Listening to the question raised by Zeng Guoquan's envoy, Changqing almost didn't laugh directly, and said in his heart that he was really afraid of beating the wolf with a hemp rod, and we were still afraid that you would suddenly enter the Daimyo's Mansion every day, and I didn't expect that you were also afraid that we would increase our troops in the Daimyo's Mansion. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

It seemed that he had misunderstood Changqing's unbearable expression, and the envoy of Zeng Guoquan said again: "My lord, our marshal is negotiating peace with the imperial court, the northern front is a little empty, but we still have the Yellow River to defend, after General Nie Shicheng Nie received the news of your increase in troops to the Daimyo Mansion, he also immediately suspended the plan to go south, and was ready to return to Kaifeng at any time." ”

Changqing was a little strange when he heard this, and asked suspiciously: "Since you are ready to return to Kaifeng at any time, then what did you do when Futai sent you to inquire about the news?" ”

"Of course, I am afraid that I will cut off the financial route of your and our armies." The envoy said calmly: "Since the war between your and our armies has gradually decreased, the border trade has gradually begun to expand, and the grain, salt, tea, pig iron and other goods in the territory under our control have been continuously sold to Zhili through various channels, and the donkeys, horses, cattle and sheep in the areas controlled by your army have also been quietly sold into Henan. But if the war resumes, it will be gone. ”

Speaking of this, Zeng Guoquan's envoy paused and said: "But correspondingly, if we reach a peace negotiation with the imperial court, the situation will be completely different, the canal is now abandoned, and the land roads east of the canal are controlled by Changmao, and the road from Kaifeng to the Daimyo Mansion is the only trade route connecting the Central Plains and Zhili, at this critical moment, we Zeng Futai do not want anything to go wrong." Now, do you understand why we came directly to you for news, my lord? ”

Zeng Guoquan's envoy's words were a bit cloudy, which made Changqing feel confused the more he listened, shook his head and said: "I don't understand, I understand your thoughts that Zeng Futai doesn't want to cut off the border financial route, but why do you bother so much and risk coming to me directly to inquire about the news?" ”

"Adult, why do you pretend to be confused?"

Zeng Guoquan's envoy's tone was a little unkind, and he said: "In the current situation, we are not only worried that the war will cut off border trade, but also that Nie Shicheng will return to Kaifeng!" What kind of temper is our General Nie Shicheng, haven't you heard of it? If he really led the army back to Kaifeng because of your increase in troops for no reason, saw something that should not be seen, and asked the reason, then not only would we have been unable to explain to Futai, but we would definitely not be able to do business between us anymore! ”

Changqing finally came to his senses, and only then did he understand that Zeng Guoquan was not only worried that the war would cut off the smuggling route, but also afraid that Nie Shicheng would return to Kaifeng to find Zeng Guoquan's smuggling crimes, and he would not give up. After waking up, Changqing couldn't help but smile and asked, "You Zeng Futai are so afraid of Nie Shicheng?" ”

"Who is General Nie our brother-in-law of Wu Dashuai?" Zeng Guoquan's envoy smiled bitterly, and said: "Also, who told us to not only do the business of tea and salt, but also the business of pig iron, grain and even gunpowder, let General Nie know, can he not sue us directly in front of Wu Dashuai?" Then we used to be the acting governor of Henan in Futai, and we should not be right? ”

Changqing smiled and nodded, admitting that Zeng Guoquan's worries were justified. Zeng Guoquan's envoy said again: "Adult, don't say dark words in front of the Ming people, now we don't let General Nie Shicheng Nie return to Kaifeng There is only one way, that is, to quickly find out the reason why Zhang Guoliang suddenly led the army to the Daimyo's Mansion, and ask the adults to look at everyone's common financial path and give advice." ”

After thinking about it for a while, he felt that telling Zeng Guoquan the reason why the Manchu court suddenly sent Zhang Guoliang's army to the Daimyo's Mansion was not a leak of military aircraft, and it did not have any impact, so Changqing also made a quick decision, and after retiring the outsiders, he whispered to Zeng Guoquan's envoy the reason why Zhang Guoliang's army came to the Daimyo's Mansion. However, Zeng Guoquan's envoy refused to be gullible, and said in a low voice: "My lord, is there any evidence that can prove that the reason why Zhang Guoliang came to the Daimyo's Mansion was not to prepare a sneak attack on us, but to prevent us from suddenly attacking the Daimyo's Mansion?" ”

"This ......."

