You Feng, the acting governor of Sichuan, whose name is very interesting, has not given Wu Chaoyue any reply for a long time, or after Wu Chaoyue received the accurate news that Li Short Tartar thief army had captured Qianwei and approached the largest salt well in Sichuan, Youjunmen, who was actually a general of Chengdu, sent someone to Wu Chaoyue to send a reply letter, begging Wu Chaoyue to send reinforcements into Sichuan with tears in his eyes to help him clean up the increasingly powerful Li Lan thief army. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

Wu Chaoyue was waiting for Youfeng's letter asking for help, and after having an excuse, Wu Chaoyue immediately wrote an excerpt to report the matter to the Manchu court, pointing out the importance of the salt-producing areas of Sichuan to the southwestern provinces, and also pointed out that the Qing army in Sichuan and Yungui was too empty and sparse for a long time, not only was it difficult to quickly exterminate this thief army, but on the contrary, it could lead to Li Lan's thief army sitting in Sichuan, completely disrupting Sichuan, the only rich Taiping province in the southwest.

In the end, Wu Chaoyue, of course, brazenly recommended his wife and grandfather Yang Wending to the post of governor of Sichuan, and led the army into Sichuan to pacify Li Lan's thief army. In addition, Wu Chaoyue naturally sent a secret letter to Su Shun, stating to Su Shun the importance of Sichuan's money and grain to the Huguang army to 'quell the Changmao Rebellion', and also pointed out that with the power of Hubei Province's money and grain, there was absolutely no possibility of eliminating the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, which had occupied half of the southeast, and implored Su Shun to make every effort to promote this matter and help him solve the problem of part of the army's salary and food.

At the same time, of course, the price of salt in Hubei has already soared several times, and the people's livelihood and economy have been affected quite a lot, and Wu Chaoyue relied on the intelligence to respond quickly, and preemptively purchased a large amount of salt from Sichuan. Therefore, as a last resort, Wu Chaoyue could only secretly ask the merchant ships of Britain, France and the United States to help him smuggle salt from the territory controlled by the Taiping Army, in case of emergency.

When he was busy calming down the price of salt and looking for a new source of salt, a Hunan official document that surprised Wu Chaoyue suddenly arrived--Hunan Governor Chong'en actually took the initiative to ask Wu Chaoyue to allow him to send the Hunan army into Sichuan to help the Sichuan army pacify Li Lan's army. As a result, Wu Chaoyue was happy when he saw it, and said with a smile: "I really didn't see that our Chongfutai can be so attentive in military affairs, and can take the initiative to ask for troops to send troops to reinforce neighboring provinces?" really has such a good heart, Jiangxi is much more chaotic than Sichuan, why don't you see Chongfutai take the initiative to ask the order to send Hunan troops to reinforcements? ”

"No way, who called Sichuan Yanjing so fat?" Yan Jingming smiled on the side and said: "Not to mention those rich salt merchants, there are thirty or forty thousand strong cattle that pull brine, and it is difficult to fight there without thinking about it. ”

"Sichuan Yanjing is ours!"

Wu Chaoyue did not hide his covetousness and greed for the salt industry in Sichuan, and immediately instructed Zhao Liewen: "Huifu, reply to Chong'en with an official letter, speak in a stern tone, and ask him if he has exterminated the bandits in Hunan Province?" Did you extinguish the long-haired remnants flowing on the border of Hunan, Jiangxi and Guizhou provinces? Asked him if he was sure that he would not give the long hair any chance to flow into the hinterland of Hunan again? Tell him to solve these problems first, and then consider sending troops to Sichuan! ”

"Comfort Pavilion, Chongfutai can hate you to death!" Zhao Liewen pointed out with a smile.

"Hate as much as hate." Wu Chaoyue shamelessly replied: "If he ruins my plan to send troops to Sichuan, I won't hate him, I will only want to strangle him to death!" ”

According to Zhao Lie's text, after Wu Chaoyue's official reply was sent to Changsha, poor Chong'en Chongfutai was indeed so hateful that he almost gritted his teeth and bleed-the conscience of heaven and earth, although Chongfutai is not a clean and honest official, this time he took the initiative to ask for an order to send troops to Sichuan, and he really didn't want to take the opportunity to make money for himself, but wanted to get some silver to alleviate the economic crisis in Hunan Province and support Hunan Fubiao, who was really loyal to the Manchu court!

