The Ming Dynasty's Spokesperson

Anyway, after wandering around Shaanxi for more than a month, Lin Taifu finally settled down temporarily in Qingyang.

His public reason was that he wanted to remember the former leader of the literary world, Li Mengyang, as the first deputy leader of the current literary world.

As long as you open the Northwest Traffic Map of the Ming Dynasty, you can see that Qingyang is the only way from the hinterland of Shaanxi to Ningxia Town.

The only official road from the Guanzhong Plain to Ningxia Town passes through Qingyang, and then enters Ningxia Town. The official road from Yan'an Prefecture to Ningxia Town in the east also passes through Qingyang.

So Lin Taifu's 200 family servants and 1,000 standard soldiers finally got a thorough rest. Of course, they still had to continue to maintain light training. Lin Taifu did not allow his men to slack off too much.

In addition, taking advantage of his position as the supervisor of logistics, Lin Taifu allocated a large number of excellent horses, weapons, and equipment to his standard camp, and the excess was equipped to the family servants.

Mainly from the military supplies transported to Ningxia Town, they were deducted along the way.

There was even enough strength to organize a 500-strong militia camp in Qingyang. Those who were selected were all the unemployed soldiers of the guards. They were given two taels of resettlement allowance when they entered the camp.

Anyway, the military funds withheld could not be used up, and the expenses were all the court's money. Having 500 more people under his command would give him a sense of security.

So the direct combat force under Lin Taifu increased to 1,700 people, and they were well-equipped, one man with two horses, high morale, and rich combat experience.

If he was not afraid of being misunderstood as wanting to rebel, Lin Taifu would have wanted to expand the army by thousands more.

The Ming Dynasty's supervision system was very developed, and cross-monitoring was everywhere. Immediately, the governor and inspector of Shaanxi and the governor of Ningxia Town all submitted memorials, impeaching Lin Tailai for arbitrarily withholding military funds and training troops without authorization.

Lin Tailai impeached him in return. Ningxia Town Haobai and his son demanded a large number of replacements for weak military horses and accumulation of food and equipment, which must be a different intention!

Ningxia Town Inspector reported that Haobai and his son had military talent, and Lin Tailai framed Haobai and his son because of personal grudges.

Lin Tailai impeached Haobai and his son again, saying that Haobai and his son frequently contacted old subordinates in private and plotted something bad!

In this way, the verbal battle lasted for nearly a month.

The court's attitude was still mainly to smooth things over. At the same time, it did not think that Haobai would really rebel, but only asked Lin Tailai not to make trouble again.

In mid-February, looking at the imperial edict sent to him by the court, Lin Taifu could not help but sigh and compose a poem:

"The spring cold on the frontier is cold, and the border commander is worried about the hair.

Why would I hesitate to throw myself into the hands of jackals and tigers for the rest of my life? The collective strategy should be to control dogs and sheep.

Human affairs are like chess, and the emperor's grace will never be forgotten.

Both shoulders seem to be weighed down by thousands of pounds, and the sword is expected to be given to Shangfang."

The lieutenant general Da Donglou next to him did not understand after listening, but felt that Lin Taifu might be in a bad mood.

Lin Tailai turned around and asked, "Did you understand my poem?"

Commander Da shook his head honestly, "I only half understood it."

Lin Tailai said angrily, "In order to increase the popularity of my poem in the border areas with a slightly lower cultural level, my creative concept has been as simple as possible. How can you still not understand it?"

Commander Da did not want to discuss poetry with Lin Tailai, so he just asked, "What did the court say to General Lin?"

Lin Tailai said dissatisfiedly, "The court actually severely reprimanded me and ordered that it would not happen again!"

Commander Da: "."

It's over with a "not happening again", what else are you dissatisfied with, Lin Taifu?

If someone else dared to do this, he would have been dismissed and sent home, or exiled on the spot!

Maybe, this is called prestige?