Changqing was a little embarrassed, and he really couldn't think of any way to prove that he was telling the truth for a while, but when Zeng Guoquan's envoy pushed those pearls in front of him, Changqing immediately had an idea, got up and brought the official document that ordered him to build the Daimyo's Mansion before the official document, proving that the Qing army only intended to take a defensive position in the Daimyo's Mansion.

Zeng Guoquan's envoy was overjoyed when he saw it, and he begged to copy a copy again, and brought it back for Zeng Guoquan to see, and took out a few pearls to bribe Changqing, but for the sake of the pearls, Changqing immediately agreed, and asked Zeng Guoquan's envoy to copy the official document on the spot and take it away. In the end, Changqing naturally had to agree with Zeng Guoquan's envoy to facilitate each other's smuggling caravans and join hands to make a fortune for the country.

…………

The person who came to see Changqing under the banner of Zeng Guoquan was indeed a secret envoy sent by the Wu army, but it was not the envoy sent by Zeng Guoquan, but the person sent by Zhang Zhidong to disagree with the public.

The reason why Zhang Zhidong did this, it is very far to say, Wu Jun carefully probed that after Zhang Guoliang's army suddenly entered the Daimyo's Mansion westward, Zeng Guoquan, who was secretly preparing for a sneak attack on the Daimyo's Mansion, was worried that the difficulty would increase and he could not achieve the goal, so he sent a letter to Nie Shicheng at the first time to tell him about the emergency, and when Nie Shicheng convened his subordinates to discuss countermeasures, Zhang Zhidong volunteered to come to Kaifeng to help Zeng Guoquan.

Nie Shicheng, who was once dizzy by Zhang Zhidong on the battlefield in Luoyang, not only agreed to Zhang Zhidong's self-recommendation, but also wrote a letter to Zeng Guoquan, suggesting that Zeng Guoquan listen to Zhang Zhidong's opinions and let Zhang Zhidong be responsible for planning and arranging the tactics of a sneak attack on the Daimyo's mansion.

At the same time, it was precisely because of Nie Shicheng's letter that Zhang Zhidong ignored everyone's opposition and did not hesitate to use the channel of Ruilian, the Kaizhou co-leader of the Qing army, who had secret trade contacts with the Wu army in Henan, to send such an envoy north to contact Changqing.

After the envoy returned to Kaifeng with a copy of the official document to Changqing, Zhang Zhidong, who personally arranged the envoy plan, of course smiled how happy he was, and even praised the ability of the envoy he had carefully selected, and promised to sponsor Nie Shicheng, and Zeng Guoquan to reward the envoy.

Thinking that the envoy was tethering his head to the waistband of his trousers to run errands, Zeng Guoquan, who was recognized as the number one iron rooster in the Wu army, swallowed his anger and gave the reward, but after sending the envoy away, Zeng Guoquan immediately roared at Zhang Zhidong, "You took the risk of sending the envoy north and spent ten pearls, just to let the envoy say that nonsense to the prefect of the Daimyo Mansion?" ”

"That's right, I just wanted the envoy to say those words to the daimyo prefect Chokei." Zhang Zhidong nodded frankly, raised the copy of the official document and constitutional decree in his hand, and said with a smile: "But I really didn't expect that there would be such an unexpected gain." ”

"That's a bullshit windfall!"

As soon as he thought that ten pearls the size of a pigeon's egg would be exchanged for such a copy, Zeng Guoquan was so sad that every pore of his body was crying, and roared angrily: "Zhang Guoliang moved to the Daimyo's Mansion, and the idiots know that it is to prevent us from suddenly sending troops to sneak attack, and they still need to get this copy of the official document?" What's the use of this? ”

"What's the use of this?" Zhang Zhidong's eyes widened, and he asked in surprise: "Zeng Futai, don't you know how much this official document copy is worth?" ”

"How much is it worth?" Zeng Guoquan asked angrily.

