After listening to Dolgon's answer, Huang Taiji nodded and said, "Everyone, Dolgon has already expressed his opinion, what do you all think, also speak out and listen." ”

"Your Majesty, although it is a method, it also depends on whether you can win a big victory. If you can break the pass, everything is naturally easy to say, my Eight Banners warriors can crisscross the pass, but if they don't break the pass, it is not like in Zhangjiakou and Laiyuanbao in the past, they can easily come back. Grain and grass is a big problem, and at the moment there is not much grain and grass in the treasury itself, and it is not much worse to supply the army to travel far away, if not all it has. The Art of War: Don't say win, expect defeat first. With so much grain and grass consumed, if we can't enter the customs, I'm afraid we won't be able to survive the autumn harvest. ”

Generally speaking, the personality of the Jurchens has always been that as long as they open their mouths to fight, basically no one retreats, even if the odds of winning are not big, they will not back down. At that time, Nurhachi was able to lay the foundation outside the border, and he repeatedly won more with less, relying on this. But not everyone in the Jurchens is reckless, the prince and Baylor did not stand up, but Sony stood up. It's not that he doesn't want to fight, he just wants to be able to do it properly and have no worries. Don't look at many people who also think of this, but none of them stand up and say it, this is because the big guy has seen it, and the emperor himself thinks that if he doesn't say anything, he will be regarded as a coward.

"Sony, you're right. However, my Qing Dynasty has been in poor harvest year after year, and last year after Mao Wenlong's blind toss, the harvest is even less, if a large amount of grain from the treasury is transferred to the expedition, and we return with a feather, we will not only be hungry. Expedition by detour. It's really not right, don't I know this truth? If you don't send troops, in the summer, Mao Wenlong will bring troops to toss, and like this, in less than two years, what will my Qing Dynasty look like, I think you should be able to imagine. So. It is inevitable that the army will make dangerous moves. I've actually made up my mind to send troops. The main thing to discuss is how to minimize the risk. How to do it best. Huang Taiji said solemnly.

"Your Majesty, my brother has an idea." After Huang Taiji finished speaking, Dorgon bowed and said.

"You've always had a lot of ideas, and they've worked. What good ideas do you come up with? Speak up and tell everyone. Huang Taiji said.

"The younger brother thinks that this time to send troops, as the emperor said, is imperative, and there must be no retreat. Sonis said that on the issue of food, we really don't have much food. If all of them are used as food and grass for the army to go back and forth, once they return in vain, at that time, the emperor's people, the warriors of my Eight Banners, will not only starve, but also starve to death. So, the courtier brother means. Rather than that, it is better to only bring the grain and grass that you have brought with you. With the determination to become a benevolent person if he does not succeed, he will fight to the death with the Ming army. Attacking the Great Wall is life. If you can't get in, you're dead! Speaking of this, Dolgon knelt on the ground and said impassionedly: "This time, the younger brother suggested that the emperor should not go in person, and the younger brother should lead the soldiers and horses to go, if the younger brother died in battle, the emperor can also think of other ways to revitalize the foundation of his father." If the subordinate brother is lucky enough to break the pass, it is also God bless me in the Qing Dynasty, and the subordinate brother will lead the army to loot while sending someone back to report the news, and the emperor can make other decisions. ”

"With backbone and responsibility, he is really worthy of his father's good son and my good brother. Get up, Dolgon! Huang Taiji said loudly with satisfaction.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Dorgon stood up.

As soon as they came together, they heard Huang Taiji say again: "Have you seen it, this is my Prince Rui of the Qing Dynasty, comparable to my first Baturu of the Qing Dynasty!" In the future, you will learn more like Dorgon! ”

"Yes, Your Majesty......." The princes and ministers hurriedly bowed in response.

"Dolgon, you're right, but I'm not going to let you take the risk. If I don't succeed this time, I won't have the face to come back to see my people, so I'll just bury my bones under the Great Wall! Huang Taiji said loudly.

