At almost the same time that Yang Zhen sent Li Ji away and told him to rush back to Laizhou Fucheng to collect Tang Ruowang's belongings and build a tomb for him, there was finally news in Liaoxi, which had been silent.

At noon on March 26, the 15th year of Chongzhen, Hong Chengzhuan, a traveler from Jiliao Governor's Mansion, and Zu Si, Zu Zerun, from Jinzhou Jinyi Boshuai Mansion, brought a fleet of more than a dozen ships with a hundred materials.

A small fleet of two hundred warships took the sea route directly to Shuangdao Bay.

This small fleet was commanded by Jiang Zhu, Hong Chengchou's former deputy general of the Chinese army and now deputy general of the Juehua Island fleet.

Jiang Zhu, who was in his early forties, was a powerful general under Hong Chengchou, but he did not understand the navy.

In the two years since Jiang Zhu was ordered to guard Juehua Island, although the battalion under his command has continued to expand and grow, and the several grain towns on Juehua Island have been run like iron barrels, there has been almost no change in the naval camp on Juehua Island under his command.

Of course, the number of ships in the Juehua Island Naval Camp has also increased, but the increased ships are still mainly flat-bottomed sand boats.

Although there are a few warships with more than 200 charges, there are no battle cruisers or battleships with 400 charges, especially the 400-load battle patrol ships carrying Hongyi heavy artillery.

Their daily task is to guard the Tunliang City on Juehua Island. At the same time, their naval battalion is also responsible for transporting grain and grass from Shanhaiguan to the sea, or transporting grain and grass to the Tunliang City on Bijiashan Island.

And their willingness to build an offshore transport fleet so honestly is in line with Yang Zhen's wishes.

Nowadays, the control of the sea on the east and west sides of the Liaodong Peninsula, from the Liaodong Bay to Yingzhou Island and the Wudao Islands, is in the hands of various naval forces in Jinhai Town.

In this regard, Yang Zhen does not want to see any new changes or threats, including the so-called friendly naval battalion.

But this time, the arrival of Hong Chengzhuan, Zusi and Jiang Zhujuehua Island Navy fleet once again dispelled Yang Zhen's doubts.

This also made Yang Zhen feel more at ease and sold the new Jinhai Town firearms that the battalions in western Liaoning were optimistic about at a friendly price.

Of course, Hong Chengzhuan, Zu Si and Jiang Zhu came to Jinhai Town for multiple purposes.

When they came this time, they first wanted to inform Yang Zhen and the Eastern Front Army under his command of the latest situation in western Liaoning.

Since the last time Hong Chengzhu and Zu Si came here, there has been no contact with Yang Zhen in western Liaoning for nearly three months.

Although during this period, the imperial court had issued a decree clarifying the respective subordinate positions of Hong Chengchou, Zu Dashou, Yang Zhen and others, launching a decisive battle against the Qing captives was still a matter involving all aspects.

No one dares to act rashly until the troops, horses, money and food are in place.

However, not long ago, Xuanzhen Commander-in-Chief Yang Guozhu, Datong Commander-in-Chief Wang Pu, Shanhaiguan Commander-in-Chief Ma Ke, Jizhen Commander-in-Chief Bai Guangen, and Yutian Commander-in-Chief Cao Bianjiao led their troops out of the customs and arrived at Ningyuan City.

Shen Tingyang has also led the fleet to transport the first batch of grain and grass for the war by sea to the Liangcheng on Juehua Island and Bijiashan Island in western Liaoning. Therefore, the major event of fighting against the captives was ignored by the emperor and the supervisors.

After being urged, I had to put it on the agenda.

"So, Mr. Hong, Mr. Zu, over in western Liaoning, how many troops and horses have been mobilized under Commander Hong and Commander Zu?"

"Together with the troops and horses in Songshan City, Commander-in-Chief, now all parties in western Liaoning have mobilized 140,000 infantry, cavalry, artillery and horses!"