"Valueless." Zhang Zhidong replied solemnly: "It's still two cities. ”

Seeing that Zhang Zhidong said solemnly, Zeng Guoquan first glanced at the copy of the official document in confusion, and then asked, "What do you mean?" How is this thing so valuable? ”

"Don't ask more, you will understand in the future."

Zhang Zhidong shook his head and refused to answer, and lay down comfortably on the chair, changed back to his usual cynical and lazy expression, yawned and said: "Okay, Zeng Futai, act according to your original plan, I can rest for a few days, and when your soldiers come to the city of the Daimyo's Mansion, I will help you take the city." ”

"How many days off?" Zeng Guoquan was so angry that his forehead was a little bruised, and he said angrily: "Nie Shicheng sent you here to ask you to help me plan the tactics of a sneak attack on the Daimyo's Mansion City, you can send a messenger to the Daimyo's Mansion to talk nonsense, and then you can rest?" ”

"Zeng Futai, what else do you want to do?" Zhang Zhidong asked very strangely: "The tactics of sneak attack on the Daimyo's Mansion arranged by yourself are quite good, and the lower officials have already cleared the obstacles for you, what else do you want the lower officials to do?" ”

"What obstacles have you removed for the officer?" Zeng Guoquan asked angrily.

"The outer walls of the Daimyo's Mansion Castle, as well as the walls of the Daimyo's Mansion." Zhang Zhidong replied with a smile: "Xiaguan knows, you are worried that the Rakshasa foreign gun in Zhang Guoliang's hand is too accurate, and once there is a foreign Guo to defend, it will definitely be more difficult to break through the Daimyo's Mansion City." But don't worry, that Wai Guo can't exist anymore. ”

"It is impossible for the outer Guo of the Daimyo Mansion to exist anymore? Why? Zeng Guoquan, like Changqing, was completely stunned by Zhang Zhidong.

"Just because of the bunch of nonsense my messenger said to Changqing." Zhang Zhidong replied confidently.

…………

Zhang Zhidong may have been overconfident, because at the same time, Zhang Guoliang and Fu Zhenbang had once again run to Changqing, the prefect of the Daimyo Mansion, to urge, asking Changqing to speed up the construction, build and improve the outer Guo as soon as possible, and quickly complete the excavation of the trench protecting the outer Guo and fill it with water.

However, it is a pity that Changqing calculated an economic account for Zhang Fu and the others, and said: "The two generals, it's not that the lower officials don't want to complete the project as soon as possible, it's that the day and night rush work costs too much money and food, if you work normally, each person is three buckets of rice, one penny of silver and two taels of rice wine every day, and the night construction is doubled, and the day and night rush work is three times ......." ”

"Governor Changfu, we're not here to settle the money and grain account with you!" The quick-tempered Zhang Guoliang rudely interrupted Changqing and shouted angrily: "We are here to ask you for a wai Guo and a trench!" The watchtowers and forts in charge of our army are about to be completed, and your outer wall is not yet three feet high, when will it be completed? ”

"The constitutional decree of respecting officials and Taiwan, before the first day of the Lunar New Year, must be completed." Changqing replied confidently: "At that time, if the one-zhang high outer Guo city wall is less than an inch, please ask the two generals to take off the official head." ”

"Can't you hurry any longer?" Zhang Guoliang asked.

