"Take the top, get the middle, take the middle, get the bottom, take the bottom, nothing?! Zhang Chen! Are you sure that's what Fang Guangchen told you at that time?!"

"I'm sure about the humble post! Although the record of the humble post is not complete, I'm sure it's just a few sentences! There was also Ma Zhuang, the shed chief on the left wing of the Musketeers, who was present at that time! Otherwise - the humble post also called Ma Zhuang and asked

Ask him if he remembers it?"

Yang Zhen is not familiar with the Analects of Confucius, but the meaning of these sentences is quite straightforward and not too difficult to understand.

Ever since I heard these words from Zhang Chen, I have been pacing back and forth in the small room with my hands behind my back, muttering these phrases as I walked back and forth.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through him, and he seemed to know what was going on: "There's no need to call Ma Zhuang! I know! I already know what Governor Fang means by doing this! Sure enough, ginger is still hotter!"

After saying these words, Yang Zhenfang's depression was wiped away, a smile reappeared on his face, he stopped walking back and forth, and said to Zhang Chen:

"Zhang Chen! You have worked hard! You and the brothers on the left wing of the Musketeers have worked hard! But your hard work on this trip has not been in vain! The message you brought back is very useful! Later, you can protect the governor and me and Jin

The news has spread that the deputy commander-in-chief has been promoted to commander-in-chief! Now, go back and rest quickly!"

Zhang Chen left with a feeling of confusion, but Yang Zhen's heart was completely relaxed.

The next morning, Yang Zhen woke up, got dressed, opened the door of his room and came out, he saw a bunch of people standing outside, and everyone had smiles on their faces.

"Brother Yang! Congratulations! Congratulations! I heard the news that Zhang Chen and others brought back from Ningyuan said that the governor and military commanders have jointly reported to the court that our brothers will be the commander-in-chief of Ningyuan! This is a great event for the advance camp.

!”

When Xu Changyong got up early in the morning, he heard the news brought back by Zhang Chen and immediately came to the backyard, wanting to know more about the situation, especially about his next move.

So, as soon as he saw Yang Zhen getting up and coming out, he quickly stepped forward to talk.

Zhang Degui, Jin Shijun, Yang Zhan'ao, Wang Shoutang and others, who had also gotten up early and were chatting in the yard, saw Yang Zhen coming out, and they all followed Xu Changyong and surrounded him.

Yang Zhen could naturally guess the thoughts of Xu Changyong and everyone, so he greeted Xu Changyong first, and then said to everyone:

"Zhang Chen came back from Ningyuan last night, and he did bring some good news! The governor and military commanders do have this intention, but whether it can succeed in the end depends on the court and long live the Holy Lord!

"Now it's like we've only drawn one stroke of the Chinese horoscope! There's still one stroke left to go! So don't take it too seriously! If something unexpected happens, wouldn't your joy be in vain?!

"Of course! If I, Yang Zhen, do something good, you, the brothers, will definitely be the same! So, you don't have to be too anxious! Just wait and see in this Songshan City!"

After saying this, the group of people gathered in the courtyard were not affected by Yang Zhen's caution at all, and they were still laughing and happy.

Yang Zhen saw Jin Guofeng's eldest son Jin Shijun also in the crowd, so he waved to him, called him to him, and said to him:

"Brother Shijun! Your father, Deputy Commander Jin, was promoted to Commander-in-Chief by the governor. It is absolutely true! You can go back and tell your father, Deputy Commander Jin! Let him be happy too!"

For Jin Shijun, the governor of Liaodong, Fang Yizao, announced that his father had been appointed as the commander-in-chief, which was certainly a happy event worth celebrating.

Ever since the Tatars withdrew their troops from outside Songshan City, he had had such expectations and premonitions.

Although the position of the General Soldier of Songshan may not be as good as that of the General Soldier of Ningyuan, this is still a General Soldier position anyway!

After hearing Yang Zhen's words, Jin Shijun smiled happily and trotted all the way to the "General Military Mansion" inside the north gate of Songshan to report the news.

Yang Zhen, who has always pursued a low-key strategy, was so "high-profile" this time. He knew that the horoscope was just a stroke, but he made this matter a big deal and made the city a storm. Of course, he had his own considerations.

Now he has a clear understanding of Liaodong Governor Fang Yizao's strategy.

With Yang Zhen's push, by noon, the news that Yang Zhen was about to be promoted to Ningyuan Commander-in-Chief and that Jin Guofeng was about to be promoted to Songshan Commander-in-Chief had spread throughout the streets and alleys of Songshan City.

Whether it was the troops from the advance battalion heading north for rescue or the troops who had worked hard to defend the city with Jin Guofeng, they were all filled with joy.

Zhang Dou of the Liaodong Branch Patrol was still stationed in Songshan City. Hearing the news circulating in Songshan City, he was secretly worried.

Zhang Dou felt that he should rush back to Ningyuan City as soon as possible. He needed to report the situation he verified in front of the Songshan Army as well as the situation in Songshan City to Fang Yizao as soon as possible, or even directly to the court.

