After Chongzhen read it, he handed the letter to Yang Sichang, and Yang Sichang was also speechless after reading it.

After a long time, Chongzhen sneered: "I really don't know, it turns out that Huang Taiji also hates Pang Gang so much, and he even sent a letter to ask me to exchange his head for peace between the two countries, Yang Aiqing, what do you think?" ”

Yang Sichang said without thinking: "Your Majesty, please redeem the old minister bluntly, the old minister thinks that even if that Pang Gang is unruly and arrogant, it will not be the turn of the Tartar to point fingers, even if he wants to punish him, he has to let us come by himself, when will it be their turn to criticize us?" ”

"Well, Aiqing has a point." Chongzhen's face softened slightly, and then said: "We don't need others to worry about our affairs, although that Pang Gang will be punished sooner or later, but Huang Taiji's move also proves one thing, they Jurchens have been rampant for so many years, and finally there are people who make them feel afraid." ”

Speaking of which, Chongzhen's heart is both a little sour and a little gratified, what is sour is that Pang Gang is such a capable general, how can he go farther and farther away from the imperial court, and it is gratifying that with Pang Gang here, the Jurchens who are rampant and domineering in Ping Yue dare not come to Daming to grab things unscrupulously.

Yang Sichang looked at Chongzhen's face, he understood Chongzhen's feelings very well, a general who made the Tartars so jealous was not controlled by the imperial court, and whoever was the emperor felt uncomfortable. What's more, the Tartars also threatened in the letter that if they wanted to negotiate peace, the prerequisite was to kill Pang Gang, but they didn't move their pig brains to think about it, if Pang Gang was so easy to kill, would it be their turn to speak? The imperial court had already dismantled him into pieces.

Just when Yang Sichang was thinking about it, Chongzhen handed him another letter, Yang Sichang looked at it, it turned out to be written by Ma Mian, who went to Qingzhou to announce the decree, which not only said what they saw and heard after they arrived in Qingzhou, but also wrote out the reasons and requirements for Pang Gang not to raise troops, which made Yang Sichang feel frightened.

"Good fellow, the governor of the three provinces, he can speak it because of it, and he is not afraid of being strangled to death." Yang Sichang's hand holding the letter was trembling, and such arrogant words were the first time in the nearly three hundred years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

After reading it, Yang Sichang hurriedly bowed down and said: "Your Majesty, this Pang Gang is really too rebellious, and the minister thinks that he must be severely punished, otherwise where is the majesty of my Ming Dynasty and where is the law of the country!" ”

"Okay, okay, don't pretend!" Chongzhen waved his hand impatiently, and said angrily: "If Aiqing really wants to worry about me, then send someone to capture that Pang Gang." ”

Yang Sichang saw that Chongzhen was unhappy, so he quickly laughed a few times, lowered his head and stopped talking.

After Chongzhen scolded Yang Sichang, he saw that he was pretending to be stupid, and asked unhappily: "Yang Aiqing, I asked you to pretend to be deaf and dumb, I asked you, how to deal with Ma Mian and the letter from outside the Guanwai?" ”

Yang Sichang groaned for a while before he arrived: "The minister is still the old saying, my Ming must not compromise with those barbarians, no matter how Pang Gang is not my Ming people, it is not their turn to point fingers." As for how to deal with Pang Gang's matter, the minister thinks that now that our dynasty is short of troops, it is really not appropriate to make a big move, as for Pang Gang's position as the governor of the three provinces, we can't give it all, Yichen only saw that it was better to give him the right to levy grain and conscription in Hubei, after all, if Pang Gang wants to contribute to the country, he will not send troops if he doesn't give him some sweetness. ”

Speaking of which, Yang Sichang also secretly slandered this emperor in his heart, although the name of the champion Hou is noble, but no matter how noble the name is, it is not as good as the visible benefits, after all, no one is a fool, and no one will do thankless things.

Chongzhen was silent for a moment, the corners of his mouth squirmed and he was about to say something, when suddenly a crisp voice came, "The child has seen the father and the queen." ”

As soon as Chongzhen raised his head, a delicate figure was already standing beside Queen Zhou, looking at himself timidly, it turned out that his daughter was here, and when he saw Zhu Yujiao, Chongzhen's face showed a smile, and beckoned: "Yujiao, come to my father's side." ”

"Hee-hee, my father is the best." Seeing that Chongzhen was not angry when he ran over, the little panic in Zhu Yujiao's heart was thrown out of the clouds, and she came to Chongzhen's side with a smile and hugged his neck and hung on his father's body to be coquettish.

