Chapter 7 The Butcher Arrives (1)

Just when Huang Zongxi and others received the shocking news that the city of Yuanzhou was lost and fell into the hands of Wu Heimiao, Hong Chengsheng Liduo's personal guards rushed to Yuanling City.

Huang Zongxi, Huang Degong and Zheng Nansheng led a group of generals out of the city to greet each other. Hong Chenggong did not say much politely. After reading the imperial edict and the military order of the governor Xiong Tingbi, he immediately took over all the troops in Yuanling City and promoted the tent to discuss matters. Since Huang Zongxi was the Minister of Miao Affairs, he and Huang Degong also attended.

"The court and the emperor appointed me, Hong Chenggong as the commander of Ping Miao, and you are the ones who are temporarily under my control. I am the one who is in front of me. If anyone does not obey my order, don't blame me, Hong, for not talking about it." Hong Chenggong's murderous eyes swept over Zheng Nansheng and the generals in the tent. The conversation changed and his face became even colder: "If any of you find that Hong was doing something wrong, you can just submit it to Hong or report to Governor Xiong in person or submit memorials to the emperor, but whoever secretly says behind my back is not Hong Chenggong, or shakes the morale of the army, don't blame Hong's subordinates for being ruthless!"

Except for Huang Degong and Huang Zongxi, the generals in the tent, who were not under his direct control, the other generals felt a gust of cold wind blowing through their necks. The "butcher" is worthy of being a butcher. As soon as they come, they raise the butcher's knife high, and they still look at their own people. The generals sighed in their hearts that they might have to live a nervous life in the future.

Next, he clicked Mao and called the name of "Cao Hu" three times, and no one in the tent responded. Hong Chenggong's face suddenly turned dark. He had heard of Cao Hu, who was brave in war, but unfortunately he was a thorn. If he had already been engaged in military law under his tent, he had not yet reached the tent of Mao. Now he can be decapitated according to military law.

"This Qian Zheng, named Cao Hu, is so arrogant. I just took office. I didn't come to see me when I first called Mao to respond to the general. Do you want me to come in person before I came?" Hong Chenggong's new official was airborne, and it would be impossible not to establish his authority.

Huang Degong wanted to speak out the whole story, but was quietly pulled by Huang Zongxi, indicating that he would not stand up. Huang Zongxi wanted to see what Zheng Nansheng said. He had a feeling that Zuo Liangyu and his deputy general were a little inconsistent, and always wanted to find an opportunity to confirm his judgment. If he took the blame for Cao Hu today, he would fully confirm his guess.

"Report to the general, Cao Hu and Cao Qian are not in the army, so they are unable to come to Ying Mao!" How could Zheng Nansheng make people quarrel and say that he is using his personal grudges to avenge his personal grudges?

"The generals in the camp are here, why are he alone and not in the army? General Zheng, please tell me carefully." Hong Chenggong also knew that he was too powerful in killing. Last time, he killed too many of him. If it weren't for the emperor's appreciation, he would have been demoted and entrusted with important tasks. Otherwise, how could he be today? So he deliberately changed all this and tried his best to change his temper.

"This is the thing. After General Zuo was poisoned, Cao Hu and General Cao Qian..." Zheng Nansheng didn't say much, but he had a skill to emphasize the matter of Cao Hu not following the general. According to his understanding of Hong Chenggong, what Hong Chenggong disliked the most was that the general who did not follow the general, leaving Cao Hu a bad impression in front of the head coach, and was profitable and harmless to him. Of course, he praised Cao Hu without any trace, saying that he was flexible and witty, fighting bravely, and so on, so that the generals in the camp could not hear his true thoughts at all.

Hong Chenggong was a cunning person and a new official took office. Although he could not hear the true meaning of Zheng Nansheng's words at once, he could understand it by just going back and thinking carefully. Huang Zongxi had not yet reached the level of Hong Chenggong. He had insufficient experience and his understanding of human nature remained far on paper. In addition, he only had a slight understanding of the grudge between Zheng Nansheng and Cao Hu, so he had to understand it. I am afraid that it would take several years to recall it. Huang Degong was not good at interpersonal communication, otherwise he would not have been a cold bench in the Beijing camp for so long. After hearing Zheng Nansheng truthfully tell the reason why Cao Hu had not come to Ying Mao, he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself that Zheng Nansheng was as timid as a mouse and would not dare to talk nonsense in front of the general.

After hearing Zheng Nansheng's narration, Hong Chenggong cursed Zheng Nansheng for being incompetent and did something like this, and now he asked himself how to establish his authority? Isn't this sincerely asking him to look good? Unintentionally, Hong Chenggong's impression of Zheng Nansheng was greatly reduced. No wonder, Zuo Liangyu was poisoned. After you took over the army, you did not make any achievements. You were also overwhelmed by Miao Manzi. In the end, you had to withdraw the army to the city. Even if you were a thousand-man, you couldn't suppress it. This was the first time he saw such a cowardly general.

"Since Cao Hu and General Cao Qian is not in the army, the general will no longer pursue the matter of Ying Mao. However, Cao Hu violated military laws, did not obey military orders, and led troops to fight privately. This case must not be opened. Otherwise, everyone will fight on their own. What is the use of this general? Cao Hu disobeyed the military order first, and then went deep into the enemy's back. However, because of his outstanding military achievements, the generals first rose and lowered the generals to the hundred generals. He also recorded forty military sticks and received them when he returned to the army. The generals had no objection!" Hong Chenggong pondered for a moment, looked up at the generals in the account and said in a deep voice.

"We have no objection to the general's military order!" the generals said in unison.

"Master General, Wu Heimiao's Miaoman rebels pretended to be our imperial army and successively captured Luxi, Chenxi and Yuanzhou three counties. Strangely, Wu Heimiao abandoned the two cities of Luxi and Chenxi, but instead occupied only one county in Yuanzhou." Zheng Nansheng said.

"Wu Heimiao ordered people to pretend to be our army to burn, kill and loot in three counties. Many wealthy Han families in Luxi and Chenxi were robbed of their property. This was clearly a deliberate frame-up and corrupting the reputation of the court!" Huang Zongxi said indignantly.

"As for now, this is indeed the case." Zheng Nansheng followed and agreed.

Hong Chenggong said at first when he first came, he had not heard or seen it with his own eyes, so he could not make this judgment immediately. He had to nodded first and said, "The strategy of the imperial court to flatten the Miao army is to strengthen the walls and clear the fields. To put it simply, it is to completely blockade Miaojiang, and it is not to fight or provoke. Within half a year to a year, a grain of rice, a grain of salt, a foot of cloth, and a pound of iron. Even if it is a nail, as long as it is an item needed for daily life, it will not be allowed to flow into the hands of Miao Manzi, and it will continue to advance into Miao Xinjiang to compress its living space. Let's see how long these Miao Manzi can last!"

All the generals, including Huang Zongxi, took a deep breath. This strategy was obviously contrary to the national policy given to him by the emperor, and was completely to kill him. No wonder the court sent this "butcher" who had always had a murderous devil to implement this strategy of suppressing rebellion. What happened to the emperor? Why did the two completely different attitudes in the front and back? This made Huang Zongxi feel at a loss all of a sudden. A layer of fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. His mouth opened and closed, and he couldn't make a sound.

War does not rely on anyone's fist to be the final winner. Economy and culture can be used as a battlefield. War without gunpowder is the most cruel war. People often ignore this point. Therefore, Sun Chengzong's strategy seems sinister, but it is precisely in line with the understanding of war by later military strategists, because war is everywhere and even information can open up battlefields. What can a small economic blockade be?
Chapter completed!