Gong Yan's theory to Deng Ming is a set of deep-rooted methods that have been unbreakable throughout the ages: "In the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, Pingzhang suggested that King Chuang run Heluo to take the world, and with the assistance of Pingzhang, the emperor managed the river, stationed officials, and fuss the displaced people, and wanted to connect Heluo and Jingxiang as the foundation. However, Sun Chuanting entered Henan three times to slaughter the people, and after the flood in Kaifeng, it was completely destroyed, and two years of hard work were all in vain. In desperation, General Yuan had to leave his division to go to Xiangyang, and the main force retreated to Shaanxi. Before abandoning Xi'an, when Pingzhang and the old man broke up, he hated himself and blamed himself for misleading the emperor's major affairs, and after the Kaifeng flood, he should all go down to Jingzhou to collect ships, go down the river to Kewuchang, and take Nanjing as the fundamental, and should not have advised the emperor to come to the barren place of Shaanxi from the beginning. As for the fact that after the defeat of Beijing, it was even more wrong to let General Yuan abandon Huguang and return to the north. ”

After entering Shaanxi, Li Zicheng and Niu Jinxing went all out to resume production almost without delay, and publicized the three-year exemption policy to refugees everywhere they went, even in the most remote mountains and forests. In that year, a large number of displaced people returned to their hometowns. When the Battle of Yulin was going on, the Shun army was still repairing the Shaanxi water conservancy that the Ming court had not repaired for 20 years. After the start of the Eastern Crusade, the magistrates appointed by Xi'an also did their best to resume production. Wherever the army went, the people who fled to the mountains helped the old and the young to return to their hometowns to give birth, so that the gentry in Shaanxi and Shanxi all said that after the army arrived, Haiqing Yanping, and suddenly the displaced people disappeared on the road that was difficult to move for more than ten years; The land of Shaanxi and Shanxi, which had been abandoned for more than ten years, was cultivated in large quantities in the first year of Yongchang. At that time, Li Zicheng had not yet suffered the defeat of Beijing, and most of the scholars in the northwest believed that this showed the atmosphere of the new dynasty of Dashun.

Because of this, Niu Jinxing and Gong Yan both believed that they had done a pretty good job in domestic affairs, and no matter how hard they tried, it was impossible to help Li Zicheng gain the national strength to resist all the pressure of the Manchus in a few months. So it was natural for Bull Venus to reflect from the initial strategy. However, this strategy Deng Ming is a little familiar, and after thinking about it carefully, it seems to be a bit similar to Hong Xiuquan's statement in his previous life.

Pingzhang sighed again and again at the time, saying that he always felt that Shaanxi had elite soldiers, so why not worry about taking the granary with elite soldiers? It's just because of poor thinking that it makes a big mistake. ”

Hearing this, Deng Ming was finally sure that Niu Jinxing had failed to enter Shaanxi, so he figured out a route similar to Hong Xiuquan. Coincidentally, it seems that many people think that Hong Xiuquan's mistake is that he only took the wealth of the southeast, and did not go north to Shaanxi to obtain the elite soldiers of the northwest.

Deng Ming wanted to comfort Gong Yan, so he said: "Even if you go straight to Jiangnan at that time, you may not be able to succeed." ”

"Guogong is right." To Deng Ming's surprise, Gong Yan immediately agreed: "In the past ten years, the old man has been thinking about it repeatedly in Shaanxi, and I feel that Pingzhang's strategy is still very problematic. It is difficult for Nanjing to fortify the city, and even if it is lucky, the main force will be firmly nailed to the city - because the city can no longer be returned to the Ming court, right? The whole army lined up along the Yangtze River, and everywhere had to be divided into troops to stay behind, and it was not necessary to get many men and horses to capture the surrounding Zhejiang and Huguang, and it was very likely to fall into a tug-of-war and suffer from the enemy on all sides. The only benefit may be that it can cut off the luck. But looking at the strength of the Zheng family, the Ming Court changed to shipping, and the Zheng family still didn't get much. ”

