The sun is sinking in the west, but the Dingguo Mansion has been closed all the time, no one knows what happened inside, and the princes and ministers gathered here don't know that Prime Minister Wang Cheng handled this matter like this, is it possible to do so without saying a word? But there must be an explanation, no matter how powerful your prime minister is, you can't override the emperor, you can't protect your family, you can't be so blatant, the queen can't suffer this shame in vain.

But the gate of Dingguo Gong was not opened, and as it was getting late, the onlookers gradually dispersed, leaving only more than 20 princes and ministers looking at each other.

In the end, everyone discussed, go back today, let's come back tomorrow, I don't believe it, Prime Minister Wang Cheng will resist to the death like this, and he will never give up if he doesn't find out the woman named Du Ningning.

Today, due to this incident in the Dingguo Mansion, there is a lot of backlog of official documents and political affairs, and the officials who are doing business are not good to disturb, so they say that the Shun envoy has left the city in a fit of anger since he was snubbed in the Hanlin Academy, and he has been five miles away from the city when it gets dark.

Yu Lin Weiyou's commander Song Dali was also called to the study in the mansion by Wang Lanping.

The candlestick had been lit in the house, and Wang Lanping was flipping through the official documents that had not been processed today in front of the bookcase, as if he had not seen Song Dali, who had been kneeling in front of the bookcase.

A military report sent from the governor of Huguang attracted the attention of Wang Lanping, and since He Tengjiao, the governor of Huguang, had been directly driven by Zhang Xianzhong like a rabbit to Chenzhou, a small city on the border of Huguang, since he had failed to recruit 20,000 soldiers to attack Xiangyang without permission. All the military and administrative centers of the original Huguang have also been moved here, but there is not much left in this Daming Lake Guangxing Province. Dashun occupied the area of De'an and Wuchang, and the Qing army was entrenched in Jingzhou and Xiangyang. The territory occupied by the Daxi army was the largest, and the several prefectures of Changsha, Chenzhou, Changde, and Hengzhou were all under the control of Zhang Xianzhong, and the real governor of Daming Huguang, He Tengjiao, could control only the two prefectures of Chenzhou and Jingzhou.

He Tengjiao, who is over fifty years old, is one enemy and three, but he can still keep a corner of Huguang is also commendable, repeatedly defeated and battled, and he is persevering, at least he has saved some face for Daming, and the name of Huguang Province is still there.

With the implementation of the new strategy of 'Funan and attacking the west' of the Qing Dynasty's Jiangnan Economic Envoy, He Tengjiao's life has become more and more difficult day by day. In order to cooperate with Hong Chengchou's military operation in Sichuan, the prince of the Qing Dynasty, who had been repairing in the Xiangyang area, also began to vigorously train his troops, and the 180,000 Eight Banner soldiers practiced all day long, and all kinds of ordnance, grain and grass were also piled up, and the troops went on an expedition of hundreds of miles around.

On the tenth day of the first month of April, Wang Lanping, the prime minister of the Ming Dynasty, spread the world, and on the first day of June in the first year of Hongguang, the Ming official army went out into Sichuan to suppress the rebel Zhang Xianzhong.

A few days later, the news reached Hong Chengchou, who was on his way to Hanzhong and passed through Xi'an, and Hong Dashuai felt that the situation had changed. Daming put the territory of the north but locked his eyes on the southwest border, which is not good, Sichuan must not fall into the hands of Daming again, so Hong Dashuai did not wait for him to join the Qing army in Hanzhong. Immediately ordered the Qing army to immediately move out as soon as possible.

On April 15, Hong Chengchou ordered the 130,000 Eight Banners Army in Hanzhong to be sent by Aixin Jueluo. Nikan commanded 90,000 Manmeng Eight Banners, and Wu Sangui, King of Pingxi, led 50,000 Guanning Iron Cavalry. Immediately march towards Xichuan and capture Bazhong, the northern gate of Sichuan. Open the gateway to the Sichuan Basin.

Wu Sangui was the vanguard of the army, and ten days later, Guanning Iron Cavalry stepped on the walls of Guangyuan Mansion. The administrative officials of Bazhong of the Great Western Army abandoned the city and fled, only Zhang Xianzhong's righteous descendants were expected to lead 60,000 Western troops to defend Jianmen Pass, Wu Sangui attacked for four days in a row, lost troops and lost generals, and was in a hurry.

Another Qing army also received the march order of Hong Dashuai, Azig ordered, 180,000 Qing troops went into battle, in the Xiangyang area of the Qing army for two months of fine food, firearms sharp, since the Ming Dynasty guarded the southern Marquis Zuo Liangyu's troops collapsed, a part of the Ming army supported Zuo Liangyu's son Zuo Mengeng as the general surrendered to Azig.

Zuojia army operated Huguang for many years, deep access to the local terrain, 180,000 Qing troops waved south, it took only three days to conquer Changde, Changsha garrisoned by the Great Western Army, Azig did not love to fight, after clearing the threat of Xiangyang, the army turned to advance westward, on April 25, conquered Kuizhou, beheaded 18,000 Western Army.

