"I know this, you can rest assured." Chongzhen smiled at Cao Huaol. Cao Huaol stopped crying at this time, kowtowed and bowed: "Emperor Xie, Emperor Xie." However, the old slave thought that this case was extremely greasy, and the old slave was willing to investigate the case himself. ”

Chongzhen looked at Cao Huaol, who was recommended by Mao Sui, nodded half-loudly and said, "Then you can check!" Be sure to find out, if you bend the law for personal gain, I won't spare you. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty." Cao Huaol is overjoyed.

The next day, Cao Huachun sent spies to investigate and find out the inside story of Zhang Hanru's annihilation and Wen Tiren's conspiracy. He reported these situations in detail to Emperor Chongzhen. Emperor Chongzhen suddenly realized that a party had been formed in the imperial court headed by Wen Tiren. Wen Tiren saw that something was wrong, and he resorted to his usual tricks, pretending to be sick at home, waiting for the emperor to comfort and retain him.

One day in March of the tenth year of Chongzhen, Wen Tiren was having dinner with his family. Suddenly, a eunuch passed the emperor's holy decree, ordering Wen Tiren to be stripped of his official position and abolished as a commoner. Wen Tiren was dumbfounded. With a "dang" sound, the spoon in his hand fell to the ground.

Wen Tiren has been in charge of the government for eight years, and he has not put forward any strategy for the economy and the world, nor has he established any meritorious deeds for the benefit of the country and the people. "Ming History Chronicle" records that on the eve of the death of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial history Wu Luzhong summed up the loss of Chongzhen's governance and said: "Wen Tiren trusts the righteousness of solemnity and righteousness, and acts of flattery and jealousy, so that the court cannot appoint anyone to govern things, causing a source of disaster, and the crime of benevolence." However, Emperor Chongzhen "always respected him" because of Wen Tiren's "self-defense and not preserved goods", and as a result, the Ming Dynasty was dragged into a desperate situation in just a few years, which can be described as a crime that cannot be punished.

Wen Tiren was deposed as a commoner, and even Zhang Fengyi, the secretary of the Ministry of War, was also dragged in, and the fate of the elderly Zhang Fengyi was better, Chongzhen just let him go home to recuperate.

As soon as the military department was empty, Chongzhen began to look for candidates for the military department, and immediately noticed Yang He's son Yang Sichang, Yang He, Yang Sichang's father and son wanted to be famous for being good at supervising the army, Yang Heguan to the right attendant of the military department, and the governor of Shaanxi trilateral military affairs.

Yang He once pointed out that the rise of "thieves" was "always due to the extreme famine, and the people were not able to make a living." Yang He put forward the strategy of "appeasement first, supplemented by pursuit and suppression". Thanks to Yang He's efforts, the appeasement policy achieved some success, and almost all the rebel armies in Shaanxi accepted Zhao'an. However, due to the 100,000 taels of gold and the 50,000 silver and 20,000 stone of grain donated by the vassal king, "the salvation was not enough for eleven." After Shen Yikui and other thieves rebelled, the main forces of the imperial court rose and vigorously attacked Yang He's appeasement policy. Later, Yang He was taken over by the imperial court and was succeeded by Hong Chengchou.

After entering the official career, Yang Sichang successively served as a professor in Hangzhou, a doctor in Nanjing Guozijian, and a monk in Langzhong. In the third year of the Apocalypse (1623), he was ostracized by the eunuch party, and resigned due to illness. In the first year of Chongzhen (1628), he became the deputy envoy of Henan and joined the right to participate in politics. Later, he was promoted to the imperial history of the right capital, governor of Yongping and Shanhaiguan, and was famous for knowing the soldiers. There is a statue of Yang Sichang in the Shanhaiguan Xiangong Ancestral Hall, praising him for his meritorious service in rectifying the defense, building the two wings of the Shanhaiguan City, and resisting the invasion of the Houjin. In the seventh year of Chongzhen, he was awarded the right attendant of the military department and the right to the imperial history, and the military affairs of Xuanfu, Datong and Shanxi. Xuan returned home with the death of his parents one after another.

In March of the tenth year of Chongzhen (1637), Yang Sichang, the secretary of the military department, went to Beijing, and the emperor summoned him. Si Chang is involved in literature and history, knows a lot about the history of the first dynasty, and has a good pen, and has eloquence. The emperor and the language, the great faith and love, each pair must be moved, please listen to all the plays, saying: hate to use the night.

Talking about his father Yang He, Yang Sichang was very excited, "Saint, everyone in the world thinks that the minister's father is the master of the misfortune, but in the second year of the Jianyu attack, the officers and soldiers of Qin Land were exhausted, and the minister's father had no soldiers to fight, how can he fight with suppression, and because of the lack of food, the rescuers are not one in ten, how can the people not turn around?" ”

Chongzhen felt deeply justified and ashamed of Sichang.