After Yang Zhen went to Shuangdao Bay to greet Hong Chengzhuan and Zu Si, he handed over Jiang Zhu and his fleet to the care of Yan Sheng and others, and then accompanied Hong Chengzhuan and Zu Si back to the main town of Nancheng, Lushun.

Mansion.

At the banquet for the two of them, after Yang Zhen listened to their brief report on the situation, he directly asked about the number of soldiers and horses gathered in western Liaoning.

"Including our Songshan troops, a total of 140,000 troops?"

"Exactly. Together with the commander Jin Hai, who came to the various regiments and camps in the second town, there are already 200,000 soldiers and horses to pacify and restore the Liao Dynasty!"

Facing Zu Si's answer, Yang Zhen nodded, but made a careful calculation in his mind.

He knew the situation in the original time and space, and knew that during the Songjin War in the original time and space, the Ming Dynasty had recruited more than 130,000 soldiers and horses to participate in this decisive battle that was related to the fate of the country.

Now it seems that the situation in this life is that the number of troops that the imperial court can mobilize in Jiliao Xuanda is almost the same.

It can be seen from this that in the original time and space, Emperor Chongzhen really made a desperate move.

In this life, compared with the original time and space, the only difference is that not only does he have his own Songshan Regiment Camp in Songshan City in western Liaoning, but he also has his own Jinhai Town behind enemy lines in the Liaodong Peninsula.

There were more than 130,000 and nearly 140,000 soldiers and horses in the original time and space that had not been completed. This time, combined with the strength that I have accumulated over the years and the losses caused to the Qing Dynasty, I wonder if it will be different.

Yang Zhen was thinking about these questions when he heard Hong Chengzhuan add:

"Well, it's like this. Governor Yang, the current 140,000 soldiers and horses in western Liaoning, in addition to Songshan Xia's general army, there are also 48,000 soldiers and horses in the Liaodong town, horse, infantry, chariot and artillery battalions.

, General Yang in Xuanfu Town has 25,000 soldiers, horse and infantry, and General Wang in Datong Town has 12,000 soldiers, horse and infantry.

"In addition, there are 20,000 chariot, artillery, horse and infantry battalions directly under the Central Army of Jiliao Governor's Office, 12,000 people from the Shanhaiguan General Army and Horse Department, 10,000 people from the Jizhen General Army Bai Guangen's Department, and 10,000 people from the Yutian General Army Cao Bianjiao Department.

Eight thousand people. A total of 135,000 people. In addition, the Songshan Xia General Military Office can mobilize 5,000 people, so the total is 140,000 troops!"

Hong Chengzhuan was very detailed. In front of Yang Zhen, he openly and honestly told the basic situation of all the soldiers and horses.

"So, Marshal Yang sent a total of 25,000 troops to Xuanzhen?"

"Exactly. Marshal Yang of Xuanzhen is loyal to the country and has no secrets. His Majesty summoned Marshal Yang to the capital when Marshal Yang led his army eastward and passed through Changping. It is said that Marshal Yang praised your uncle and nephew face to face. They are both the great cities of the country!"

"Your Majesty has given you too much praise!"

After hearing this statement written by Hong Cheng, Yang Zhen didn't know what to say for a while.

Yang Zhen once told Yang Guozhu that Xuan Da's troops and horses were ordered to go outside the pass and participate in the decisive battle against the captives, which might lead to a situation of empty troops in the Xuan Da area.

Moreover, Yang Zhen also proposed to Yang Guozhu that he should consider expanding his troops and retain enough troops to stay in Xuanzang.

It's just that I haven't contacted him for a long time. I don't know what Xuan Zhen's situation is, and I don't know if my uncle has taken what I said to his heart.

If Yang Guozhu is still as sincere as in the original time and space and transfers all the main forces of Xuanzhen troops outside the pass, there will be loopholes in the defense on the west side of the capital.

