Generally speaking, the so-called negotiation means that the two sides with differences sit down, set out their respective goals, find out the differences, and each side makes certain concessions and compromises with each other to achieve a mutually acceptable result. Among them, the weak side makes more concessions in order to calm the situation, and the stronger side makes fewer concessions and accepts it when it is good. The latest free chapters of the book can be found here.

When Nuerhachi was there, he had signed an agreement with the Ming Dynasty that was not an agreement, that is, the vast area east of Ningyuan Pass and south of the desert north was set as an undetermined ownership area, and the two sides could speak with knives and guns at any time if they wanted, which was not so much an agreement as a challenge. After Huang Taiji succeeded to the throne, he felt that this agreement was inappropriate, because the fearless struggle with the Ming army in Liaodong at any time would affect his strategy of defeating Mongolia all the way north, that is, Nuerhachi's previous negotiations were inappropriate and inappropriate, but Huang Taiji now really wants to negotiate.

Huang Taiji's purpose is very clear and very simple, that is, to control the place now, that is, to Ningyuan Pass as the boundary, not to invade each other, and then make a decision after solving the Mongolian ** family. Even if the Mongols were to defeat the Ming Dynasty, they were embarrassed to tear up the agreement and attack from Ningyuan Pass, and they could be pressed down from north to south from Jizhou, Datong and even Ningxia in the north. Fan Wencheng saw that King Rui was easy-going and said that it didn't matter if there was no premise for negotiation, so he told the truth in a hurry, because he also wanted to finish the talks early and go home early for the New Year, maybe he could find something from the urgency and slowness of the envoys of the Ming Dynasty.

Who knew that King Rui actually said that the content of the negotiation did not necessarily count, that is, even if Fan Wencheng asked to cede the city of Beijing to the Jurchens, he could agree, but he did not dare to guarantee whether the emperor in Beijing would agree to it. Fan Wencheng was very dissatisfied when he heard this, and asked King Rui: "May I ask King Rui, do you mean that what I mentioned is to take Ningyuan as the boundary, and the requirements for Jurchen and Daming to become brotherly states are a bit high, I don't know what you think is appropriate?" ”

The negotiation must first know the real requirements of the other party, Fan Wencheng thinks that his side has made it clear that everyone will stop fighting with the actual control area, as for becoming a brotherly state is a sky-high asking price, he knows that the face of the Ming Dynasty monarchs and ministers is very serious, and the two sides will not come to this point if they can really put it down.

Who knows that King Rui picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea and said: "My emperor of the Ming Dynasty does not have many brothers like you Tiancong Khan, but he has a few uncles like me, and people like me may be the same decoration as this Dolgon Ezhen, and it is you Mr. Fan and Lord Hou who really have the idea to talk, so if you have anything to ask him, don't ask me." ”

Dolgon, who was young but ambitious, glanced contemptuously at the mediocre King Rui and said, "I am not an ornament! ”

King Rui sighed and said: "It seems that you seem to be a little stronger than me, then the three of you can talk about it, this king only knows one sentence from the emperor, that is, you can talk about anything without a premise, and I don't care about how to talk about anything." ”

For a person like Rui Wang who confesses to himself as useless, Fan Wencheng also admires it with disdain, there are too many people in this world who are self-aggrandizing and self-proclaiming, and there are not many people who can admit that they are decorations. Fan Wencheng asked Hou Sui: "Lord Hou, can you call the shots in this negotiation?" ”

Hou Sui thought for a while and said: "In this negotiation, King Rui is the main official or deputy, and King Rui's statement at the beginning can be seen as a carte blanche to entrust the official, since King Rui has been entrusted, the official can be the master." But first of all, I want to state that the official is in charge of the form of negotiation rather than the content of the negotiation, that is, you can talk about anything anywhere, but the final result is not acceptable to King Rui and this official, and it must be approved by the emperor. ”

In order to prove that he was not the kind of ornament that King Rui said, Dolgon first asked: "Since it is now Lord Hou who is in charge, what Mr. Fan began to say is that Ningyuan Pass is the boundary, and the Jurchen and the Ming Dynasty have become brothers, does Lord Hou think it is feasible?" ”

Hou Sui thought for a while and asked, "Is this what the two of you mean or what you Tiancong Khan Emperor Taiji mean?" ”

Dorgon said, "Of course that's what my starling meant. ”

Hou Sui said: "The son said: 'The father is here, watch his will; The father did not, watch his deeds; Three years have not changed the way of the father, which can be described as filial piety. 'Whether it's a Jurchen or a Han person, this filial piety still has to be talked about, right? Why did you Tiancong Khan have to change less than a year after he succeeded to the throne? ”

Dolgon sneered and said: "What you said is the corrupt words of your Han people, in the eyes of our Jurchens, as long as I can inherit my father's will and let my Jurchen people live better and better, it is correct, as for what my father Khan said before, it doesn't matter." ”

Fan Wencheng also nodded at this time and said: "Respecting its true meaning instead of being bound by words and words is true filial piety!" ”