Si Chang Nai proposed to levy the peasant army on a large scale. Please take the officials of Shaanxi, Henan, Huguang, and Jiangbei as the four positives, and the four governors will be divided and suppressed; With Yansui, Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangnan, Jiangxi, and Sichuan as the six corners, the six governors divided the defense and assisted in the suppression. The four positive and six corners are combined into a ten-sided net. The Governor-General and the Prime Minister's second ministers are dedicated to solicitation.

Chongzhen was greatly excited to see this strategy of suppressing thieves, and became more and more trusting of Yang Sichang, and immediately appointed him as the secretary of the military department the next day.

On the third day, Chongzhen summoned Yang Sichang again, and as soon as Yang Sichang entered Chongzhen's study, he saw Chongzhen's face with a complicated expression, so he asked, "Your Majesty, but what are the hidden worries?" ”

"Yang Aiqing, look at it!" Chongzhen took out the concerto of Phi Dao and Liaodong victory, Yang Sichang looked at this concert, the news of Liaodong's victory, the whole Beijing division knew about it, and then his mind moved, and asked: "Your Majesty refers to this Zhao Yan?" This person can fight well, although it is the blessing of my Ming Dynasty, but the ability to accumulate wealth is unrivaled, and the court really has no way to constrain food and salary. ”

"Whoever knows me is none other than Yang Aiqing." Chongzhen excitedly pulled Yang Sichang, "This son is involved in the politics of the unified army, the matter of Daxing Tuntian, and there are more sharp firearms and elite soldiers, if he rebels, how can the court resist?" ”

Yang Sichang's heart was Ling, sure enough, he was like a tiger, Zhao Yan defeated the Qing army in Changping, and won a big victory with Liaodong and Phi Dao, but Chongzhen wanted to take him to the knife.

However, Yang Sichang did not have any sympathy for Zhao Yan, but made up his mind that he would not support his troops in the future.

"Zhao Yan's son is a strong soldier in Shandong, although he is more loyal at the moment, not only does he not want food and salary at all, but he can pay six or seven million taels to the court every year. But who could have predicted what the future would bring? Chongzhen's feelings about Zhao Yan were very complicated.

The feudal monarch was in a special position and must stifle all threats, and Qi Jiguang became a victim.

"What Your Majesty said is extremely true, as the saying goes, the heart of guarding against people is indispensable." Yang Sichang echoed.

"What can Yang Aiqing do?" Chongzhen asked.

Yang Sichang thought for a while and said: "When this son started his army, he was just a small landlord in the countryside of Huangxian County, and the reason why he was able to make the soldiers strong in four years must be for a reason. ”

"The Shandong army is very elite, I heard this son say, in addition to hard training, there are also high salaries, pensions, and the best armor, firearms, and a lot of money." Chongzhen said in embarrassment.

"The minister has two strategies, I don't know if His Majesty will adopt it." Yang Sichang said at this time.

"First, send people to learn this son's strategy of collecting money. Chen had sent people into Shandong to explore, this son not only has a glass mirror can earn millions of taels a year, Denglai is all over the water-powered spinning machine and loom, these machines are a hundred times less than the Jiangnan textile workshop, the manpower is 100 times, so that the Jiangnan cloth merchants are defeated, the world is known to buy Songjiang cloth, can not collect the rumor of Weitang yarn, but in recent years, the yarn and cotton cloth in the two places have decreased sharply, this son relies on textiles, and the annual income is not less than millions of taels. ”

"Your Majesty can ask him to hand over the secret recipe of the textile vessel and the glass mirror for the benefit of the people, and obtain his skills, and then recruit the imperial merchants and summon the people of the world to buy them, and he will inevitably earn millions of silver coins, and he can cut off the source of his silver money." Yang Sichang talked eloquently, obviously touching Zhao Yan's details, but these are not secrets.

"Recruit imperial merchants?" Chongzhen asked puzzled.

"It is Your Majesty's skill to make some wealthy businessmen operate, if it is a deficit, it is the emperor's own business, if it is profitable, the court can sit and share its profits." Yang Sichang explained.

"What if they don't?" Chongzhen asked.

"You can move it first to know the reason, and if you don't pay it again, you can ban it from all over the world." Yang Sichang said. Chongzhen couldn't help but nod when he heard this.

