in one barracks without any problem. Therefore, these two barracks can easily accommodate 400,000 people."

The number of able-bodied men recruited for this garrison is far more than 400,000.

You should move these out, otherwise this place will be overflowing in a few days.

Zhu Jue knew that the reason Lu Xiang-sheng hadn't reassigned the recruited young men to other areas of the capital was because there weren't many barracks in other parts of the city.

Although it's springtime, the temperature is still a bit low, especially at night, when it's still quite cold. In this kind of weather, it's definitely not feasible to camp without a place to stay.

He thought about it carefully, and then decisively said, "Jiandou, you should also prepare to relocate these able-bodied men from the garrison."

Just in time, Boya is about to recapture the south bank of the Hun River, but he is still short of troops. Moreover, he has built many new cities and has even more barracks. Once you have selected 120,000 soldiers from the Jingying garrison, have them push their chariots to the shipyard on the north bank of the Tonghui River to take a boat to Liaodong.

You should still be careful. Have them push the chariots over when it gets dark, and have them set off by boat before dawn the next day, trying not to attract attention.

As for the training, let Boya handle the training of these 120,000 chariot troops. They'll probably have to wait another ten days to half a month before the city of Liaohai is unsealed, so Boya can arrange for them to be trained.

Do you still think there aren't enough troops in Liaodong?
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiang-sheng was taken aback for a moment before nodding repeatedly and saying, "Your Majesty, I understand."

Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then carefully instructed, "Zhilong, you also need to start training the naval officers and soldiers. After the selection is completed here, you should mobilize the ships and take them to the Haihe Shipyard."

Perfect timing! The timber processing plant and warehouse over there are still under construction, and the camps are still there. You can let them live in the empty camps over there, and then order the naval officers to take them to the medium-sized Zhiyuan warship that is under construction every day to help out and get familiar with the ship's operation.

In this way, when the first batch of small and medium-sized Zhiyuan warships are completed next month, you can order your naval officers to take them to the inland sea for a training exercise.

You'd better hurry. Before Hongkui and his fleet return in August, you must get all the naval officers and soldiers trained. Then they'll be able to pilot the medium-sized Zhiyuan merchant ships and go to the Americas with Hongkui and his men to haul goods.”

Speaking of August, Lu Xiang-sheng suddenly realized something and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, will the military examinations and palace examinations still be held this year? We have recruited so many people at once, and we are seriously short of generals to lead them."

This must be done.

Zhu Jue nodded without hesitation and said, "We are in dire need of military commanders. We must hold the military examinations and the palace examinations. From now on, the military examinations will be just like the civil examinations, and the examinations will be held on time every time."

"You will still be in charge of organizing this military examination. We need to separate the military examination from the civil service examination. We don't need the examination hall anymore. You will need to properly arrange this outer city camp. From now on, the military examination will be held here."

As they were discussing, Fang Zhenghua suddenly rushed over with a memorial in his hand, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, an urgent report from Shanxi."

This must have been initiated by Pan Yunteng.

Zhu Jue took the memorial and looked at it; it was indeed true.

An urgent report came from the Shanxi Military Command: the rebel Zhang Yun had suddenly mobilized 500,000 to 600,000 troops, who were advancing into Shanxi from the directions of Zezhou and Lu'an Prefecture in two separate routes.

The cabinet also submitted a draft proposal, suggesting that Hou Xun be dispatched as governor-general of Xuanfu, Datong and Shanxi as soon as possible to mobilize troops to suppress the rebel Zhang Yun's forces.

The tone of this cabinet's draft proposal is off.

So you mean Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong are your own people, and Zhang Yun, the King of Hanzhong, is the enemy?
The old foxes in the cabinet generally wouldn't make such an obvious mistake unless they were distracted and in a hurry.

The three powerful clans of Puzhou must be getting anxious, after all, Shanxi is their stronghold.

Alright, I'll have Zhang Yun, the King of Hanzhong, deal with you!
Zhu Jue snorted inwardly, then beckoned Fang Zhenghua over and whispered some instructions in his ear.

(End of this chapter)