First Minister of Ming Dynasty

Zhang Ximeng, who was standing in front of the army, had faintly sensed it. He rubbed his temples, and said helplessly to his wife, "Am I a little too high-profile? It stands to reason that I shouldn't get involved in such a big prize this time. It should be left to His Majesty."

While knitting a sweater, Jiang Nan smiled and said, "Why, are you worried about the master? If you are worried, you can go back to the forest and honestly stay at home to take care of the children. Anyway, I can support my family."

Zhang Ximeng rolled his eyelids and said amusedly, "Madam is really ambitious!"

Jiang Nan smiled lightly and said, "What else can I do? Don't you know, it's His Majesty who deliberately pushed you to this position, and it depends on whether you have the ability to handle it."

Zhang Ximeng was really curious: "Why did Madam say that?"

Jiang Nan simply put down the knitting needle in his hand, and said with a smile: "What's so hard to guess! It's been so many years. Although His Majesty is talented, he is too strong and lacks ingenuity. The master is thoughtful and meticulous. The world is unparalleled. The two of you are truly a perfect match, and you cooperate with each other tacitly, even the person next to me is jealous."

Zhang Ximeng was taken aback, "Don't talk nonsense!"

"What nonsense?" Jiang Nan said with a smile: "The empress also said the same! She told me that she didn't even guess that His Majesty gave up the royal conquest, but the master is very good at predicting things. You are better than the empress. Get to know Your Majesty!"

The corners of Zhang Ximeng's mouth twitched, pondering a little.

He is also quite helpless, although the time between Lao Zhu and Empress Ma is definitely longer, but there is no way, most of them are resting and sleeping... In contrast, between their monarchs and ministers, they discussed more issues and understood better In-depth, this is also impossible.

"Hey, you can say whatever you want! But you are right. Next, the world will be unified, and the Han and Tang dynasties will be basically restored. How to go further, how to layout, how to surpass the Han and Tang dynasties, and surpass the Yuan Dynasty in terms of territory... these things Your Majesty alone is definitely not enough. He needs me to provide theories and come up with solutions. The most important thing is to coordinate all parties, allocate resources, and distribute benefits. Otherwise, we will be the same as Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty , the country is prosperous and then declining, under the prosperous times, the people's livelihood is difficult, and the foundation is corrupted!"

Jiang Nan pondered for a while, and said: "Master, don't you see it clearly? In fact, what you are afraid of is not the master of great achievements, but the fear that you will not be able to live up to your reputation! Are you afraid that you will not be able to take on this mission?"

Zhang Ximeng couldn't help laughing out loud, "Ma'am really hit the nail on the head, I'm all over the place."

Zhang Ximeng reached out and grabbed the knitting needle, and said with a smile, "Ma'am, should we do something more important?"

Jiang Nan: "..."

The fleet went out to Yingtian, took the canal, and finally stopped in Linqing.

This is also the place where Xu Da's army gathered.

Zhang Ximeng felt a little embarrassed when he saw Xu Da.

"The real swearing-in meeting should let you be the protagonists. In the end, you all went out. Just letting me show my face in Yingtian is really not kind!"

Xu Da couldn't help laughing and said: "What Zhang Xiang said is wrong, do you think we don't want to let Zhang Xiang show his face? Needless to say, you have treated the big guy with kindness. Who in the army does not read Zhang Xiang? Good looks! Besides, you are in the early stage of the swearing-in meeting, and there will be a triumphant ceremony in the future, won’t you have to drink Yanshan? When the time comes, let’s get drunk together! Wouldn’t it be better!”

Zhang Ximeng couldn't help clapping his hands and laughing, "Well said, well said! Since that's the case, I will accept it calmly. You can discuss how to fight the next battle. I have come all the way, I am a little tired, and I need to rest Some days."

Xu Da nodded with a smile, "Naturally, but when the army goes out and officially launches an offensive, it is necessary to show up to boost morale."

"it is good!"

Zhang Ximeng readily agreed and went to accompany his wife again.

But just as Zhang Ximeng left, a small boat flew down from the Yellow River to the Kaifeng section, and then changed to a fast horse, heading towards Linqing.

The horse runs like flying, and is as anxious as a spark.

The news was sent to Linqing Daying, with only one line on it.

"Tongguan has started!"

what?

Feng Guoyong and the others have recovered Tongguan!

oh my gosh!

Tongguan is mostly a dangerous place, the gateway to the middle of the pass, and the throat!

Li Siqi has been in business for many years, and has garrisoned troops layer by layer.

Everyone is wondering, there will be a big bloody battle in Tongguan, how can they get it so easily?

Did Li Siqi not resist?

This is not scientific!

But in any case, with Tongguan in hand, this battle has already won a good start. Blocking Guanzhong is equivalent to breaking an arm of the Yuan army.

