Wang Chengen returned to the capital, couldn't take a break, and asked to see Emperor Chongzhen with a sword.

Seeing Chongzhen, after the monarch and ministers, Wang Chengen presented the sword.

Chongzhen took the sword, slowly pulled it out, and saw the engraved words on the knife, "Yu Xiang swears allegiance to the Ming Dynasty, if there is a violation, a thousand will be destroyed!" A few big words came to mind, Chongzhen was expressionless, silently returned the sword, Chongzhen was not sure whether Yu Xiang had the qualifications to show loyalty.

When Wang Chengen saw Chongzhen's movements and expressions, he had a certain number in his heart, and said: "This time I returned to Beijing, and the two generals Li Dingguo and Liu Wenxiu, who were escorted back to Zhang Xianzhong. ”

When Chongzhen heard this, he was not so calm this time, and his joy was overflowing, and he said: "Sun Kewang, Liu Wenxiu, Li Dingguo, and Ai Nengqi The four thieves were all exterminated by Yu Xiang?" ”

Wang Chengen said happily: "That's exactly the case! Banzai! ”

Chongzhen immediately gave Wang Chengen a seat and ordered, "Serve tea!" This is a very high honor for the courtiers, and the emperor will only give tea to those who are highly respected and cronies.

The maid brought Chongzhen's favorite Xincun Maojian tea.

Wang Chengen saw that Chongzhen was happy, and he was no longer restrained and careful, and he was more relaxed and comfortable communicating with Chongzhen.

Wang Chengen picked up the tea and said, "Long live, this tea is too expensive, Weichen can't afford it?" ”

Emperor Chongzhen asked, "How do you say this?" Let's hear it. ”

"This tea is worth 10,000 gold, it can really be described as a sip of tea, and the tea is as expensive as gold!" So Wang Chengen described the experience at the auction in Dongshuanghe Town vividly. Hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen was amazed.

When Wang Chengen finished talking about the auction of the yellow sandalwood box, Emperor Chongzhen was very surprised: "In a marginal town, who has such a large financial resource to buy a box of tea with 10,000 gold?" ”

Wang Chengen said: "Weichen was also very curious, but later inquired and learned that they were the sons of high-ranking officials in the capital, and the people who participated in the auction were the housekeepers of the ministers of the Holy Court, and the one who won the sandalwood box was Xue Li, the third son of the Ministry of Industry. ”

Chongzhen's face was frosty, and he said to himself: "I usually wear rags and robes, every time I raise funds for disaster relief, cry poor and shout losses, an iron rooster, and spend a lot of money in private, it seems that only I am in the dark!" ”

Chongzhen drew his sword again, and a shining cold light shot out from the scabbard. He stared at the sword for a long time and thought for a moment before slowly sheathing it again.

Wang Chengen lost no time in recounting the prosperity of Dongshuanghe Town, the feeling of eating crispy fried grasshoppers, inspecting pig farms, circular agriculture seen in chicken farms, and the shocking scenes of inspecting the training ground and seeing the training ground in Xincun.

Chongzhen listened very attentively, not asking a few words, his face was sometimes surprised, sometimes excited, sometimes expectant, sometimes happy, his emotions were completely attracted by what Wang Chengen saw and heard, during which the imperial catering officer urged the meal several times, but Chongzhen postponed it.

In the end, Wang Chengen said that at the meeting, everyone agreed that the root cause of the rebellion was the irrational household registration system of the peasants, and that the peasants could not survive and flee due to excessive taxes and natural disasters, and were finally forced to rebel.

Emperor Chongzhen was like an initiation at this moment, and he understood that only by letting the peasants have enough to eat was the root cause of quelling the difficulties of the bandits. Advertising killing, just a palliative but not a cure, will lead to greater resistance, is to suppress the uprising of the displaced people for ten years, the bandits not only did not decrease, but more and more, Chongzhen at the moment, benefited a lot, when those ministers talked about the problem of the displaced people, they were all chattering, emphasizing that the poor mountains and bad waters came out of the people, it seems that those people were born bandits, through Wang Chengen's explanation, Chongzhen knew, these people were forced to rebel.