Lin Tailai put down the imperial edict, and seemed to be in a low mood. "It's a pity that I am full of passion and want to eliminate traitors for the country, but no one can understand it. Instead, I am reprimanded. How embarrassing!

The early spring in the frontier is still a bit cold. I guess the magnolias in my hometown have bloomed, right?"

General Da was a little surprised and responded, "I didn't expect that General Lin would be so sentimental. Is this homesickness?"

Lin Tailai explained, "You don't understand. The dredging project of the lower reaches of the Wusong River, which cost 300,000 or 400,000 taels of silver and was led by me, should have been completed last autumn and winter.

Next, we must vigorously promote port construction, smuggling, maritime trade, and hall layout.

It's a pity that I can't split myself now. Thinking about the work waiting for me, I'm anxious."

When he heard the number "300,000 or 400,000 taels", General Da was already confused and couldn't understand Lin Taifu's anxious mood at all.

He just said dizzily: "Then General Lin should ask for leave and go back."

Lin Tailai said painfully: "But if Haibai doesn't rebel, I can't leave, I can only waste time here!"

At this time, a spy sent to Ningxia Town suddenly came to report that Haibai and his son were in turmoil and surrounded the governor's office and the general's mansion!

"Finally!" Lin Tailai immediately ordered General Da: "The whole army is ready! Move out at any time!"

Although Dayun always heard Lin Tailai say that Haibai was rebellious, he still felt incredible when he saw Haibai really rebel.

"How dare Haibai?" General Da couldn't understand.

Lin Tailai briefly explained: "First, Haibai is arrogant and inexplicably despises our Ming army. I don't know why he thinks that the Ming army will definitely not be able to defeat him.

Second, Haibai is confident that he has foreign aid and can lead several northern tribes to join forces to invade.

Third, many generals in Ningxia Town are Haibai's old subordinates."

In the middle of February of the 19th year of Wanli in this time and space, Haibai and his sons and their generals started a rebellion, killed the governor and the general, and occupied Ningxia Town.

Then the rebels launched a large-scale attack and occupied the 47th Hexi fort in Ningxia Town in one breath! The whole of Shaanxi was shocked!

Logically speaking, Governor Zheng Luo should be responsible for leading the various ministries to exterminate the rebels, but Governor Zheng was pinned down in the direction of Gansu on the West Sea at this time and could not leave.

Therefore, the imperial court urgently appointed Ye Mengxiong, the governor of Shaanxi Province, as the Governor-General of Photography, and gave him the Fangfang Sword, with full authority to exterminate the Kuaibai rebels.

At the same time, Shaanxi Xingtaipu Temple Shaoqing and Lin Tailai, counselor of military affairs and food and salary manager, were appointed as supervisors.

Before Governor Ye Mengxiong arrived, Supervisor Lin ordered his battalion to take the lead in setting off!

General Da Shen asked: "The rebels occupy the west of the river. The next step will be to cross the south of the river and invade the land east of the river. Lingzhou is the strategic point of the east of the river and must not be missed.

Should we go directly to Lingzhou, or should we first join the officers and soldiers in nearby Guyuan Town? "

Lin Tailai replied: "The rebels are so powerful, how can we, 1,700 people, have the strength to stop the enemy head-on?

Don't confront the rebels head-on for the time being. The first step is to go around to the northernmost end of Ningxia Town, which is the rear of the rebels, to harass them. "

The Hexi area of ​​Ningxia Town occupied by the rebels is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Helan Mountains and the Yellow River.

It is long from north to south, about three to four hundred miles; narrow from east to west, about one hundred miles on average.

Generally speaking, the war area was not too big, and it was mainly fought around 200 miles around Ningxia Town, which was very convenient for cavalry mobile support.

The rebels are currently on the offensive, generally attacking from south to north.

"Going to the rear of the rebels to harass?" Although Dayun understood Lin Junmen's strategic intentions, there were still technical difficulties.

"How do we get through the rebel-held forts to the north, behind the rebels?"