"Your Majesty, the life and death of this march are uncertain, don't ask for danger......"

Seeing that Huang Taiji planned to go in person, a group of princes and ministers hurriedly persuaded him. But how could Huang Taiji listen to persuasion, for him, this time he had to go in person. It can be said that since he took over, the first few years were not bad, but the later days became more and more difficult. The clansmen's expectations of him are far inferior to those of his father, the Jurchen rules, who can inquire about whom, whoever can grab things, will listen to whom. He has been frustrated repeatedly, and the life of the clansmen is not as good as day by day, if he doesn't show any more, I am afraid that the clansmen will completely lose confidence in him. For his own status and his own foundation, Huang Taiji believes that this time he must go in person.

"I have made up my mind, so you don't need to persuade me again. Hauge! Huang Taiji suddenly called out the name of his eldest son.

"Erchen is here!"

"After I led the army to leave, Shengjing will be ruled by you and Prince Li." Huang Taiji said loudly.

"Father, the son wants to enter the customs with you to kill the enemy!" Hauge arched his hand.

"Do you think that following your father to grab the pass and kill the enemy is a meritorious service? Sitting in Shengjing and guarding the territory of my Qing Dynasty is a great achievement! The father led the army to make a detour into the customs, as long as he crossed the Great Wall, the Ming court would definitely take action, who can guarantee that it would not be like last time, send troops to attack Shengjing! Shengjing is the foundation of my Jurchen, there must be no loss, once lost, my Jurchen will be like a lost dog, even if we can grab more food when we enter the customs, it will be useless. So, even if it's death, you have to keep Shengjing for me, you know? Huang Taiji said at the end, and his tone became extremely stern.

"The son knows, and please rest assured that even if the child dies, he will never let the ancestral inheritance suffer a little loss!"

Huang Taiji didn't let his son go, and only asked Haoge to sit in Shengjing, and there was a reason. This detour into the customs, the risk is extremely great, the grain and grass are only brought to eat, not to bring the return trip, is the eight classics are broken. If he couldn't break it, he really planned to die at the foot of the Great Wall. The other sons are still young, and the only heir is Hauge, so leave him behind, once he has a mistake. Hauge can also inherit the throne.

"It's good to know! In that case, we will now discuss it. The strategy of sending troops. The most important thing in this dispatch of troops is not to leak the news, so that the Ming court can be prepared. However, I will take a detour and pass through many Mongolian tribes, I have heard. There are already some Mongolian tribes who have moved their hearts and secretly communicated with the Ming court, so let's think of a way to win them over. Huang Taiji said.

"Your Majesty, the Mongols are courting Qin and Twilight all day long, although they secretly communicate with the Ming court. But it's not really attached. It was nothing more than because the Ming court stopped trading with them, which made their lives stretched. But this time, the emperor led a large army to attack the Ming Dynasty, once the pass is broken, the harvest will naturally not be small, the Mongols love the small, only care about the immediate interests. Why don't they want to go into the Central Plains with us and grab it. In addition, although the Mongols wanted to continue trade with the Ming court, they were even more afraid of our Qing Dynasty, and our army went to not only tell them our purpose, but also to pull their people into the customs to rob them, and even ask them to be the same as us. They only brought the grain and grass they had brought with them, and not much of the grain and grass they had brought back to them. It will also be handed over to us for unified deployment. When they arrived at the place, the Ming army was prepared. We can't come back, and they can't go back either, so it's a big deal to hug and die together. The subordinate brother believed that the Mongols would never dare to divulge the news. Dorgon said in the affirmative.

"That's a really good idea." Huang Taiji nodded and said, "Just do what you say." By the way, in terms of soldiers and horses, how many people should we bring this time? ”

"The ministers think that there must be no less, if there are few people, they can't deter the Mongolian tribes, and they will also think that we have no determination. So, at least 80,000 horses. Dorgon said.

