"Oh, that's the case, it's not hard to think of it, alas, why didn't we think of it?" Those cabinet members blamed themselves one after another, and when Chongzhen finished speaking, he hurriedly stepped forward and complimented him sincerely: "The emperor is wise and martial, and it is really difficult for the ministers to wait for anything." ”

Chongzhen was extremely disgusted in his heart, but he smiled on his face and asked, "What else do you Aiqing have to say, just publish it." ”

Where did those cabinet members dare to say anything, they all shook their heads in admiration.

Chongzhen said: "Okay, since you don't have any high opinions, please disperse." With that, he got up first.

Seeing him like this, those cabinet members were too late to please again, and they felt as if they had lost something, so they had to get up and leave.

Chongzhen ignored them, took care of his hands behind his back, and paced alone.

Wang Chengen followed a few steps and said flatteringly: "The big event is over, the Chinese New Year's Eve is thirty, will we also have a good year?" ”

"It's over?" Chongzhen asked rhetorically, then snorted coldly, and said with a slightly heavy heart: "Do you think the master of Zhongxing is so easy to be?" Yes, the overall situation of the rebellion against evil has been decided, but the ambition of the Emperor Taiji wolf son of Houjin is immortal, and he is eyeing me all the time, maybe there will be war when there will be, how can I feel at ease? ”

When Wang Chengen heard this, he didn't dare to say any more, so he just followed him step by step. After walking for a while, he finally made up his mind and asked, "Where is Yuan Chonghuan now?" ”

Wang Chengen hurriedly said: "After finishing that errand by order, he stayed in the yamen of the military department and never went out again. ”

Chongzhen asked in disbelief: "Haven't you been in contact with anyone?" ”

Wang Chengen said: "Qian Longxi went to visit him, and it is said that the two of them got along well before they entered the court, and forgiveness is just to reminisce about the old intentions." ”

Chongzhen said unhappily: "Did you hear it with your own ears, or did you guess it?" ”

Listening to his unkind tone, Wang Chengen secretly blamed himself for being too talkative, and he didn't know how to answer, but he heard Chongzhen say gloomily: "There was a strict decree when Taizu was there, and civil officials and military generals were not allowed to have personal relations without authorization. They have all been in the court for many years, don't they even understand this little rule? ”

Wang Chengen didn't want him to think of this, and felt sorry for these two, and after seeing him say it, he just lowered his head and pondered, plucked up the courage to say: "This Yuan Chonghuan still has some ways to do errands." ”

Chongzhen let out an "oh" and said with interest: "You can tell me about it." ”

Wang Chengen made up his mind to say good things to Yuan Chonghuan to make up for his miswords, paused slightly, and said: "Dongchang and Jinyiwei were controlled by the eunuch party before, because they have people in their hands, and they are undoubtedly the biggest obstacle to eliminating evil. After Yuan Chonghuan was ordered, he actually controlled them without bloodshed, how could he do it without some real skills? ”

After speaking, seeing Chongzhen's eyes staring at him tightly, he couldn't help but panic and said: "The slave is talking too much, and I hope the emperor will be forgiving." ”

Chongzhen suddenly laughed, finished laughing, and said: "You're right, this Yuan Chonghuan has some skills, and he has made meritorious contributions at the critical time of eliminating evil, and he should be praised." As he spoke, he looked up and saw that it was the Baohe Hall in front of him, so he had a whim, and said, "In this way, you go and pass the decree quickly, and I will follow the example of the ancestors and summon Yuan Chonghuan in the Baohe Palace." ”

Wang Chengen was overjoyed when he heard this, and he was busy delivering the decree.

Besides, when Yuan Chonghuan woke up, it was the next day. Years of military career have made Yuan Chonghuan develop the habit of sleeping on horseback, and after sleeping, he is already refreshed.

However, Yuan Chonghuan didn't move, he was thinking: "The emperor let us control the situation, but why did he let us stop?" Didn't he know that it was easier to do it all at once? It shouldn't be, looking at his methods of dealing with Wei Zhongxian, it's very sophisticated. ”

Thinking about it, Yuan Chonghuan couldn't help but be surprised: "Could it be that he doesn't believe us?" It must be, we have never dealt with him before, and he doesn't know us, so why should he trust us? But why did he let us take control? This is a matter of fate. ”

Yuan Chonghuan really couldn't figure it out, and he discussed with the visiting Qian Longxi, but he didn't come up with a reason.

Qian Longxi and Yuan Chonghuan are old friends, and they have always had a very close personal relationship, and since Yuan Chonghuan returned to Beijing, Qian Longxi often came to see him. It should be said that Yuan Chonghuan's understanding of outside information comes from Qian Longxi.

On this day, Yuan Chonghuan was thinking about this, and a subordinate official hurriedly came in and said: "Lord Qiyu, there is an edict from the palace, saying that the emperor has summoned the lord in the Baohe Palace, please enter the palace as soon as possible." ”

"Yu Baohe Hall is right?" Yuan Chonghuan asked rhetorically, and seeing that the subordinate officer nodded firmly, he couldn't help but get up excitedly, and said, "Isn't this the legendary platform call, right?" This is the highest honor. As he spoke, he got up and went straight to the palace.

Chongzhen was waiting for him in the Baohe Palace, and when he saw him coming, he kept looking him up and down, but seeing that although Yuan Chonghuan was magnificent, there was anxiety between his eyebrows, knowing that his strategy had been effective, he felt complacent for a while, and only smiled and nodded.