Hou Sui nodded and said: "The Jurchen Heavenly Mandate Khan Nurhachi made an agreement with the Ming Dynasty at that time, and the east of Ningyuan to the south of Mobei is considered to be a common land between the two sides, and everyone fights for it by their own means, and now you want to swallow it all, is it too much of an appetite?" When two people do business, one eats meat and gives the other person a few mouthfuls of soup, and you do this because you don't give us a sip of soup? ”

Dolgon said proudly: "The affairs of the world are respected by the strong, and Liaodong is the place where my Jurchens have lived for generations, why should I give you soup with the land left by my ancestors?" ”

Hou Sui said: "If you say this, it can't be regarded as a negotiation, and the official and King Rui can't explain to the emperor when they go back, so won't our negotiations be in vain?" ”

Fan Wencheng nodded to Dolgon when he heard this, and Dolgon said: "It turns out that Lord Hou just got nothing and couldn't go back to make a difference, I have a good idea here to satisfy you." When my Jurchen army destroyed the Mongolian Khalkha Department, it also co-opted Horqin and Karaqin, and the Han headquarters was already a rebellion, if the Ming army could join us to eliminate the Han Army, my Jurchen could give you some land. ”

Hou Sui nodded and said: "Take other people's things as favors, and ask my Ming army to help you, this abacus is very good, but I don't know where you can give me Daming at that time?" ”

Dolgon said: "At the beginning of the year, the Great Belle and the good had returned from this Ningyuan City in vain, which proves that although your Ming army is far from in the field, it is still a little capable in defending the city, otherwise you think we will talk nonsense with you here?" Let you cooperate with us to destroy the Mongols, just let you take the lead in capturing a few Mongol cities and defend them, and play to your strengths. Of course, if you don't contribute much, you will get less, I heard that you have surrounded two side walls in the Duoyan Department, so the land within the two side walls is counted as the Ming army, do you think you are still satisfied? ”

Hou Sui said: "I understand, if you had defeated Ningyuan at that time, then you Jurchens would not have any interest in cooperating with the Ming army, and it is estimated that the content to be negotiated now should probably be bounded by Shanhaiguan, right?" Now that we are talking about cooperation, we actually want the Ming army to first attack the Mongolian Han Department, and finally only reward us with the territory where the Ming army is now stationed, isn't that so? ”

Fan Wencheng also knew that it was too much, and thought about it and said: "Half a year ago, our two sides were ready to negotiate, and later I heard that because the Mongols attacked the Ming army, the Ming army suffered thousands of losses, and it is said that the murderer has not been found now, and he has not been able to avenge the dead Ming army." Lord Hou thought about it, the Ming army and the Jurchens can cooperate to take revenge and gain benefits, this is the best of both worlds, why not do it? As for saying that the divided territory is small, you can talk about it again, or Dolgon's words, of course, more effort will be divided, what do you think? ”

Hou Sui thought for a while and said: "Friendship with the Jurchens and Mongolians, this matter is too big for the official to be the master, you have to go back to Beijing to explain the situation to the emperor, and the emperor decides." Why don't we talk about this for the time being, and then continue to talk after the official and King Rui return to Beijing to report? ”

Fan Wencheng said: "This is about to be the New Year, this back and forth is estimated that there is no time to talk this year, and when the New Year comes again, it is estimated that it will be a month later, why don't we make a written agreement first, that is, before the next negotiation, we will not move troops before the next negotiation, Lord Hou, do you think it is good?" ”

Fan Wencheng's calculation is to make an agreement now, as long as it is decided that the two sides will make a truce before the next negotiation, then Mao Wenlong, the general soldier of southern Liaoning, and Mangui, the general soldier of Ningyuan, will not make trouble in Liaodong. It is also possible to delay a little time when necessary, so that the objective of a truce along the Line of Actual Control can be initially achieved. As for the words that the two sides cooperated to fight the Mongols, no one would take it seriously, the Ming army would not have the brains to go deep into the grassland to seize the city, and there were not so many strong cities in the grassland, which was convenient for the Ming army to easily seize and hold onto.

Hou Sui said: "The two sides should have a truce before the next negotiation begins, otherwise the sincerity of the negotiation will be lost, but the official said at the beginning that all the content of the negotiation may not be counted, and he must go back to Beijing to let the emperor decide, how is this good?" ”

Fan Wencheng said: "This is easy to do, we will write down this article now and only write this article, indicating that the truce is the premise of negotiation, I believe that the Ming Emperor will not disagree, just like Lord Hou began to say that there is no sincerity in negotiation. Anyway, we have to go back and get the consent of Tiancong Khan. ”

Hou Sui discussed with King Rui in a low voice and then said, "It's just like this, let's write it right away without hesitation." ”

Four days later, from Beijing and Shenyang, Tianqi and Huang Taiji signed an opinion in person, and everyone agreed that neither side would send a single soldier to harass each other before the next negotiation, and the negotiators of both sides also said goodbye to each other and went back for the New Year.

Fan Wencheng and Dolgon gathered good men and horses and returned the same way, Dolgon saw that Fan Wencheng was in a very low mood along the way, and couldn't help but ask when he left Ningyuan Pass: "Is there something wrong with Mr. Fan?" ”

Fan Wencheng said a little depressedly: "I didn't think about it earlier, but now I know that something is wrong." ”