Forbidden city

East Palace

Fang Yuan established a new imperial court in Nanjing, canonized Zhu Cihuan as the prince of Jianguo, and established himself as the regent Ten days later, the news reached the capital.

Although the capital received information a few months ago, the coronation ceremony was held as scheduled, and it still caused a huge earthquake in the court. The richest Jiangnan established itself as the king, which was also the most serious crisis in the 300-year history of the Ming Dynasty.

Empress Zhou and Zhu Cihong, the crown prince of the prison state, immediately convened a cabinet meeting to discuss ways to deal with this major political incident.

Attending the meeting were Zhang Guowei, the first assistant of the cabinet and the secretary of the ministry; Hong Chengchou, the second assistant of the cabinet and the secretary of the Ministry of War; Xie Sheng, a Cabinet Scholar and Scholar of the Ministry of Rites; Jiang Dejing, a cabinet scholar and secretary of the household department; Fan Jingwen, a cabinet scholar and a scholar of the Ministry of Industry.

Zhou Kui, the governor of the five armies who is in charge of the world's soldiers and horses, and Zhou Kui, the governor of the Chinese army and the three major battalions of the Beijing camp; Zhou Yuji, the governor of the Left Army and the governor of Shanxi; Zheng Sen, the governor of the Right Army and the governor of the Daming Water Division; Sun Chuanting, former military governor and governor of Shandong; Wu Sangui, the governor of the Later Army and the governor of Guanning.

All the high-ranking military and political officials of the imperial court in the capital gathered together, which can be said to be an unprecedented grand occasion.

The crown prince of the state ordered the eunuch Wang Zhixin to read out the information that Fang Yuan had set up a separate imperial court in Nanjing to confront the imperial court in Beijing. In fact, this is no longer considered intelligence, Fang Yuan did not hide it, but four months ago, he announced to the world that he would set up another imperial court in Nanjing City, and the news of the Qing monarch's side had already been known to the cabinet, the six ministries, and the five military governors.

Zhu Cihong saw that everyone already knew it, so he said straight to the point, "Fang Yuan and Zhu Cihuan openly rebelled and controlled the territory of one capital and four provinces, and the entire Jiangnan is no longer owned by the imperial court. This is a rebellion that has never been seen in the Ming Dynasty, it is a deep disaster, far worse than the rebellion of the thieves and thieves in the west, the Ming Dynasty has reached the critical point of life and death, what are your countermeasures? ! ”

Zhang Guowei, who was the first assistant to the cabinet, had to stand up first, and Qi Yue said, "Since Fang Yuan and Zhu Cihuan are two traitors, the old minister suggested that we should strike first and lead the army to conscript. ”

He first put forward the proposal of raising troops to crusade, and the cabinet members almost knew nothing about military affairs except Hong Chengchou. They also came to the military meeting to go through the motions, and in order to cope with the words of the prince of the prison state, they nodded yes again and again.

"Minister Fan Jingwen seconded the proposal, and he should take advantage of Fang Yuan's new establishment of the imperial court in Jiangnan, and his foothold is not stable, and he will be annihilated in one fell swoop."

"Minister Jiang Dejing seconded the proposal, the most elite Ming army of 400,000 should be gathered, eradicate the rebellious party in one fell swoop, and recapture Jiangnan."

Sun Chuanting saw that everyone in the cabinet regarded the affairs of the military and the state as child's play, and he couldn't stop sneering.

Fang Yuan has been based in Jiangnan for six years, and the opposition forces of the Donglin Party have been completely eradicated, and even Qian Qianyi, the leader of the Donglin Party, has betrayed his friends to survive and stood on Fang Yuan's side. Most of the other squires and wealthy businessmen also joined the business association under the name of the Jiangnan Cabinet, the People's General Association. The forces of all sides in Jiangnan have long shown their support for the other side of the former regime with concrete actions.

This coronation ceremony is the presence of all the celebrities in the south of the Yangtze River, which can be described as unprecedented. Fang Yuan has long controlled the overall situation in Jiangnan, and the so-called unstable foothold in Jiangnan is just pure nonsense that can only be talked about in the court.

There are also 400,000 elite Ming troops to conquer Fang Yuan's plan is even more absurd and child's play.

Not to mention the mobilization of 400,000 elite Ming troops, millions of taels of silver are needed, at least 500,000 stone of grain, and at least 500,000 people responsible for escorting logistics. Moreover, this is the last family of the Ming Dynasty, as long as there are 400,000 elites, whether it is Fang Yuan or the Manchu Qing outside the Guan, Li Zicheng will be afraid.

