Liaodong, Shengjing

Ma Shaoyu, Zhu Jizhi and others were greeted by the Qing court's ministers from 20 miles away, which flattered them and further confirmed that the Qing court was sincere in speaking peace.

They were completely defeated outside the pass, and only 30,000 or 40,000 of the 130,000 troops survived, and the others were annihilated. Jinzhou, Songshan, Xingshan, and Tashan, the key places in western Liaoning, also fell. Under such circumstances, the Qing court could also send important ministers to the outskirts of the city twenty miles to greet them, obviously attaching great importance to this peace negotiation.

However, along the way, they did not get any information from the Qing court. Because the team sent to escort them, except for a few generals, all of them did not understand Chinese, and they wanted to find out, and they had no choice.

When they arrived in Shengjing, they did not see the Qing emperor, but only stayed in the post house. However, the Qing court did not neglect them, but the Qing emperor happened to be out on patrol and had not yet returned. However, the Qing court's Ministry of Rites inherited Mandalhan, and the scholar Fan Wencheng and others came to the post house to entertain them again.

These Qing court officials did not attract their attention, but a middle-aged Confucian in civilian clothes and wearing a square scarf surprised them.

"Inspector Hong?" Ma Shaoyu asked in surprise.

Hong Chengchou nodded with a smile and said, "It's contemptible." ”

Fan Wencheng said with a smile: "This time the peace negotiation, Mr. Hong will also participate in the order of our emperor, repair the peace between the two states, and stop the sword soldiers of the two countries." ”

The people of the mission were full of doubts, and whispered to each other.

Hong Chengchou said with a smile: "Hong is also doing his best. The two countries have been fighting each other for a long time, and the people are in a difficult situation, and reaching a peace agreement is a matter of great benefit to both countries. ”

Ma Shaoyu and the others adjusted their emotions and arched their hands: "What Mr. Hong said is very true. ”

After that, they took out the secret edict given by Emperor Chongzhen to Chen Xinjia, which probably meant that Chen Xinjia was fully responsible and sent people to negotiate peace with the Qing State. The last time I sent someone to the peace talks, because there was nothing, I was suspected of the sincerity of the peace talks and was driven back. So this time I got an edict to prove that this was the emperor's intention.

Although Chongzhen is the emperor, he does not dare to blatantly preside over the peace talks. He wants to be a holy monarch, and historical stains like suing for peace are not allowed to appear. Moreover, the courtiers in the court, the scholars in the opposition, if they hear the slightest voice of peace, they must be criticized in writing. So he can only let Chen Xinjia take care of this matter.

Fan Wencheng and others read the edict, and they knew that this peace talk was agreed by the Emperor of the Ming Kingdom. So rest assured, and then it's time for a banquet to entertain the mission.

Although there were many people who came to the banquet, after all, it was a diplomatic occasion, and they were all relatively gentle. Everyone talked casually, drank and ate, and the atmosphere was relatively harmonious. An hour later, the banquet was over, and the ministers of the Qing Kingdom all went back, but Hong Chengchou stayed.

Hong Chengchou had just been released from Sanguan Temple at this time, and he didn't know anything about the outside world, and it was even more impossible to know the negotiation conditions of the Qing court. Therefore, the officials of the Qing court did not object, allowing him to move freely on his own.

Hong Chengchou went to find Ma Shaoyu and wanted to know about the situation in the Guannei.

"Ma Langzhong, I'm bothered." Hong Chengchou arched his hand and said: "Hong has been imprisoned in Sanguan Temple for more than two months, and he knows nothing about the outside world, so he specially came to ask Ma Langzhong to give advice." ”

Ma Shaoyu invited Hong Chengchou into the room, and said with some disappointment: "Old man, Kong said Chengren, Meng said to take righteousness, why did you surrender to the enemy country?" ”

Hong Chengchou took off the square scarf he was wearing, pointed to the bun on his head, and said: "Ma Langzhong misunderstood, Hong has read sage books since he was a child, and of course he knows the word integrity. The emperor of the Qing court wanted me to surrender, and he exhausted all means, but Hong was unswerving. The Qing Emperor had no choice but to let me participate in the peace talks, help the two countries strike a truce, and then let me return to the south. ”

"Qing State won a big victory, why are you keen on collegiality?" Ma Shaoyu asked.

