"Send Zuo Zhonghe, Chen Hongfan, and Ma Shaoyu to the north."

As soon as he entered the cabinet, there was no need to greet him anymore, Shi Kefa split his head and said: "What do you think of these three people?" ”

Zuo Zhongji is Zuo Maodi, the governor of the heavens, famous for his name and Geng Jie, his backbone is very hard, and his qualifications are almost enough. Originally, Ma Shiying proposed that Ma Shaoyu be the main envoy and Chen Hongfan should be the deputy, but at this time, Shi Kefa added another Zuo Maodi, obviously not at ease with Ma and Chen, and there must be a person who can calm the scene and live at a critical moment.

Like Ma Shaoyu and Chen Hongfan, a person who had met Jierharang at the assignment of Chen Xinjia in the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, he was a rare figure in the Ming court who participated in private peace discussions.

Of course, character is not very reliable.

Chen Hongfan is a military general, and he invited himself to participate in the peace talks, and there was a lot of discussion between the DPRK and China, but they all felt that it was not very reliable. However, Shi Kefa felt that Chen Hongfan was familiar with the situation and was willing to serve, so there was no need to chill the martial minister's self-efficacy, so he still agreed to it.

"Zuo Zhongji is indeed the right person." Ma Shiying nodded and said: "Shoufu has the wisdom to know people, and the country is fortunate." ”

"Where." Shi Kefa thanked him modestly, and said: "If it is decided, give Zuo Zhong and the squire of the military department, Ma Shaoyu and the secretary of the Li Temple, and Chen Hongfan and the governor of Zuo...... How about doing this? Besides, these three people are already waiting in the outer room, summoning them to meet and talk, how about it? ”

Ma Shiying smiled and didn't answer, just took a sip of tea.

Through the rising tea mist, he also covered the disdainful expression on his face.

The envoy to the north is imminent, and the head of the cabinet is not thinking about the major policies or the future plan of the entire country, but here he is seriously discussing the addition of the envoys...... What kind of big deal is this, and it's worth asking!

As for the meeting, in fact, there is no need, the cabinet and the military affairs department will go down, and they will do what they are told.

However, Shi Kefa's face could not be denied, so he smiled and nodded immediately, which was regarded as agreeing.

He looked at the pavilion, except for Shi Kefa, Li Banghua, Wang Duo, and Zhang Guowei were not there, only Gao Hongtu and a group of Zhongshu people from Donglin were standing.

Seeing Ma Shiying looking at him, Gao Hongtu also smiled in response.

"That's right, Ziyu!" Ma Shiying turned to Gao Hongtu and asked, "His Royal Highness the Prince, please allocate an additional 300,000 catties of pig iron, the Ministry of Industry will push it to the Ministry of Households, what does the Ministry of Households say?" ”

"Nope." Gao Hongtu was concise and said with a smile: "The household department does not have half a catty of iron, His Royal Highness wants to use iron, and he and the Ministry of Industry will fight in the ring." ”

"The forbidden army and the guards also need tens of thousands of catties of iron to make weapons and armor, Ziyou, you can't fight this ring with me!"

"If you want to use it in Jingying, then you have it."

"Haha, Ziyou, you are such a wonderful person."

In fact, there are a lot of iron ore and copper mines in the south of the Yangtze River, and the mineral resources are rich enough. But it is also true that pig iron and copper are undermined.

The Ming Dynasty's mining methods were backward, and it was a major disadvantage that there were many private mines that could not be managed, and the miners in the official mines were like pigs and dogs, and the treatment was extremely poor, far worse than that of the Qing Dynasty.

Not to mention anything else, take Yunnan as an example, in the Yongqian period of the Qing Dynasty, Yunnan copper produced millions of catties a year, and copper accounted for more than half of the world's copper, the Ming Dynasty was extremely short of copper money, and the money shortage in the Qing Dynasty was much lighter than that of the Ming Dynasty. The same copper mine, but what if this will be shelved in the Ming Dynasty? Not even a tenth of the Qing Dynasty. With such an output, it would be strange if there was no shortage of copper and iron.

Originally, it was less, but now the army is flourishing everywhere, and the iron mine is not the people's livelihood, but also a matter of military affairs, and now the prince is the enemy of the Donglin Party in several things, if Gao Hongtu and others are willing to honestly allocate iron ore and other military supplies to the prince, it is strange.

Up to now, there are still many gentry, businessmen and landlords with Donglin background who refuse to pay the money, and Gao Hongtu is anxious every day...... If this matter could not be solved, his status within the Donglin Party dropped sharply, and during this time, the gray hair on Gao Fuchen's head also increased a lot.

"The lower officials knock to see the lords in the ranks."

"Knock on the Lordship."

The three members of the Northern Mission were summoned by Shi Kefa to wait in the court room outside, and as soon as they were called, they came in together.

The cabinet members are all high-ranking officials of the first grade, and Zuo Maodi is from the fourth grade, with a difference of more than three levels, so they meet with a big salute. As for Chen Hongfan, although he is a first-class product, even if the military officer is promoted by the crown prince, it is still not worth much in the hearts of everyone.

If it is a general soldier who is in charge of military power and has heavy troops, it is another matter, Chen Hongfan, a bare-bones commander, of course, does not dare to stand up in front of the auxiliary ministers.

"Please sit down." Shi Kefa wants to solve the confrontation between the north and the south and the major events that are difficult to determine, so his demeanor is rare and relaxed at this time. Since he became the first assistant, he has not been in a very good mood, but at this time today, he is smiling very gently.

