On the fifteenth day of the first month of the first year of Hongguang, Shangyuan Festival, the northern capital of Beijing.

Although today is the annual Shangyuan Festival, and it is also the only night of the year when there is no curfew, there is no festive atmosphere in the whole city of Beijing.

Although the Manchu court also respected the tradition of giving holidays to the citizens of Beijing, and also issued an edict to prepare for the lantern festival, but the common people had this intention when the country was ruined, so the whole Beijing seemed deserted, except for some yamen replaced with red lanterns, most of the other merchants were not prepared.

Outside the Di'anmen East Avenue in Beijing's Imperial City, that is, on the west side of the later Luoguxiang subway station, it was the residence of the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, at this time, the imperial hospital was not occupied by the imperial doctor who diagnosed the emperor's illness, but the peace envoy from the small court of the Southern Ming Dynasty.

Zuo Mao's first entourage arrived in Tongzhou, Beijing in October of the 17th year of Chongzhen, and the Manchu regent Dolgon ordered Zuo Maodi to live in the Siyi Pavilion.

Siyi Pavilion was the place where the Central Plains Dynasty received its subjects. The Qing court wanted to place the Southern Ming delegation in the Siyi Pavilion, which meant that it was necessary to discuss peace matters with the high profile of the suzerainty towards the subordinate states. This is absolutely unacceptable for the Han dynasty, which has always regarded itself as Zhengshuo and attaches great importance to the distinction between China and Yi.

Such rudeness of the Manchus sparked controversy within the mission and sowed the seeds of Chen Hongfan's rebellion in the future. The deputy envoy Chen Hongfan thought that he could have a low profile towards the Qing court and accept the humiliation of the Manchus as long as it was beneficial to state affairs, while the main envoy Zuo Maodi insisted that it could not be accepted.

The mission was also divided into two factions, which did not give in to each other. It seems that there is already a split within the mission before it has even entered the formal negotiation process.

Zuo Maodi was forced to present two crucial documents the next day, one for the guidelines for the negotiation of the mission drafted by Ma Shiying, the first assistant of the Southern Ming Dynasty, and the other for the final opinion formed after discussion by the courtiers, both of which contained the requirement of "not bending the knee and humiliating the life, respecting the heavenly court." Living in Siyi Pavilion as a vassal state is against the supreme instructions of the imperial court.

Because the Qing court refused to give in, the mission stayed in Tongzhou for ten days and refused to leave. Zuo Maodi said to the envoys of the Qing court: "If you meet as a vassal country, I will not enter." Because of Zo Maodi's insistence, Dolgon finally decided to place them in the Honglu Temple. Although Honglu Temple still receives foreign envoys as a "pilgrimage", there is no clear relationship between the suzerains and the subject countries.

The reception specifications are behind for a while, and more debates are yet to come. The Manchus demanded that the imperial letters be served to the Ministry of Rites, while the missions required that the documents be delivered directly to the regent Dorgon. Zuo Maodi argued on the basis of reason, and the Qing court reluctantly ended it by sending it to the inner court.

Because the Manchu Qing had not yet decided what to do with the small court of the Southern Ming Dynasty at this time, there was no sincerity in the peace talks at all, and the two sides were stubborn about every detail and did not give in to each other. When strength is equal, diplomacy is strength. When power is not equal, strength is diplomacy. When the strength of the Manchu Qing Dynasty was inferior, the missions of the mission, such as paying homage to the ancestral tomb, burying Chongzhen, and searching for the crown prince, were all rejected by the Qing court.

As the situation developed, the main battle faction within the Qing court gradually gained the upper hand, and the mission had lost its value. The Qing court tore off the pretense of negotiating peace and forcibly seized the property carried by the mission. Two Qing court officers led 300 troops and escorted the mission out of Beijing along the way, "no one is allowed to go before and after, and one person is allowed to speak in close proximity", like prisoners.

