Sitting in the eight-lift sedan chair back home, Ma Shiying was in a complicated mood.

For Shi Kefa's competitor, Ma Shiying is both afraid and grateful.

I am afraid that Shi Kefa is young and promising, and I am afraid that sooner or later he will snatch away his position as the first assistant. Thanks to Shi Kefa for repelling the Qing army, otherwise Yangzhou City would not be able to keep Nanjing if it was broken, and the Ming Dynasty would inevitably be wiped out.

Back at home, Ma Shiying ordered someone to change his civilian clothes, soak his feet in hot water, make a pot of tea, light a stick of incense, and meditate on what to do next?

In Ma Shiying's heart, he had already decided that Yangzhou could not be saved, and privately discussed with his henchmen Ruan Dacheng, Wang Duo, Tang Shiji, Wei Guangdong and others, as long as Yangzhou City was broken, he would mobilize Zhu Youxiang to go south to Changsha for refuge, and then try to make a later strategy.

It's just that what Ma Shiying never dreamed of was that Shi Kefa not only held Yangzhou, but also inflicted heavy losses on the Qing army and made amazing achievements, which is really unpredictable!

"Master, Ruan Shilang asks to see you!"

Just when Ma Shiying was in a daze, the voice of the old butler Ma Fu sounded outside the door.

Ma Shiying hurriedly opened his eyes, raised his hand and rubbed his cheeks: "I actually fell asleep, what time is it now?" ”

"Back to the master, it's just past the third watch."

Ma Shiying stroked his beard and said: "Ruan Shilang asks to see him late at night, there must be something important, you pour the foot washing water for the master, and then take Ruan Shilang to the study to see me." ”

Ruan Dacheng was four years older than Ma Shiying, and the two took the same middle school examination in the 44th year of Wanli, became officials together, and had similar interests, and soon became friends with each other.

But later, the careers of the two were completely different, Ma Shiying had a smooth journey, and successively visited the head of the household department in Nanjing, the prefect of Henan, and the prefect of Datong. In the fifth year of Chongzhen, Ma Shiying moved to the right to the imperial history, and then served as the governor of Fengyang, and gradually became a feudal official with real power.

Ruan Dacheng, on the other hand, angered the Donglin Party because of his behavior of first following the Donglin Party and then defecting to Wei Zhongxian, and was fiercely attacked by the officials of the East and East Forestry Party in North Korea, so frightened that he resigned and returned to his hometown, and fled from Beijing in embarrassment.

Later, Chongzhen ascended the throne and overthrew Wei Zhongxian, Ruan Dacheng was even more unsuccessful, and then lived in Nanjing for 16 years, writing lyrics and composing, and even mixed up in the literary circle, his poems were sung in the streets and alleys, and no one in the south of the Yangtze River knew Ruan Dacheng's name.

Last year, Ma Shiying ascended to the high position of the first assistant because of his meritorious support for Zhu Youxiang, so he vigorously promoted his old friend Ruan Dacheng, moved three times a day, and quickly promoted Ruan Dacheng to the high position of the right attendant of the military department, and became Ma Shiying's right-hand man in controlling the government.

"Da Cheng, what is the important thing you came to me late at night?"

Ma Shiying personally picked up the teapot and poured tea for Ruan Dacheng, and at the same time looked at the military attache behind him, and recognized it as Wei Guangdong, the commander of Ying Tianwei.

"Thank you, Elder Ge!"

Ruan Dacheng smiled and reached out to pick up the tea bowl handed by Ma Shiying, and his fingers were slender and white after years of pampering, like a young woman's jade hands.

Ruan Dacheng is fat, white-faced, and smiles as amiable as Maitreya Buddha. Although he is close to sixty years old, he looks like a literati in his early forties.

"Commander Wei, you report to Elder Ma Ge." Ruan Dacheng took a sip of the tea bowl and instructed Wei Guangdong.

The news of Yangzhou's victory has spread in Nanjing, except for some of Ma Shiying's sworn friends who are worried that Shi Kefa will take away the position of the first auxiliary minister, it can be said that the whole world celebrates, the whole people carnival, Nanjing City is brightly lit, the Qinhuai River oars sound candles, and the paper is drunk.