Yuan Chonghuan naturally looked at him secretly, but when he saw that he was sitting upright, he was not angry, and he contacted Wei Zhongxian with him quietly, and deeply regretted that he was too rude, and hurriedly knelt down and said: "Minister Yuan Chonghuan knocked on the emperor, may the emperor live long live, long live, long live." ”

After speaking, he still couldn't help but panic: "Seeing that he is clever and wise, he seems to be vigilant at any time, and he must have seen our rudeness, I'm afraid he will blame us." ”

Just thinking about it, Chongzhen had already stood up, personally came over to help him up, and said: "The reason why I summoned Aiqing in the Baohe Hall is to follow the ancestor platform to summon the right, so that it will be more convenient for our monarchs and ministers to speak." ”

As he spoke, seeing that Yuan Chonghuan was about to speak, he said: "Aiqing, don't be polite, I want to hear Aiqing's views on the current urgent matters of the Ming Dynasty today." ”

Yuan Chonghuan didn't want him to be like this, he was so excited that his heart had reached his throat, and after thinking for a while, he said: "In the eyes of the ministers, the most important thing in the Ming Dynasty at present is to eliminate the evil and the two things of Liao, and the elimination of the evil has been a sure victory, and the rest is nothing more than to eliminate the influence of the evil, as for the restoration of Liao, if the emperor is willing to trust the ministers, the ministers are willing to realize it within five years." ”

"How could he have guessed my thoughts? No, it should be the same as what heroes see. Wang Chengen is right, he is a hero. He supported us on the issue of Wei Zhongxian, and as a Han Chinese, what reason did he have not support me on the issue of recovering Liao? Well, since he said it was impassioned, I will use him, so that I will not be able to sleep at night. ”

Quickly turning his thoughts, Chongzhen said: "Aiqing is the minister of my humerus, how can I not believe it?" Okay, Aiqing has this great ambition, it is really the blessing of the Ming Dynasty, I will now appoint Aiqing as the secretary of the military department and the right deputy capital of the imperial history, supervising Ji Liao, and also supervising Denglai, Tianjin military affairs. “

When Yuan Chonghuan heard this, he was busy thanking him, thanking him, and immediately felt speechless, and said busily: "The five-year plan to restore Liao is not easy to complete, since the emperor has entrusted it to the minister, how dare the minister shirk this difficult task?" If you want to complete this task as scheduled, you also hope that the emperor will allow the ministers three conditions. ”

"Oh, you're trying to back down, hmph, now that I'm out of my mouth, how can I stand you?" Thinking secretly, Chongzhen said happily: "Recovering Liao is the country's great plan, if Aiqing can complete it as scheduled, don't say three conditions, that is, thirty, three hundred, I will agree to the same, Aiqing just say it." ”

Yuan Chonghuan was helpless, so he had to hesitate and said: "First, within five years, the household department will transfer military salaries, the Ministry of Industry will supply equipment, the Ministry of Officials will employ personnel, and the Ministry of War will transfer troops and select generals. As he spoke, he looked at Chongzhen with both eyes.

Chongzhen said: "Okay, this one, I agreed, and then I will talk about the second one." ”

Yuan Chonghuan continued: "As soon as the minister goes to the border pass, thousands of miles away from the emperor, it will be difficult to implement everything after it is clear, in case someone in the court slanders the minister, and ask the emperor to do more on his behalf." ”

Chongzhen made up his mind, thought about it for a while, and said: "This second article, I also agreed, in order to let Aiqing concentrate on recovering Liao, I decided to take back the sword of Shang Fang of Wang Zhichen and Man Gui, and give it to Aiqing, so that Aiqing can act cheaply." And what about the third? ”

Yuan Chonghuan said: "The strategy of restoring the Liao land is nothing more than the statement put forward by the minister in previous years that the Liao people should defend the Liao land and raise the Liao people with the Liao land, defense is a regular strategy, offensive warfare is a flexible strategy, and peace negotiation is an auxiliary strategy. Law enforcement is progressing step by step, not abruptly, and pursuing practical results rather than coveting fame. This is what the ministers and the border officials can do.

As for the people who choose to employ people, and the people who are used, they are the key to the emperor's grasp. How can we use people without being half-hearted, believing without doubting? Because the minister of frontier defense is different from the minister of the imperial court, there are many suspicious things in the army, and we should only talk about the overall situation of success or failure, and we should not pick out the small mistakes of every word and deed.

Since the responsibility of the matter is great, it will lead to resentment. All kinds of things that are beneficial to the frontier are not good for themselves. Moreover, the enemy is in a hurry, and the enemy is also divided from it, so it is difficult to be a minister of the frontier. The emperor loves and protects his ministers, and the ministers don't have to be too suspicious and afraid, but they are afraid in their hearts and dare not tell them. “

Chongzhen smiled with relief and said: "This third article, I also agreed, and I decided to reward Aiqing python robe jade belt and silver coins again." ”

Yuan Chonghuan fluttered and knelt on the ground and said: "The emperor has allowed Chonghuan three conditions, which has made Chonghuan feel sorry, how dare he ask for python robes, jade belts, and silver coins again?" Please rest assured that Chonghuan will do his best and die. ”

Chongzhen hurriedly came over and took Yuan Chonghuan's hand, and said again and again: "Okay, Aiqing is a true hero, I hope that our monarchs and ministers will take care of each other and create a great cause together." ”