Qianqing Palace

Chongzhen's trip to Shandong can be regarded as a full exchange of views with Fang Yuan, although no consensus was reached, it was the first step towards a peaceful settlement of the Ming civil war.

When Chongzhen returned to the capital, the first thing he had to do was to send someone to fulfill the agreement reached at the Shandong peace talks, and take over the four prefectures of Jinan, Yanzhou, Laizhou, and Dengzhou, which the party was originally willing to return.

These four prefectures are all in the war zone, and if they want to take over military and political affairs, it is not enough to simply send a civilian official system there. It is necessary to send troops to garrison it to avoid further incidents.

Chongzhen summoned Hong Chengchou, the first assistant of the cabinet, and Zhou Kui, Zhou Yuji, Wu Sangui, and Zheng Sen from the Governor's Office of the Five Armies to discuss the matter of taking over the four prefectures.

Chongzhen first announced Fang Yuan's promise to return the four mansions, and except for Hong Chengchou, who had already gotten the news, the rest looked at each other.

Fang Yuan was so good at talking, and the four mansions of Shandong, which came to fight bloodily, said that he would return it? It's incredible.

Chongzhen saw that everyone was silent, and asked by name one by name, "Elder Hong Ge, who should you send to take over the four mansions?!" ”

Hong Chengchou coughed and said, "Your Majesty, I don't think it's time to discuss who to send to take over the Four Mansions, but whether to take over the Four Mansions or not." ”

Chongzhen was stunned and asked, "Elder Hong Ge, tell me carefully." ”

"Your Majesty, the old minister thinks that handing over the four mansions is not Fang Yuan's loyalty, but a plan to invite you into the urn."

Hong Chengchou said bluntly, and took out the map of Shandong that he brought with him, so that a little eunuch spread it out in front of Chongzhen, pointed to the two mansions of Dongchang and Qingzhou in Shandong, and said solemnly, "Fang Yuan did not hand over the two mansions of Dongchang and Qingzhou, as long as these two mansions are firmly in the hands of Fang Yuan, the two mansions of Yanzhou and Jinan, and the two mansions of Deng and Lai will be cut into two." ”

He drew a big circle around the map, "Your Majesty, the four prefectures of Dongchang, Qingzhou, Fengyang, and Huai'an are the pockets of a bag, and the two prefectures of Jinan and Yanzhou are the prey that enter the pocket." As long as Fang Yuan is willing, he can send troops from Sifu at any time to encircle and annihilate our army's garrisons in Jinan and Yanzhou. ”

Hong Chengchou drew a circle in Laizhou and Dengzhou, "Qingzhou, Huai'an Mansion, and Fang Yuan's powerful sailors have formed another encirclement in Linhai, Shandong, and our garrisons in Laizhou, Dengzhou, and even Weihaiwei are also prey in the pocket, and they may be eaten by Fang Yuan at any time." ”

Hong Chengchou analyzed the strategic situation on the battlefield, and then said, "Your Majesty, the reason why Fang Yuan acted in two scenes in front of His Majesty in Shandong, under the pretext that Qingzhou Mansion was ravaged by Gao Jie's bandits, was to hold the strategic place of Qingzhou Mansion to the death; Under the pretext that Bai Guangen replaced the fertile land, he was unwilling to give up Dongchang Mansion, and his wolf ambition was clearly revealed! ”

Chongzhen looked thoughtfully at the map of Shandong in front of him, Hong Chengchou analyzed it very well, judging from Fang Yuan's behavior in Shandong, it was indeed a strategic layout, setting up this pocket, and letting the imperial court drill it.

Chongzhen looked up at the four people in the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies and asked, "Ladies and gentlemen, what do you say?!" ”

Everyone is an old bird who knows the military roots, and Fang Yuan's strategic layout is not a conspiracy behind his back, but a public conspiracy, as long as they have a little military common sense, they can see through it at a glance, and they naturally know it, and everyone supports Hong Chengchou's conclusion.

Chongzhen got up silently and walked back and forth around the dragon chair a few times, sometimes looking at the ministers in the main hall, and sometimes looking at the map on the dragon case, obviously hesitating.

He wasn't doubting the correctness of Hong Chengchou's analysis, but he thought of a deeper contest, that is, psychological warfare with Fang Yuan!

Fang Yuan came up with this scheme, whether he was setting a trap and waiting for the Ming army to gather and annihilate him after entering the trap, or deliberately putting on such a seemingly dangerous trap to threaten the imperial court, in fact, he was playing psychological warfare with the imperial court and himself, but in fact, he was setting up an empty city plan.

If Fang Yuan does not hand over the four mansions, it will be a loss of principle and morality; But if Fang Yuan took the initiative to hand over the four mansions, the imperial court would not dare to take over, and of course the responsibility lay in the imperial court, fearing the enemy like a mouse, and it had nothing to do with Fang Yuan.

