In recent days, Yang Sichang has seen that the emperor intends to send him to Huguang to supervise the division, and wants to keep him in the imperial court "Yizan Center". He himself had thought about it again and again, and he couldn't make up his mind. He knew very well that he had served as a soldier in recent years, and had made no achievements in internal and external military affairs. A few months ago, due to the congestion of the Qing soldiers, the city was broken and the commander was damaged, and the emperor was forced by public opinion to demote him to three levels, making him look at the crime. Unexpectedly, now Xiong Wencan has failed again, and Wencan was recommended by him. If it weren't for the emperor's unfailing affection for him, he would have been convicted. In the spring, he proposed to increase the annual training of 7.3 million taels, which was levied with the field endowment, for the purpose of training the militia, which was opposed by many people in the imperial court. Now that Lian Xiang is about to start the campaign, it will inevitably cause a national riot. However, it is absolutely difficult to carry out the task of organizing and training hundreds of thousands of militiamen. If the training salary is increased and the training of the troops comes to naught, it will be difficult for him to step down.

In the past year, there have been many people in the government and the opposition who have scolded him, and he knows it very well. Although he did everything according to the emperor's will, once the emperor's favor in him waned, and the courtiers attacked him, the emperor would never bear it for him. If he is imprisoned at that time, dies in the West City, and is ruined, it is better to ask the supervisor to take advantage of the current emperor's favor to ask for a supervisor. He believes that his practical work and military talents are much better than Xiong Wencan, coupled with the emperor's favor, he is even more respected as an auxiliary minister. However, he also thought that at present, the arrogant soldiers are lazy, the soldiers are cut and shortage, and the natural and man-made disasters have changed people's minds, and there is almost no land north of the river that is not chaotic. If the teacher fails, how can he do it well?

The situation is urgent, no matter what Chongzhen says or Yang Sichang, this issue must be decided quickly. When the Wenhua Hall was summoned, both sides were trying to figure out each other's thoughts. Chongzhen first asked about the issue of military salary, and then turned to the military side of Huguang and Shaanxi, sighed and said: "I have been running the world for more than ten years, using ministers and ministers to study, and using ministers and ministers to embezzle, and the state affairs have come to this, which can be a great sigh!" Now he decided to ask Xiong Wencan and put it on the line, thinking that he would follow the wrong thing and corrupt the ring of the feudal lord. Hong Chengchou is still able to do things, but he supervises Ji Liao, and the responsibility is arduous and cannot be transferred. There is no one among the ministers of the court who can lead the army and suppress the thieves on my behalf! ”

Yang Sichang hurriedly knelt on the ground and said: "Xiong Wencan is deeply responsible for His Majesty's trust, and he deserves to be asked, and even Weichen can't be blamed." As for who to send to Huguang to supervise the division, please make a decision as soon as possible. If there is no suitable person, the minister is willing to go to the army in person, do his best to suppress the traitors, redeem the past mistakes, and repay His Majesty's kindness. ”

Chongzhen nodded and said, "If Mr. works tirelessly to suppress thieves on behalf of my supervisor, it will naturally be very good." It's just that everything in the court is messy, and I can't be left and right without a gentleman for a day. If the governor does not go, it is advisable to decide who should go to the governor's request, so as to avoid debts. Sir go down and think about it, I know. ”

Two days later, Chongzhen saw Yang Sichang's recital, and his love words were generous, and he asked to go to Huguang to supervise the division and suppress the thief. He still hesitated for a long time because the central government lacked a minister like Yang Sichang and would have no one in charge of secretly negotiating peace with Manchuria. It was not until the end of August that he received reports of military defeats in Huguang and Shaanxi, and he made a final decision and ordered the eunuch Bingbi, the chief eunuch of ceremonies, to draw up an edict to Yang Sichang for him. He took a pen to change a few sentences, and then the eunuch of Bingbi transcribed them on the golden flower paper, and sent them out on the same day. The edict reads:

