Chapter 46 Five Years of Pingliao

Zhang Yan decided to summon Yuan Chonghuan to Beijing to see if he had the ability, the first two governors of Jiliao were all military officials, and she was recognized as a famous general in the contemporary era, and she was not needed to summon him. At that time, this time was different, Liaodong had just gone through a fiasco, and now Jinzhou did not, Liaoyang became an isolated city, it is estimated that it will not be long before Liaoyang will have to be lost, and it will become a pass, except for Ningyuan, it will have to become the territory of the Tartars. Although Zhang Yan is a woman, she is also worried about the country left by her husband, and she is very worried that when her son grows up and succeeds to the throne, the country will become full of holes, and she will be scolded by the world as a national witch.

In order to show her determination to help her son defend the country, she decided to meet this Yuan Chonghuan to see if he had the ability.

For the Queen Mother's words, Zou Yi only has the share of orders.

Then, Zhang Yan pondered again, Zou Yi only stood honestly, but he knew that the Queen Mother in front of him was thinking about something. Of course, it is not to recruit Yue Su to return to Beijing. After thinking about it for a long time, Zhang Yancai said: "Yue Qing is always running around for the imperial court, and he is a little tired now, so let him come back." However, before the order is issued to transfer him back, the candidate for the first assistant must be implemented first, Zou Yi, who do you think is better to be the first assistant? Is it to let Qi Shijiao do it, or to push it? ”

After all, Qi Shijiao is the leader of the three parties of Qi, Chu and Zhejiang, and he is already a cabinet minister, and the three parties are now deep-rooted. But if someone else is allowed to be the first assistant, it is estimated that when Lord Yue comes back, his status will not be as good as Zhou Daodeng, who has just been forced to retire. Therefore, if you want to contain Yue Su and let Qi Shijiao be the first assistant, it can be said that she is the most suitable person.

But Zou Yi can't say that, if he keeps the Qi Shijiao, it will be equivalent to pushing himself and the three parties of Qi, Chu and Zhejiang to the forefront, and when Yue Su comes back, God knows what will happen. Liu Mingguo and Cao Huachun both showed support for Yue Su in some matters, and stared at their positions. Although he secretly helped Yue Su, it was really inappropriate to do good deeds without leaving a name. Forget it, Queen Mother, you can make up your own mind.

So, Zou Yi said cautiously: "Queen Mother, with the qualifications and prestige of Lord Qi, of course there is no problem in being the first assistant, but the cabinet is ordered, so it is really inappropriate to appoint it directly." So the old slave thought that it would be better to push it in the first court to see which people the courtiers promote, and then the queen mother would select from them. ”

Yan nodded and said, "I also think that Tingtui is better, at least it can let the mourning family see the abacus in the hearts of the Manchu Dynasty." Okay, let's call it Tingtui. By the way, the mourning family intends to be selected in Shoufu and summon Yue Su back, you must not divulge, understand. ”

"The Queen Mother can rest assured, even if you give the old slave ten guts, what you say to the Queen Mother here, the old slave will not dare to divulge half a sentence." Zou Yi hurriedly knelt on the ground and said cautiously.

"That's good, you go down."

"Yes, the old slave is retired."

The next day, two decrees were issued from the celebrant supervisor, one was to summon Yuan Chonghuan to Beijing, and the other was to let the officials above the fourth rank in Beijing recommend the first and auxiliary candidates.

Tingtui wants ten candidates, the three parties of Qi, Chu and Zhejiang, or according to the rules of the last time, he occupies four places, and the other candidates, you Yue Su will push it again, and finally just get two meanings.

As a result, this time, Yue Dang did not make as much fanfare as he did last time, and was bent on taking the first assistant, but only reported the name of Lord Yue in form, and then did not mention the name of his own family. This is good, many names that the Queen Mother couldn't see can now appear.

The five names of Han Yi, Li Biao, Cheng Jiming, Zhou Yanru, and Wang Xiangchun appeared on the Tingtui list.