Yang Sichang continued: "This son in the eastern three provinces of Shandong Daxing Tuntian, recruiting displaced people from all over the country to enrich the eastern three provinces, the use of cattle, farm tools, seeds are all produced by him, a summer harvest, autumn harvest from the world, although the general Jianwei, also to the imperial court to hand over silver. However, the people of Tun only need to hand over ten catties of rice and wheat, and they collect 30% of the land rent. In less than a few years, the three eastern mansions have been extremely luxuriant, and then the people of Tun are busy with farming, and they are often trained when they are idle, and if they are not enough soldiers, they can get countless elite soldiers. ”

"Countless elite soldiers? Yang Aiqing is not exaggerating? Chongzhen was taken aback, Yang Sichang nodded and said: "If Your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can send someone to Denglai to investigate, and the people of the Eastern Sanfu Tun practice every year, and you only need to be conscripted into the army in wartime, and you can fight when you are issued weapons." ”

"What should I do?" Chongzhen asked in horror.

"Your Majesty, I am east of Ming Jing, south of Ji, east of the mountain, north of the south of the two rivers, a look at the wasteland, the rate is dozens of miles, the high one is the lush grass, and the depression is depressed. None of them are heard. Your Majesty can learn the method of tuntian east of the mountain, and the tuntian will be greatly developed in these areas, and it will be effective in a few years. Especially in the Gyeonggi region, Jianyu invaded every year, thinking that it was very dilapidated, and now Zhao Yan sent troops to Liaodong, the difference between this son and Mao Wenlong, stopped at this son's strong soldiers, Jianyu must be restrained by it, and did not dare to invade the important land of Gyeonggi, His Majesty can take this opportunity to cultivate and train the people in Gyeonggi. ”

"I don't know if the imperial businessman's strategy is effective, where can I get the money and grain needed for Tuntian?" Chongzhen asked.

This is the minister's second policy of salary, and it is divided into four: one is because of the grain, because of the old amount, the amount is lost [***], the stone is converted into eight coins, and the land is not matched, and the silver is more than 1,929,000 taels per year. The second is the overflow of land, and the original amount of the soil field is verified, and the silver is more than 406,000 taels per year. The third is an example, and the rich people lose capital as prisoners. Fourth, the post is delivered, and the silver of the previous post post is charged with 200,000 taels. Yang Sichang replied, and then elaborated.

After listening to this, Chongzhen agreed: "That's it, Ming said that it will be changed to equal loss because of grain, and it will be announced to the world." ”

"Such a two-pronged approach, coupled with Shandong's Tianfu and salt profits of six or seven million taels, will inevitably enrich the treasury." Yang Sichang said, "With money and food, the required training methods, and firearms manufacturing methods, you can ask this son for it." ”

"If you don't give it?" Chongzhen asked again.

"You can ask Lu Xiangsheng to ask for it, the Tianxiong Army is now using the method of training troops in Shandong." Yang Sichang's news is very well-informed, and when he is filial piety at home, he also cares about the military affairs of the world.

"Okay, let's do it according to Aiqing's law." Chongzhen couldn't help but get excited, and he still remembered the appearance of the Denglai Army under the Jingshi City.

If there are such strong soldiers in hand, why worry about the uncertainty of the world?

It's just that Zhao Yan is not constrained by the imperial court, so Chongzhen is very tricky to use. Yang Sichang's several strategies could not only suppress Zhao Yan's expansion, but also strengthen the imperial court's forces.

…… When Chongzhen announced to the world, Zhao Yan was stunned when he saw the announcement of the imperial court, and wondered, didn't this Chongzhen smash five million taels? Why do you need to raise taxes? And it added more than two million taels in one go.

The previous five million taels were obviously enough, which made Zhao Yan very puzzled. Moreover, the original tax policy of the rich paying more and the poor paying less has been changed to an equal lose, doesn't this force people to rebel?

"What do you think?" Zhao Yan asked the staff and others.

"My lord, the imperial court put forward the strategy of four positive and six even, it is really feasible, the previous five million salaries are enough, but at this time, it will inevitably aggravate the hunger and cold of the poor people, and it is very likely that the number of thieves will increase significantly."

"Four positive and six even, ten sides of the net, in a certain opinion, I am afraid that this net will become ten broken nets." Everyone in the staff department had different opinions, but Zhao Yan had his own judgment in his heart.

In history, Yang Sichang's four positive and six couples were still quite effective, but in the end, Zhang Xianzhong, Liu Rucai and others rebelled and broke the ten-sided net in one fell swoop.

However, history has changed at this moment, the imperial court has Zhao Yan's blood transfusion, and the money is quite sufficient.

History has changed, and who can predict what will happen in the future? Zhao Yan also couldn't judge whether the four-positive, six-even, and ten-sided netting was successful.

"If it succeeds, it will be good, once the thieves are destroyed, Daming can also have stability." Zhao Yan still hopes that the thieves can be pacified, which is conducive to the recovery of the national vitality, and Zhao Yan can also have more manpower and material resources that can be used for foreign wars. Zhao Yan then asked, "What is the situation in Liaodong?" Have you ever counted the number of Hermes-Epitek? ”

"Returning to the lord, there are currently more than 200,000 Han people in Liaodong under our control, and more than 60,000 Han people in Korea." Mao Yuanyi replied.