"Father, you haven't been to see your daughter for a long time, and your daughter wants you to death."

Chongzhen gave birth to a lot of children, but only three sons and two daughters survived, and Ping Yue also loved this daughter very much, at this moment he was helpless by Zhu Yujiao, so he had to say with a straight face: "Look at you, what do you think." I'm fourteen years old, and I'm still like a child, come down. ”

"Oh!" Only then did Zhu Yujiao remember that there was another minister here, and quickly let go of the hand holding her father's neck with a small mouth.

After looking at his daughter lovingly, Chongzhen turned his head to Yang Sichang and said, "I have also considered Aiqing's intentions, but I am worried that if I grant Pang Gang the right to control Hubei, I am afraid that it will be too big in the future." ”

Yang Sichang sighed secretly in his heart, although the emperor's worries are reasonable, but now that the court has a request from others, he has to show some sincerity, but now the bend in the emperor's heart has obviously not turned around, and now that people have made it clear that they no longer put the court in their eyes, you are still holding the shelf, so how can you do it?

Before Yang Sichang could answer, Zhu Yujiao hurriedly said: "Father, Emperor, Father, is the Pang Gang you are talking about the thousand households who broke the Tartar army outside the city wall last year?" ”

Listening to his daughter's words, Chongzhen couldn't help but smile bitterly: "People are no longer a thousand households, but a champion Hou." ”

"What, he's already a champion?" Because Zhu Yujiao is not well-informed in the palace, she doesn't know much about the outside world, but she is still very clear about the fact that the court has not been knighted for more than 100 years. Therefore, at first hearing the news, she immediately widened her beautiful eyes and a look of disbelief on her face.

Just as Zhu Yujiao grabbed Chongzhen's hand and wanted to ask something, Queen Zhou on the side spoke: "Yujiao, your father is busy, don't disturb him." ”

"Oh!" Zhu Yujiao responded aggrievedly, walked over and snuggled in the arms of Queen Zhou, and watched her father deal with government affairs.

At this time, Chongzhen was also very helpless, Pang Gang's kind of not seeing rabbits and not scattering eagles really gave him a headache, and finally Chongzhen said helplessly: "Okay, Yang Aiqing, you will make a will now, and bring him the royal flag, I will endure this breath for the time being, if he can't pacify Hubei, I will settle his new account and old account together." ”

Although Chongzhen spoke in a vicious tone, everyone could hear the resentment in his words

In the middle of October, Chongzhen is in the autumn harvest season, and the yellow ears of wheat are everywhere outside Qingzhou City, countless people are harvesting wheat, and the fields are full of laughter.

Since the beginning of this year, while vigorously collecting displaced people, Pang Gang has invested more than one million taels of silver in the development of agriculture in Qingzhou, Dengzhou, and Laizhou.

With Pang Gang's unsparing support, water conservancy projects have been built everywhere in these places, with dense canals and waterwheels everywhere, and the hard work has finally been reported.

Since the autumn harvest, whether it is Qingzhou, Dengzhou or Laizhou, there have been frequent good news, and news of a bumper harvest has come from all over the country, which also makes Pang Gang a little nervous and finally relieved.

In order to show his proximity to the people, Pang Gang also took a group of generals to participate in the wheat harvesting activities, but before he could cut a few pieces of land, he was cut by a sickle and had to leave early, which also made Pang Gang, who had never participated in this kind of labor, very frustrated.

However, Pang Gang's frustration did not last long, and soon Hua Yan begged him to see him and explained to him the current harvest of grain.

"My lord, as of yesterday, Dengzhou, Laizhou and Qingzhou have harvested a total of 3 million stone of grain, which is enough to feed the people of Sanzhou There is still a surplus, according to the originally agreed tax, we can harvest about 500,000 stone of grain."