At noon that day, Zhang Dou packed up his things, led his followers, and hurriedly said goodbye to Jin Guofeng. Under the escort of a small team sent by Jin Guofeng, he headed south to Ningyuan City.

On the evening of the same day that Zhang Dou left Songshan City, Zu Keyong, who had been away from Songshan City for three days, finally returned with more than fifty cavalrymen under his command.

Zu Keyong returned to the Chenghuang Temple where he was stationed, and soon came to see Yang Zhenlai.

Yang Zhen asked other generals in the camp, Zhang Degui, Xu Changyong, and Li Lu, to come together to listen to Zu Keyong's knowledge and discuss the next step together.

"Master Xie Zhen! After leaving Songshan and going south the morning before yesterday, Zu first went south to patrol the Xingshan area! Between Songshan and Xingshan, there are many Tatar camps in the mountains on both sides of the post road. It can be seen that Songshan and Xingshan

There had been many ambushes before, but when Zu passed by, all the Tatar ambush camps were empty!

"In the afternoon of the day before yesterday, Zu arrived outside Xingshan City. Zu Zeyuan, the deputy general of the Xingshan Guards, was a subordinate of the commander, that is, Zu's clan brother. After a conversation, he learned that Raoyu, the Tatar king, was

Batai besieged Xingshan for many days, but he withdrew the siege on the eleventh day and night!

"On the night when Zu was resting in Xingshan, Xingshan deputy commander Zu Zeyuan received a messenger from Tashan garrison deputy commander Liu Zhouzhi to ask about the military situation north of Xingshan. He learned that the Tatar army of Wuying County Prince Azige who was besieging Tashan had also arrived.

The siege was lifted on the eleventh day and night!

"There are no Tatar troops south of Songshan City, so Zu left Xingshan at around 12:00 yesterday morning and patrolled north. He passed through Songshan without entering, and went straight to Jinzhou. While scouting, he conveyed the news! He learned that the Tatars were in the outskirts of Jinzhou.

There was no one in the camp on the 12th! It has been three days now!

"In addition, according to what I saw and heard from Zu Xingshan, the cities of Tashan, Xingshan, and Jinzhou were all intact. Except for the heavy losses to the enemy towers outside the city, the cities were intact as before! This time the Tatar army entered Kou Songjin and other places.

Songshan was attacked the most, fought the most fiercely, and suffered the most serious injuries!"

After Yang Zhen gathered everyone, Zu Keyong talked to Yang Zhen and several other colleagues in the small room where he lived.

However, Yang Zhen could tell that after returning from this trip, Zu Keyong's cold attitude remained unchanged, but his mood was obviously not high.

Especially when I speak these words, I do so in a business-like manner, without any emotion at all.

What did Zu Keyong go through, what did he talk to his clan brother Zu Zeyuan in Xingshan, or what did he talk to his great uncle Zu Dabi in Jinzhou, Yang Zhen didn't want to ask, and he didn't care much.

Based on his understanding of Zu Keyong these days, Zu Keyong is by no means the kind of person who doesn't distinguish between right and wrong, right and wrong, or who confuses right and wrong.

As long as he truthfully reported the record of the advance battalion and the battle situation in Songshan City to Zu Zeyuan, and then through Zu Zeyuan's mouth, truthfully reported it to Commander Zu behind them, that would be enough.

As for the rest, Yang Zhen didn't want to ask about it at all.

In the fourth year of Chongzhen, when Zu Dashou surrendered from Kaicheng after the siege of Daling River City, many generals followed Zu Dashou, including Zu Keyong.

Of course, Zu Zeyuan also played a role.

Many of the close generals under Zu Dashou now surrendered to Huang Taiji with Zu Dashou at that time.

Those He Kegang and others who preferred death to surrender and refused to surrender in Kaicheng were ordered by Zu Dashou to be beheaded in public display.

After Zu Dashou "escaped" from the Tatar camp with a group of confidants, he said that he was doing this to confuse the Tatars and make them believe in his sincerity in surrendering, and that it was a bitter trick.

In Yang Zhen's eyes, such a thing is simply nonsense and ridiculous to the extreme.

However, what people never expected was that Emperor Chongzhen actually accepted Zu Dashou's explanation that was full of loopholes.

Daling River City was lost, and He Kegang and other loyal ministers loyal to the Ming Dynasty died. Emperor Chongzhen actually pinched his nose and admitted it, and continued to let Zu Dashou command the main force of the Liaodong army to be stationed in Jinzhou.

There were many ridiculous things in the history of the late Ming Dynasty, but in Yang Zhen's opinion, the most ridiculous and ridiculous thing among them was this -

A general who surrendered to an enemy country was actually able to "escape" from the enemy camp with a group of trusted generals, and after "escaping" back, he was able to lead an army to confront the surrendered enemy country again.

It’s simply unbelievable!
Chapter completed!