In the meantime, the border is not quiet, although the Qing is exhausted, he will inevitably be punished by the law. I am better than the country, and I have returned the former official that the secretary has taken. Qing was self-deprecating, insisted on repeatedly, insisted on being very upright, and reluctantly listened to each other. I heard the meaning of "Spring and Autumn": overturn with merit. Fang Jin descended to discipline, and the western expedition was out of law; Shaanxi Kou is blazing again, and the siege is futile. Looking at the clouds in the west, I am very worried! There are many countries and humerus, and the humerus is leaning; With Qing Qing's knowledge, it is not difficult to decide. can gallop to the past generation of Wencan, as my supervisor. The matter of going out of the suburbs is no longer in the palace. Specially given Shang Fang sword as a cheap reward. Qing Qiqi got rid of the Taiwan thieves and played skin work early! "Poetry" is not cloudy: "No virtue is not rewarded." "The thief is leveling the brigade, and I am adding a special tin to the brigade.

One day later, Chongzhen issued an order to restore Yang Sichang's original grade, giving him a hundred taels of pure gold, four horses of red silk for making robes, a bullfighting coat, 40,000 taels of silver, 1,500 silver medals, 500 pieces of silk and 500 pieces of silk, and a silver seal for the "Supervisor and Auxiliary Minister", and a salary of 500,000 taels of silver. The court and the head of the yamen have never been so swift, and Chongzhen himself is rarely so generous. Yang Sichang deeply understood how anxious the emperor was about the military of Huguang and Shaanxi, and how ardent his expectations were. On the same day, he thanked and asked His Majesty to resign, and suggested seven military plans in Shuzhong. Chongzhen agreed to all the invitations with Yang Sichang

After Yang Sichang left Beijing, he did not dare to delay along the road and hurried away. The sedan chair drivers took turns to replace, and when he encountered a bumpy road, he got off the sedan chair and rode a horse. Every day, the stars set off for a day, and they only stopped after sunset. Every three days, he reported his itinerary to the imperial court. Since ministers at the level of prime ministers go out of Beijing to do business, most of them are slow to act and harass along the way, and they are rarely like him. Therefore, just looking at the situation of his "quick departure to Rongji" after he left Beijing, the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty felt that he was really different, and even those who were usually dissatisfied with him could not help but think that he might turn the unfavorable military situation around after he arrived in Xiangyang. As for Chongzhen, he usually thinks that Yang Sichang is loyal and very accomplished, and now every time he sees Yang Sichang's report on the road, he feels very gratified.

At that time, the official road from Beijing to Xiangyang was to take Cizhou, Zhangde, Weihui and Fengqiu. Kaifeng, Zhuxian Town, Xuchang, Nanyang and Xinye. He only stayed in Kaifeng for half a day, and sent a message to the local governors, telling the court the "virtue" of saving the people, and encouraging everyone to serve loyally. On the night of the 29th, he arrived in Xiangyang, and took Xiong Wencan's prime minister Xingyuan as his supervisor and auxiliary minister. On his way from Kaifeng to Xiangyang, he sent an urgent telegram to the governors of Huguang and Yunyang, as well as the commanders stationed in Jing, Xiang, Yunyang, and Shangzhou, including the general army, the generals, and the supervising army, to rush to the Xiangyang meeting at the end of September and listen to his face-to-face lectures. These urgent documents were handed over to the local Tang Horse, and the Pegasus was transmitted day and night by relay method. It is better to run a dead horse than to be stranded on the road. Except for a few people who were stationed far away and other special reasons, these summoned civilian, official and military generals did not dare to slack off after receiving the notice, and hurried day and night to Xiangyang. Generally, they can arrive in advance, and they have time to greet the supervisor in Zhangjiawan, fifteen miles east of Fancheng. It can be seen from this incident that Yang Sichang, with the respect of the auxiliary minister, plus the minister of the heart of the Son of Heaven, took the lead after leaving Beijing, and his words were resolute.

If it is another minister, after more than 20 days of running around in the wind and dust of the stars and the moon, he must rest for a few days after arriving in Xiangyang. However, Yang Sichang refused to rest, and on the second day of his arrival in Xiangyang, he summoned the governor of Huguang and several other dignitaries to inquire in detail about the current military and local situation, and read many relevant documents. Just one day later, he was promoted to the board of directors in the middle of the line. From the day he arrived in Xiangyang, a new chapter was opened in the history of civil war in the last years of the Ming Dynasty.

