Ten days later, Fang Yuan rushed to the capital from Jining Prefecture, where Liangshan was located.

He ordered the Xuanjia sergeants stationed in the post house outside the city to rest for a while, and immediately entered the city to meet Emperor Chongzhen.

Chongzhen was anxious about how to resist the Manchu invasion this time, and as soon as he heard that Fang Yuan had returned to the capital, he immediately met Fang Yuan in the Dongnuan Pavilion.

After Fang Yuan's salute, Chongzhen sat in front of the dragon chair, his eyes constantly patrolling Fang Yuan, "Fang Yuan, this time the Manchu Qing Dynasty invaded the customs, and there were 10,000 Ming troops in the three guards of Suzhou Mansion, why did you only bring 2,000 soldiers and horses to King Qin?" I thought you weren't coming! ”

Chongzhen's doubts were reasonable, and Fang Yuan couldn't avoid such a sharp question, and hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, what the minister has brought is a newly trained elite division, which is enough to be ten with one. As for the guards of the three guards of Suzhou Prefecture, if they don't mention it, they will be a drag on the battlefield. ”

Chongzhen asked lightly, "Fang Yuan, where did you go directly to the capital if you went north to King Qin without Shi Kefa?" ”

Fang Yuan helplessly explained, "The minister returned a few days late, but he just went to Shandong to arrange the battlefield first, which made His Majesty worried." ”

It was winter, the cold wind was howling, the brocade clothes Fang Yuan was wearing were a little thin, and he didn't have time to change one all the way, so he couldn't help but shiver.

Chongzhen saw it in his eyes, and asked Wang Chengen to take a piece of his own fur fur, two stoves, and asked Wang Chengen to prepare the imperial meal, "Fang Yuan, today our monarchs and ministers have dinner together, and then we have a long talk, one night is not enough, and then talk for two days and two nights." ”

The fur given to Emperor Fang Yuan, the monarchs and ministers ate together, and they also had a long talk, which were quite exceptional courtesies.

Obviously, Chongzhen had accepted Fang Yuan's explanation.

Fang Yuan accompanied Chongzhen to use the imperial meal, and also reported to Chongzhen about the various encounters after going to Suzhou Mansion, as well as the source of two million taels of silver.

Chongzhen listened to it and said yes again and again.

After the two of them had eaten the night meal and cleaned up neatly, Chongzhen asked unhurriedly, "Fang Yuan, how are you going to fight this Manchu invasion?" ”

Fang Yuan asked rhetorically, "Your Majesty, how are the ministers planning to fight?" ”

Chongzhen hurriedly said, "The cabinet scholar, the first assistant Zhou Yanru is helpless, and only proposes to strengthen the defense of Gyeonggi. However, the Manchu Emperor Taiji sent a peace agreement. ”

Chongzhen ordered Wang Chengen to take Huang Taiji's peace proposal, Fang Yuan spread it out and looked at it, the main content was that the Manchu Qing Emperor Taiji proposed that the Ming Dynasty would give 100,000 taels of gold, 1 million taels of silver, 300,000 stones of grain, and 2 million pieces of cloth. After that, 50,000 taels of gold, 200,000 taels of silver, 100,000 stones of grain, and 500,000 horses of cloth were given every year.

Fang Yuan put down this peace proposal, and sneered, "Your Majesty, what does Shoufu Zhou Yanru say about this peace proposal?" ”

Chongzhen said, "Zhou Yanru's statement is that peace negotiations are feasible, although there are more gold and silver, food, and cloth at one time, but if peace can really be reached, the two sides will strike a truce, which is also a good way to save the current crisis." ”

Fang Yuan asked again, "What about Your Majesty's thoughts?" ”

Chongzhen lowered his voice and said, "Fang Yuan, I only have a heart to heart with you. I also think that this peace agreement is feasible, and you have sent me two million taels of silver, and if you put it together, you should be able to make up this amount. ”

Fang Yuan asked again, "After reaching a peace agreement with the Manchus, what is Your Majesty going to do?" ”

Chongzhen was stunned and hesitated, "If there is a truce with the Manchu Qing, I will be able to avoid fighting on two fronts, and I will be able to dispatch a large army to exterminate the thieves in Henan, Huguang and Sichuan." ”

Fang Yuan handed back the peace proposal sent by Huang Taiji to Chongzhen, and Zhengrong said, "Your Majesty, if the Northern Song Dynasty can reach an alliance with the Liao State in Tanyuan, that is, the two sides can form a strategic confrontation on the Hebei line, and no one will be able to move forward for more than a hundred years; The Southern Song Dynasty was able to reach the Shaoxing Peace Agreement with the Jin State, that is, the two sides could form a strategic confrontation on the Jianghuai line, and after more than 100 years, no one could move forward. ”

"And I, the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall defense line was beaten into a sieve by the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the Manchu Iron Cavalry wanted to enter the pass and plunder, they could directly hit the Yangtze River, and the general soldiers everywhere were afraid of war like tigers, and there was not even a single one who dared to go out of the city to fight, what could be relied on to form a strategic confrontation with the Manchu Dynasty? To put it simply, if the Manchu Qing Dynasty broke the contract again after obtaining gold, silver, grain, and cloth, can the Ming Dynasty punish the Manchu Qing for breaking the contract? A peace negotiation without the strength to back it up is just a piece of waste paper! ”

Fang Yuan's words were too straightforward and too harsh, Chongzhen said unhappily, "Fang Yuan, are you saying that my knowledge is shallow?" ”

Fang Yuan said slowly, "If the minister is Zhou Yanru, he will definitely say that His Majesty's behavior in the peace conference is extremely wise, because the world is His Majesty's world, and I am a person who lives with money, what kind of coaxing?" It can be delayed for a day, and when the Manchu Qing Dynasty breaks the contract again, we will discuss it slowly. If it's a big deal, you can surrender to the Manchus, and high-ranking officials are still indispensable. ”

The anger on Chongzhen's face was gone, and his expression became more and more solemn.