"I called you over to talk about the northern envoy." Shi Kefa pondered and said: "The matter of the northern envoy is very important, not only to make peace with the Qing country, but also not to lose the body of my Ming Dynasty, the joints of which are the most important, must be grasped well." ”

In fact, Shi Kefa has said this big purpose many times in public and private, and Ma Shaoyu and Chen Hongfan have heard it many times, but the two of them still showed a smile on their faces, and nodded desperately yes, as if they had heard it for the first time.

"Of course, the lower official obeys the order of the first assistant." Zuo Maodi frowned and said, "But the main purpose, you still have to ask to understand it first." Are they enemies of each other? ”

When a sentence came out, Shi Kefa's face was embarrassed, and even Ma Shiying, who had always had a reserved smile on his face, also changed his face.

The Ming Dynasty has always boasted that it was different from the former Song Dynasty, never making peace, and never soothing the barbarians.

At the beginning of the opening of the border exchange market with the Mongolian Tatars, many people between the government and the opposition were unhappy and felt that they had lost face. When it was rumored that the emperor had privately negotiated peace during the Chongzhen period, the result was like stabbing a hornet's nest, and in the end, even Chongzhen couldn't hold it down, and he beheaded Chen Xinjia, the secretary of the military department, before he could be considered to have an explanation.

This cabinet person, Shi Kefa was not qualified to go to the center back then, Ma Shiying was dismissed from office at home, but Ma Shaoyu is a full-time negotiator among the people, and after listening to Zuo Maodi's words, he also looked embarrassed and shook his head lightly.

Back then, he was not an envoy, but also a minister of the Heavenly Empire, and he was a "councilor" instead of peace, and in this way, he also gained a bad reputation.

"Ahem," everyone was silent, and in the end, Ma Shiying opened his mouth and said: "The emperor is an uncle, and he is a young monarch and a nephew." ”

"That's all it can be!"

Shi Kefa's facial expression was very painful, but he also nodded in approval.

There are two governments on both sides of the military and the government who have agreed, what else do others have to say? Zuo Maodi had no expression on his face, but bowed down and said, "Yes, make an appointment with uncle and nephew...... So, what is the boundary between each other? ”

"Of course, it's ......" Shi Kefa paused, and there was a look of hesitation on his face, and after half a sound, he said: "There is no need to mention this matter first, if you are commensurate with the enemy country, guard the border and do not attack each other, it is best to be at peace with each other." ”

This is a more pragmatic way of saying that the existing areas of actual control are the boundaries.

"If there are local so-called gentry, heroes, and local marshals clinging, please ask the imperial court to go on a northern expedition, and please make sure not to agree. If you are afraid of hurting the hearts of people with lofty ideals, you may wish to persuade them to return south. ”

Ma Shiying was old and spicy, stood up, and said indifferently: "In short, if you can get along with the Qing Kingdom, be at peace with each other, and ensure that my Jiangzuo is peaceful, the envoy will make a great contribution." I think that at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, when we arrived in Guanzhong, we still had to fight with the thieves in the west, and at this time we had a good relationship with them, and the timing was just right. ”

What Shi Kefa and others are most worried about is the two meanings in Ma Shiying's words, one is that after the Qing army destroys Li Zicheng, it will go south with all its might, and if it tries at that time, it is better to get through now.

The second layer is that there are faint worries, we all know that we are good with Dongyu to get real profits, don't the thieves know?

These thieves who have no kings and no fathers, what kind of integrity will they talk about?

Unexpectedly, Ma Shiying also woke up this layer, and at that moment, Shi Kefa also got up, his eyes were blazing, he looked at the three envoys, and said in a deep voice: "The captives and Kou He, and if you commit the southeast again, the danger of the sect is nothing more than this." Three, the importance of this trip is here, and it is not reluctant! ”

This is to put a huge burden on the three of them, Ma Shaoyu's face was a little pale, Chen Hongfan just looked flattering, without any knowledge, only Zuo Maodi sighed heavily, and said: "The materials carried on this trip are transported from Haicao to the north, and we will travel by land to Tianjin to meet...... Please Gao Fuchen must send capable people to promote with heart. ”

"It's natural." Gao Hongtu said with a smile: "If such a thing is done by a student, of course this Hubu Shangshu will have no face to do it again." ”

He can really ignore other things, but the peace with the East is related to the survival of the temple, at least it is a major matter to change the master, and after many years of hard work, he really has no intention of surrendering to other forces.

Besides, the Gao family has two guards, and there are a large number of children who are holding back to donate to the prisoners, and if there is any major turmoil in state affairs at this time, the entire family will be unlucky.

"If you have a year's coin, as long as it's not too much, you might as well agree."

Of course, the annual coin is embarrassing, but it is much stronger than increasing military spending, and Chen Xinjia also talked about this when he presided over the peace negotiation, although there is no specific figure now, but Dongyu will always talk on the basis of the negotiations of the year, at most the sky-high asking price, and pay back the money on the spot.

Hearing this, Zuo Maodi's face naturally became even more ugly, but he also nodded heavily, so he agreed.

"Time is urgent." Shi Kefa once again showed his trivial and meticulous side, bent his fingers and calculated, and said: "Once the materials are ready, they will be shipped on the ship, and it will take a few days for the honor guards and entourage of the monarchs to be prepared, I think, how about starting on the 21st?" ”

"Just as Shousuke commanded."

Zuo Maodi was willing to go north, the main reason was that his mother died in Yanjing, and he had to go to Beijing to ship the bones.

At that moment, it was decided, the envoys were all heavy-faced, Shi Kefa and the others realized a big matter, but they were all happy. At this time, it was not early, and the ministers who had been talking about the affairs of the saint together after the military affairs had already come down, Shi Kefa's face was calm, and he couldn't hide the look of love between his eyebrows, and he was just thinking in his heart: "I hope that someone in Zuo is capable and can reconcile with Dongyu, and the situation of this dynasty is reluctantly successful!" ”

(To be continued)