If the Ming army had adopted the methods used in Henan and went deep into the ruling area of the camp to burn, kill and loot, it is difficult to say whether the camp would have been able to establish a more stable foundation in the southeast than Shaanxi. Gong Yan even believed that the Ming army would become more eager to attack: "The soldiers of Qin and Jin were not particularly interested in attacking Henan, just because Henan was too poor. The emperor and the peace chapter have been in business for two years, and they have barely ended the scene of displaced people everywhere in Henan, and the officers and soldiers have come, except for catching the people and boiling oil, there is nothing to grab. But if the emperor establishes a foundation around Nanjing, officers and soldiers from all directions will inevitably flock to him, even if the people in front have been defeated repeatedly, I am afraid that they will not be able to dispel the desire of the people behind to loot, and it is almost inevitable that the southeast will be turned into a blank field. ”

"Then what is Mr. Gong's opinion now?"

"Sun Kewang's method is actually very good," it turned out that Gong Yan thought that Sun Kewang's road was the right way: "Yungui has no worries, the terrain is dangerous, you can attack, you can retreat, and you can fight out step by step, which is the right way." It would have been nice if the emperor had come here first. ”

As for Deng Ming's western Sichuan, Gong Yan thinks it is also good, and there are similarities with Yunnan and Guizhou: "When the emperor entered Xi'an, he set up the post of defense and road guarding, specializing in the management of the recovery of stolen goods, granting land, controlling water, and exempting from taxation for three years, which was the same as when he was in Henan; The Guogong is also here in Chengdu to control water, grant land, light taxes, and use the wealth of Huguang to assist refugees. It's a pity that the emperor doesn't have so much money from the prince, let alone three years. It can be seen that this method depends on the locality, and it can be used in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou, but not in Shaanxi and Henan, either because it is too close to the enemy, or someone is digging a river. It is remarkable that the national government can realize the fundamental importance of cultivation. In the future, if the western Sichuan is well managed, for Guogong, it will be the Guanzhong of Han Taizu and the Hanoi of Han Guangwu. ”

Gong Yan's words made Deng Ming feel a little uneasy. Because he suddenly remembered that Wu Sangui was also fighting for the world according to Yunnan and Guizhou, and finally collapsed because the economy was unbearable and lasting. It can be seen that if there is no Zheng Chenggong and Zhang Huangyan to contain the Qing army in the southeast, it is still very dangerous to rely on the southwest alone.

Of course, Deng Ming couldn't explain this lesson to Gong Yan, but he also secretly made up his mind in his heart: "Without further ado, I need to contact the King of Yanping County quickly." He has already taken Taiwan, and now I don't know if he is going to fight Luzon? If you want to fight Luzon, you should hurry up and see if I can help me too; If he does not fight for the time being, he will try to return to Fujian, or help Zhang Huangyan gain a foundation on the mainland of Zhejiang-although the current situation in Huguang and southeast and the shipping situation on the Yangtze River are not exactly the same as when Wu Sangui raised his army, it is always a matter of preparedness to add an extra containment to the Qing court. and Shandong, if it really doesn't work, we will pay out of our pockets to make up for the deficit, and hurry up to send troops, so as not to let the Qing court suppress Yu Qi. ”

Gong Yan then advised Deng Ming to guard against arrogance and rashness: "The emperor is just too anxious. Shaanxi and Huguang had only just started their business, and they hadn't even gotten the harvest of the first year, so they walked to the city of Beijing in one breath - of course, there were reasons for military salaries, and the burden was getting heavier and heavier, but it was also because it was too smooth, and the emperor felt that the road was too easy to walk, so he didn't think carefully about when to stop. Guogong has also been smooth sailing in the past four years, and the old man now feels that if he wants to compete for the world, the most important thing is to endure loneliness. Wu Sangui was more tolerant than the emperor, so he won the battle of Shanhaiguan and the emperor lost. Wu Sangui is a ready-made example, something that is hot, no matter how tempting it is, you have to hold back,"