Originally, Zhang Yan thought that it would be like last time, all the names of the Yue Party and the Qichu and Zhejiang Parties, and then she casually found two officials to do a perfunctory matter. In fact, she has already thought of a countermeasure, that is, to promote Qi Shijiao as the first assistant. As a result, as soon as she saw the list, Zhang Yan's original intention changed a little.

Han Yi is an old and respectful person, when her husband was in power, just after Ye Xianggao left, he was the first assistant for a while, and then he was excluded by the eunuch party, so he invited himself. Han Yi is also a veteran of the Donglin Party. Zhang Yan has no prejudice against the officials of the Donglin Party, she only hates the eunuch party, because she hates the house and Wu, who called Wei Zhongxian and the Hakka family to calculate themselves at the beginning. is against Wei Zhongxian, that is a good person, and her husband boarded the plane smoothly at the beginning, and the officials of the Donglin Party also contributed. Zhang Yan didn't understand why her husband would conniving at Wei Zhongxian to destroy the Donglin Party in the first place, but she only knew that it was Wei Zhongxian's pretentiousness and blinding Shengcong that made the loyal ministers wronged.

Now that Wei Zhongxian has fallen and her husband is dead, the original loyal ministers, come back if they can. can also be regarded as making up for these loyal ministers for her husband.

Han Yi's qualifications are there, since the court has nominated him, then there is no need to discuss it, okay, let him be the first assistant.

The order was immediately issued, summoning Han Yi back to Beijing and serving as the first assistant. This will simply shocked the government and the opposition, and the dormant Donglin Party members saw Han Yi's resurrection, and they were all popping up one by one, singing praises for the emperor, saying that the emperor was wise and martial, and had a good eye. At the time of national crisis, the use of the old ministers will definitely be able to revive the Ming Dynasty, such a good deed, the regeneration of light and martial arts, it is nothing more than that.

After the discovery of Han Yi's will, Yuan Chonghuan also entered Beijing, handed over the sign, and the Queen Mother immediately passed it on. Of course, the queen mother can't see the ministers alone, the emperor must be present, and now the New Year has just ended, the weather is still cold, and the place chosen is the imperial study.

Yuan Chonghuan is forty-six years old this year, although he is mostly in Liaodong and has participated in many battles, he has no martial temperament at all, and he has a Confucian appearance. The face is like a crown of jade, and the body is elegant, which makes people feel like a weak scholar at a glance.

Lord Yuan entered the imperial study and immediately saluted the emperor and the queen mother, "Minister Yuan Chonghuan knocked to see my emperor long live long live, long live the queen mother, long live the queen mother." ”

"Yuan Qing's family is exempt, come here, take a seat." Little Emperor Zhu Ciyan said.

Zhu Ciyan is also eight years old, and Zhang Yan wants to exercise himself well now, so he has already taught him rhetoric in advance.

"Long live thank you." Yuan Chonghuan stood up.

At this time, the little eunuch had already brought a chair and asked Yuan Chonghuan to sit down, Yuan Chonghuan sat down carefully, and his ass was set up on the side of a chair.

Then, I heard Zhu Ciyan above say: "Yuan Qing's family, now Xiong Tingbi, the governor of Jiliao, has invited himself to the office, and the area of Liaodong cannot be without a commander for a day, and many courtiers have raised Aiqing to me. But Liaodong's side is very urgent, and I don't dare to be rash, so I summoned you back to Beijing and asked you personally. ”

Zhang Yan was very satisfied with her son's remarks, especially when her son did not have a little panic on his face, which made Zhang Yan even more happy.

"What Your Majesty said is extremely true, Your Majesty does not listen to one-sided words, and personally verifies it, which can be described as the style of a wise man. Whatever His Majesty wants to ask, the minister must know everything and say everything. Yuan Chonghuan said.

"Yuan Qingjia, what do you think of the current situation in Liaodong?" Zhu Ciyan asked.