"Well, well done!" Pang Gang nodded with satisfaction and asked, "Hua Experience, you calculate, if this official recruits soldiers again, how many soldiers and horses can be fed by these 500,000 stone grain?" ”

Hua Yan groaned, and silently calculated for a moment before replying: "Our soldiers and horses are about 50,000, plus 20,000 sailors is 70,000, in addition to the grain and grass that supplies the existing soldiers and horses, if we are collecting 50,000 soldiers and horses, these grains can be used for us to harvest the spring grain late next year......"

"So much?" Pang Gang said happily: "Okay, then let's recruit another 50,000 troops." ”

"What, conscription again?" Hua Yan was taken aback, my lord, "If we recruit so many more soldiers, our food will be a little tight!" ”

Pang Gang said lightly: "What are you afraid of, as long as you have soldiers, are you still afraid that there will be no food?" ”

Looking at Pang Gang's expressionless face, Hua Yan always felt as if the adult had something on his mind, and it seemed that he was worried about something.

Pang Gang is really worried, because there is always an inexplicable sense of crisis lingering in his heart, although he defeated the Manchu Qing Dynasty and Li Zicheng, but he knows very well that this does not become a reason for him to sit back and relax, although the current Shandong seems to be very rich, and commerce has also been greatly developed, but everything needs strength to protect, and before the Liukou and Tartars are completely defeated, all this is likely to become a flower in the mirror.

"My lord, Grandpa Ma asks to see you!" A voice rang out outside the signing room.

"Let him in!"

"Yes!"

Soon, Ma Gonggong walked in with a duck step, and as soon as he entered the door, he said with a relieved face: "Master Hou, our family congratulates you!" The emperor has agreed to your conditions, the emperor has issued a holy decree, and rewarded you with the royal flag, so that you can control the civil and military affairs of Hubei Province, and officials below the fourth grade can be cut first! ”

Pang Gang and Hua Yan's eyes met for a moment, the two of them were a little surprised, although Chongzhen discounted Pang Gang's request, but Pang Gang knew that this was the biggest concession Chongzhen could make, but this was not up to Pang Gang's requirements.

"That's not enough!" Pang Gang shook his head slowly: "Gonggong Ma, what this official wants is the right to be the governor of the three provinces, but the emperor only gave Hubei one land, if the thieves go to Hunan or Henan, what should the official do?" ”

Gonggong Ma smiled bitterly, "Master Hou, let's be honest with you, according to the emperor's surname, it is already the greatest forbearance to retreat to this step, and it is impossible for you to control the three provinces at once." ”

Pang Gang shook his head and said, "Really?" Since the emperor is so embarrassed, then the official doesn't want it, you quickly put away this holy decree and the royal order flag, where to fight, the official is not waiting! ”

"What, you want to resist!" Having said this, no matter how good his temper was, Grandpa Ma couldn't stand it, and said with a cold face: "Huge man, you have to think about it, what will be the consequences if you really want to resist the decree!" ”

Ma Gonggong didn't care about the threat so much, and Pang Gang, who had a temper attack, also sneered: "Okay, this official wants to see what the consequences can be, and this official is not afraid to tell you the truth, the condition is like this, if the emperor is not happy, please ask him to send others to Hubei by himself, and this official will not wait!" Come on, send off! ”

As Pang Gang's words fell, the door was opened, and the two guards stood in front of the door, pressing their right hands on the hilt of the knife, staring at Ma Gonggong with cold eyes, and making a gesture of invitation with their left hand.

Ma Gonggong, who was trembling with anger, roared loudly: "Pang Gang, you thief without a king and a father, you will regret it!" ”

"Humph!" Pang Gang let out a cold snort from his nostrils: "Okay, this official is waiting for this day." Someone, send off! ”

"Bang"

When the door was closed, Pang Gang let out a long breath and closed his eyes slightly, at this time he seemed calm, but his heart was surging, his refusal meant that Hubei would fall in a very short time, was this right or wrong.

"I'm not a savior, and I can't save so many people"

On the Lunar New Year of Chongzhen's 10th year and the 30th anniversary of the Chinese New Year's Eve, not every family can celebrate a reunion dinner together in this day that was originally celebrated by all families.

At least this is the case in Xiangfan, Hubei, half a month ago, Li Zicheng captured Xiangfan and then led his troops to capture Wuchangfu, the capital of Hubei, and the governor of Hubei was captured and his head was cut off by Li Zicheng.