In the original time and space, this was the case. Xuanda's soldiers and horses went to fight outside the pass. Yang Guozhu died in the battle. Wang Pu was beheaded after escaping back, and almost all the Xuanda soldiers and horses they brought out were wiped out.

As a result, Xuanda's troops were seriously insufficient. After Li Zicheng proclaimed himself emperor in Guanzhong, he sent troops to Shanxi, broke through Ningwuguan, and entered Xuanda. The road was unstoppable, and it was like entering an uninhabited country.

The reason for this is that after Yang Guozhu died in Liaoxi, Xuanda no longer had any troops capable of fighting.

Of course, facing Hong Chengzhuan, Zu Si and others, Yang Zhen could not express his worries about the empty military strength of Xuanda.

Fortunately, in this life, he is also very confident that in the upcoming decisive battle, he will severely injure or destroy the Qing captives in one fell swoop.

So, after much thought, he finally said nothing and just asked:

"So, where are the soldiers and horses of Xuanzhen stationed now?"

This time, Zusi was the first to answer after hearing this:

"Captain Rongzhen, now there are large armies gathered in western Liaoning, and the garrison in each city is quite crowded. Only the inside and outside of Songshan City are slightly comfortable. Therefore, since the soldiers and horses of Xuanzhen came out of the gate, they have been near Songshan and along the line of Xiaoling River in Luhong Mountain.

Set up camp!”

"The first line of Lu Hongshan and Xiaoling River?"

"Exactly."

"Haha, are you asking my uncle, Marshal Yang, to serve as the vanguard for the hundreds of thousands of troops in western Liaoning?"

"this--"

Zu Si's answer made Yang Zhen feel unhappy for a while.

Yang Zhen had been in Songshan City for so long and had fought several battles there, so he knew very well what the line between Lu Hongshan and Xiaoling River meant.

Of course, now that there is Yiju City, the situation is definitely much better than in the past.

But the intention of placing Yang Guozhu's Xuanzang troops in this area is also very questionable.

Just when Yang Zhen's rhetorical question made Zu Si speechless for a moment and didn't know how to answer, Hong Chengzhuan smiled and said:

"I am afraid that Governor Yang has misunderstood you. Marshal Yang from Xuan Town led his troops out of the customs. After arriving at Ningyuan City, Governor Hong, Marshal Zu and other general towns in western Liaoning held military discussions.

"At the military meeting at that time, after Supervisor Hong and Marshal Zu explained the situation, Marshal Yang himself of Xuan Town asked to temporarily garrison Lu Hongshan on the Xiaoling River line, willing to be the vanguard of the army.

"For this, all the generals in the Liaoxi battalions from Governor Hong on down have deep admiration. Moreover, there is also the Governor's old camp along the Xiaoling River in Luhong Mountain, and there is an old camp with the Governor's Songshan regiment, and they can get along with each other without any hindrance. Compared with others

Wouldn’t it be better if we were here?”

"Exactly, exactly so!"

Regarding Hong Chengzhuan's explanation, Yang Zhen was silent, but Zu Si on the side heard the words and immediately echoed them.

In fact, Yang Zhen also understood what they meant.

Although the Songshan regiment camp led by Xia Chengde was stationed in western Liaoning, it was not under the command of Zu Dashou or Jiliao Governor's Mansion, but was commanded by Yang Zhen.

Therefore, whether it is Zu Dashou or Hong Chengchou, the thousands of people in Xia Cheng De Song Mountain City who were tricked by them may not be able to use their arms and fingers in wartime.

Under such circumstances, Xia Chengde naturally did not dare to make a mistake by sending Yang Zhen's uncle Yang Guozhu there.

In this way, it not only solved the problem of the stationing of Yang Guozhu's soldiers and horses in Xuanzang, but also achieved the purpose of commanding Xia Chengde's Songshan regiment camp through Yang Guozhu. It was definitely an arrangement that killed two birds with one stone.
Chapter completed!