"Now Liaodong is newly defeated, Jinzhou is lost, our army's vitality is greatly damaged, even if Liaoyang is captured, but Wenlong is also a lonely region, there is no food and grass inside, there is no rescue outside, Liaoyang is difficult to defend. Fortunately, Wenlong has a sailor on his side, and it is not a problem to evacuate along the Liao River, but it can protect my Ming Dynasty's combat power. However, Guan Ning's soldiers and horses continued to replenish, and weapons, armor, and horses were also in great demand, otherwise they could only reluctantly sit and guard, and it was really a fool's dream to fight back against Pingliao. Yuan Chonghuan replied.

After listening to Yuan Chonghuan's answer, the young Zhu Ciyan immediately didn't know how to say it again. It was Zhang Yan, and then said: "Yuan Qingjia, according to your meaning, if you are given enough soldiers and horses, and replenish weapons, armor, and horses, you will be able to recover Liaodong?" ”

"It's not that the ministers boast, if the soldiers and horses are neat, the equipment is sufficient, and the grain and grass are abundant, the ministers will be able to level Liao in five years." Yuan Chonghuan said confidently.

"Can you really calm Liao in five years?" Zhang Yan said in disbelief. Sun Chengzong and Xiong Tingbi are both famous generals in the world, but they have nothing to do with Liaodong, but Yuan Chonghuan in front of him actually said that he can pacify Liao in five years, how can it not be exciting.

"The minister dares to guarantee with his life, if he can have all the soldiers and horses, the equipment is sufficient, and the grain and grass are abundant, within five years, Liaodong will be pacified." This time, Yuan Chonghuan's voice became impassioned again.

"Good! Yuan Qing's family, you said that you want to have enough soldiers and horses, this is not a problem, whether it is transferred from other places or recruited on the spot, the emperor will be satisfied with you. If you want silver, food, soldiers, and horses, the Qing family will open their mouths. It's just five years of Pingliao, and Aiqing doesn't want to be an empty word. In the end, Zhang Yan's voice became stern. But you can hear that there is more excitement in her tone.

"Five years of Pingliao is by no means empty words, please rest assured Your Majesty." Yuan Chonghuan said.

"By the way, the Qing family, you said that you will be in peace for five years, but what is the specific strategy?" Zhang Yan is not easy to fool, you said that in five years, so many people can't be leveled, what more are you Yuan Chonghuan than them. To meet your points, the imperial court will inevitably spend a lot of money, although Lord Yue has helped the imperial court get a lot of silver, but he can't easily lose it all.

"The battle of offense and defense, improvisation, low morale, incomplete armor, can only repair the city and defend it, at that time, the weapon armor is strong, the soldiers are strong, and the horse can be attacked. The required soldiers and horses did not exceed 160,000, 120,000 for the Guanning headquarters, 20,000 for the Dongjiang River, and 12,000 for Sumen, which was enough to level Liao. The Tartars have few soldiers, and they often win with surprise soldiers, and if our army is strong and strong, they are not afraid to face the enemy head-on. First, advance and cultivate, step by step, gradually compress the territory of the captives, and at the same time establish a broad and powerful strategic counterattack. If the Tartars do not attack, it will be difficult to survive, and if the Tartars attack, they will fight a decisive battle with the main force of our army head-on. Second, to stabilize the defense, so that the Jianjiao have nothing to plunder, cut off their food for assistance, so that they are in a difficult situation and remain passive. Thirdly, unite with Chahar and make the Tartars vulnerable in both places. Fourth, it is necessary to reorganize the armament and internal affairs. In this way, it will be able to win a small victory in one year, a big victory in two years, a small victory in three years, a preliminary victory in four years, and a pacification of Liaodong in five years. Yuan Chonghuan talked eloquently, obviously doing his homework. He already knew that this time in Beijing, the Queen Mother would ask about the situation in Liaodong, and along the way, they were thinking about how to deal with it.

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