Today, Gong Yan poured out all the reflections of so many years, and then began to beg the official: "Isn't Guogong looking for a governor of Sichuan?" Just give it to the old man. The old man didn't want to go back to the academy to teach, and he was angry when he saw Meng Xiaozi's face. ”

Deng Ming smiled: "What does that governor mean?" Just a cleaning worker, he is not as good as a professor in a college. ”

"But the old man can speak on Kuidong's side, and Liu Jinge and Yuan Xiang, the two boys, can also suppress them." Gong Yan knew that the governor's yamen was at best a mediation department, and the real power was in the hands of the prefect's yamen: "In the future, the Guogong will inevitably have to deal with the generals of Kuidong, and if it is not good, there will be any disputes. If anyone doesn't know what to do, the old man can scold them back. ”

Deng Ming knew that Gong Yan wanted to stabilize the rear for himself and unite the allies around him, but this was really a thankless position, and he had almost no power: "I'm afraid this is a condescending talent." ”

"If it had been put twenty years ago, it would have been a condescending talent; Ten years ago, it was even more condescending. The old man is all-round in civil and military affairs, if he can't get in and out, the old man is too lazy to serve. But now it is different, the old man is seventy years old, and although he is in good health, he can't follow the expedition anymore; I work all day long, and my energy is not enough. This nominal governor is just right for me. ”

"Since Mr. Gong insisted," Deng Ming felt that the other party was right, so he planned to agree: "Then I will ......"

"Wait!" Gong Yan slammed out his palm and stopped Deng Ming's words: "Do you plan to appoint the old man as the governor of Sichuan?" In what capacity did you delegate this position to the old man? ”

"This ......" Deng Ming hadn't thought about this issue for several years, anyway, Wen An would approve of it after the incident: "Naturally, it is in the name of Wen Inspector." Inspector Wen was ordered to supervise the military affairs of Sichuan, Huguang, and Henan, and it was naturally a matter of duty to appoint a governor. ”

"Why does the old man have a name? Just let the Inspector give me this position. Gong Yan reminded Deng Ming that he had planned to go to Fengjie, so he took this opportunity to ask Wen Anzhi directly for this official: "If it is just a matter of urgency, if it is just a gesture, then there is no need to obey the power at all." ”

Deng Ming mainly felt that it would be too hard for Gong Yan to go to Fengjie again. A young man like Deng Ming, no matter how tired he is, he will be a hundred times more energetic when he sleeps. But for an old man of Wen Anzhi and Gong Yan's age, it will take a long time to recover from fatigue after a bump.

"Inspector Wen is a jinshi in the year of the Apocalypse, a few years older than the old man, we haven't seen each other for about thirty years, and we must be reminiscing about the past. You can't let Inspector Wen come to Chengdu to see the old man, right? Gong Yan disagreed: "I've been to western Sichuan for so long, and Inspector Wen must have known it for a long time, maybe I'm already angry that the old man didn't go to see him." ”

Gong Yan said that he would leave, and planned to take a boat to Fengjie tomorrow. Since he said that he must go to catch up with Wen Anzhi, then Deng Ming has no reason to continue to stop him.

When leaving the headquarters of the Standing Army in Western Sichuan, Gong Yan told Deng Ming that he would leave directly early tomorrow morning, so he would not come to say goodbye to Deng Ming, and he would save two steps.

"Wen Anzhi and I are both seventy or eighty years old, and it is long overdue for us to go to retire. But you young people can't become the pillar of the sky for a long time, and you can't resist this sky to prevent it from collapsing, how dare we relax and let go? After saying goodbye to Deng Ming, Gong Yan silently prayed in his heart: "Cang Tian will give me a few more years, and give Wen Anzhi a few more years, let us give Deng Xiao'er another ride." ”