Let's say that Yang Sichang is busy suppressing bandits, and Song Youliang is busy welcoming the invited lecturers. When he first sent people, Song Youliang was afraid that people would look down on him as a military household and was reluctant to come, so he specially invited Song Xuezhu to come forward and wrote a few letters. How did he know that Chongzhen used him twice as a typical spur to the ministers, although it was not released in the form of a newspaper, but now he is already a household name.

This time, in addition to Fang Yizhi and Xu Xiake, Song Yingxing, Wang Zheng, Wu Youxing and Bo Jue all came happily.

Song Youliang heard that these giants were about to arrive, and hurriedly went out of the city forty miles to greet them. "The juniors have seen a few gentlemen, and the juniors should have gone to invite them in person, but they happened to encounter the bandits in Yuyuan, and the juniors were not skilled, so it was rude, and I asked the gentlemen to forgive their sins~!"

Song Yingxing was born with a scholarly face, and he smiled: "For example, people today are very vain, even scholars only think about becoming officials and seeking fame." You came from a military family, but you are very educated, which is really rare. I, Song someone, rushed to this, and I want to help you. ”

Wang Zheng said with a smile: "Back then, the King of Qi had a school palace, and now the land of Qilu is about to flourish again!" ”

Wu Youxing and Bo Jue stepped forward and said, "I can't wait for a grass people, thanks to the adults for being so affordable." ”

Song Youliang returned the salute, took a closer look, and found that there were three people standing behind the four people, one of whom was dressed as a Confucian and had a good bearing, and the other two were dressed in short clothes. "Who are these three?" Song Youliang asked

Sun Heding, who was on the side, hurriedly stepped forward and introduced: "This is my father's friend Chen Zilong. ”

"But Chen Zilong, who compiled the "Huangming Jingshiwen Compilation"~!" Song Youliang exclaimed

Chen Zilong was stunned for a moment and said with a smile: "It's exactly below." This book was just compiled and published last summer, and adults already know about it? ”

Song Youliang hurriedly replied with a smile: "I've just heard of it, but I haven't had a chance to see it~!" It would be best if Mr. could give me a set~"

Sun Heding said with a smile: "Brother Chen Shi wants to print Shigong's "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration", and it just so happens that the lead movable type in our printing house has been tested well, so I plan to use the lead movable type to print this book. Only then did I specially invite Brother Chen to come~ There was no notice in advance, please atone for your sins! ”

"You might as well be happy~" Song Youliang was too late to be happy, he pointed to the two short clothes behind Chen Zilong and said, "Who are these two?" ”

The two short-clothed men stepped forward and reported to their homes: "Grass people Qingyang Huang Minggang!" ”

"Caomin Jiangyin Chen Rui~!"

Chen Zilong introduced: "Brother Sun said that the general is good at firearms and instruments, this Huang Minggang is good at making repeating crossbows, and this Chen Ruishan is good at making firearms!" ”

"It turns out that the two are Huang Minggang and Chen Rui~!" Song Youliang became more and more pleased, Qingyang crossbow king Huang Minggang liked to make crossbows since he was a child, in history, in the more than 80 days of Jiangyin defending the city, Huang Minggang took a group of apprentices to make all kinds of crossbow machines, poisoned arrows, even return crossbows, large giant crossbows, so that the Qing army could not be guarded, and gave the Qing army great damage. Chen Ruishan made firearms, and during the defense of Jiangyin, Chen Rui made fire bricks and wooden guns. The fire bricks are three or four inches wide, and they are burned immediately, and the wooden guns are silver sheaths, three feet five inches long, two or three inches wide, wooden, and there is gunpowder hidden in the middle, when the enemy arrives, they are dropped, and the wooden shell of the organ bursts to crack, and the iron water chestnut flies out, and it kills when it touches people, similar to a wooden shell grenade