Immediately afterwards, Liu Zongmin led 50,000 thieves to kill Yuezhou Mansion again, with the intention of swallowing Hunan in one fell swoop.

The fall of Wuchang shocked the entire Ming Dynasty, which also means that the Ming Dynasty gave up a provincial capital to the Liukou, and also sent a signal to the whole world, that is, the entire Ming Dynasty is already a foreign powerhouse, and the rebellion with the Liukou is no longer a headless business, but it is possible to become a hero from the dragon.

And Li Zicheng after the capture of Hubei, his prestige has also reached an unprecedented peak, affected by this news, Zhang Xianzhong, who was still fighting hard in Sichuan, also captured most of Sichuan as if he had been beaten with blood, and in this New Year, the entire Ming Dynasty fell into a kind of turmoil.

After the army captured Wuchang, they seized the granary as soon as possible, but the result was a great disappointment to Li Zicheng and many generals, and the granary in Wuchang only contained less than 30,000 stone of grain, which was not enough for more than 100,000 soldiers and their families to eat for a month.

In order to raise food, Li Zicheng ordered to raid the homes of all the rich gentry in Wuchang City, and this time the result made them overjoyed, they exceeded nearly 800,000 stone of grain in total, and this result also made Li Zicheng and a group of generals happy, with these grain and grass, at least within half a year, they no longer have to worry about grain and grass.

Li Zicheng, who had grain and grass, was also rare and generous, and began to open a warehouse in the city to give grain, and Li Yan, who had newly returned to Shun, also took the opportunity to Li Zicheng to "respect the virtuous and courteous, eliminate the mob and compassionate the people," "pretend to be benevolent and righteous, prohibit soldiers from killing with silver, and win people's hearts in order to achieve great things."

Under Li Yan's persuasion, Li Zicheng also accepted some of Li Yan's opinions, restrained his subordinates, arrested some people who robbed or insulted women to the poor people, and dealt with them with military discipline, and declared to the soldiers in public: "Killing one person is like killing my father, and silver is like silver my mother"

And Li Yan also knows the mystery of some public opinion propaganda, he sent people to pretend to be businessmen, and spread rumors among the people: "Break into the king's benevolent and righteous teacher, don't kill or plunder"; He also made up nursery rhymes for children to sing everywhere: "Open the gate to welcome the king, and when the king comes, he will not pay food", "Open the door early to worship the king, and discipline everyone to be happy". It was in this year that the hungry people in Hubei who were waiting to be fed were like clouds in the hope of a great drought, "fearing that they would not be able to become self-sufficient" and "tens of thousands of people who became self-sufficient", and for a time Li Zicheng's prestige among the people reached a peak

The north wind was whistling, and snowflakes were constantly falling from the sky, and the snow in Wuchang City at this time was nearly two feet deep. Countless ragged homeless people huddled in the corners of the high-walled compounds, and the war had left them with nothing but their homes, everything they had.

The end of the year has come, and the grain, vegetables, and firewood are becoming more and more difficult day by day, and although the army has opened warehouses to provide grain relief from time to time, it seems that there are too many monks and few porridge in the face of hundreds of thousands of people. The average small family simply can't live. After the invasion army captured Wuchang, all the granaries were occupied by them, and the consequence of this was that the price of grain was like a flood, constantly rising. The poor families had no way to look at the sky and cry, so they had to wait to starve to death.

Many ordinary people have neither money nor food to buy food, and they can only eat one meal per meal, and they can only eat half full at one meal. There were many open places in Wuchang City, where weeds grew. Recently, there are many people carrying baskets to dig weeds, but there are many people and little grass, and they are dug up in a few days.

Today, Li Zicheng feasted the major generals of the army in the governor's yamen of Wuchang City, and hundreds of people gathered together to make the governor's yamen extremely lively.

In the lobby of the yamen, Li Zicheng, who was wearing a bright red new clothes, looked at the many subordinates who had started his work, and his heart was full of joy.

At this moment, there are many generals sitting to his right, and on his left are Li Yan and several other scholars-looking staff.

It is worth mentioning that after Li Zicheng captured Hubei, under the great earthquake, there were literati who came to him one after another, and among these people, there were two people who were more valued by Li Zicheng, one of them was called Niu Jinxing, and the other was Song Xiance

(To be continued)