Wei Guangdong took a step forward and handed over his hand to report: "Ma Ge Lao, the news that Lin Zhenjiang has made great contributions to the creation of slaves in Yangzhou has spread and everyone knows it. But who knew that this Lin Zhenjiang was proud of his achievements, and there was no one in his eyes, and he actually set up an official position in the army, which was simply a complicity and rebellion! ”

Ma Shiying was taken aback: "How do you say this?" ”

"This is a letter sent by Chen Luyao, a thousand households under Lin Zhenjiang, overnight, and asked me to forward it to Ruan Shilang and reach the heavens." Wei Guangdong took out the letter from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Ma Shiying.

After reading it, Ma Shiying shook his head and scolded angrily: "Ridiculous! Monkey business! Daring...... Not to mention that he is just a deputy garrison, it is Shi Kefa, it is our military department, without His Majesty's holy decree, he does not dare to change the military system without authorization, this Lin Zhenjiang is really rampant! ”

"What Elder Ma Ge said is very true, according to his humble opinion, nine times out of ten, Shi Kefa instructed Lin Zhenjiang to do this!"

Wei Guangdong looked indignant, "What kind of standard system, even rate, it's just ugly, please ask Ma Ge Lao to write a letter to impeach Shi Kefa and Lin Zhenjiang's misdeeds, so as to set an example." ”

Ma Shiying looked embarrassed, and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back: "This Lin Zhenjiang drove an ironclad car to destroy Jiannu and repel Duoduo, and indeed made a shocking feat and saved the Ming Dynasty from a desperate situation. However, it is a serious crime to set up official positions and change the military system without authorization, and to put it seriously, this is a big crime of arrogance and rebellion! If the matter gets out, there is no need for the old man to speak, and the gang of people who have their own inspectorate and Yushitai will impeach him......"

"But ......"

Ma Shiying's words changed sharply, and he was worried, "But if Lin Zhenjiang is forced to be anxious, he really rebels, or surrenders to the Qing army, the Ming Dynasty will be in danger." ”

Ruan Dacheng turned the tea bowl with his slender fingers, and said slowly: "This Lin Zhenjiang has killed nearly 10,000 Qing troops, as well as Nurhachi's grandson, I think Dolgon will never accept his surrender." But the dog is in a hurry and jumps over the wall, if Lin Zhenjiang is really forced to be in a hurry, it is not impossible to bombard Nanjing City in an ironclad car......"

Ma Shiying frowned and said: "Dolgon is a hero in the world, and his mind must not be measured by ordinary people. Back then, Cao Apu was able to tolerate Zhang Xiu, who killed his eldest son, not to mention that he was only a nephew of Dorgon! In order to obtain the ironclad car, it is entirely possible for the Qing court to accept Lin Zhenjiang's surrender, so we must not force Lin Zhenjiang to a dead end. ”

Ruan Dacheng's eyes turned, he counted his heart, and said with a smile: "Old Ma Ge, what do you think of this?" Later, you and I will enter the palace together to face the saint, and I will ask Your Majesty to issue a decree to hold Lin Zhenjiang accountable for the crime of trespassing, but you persuaded from the side, and asked Your Majesty to issue a decree asking Lin Zhenjiang to hand over the ironclad car to the court to apologize......"

"That's a brilliant plan!"

Ma Shiying was overjoyed, and clapped his hands and interrupted Ruan Dacheng's words, "What a plan to kill two birds with one stone, so that it not only knocked Shi Kefa and Lin Zhenjiang, but also returned the ironclad car to the imperial court, turning Lin Yu into a toothless tiger and cutting off his threat of rebellion." ”

Ruan Dacheng echoed: "That's what Xia Guan meant, otherwise this powerful ironclad car is in the hands of Shi Kefa and Lin Zhenjiang, and in the future, we can only watch him make contributions and step on us and wait for the upper position." ”

Ma Shiying nodded: "What Da Cheng said is very much, we have to snatch the ironclad car and hand it over to our own people to control!" ”

"I am willing to work for the old man of the Ma Ge!" Wei Guangdong knelt on one knee and spoke earnestly.

The three of them entered the palace overnight to meet the great tomorrow, Zhu Youxiang yawned and listened to the ins and outs of the matter, and he was not much angry about Lin Zhenjiang's change of military system, but he was right in the heart of the collection of the ironclad car to the imperial court.

"What the three Aiqing said is extremely true!"

Zhu Youxiang waved his sleeves and gave the holy edict, "This Lin Zhenjiang is really bold and reckless, but let's read that he forgives his sins in killing the enemy and keeping the credit of Yangzhou City, and he hands over the ironclad car to atone for the crime, and there must be no mistake!" ”