Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

Zhang Shikang's words were sonorous, but they once again shocked everyone present.

He had just taken over from Yang Sichang and had not even received the official appointment from the court. At most, he was just acting commander-in-chief.

But now he has ordered Lu Xiangsheng to serve as the acting commander-in-chief. Doesn't that mean Lu Xiangsheng has become the acting commander-in-chief?

"My Lord, don't joke. Even if I have no official position, I will do my best." Lu Xiangsheng said in a low voice.

He was also frightened by Zhang Shikang. He originally wanted to cooperate with Zhang Shikang to establish his authority. In this situation, no matter what military orders Zhang Shikang gave him, he decided to strictly carry them out to cooperate.

However, Zhang Shikang asked to hand over the military power to him. Although he knew that Zhang Shikang trusted him very much for some reason, Lu Xiangsheng still found it difficult to accept it for a while.

"War is a matter of great importance to a country, a matter of life and death. I am not kidding you.

I just don't know, if someone dares to disobey the military order, would you dare to really kill him?" Zhang Shikang looked at Lu Xiangsheng with a scrutinizing look.

This is where he needs Lu Xiangsheng's cooperation, and this is also the time to test Lu Xiangsheng's true level.

However, before Lu Xiangsheng could speak, Hong Chengchou said:

"My Lord, the position of the military commander is a high position, second only to the emperor. How can you do this without the emperor's order? Isn't this a joke?"

Among those present, apart from Zhang Shikang, the highest official position held by him was Hong Chengchou. Although Lu Xiangsheng was also a governor before, he is not now and is still a criminal.

If he really has to serve as the acting commander-in-chief, no one is more suitable than Hong Chengchou, no matter in terms of qualifications or other aspects.

But the problem is not here, but that Zhang Shikang does not have this power at all.

What is the official position of the governor-general? It is above the governor-general and the governor-general, and is the person with the highest power in the entire Ming Dynasty except the emperor.

Apart from the emperor, who else has the power to appoint and dismiss?

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Fang Zhenghua, the governor of the Imperial Stables, stood up.

"Before we left the palace, the Emperor told us that the Lord's opinion was the Emperor's opinion, the Lord's order was the Emperor's order, and meeting the Lord was like meeting the Emperor.

Lord Hong, do you want to go and find the Emperor to confirm this?"

Fang Zhenghua was a serious person to begin with, and his face turned cold at this moment. The court had come to this point. Not to mention the emperor, even he would never allow any other voices to appear in the army.

The Emperor also told him that severe punishments must be used in troubled times, but anyone who dared to question his will could be killed.

Fang Zhenghua didn't dare to kill Hong Chengchou without authorization, but he was able to transfer him to the capital. Don't you doubt it? Then go and find the emperor to confirm it.

In this way, no one would dare to cause trouble in the army.

Fang Zhenghua was a close minister to the emperor and also an angel, so no one dared to question the truthfulness of his words. As soon as Hong Chengchou saw Fang Zhenghua stand up, he immediately stopped.

Seeing that Zhang Shikang was serious, Lu Xiangsheng said:

"Why don't I kill those who disobey military orders?"

"Oh? What if it's an official as high as Lord Hong?" Zhang Shikang narrowed his eyes and looked at Hong Chengchou.

"My Lord, I only abide by military law." Lu Xiangsheng was very calm, without even the slightest hesitation. He had always done this.

But Hong Chengchou was not so calm.

Zhang Shikang wanted to kill him? Otherwise, why did he always target him? Just because he raised questions just now?

Even though there had been some unpleasantness before, it had not reached the point of life and death. Even if this scoundrel really wanted to take action, he had not violated any military law, so how could he dare to do so?

Even if this scoundrel really has evidence in his hands, doesn't he fear the people behind him?

For a moment, Hong Chengchou's mind raced, and even the way his colleagues looked at him changed.

"Don't misunderstand, Lord Hong. I was just giving an example." Zhang Shikang kindly helped Hong Chengchou out of the predicament.

Hong Chengchou was so confused, how could he give such an example? This was killing people!

Under normal circumstances, Hong Chengchou would have gotten angry long ago. After all, he was the governor-general of the three borders of Shaanxi. It was not an exaggeration to say that he was a high-ranking official. How could he make fun of others like that?

But today Hong Chengchou was particularly honest. He guessed that something big must have happened in the palace. Today's arrangements were all special matters. At such a critical juncture, the first bird to stick its head out would be the one to be shot.

What's more, Zhang Shikang was a rogue person. It would be really unfair if he died under this imperial sword.

"I don't dare, my subordinates."

After Hong Chengchou finished speaking, he lowered his head obediently and decided that he had to keep a low profile until the situation became clear.

"I have to go back to Beijing for something. It may take two days at the shortest and three days at the longest. I'll leave these three days to you. Don't let me down."

Seeing that Hong Chengchou had finally surrendered, the other generals no longer dared to act presumptuously, and Zhang Shikang then explained the reason.

He didn't know whether he could come back in three days, but the army's morale must not be disrupted. However, he was not too worried.

As the saying goes, strong winds reveal strong grass, and turbulent times reveal loyal ministers. Only when one is given a mission in times of crisis can one truly test a person’s ability.

After finalizing the military affairs, Zhang Shikang gave instructions to Sun Weifan and asked him to order all the soldiers in the Beijing camp to break camp immediately and prepare to return to Beijing.

However, the Beijing camp had mostly infantry, and Zhang Shikang was anxious to return to Beijing, so he decided to travel on fast horses with only 300 personal guards and Fang Zhenghua.

Quarter of an hour later, Zhang Shikang mounted Ergou and galloped towards the capital with Yang Sichang, Fang Zhenghua and others.

Along the way, Zhang Shikang would occasionally visit Yang Sichang. Although Yang Sichang didn't know what had happened, he was suddenly dismissed after all. An ordinary person would have looked very panicked.

But Yang Sichang still had the same expression, calm as if nothing had happened. Zhang Shikang even admired his character.

Among the entourage, in addition to Zhang Shikang's three hundred personal guards, there were also twenty or so guards brought by Fang Zhenghua.

Nearly half of these guards surrounded Yang Sichang, and it was unclear whether they were there to protect him or to monitor him and prevent him from escaping for fear of crime.

It took more than four hours to get from the military camp to the capital, and there was no rest except for a short rest for the horses.

During this process, no one said a word. The atmosphere was extremely depressing, and even Zhang Shikang felt irritated.

But Yang Sichang still had the same expression.

When the team arrived in the capital, Zhang Shikang stood outside Fuchengmen and hesitated for a moment. Although he had been away from the capital for less than a month, he felt as if he was in another world.

Since he led the Beijing troops to the battle, he has hardly slept well. Every day he has to discuss important military matters with Sun Weifan, Lu Xiangsheng and others, fearing that he would fail to command effectively and waste the lives of his soldiers.

Before going to the battle, his father once said that as a general, one must be trembling with fear, walking on thin ice, as if facing the abyss.

He felt that his father didn't understand, and wondered which military book he got this information from to encourage him.

But at this moment, Zhang Shikang felt that he seemed to understand the weight of that sentence.

Seeing Fang Zhenghua looking back at him, Zhang Shikang no longer hesitated. He ordered his personal guards to wait in the guard room on the city wall, and then he ran towards Chang'an Street.

They walked along Chang'an Street and entered the Chang'an Right Gate, passed Chengtian Gate, Duanmen, Wumen, and then walked into the long Imperial Road from Huiji Gate. When the three arrived outside the Qianqing Palace, it was almost completely dark.