If the battle is unsuccessful, or even defeated. At that time, not only Fang Yuan, but also the Manchu Qing outside the Guan, Li Zicheng of Henan and Huguang will immediately pounce and divide up the Ming court. Launching a war of allure at every turn, gambling the fortunes of the Ming Dynasty on a war is simply a child's play with the 300-year foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

Sun Chuanting couldn't bear this kind of military meeting where a layman commanded an insider, and he suddenly came out and said, "Fang Yuan and Zhu Cihuan are all anti-hearted? Zhang Gelao's words seem to be a bit alarmist! ”

Zhang Guowei was refuted by him, and said with a displeased expression, "Fang Yuan set up another court in Jiangnan, isn't it anti-hearted?" ”

Sun Chuanting said in a deep voice, "Fang Yuan is still hanging the banner of the Ming Dynasty, claiming to be the regent of the Ming Dynasty, and has not established another regime; King Wu Yue is the prince of His Majesty who was personally enshrined in Jiangnan, and now he is also the self-proclaimed prince of the Ming Dynasty, and he has not stolen the throne. If it weren't for the fact that they had turned against it, they were not against the Ming court, but against the prince of the prison country! ”

As soon as he said this, he directly aimed the finger at Zhu Cihong, the prince of the prison country. Everyone looked at each other, and even Zhang Guowei didn't dare to answer again, his old face was swollen and red, and he retreated.

Zhu Cihong stared coldly at Sun Chuanting, who jumped out in front of him to oppose him, and was already furious, and said coldly, "Governor Sun's statement, it is not Fang Yuan and Zhu Cihuan who steal the throne, but this palace?" ”

Sun Chuanting looked at him without giving way, and did not flinch at all, "The minister dares to ask the prince of the prison country, what the prince of the prison country said to the ministers before, Your Majesty is not in good health, and he is recuperating in the harem, so the prince is in charge of the country." Now that the crown prince has been in charge of the country for several years, has His Majesty's dragon body been healed? Why did the minister visit His Majesty several times, but never saw His Majesty? ”

The fact that Emperor Chongzhen was under house arrest is known to passers-by, and Sun Chuanting of course knows it, and now he can't see Emperor Chongzhen, which is to knowingly find fault.

Zhu Cihong couldn't wait to immediately pull out his knife and cut Sun Chuanting, who borrowed Fang Yuan's forces to force the palace, got up angrily and scolded loudly, "Sun Chuanting, are you secretly colluding with Fang Yuan, and you want to fight together?!" ”

Sun Chuanting was furious, glaring at Zhu Cihong angrily, "As long as Fang Yuan dares to attack Shandong, I, Sun Chuanting, will die on the battlefield, and I will not let him cross the thunder pool by half a step." However, the way of life and death of a soldier is to fight a battle, but it must be fought clearly. Shouldn't the prince of the prison country give an explanation to the Shandong soldiers who are about to be on the battlefield? ”

Zhu Cihong was already at a loss, but he was caught by Sun Chuanting, and he was so angry that he was about to drink and order Jinyiwei to take people, drag him down and cut him.

Empress Zhou suddenly interrupted him, "What Inspector Sun said is reasonable, but Your Majesty is indeed unsafe and has no intention of ruling the country, so he ordered the crown prince to supervise the country." The battle of words will be avoided, and Inspector Sun has any strategy for retreating, but please say it clearly. ”

It was easy to kill Sun Chuanting, but it was even more difficult to take over Sun Chuanting's forces in Shandong. Sun Chuanting's Shandong Defense Zone is on the front line of defending Fang Yuan, and it is very important to attack and defend Jiangnan. If there is a major change in Sun Chuanting's defense area, Fang Yuan will inevitably take advantage of the situation and break through the Shandong defense area without bloodshed, and then the situation will really be difficult to control.

Although Empress Zhou also hated Sun Chuanting, she couldn't help but come out to play a round.

Sun Chuanting said loudly, "Please Your Majesty to take charge of the government again, even if you drag your sick body to the court, you can make Fang Yuan lose the truth of the Qing monarch's side." Then, we will recruit Fang Yuan to join the imperial court. If Fang Yuan still doesn't surrender, then it's really the opposite, and I will personally lead the army to attack Jiangnan and recover the country! ”

Sun Chuanting's condition was to reinstate Chongzhen and then conquer Fang Yuan in Jiangnan.

Empress Zhou and the prince of Jianguo were speechless. Sun Chuanting's conditions are absolutely unacceptable, if Chongzhen is reinstated, Queen Zhou, who has taken care of Chongzhen every day, may still be spared, and the prince of the prison country, who is already incompatible with Chongzhen, will definitely die.

But Sun Chuanting's proposal is reasonable and fair, just like the child who exposed the emperor's new clothes in public, in front of everyone, what reason do they have for refusing?!

The cabinet members, the generals of the Governor's Office of the Five Armies, and Zhou Kui, the national ruler, were all silent.