On April 28, Azig marched at a high speed, along the Yangtze River and Shuojiang River, advancing by land and water, and the Bingfeng pointed directly to the south gate of Daxi Kingdom, Shunqing Mansion.

It seems that this is a good opportunity for He Tengjiao, who is precarious in Huguang, to take the opportunity to regain lost territory, but the Qing army's westward expedition brought He Tengjiao no trace of joy except that he was in a desperate situation again.

It turned out that after the Azig raised troops in Xiangyang, he successively broke Changde and Changsha, and the Western Army could not resist, more than 100,000 soldiers and horses some went west, and some fled to the south, this escape does not matter, and the west did not run long before being caught up by the Azig cavalry and killed a piece of armor without returning, and the Western army that fled south was considered to have picked up a life, and the remnants of the defeated army of 30,000 or 40,000 people all flocked to Chenzhou and Chenzhou.

The reason why He Tengjiao, the governor of Huguang, has not been abolished is because Huguang and these two prefectures are in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, and Governor He heard that the western army had fled south, and he did not panic too much at first.

He Tengjiao personally led the soldiers of the Fallen Mansion, 20,000 people, to intercept, just started the war, the battle situation made him dumbfounded, where is the defeated army, like a wolf and a tiger, only one day, He Tengjiao's 20,000 people lost more than 6,000, and he had to lead the real remnants of the defeated army to retreat to Chenzhou City, just entered the city, and the army followed.

For a while, the soldiers inside and outside Chenzhou were full of armor, but fortunately, this western army was defeated by the Qing soldiers first, and the heavy ordnance used in the siege was lost, which allowed Chenzhou City to exist for a few more days.

He Tengjiao really has no choice, seeing that the last two mansions of Huguang are almost unable to be saved, there is no hope for this grand wish to recover the entire Daming Huguang Province, forget it, ask the imperial court to send troops to rescue.

Six hundred miles were urgent, and the military report arrived in Nanjing in early May and was sent to Wang Lanping.

In the past few days, the military newspapers from all over the place have been piled up on Wang Lanping's desk, and if he takes out a copy at random, he is in a hurry, and everyone is asking the court for reinforcements, and Wang Lanping is not a monkey, where can he take care of it. Besides, you have to have soldiers. Oh no, soldiers are not enough. No money, no money to fight.

But this time, Wang Lanping, He Tengjiao's military report, could not ignore the fact that Huguang was the only way to enter Sichuan in the west.

was looking at the military newspaper, and accidentally, Wang Lanping touched a book and fell to the ground.

He was about to bend down to pick it up, but he saw Song Dali kneeling on the side, handed over the scroll, and looked at him with a smile on his face.

"Vigorously. Get up, don't kneel."

Wang Lanping put down the military newspaper, walked to the marble-faced round table in the room, and picked up the teapot to pour tea.

Song Dali hurriedly got up and ran over to take the teapot and shook it, only to find that there was no water in it.

"Ah Xiang, serve tea!" Wang Lanping shouted casually, Ah Xiang is Du Ningning's maid, and she has been working in a big family like Du Mansion for a long time. knows the rules very well, is serious and diligent, and Du Ningning often sends her to serve the prime minister's daily life.

There was a sound of footsteps at the door, but it was Fang Ling who walked in with tea.

"How are you? What about Ah Xiang? Wang Lanping looked at Fang Ling. When I saw her dress, I frowned again and again, and I was dizzy and dizzy. Today is a big day to accept her as a partial house, and it can be regarded as her big day no matter how you say it. Look at her newly changed red wedding dress, and people have also dressed up carefully. Too many beautiful things.

"Ah Xiang was called by Ning Ning, and the concubine is also idle" Fang Ling gently put the tea set on the table, and glanced at Wang Lanping very affectionately when Song Dali was not paying attention, this meaning could not be more obvious, today is the candle night of the two of us, and the Spring Festival is worth a thousand gold, why not leave it until tomorrow.

In his position and seeking his own government, Wang Lanping feels more and more that the higher the official position, the greater the pressure, it is better to be a rich man in the world, no wonder even Zhu Yuanzhang sighed: The hundred bureaucrats have not risen first, and the hundred bureaucrats have slept before they have slept and not slept; is not as rich as the south of the Yangtze River, and the sun is still high.

Wang Lanping nodded to Fang Ling with a little humility, "You go back first, I'll come later."

"Retirement of the concubine"

Fang Ling didn't dare to disturb his government affairs, squatted down and gave a salute, turned around and owed Song Dali again.

Song Dali was also busy returning the salute, "Miss Fang, oh no, Madame is not polite"

Fang Ling was happy in his heart, the second wife who became the Duke of Dingguo in this dynasty was different, even the dragon and tiger generals of the Ming Dynasty had a good respect for themselves, I really didn't know what kind of scenery it would be to be crowned the imperial concubine one day.

Fang Ling closed the door when he left, and at the moment the door was closed, the two of them didn't forget to flirt with each other, and dressed up so flamboyantly, which really made Wang Lanping feel uneasy.