Lin Tailai pointed to a point on the map, "Exit the side wall from Huamachi and go around the outside of the side wall!

Don't you like to rush outside the border wall? How dare I, Lin Tailai! "

Dayun couldn't help but advise: "It is still very dangerous to march outside the border wall. If you run into a hostile cavalry, problems may arise if you engage in a hasty battle.

Junmen, you have a lot of money and precious body, why take such a risk? "

Lin Tailai replied: "Don't worry! Even if I am captured by Luqi, there will be no big problem.

Since leaving Xi'an, I have been recharging my energy to cope with this risk! "

After making the march plan, the entire battalion of 1,700 people set off immediately and rushed from Qingyang to Huamachi. After a short rest and replenishment, they set off again!

From Huamachi, we crossed the border wall and drove 200 miles north to reach the northernmost tip of Ningxia Town.

For a cavalryman with two horses, two hundred miles is not too far.

After setting up a temporary camp, Lin Tailai sent out scouts to inquire about the surrounding situation.

Half a day later, a scout came to report, "Pinglu Fort at the northern end of the town has not fallen! Thousands of rebels are still attacking Pinglu Fort!"

Lin Taipu opened his eyes wide and shouted in great surprise: "There is actually a lonely city in Hexi! We came at the right time!"

General Da: "."

Lin Junmen, can your acting skills be more exaggerated?

Did you already know that Pinglu Fort was still holding on, so you would rather risk driving two hundred miles from the border wall to the north?

But how did Lin Junmen know that Pinglu Fort was still holding on even though it was hundreds of miles away?

Historically, in the initial stage of the Wanli Dynasty's Battle of Ningxia, when the rebels launched a full-scale offensive, all the forty-seven forts in Hexi were lost, but Pinglu Fort was the only one to hold on.

Pinglu Fort guard Xiao Ruxun and his wife Yang dispersed their property and refused to surrender.

The rebel general Tu Wenxiu has been attacking the city. At the same time, Kuai Bai's adopted son Kuai Yun guided the Beilu troops to Pinglu Fort.

Under this situation, guard Xiao Ruxun miraculously set up an ambush to defeat Zhuli Tu's tribe, killed Yiyun, and then repelled Tu Wenxiu.

So Lin Tailai's troops marched hundreds of miles just to speed up the victory process.

"Eat and drink enough first! When the rebels attack the city, charge from behind and kill them!"

Later, Lin Taipu commanded 1,700 cavalry to attack the rebels from behind under the wall of Pinglu Fort.

With the help of the inside and outside defenders, the rebels were defeated on the spot and the rebel general Tu Wenxiu was killed.

Three days later, Lin Taipu cooperated with Xiao Ruxun, the defender of Pinglu Fort, to ambush the Litu tribe of captives and defeat them. They killed Kuaibai's adopted son Kuaiyun and captured no one but no livestock.

General Da Shen was so mesmerized, how could it be so easy to follow Lin Tailai and achieve great victory? Is fighting so simple?

After the victory at Pinglu Fort, Lin Tailai led his troops to leave in a hurry, detouring outside the border wall again and returning to Huamachi.

Here, Supervisor Lin met Governor Ye Mengxiong.

At this time, the army transferred from other towns by the imperial court had not yet arrived, and Governor Ye was still hesitating between attacking and defending, undecided.

Lin Supervisory Army strongly advocated the use of existing troops and immediately began to counterattack.

After all, the sooner the war ends, the less damage and losses will be caused.

Supervisor Lin advised Governor Ye: "The rebels seem to be very powerful at the moment, but in fact the offensive is already at its end!

The most powerful men under Kuai Bai and his son were actually only a few thousand private soldiers.

Although the rebels occupied Forty-seven Forts in Hexi, they actually did not have that many reliable troops to guard them.

Many defenders just happened suddenly and were caught off guard and found it difficult to resist.

Moreover, they still had a sense of luck in their hearts, thinking that if they were treated as a mutiny and appeased, then they would be fine.