But just arrived in Cangzhou, a new change arose. During the negotiations, the deputy envoy Chen Hongfan secretly sent Qiu Bo to the Qing court, and the Qing court decided to use him as a breakthrough to persuade him to surrender. Chen Hongfan took the initiative to return to Nanming to plot rebellion, but the condition was that Zuo Maodi must be detained in Beijing.

Therefore, the Qing court's pursuers followed, and Zuo Maodi and others were detained for a "slow trip" for no reason, and only Chen Hongfan was allowed to go south.

Zuo Maodi didn't know the inside story, and also encouraged Chen Hongfan Mo to be sad, and after returning to Nanming, he served the lord loyally, and Xu Tu recovered. The mission was taken to the Beijing Tai Hospital.

During this period, some old friends wanted to visit Zuo Maodi, but they were all scolded back by him. Hong Chengchou wanted to come to visit, but Zuo Maodi rebuked and said, "This is not a person, but a ghost." Chengchou once controlled the three sides of the country, and was martyred in the Songjin War. The first emperor personally added nine altars for him, and also gave him generous conditions. Cheng Chou has been dead for a long time, how can he survive in the world? If he's coming, he's going to be a ghost. Hong Chengchou was ashamed when he heard this, and returned in a huff.

Another day, Li Jiantai, a scholar from the Inner Academy, came to visit, and Zuo Maodi scolded directly: "The old dog is still alive in the world? In the past, he led his troops to fight for thieves, and the first emperor was especially kind to see him off, but now he can't surrender to the Qing captives by martyrdom, how can he see me? Li Jiantai was not allowed to see him. He came to visit his brother Zuo Maotai, but Zuo Maodi said, "This is not my brother", and he left quickly.

Dolgon's calculation is very clear, that is, he values his family background and wants to join the Manchu Qing as a second minister. Zuo Maodi came from the Zuo clan in Laiyang, Shandong, his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all court officials, and the most important thing is that Zuo Maodi was also one of the founders of the Shanzuo Taisha, a branch of the Fushe, and had a great influence in Shilin, so as long as Zuo Maodi surrendered, there were many benefits to the Manchu Qing Dynasty to subjugate Shandong and Southern Zhili.

Zo Maodi naturally knew what Dolgon thought, and he knew that it was time for him to serve his country loyally. Dolgon kept sending people to persuade him to surrender, and Zuo Maodi's handwritten letter was a couplet of Mingzhi: "Born as a minister, die as a loyal ghost." He also painted a portrait of Su Wu shepherding sheep and hung it on the wall to encourage himself. When the persuader entered, he pointed to the couplet and said, "This is my will, and there is no need to say more!" ”

At this time, Dolgon still had illusions about Zuo Maodi, so he did not imprison Zuo Maodi, but imprisoned him and some of his attachés in the Tai Hospital, where daily supplies could still be guaranteed.

Today is the Shangyuan Festival, Zuo Maodi stood outside the house and looked at the moon outside the window, and the servants beside him said with concern: "Master, the weather in the northern capital is much colder than in the southern capital, let's go into the house!" ”

Thinking of his situation, Zuo Maodi sighed and returned to the house, when a voice outside the door shouted, "My lord, my lord!" The last general Ai is here to meet your lords! "Good net

This Ai Daxuan is the military commander of the escort of the mission, this person is greedy for life and afraid of death, and he has come to Zuo Maodi many times in the past few days, trying to persuade Zuo Maodi to surrender.

He must have come at this time today at the behest of Dorgon to persuade himself.

Zuo Maodi originally didn't want to see this spineless person, but at this time, Zuo Maodi had no personal freedom, where could he decide to see that person? So this Ai election is very easy to go into the house and meet Zuo Maodi.

Ai Daxuan is a middle-aged general in his thirties, who was originally a general of the Jinwu Right Guard in Nanjing, and this time Zuo Maodi went north, Ai Daxuan was selected as the military governor of the pro-army to protect the pro-army, and he was regarded as one of the more important attachés in the mission team in addition to the three chief officers.