Hong Chengchou said proudly: "Although our army was defeated, this battle was not only fought for a few days, but more than a year. The Qing country was narrow and had few people, and hundreds of thousands of troops went out to fight, so the natural consumption of grain and grass was huge. Ding Kou was recruited in large numbers, and the manpower to handle agricultural affairs was naturally insufficient. If we follow the original strategy of this governor, insist on confrontation and slowly lift the siege, as long as we persist for another year, even if it is half a year, there will be great changes in the Qing court! It's a pity that the court was in a hurry to urge the war, and in the end it failed. ”

Ma Shaoyu was a little embarrassed, and made a statement to the court, saying that he was the one who could win quickly in the official army. He didn't expect that the official army would be so fragile, and he had fought with a clear eye before, but as soon as he heard that the grain channel behind him was cut off, he immediately lost his spirit, and suddenly became a common man with a knife.

Hong Chengchou sighed for a while, and finally discovered Ma Shaoyu's embarrassment. Only then did he remember that this former supervisor of the imperial court was his quick battle advance. So he had no choice but to stop and asked, "Ma Langzhong, what is the current situation in the imperial court?" ”

Ma Shaoyu shook his head and sighed: "The situation is not good. Henan has been eroded, only Kaifeng and Guide are struggling to support, and other places have been looted by thieves. The thieves and the fifth battalion of Ge Zuo are also galloping in Nanzhili, if it weren't for Huang Degong's expedition everywhere, I'm afraid that Nanjing would have to count the police a day. If it weren't for the crisis in the Central Plains, His Majesty would not have taken the initiative to ask for peace. ”

Hong Chengchou nodded and said: "Your Majesty did the right thing, now the civil strife is the change of heart." For the Qing court, when the money is paid. ”

"Chen Benbing also has this opinion." Ma Shaoyu said approvingly: "In March, Sun Chuanting was reappointed as the governor of the three sides, in the hope that he could show his might again and defeat the stubborn thieves. ”

Hong Chengchou smiled and said: "Boya does have a general, if he can train another Qin soldier, the thieves will naturally not be rampant anymore." ”

"Difficult." Ma Shaoyu shook his head and said: "The imperial court does not have much food and salary, and the thieves have already besieged Kaifeng, and the soldiers and horses in Henan and Hebei seem to be unable to break the siege. The troops of the three sides were lost, and his newly recruited soldiers were afraid that they would not have time to train. ”

"Then it is all the more necessary to negotiate peace as soon as possible and mobilize the eastern soldiers to exterminate the thieves." Hong Chengchou said.

Ma Shaoyu looked at Hong Chengchou, who was still loyal to the Gongti Kingdom, and finally said: "Old man, Your Majesty has personally made a sacrifice for you and set up an altar to worship. ”

"What?!" Hong Chengchou was stunned for a moment, stood up and asked.

Ma Shaoyu nodded and said: "Your Majesty dropped out of the dynasty for three days and personally wrote a memorial text, which can be seen in the nostalgia for the old gentleman. ”

Hong Chengchou lost his soul at this time and walked out slowly. He knew that he would never be able to return to the Ming Dynasty alive, and the emperor would pay tribute in person, what a great blessing was this? If he goes back alive, the result can only be one, not only Hong Chengchou must die, with the reputation of the emperor, but his family will also be implicated. The crime of bullying the king, even if the emperor can't bear it, Qingliu Taijian will not let go of this opportunity to become famous.

He suddenly felt that the world was so big that there was no place for him. However, soon, he remembered the Qing Emperor who gave him a cloak to protect him from the cold. An emperor who can command thousands of troops and horses, and can also control arrogant soldiers. He knew what he had to do, and he could only give up Da Ming, or even destroy Da Ming!

...

...