"Money and food are tight, and you can't get up fast if you want to." Changqing spread his hands to express his helplessness, and said with a sad face: "Two generals, you also pity the people of the Daimyo Mansion, the Yellow River was diverted, the twisted bandits and Changmao looted successively, and the Wu thieves occupied Changyuan and Dongming, and the imperial court did not give a grain and a tael of silver, and the money and grain for the construction of Waiguo all relied on the Daimyo Mansion to raise themselves on the spot, and the people of the Daimyo Mansion were too bitter and the burden was too great. ”

"Then you still have the delicacies of the mountains and seas every day? ...... a concubine buy a maid? ”

Zhang Guoliang's roar was interrupted by Fu Zhenbang covering his hand, and after holding down Zhang Guoliang, who was thundering, Fu Zhenbang said to Changqing in a low voice: "Changfuzun, it's not us who force you, it's the current situation that forces us to repair the outer Guo of the Daimyo's Mansion City as soon as possible." Otherwise, once the Wu thief army suddenly sends troops north, we have no outer Guo to defend, and there is not enough space to accommodate the people's army, then we will be too passive. ”

"Mr. Fu, what you said understands the reason." Changqing said even more bitterly: "But the cost of money and food is too big, and no matter how the lower officials demolish the east wall and make up the west wall, it is also overstretched, please understand the hardships of the lower officials, the lower officials are not easy to be a family." ”

Zhang Guoliang and Fu Zhenbang were anxious, and Changqing opened his mouth and closed his mouth to cry bitterly and poorly, neither of them could convince anyone, and in the end, of course, they broke up unhappily. As a result, Zhang Guoliang and Fu Zhenbang just left with their angry front feet, and Changqing's back feet scolded in the prefect's yamen, "Fuck your mother's stinky hill eight, cowardly as a rat, greedy for life and afraid of death, there is a famous mansion city for you to live in, and you have to force the official to repair your outer Guo, and throw the official's money and food into the water?" ”

"Fuzun, are you urging the construction site to speed up?" The confidant next to him kindly suggested, saying: "First of all, according to the current progress, I am afraid it will be a little difficult to build a good foreign Guo before the first day of the Lunar New Year." Secondly, Zhang Guoliang has the right to directly submit a letter to the official system, if he sues you again...... ”

"Don't be afraid!" Changqing waved his hand and said confidently: "The official document before the official system is very clear, it is to ask me to complete the waiguo before the end of the month, and his old man will not change his order and force me to change his words, right?" ”

"As for the progress of the construction, I am not afraid, of course it is best to repair it at the current speed, but it is really not possible to come out after the work is completed in the second half of the year."

The staff was still a little worried, and reminded again: "But Fuzun, if the Wu thief really suddenly attacks the Daimyo's Mansion, then the Daimyo's Mansion will have no Wai Guo to guard, and you won't be able to explain it." ”

"No, no! This official dares to take the first level of guarantee will not! ”

After speaking with great confidence, Elder Changqing said proudly in his heart: "Looking at the current situation, the peace talks between Wu Chaoyue and the imperial court will be reached in a few days, and when the time comes, the Wu thief and the imperial court will cease fighting, and the outer Guo of the Daimyo Mansion will not need to continue to repair, and the money and food saved will ......." Hehe, you can accept two concubines again. ”

After being expected by Changqing's staff, after leaving the prefect's yamen in a rage, the first thing Zhang Guoliang did was to write a letter to the official document again, complaining to the official that Changqing was perfunctory and slack, and the construction of the outer fortifications of the Daimyo's Mansion was progressing slowly.

was also expected by Changqing, after seeing Zhang Guoliang's letter, the officialdom veteran Guanwen only regretted that he gave Changqing a slightly too long construction period, but he did not plan to change the order to let his subordinates complain, plus so far, the Hubei intelligence received by the official document has always been Wu Chaoyue preparing to attack the Taiping Army in civil strife. Therefore, the official document did not force Changqing to die, but just sent the following to Changqing, asking about the progress of the construction of the Daimyo's Mansion, and once again reiterating that if it cannot be completed before the end of the month, Changqing must be made good-looking, hinting at urging Changqing to speed up the construction.

Guan Wen made a choice that made him regret it, because it was only two days after he made this decision, and on the eighth day of the lunar month, a fast horse that was foaming at the mouth rushed into Kaifeng City with Wu Chaoyue's official order to Zeng Guoquan. And after reading Wu Chaoyue's letter, Zeng Guoquan only said two words viciously, "Do it!" ”