"Let the Liaodong General Staff move all these Han people to the plain areas of the Liaodong Peninsula to build farms, and report the required cattle, farm tools and other materials as soon as possible." Zhao Yan ordered, "Then send the first battalion of the Liaodong Army to North Korea, and try to collect the Korean Han people." ”

"Yes."

"Now that Duoduo is attacking Shenyang with Zilharang, seven or eight days have passed, there should be news, right?" Zhao Yan asked.

"There's no news yet."

…… Duoduo and Zilharang refused to open the gates of Shenyang because of the Zhenglan Banner Gushan Ezhen in the city, and immediately launched an attack on Shenyang.

Duoduo has 60,000 soldiers and horses in his hands, plus more than 20,000 soldiers and horses on the front line of Liaoyang, Anshan, and Yaozhou, as if there are so many ants that they can die.

Duoduo had a tough attitude and launched an attack on Shenyang the next day, with hundreds of Hongyi cannons on the city of Shenyang, plus the rest of the captured Ming artillery, forming a powerful defensive system.

60,000 people attached ants to attack the city, and the city's artillery fired in unison, making this offensive and defensive battle extremely tragic, and the attack of Duoduo in the previous few days was thwarted by the positive blue banner on the city, and the loss of men and horses reached five or six thousand.

In the days that followed, Dordor brought in artillery from all over the city, not as many as the city's artillery, but it was important to concentrate on one point and suppress the fire on the walls.

At the same time, Duoduo promised the banner owners that when he ascended to the throne, they would be rewarded for their meritorious service, and at the same time promised the soldiers that if they captured the city of Shenyang, they would definitely be paid.

After a two-pronged approach, the results were finally obtained. On the sixth day of the attack on Shenyang, the soldiers with white flags rushed to the city, and the blue flag in the city finally collapsed.

Tens of thousands of troops then stormed Shenyang, and chaos ensued. Some soldiers rushed into the mansions of Hauge, Daishan and other princes and looted and killed them on a large scale.

Duoduo rushed into the palace, Fan Wencheng saw that the situation was not right, and had already hid in the palace before breaking the city, and when Duoduo appeared, he immediately knelt on the ground and shouted: "Long live my emperor, long live, long live, long live......

"Haha, good, good, Fan Wencheng, you are really my loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty." Duoduo couldn't help but be overjoyed when he saw Fan Wencheng take refuge.

These Han people have no other skills, but they have a hand in managing state affairs and making suggestions, and if Duoduo does not have the assistance of these Han people, it is not easy to act below.

"If Your Majesty wants to replace him, he must first purge all of Huang Taiji's cronies." Fan Wencheng first suggested to Duoduo.

"Well, that's good." Dodor nodded.

"Secondly, we must stabilize the situation in Shenyang City, so as not to hurt the vitality of our Great Qing Kingdom." Fan Wencheng also suggested, "Then the edict was issued to all parts of Liaodong, Huangtaiji was defeated in North Korea and had died, and Haoge and Daishan were also killed by the Ming army, in order to serve the mandate of heaven, Prince Yu chose to ascend to the position of the Ninth Five-Year Plan." ”

"Haha! That's right, that's right, Huang Taiji is dead, all dead. Duoduo laughed comfortably, when Nurhachi died, it was all because of Huang Taiji, the mother of Duoduo and Dolgon, who was martyred with him, and after Huang Taiji took control of the power, he was moody, suppressed the Great Bel Amin, and suppressed Mang Gurtai, Duoduo was already extremely tired of Huang Taiji.

At Fan Wencheng's suggestion, Duoduo immediately asked people to maintain order in the streets and alleys of Shenyang City, prohibiting burning, killing and looting, and at the same time asked Fan Wencheng to draw up a clean-up list and prepare a proclamation document.

Fan Wencheng took this opportunity to include all the people who had offended him or threatened him in the past, and as Huang Taiji's closest Hanchen, he naturally had the right to speak in this regard.

When Fan Wencheng submitted the list, Duoduo was sitting on the dragon chair and ruthlessly [***] Concubine Huang Taiji, and the scene looked extremely intense.

At the same time, Zilharan rushed into the house where his eldest brother was imprisoned and released the elder Beyl Amin, who was so excited that he hugged him and wept when he saw that his brother had come to save him.

"He said that the eldest brother misunderstood you." Amin said to Zilharang.

"Big brother, it's my younger brother who used to be too afraid of Huang Taiji." Zilharang bowed his head and said.

Amin suddenly smiled and said: "Haha, we will talk about him in the past, and in the future, my brothers will be able to achieve a hegemony with one heart." ”

(To be continued)