Chapter 1749: Zhu Chunchen, We Have Come to Rescue You!

Compared with the eastern part of the Yan Mountains, the area of the Liaoxi Corridor is not worth mentioning at all. The former is a vast expanse on the map, while the latter is merely a line. And their strategic value differs enormously as well. Although the Liaoxi Corridor is the passage from the North China Plain to the plains beyond the passes, in the current context of the three-way struggle among the Great Ming, the Northern Yuan, and the Later Jin, the strategic value of the Liaoxi Corridor is practically nonexistent — unless the Ming's military strength could, without the support and coordination of the Northern Yuan, single-handedly crush the Later Jin, or even take down the Later Jin and the Northern Yuan together. Otherwise, advancing through the Liaoxi Corridor to recover Liaodong is an impossible task.

And if one adopts a defensive posture and an alliance with the Northern Yuan, controlling the single line of the Liaoxi Corridor becomes utterly worthless. Because when the Later Jin can bypass Shanhai Pass through the Yan Mountains to attack Ji Garrison, Xuanfu, and Datong, stationing heavy troops in the Liaoxi Corridor outside Shanhai Pass is completely meaningless and only wastes army provisions.

And to make up for the defensive gap created by the emptiness of Ji Garrison's forces due to troops being concentrated in Liaoxi, using market rewards and grain to win over the Kharchin Mongols is an act of the utmost stupidity.

The Great Ming spends more than five million taels every year on military affairs in Liaodong plus the market rewards given to the Mongols. Using this military expenditure to conquer the thirty-odd Kharchin Mongol tribes and open a new Yan Mountain Garrison beyond the border wall of Ji Garrison would be more than enough.

With the protection of Yan Mountain Garrison, whether Ji Garrison even needs to exist becomes an open question. Ji Garrison has no actual territory at all, while the Yan Mountains beyond Ji Garrison's border wall are vast, with many valleys that can be opened up for farming and many rivers with abundant water. If the Great Ming could concentrate the main forces of the Ji and Liao garrisons and seize the land in the eastern Yan Mountains, it could completely push the Ji Garrison defense line forward, and also open up farmland in the many valleys of the Yan Mountains. The land that could be cultivated would far exceed the 500,000 mu in Liaoxi, and the people that could be settled would also exceed the three or four hundred thousand in Liaoxi.

Moreover, this newly opened Yan Mountain Garrison would connect the Bashang grasslands and the Liao River bend grasslands. With the support of Yan Mountain Garrison, the Northern Yuan's "Fleeing Khan" might be able to return to the Liao River bend grasslands. And once the Fleeing Khan returns, the Later Jin's situation would deteriorate sharply, plunging it into the predicament of fighting on multiple fronts.

"We have just returned from the territory of the Kharchin Mongols northwest of the Yan Mountains!" Outside the gate of the Ji-Liao army's main camp, Zhu Youjian was still speaking with Yuan Chonghuan, Zu Dashou, He Kegang, Zhao Shuaijiao, and others who had come out to greet him. "Before We returned, We had already dealt heavy blows to quite a few Kharchin tribes, and many Kharchin Mongol tribes have submitted. We have established a new Myriarchy Ordo, called the Doyan Myriarchy Ordo, to govern these tribes."

"As long as we can drive Hong Taiji out from within the Great Wall this time, we can seize the opportunity to take the territory on the northern and eastern slopes of the Yan Mountains, and establishing a large Yan Mountain Garrison should be no problem. How much territory do you gentlemen have in Liaoxi? What future is there in it? Better to go develop the northern and eastern slopes of the Yan Mountains. Yuan Chonghuan, are you willing to serve as Governor of Yanshan? Zu Dashou, you shall be Regional Commander of Liaoxi, but do not deploy heavy troops in the Liaoxi Corridor — go to the middle and upper reaches of the Daling River and Xiaoling River instead."

Zhu Youjian was striking while the iron was hot, looking as if he was about to make Yuan Chonghuan and Zu Dashou move house immediately.

Not just moving house, but also splitting apart the Guanning Army, which had gradually become an integrated force through the efforts of Sun Chengzong and Yuan Chonghuan.

According to Zhu Youjian's intent, from now on Yuan Chonghuan would be Governor of Yanshan, while Zu Dashou would be Regional Commander of Liaoxi — Yanshan Garrison and Liaoxi Garrison would clearly be two separate military garrisons. And Shanhai Pass Garrison would certainly continue to be defended, so the Guanning Army would be divided into three independent garrisons: Yanshan, Liaoxi, and Shanhai Pass. Yuan Chonghuan would also lose the authority to command all three garrisons.

Moreover, there were still many Mongols in the territories of the Yanshan and Liaoxi garrisons, and when the time came they would either flee or be absorbed by the Doyan Myriarchy Ordo. And Shi Kefa, Lü Daqi, Yang Sichang, Lu Zhenfei, and the other "militia bosses" would also be sent by Zhu Youjian to Yanshan and Liaoxi garrisons to establish prefectures and counties.