In fact, Chong'en took the initiative to request troops to Sichuan, and it was Hu Linyi's first suggestion -- the impoverished and crazy Hunan army of course dreamed of biting off Sichuan Yanjing, a big fat meat that was ranked the best in the whole world. But Hu Linyi still refused to give up, and proposed to Chongen: "Chongfutai, why don't you directly go to the court?" As long as the emperor and the imperial court agree to let us send troops, even if Wu Futai is currently the governor of Huguang, there will be no excuse to stop us. ”

I don't know that Wu Chaoyue has not only set his sights on Sichuan Yanjing but also wants to swallow Sichuan directly, so after Chongen hesitated for a moment, he still nodded and said: "Okay, try your luck again, as long as the court can agree, it will be worth offending the comfort pavilion." ”

Full of the last hope of Chong'en and the Hunan army, the excerpt set out from Hunan, and under the condition that it was quite convenient to send troops to Sichuan and the troops in the province were relatively sufficient, the competition between the armies of Hunan and Hubei provinces for the big fat sheep in Yanjing in Sichuan also began. The result was very fortunate for Chongen and Xiangjun, although Wu Chaoyue, who had been prepared for a long time, moved faster and started earlier, but because Wu Chaoyue's appetite was too large, he was at a disadvantage in this competition.

Although he knew the kinship between Yang Wending and Wu Chaoyue, letting Yang Wending serve as the governor of Sichuan may lead to Sichuan being indirectly controlled by Wu Chaoyue, but after carefully reading Wu Chaoyue's statement about the importance of Sichuan money and grain to the Huguang army to pacify the Taiping Army, Su Shun was determined to make every effort to promote this matter. He also tried his best to persuade the two political allies Zaiyuan and Duanhua to support his actions, and joined forces to urge Emperor Xianfeng to accept Wu Chaoyue's recommendation.

Next, of course, is the real test, and what surprised Su Shun was that Emperor Xianfeng, who was sick and dying but still insisted on lying on the lap of Concubine Yi and smoking opium, did not consider the kinship between Yang Wending and Wu Chaoyue for the first time, and asked Su Shun and others: "Several Aiqing, Wu Aiqing recommended Yang Wending to be the governor of Sichuan and presided over the major event of pacifying Li Lan's thief army, what do you think?" ”

"Back to the emperor, Weichen thinks that he can accept Wu Chaoyue's recommendation." Su Shun hurriedly replied: "Yang Wending once served as the governor of Jiangsu, and he has made great achievements in governing the territory and securing the people. After the comeback, he repeatedly made miraculous achievements in Jiangxi, recovered Jiujiang and repeatedly defeated Changmao, so that Changmao did not dare to cross Poyang Lake a step, and then sent troops south to recover a number of Jiangxi prefectures. If the saint takes him as the governor of Sichuan, not only will Li Lan's thief army be able to break it with a snap of his fingers, but the people's livelihood and taxes in Sichuan's money, grain, and land will inevitably improve greatly. ”

"What's even more rare is Yang Wending's loyalty to the court and the emperor." Zaiyuan also said respectfully: "I don't know if the emperor still remembers, during Yang Wending's garrison in Jiangyin, the imperial court decided to dismiss him because of his defeat in Zhenjiang, and when the holy decree was sent to Jiangyin, it happened to catch up with Changmao to commit Jiangyin again. Such a loyal courtier, Wei Chen thinks that it is rare in the world. ”

In fact, during the Second Jiangyin War, the holy decree of Yang Wending's dismissal was sent to Yang Wending after the Qing army won a complete victory, but at that time, it was Su Shun's dead party Jingshou, who gave Wu Chaoyue face and said that the holy decree was sent to Yang Wending during the war, and Yang Wending wore a high hat to reduce a lot of crimes.

Nonsense is nonsense, remembering Yang Wending's 'loyalty' performance when he was in Jiangyin, Emperor Xianfeng also nodded, and opened his mouth to agree, but at this time, Concubine Yi, who had been loading cigarettes for Emperor Xianfeng with her tender little hands, suddenly opened her mouth and said: "Your Majesty, if the concubine is not mistaken, Yang Wending's granddaughter of Lord Yang seems to be Wu Chaoyue Wu Futai's wife, right?" ”

"Yang Aiqing's granddaughter is Wu Aiqing's wife?"