However, business still has to be dealt with first, although this is in the prime minister's private residence, but there is no time during the day.

Song Dali poured tea with a smile, sent it to Wang Lanping, patted the sycophants and said, "Congratulations to the prime minister for finally holding the beauty, everyone says that Song Xian's mother-in-law is the first beauty in Nanjing, according to me, this time Mrs. is the real first beauty in Nanjing."

Wang Lan gave him a blank look, "You don't pat yourself on the back, where did you learn this oily tone, let me ask you, why did you punish you today, do you understand?" ”

Song Dali said, "My subordinates understand, the prime minister can rest assured, only this once, next time, you will cut me with a knife."

Wang Lanping said, "Dali, you and Li Dingguo were the first to follow me, and their backgrounds are the most humble of all the generals, without any backers, this is your advantage and disadvantage, if you make a mistake, no one will protect you."

This is not bad at all, Song Dali was born in a small and 100 households in the original Zuo Liangyu army, and over the past year, Wang Lanping has repeatedly carried out, so that he can be the general of the dragon and tiger, and he is in charge of the forbidden army of the imperial city, he is not like other generals under Wang Lanping, like Cao Dingjiao, Fang Guoan, Song Xian, these people are the original hereditary generals of the Ming Dynasty, and they have some relationship in the court, even in the current prime minister's army, these people also help each other more, and they will talk if they are in trouble.

Only this Song Dali and Li Dingguo, especially Li Dingguo, really rose from a white Ding to the court, and even made a marquis, which caused many people to be dissatisfied and red, and there was no mistake at all.

Therefore, this Song vigorously took the trouble and labor, wishing that Prime Minister Wang Cheng usurped this Ming Dynasty one day earlier, and justifiably crowned the king and marquis, and then these people were all founding heroes, see who dares to take a look.

Song Dali bent down and said, "Yes, I have written down the words of the prime minister."

Wang Lanping got up, took out a copy of the report from the bookcase, and just wanted to hand it to Song Dali, but immediately remembered that this kid was illiterate, so he laughed at himself and said, "You are also a second-class military attache now, you can also invite a gentleman for yourself when you have the opportunity, look at you, you can't read a single big word, you can't understand this military report, and my face as a prime minister is gloomy when it is transmitted."

"Yes, I'll go to Hanlin Temple tomorrow to find it."

Song Dali said very reluctantly, he wielded a knife and a gun to kill the enemy, but when he thought of reading and writing, it was really a head and two big.

Wang Lanping shook the military newspaper in his hand and said, "This is from the newspaper of the Military and Political Department, and it is about the military rations of the Western Expedition, I can't bear to look at it directly."

Song Dali frowned, "How much worse?" ”

Wang Lanping smiled bitterly, "What is the difference, once the war starts, who knows when it will end, according to the figures reported now, the military rations can sustain the consumption of my army of 80,000 for three months at most."

"So little?"

Three months, it will take almost three months to walk from Nanjing to Sichuan, even if the army does not fight a battle, this military ration is not enough, not to mention the unexpected wear and tear on the march, etc.

Soldiers and horses go first before moving grain and grass, which has been the case since ancient times.

Wang Lanping said, "The day of the Western Expedition is not far away, I will give you two errands"

Song Dali stepped forward with his hand, "The prime minister commanded"

"First, do you remember the grain buried in the Purple Mountain when we were driven out of Nanjing by the Seven Governors?"

It has been more than half a year since Wang Lanping spoke about this, when Wang Lanping entered Nanjing City for the first time, reformed the government and raised grain and grass, who would have thought that before he could do it boldly, the governor of the world would want to 'clear the monarch's side', and everyone wanted to kill Wang Lanping.

Wang Lanping in order to temporarily avoid the edge, withdraw from Nanjing City, return to the emperor, before leaving, the grain and silver money that could not be taken away were buried in the Purple Mountain, the amount of grain 200,000 stones, silver 100,000 taels, originally these are Wang Lanping prepared to one day in the Ming Dynasty can not mix up and then take out these things, find an overseas island to live temporarily, in order to come again.

Now it seems that there is no need to wait for himself to become weaker, and if he does not succeed, he will become a benevolent, either win in one fell swoop in the war, or die without a place to be buried.

Song Dali knew about this money, and originally thought that this should belong to the private wealth looted by Prime Minister Wang Cheng, but all the warlords in the world are like this, and they loot it when they are in a high position, and they will not toss it in vain when they lose their momentum.

"Prime Minister, do you really plan to use this money?"

Wang Lanping nodded, "Use it, although it is also a drop in the bucket, it is better than letting the soldiers survive after the war."

Song Dali was surprised, so it seems that Cheng took the expedition to Sichuan very seriously, and even used the things at the bottom of the box.

"Okay, I'll go overnight, just use my cronies, no one knows, what about the second thing?"

Wang Lanping held his breath and listened to the movement outside the house, only the sound of snorting and shivering night insects outside the house.

"Dali, there is a very important thing, I don't want to fake my hands, I only believe you"

Song Dali was deeply moved, "Prime Minister, please say" (to be continued.) )