"Yes, it must not be missing. Okay, Dorgon, this matter will be left to you, this expedition, you and Duoduo led the two white flags as the vanguard, and the honor and disgrace of my Qing Dynasty are all pinned on you! ”

"Please rest assured that Your Majesty, your brother will never live up to Your Majesty's trust!"

Three passes.

During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall was built with 10,000 gold. The terrain of this place is dangerous, the Great Wall connected by the pier and the beacon tower is crisscrossed between the mountains, and it has been the throat of the western control desert since ancient times.

Since it is called the Three Passes, as the name suggests, there are three passes, and of course, there are only three passes that can be entered and exited. The head road passes, the mountain is open, and the slow place can accommodate a hundred horses. Therefore, the soldiers and horses guarding here are also the largest.

Twelve miles to the west is Erdaoguan, the mountain here is slightly narrower than the first pass, and it is difficult for the brigade to swing away, which will not be too much pressure on the officers and soldiers defending the city.

From the second pass to the west four miles, it is the third pass. This pass is sandwiched by two mountains, the valley is narrow, the mountain is dangerous and steep, the terrain is very dangerous, there is quite a trend of "one husband is the pass, ten thousand people are not open". Compared with the first pass and the second pass, the gate of the three passes has not been opened much, although there were people who entered and exited from the three passes before, but few were willing to go through these three passes. Therefore, the defenders of Sandaoguan are also pitiful, but there are only more than 1,000 people. But everyone believes that more than 1,000 people are enough, even if 100,000 male soldiers come to attack, these people will hold for at least a few months. Because, no matter how many people you have, the canyon is so wide, your soldiers and horses can't rush into it at once, let alone set up a formation to attack the city.

At present, all nine sides are under martial law, and in addition to all the levels, traps and trenches must be dug, which is already dangerous enough in itself, and then dig a trench, unless you have wings on the ribs, it is impossible to cross at all.

The defenders of the three passes are very idle every day, and they know that even if someone wants to sneak attack the three passes, it is impossible to leave the three passes, and at the pass, as long as there are one hundred and ten people, it is enough. Even, these hundreds of people drank and gambled in the city all day long.

The three passes are not the main way out of the customs, and there are no people in the city to do business, all of them are under military management, and some outsiders come to inspect and make a show. However, this is a nine-sided fortress after all, and the general who defends the city did not let Mr. Qian do it, but arranged a guerrilla general. The general's surname is An, his name is An Luocheng, and he is quite shrewd, but he has two hobbies, the first hobby, like other generals, is also good wine; The second hobby, that is, love to take advantage of small advantages.

On this day, Sandaoguan was still the same as usual, quiet and peaceful, even rabbits were rare, and the officers and soldiers guarding the city had a simple drill during the day, and then they got together to drink and play money. However, at dusk, from the east to the direction of Yinchuan. A convoy slowly approached.

The convoy can have more than 100 people, and a total of more than 50 large vehicles. The car is full of large tanks. The convoy gradually came to the pass, and although the officers and soldiers guarding the city were lazy, in such a secluded place, they could see at a glance at any situation from the gate. Suddenly seeing a convoy coming, the officers and soldiers defending the city were inevitably a little puzzled.

"Look, brethren. There are people down there. ”

The east gate belongs to the pass, not the focus of defense, and the soldiers who patrol the city every day are less than the west gate, and there are more than 40 people, soldiers who are playing money. Stop. Looking down together, they saw that the convoy was getting closer and closer to the city gate, and the general in charge of guarding the city gate shouted: "Stop, what are you doing?" ”

"This military master, the villain has something to do, and he wants to ask to see the general here." An elderly man dressed as a businessman stepped out of the convoy and shouted at the shut.

"Ask to see our general. What's the matter? The general asked loudly.

"It's a very important thing, I don't know if I can pass it on on my behalf." The merchant said.

"Something very important? What is your relationship with our general? The general asked again.

"The villain's surname is Zhang, you tell the general, and he will know." The merchant replied.

"Okay, you wait first, I'll tell you to pass it on to you." The general said.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, ......," the merchant said in a loud voice.