"Feng Dadu has done a lot of merit!"

Zhang Ximeng hastily ordered to report the victory to Yingtian, and at the same time gave Xu Da and the others an order to attack immediately without waiting.Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yuan Jun was fooled.

In this way, under Zhang Ximeng's order, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and Hu Dahai, according to the original plan, sent troops separately... The battle for recovery suddenly started.

The news quickly spread to Ying Tian.

Tongguan?

It is the very dangerous Tongguan in the legend, and it is so easy to get it?

It's still our Mr. Zhang!

Don't say anything, just one word: cow!

The common people laughed and laughed, and the teahouses and restaurants were full of high-spirited talk, and everyone seemed to be celebrating the new year.Our Mr. Zhang is so powerful. With a wave of his hand, he put Tongguan in his sleeve.

Don't he know how to throw beans into soldiers, can he?

Good guy, Zhang Ximeng is almost a god.

The Northern Expedition won a good start.

Quietly, the issuance of treasury bonds became lively again.

Some merchants who didn't buy it, or those who didn't dare to sell, are now willing to buy at a premium.

The soldiers of our Ming Dynasty are powerful, they are divine soldiers and heavenly generals, and they can conquer everything and win battles. I'm afraid it won't be long before even most of them can be brought back.

The people's emotions were boiling and rejoicing, and Zhu Yuanzhang was naturally happy, but he knew more news, such as Tongguan was given up by Li Siqi voluntarily...

Chapter 553 I am from the Northern Expeditionary Army on the West Road

The number one Xiongguan in the world, the gate of Guanzhong, and Tongguan changed hands so easily, it sounds like nonsense.

What's the problem?

Three days later, Zhang Ximeng received news one after another, and finally figured out the reason.

As mentioned earlier, the crown prince summoned his party members, mobilized Chahan's old troops, and besieged Wang Baobao.

Among them, Li Siqi and Chahan Timur are veterans who raised troops together. After Chahan died, I should be allowed to take over the power. How can we allow the younger generation to show their teeth and claws?

As a result, Li Siqi invited other generals in Chang'an, including Zhang Sidao, Tuo Liebo, Kong Xing and others, to besiege Baobao together.

They mobilized a large number of soldiers and horses, and they had a good meal with Wang Baobao to kill them. The blood flowed like a river, and they were alone and poor.

On the opposite side of them, there are Feng Guo's elite Ming army, Fu Youde, Ding Pulang and other famous tiger and wolf generals.

At this point, it is not surprising that Li Siqi abandoned Tongguan without a fight.

It's not that he doesn't want to keep it, but he really can't keep it.

It is impossible for him to throw tens of thousands of elites at Tongguan. Even if he wins against Daming, so what?

Chahan Timur's lesson from the past is not to say that it is not tragic.

If you think too much, it's easy to take your own life into it.

Protecting yourself always comes first.

So Li Siqi, a smart man, not only gave up Tongguan, he didn't even want Chang'an, he went directly to Run Fengxiang's lair.

Things have come to this point, and even Feng Guoyong can't do it anymore.

What should I do?

Take advantage of the situation, go straight to Chang'an, then attack Fengxiang, and fight Li Siqi in Guanzhong, or go north to Yan'an Mansion, go straight to Datong, assist the Northern Expedition army, and besiege Dadu...

The choices before Feng Guoyong suddenly increased.

But because of this, Feng Guoyong hesitated for the first time.

His westward group has made a clear position very early on. They want to collect the Hexi Corridor and even go straight to the Western Regions.But the problem is that they are a partial division after all, they must cooperate with the main force, and they cannot mess around on their own.

Feng Guoyong was very clear about whether he could advance or retreat. If he could make the decision, if he couldn't, he could only ask Zhang Dushi to make the decision.

"What to do depends on the overall situation we are in now."

Beside Zhang Ximeng, there are only two young generals, one is Lan Yu and the other is Li Wenzhong.Even Zhu Wenzheng is in command of the Shandong Army, following Xu Da in the expedition.

Zhang Ximeng can only talk to these two people, "Li Siqi has given up important lands one after another. With Feng Guo's talents, there is more than half the possibility of finding a way to wipe out Li Siqi... If it is placed before the decisive battle in the Central Plains, I will probably agree to let him go. His Majesty will definitely agree to Feng Guoyong's march, but now, I cannot agree."

Lan Yu thought for a while, then said: "Sir, you are saying that we are more confident now, so there is no need to take risks?"

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "There is another meaning, think about it carefully."

This time it was Li Wenzhong who said: "The general trend is with me, and the possibility of Li Siqi's surrender has also greatly increased?"

"Yes!" Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "Indeed, we may win Li Siqi to surrender now. Can you understand the value of this matter?"