Wang Chengen said: "This year's drought in Henan is a foregone conclusion, along the way, crops die, drought years, often accompanied by locust plagues, Henan may appear more refugees, if not handled well, these people are only afraid that they will be used by bandits." ”

Chongzhen asked with an anxious look on his face: "This year, there have been wars and turmoil, the imperial court has no food to relieve the disaster, and there is a shortage of food, can Yu Xiang have a solution to deal with the disaster?" ”

Wang Chengen said: "Yu Xiang believes that the southward migration of northerners is a more feasible solution at present! He wanted Emperor Chongzhen to recount the preparations made by Yu Xiang for moving south.

Chongzhen said to himself: "Is the migration of millions of people really feasible? ”。

Wang Chenen said: "Yu Qian's actions are novel, but they are just right, he has the talent to govern the world. Reuse this person, and many of today's problems may be solved. ”

Chongzhen pondered for a moment and asked, "How about the investigation of Yu Xiang's indiscriminate killing of innocents?"

Wang Chengen said: "This is because Zhang Yuanwai has a backer. Taiwan, the result of violent resistance to the law. So he told the story as it had happened.

"The New Village Wartime Special Law. Fresh and bold. Chongzhen praised again and again. Chongzhen already had an idea in his heart, and he rewarded Wang Chengen with imperial meals as a reward for his visit to Henan.

After using up the imperial meal, Emperor Chongzhen summoned Yang Sichang, the secretary of the military department.

Chongzhen asked, "You recommended Yu Xiang a few days ago, thinking that he is a usable talent?" ”

"Yes, he defeated 10,000 habitual bandits with a crowd of 1,000 people, and he can't do it unless he is a great talent." Yang Sichang followed Emperor Chongzhen's words.

"There is a great drought in Henan, and there are endless bandits, do you think he can serve as the governor of Henan and act as the military and political affairs of Henan?" Chongzhen asked.

Yang Sichang was shocked, and said secretly: Xiong Wencan is the governor of Henan, Wang Jiazhen is the governor of Henan, and Zuo Liangyu is using troops in Henan. Emperor Chongzhen's questioning obviously wanted me to recommend Yu Xiang, but once Yu Xiang failed, the crime of negligence in recommending would be blamed on me, this is the crime of killing the head, and I can't just wade into this troubled water.

But he didn't show the slightest hint on his face, and pretended to be confused: "Long live Qiyu, although Yu Xiang has the talent of a general, but whether he has the talent to govern the world, Weichen doesn't know, so he can't put forward reasonable suggestions for the saint." ”

When Chongzhen saw that Yang Sichang was so sleek, he knew that it was useless to talk about it, and he passed on Wang Chengen to meet him.

Chongzhen asked: "Si Li Supervisor, Henan is in a great drought and bandits are rampant, who do you think can be competent in Henan's military and political affairs?" ”

Of course, Wang Chengen understood Chongzhen's thoughts, and immediately said: "The minister thinks that Yu Xiang is worthy of this great task. ”

Chongzhen asked Yang Sichang: "Do you agree with the words of the celebrant priest?" ”

No matter how stupid Yang Sichang is, he understands what is going on, since he was not the first to put it forward, the responsibility will not be blamed on himself at that time, so he said: "The master of ceremonies sees heroes with a clear eye, and Yu Xiang is a great talent, and he will definitely be able to do this job!" Weichen will recommend Yu Xiang to serve as the governor of Henan affairs in the right capital of the Ministry of War, Shangshu Metropolitan Inspectorate, and recommend the second rank of official. ”

Chongzhen immediately clapped his hands and said, "That's very good! ”

The next morning, Chongzhen made an early morning. Glancing at the ministers, he said: "All Aiqing, Henan Governor Wang Jiazhen 800 miles of fast horse urgently, Henan drought, bandits are rampant, all Aiqing, who is willing to go to Henan to solve the drought and bandits, and share my worries?" ”

These ministers in the court are all old slippery heads, and they will never do risky things, and no one is silent when they hear Chongzhen ask like this.