The general of the city sent a soldier to the general's palace to spread the word. Don't look at the three passes, but the city is full of organs. Basically, everything that should be there. After all, this city. There were about a thousand of them stationed inside. General's Palace, Barracks. Residences, land in the city, enough to toss.

The soldier went to the general's mansion to spread the word, and after An Luocheng heard it, he was not only a little confused, but also wondered which friend it would be. The surname Zhang was also a big surname in the Ming Dynasty, and out of ten people, there was almost one surnamed Zhang, who didn't know two friends with the surname Zhang. It's just that An Luocheng doesn't know people in their fifties surnamed Zhang. But the other party said that he had something important to see, so let's meet, and now he followed the soldiers to the east gate.

When he came up to the city and looked down, he made it to himself, stretched out his hand to the merchant, and said, "General, this is the man who claims to be your friend, and says that he has something important to see. ”

Looking down from the gate, he couldn't see the appearance of the people below, but An Luocheng was sure that he didn't know this elder surnamed Zhang. So, he said aloud, "Who are you?" He claimed to be my friend, how could Ben not remember that there was a friend of you? ”

"It's normal that the general doesn't know the villain, but the villain came with a letter from an adult friend, and after the adult read the letter, he knew who the villain was." After the elder finished speaking, he took out a letter from his bosom, and then handed it to a fellow and told him to run under the city wall.

An Luo is also shrewd to become a person, he thinks that the other party's origin is unknown, so he did not easily open and close, and immediately sent his subordinates, tied a basket with a rope and went down, and asked the man to put the letter in the basket. The man did as he said, put the letter in the basket, and was hoisted up, and the soldier picked up the letter and handed it to An Luocheng. An Luocheng stretched out his hand to take it, and was about to tear it open, but found that this letter was a little wrong, the bottom of the envelope was relatively bulging, and it was a little hard, this thing would definitely not be a letter paper.

He hesitated, but still opened the letter, there was a piece of letter paper inside, the letter paper was pulled out, and then looked into the envelope, but saw that the gold was shining underneath, and there could be more than a dozen gold leaves. Seeing so much gold, An Luocheng's eyes inevitably lit up, and his first reaction was to put the envelope in his arms, so as not to be seen by others.

Then, An Luocheng took a few steps to the side, keeping a certain distance from his subordinates, and then unfolded the letter to watch. There were only two lines written on the letter: if the villain wanted to have an interview with the general, I wonder if the general would be able to make it convenient.

In just two lines, he read it three times, and then carefully looked at the convoy under the city a few times. Through the other party's clothes and vehicles, it is not difficult for An Luocheng to guess that the other party should be a businessman, and if he acts like this, nine times out of ten, he wants to ask himself to let them out of the customs. Now there is a strict order in the imperial court, no unauthorized opening and closing, no one is allowed to enter or leave the customs, and those who violate the order will be immediately beheaded.

Under normal circumstances, such things should be rejected immediately, but when he thought of the golden leaf just now, An Luocheng was inevitably reluctant. After thinking about it for a moment, he decided to listen to what the other party had to say.

After thinking for a moment, he coughed twice and said loudly: "It turned out to be Brother Zhang's friend, did I say it?" This is a key place for guarding, and it is not allowed to open and close without authorization, and idle people are not allowed to enter. However, if you have to repay yourself, it is a different matter. Come on, put a big basket down, and let him come up and talk. ”

"Yes. Checkmate. ”

The soldier agreed, and quickly tied a basket down.

"Thank you, General." The elder nodded. Hurried to the city and sat in the basket.

Several soldiers worked together to pull the elder up. Looking at it up close now, An Luocheng can already see the appearance of the elder clearly, and at a glance, there is no doubt that he is indeed an authentic businessman.

"The villain sees the general." The elder came out of the frame and bowed down to give An Luo Cheng a salute.

"Excuse me. You are Brother Zhang's friend, that is, Benjiang's friend. What's the matter with you? By the way, this is not the place to talk, so follow me to the watchtower to talk. ”

"Yes, General."