Emperor Xianfeng paused, and then in the cold eyes of Su Shun and Zaiyuan who could kill, Emperor Xianfeng also slapped his forehead and said, "I was confused for a while, and I really forgot about it." Yes, Yang Aiqing's granddaughter is indeed Wu Aiqing's wife, Wu Aiqing still insisted on marrying Yang Aiqing's granddaughter when Yang Aiqing was convicted and exiled to Xinjiang. ”

"Oops." Su Shun, Zaiyuan and Duanhua complained bitterly together, and they also hated Yi Guifei to the bone - because Su Shun, Zaiyuan and others knew too well the suspicion and temper of Emperor Xianfeng, and knew that there would be twists and turns in the matter of making Yang Wending the governor of Sichuan.

To the surprise of Su Shun and Concubine Yi, a miracle appeared, probably like his head was poisoned by opium, Emperor Xianfeng actually nodded again, and said: "This is better, let Yang Aiqing be the governor of Sichuan, even if there is any disadvantage in the war, you can immediately get Wu Aiqing's support from Hubei, and it will be more certain to pacify Li Lan's thief rebellion." That's it, let Yang Aiqing act as the governor of Sichuan first, and after the Li Lan thief rebellion is pacified, I will give him a real award. ”

"The sun is coming out of the west?" Zaiyuan and Su Shun and others were ecstatic in their hearts, and hurriedly kowtowed to receive the order.

"Your Majesty, are you faint from smoking opium?"

Concubine Yi screamed in her heart, but she didn't dare to directly oppose Su Shun and the others, so she could only grit her teeth and endure it. Finally, after Su Shun and the others finished their work, Concubine Yi immediately said to Emperor Xianfeng: "Your Majesty, let Yang Wending act as the governor of Sichuan, do you want to reconsider?" ”

"Why reconsider?" Emperor Xianfeng asked rhetorically.

"Even if Yang Wending is allowed to be the governor of Liangjiang, it must not be allowed to be the governor of Sichuan!"

Yi Guifei pointed out unceremoniously: "Sichuan is located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the country of abundance, abundant money and grain, and has the advantage of salt wells, which is most suitable for the imperial court to garrison the army to monitor the downstream. Such a heavy land can only be handed over to the emperor, the person you are most assured of, and if it is slightly suspicious, it must not be used! ”

"Yang Wending is Wu Chaoyue's wife and grandfather, and it is an in-law relationship, Wu Chaoyue is strong and strong in Hubei, and he has heavy troops." Concubine Yi's voice became very cold, and she said gloomily: "Please think about it, if Sichuan is really handed over to Yang Wending, Wu Chaoyue suddenly has a different heart, and the two join forces to make trouble, Wu Chaoyue's soldiers and horses can attack, retreat and defend, and have the abundant money and food support of Sichuan, how else can the imperial court deal with it?" ”

Reminded by his beloved concubine, the Emperor Xianfeng, who was once anesthetized by opium just now, finally came back to his senses, and after thinking for a while, the Emperor Xianfeng hurriedly sent someone to pass Su Shun and Zaiyuan and others back to talk, and Concubine Yi was relieved and said secretly: "Wu Chaoyue must not be allowed to succeed!" Even if he really doesn't have any different intentions, he can't let him get his wish! Otherwise, as long as Su Shun, a bastard, just says a word, the world of the Qing Dynasty will be in chaos! ”

In a moment, the confused Su Shun and Zaiyuan and others also returned to the front of Emperor Xianfeng, and the Emperor Xianfeng really said: "Three Aiqing, I thought about it carefully just now, and it seems that there is something wrong with letting Yang Aiqing act as the governor of Sichuan, and it must be renegotiated." ”

Suspiciously glanced at Concubine Yi, who had deliberately reminded Emperor Xianfeng just now, and asked respectfully: "Dare to ask the emperor, I don't know what's wrong with letting Yang Wending act as the governor of Sichuan?" ”

"It's ......."