Chongzhen had no choice but to ask Wen Tiren by name: "Wen Aiqing, do you have a good plan?" ”

"Long live Qiyu, Weichen is stupid, and there is no good plan for the time being." Wen Tiren is an old slippery head in officialdom, and one sentence pushed the emperor's questioning clean.

Chongzhen asked Yang Sichang again: "Yang Aiqing, do you have a good plan to share your worries for me?" ”

Yang Sichang had already prepared, and said: "Long live Qijuan, the minister is willing to recommend one person, and he will come forward, and the bandits and drought can be solved." ”

As soon as Yang Sichang's words came out, everyone in the court talked about it, and they were all guessing who it was.

Chongzhen said: "Who is this person?" ”

Yang Sichang said: "He is the thousand people who defeated the enemy of 10,000 people in Dongshuanghe Town. ”

Before Yang Sichang's words fell, Wen Tiren immediately stepped forward and said: "Long live Qi Xiang, Yu Xiang is a small people, defeating Zhang Xianzhong may have accidental factors, and this person is extremely cruel, I am afraid it will be difficult to take on this responsibility, Henan is the Central Plains Forte, there must be no difference, please think twice." ”

Several ministers of the first class of the Wen Tiren Front said in unison: "Please think twice, the emperor!" ”

The emperor glanced at these people with cold eyes and said, "Chuan Si Supervisor Wang Chengen." ”

Wang Chengen went to court and recounted in detail Sun Yuanwai's violent resistance to the law in public.

Chongzhen lowered his face and asked, "Wen Tiren, if it weren't for Yu Xiang's decisive action, I'm afraid that Dongshuanghe Town would not be safe, and Xinyang would also be in danger." You listened to one-sided words, and put a cruel hat on Mr. Yu Qian, what is your intention? ”

When Wen Tiren heard this, sweat was like rain, his legs were weak, he knelt down on the court, and kowtowed again and again: "The minister is gullible and slanderous, without verification, and almost framed Zhongliang, please forgive me!" ”

Chongzhen snorted coldly, and didn't pay attention to him, but asked the courtiers: "Yu Xiang defeated Zhang Xianzhong, relieved the victims, has the ability to go through the heavens and latitudes, and has the talent to strategize, Yang Aiqing recommended him to fight drought and robbers in Henan, everyone Aiqing, do you have any opinions?" ”

Everyone saw that Wen Tiren was still kneeling on the ground and didn't get up, no one dared to say a word, and said together: "Long live Shengming!" ”

Now Chongzhen's purpose was achieved, and he said to Yang Sichang: "Yang Aiqing, what position do you think Yu Xiang is suitable for?" ”

Yang Sichang said: "The minister thought that Yu Xiang was appointed as the governor of Henan affairs in the right capital of the Ministry of War, and he was given the rank of second-rank official. Prime Minister Henan's military and political affairs are conducive to his overall planning of people, property and property, drought and disaster relief, and efforts to suppress bandits. ”

Chongzhen said without thinking: "Quasi-play, pass on my will, and Yu Xiang is the governor of Henan affairs of the right capital of the Ministry of War, and he is the second rank of official." He was ordered to take up his post on the same day. Disaster relief is like fighting a fire, and there must be no delay. ”

As soon as Chongzhen's words came out, the court was in an uproar, such an exceptional promotion, there was no precedent from ancient times to the present, and this person was crowned the governor of a province before he could face the saint, which is incredible.

Chongzhen also imposed a heavy penalty on Wen Tiren, and the first assistant Wen Tiren was guilty of negligence for believing rumors and framing the court for being loyal and good, and was handed over to the Inspectorate for trial.

A few days later, Wen Tiren was dismissed from all official posts and died of grief the following year.

Zhang Zhifa succeeded Wen Tiren as the first assistant to the cabinet.