Forbidden city

East Warm Pavilion

Chongzhen, who was being overwhelmed by Fang Yuan's Northern Expedition, hadn't slept for three consecutive days.

At night, the celebrant and eunuch Fang Zhenghua suddenly rushed into the Dongnuan Pavilion and shouted in panic, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, it's suffered!" Something is wrong! ”

Chongzhen was already closing his eyes and worrying about state affairs, but before he closed his eyes, he heard Fang Zhenghua's shouting, and he was startled, and a premonition of dislike came to his heart, and he hurriedly turned over and sat up, "Zhenghua, what's wrong?" ”

Empress Zhou, who was beside her, also got up and shouted, "Did Fang Yuan send troops to Gyeonggi?!" ”

Fang Zhenghua kowtowed again and again, "The governor of Zhou, who was recruiting troops in Xuanfu and training troops, hurried to the capital and reported to the palace that the Mongolian tribes outside the customs had abnormal movements of gathering troops. ”

Fang Yuan's threat had not been lifted, the house leak happened to rain overnight, and the Manchu Tartars, who had not entered the customs for several years, actually started to act first, this news was tantamount to shocking news for Chongzhen, his lips trembled, and he panicked.

Empress Zhou hurriedly asked, "The Manchu Qing Dynasty gathered troops in Liaodong, why didn't Wu Sangui send a message to the capital, but Zhou Yuji sent a message?" ”

Before Fang Zhenghua could speak, Chongzhen had already said hesitantly, "Empress, this is because Wu Sangui and the Manchu Qing Dynasty secretly colluded!" Hurry, hurry, ring the bell, all the cabinet scholars, six scholars, and officials above the seventh grade in Beijing immediately come to the Qianqing Palace to discuss and discuss matters overnight! ”

Qianqing Palace

Brightly lit

Chongzhen sat on the dragon chair and looked at the cabinet scholars below, the six Shangshu, and the two governors of the five armies, Zhou Kui and Zhou Yuji. He had already informed everyone of the emergency military situation brought by Zhou Yuji, and was waiting for everyone's strategy to retreat from the enemy.

Zhou Yuji stood up and said, "Your Majesty, the matter is urgent, when the minister came to the capital, he brought all the 20,000 soldiers of the Xuanfu to Gyeonggi, and the follow-up Jin army is still rushing to King Qinwang of Gyeonggi one after another." Shanhaiguan has Wu Sangui to guard it, and the minister will go to guard Ji Town! Maybe it will be able to keep the Manchus out of the gates. ”

The Great Wall defense line is thousands of miles, more than 100 checkpoints, Dolgon can invade the pass from any point, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty once entered the pass from Xuanfu in Shanxi. Just guarding one Shanhaiguan and Jizhen can keep the Manchu Qing out of the customs, which is simply a fool's dream.

Zhou Yuji is also a veteran of the battlefield, how could he not know that if the Ming army did not dare to go out of the city and fight in the Manchu field, whether it was Shanhaiguan, Jizhen, or even Xuanfu, it was all a decoration. These words are just no way to comfort Chongzhen's emotions.

Chongzhen nodded at his loyalty as a reward, and then asked the ministers, "Do you have any other ways to retreat from the enemy?!" ”

The ministers echoed: "Yes, yes, what Zhou Dudu said is reasonable!" With Wu Du Governor guarding Shanhaiguan and Zhou Du guarding Ji Town, the Manchu Qing Dynasty will not be able to enter the customs! ”

Chongzhen: "There are more than 100 checkpoints on the Great Wall, guarding Shanhaiguan and Jizhen, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty can't enter the customs?!" ”

Ministers: "......"

The high-ranking officials of the court below, except for Hong Chengchou, all stood up one by one to echo Zhou Yuji's statement. They are just going with the flow, Zhou Yuji is willing to come out to the front, and the emperor is willing to believe Zhou Yuji, and today is considered to be passed. If they don't echo Zhou Yuji's suggestion, with Chongzhen's temperament, they will inevitably ask for strategies to retreat from the enemy one by one, and they can say a fart!

Chongzhen saw that these nonsense grandsons were angry, and reprimanded angrily, "The so-called raising soldiers for thousands of miles is used for a while, and on weekdays, you guide the country one by one, and strategize one by one, and win thousands of miles away." When it comes to survival, there is nothing to say?! ”

Ministers: "......"

