At the end of January, the Qing army's large army began to move and fled to the northeast, retreating a month earlier than in history. Everywhere he passed, he plundered and retreated in the direction of Tongzhou. It's a pity that Liu Yuliang, who has more than 100,000 heavy troops, does not dare to start a war with the Tartars, and the generals who asked for a copy of the head and tail to block the Qing army will be "not extravagant to invite the head to attack, lest the enemy turn around when he hears the wind and let him plunder." Words. On the eighth day of the second month, the Tartars left the Great Wall from Qingshan Pass, and on the 11th, they all withdrew from the Great Wall. This time, the Tatars entered the Central Plains, which lasted for nearly half a year. The two armies on the left and right flanks traveled thousands of miles, forcing Yanjing in the east and Datong in the west, attacking Jinan in the south, and sweeping most of Zhili and Shandong and Shanxi provinces. Burning, burning, and killing, incalculable. The Tartars passed, and the people were many and broken, and there were thorns, rubble in the suburbs, barren grass and cold forests, and no one was missing.

Since the end of January, Huang Taiji and Dai Shan have been commanding operations on the Tashan front, and in the past month or so, they have defeated the Ming army more than 20 times in a row, and the forts outside the city such as Songshan, Tashan, and Xingshan have almost been swept away. In fact, the reason why Huang Taiji sent troops into the customs at the same time, but also raised a large army to attack Tashan, was to contain the main force of the Ming army in the Shanhaiguan area, and the army that went deep into the Southern Dynasty was intercepted before and after.

On this day, Emperor Taiji and Dai Shan were immediately Songshan Nangang, and they saw a post guard deliver a 600-mile urgent performance in front of them. Huang Taiji hurriedly opened it: it turned out to be the battle report of Dolgon and Du Du: 2,000 miles deep into the Southern Dynasties, capturing one prefecture, three prefectures, fifty-five counties, and two passes; Kill more than 100 generals above the garrison governor of the Ming Dynasty; captured more than 460,000 people, more than 4,000 taels of gold, and more than 970,000 taels of silver; killed the old enemy of the Qing Dynasty, Sun Chengzong's entire family, and so on.

When Huang Taiji saw this, his heart was overjoyed: "Good fight!" Well played! Dolgon, they really crossed the Yellow River, amazing, worthy of my five tiger generals, second brother, you see. Huang Taiji didn't read the battle report and handed it to Dai Shan. Dai Shan also happily took the battle report, and when he looked at it, his old face, which was originally full of joy, suddenly changed his face, and then he cried loudly.

Huang Taiji was stunned: "Second brother, what's wrong?" ”

"Yue Zhen, Ma Zhan, my son." Dai Shan beat his chest, "My son......" Dai Shan cried a few times, then turned his back and staggered, looking like he was about to fall off his horse. The guards on the side were quick and quickly helped Dai Shan off the horse

Huang Taiji hurriedly took the battle report from Dai Shan's hand, and when he continued to look down, it was written: Yue Zhi and Fuguo Gong Ma Zhan died of smallpox outside the city of Jinan, and the army was also sick. The ministers have no intention of fighting again, and they will have to be taught soon. Huang Taiji felt that there were flowers in front of him at that time, and he almost got off the horse, but in an instant, he thought of his second brother, so he forced himself to go over, and said loudly: "Go, pass on the imperial doctor!" ”

"Wow!"

Seeing that the two highest-ranking figures of the Great Qing Kingdom were in such a state, the generals didn't know what had happened, and they were all stunned for a while.

Duoduo asked, "Your Majesty, what happened?" ”

Huang Taiji wept and ordered: "Immediately stop the siege and withdraw to the camp, Yue Tuo and Ma Zhan are dead." ”

"Huh?" The generals let out a cry of surprise almost at the same time.

Dai Shan is fifty-six years old this year, although his body is tough, but he can't help but send black-haired people again and again, and in four years, three lively sons have died one after another, so how can he withstand such a cruel blow, at this time, he is really broken.

In the big tent with a golden curtain, Huang Taiji held Dai Shan's head: "Second brother, second brother." ”

Dai Shan slowly woke up, and when he saw that he was pillowed on the emperor's arm, he couldn't stop crying again, and the brothers were crying loudly this time.

Azig withdrew from the front, and when he heard the bad news, he was also grief-stricken, and he cried and shouted: "God is too unfair, why did such a thing happen to the second brother." He persuaded: "Your Majesty, second brother, you have to mourn, people cannot be resurrected after death." ”

All the generals knelt down together and said in unison: "Please mourn the emperor and Prince Li." ”

Huang Taiji waved his hand: "You all go down, Azig and Duoduo stay." So the three brothers accompanied Dai Shan, kept comforting, but Dai Shan didn't eat or drink, just lay quietly, looking up at the top of the tent, Huang Taiji didn't eat or drink, sat silently.

