In June 1645, the first year of the founding of the chapter, the city of Nanjing.

Out of respect for Emperor Chongzhen, although the Nanjing Dynasty had replaced Beijing as the center of the Ming Dynasty last year, it was not until this year that the Yuan Dynasty was officially changed.

Now Nanjing has become the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and the Nanjing court can exercise the functions of the central government, but the entire Ming court is still paralyzed and has done nothing.

The gentry were busy with party disputes, the cabinet did not have a clear goal and revival strategy, the local governors began to grow, and the generals no longer listened to the dispatch of the imperial court.

Last year, there began to be delays in the taxes that should be paid in various localities, Guizhou and Huguang wanted to guard against thieves from the west and thieves, and basically released them without taxes, and they also asked the imperial court for money, Jiangbei wanted to consolidate the defense of Lianghuai and southern Shandong, and the imperial court also asked for money, and even Liangguang also used the pretext of guarding against Shadingzhou to transport only seventy percent of the taxes, while Zheng Zhilong of Fujian was even more excessive, saying that he had a dispute with Hongmaoyi and wanted to suppress the Haikou and simply sent only 100,000 taels of silver.

Faced with this situation, Ma Ruan and Dong Lin are still fighting with each other, and they can't even settle down on a tax law.

This series of problems plagued the young emperor and made the Son of Heaven very dissatisfied with the current situation.

At this time, Zhu Cihong, who was not yet the weak crown, was wearing a dragon robe, with a good crown on the top wings, standing behind the imperial case, and looking at the several notes in front of the jade case with a somewhat complicated expression.

At this time, Wang Yan, who was dressed in a cyan official robe, hurriedly came to the imperial study and asked in a low voice, "Has Your Majesty arrived at the imperial study?" ”

At this time, the dynasty had already dispersed, and the hundred officials had returned to the yamen office, and Wang Yan was reminded by the chamberlain, so he stayed to meet the Son of Heaven.

It has been more than a year since Zhu Cihong ascended the throne, but with Gao Mingheng being driven out of Nanjing and the refusal of officials going north, the power in the DPRK and China is completely controlled by the two forces of Jiangbei and Jiangnan, and although he is the Son of Heaven, he has no great power, like a marionette.

Zhu Cihong is burdened with national hatred and family hatred, and is eager to restore the ancestors' country, exterminate the thieves, and avenge Chongzhen, so he will naturally not be satisfied with the current status quo.

After Gao Mingheng was forced to leave, Zhu Cihong deliberately cultivated his own team, and also accepted some outliers like Chen Zilong to help him give advice, but to say that the most trusted person was Wang Yan, who Gao Mingheng left him and escorted him south.

A small eunuch outside the door, knowing that Wang Yan was the favored minister of the Son of Heaven, stretched out his hand to invite him in, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty has already instructed that once the king arrives, you don't need to report it, you can go in directly." ”

Wang Yan walked slowly into the imperial study, and saw Zhu Cihong, the son of heaven, sitting behind the imperial book case and pondering, he did not disturb, but stood aside first.

After waiting for a while, the young Zhu Cihong looked up and saw Wang Yan, so he hurriedly said: "The Qing family is finally here!" ”

"Weichen see Your Majesty!" Wang Yan immediately stepped forward and saluted.

"Internal official, give Wang Qing a seat!" Zhu Cihong commanded, and then looked at Wang Yan, "Does the Qing family know why I summoned you over?" ”

Wang Yan thanked him first, and then said: "The minister thinks, it must be because of the early military department of the Dynasty, He Duxian recruited the southern Henan giant Kou Gao Yihuan!" ”

Zhu Cihong nodded, "That's it!" Half of the ministers of the DPRK and China oppose this matter, and the other are noncommittal, what do the Qing family think? ”

Early this morning, He Tengjiao, the governor of Huguang, played a game to appease Gao Yihuan, a giant in Henan.

