Shi Xing was well aware of this.
"Commander Li, the Ministry of War called Xiao Pinglu here today because they want to interrogate him. The Ministry of War didn't call you here. Why did you come uninvited? And why did you make a scene in front of the Ministry of War? "
Shi Xing spoke first.
"Ministry of War, I, Li Rusong, went to the battlefield to kill enemies and make meritorious deeds when I was 13 years old. Today, I have been on the battlefield for 30 years. Although I don't win every battle, I win more than I lose. Which Jiannu and Mongolian tribe doesn't know me, Li Rusong? I have been guarding the border for 30 years. Even if I don't make meritorious deeds, I have worked hard, right? This time, the Japanese pirates invaded Korea, just on the border of Liaodong! Even if it is to protect our homeland, we should let the Liaodong soldiers fight as the main force.
If we send troops nearby, we can also save on provisions and pay. Not to mention that the Wokou pirates killed our generals and soldiers, so we have an irreconcilable enmity with them. Our Liaodong Army must avenge this enmity! So I came here to ask for an explanation from the Ministry of War. Where did this Commander Xiao come from? How dare he say that our Liaodong soldiers are useless! If there is no explanation today, I, Li Rusong, will never accept it! "
Li Rusong went straight to the point. He showed his sword and pointed it at Xiao Ruxun.
The few officials cast their gazes at Xiao Ruxun. They saw that Xiao Ruxun's expression was as per usual. She lowered her head in concern and had no intention of saying anything.
Shi Xing said, "Xiao Pinglu was conferred the title of nobility because of his meritorious deeds. He is the first general under your father since Jiajing. Moreover, he was the first to submit his petition. The Ministry of War noticed Xiao Pinglu first according to the rules. If Commander Li wants to fight, he should write a petition and submit it first. This kind of thing should not be done by Commander Li rashly breaking into the Ministry of War."
Shi Xing first had to admit that Xiao Ruxun was not wrong, but Li Rusong was wrong.
Li Rusong didn't care about that at all.
"I, Li Rusong, am in the wrong on this point. I admit that the Minister Tang is right, but what I can't accept is that the Imperial Court is abandoning me and using this ignorant brat as the commander of tens of thousands of people! Is he qualified?! "
Li Rusong fiercely stared at Xiao Ruxun, barking like a Tibetan mastiff.
Shi Xing didn't say anything. He looked at Xiao Ruxun.
"Before that, Head Soldier Li, I hope you understand one thing." Without looking at Li Rusong, Xiao Ruxun slowly said, "You are the Head Commander of Shanxi, and I am the Head Commander of Ningxia. In terms of position, you and I are the same, and there is no difference between us. In terms of title, I am the Count of Pingli, and I am conferred the title of nobility through meritorious military service. It is reasonable for the Imperial Court to employ me. Since Head Commander Li believes that you are qualified, then why can't I?"
"Xiao Ruxun, after winning a battle, you don't know what's right, wrong, or wrong? When I went to the battlefield to kill the enemy, you weren't even born! "
Li Rusong was full of vigor.
"So Head Soldier Li still remembers my age. I am younger than Head Soldier Li by a whole 21 years." Xiao Ruxun smiled and looked at Li Rusong.
"Then I would like to ask, when I was 22 years old, I was trusted by the Governor and was given the command of the frontline. With 50,000 troops, I took the strong city of Ningxia, defeated tens of thousands of rebels and thousands of Taowu, and personally beheaded the head of the traitor Bo Bai. I made a great contribution and was conferred the title of Head Commander of Ningxia. When Head Soldier Li was 22 years old, did you have any military service that was conferred the title of nobility?"
"You …!"
These words hit Li Rusong's sore point.
But Xiao Ruxun had not finished.
"Head Soldier Li wielded the sharpness of Liaodong's elite cavalry. They fought for supremacy on the plains and on horseback. In Korea, 80% of the land is made up of mountains and rivers, and there are very few places for cavalry to gallop. There are cities, farmlands, and ravines everywhere. It is not convenient for cavalry to spread out. This is why Zu Chengxun failed.