Fang Yuan continued, "But the minister is focused on His Majesty's future, and the Ming Dynasty and the society can't help but say it directly, although he doesn't listen to his words, he is loyal to his ears. ”

Chongzhen asked in a deep voice, "I am also forced to let the people of the world rest and recuperate, and take a breath." If it is fought on two fronts repeatedly, the world of the Ming Dynasty will collapse sooner or later. ”

Fang Yuan said in a deep voice, "Without Kou Zhun and the emperor's personal conquest, there would be no Tanyuan Alliance; Without the bloody military exploits of Yue Wumu and Han Shaobao, there would be no Shaoxing Peace Conference. The minister also suggested that peace be negotiated with the Manchus, but only after the Manchu invasion of the iron cavalry had been severely damaged. ”

Chongzhen looked directly at Fang Yuan and asked, "Fang Yuan, do you think that peace will never be negotiated before the war?!" ”

Fang Yuan met Chongzhen's gaze and said resolutely, "Never negotiate peace!" His Majesty's two million taels of silver, instead of giving it to the Manchu Tartars for nothing, it is better to pay heavy attention to the officers and soldiers who died after the war! ”

Chongzhen sighed deeply, nodded heavily, and said, "How can this battle be fought to severely damage the Manchu Iron Cavalry?" You only have 2,000 cavalry, but you have to face 40,000 Manchu cavalry! ”

Fang Yuan said lightly, "If you go head-to-head, you will definitely lose." The minister's strategy was to clear the wilderness and only fight the logistics of the Manchu Dynasty. ”

Chongzhen was interested, and hurriedly straightened up and asked, "Fang Yuan, you can make it clear, how to fight the logistics of the Manchu Dynasty?" ”

Fang Yuan patiently explained, "I am following the method of nomadic guerrilla warfare and retaliating with a tooth for a tooth. This time, the Manchu Qing Dynasty invaded in a hurry because of the lack of food and grass for the winter, and the army definitely couldn't bring much food, so they fought with the idea of feeding the war and plundering. When the Manchu Iron Cavalry entered the pass and entered the Shandong territory, the minister's 2,000 elite cavalry would bite the logistics of the Manchu Iron Cavalry. ”

"As long as the Manchu Tartars dare to divide their troops and plunder, I will kill the Manchu Tartars who divide their troops one by one."

Chongzhen listened to it and hurriedly asked, "What if the Manchu Tartars don't divide their troops?" ”

Fang Yuan said in a deep voice, "If you don't divide the troops, 40,000 Manchu Qing Tartars will consume at least 500 stone of grain a day, and a county town and a village will be looted, how can logistics and supplies keep up?" ”

In fact, what Fang Yuan used was the guerrilla tactics that nomads relied on strong mobility and habitually used, but this time Fang Yuan's Xuanjia soldiers were two war horses, and their mobility was stronger than that of the Manchu Tartar soldiers. In addition, there are thunderbolts, explosion-proof equipment, and the individual combat ability is also stronger than that of the Manchu Tartars, which is enough to toss the Manchu Tartars for a tooth.

Chongzhen was overjoyed and said, "Okay, good, very good, Fang Yuan, I have approved your battle plan." ”

Fang Yuan said slowly, "But please ask Your Majesty to agree to the two conditions of the minister." ”

Chongzhen hurriedly asked, "What conditions, say!" ”

Fang Yuan thought for a while and said, "The minister's visit to Shandong has ordered Yanzhou Mansion to clear the wall, but Liu Zeqingchen of Jinan Mansion can't command it, please make a holy decree from Your Majesty, so that Liu Zeqing will also strengthen the wall and clear the wilderness in Jinan Mansion and strengthen the defense." ”

Chongzhen didn't care about his trespasser without asking for instructions, and hurriedly said, "Quasi-play!" What else? ”

Fang Yuan also said, "There are also the Liangshan Liukou, the rest of Li Qingshan, and the ministers have promised them that as long as they participate in this battle, they will be rehabilitated, and some ownerless land in Shandong will be rewarded as a reward." ”

Chongzhen can still remember that Li Qingshan of Liangshan who was executed by Ling Chi in the capital at the beginning of the year, as long as he can defeat the Manchu Iron Cavalry, rehabilitate, and reward Yunyun, it is just a trivial matter, "I am right." ”

Fang Yuan emphasized again, "It was because of Zhou Yanru's slander that Your Majesty made a big mistake, and Ling Chi executed Li Qingshan, who wanted to recruit peace. If Your Majesty wants to rehabilitate Liang Shan, you should investigate Zhou Yanru's guilt! ”

Chongzhen was stunned, and then he understood the meaning of Fang Yuan's words, the so-called rehabilitation is by no means a simple pardon for the crimes of Liangshan Liukou, but to severely punish Zhou Yanru, who spread rumors and slander, and bring him to justice!

Chongzhen groaned and said, "This, Zhou Yanru is the first assistant of the cabinet after all, if he is severely punished for the affairs of the rogue, the ministers will not be able to explain!" ”

Fang Yuan said coldly, "As long as Your Majesty expels Zhou Yanru from the capital, the next thing is the personal grievances between the people of Liangshan and Zhou Yanru, which has nothing to do with Your Majesty and the imperial court." ”

Chongzhen had long been disappointed with Zhou Yanru's behavior, and he didn't have the heart to protect him anymore, so he said, "Okay, I'll play!" ”