In the silent waiting of the ministers, Chongzhen thought for a long time, and finally stopped, and said with a deep sigh, "Elder Hongge, I have a relationship with the horse, and I am a family member. In my judgment, the original intention of the layout of the horse was not to set up a trap to annihilate the army of the Ming Dynasty, but to make me retreat in the face of difficulties and give up the takeover of the four prefectures. If the imperial court immediately goes to take over the four mansions, the horses will not act rashly. ”

Chongzhen's trust in Fang Yuan was completely unreasonable in Hong Chengchou's opinion, and he sighed, "Your Majesty, military affairs must be completely prepared for war, and you can't pin your trust on the enemy's thoughts!" ”

Chongzhen retorted in a deep voice, "Elder Hong Ge, if you don't take over the four mansions, then the imperial court will be truly majestic!" ”

Hong Chengchou was speechless, so he could only retreat respectfully, indicating that his attitude as the head of the cabinet was neither for nor for it.

Chongzhen once again looked at Shi Kefa, who was transferred back from Shandong and served as the left capital of the Imperial History, this person had dealt with Fang Yuan many times, and he was even more loyal, "Shi Yushi, what about you?" ”

Shi Kefa said solemnly, "Your Majesty, Fang Yuan is cunning and cunning, and he should not be gullible. ”

Since Hong Chengchou and Shi Kefa both have this attitude, few of the other governors of the five armies who need to send their sergeants to the headquarters will definitely not support them.

Chongzhen looked straight at Zhou Yuji, who was the most loyal to his duties, and was ready to let this loyal general take the lead, "Zhou Aiqing, can the Jin army send 10,000 soldiers to take over the four mansions?!" ”

10,000 sergeants took over the four prefectures, and each prefecture was less than 3,000 sergeants.

Zhou Yuji was silent for a while, and then said, "Your Majesty, the minister seconded the idea of Elder Hong Ge, what Fang Yuan said, you can't believe it, you can't believe it, you can't guard against it!" ”

Chongzhen didn't get support for Zhou Yuji's statement, so he could only focus on Zhou Kui, the national abbot who had an in-law relationship with him, "Zhou Guozhang, what about you?" ”

Zhou Kui Zhengrong said, "Your Majesty, the old minister has always thought that Fang Yuan is a chaotic minister and thief, and he can't believe it. Fang Yuan deliberately showed goodwill, that is, he was inviting you into the urn, ready to inflict heavy losses on our army! ”

Chongzhen helplessly looked at Zheng Sen, who had a deep blood feud with Fang Yuan, "Zheng Aiqing, what about you?" ”

When Zheng Sen retreated before, he burned Weihaiwei to the ruins with a fire, and now Fang Yuan is handing over Weihaiwei, what is the value of taking over? You can't wait for it to be built again, and then be taken away again by Fang Yuan with a wave of his hand!

Zheng Sen said truthfully, "Your Majesty, Weihaiwei has long been ruined, and it is not suitable for the naval division to be stationed. As for Dengzhou and Laizhou, they are not suitable for the naval division to be stationed, and the naval fleet should hold on to the Tianjin Wei to prevent Fang Yuan from capturing the Tianjin Wei by water and threatening the safety of the Beijing Division. ”

His attitude is also very clear, that is, he does not go to Dengzhou and Weihaiwei, but stays in Tianjin.

Three of the four governors have publicly expressed their unwillingness to go to Shandong to take over the four prefectures, Chongzhen helplessly looked at Wu Sangui, who was the last to speak, and asked routinely, "Aiqing, what about you?" ”

Wu Sangui said in embarrassment, "Your Majesty, after the Manchu envoy Fan Yongdou returned, there was another ...... in Liaodong."

Chongzhen didn't want to listen to his excuse anymore, and waved his hand to stop him.

The military and political meeting that took over the four prefectures made such an ending, which was indeed beyond Chongzhen's expectations. Fang Yuan just offered the four mansions of Shandong with both hands, and no one dared to take over.

The scene in front of him is the same as the scene after the peace meeting of Song, Jin, Shaoxing, and Song. The Song Dynasty, whether it was the main battle or the main peace faction, did not dare to take over the Central Plains ceded by the Jin State, and it was a conspiracy of the Jin people.

What a spicy irony that history loops again!

Chongzhen suddenly discovered that he really underestimated Fang Yuan's means, Fang Yuan should have expected today's ending, otherwise he would not have agreed to hand over the four mansions of Shandong neatly.

Fang Yuan is the general Chongzhen, and he will also supervise the four major capitals of the Ming Dynasty, which is a subtle strategic temptation.

Chongzhen was completely disappointed in these governors, they didn't even dare to enter the four mansions without the Xuanjia army garrisoned, and they could still be expected to go to the bloody battle to regain the lost territory?!

He didn't even have the strength to scold, sighed and said, "Zhu Aiqing, the matter of taking over the four mansions is temporarily put on hold, and let's retreat!" ”