Signed to Zhu Cihong, Prince of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 195 Chapter 195, Zhu Cihong proposed to go south, three thousand soldiers, one article and one military

Beijing City, Daming Palace.

After learning that Zhang Xianzhong was victorious, Zuo Liangyu was defeated in Jiujiang and was very likely to covet Jiangnan, Emperor Chongzhen immediately convened a cabinet discussion.

"You all talk about it, what should we do now?" After Wang Chengen introduced the situation, Chongzhen almost couldn't wait to speak.

There is no way, now that Li Zicheng is poisoning Shaanxi in the Central Plains, and Zhang Xianzhong is entrenched in Huguang and Tiger Watching Sichuan, Jiangnan is really too important to Ming!

After listening to the briefing, the other ministers present were also shocked.

In the minds of these ministers, Zhang Xianzhong is only a second-rate bandit after all, and Zuo Liangyu is also a second-rate general. The fight between the two second-rates will take at least next spring, or even a year or two.

Who knew that it had only been two months since the fight started, and that winter hadn't even arrived yet, Zhang Xianzhong laid Zuo Liangyu on the ground.

Who's to make sense of this?

The British Duke smiled wryly, and said: "Actually, it would be best if Zhang Xianzhong and Zuo Liangyu could keep at each other. The current situation makes Daming somewhat passive."

In the original expectation of the British Duke, the Ming court should have taken advantage of Zhang Xianzhong and Zuo Liangyu's fight, and there was no opportunity for any threat from Jiangnan, and directly wiped out Li Zicheng.

Next, no matter who wins or loses Zhang Xianzhong or Zuo Liangyu, Daming, who has regained Henan and Shaanxi, and opened up the connection with Sichuan, can deal with it calmly.

But now that Jiangnan has been targeted by Zuo Liangyu, the situation is completely different.

Whether it is Jiangnan or the capital, Daming must never be discarded.

Li Guozhen couldn't help but said: "Zuo Liangyu just lost the battle, why did he attack Jiangnan? Maybe he was too worried."

The British Duke shook his head and said, "Don't you know that place in Jiangxi, Uncle Xiangcheng? The food production and population there are not enough to support a large army. If Zuo Liangyu can't conquer Jiangnan, he may even survive the winter." No!"

As soon as the voice of the British Duke fell, a new urgent military report from eight hundred miles was delivered.

"Your Majesty, I just got the news that Zuo Liangyu's troops have flowed down the Jiujiang River and started to attack Nanzhili!"

After hearing the news, Chongzhen's face changed drastically again.

"Jiangnan" is actually a relatively general term. In a narrow sense, the general scope refers to the later generations of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, with Hangzhou and Suzhou as the core areas.

The territory under the jurisdiction of the Southern Zhili of the Ming Dynasty includes the two provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu and Shanghai in later generations, including two of the three provincial-level administrative regions of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai in later generations. Therefore, when the news of the attack on Nanzhili came, all Everyone knows - Zuo Liangyu's attack on Jiangnan has officially begun!

Zhu Cihong coughed, and said, "Father, there is nothing to worry about now, right? Let the son lead the troops to the south and put down this Zuo Liangyu!"

Zhu Cixiang's invitation to fight immediately cheered up Chongzhen, and he hurriedly said: "Okay, let's do it like this!"

After many battles, Chongzhen's rating of Zhu Cihong's commander-in-chief can be said to be very high, at least three or four floors higher than Chongzhen himself.

Of course, considering that Chongzhen's self-rating may be a few floors below the ground, there may be some people who are seven or eight floors tall...

The British Duke hesitated for a moment, considering whether he should ask for a job.

Zhu Cihong obviously thought of this, turned his gaze to the British lord, and said seriously: "British lord, the safety of the capital is in your hands."

British Duke: "...the old minister knows."

Chongzhen also had no objection to this arrangement. Beijing City was indeed at a disadvantage from the current strategic situation. It was right at the gate of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and it had to be guarded by a general like the British Duke.

Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cihong and asked, "Long'er, how many troops do you plan to bring south?"

This is indeed a problem. You must know that although the current military strength of Ming Dynasty is 10,000+, these 10,000+ are actually distributed in the four provinces of northern Shanxi, Jingshi, Beizhili, and Jinan, with multiple fronts stretching thousands of kilometers. superior.

Just guarding the country is enough, and at the same time, these 10,000+ people are also responsible for attacking Li Zicheng to recover the Central Plains, plus the current Zuo Liangyu, then it is a third-front war.

You say that hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses are fighting on the third front, but 10,000+ soldiers and horses are fighting on the third front...

Four words, stretched.

As for why Ming Dynasty did not expand its military, the answer is also very simple - the treasury has no money.

You must know that even the food and other military supplies shipped from the south of the Yangtze River are borrowed by the Ministry of Households in various ways, and the money was racked up to scrape together, barely maintaining the supplies of 10,000+ soldiers and horses and the livelihood of the people in the four provinces. .

Also expand the army?I really think too much.

In order to save military expenses, Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou still have two dishes and one soup every day. If you think about it, an emperor can only have two dishes and one soup.

As for the celebration banquet for the triumphant return of the British Duke before, it is said that Shangshu Hubu sat there without moving a chopstick, and the expression on his face looked distressed when he saw the good wine and food, as if he was dead... That's all Daming's money!
Zhu Cihong naturally knew about this, so he also said without hesitation: "I don't want other soldiers, I just need my three thousand princes' own army, plus two helpers, one civil and one military."

Chongzhen was taken aback: "Lang'er, are you kidding me? That Zuo Liangyu is known as one hundred thousand soldiers!"

Zhu Cihong didn't take it seriously: "One hundred thousand? Before he and Zhang Xianzhong went to war, he should have had one hundred thousand. Now, at best, he has thirty to forty thousand."

Chongzhen: "... [-] to [-] is not something you can afford with [-] troops!"

Zhu Cihong laughed, and asked Chongzhen a question: "Father, does your son look like an idiot who likes to die?"

Chongzhen immediately had a meal.

Of course he understood what Zhu Cihong meant. Since Zhu Cihong was not looking for death, it meant that Zhu Cihong was indeed confident that he could win.

After a long time, Chongzhen said helplessly, "Which two people do you want?"

Zhu Cihong said seriously: "The words of the civil servants are of course Shi Kefa. He has worked in the south of the Yangtze River for several years and is very familiar with the situation there. As for the generals..."

Li Guozhen subconsciously raised his chest when he heard this, and his face showed anticipation.

Zhu Cihong went on to say: "...he must be high-spirited. This person was born in the Guan Ning Army, so he should know Zuo Liangyu quite well. With the help of this civil and military force, I feel that Zuo Liangyu's pacification is easy. .”

As if struck by lightning, Li Guozhen lowered his head in frustration, and there was only one thought in his mind: "His Royal Highness doesn't want me anymore..."

Chongzhen was still worried: "This is enough people? Well, even if you can defeat Zuo Liangyu, what about Zhang Xianzhong?"

Zhu Cihong chuckled and said, "Zhang Xianzhong? He won't go east, father, don't worry."

Zhu Cihong was not a fool, as long as he did a little analysis, he knew that Zhang Xianzhong had just defeated Zuo Liangyu, so why did Zuo Liangyu dare to go straight to Jiangnan instead of resisting Zhang Xianzhong's next attack?

Isn't it just driving tigers and devouring wolves, sitting on the mountain and watching tigers fight, this Zhang Xianzhong has a weak mind!
(End of this chapter)