Zuo Maodi has no good impression of this Ai election, this guy took refuge in Dolgon early, became Dolgon's mouthpiece in the middle of the mission, and preached the theory that the Ming Dynasty will be defeated in the mission every day, if it weren't for the fact that he is now in the northern capital, Zuo Maodi would have wanted to clean up this guy.

Ai Daxuan entered the room and stood up, seeing the cold rice balls on the table, Ai Daxuan smiled and said: "My lord, this is the soup balls prepared by the regent himself, isn't it the same as the appetite of the adults?" ”

Zuo Maodi's family knew that their lord hated this guy, so they didn't say in a good tone: "My lord is a northerner, and he can't get used to eating glutinous rice balls!" ”

"That's right, the last general forgot that Lord Zuo is from Shandong, and the last general will arrange to prepare the Lantern Festival for Lord Zuo!"

At this time, Zuo Maodi was thinking about what kind of rice balls or Lantern Festival to eat, and frowned and asked, "General Ai, what is the matter with your visit this time?" ”

Hearing Zuo Maodi say this, Ai Daxuan smiled and said: "My lord, the regent has something important to convey at the end, please retreat!" ”

Zuo Maodi knew that this guy was here to persuade him to surrender, but now that he had lost his freedom, and the Manchu army was guarding outside, what else could he do? There was no way, Zuo Maodi just had to let his family out.

Ai Daxuan saw that only he and Zuo Mao were left in the house, and said with a smile: "My lord, this time the last general has brought good news, the Qing army has broken through Tongguan under the leadership of Prince Yu Duoduo, and it is estimated that Xi'an has been taken at this time!" ”

Xi'an is Li Zicheng's old nest, Zuo Maodi was a magistrate in Hancheng, Shaanxi, where he did not know the impact of Xi'an on the entire Guanzhong, and now Tongguan is lost, and Xi'an will definitely not be guaranteed. If Xi'an loses Li Zicheng, it will have no capital to compete with the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and can only run away in the second stream.

Ai Daxuan saw that Zuo Maodi did not move, and then said: "My lord, the last general heard that the regent intends to let the adult serve as the head of the household, I wonder if the adult is willing?" Ai Daxuan said as he took out a piece of paper from his bosom and brought it to Zuo Maodi.

Zuo Maodi originally heard Ai Daxuan say to let himself be cleared, and wanted to stand up and reprimand this shameless thing, but he knew that a piece of paper appeared in front of his eyes.

Zuo Maodi looked closely, there were a few words written on it, "There are ears outside the wall, speak carefully", Zuo Maodi was stunned when he saw these words, and he didn't know what this Ai election meant.

Seeing that Zuo Maodi received his meaning, Ai Daxuan tore up the paper in his hand, and then took out another piece of paper and placed it in front of Zuo Maodi.

This time, Zuo Maodi took a closer look, and it didn't matter if it was written, this letter was actually written by the first assistant Ma Shiying.

Zuo Maodi was originally the governor of Yingtian and the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, so he naturally recognized Ma Shiying's handwriting. This letter is very short, which means that Ma Shiying knows Zuo Mao's loyalty to the country in the first place, so that Zuo Maodi fully believes in the person who holds this letter.

Zuo Maodi and Ai Daxuan set off from Nanjing, and they knew this subordinate very well along the way, this Ai Daxuan was greedy for life and death, greedy for money and lustful, and it was not surprising that he defected to the eunuch Ma Shiying Zuo Maodi, but what is going on now? Could it be that Ma Shiying has also secretly defected to the Manchu Qing Dynasty?

Thinking of this, Zuo Maodi was about to open his mouth to reprimand Ai Daxuan, but the things that Ai Daxuan took out this time made Zuo Maodi shut up.

What Ai Daxuan took out of his bosom this time was a wooden sign that read "Dongchang Inspection School". I was surprised to see this Zuo Maodi, how did this Ai election become the inspection school of the East Factory?