"This is a bad idea. The risk is too great! Our army's advantage lies in field operations. If we besiege the Ming army, we will give up our advantage! What's more, if we continue for too long, our retreat may be cut off. This is absolutely not an option!"
"Yes, first of all, we don't know how much food the enemy has. Secondly, what if our army runs out of food first? Retreat without a fight? Going empty-handed and returning empty-handed, I am not ashamed of it!"
"I think the middle strategy is feasible. No matter who wins or loses between the Ming court and the bandits, it will be beneficial to us!"
"I think the best plan is the best solution! Only by stabbing the Ming court constantly and making it bleed continuously can we continue to weaken the Ming court's strength!"
......
Several flag owners held different opinions and expressed different views.
But without exception, they all gave up the worst option.
Because the risk was too great, the Eight Banners only had a few hundred thousand troops at most. If they miscalculated, the consequences would be disastrous, so they did not dare to take such a big risk.
Amidst the controversy among the crowd, they quickly split into two teams.
Dorgon and Duoduo supported the best strategy, taking the opportunity to enter the pass to plunder, using the strategy of cutting but not cutting to bleed the Ming Dynasty. By the way, they robbed property and people and asked them to plant on the vast land of Liaodong.
Haoge and Daishan supported the middle strategy, building high walls and storing grain to preserve strength. In their eyes, the Ming court and the bandits were fighting fiercely, and entering the pass at this time would easily divert the conflict.
Once public resentment is aroused, these people will unite to deal with them.
It's not worth it!
However, Daishan and Luoluohun, the grandfather and grandson, did not support anyone and just sat in their seats calmly, not caring about anything.
Soon, the four men started quarreling in the Hall of Ten Kings, and the intensity of the quarrel was even more intense than when they fought for the throne after the death of Huang Taiji.
"Stop arguing!" Dorgon glanced around and then slammed the table and shouted.
"Prince Li, what is the attitude of the two flags, the Red and the Bordered?"
Daishan replied without even looking up: "My words do not count. I'd better listen to the opinions of the ministers of the Zhenghuang and Xianghuang banners. If they are willing to enter the pass, I will enter the pass. If not, I will train the troops and store food and grass."
Dorgon looked at Hauge, and when he saw that the other party had no objection, he immediately summoned the ministers and generals of the Zhenghuang and Xianghuang banners.
Fan Wencheng just sat in the corner and watched quietly without saying a word.
The emperor was young, and the generals of the two yellow flags all wanted to make achievements, so after some hesitation, they expressed their support for Dorgon.
Just like that, two hours later, the Eight Banners reached an agreement: enter the pass and plunder!
Dorgon came to Fan Wencheng and bowed, "Mr. Fan, do you have any plans for this entry into the pass?"
Fan Wencheng nodded: "Yes, we will enter the pass in mid-to-late May! The specific location of breaking through the city wall to enter the pass is not yet determined. We need spies from Beijing to send us the deployment of the Ming army before we can decide!"
Dorgon was very puzzled: "Li Zicheng has just been defeated, and the Ming court is about to make repairs. Why do we have to wait until mid-to-late May?"
Fan Wencheng smiled slightly and asked: "When will the summer grain be harvested in the Central Plains?"
Dorgon was stunned for a moment, then smiled: "Mr. Fan is really the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang! I admire you, I admire you! This time, the problem of food and grass for the southward journey has been solved!"
Fan Wencheng waved his hand and said, "Prince Rui, you are too kind. The most urgent task is to lure Wu Sangui into surrender. I suggest that Zu Dashou write another letter to Wu Sangui! But this time, we need to send someone to deliver it in a grand manner!"
Dorgon was so smart that he understood Fan Wencheng's meaning in an instant.
Emperor Chongzhen was suspicious by nature, and he would be furious if he found out that Wu Sangui had correspondence with them. Plus, with the instigation of court officials, he might force Wu Sangui to rebel.
He looked in the direction of Shanhaiguan and his mood gradually calmed down.
As long as Shanhaiguan is captured, the door to the Central Plains will be opened.
The plains are ruled by cavalry, and the Qing cavalry is unstoppable!
......
Shanhaiguan (called Shanhaiwei in the Ming Dynasty).
Wu Sangui was planning to arrange for people to distribute military pay.
"Brother Wu has been fooled!" Wu Sangui's adviser Fang Guangchen hurried into the room and slapped his thigh.
Wu Sangui didn't know what was going on. He looked at him blankly with a puzzled expression: "What's wrong?"
"Why do you want to get back the 1,000 cavalry from Wang Yongji?"
Wu Sangui was even more confused. He asked in confusion, "What's the problem? These cavalrymen are the elites that I worked so hard to build. Although Wang Yongji is the governor of Ji and Liao, he is not a member of my Wu family. How can I give them away so easily?"
"Oh!" Fang Guangchen sighed, "Do you know that these people have already received their military pay in the capital?"
"I don't know. No one told me! When I received the military pay from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, I didn't think much about it. If the pay for these people has already been paid, then doesn't the court give me more than 20,000 taels of silver?"
Thinking of this, Wu Sangui chuckled.
He had just been fined a year's salary by Chongzhen, but the court gave him an extra 10,000 taels of silver right after. It seems that he still had a very high status in the emperor's heart.
"This is the problem!" Seeing that Wu Sangui had not yet realized the seriousness of the problem, Fang Guangchen stood up anxiously.
"Due to the rise in grain prices, in the 15th year of Chongzhen, the salary of the Guanning Army cavalry was raised from one tael and eight coins to two taels (excluding the cost of horse feed). When it was actually distributed, it was deducted for various reasons. Although it was not much, it was not a small amount either."
(The most common reason for military commanders to withhold military pay in the late Ming Dynasty was to use the money to honor the civilian officials or military supervisors who came to inspect. Otherwise, they would find all kinds of reasons to complain and cause trouble.)
Wu Sangui stood up directly.
He actually ignored this question...
There was no military general in the Ming Dynasty who did not embezzle military pay. Part of the embezzled money was kept for personal use, part was given to court ministers to manage relationships, and the vast majority was spent on his own troops.
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