Lan Yu's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly said: "Of course I know this. Li Siqi and Chahan Timur gathered together the soldiers and horses of powerful landlords to suppress the Red Scarf Army. After more than ten years of fighting, Li Siqi has tens of thousands of elites Occupying the land of Guanzhong, he is a rare powerful faction in the Yuan court. With his surrender, the overall situation in Guanzhong has been opened."

"And then?" Zhang Ximeng asked again.

Lan Yu thought for a while, then continued: "If Guanzhong falls into our hands, the soldiers and horses of the kings of Shaanxi and Gansu will not be able to go back. It will be much more convenient to march into Hexi and recover the Western Regions in the future."

"Any more?"

"Also? Then, that's Shanxi! Once Guanzhong is in your hands, the soldiers and horses in Shanxi will have nowhere to escape. If you can quickly go north, capture Datong, and cut off the route of the Yuan army's northward escape, it is tantamount to closing the door and beating dogs in one fell swoop. Annihilation!"

Zhang Ximeng leaned on the chair with a smile and asked, "What's the benefit of doing this?"

This time it was Li Wenzhong who answered first, "Mr. Zhang, this Northern Expedition is [-]% sure of victory. The difference is how many soldiers and horses can be surrounded. The more troops and horses the Yuan court retreats to the grassland, the more troubles we will have in the future." On the contrary, if we can keep these people, our pressure will be much less in the future. This Northern Expedition is to make dumplings, and the stuffing is as filling as possible!"

Lan Yu said with a smile: "Based on that, I hope that the Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty will be stationed in the capital, and live and die with the country."

Li Wenzhong chuckled, "It's best to be like this, I'm afraid the emperor in Dadu can't be worse than Huiqin, right?"

Sapphire has nothing to say, and couldn't agree more.

However, Zhao Ji, Zhao Huan, plus Zhao Gou, father and son, successfully pulled the lower limit of the emperor to a negative value. In the past, a fool could be the emperor. They fully proved that fools are not terrible, but bastards are really terrible.Especially those bastards who are shameless and have no bottom line, even a dog sitting there is probably better than them.

After all, the dog is rushed into the territory, and it still knows how to yell, and it can bite people when it is impatient!

After a brief discussion, Zhang Ximeng determined the policy, not to rush into the army, but to win Li Siqi's surrender.

But the question is, how can something like Li Siqi surrender easily?

How to make a decision still needs to be carefully weighed and properly grasped.

Zhang Ximeng wrote a letter and asked someone to send it to Tongguan at [-] miles and hand it over to Feng Guoyong.

After receiving the letter and tearing it open, Feng Guoyong took a few glances at it and burst out laughing.

"Zhang Xiang is indeed a genius! Thousands of miles away, he can predict things like a god!"

After Feng Guoyong finished speaking, he immediately said: "Tell Ding Pulang that in three days, you will take Huazhou for me."

After the order was issued, Feng Guoyong said again: "Tell Ding Pulang again, try to capture prisoners as much as possible, and don't hurt these soldiers, I am useful."

Ding Pulang sneered when he received the order. Three days, he underestimated me too much!

"Feng Guosheng, tell your brother, I will take down Huazhou today, and let's drink celebration wine in Huazhou!"

Feng Guosheng said with a chuckle: "Brother, if you say that, if people order you again, how can you show your strength? Let's take Huazhou first, and then tell the governor to recover Huazhou two days in advance, wouldn't it be better? "

Ding Pulang paused, couldn't help laughing and said: "You still have more eyes, so just do as you say!"

The two immediately mobilized their troops, and Ding Pulang led the vanguard and directly raided Huazhou.

Ding Pulang has the title of Desperate Saburo in the army, and he can be called a lunatic when fighting.

He rushed to Huazhou like lightning, and the city guards responded in a hurry. They fought hard and finally repelled Ding Pulang's attack, but they also suffered heavy losses.

And just when the defenders in the city were in a hurry, Feng Guosheng led the troops to arrive.

"You start from the west city, the defense is empty, and the city is not strong, it can probably explode."

Feng Guosheng nodded quickly, thanking his brother for his loyalty.

Then Feng Guosheng commanded the troops and launched a strong attack. Unlike Ding Pulang's all-out offensive, Feng Guosheng focused on the attack, and the defenders were thrown into chaos all at once.

On the top of the city, the loss was heavy.

Bows, crossbows, firecrackers, greetings like raindrops, and the sound of screams can be heard endlessly.

Seeing that the fire was almost ready, Feng Guosheng dispatched a demolition team from miners to take action.

Three hours later, there was a loud noise, and a hole was blown open in the city wall.

Then the army poured in, and the battle lasted until midnight, and Huazhou changed hands.