Chongzhen swept all the chapters on the dragon case to the ground, and said angrily, "The minister understands, the princess's words are not false at all!" I am not the king of the fallen country, you are all the ministers of the dead country! ”

Ministers: "......"

Hong Chengchou waited for Chongzhen to finish his anger, and then he slowly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, there is a secret letter from Wu Sangui here. Wu Sangui said in the letter that the Manchu Emperor Dolgon sent people to Shanhaiguan and said that the invasion was really forced to do so, because Fang Yuan had built a military fort on Phi Dao, which was a serious provocation to the Manchus and must be punished. ”

"Therefore, this invasion is not aimed at the imperial court of the capital, but against the traitor Fang Yuan. Dolgon wanted the Manchu Qing, the imperial court, and Wu Sangui to join forces in the south to attack Shandong. After the matter was completed, according to the previous agreement, the land in Shandong belonged to the imperial court, and the children belonged to the Manchu Qing Dynasty. ”

He took a bite of Wu Sangui, brushed himself clean, and Chongzhen asked rhetorically, "What about Elder Hong Ge's thoughts?!" ”

Hong Chengchou thought for a while and said, "The old minister's idea is that, according to the lessons of the Han and Tang Dynasties, if you go outside, you must first settle inside." There is also a cloud in the art of war, and the first is to fight and strategize, and then to fight. Your Majesty, Holy Judge! ”

In and out of his words, he hinted that he would accept the conditions of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and fight against Fang Yuan together, and in the end, another ball was kicked back to Chongzhen. Anyway, no matter what countermeasures are taken, it is Chongzhen's decision, and it has nothing to do with him.

The ministers changed the direction of the wind again and echoed, "What Elder Hong Ge said is very reasonable! This so-called borrowing a knife to kill people, snipe and clam compete for fishermen to profit! ”

Chongzhen was too lazy to talk nonsense with this group of wall grass, and looked at Zhou Yuji and said, "Governor Zhou, what do you think?" ”

Zhou Yuji resolutely objected, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, if the Manchu Qing really wants to fight against Fang Yuan and send troops to attack Phi Dao, why bother to enter the customs and fight?" The Manchu Qing Dynasty wanted to use us and Fang Yuan to fight for both sides, and then reap the benefits of the fisherman! ”

Hong Chengchou said lightly, "Since Governor Zhou has vetoed this suggestion, it is better to explain to Your Majesty, what is the best way to deal with the entry of the Manchu Dynasty?!" Don't say that guarding the Shanhaiguan and Jizhen will keep the Manchu Qing out of the customs! ”

Zhou Yu Jilang said, "The so-called soldiers will block the water and cover the earth, if the Manchu Qing Dynasty enters the customs, the ministers will fight to the death of King Qin, defend the capital, the city is in the people, the city is dead!" ”

Hong Chengchou said coldly, "What Your Majesty needs is a strategy to retreat from the enemy and preserve the Ming Dynasty's Jiangshan Sheji, not to let the Governor of Zhou come to sell his reputation and reputation." Zhou Dudu is willing to seek benevolence, how many of the Jin troops under his command are willing to come to die? This kind of reckless tactics just fulfilled the reputation of the loyal ministers of the Zhou Du, but ruined the Ming Dynasty's Jiangshan Sheji! ”

"Your Majesty, the king of Yue, Gou Jian, will eventually destroy Wu after twenty years. The first emperor of the Han Wu and Tang Sects also bowed to foreigners. His Majesty is here, and Jiangshan Sheji is here. If Your Majesty has a mistake, the country will be gone. Please don't be brave and think twice before you act! ”

Zhou Yuji, a man in the army, can talk about eloquence Hong Chengchou, so angry that he blew his beard and stared at him, but there was nothing he could do, and the only way was to kick the ball back to Chongzhen, "Whoever is loyal and who is traitorous, please also ask Your Majesty to judge!" ”

Hong Chengchou and Zhou Yuji all kicked the ball to Chongzhen.

If Chongzhen has a way to make a holy judgment, he will also find a group of ministers to discuss a fart! Seeing that this most important military and political meeting was about to end with a talk, a crisp voice sounded, "Hong Chengchou, you, the Qin Hui of the Ming Dynasty, dare to bewitch the people here!" ”

Princess Kunxing entered from outside the palace and said loudly, "Father, you should first behead Hong Chengchou who took refuge in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and then talk about the strategy of retreating from the enemy!" ”