Emperor Xianfeng was still trying to save face, and he didn't say that he was preventing Yang Wending and Wu Chaoyue from joining forces to rebel, but he just said hesitantly: "I think that the thief rebellion in Sichuan is not too big, and there is no need to deliberately send a governor to quell this thief rebellion, and it may be enough to send an army from a neighboring province into Sichuan to quell the rebellion." ”

"Your Majesty, isn't the thief rebellion in Sichuan a big deal?" Su Shun asked in surprise: "Didn't the emperor look at the excerpt presented by Sichuan, after Li Lan's thief army captured the artesian well, it has expanded the number of thieves to more than 100,000?" ”

"Li Lan's thief is already so rampant?"

Emperor Xianfeng was taken aback again, and quickly picked up the fold he had seen before to take a closer look, and saw that the Chengdu general Youfeng had indeed reported that the number of Li Lan's thief army had exceeded 100,000 on the fold, and Emperor Xianfeng immediately closed his mouth, and subconsciously remembered the nightmare brought by the Taiping Army after the crazy development of Hunan.

"Your Majesty, please forgive Weichen for reminding me again." Su Shun took out the reason put forward by Wu Chaoyue in the fold, and said cautiously: "The Sichuan salt field is not only related to the salt tax of the imperial court, but also related to the stability of the people's livelihood in the southwestern provinces. ”

"Your Majesty, Weichen thinks that it may be a strategy to only send reinforcements into Sichuan." Zaiyuan also said cautiously: "But Li Lan's thief is too powerful, and it is difficult to reap the results if there are fewer reinforcements, and if you send too much, it will involve the allocation and supply of military salaries, grain and grass, which cannot be borne by the treasury of one state and one government." Therefore, Weichen believes that in order to quickly quell the Li Lan thief rebellion, the only way to adopt Wu Chaoyue's recommendation and let Yang Wending be the governor of Sichuan, and then transfer elite soldiers and strong generals from Huguang to Yang Wending to command Sichuan, and allocate Sichuan money and grain for the front line to quell the rebellion, is the only best policy. ”

"Your Majesty, the imperial court can't afford the second long-haired rebellion." Duanhua, who has always only been a voice worm for Zaiyuan and Su Shun, also rarely expressed some of his own opinions, saying: "The Sichuan soldiers have been sparse for a long time, and they have been used in large numbers to pacify Changmao, if you don't send capable officials to lead the army into Sichuan to quell the chaos as soon as possible, I am afraid that the thieves will be more difficult to control." ”

It is true that the brain was seriously injured by an overdose of opium, and in the case of dizziness, Emperor Xianfeng hesitated for a long time, but nodded again, and said: "Your words of Aiqing are indeed reasonable, so let's do it, let Yang Wending Yang Aiqing act as the governor of Sichuan, and then order Wu Aiqing to transfer elite troops and strong generals in Huguang to Yang Aiqing's commander, and join them in Sichuan to quell the rebellion, and must not let Li Lan's thief army become the second long-haired!" ”

Zaiyuan, Su Shun and others kowtowed again, although Yi Guifei's face was silent, but she sighed in her heart, knowing that her husband was finished, completely finished. And in the blink of an eye, Concubine Yi inadvertently saw Su Shun's gaze looking at her—her eyes were full of vigilance and suspicion. Concubine Yi also suddenly understood in her heart, and said secretly: "This bastard suspects the old lady." ”

The matter was not over, after Su Shun and the other three-person group knelt down again to draw up the decree, Emperor Xianfeng also patted Yi Guifei's thigh again, and said with a smile: "Concubine Ai, don't worry, I know that you care about my country, and when Li Lan's thieves are calmed down, I will immediately find an excuse to transfer Yang Wending out of Sichuan, separating him from Wu Chaoyue." ”

"Your Majesty."

Yi Guifei nodded with a smile, and slapped a sycophant casually, but after the fart was filmed, Yi Guifei shouted in her heart: "Wait until you live to that day!" If you don't live that day, maybe this ass will have to be wiped by my mother! ”

After quietly roaring in her heart, Concubine Yi lowered her head slightly, and said secretly in her heart: "Shouldn't I contact Wu Chaoyue?" That kid is still my uncle in terms of seniority, so it may not be impossible to win him over. (To be continued.) )