The territories of these two garrisons would no longer be places where the Liaodong army's people could have the final say.

"This subject is willing to guard the Yan Mountains for Your Majesty!"

"This subject is willing to go to the Liaoxi mountains."

How could Yuan Chonghuan and Zu Dashou dare say they were unwilling? Zhu Youjian was plainly here to seize military power. If the two of them were unwilling, then it would not be a matter of splitting the Guanning Army, but of punishing them for crimes!

"Willing is good!" Zhu Youjian nodded and smiled. "Go assemble the troops and march out with Us. Do not worry about the Jianzhou slave cavalry — We have brought twelve thousand iron cavalry, and your Ji-Liao army should still have seven or eight thousand cavalry in total. Our cavalry is sufficient."

"Your Majesty is going to Tianshou Mountain?" Yuan Chonghuan asked.

Zhu Youjian shook his head and said, "We are going to rescue Zhu Chunchen! Has he not encountered a large force of slave bandits across the Wenyu River? In these past few days, those killed in battle and those who fled must number fifty thousand by now, right? If We do not go rescue him soon, the soldiers under his command will not be enough to keep dying."

Hearing this, Yuan Chonghuan, Zu Dashou, and Zhao Shuaijiao all felt somewhat worried for Zhu Chunchen. His crimes of falsely reporting enemy conditions and delaying the battle were not small — would he be executed on the spot by Zhu Youjian?

"Commander, Commander, bad news, bad news — reinforcements have arrived!"

Hearing Liu Kongzhao's words, Zhu Chunchen, who had just climbed the watchtower and was preparing to direct his subordinates' "heavy casualties," immediately became anxious.

"What? Reinforcements? From where?"

Indeed, he had been happily cooking the books. And the slave bandits across from him were also cooperating — they seemed to have no real strength either, just putting on a show of force, so they had not caused much actual loss, nor could they possibly rout Zhu Chunchen's army, so he could cook the books at his leisure.

In just a few more days, he would be able to "expend" all eighty thousand Capital Camps troops.

"It should be the Ji-Liao army."

"Yuan Yuansu? What business is it of his to meddle in this?" Zhu Chunchen was displeased.

This fellow had conspired with Sun Chengzong to seize the great profits of the Salt Transport Office, and now he was coming to interfere with his book-cooking too. It was truly outrageous.

But Zhu Chunchen could not stop Yuan Chonghuan from coming. And even if he tried to stop him, it would be useless now. Because those very considerate slave bandits had already been scared off!

The Ji-Liao army was no Capital Camps army, and its numbers were so large — how would Dorgon dare linger on the battlefield? So before the Ji-Liao army even crossed the Wenyu River, he had already withdrawn.

Not long after Dorgon left, the Ji-Liao army arrived at Zhu Chunchen's camp gate. Although Zhu Chunchen was full of displeasure, he still had to go out to greet them.

At the camp gate, he saw column after column of iron cavalry — an awe-inspiring sight!

Zhu Chunchen thought to himself: This Liaodong army is indeed a strong and elite force; the Capital Camps cannot compare!

"Duke of Chengguo, your Capital Camps have fought terribly this time!"

Before Yuan Chonghuan and Zhu Chunchen had even exchanged greetings, a eunuch with a sarcastic tone spoke first.

Zhu Chunchen glanced at the man — it was Cao Huachun.

"Eunuch Cao," Zhu Chunchen said with a smile, "to defend the tombs of the late emperors on Tianshou Mountain, we brothers of the Capital Camps are of course not afraid to die!"

"Then how many were lost today?" Cao Huachun asked again.

"Six thousand!" Zhu Chunchen said. "Of whom more than four thousand died for the country."

"Is that so? Where are the corpses of those loyal martyrs who gave their lives for righteousness? They have not been buried yet, have they? We wish to pay Our respects. Zhu Chunchen, lead the way!"

As Zhu Youjian spoke, he had already ridden out from among the group of iron-armored cavalry behind Yuan Chonghuan and Cao Huachun.

Seeing Zhu Youjian, Zhu Chunchen was instantly stunned!

When had this young emperor arrived among the Ji-Liao army?

Seeing Zhu Chunchen's completely dumbfounded expression, Zhu Youjian smiled and said, "Zhu Chunchen, We received a report saying that your Capital Camps had encountered a large force of slave bandits blocking the way while reinforcing Changping, suffering heavy losses and being in imminent danger. So We traveled day and night, leading twelve thousand cavalry to the rescue. On the way We also encountered the Ji-Liao army, so We came together."

Zhu Chunchen dropped to his knees with a thud before Zhu Youjian. "Your — Your Majesty, this subject, this subject... this subject was just talking nonsense. Today the slave bandits have not even begun their attack — how could there be so many casualties?"

Zhu Youjian's face had already darkened. "Then what about yesterday, the day before, and the day before that? You reported tens of thousands of casualties — where are they all buried? We want to see!"

(End of Chapter)