Azig thought to himself: How can this go on? He ordered someone to forcibly help Huang Taiji to the big tent of the Chinese army, and then returned to persuade Dai Shandao: "Second brother, you can't always be like this, what if you have a good guy and call the emperor?" If the emperor has a good one, what will the Qing Kingdom do? ”

Duoduo shouted on the side: "Brother, what nonsense are you talking about, what is good or bad?" ”

Azig said hurriedly: "You know I'm a straight gut and can't speak, but that's how it is." ”

Dai Shan let out a long sigh, and he pounded the head of the bed: "God, you are not fair, why did you ask me to send the white-haired person who was Dai Shan several times to send the black-haired person?" After crying for a while, he said to the two younger brothers: "The twelfth brother is right, it doesn't matter if I fall, if the emperor falls ill, it will be a big trouble, you help me up, let's go to see the emperor together." ”

Huang Taiji was lying in the big tent, and when he saw the second brother walking in with the support of Azig and Duoduo, he couldn't help but be surprised, he stood up and greeted him, and the two walked closer and cried again: "Second brother, my hard-working second brother......

Seeing Huang Taiji's grief-stricken appearance, he was moved, and on the other hand, he was really worried that Huang Taiji would fall ill again, but he persuaded Huang Taiji: "Your Majesty, we have experienced too many lives and deaths in our lives, and it is inevitable for the husband to fight all his life and donate to the country, and it is also the true nature of a man." Now it is Yue Zhi and Ma Zhan who are dead, and aren't there hundreds of people who have also died in battle? If we cry, can we cry? ”

"Second brother, I understand these truths, but Yue Tuo is different from others, he can fight well, he has made countless military achievements in his life, and he is the pillar of the Qing Dynasty.

Dai Shan and the others persuaded each other again and again, and Huang Taiji stopped crying: "Second brother, it doesn't matter to me, I just feel uncomfortable now, and it will be fine after a while, Azig, you help the second brother go back." In the evening, Huang Taiji did not eat, and the next morning it was still useless, Dai Shan heard that, so he came to Huang Taiji's Chinese army tent with the support of everyone, and forced Huang Taiji to drink a small bowl of gruel. For three days in a row, Huang Taiji was in this state, and Dai Shan faced the southwest: "Son, with the emperor's intentions, you can look at it." ”

Dai Shan pleaded: "Your Majesty, the ministers are on the front line, it will only increase the grief for everyone, it is better to go back to Shengjing first." Huang Taiji said: "I also have this intention, let's go back together, and the affairs of the army will be handed over to Azig and them." Casually, we should also celebrate the triumph of the army, after all, Yue Tuo is a warrior, and the death of a warrior should not be memorialized with a woman's tears, but a hero's cheer! ”

In mid-March, Du Du, the right-wing army that entered the customs to conquer the Ming Dynasty, returned first, and Huang Taiji, Dai Shan, and all the important officials of the court and central government went out of the city to greet them. Du Du tied a white cloth on his head and a white belt around his waist, walked up to Huang Taiji and Dai Shan, and cried bitterly: "Your Majesty, uncle, Brother Yuetuo and Brother Ma Zhan, they ...... And they went. With that, Du Du let go of his throat and began to cry

Dai Shan saw the two big coffins appear in front of him clearly, so he couldn't control it anymore, and staggered to the coffin: "Yue Xu, Ma Zhan." You two are not filial sons, so you left old Ama and left? Dai Shan's crying was very miserable, and all the people present wept for it.

Huang Taiji slowly walked to Yue Zhen's coffin, personally helped the coffin and slowly walked towards the city. The next day, he personally went to Yue's mansion to mourn, and in front of Yue Ling, he sacrificed: "Yue Tuo was a young man from Rong, followed Emperor Taizu to fight, and made countless military exploits. During the Tiancong years, above the court, he was honest and daring to speak, entered the customs to conquer the Ming, friendship with Mongolia, pacified North Korea, and had the ability to influence the overall situation whenever there was a major juncture. Yue Zhi strongly advocated the preferential treatment of the Han people and strongly advocated the marriage of the Manchu and Han people; When he was in charge of the military department, he also made many achievements. Unfortunately died early this day, in order to show his merits, he was named the king of Keqin County, and gave him 10,000 taels of silver, and his eldest son Luo Luohong attacked his lord and was Dorobelle. From now on, the whole country mourns, and those who drink and have fun during this period will be severely punished. Luo Luohong was dressed in heavy filial piety, and led a few brothers to bow down and thank you. Dai Shan's heart was comforted. Seven days passed, and Shengjing City gradually woke up from Yue Xuan's illness.

At dusk on the sixth day of the fourth lunar month, Huang Taiji discussed state affairs with a cadre of ministers in the main hall. Huang Taiji was very satisfied with the results achieved by Dolgon and others this time, "You and others are very satisfied with the results of this expedition to Ming, the greatest blow to the Ming Kingdom, and the harvest is also the richest, I have received a spy report, and in May after you and others withdrew from the pass, Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai rebelled again, and Li Zicheng is also cleaning up the remnants, and now he has made a comeback." And Chongzhen began to kill officials on a large scale again. ”