And said that Jingzhou, Xiangyang, Yunyang, Nanyang, Runing, Guide and other places all played the Ming flag, for the imperial court to recover thousands of miles, more than 300,000 elite soldiers, begged the court to reward Gao Yihuan, but was fiercely opposed by the Donglin party, impeached He Tengjiao for making peace with Kou without permission, and demanded the removal of He Tengjiao, and the party member Liu Zongzhou supervised Huguang.

Wang Yan listened but did not answer immediately, but looked around the study, Zhu Cihong understood, and immediately waved his hand, "You all stand down." ”

After the chamberlain retreated, Wang Yan arched his hand and asked, "Your Majesty, the minister wants to know what kind of attitude Your Majesty has towards Gao Yihuan?" ”

Zhu Cihong's young face was puzzled, and then his face showed a tangled look, he was silent for a while, and said: "The thief killed my father and the emperor, and destroyed the foundation of my ancestors, and I naturally hate the thief to the core. This Gao Yihuan is not happy, but he has been begging for comfort since last year, and he also said that his father and son were coerced by the thieves and did not participate in the battle of the thieves to attack Beijing, which is understandable. I thought I could spare his life, but this time he raised an army to the south, which made me a little undecided. ”

After Wang Yan heard this, he bowed his head slightly, understanding Zhu Cihong's attitude.

He pondered for a while, sorted out his thoughts, and then said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that Gao Yihuan is by no means pure and good, but since this person is obedient, Your Majesty should appease and take the opportunity to break the pattern of the court. Your Majesty, the top priority now is to bring down the Donglin Party and pass the new tax law proposed by the High Cabinet Ministry. If the tax law is not passed, the court will have no money and no food, and Your Majesty will not be able to do anything. ”

This said Zhu Cihong's sore spot, a year after the founding of the country, he was anxious about state affairs, but Nanjing achieved nothing, which made him very dissatisfied.

"Wang Qing, go on!" A hint of fierceness flashed in Zhu Cihong's eyes, "How can you use this matter to break the pattern between the DPRK and China?" ”

Wang Yan said: "Your Majesty, Nanjing is located in the south of the Yangtze River, and the power of the southeastern gentry here is too strong, and if Your Majesty wants to grasp the power of the imperial court, you must first overthrow them." The power of the Ma Ge Department, although it is available, has a bad reputation, but it cannot suppress Donglin. If His Majesty introduces He Duxian into the cabinet, it will be able to change the political pattern of the DPRK and China. And with the help of He Duxian, the new tax law was passed to enrich the treasury. With money and food, His Majesty will be able to organize and train an army loyal to His Majesty, and with an army, he will be able to suppress the southeastern gentry and suppress the feudal towns. Only if His Majesty can control Nanjing and have the support of the army, can he truly control the government! ”

Speaking of this, Wang Yan said with a smile: "At this time, Donglin opposes the surrender, and His Majesty should support the surrender and recognize He Duxian's merits." Moreover, if you refuse to recruit now, Huguang will immediately be in chaos, and the imperial court will have no money and food to quell the rebellion, so why refuse to recruit? ”

After hearing this, Zhu Cihong nodded slightly and pondered.

At the moment, Wang Yan was in the study, conspiring with Zhu Cihong for a long time, and only came out of the study at noon.

At this time, it is already June, the weather is getting hotter and hotter, outside the imperial study is the imperial garden, which has a lotus pond of dozens of acres, surrounded by rockeries, strange stones are all over, and the corridor surrounds.

The breeze blows, the lotus leaves in the pond shake, and the lotus fragrance fills the garden, which makes Wang Yan feel very refreshed.

At this time, he walked on the path of the willow tree, and suddenly saw a fifteen-year-old girl sitting on the edge of the pavilion in a long pavilion, looking down to see all kinds of fish swimming leisurely among the lotus leaves, but her back was full of sadness.

"What do you see in the king's affairs? This way! The eunuch who led the way, seeing Wang Yan suddenly standing still, couldn't help but urge.

(End of chapter)