The war with the Japanese pirates in Korea was mostly about sieging cities, not fighting in the open field. Even if they defeated the Japanese pirates in the open field, they had to take back the cities one by one. The cavalry could defeat the Mongolians on the plains, but could they do the same to the cities? Sieging a city relied on infantry and ordnance, not cavalry. The tactics that Head Soldier Li was best at were not suitable at all! It would definitely cause a lot of losses!
Liaodong's cavalry needed to deter the Mongolians, the Jiannu, and the Hercynian Jurchens. If they suffered a lot of losses and were unable to deter the Mongolian Jurchens, wouldn't Liaodong be in danger? Thousands of cavalry had died in the battle of Pyongyang. Did Head Soldier Li still not know the disadvantages of cavalry sieging a city? How many elite cavalry were there in Liaodong? How long would it take to train a cavalry? How much time would it take? These are Daming's precious soldiers. We can't lose too many of them on the battlefield! "
Xiao Ruxun pointed at the map of North Korea and stated her "original intention", causing the officials of the Ministry of War to be quite surprised. Even Li Rusong was stunned for a moment.
They heard that Xiao Ruxun looked down on the Liaodong soldiers and thought that they could not defeat the Japanese. However, Xiao Ruxun said that he did this because he thought that the Liaodong soldiers could not lose too many soldiers, and Daming needed the Liaodong cavalry to deter the Jurchens and Mongolians. In this way, it seemed that Xiao Ruxun was completely thinking for Daming and the Liaodong cavalry, not himself.
Was that so?
Li Rusong felt a little dizzy. He frowned and pointed at Xiao Ruxun, and asked uncertainly, "What did you say? You are afraid that the Liaodong soldiers will lose too many soldiers? "
"Of course!" Xiao Ruxun had a sincere expression on her face. "It takes a month to train a soldier, half a year to train a spear soldier, and a year to train a crossbowman. But to train a cavalry soldier, it takes at least three years to build a big city, and the amount of money and food consumed is even more uncountable.
The cost of training a cavalry is enough to train five archers. It only takes one month for an archer to be proficient in the operation on the battlefield, but a cavalry can't be considered a fighting force without three years of hard work! In the battle of Pyongyang, the Liaodong soldiers lost a thousand soldiers, which is equivalent to losing five thousand archers. But give me another month, I can pull up another five thousand archers, but what about the cavalry?
There are people and horses. How long will it take to return to that kind of fighting force? Three years of training and several years of expeditions, only then can there be an elite cavalry that can deter the Mongolian Jurchen. The Liaodong cavalry is Daming's strongest cavalry. If we lose too many of them, what will the consequences be?
Zongbing Li, I ask you to think carefully. North Korea is indeed important. Although protecting North Korea is to protect China, this war is actually for North Korea. We are going to recover our land for North Korea, not Daming our own land. Although this war must be fought, it is not to the extent that Daming's most precious cavalry will be dragged to risk their lives!
The Liaodong cavalry is too precious. The horses are precious, but the people are even more precious. From top to bottom, from inside to outside, every cavalry is a treasure! If we lose one, I will be distressed for a long time! Zongbing Li, the Liaodong cavalry is made up of people from Liaodong. They are all trained by you. Don't you feel distressed? Don't you feel sad? If we lose more than three thousand cavalry, can the Liaodong cavalry recover without five years of hard work? Can they?
A battle that doesn't need so many cavalry losses, but they have to fight with the lives of the cavalry. If the infantry can do it, why let the cavalry sacrifice? Is Daming rich? Is Liaodong rich? Are Daming's horses cheap? Zongbing Li, count with your fingers. Is Daming's Liaodong more important or North Korea?
Zongbing Li, if you are willing to sacrifice such precious Liaodong cavalry for nothing, sacrifice Daming's suppression of the Mongolian and Jurchen, and let the Mongolian and Jurchen threaten Daming's Liaodong, then I have nothing to say. I will give up the position of the commanding general. Zongbing Li, you can lead the Liaodong soldiers to North Korea. I have nothing to say! Zongbing Li, you and I have no enmity in the past. Ruxun said this out of the public interest. It all depends on Zongbing Li's decision! "
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