Therefore, the people on the rebel side are not submissive. As soon as the army arrives, everyone will rebel again. "

One advantage of Governor Ye is that he listens to advice better than Governor Zheng.

So Governor Ye personally took charge of the crucial Huamachi, and ordered the supervisory army Lin Tailai and Guyuan Town deputy general Li Yu to station in Lingzhou, Hedong.

In addition, he ordered the guerrilla general Zhao Wu to lead a detachment to contain the rebels in the southwest and prevent them from continuing to move south.

After the rebels took over Hexi, they rested for a while and then attacked Hedong, with Lingzhou City bearing the brunt.

Haibai's dream was to emulate the old deeds of Li Yuanhao of Western Xia, so he had to gain territory in Hedong.

In mid-March, outside Lingzhou City, Lin Tailai and Li Xu defeated the rebels led by Hai Chengen and won a great victory in Lingzhou.

The participating commander Da was intoxicated again. Can a great victory be the same as eating and drinking?

Then Lin Tailai and Li Xu led the army forward and counterattacked to Hexi.

After the adverse situation appeared, the rebel commander Haibai could not sit still in Ningxia Town, and personally led his army to attack Yuquan City occupied by the detachment Zhao Wu.

He thought of defeating the weaker southwest detachment Zhao Wu first, and then going back to fight Lin Tailai and Li Xu.

However, Zhao Wu also held on in Yuquan City, and Haibai was caught in a dilemma.

At the end of March, Lin Tailai and Li Xu led their troops to Yuquan in time, and defeated the rebels from the front and back.

After the victory in Yuquan, Haibai fled back to Ningxia Town and held on.

Da Canjiang was intoxicated. From Xining to Gansu and then to Ningxia, what was it like to win five major victories in half a year?

No wonder Lin Taifu said in Xining that if he was really promoted based on military merit, he would not be promoted to the position of the Prime Minister!

And Lin Tailai was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. He ran hundreds of miles in the past month and finally got all the major victories in the early stage.

No, it was a successful acceleration of the victory process and reduced the trauma of the war.

From then on, the rebels completely lost their offensive capabilities, and the government troops easily recovered the 47 forts in Hexi except Ningxia Town.

At this point, the first phase of the Wanli Ningxia War was basically over, nearly a month earlier than the original history, and this was Lin Tailai's credit.

Ningxia Town, which is Yinchuan in later generations, is a powerful city in the northwest today, with tall and strong city walls.

Although the rebels of Haibai have lost their offensive capabilities, they can still gather 20,000 troops to defend the city, and there are also roaming cavalry outside to support them.

With the existing participating official troops, they really have no ability to attack Ningxia City, and they can't even besiege it.

Without several times the number of troops of the defenders, don't even think about attacking the city.

Moreover, the war is too fast, and now the official troops are almost out of food and grass.

Therefore, they can only wait for the foreign town troops mobilized by the court to come to support before they can carry out the next stage of siege battles.

It is reported that the court has appointed Ma Gui to lead the Datong Town troops, Li Rusong to lead the Xuanfu Town troops, and Dong Yikui to lead the Yansui Town troops to Ningxia for support.

At this time, Governor Ye can finally rest assured.

At least the situation was turned around in the fastest time, and the trust of the court was not let down. I believe that His Majesty the Emperor will be very pleased!

During the rest and preparation period, Governor Ye summarized the first phase of the battle report and sent it to the court.

The victory of Pinglubao in the north, Lin Tailai, Xiao Ruxun and Dayun;

The victory of Lingzhou in the southeast, Lin Tailai, Li Xu and Dayun;

The victory of Yuquan in the southwest, Lin Tailai, Li Xu, Zhao Wu and Dayun.

After reading the battle report, the emperor and the court officials slowly asked a question in their hearts.

Who was commanding the battle of Ningxia? Why was Lin Tailai everywhere?

Was Governor Ye Mengxiong's task just to write battle reports?