Chapter 250 Xifeng Qingshan Pass

The situation in the late Ming Dynasty can be briefly described as funny.

In the original history, the Manchu Tatars were able to seize control of the Central Plains, which was actually full of luck. For example, in Liaodong, the Ming court suffered repeated defeats, often for reasons other than war. The underlying reasons were hidden behind the war.

To a certain extent, the so-called elite border troops, the Liaodong Army, and the Manchu Tatars should be considered the same group.

The connection between them is extremely close.

There has been a hint of this situation since Li Chengliang's town in Liaodong during the Wanli period. Li Chengliang supported his troops and respected himself. In the late Wanli period, the emperor could not do anything about him. He even called him to the capital and he did not move. He had many reasons to refuse, such as the rampant Tartars.

In fact, it is to raise the thief's self-respect.

With the tyranny of the Liaodong Army at that time, it was easy to defeat the Tatars in Liaodong. For example, Nurhachi, a wild boar skin, was Li Chengliang's domestic slave.

But in order to protect his power, status, wealth and life, Li Chengliang could only support thieves and respect themselves. Today he allowed the Tatars to plunder the people. Tomorrow he would send troops to kill a few people. The day after tomorrow the Tatars would come again, and the day after tomorrow he would kill a few more people. As for whose head was killed, only Li Chengliang and the Tatars knew.

This went on endlessly, and a tacit understanding of the family was formed with the Tatars. You retreat and I advance, you advance and I retreat, creating a phenomenon of injustice in Liaodong to use it as a prevarication for the Ming court.

This sign gradually became the tradition of the Liaodong Army after Li Chengliang's death. The so-called Liaodong generals actually have deep connections with the Tatars.

In this way, you come and go, which actually serves as a kind of military training for the Tatars. As a result, the Tatars became stronger and stronger as they fought. Because of this connection, the Ming army repeatedly retreated when facing the Tatars, which gradually evolved into a psychological shadow. In the end, it was natural that they could not defeat the Tatars.

The generals of Liaodong used this to blackmail the Ming court, asking for money and food, and they were full of fat intestines. They were the winners. The Tatars are getting stronger and stronger as they fight, occupying more and more territory, and they are also winners.

Only Ming Ting is the biggest loser.

Therefore, it is not wrong to say that the Liaodong Army and the Tatars are in the same group.

They are actually no different from the Shanxi merchants in Shanxi. In order to feed themselves, they can sell everything.

Since Li Chengliang, the Liaodong Army was led by the Zu family and the Wu family. Representatives of the ancestral family, such as Zu Dashou and Zu Dabi, representatives of the Wu family, such as Wu Xiang, and later Wu Sangui, etc.

Of course, these two families are just representative figures. Others were either killed or surrendered in repeated battles.

And because of the act of surrender. The relationship between them and the Tatars has become increasingly close.

Zu Dashu surrendered to Tartar, and he could communicate with Wu Sangui at any time. Between the two sides, at least as far as the Manchu Tatars were concerned, the Ming army had no secrets.

It is not without reason that the Tatars repeatedly broke into the pass easily from the trail.

However, the Ming court was not unaware of the bad situation of the Liaodong Army. At first, Li Chengliang was so stubborn that Emperor Wanli could do nothing. After Li Chengliang's death, the Liaodong Army lost a leader, and the Ming court began to divide it.

The method of differentiation is very simple, which is to add sand. For example, Bai Guangen, Ma Ke, and Yang Guozhu, who died in the previous Battle of Songjin, were all generals transferred by the Ming court into the Liaodong Army system from elsewhere.

Using such means to divide and disintegrate the Liaodong Army has a certain effect, but unfortunately it does not improve the combat effectiveness of the army. On the contrary, due to internal divisions and struggles for power, the combat effectiveness of the Liaodong Army has been reduced to a certain extent.

But for Ying Yi now, it is a good thing. In a short period of time, Ma Ke and Bai Guangen can help him easily hide from Wu Sangui and Tatar.

Ying Yi is very ambitious and has a great spirit. For him, the battle against the Tatars must have the final say.

Aren't the Tatars rampant? Then give him a good look.

Thirty thousand fine cavalry, thirty thousand coats, and sixty thousand heads, Ying Yi is about to be decided.

"According to the usual practice of the Tatars," Ma Ke and others gathered around the map and advised Ying Yi: "Their greatest possibility is to break into the pass from these two places."

Following the place where Ma Ke pressed his finger, Ying Yi saw the two place names 'Xifengkou' and 'Qingshankou'.

Then Bai Guangen said: "Xifengkou and Qingshankou are important checkpoints along the Great Wall. Although they are not big, they are very important for connecting the inside and outside. The first four times the Tatars entered the pass, most of them broke in from these two places. The defenders at Gai Yinxifeng Pass and Qingshan Pass are Wu Sangui’s cronies.”

Qingshan Pass and Xifeng Pass are not far from each other, less than a hundred miles north of Shanhaiguan. Outside this section of the Great Wall is the sphere of influence of the Horqin tribe of the Tatars, and the Horqin tribe has long been surrendered by the Tatars. Through military offensives and marriage strategies, the Horqin tribe became the lackeys of the Tatars. Horqin is a die-hard loyalist to the so-called Mongolian Eight Banners.

"In other words, if nothing unexpected happens, the Tatars will still take advantage of Horqin to break into the pass through Qingshan Pass and Xifeng Pass?" Wang Yisheng said aside.

"Of course." Ma Ke said: "What General Wang said is true. However, the importance of Shanhaiguan cannot be ignored. If the Tatars attacked Guancheng a few years ago, it would probably be just a cover-up and a pretense, so that they could follow the Qing Dynasty's example. They broke into Shankou and other places. But in recent years, the Tatars have become more and more rampant. If possible, if they see an opportunity, they may not storm Shanhaiguan and turn their lies into reality."

Ying Yi listened and couldn't help but nodded slightly: "Ma Ke is right. Shanhaiguan and Qiantunwei must be heavily guarded. Cut off the possibility of the Tatars turning their lies into reality. Only leave Qingshan Pass and Xifeng Pass for them. A small road.”

He thought for a moment and said: "That's it. I will leave an elite force to guard Shanhaiguan. If it comes to a critical moment, even if they are exposed, the Tatars will be blocked."

When Bai Guangen and Marco heard this, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

To be honest, they did not have absolute confidence in resisting the Tatar front. And if there are elite troops under Ying Yi's command to guard them, they can naturally sit back and relax.

Ying Yi said: "Wang Yisheng, please quickly send a message to Zhu Bingkun and Zheng Wu, instructing them to arrive at the designated location within five days."

As he spoke, Ying Yi clicked twice on the map.

Jizhou Town, Qian'an.

Everyone's eyes fell on these two places, and they showed a look of understanding at the same time.

If the Tatars break into the pass from Xifengkou and Qingshankou, they will reach Jizhou Town to the east and Qian'an to the south. It was clear that from the beginning, the Tatars were to be pinned down in the small area inside Xifengkou and annihilated.

"I will not let the Tatars really enter the pass." Ying Yi said lightly: "This place is in the right location, so it can be used as a burial place for the Tatars."

Then he said: "Ma Ke, Bai Guangen, you two are always monitoring the movement of the Tatars for me. When the Tatars enter the pass through Xifengkou and Qingshankou, I will take their back route and block these two passes. At that time, he was told that the sky would not respond and the earth would not work."

After hearing this, the two of them clasped their fists together, paused and said, "Please don't worry, my lord!"

Ying Yi nodded slightly.