An Luocheng led the elder into the watchtower, and after entering the door. He suddenly felt that something was wrong. So he called two of his cronies and soldiers to go in with him.

Sitting down in the watchtower, An Luocheng stared at the elder and said, "What's your name?" ”

"The villain's name is Zhang Chong'an." The old man replied.

"It turned out to be Brother Zhang." An Luocheng nodded and said: "There are no outsiders here, they are both my confidant brothers, I think you don't hide it, let's open the skylight and say something." What are you looking for from me? ”

"The general is really fast-talking. The villain's life is respected by a character like a general. To tell the truth, the villain came this time to make a deal with the general, and if the general thinks it is feasible, this deal can be done for a long time. Zhang Chongan said.

"What kind of deal?" An Luocheng asked curiously.

"The villain was originally the shopkeeper of Taiyuan Jiannan Xiang Wine Workshop, and the wine brewed by our wine workshop is also famous far and wide, and many chiefs of Mongolia. They all like to drink the wine of our winery, so we are in the business of the winery. It's always good. However, for now, the imperial court closed the horse market. Trade with Mongolia was forbidden, and our winery lost a big customer all at once. Originally, this is nothing, our wine is also well-known in Taiyuan, and the profit is not as good as before, but there are still a lot of inputs. No, three months ago, the Mongolian Deltaa Ministry sent an envoy to Beijing, what the specific thing is, the villain is not very clear, but it seems to be to surrender to my Daming. When the envoy left Beijing, he came to our Taiyuan winery and said that he wanted to buy our wine. We made our intentions clear, and the messenger knew it, but said that we hoped that the wine would be smuggled out of the customs, and that no matter how much it was, they would take it all as it had been, and the price would be twenty times higher than before. The profits from trading with Mongolia are not hidden, they have always been several times higher than in the Central Plains, and now he has increased the price by twenty times on this basis, which is really exciting. After thinking about it, our proprietor decided to take advantage of the retreat of the imperial court to secretly make a few payments, and this time the profits can be compared to the past few years. However, the imperial court strictly ordered the retreat, and there was no courage to switch in the passes of Xuanfu and Datong, so in desperation, our host decided to find some distant places to secretly go out of the customs. After several inquiries, I learned that the Sandaoguan side of Yinchuan is sparsely populated and few pedestrians, so I decided to go out of the customs from here. General, this is the business that the villain wants to do with you, in terms of filial piety, everything is easy to say, but I don't know if the general is willing. After Zhang Chongan finished speaking, he looked at An Luocheng with a smile.

"You are really bold, knowing that the imperial court is now prohibiting it, you still dare to go out of the customs without authorization, and even intend to bribe the general, aren't you afraid that the official will follow the laws of the imperial court and correct the law on the spot?" An Luocheng looked angry, but his voice was not very loud, thinking that he was afraid that people outside would hear it.

Seeing that An Luocheng deliberately suppressed his voice, Zhang Chongan knew that there was a door to the matter. Zhang Chongan has never believed in loyalty, what is loyalty? Loyalty is only because there are not enough chips for betrayal, and if there are enough chips, he believes that anyone will betray. Moreover, the current matter does not involve any national righteousness. More importantly, Zhang Chongan knew that when he secretly switched on and off at other gates and collected benefits, An Luocheng had no oil or water at all, because no one was willing to go from him. So, only at this time can he have a chance to make money.

"General, the letter of the right person is just a few words, and here is the villain, there is a more detailed one. The letter is here, please take a look at it ...... general," Zhang Chong'an said, deeply moved, and took out a pocket from his bosom. This pocket is similar to an ordinary person's wallet with silver, but the embroidery is very exquisite. The pockets are bulging, and what is in them is inevitably mouthwatering. Of course, if it is silver, of course it is nothing, but it can be thought of the previous gold leaf, how can it not make An Luocheng excited.

An Luocheng hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "Present the letter to me." (To be continued......)