"Moreover, Li Xin sent troops without authorization and disrupted the deployment of the imperial court, which is already self-inflicted, and Liu Yuliang is even more disrespectful to the decree, and he should be punished. If the saint set a precedent for these two people to encourage unauthorized resistance, I don't know how many people will follow the same example in the future, and this trend will never last. ”

Zhang Sizhi shook his gray beard and painstakingly persuaded the emperor to dispel his last hope for Li Xin, and at the same time, the ministers also said that Jinzhou was lonely and besieged by 100,000 elites of the Qing army, and even the soldiers of the Shanhaiguan might not be able to break the siege. Even if the morale is low and the troops are forcibly sent away, once there is a mistake, it will not only be the soldiers who will be lost, but even the Shanhaiguan will be in danger, so the ministers have advised the emperor to think twice.

Zhu Youjian originally raised the matter at the court meeting with compassion, and although the ministers' fierce reaction was not expected, their words of persuasion were also reasonable. After several trade-offs, he finally gave up his plan to aid Li Xin, and instead turned his attention to Hong Chengchou, a newly recruited cabinet scholar and secretary of the military department, who had been silent.

"Hong Qing didn't say a word, I don't know how to deal with the current situation, but I can see it?"

Hong Chengchou, the secretary of the military department, is not an empty title, but an errand that actually received the secretary of the military department. He has not said a word, in fact, he does not want to be too involved in the selfish interests of Zhang Sizhi and Xue Guoguan and others, and he has now made up his mind to obey the emperor's orders.

However, he hadn't completely figured out what the emperor wanted, so it was naturally inconvenient for him to make a rash statement, but since the emperor opened his mouth to ask, it was obviously inappropriate if he didn't answer, so after thinking about it for a while, he had to answer: "In the opinion of the ministers, although Jinzhou City is besieged by the 100,000 army of the Tartars, it may not be able to fall in a moment and a half. Since the imperial court is now unable to send troops to rescue, if you proceed from reality, it is better to take this opportunity to concentrate on solving the thieves of Zhang Li in the Central Plains. At that time, if Li Xin still held on, the imperial court would be free to go out of the pass and relieve the siege. ”

What Hong Chengchou said can be regarded as a different way, at the moment everyone is focusing on the north, but he is directing the emperor's eyes to the south, although this is pertinent, but the implication of his words is to give up Li Xin.

Some ministers who are quick to react not only secretly slander themselves, but Hong Chengchou also seems to be a heartless person, whether it is out of public or selfish intentions, it is tantamount to declaring that giving up Li Xin is the right choice at the moment, or even the only choice.

"Take advantage of the fact that the Tartars have no time to look south, concentrate on dealing with the thieves in the Central Plains, so that they can mention yì, start the Shengshang, and the minister Xue Guoguan seconded the proposal!"

Hong Chengchou's suggestion was obviously extremely beneficial to Yang Sichang, and Xue Guoguan certainly had no reason to object, not only did he not have a reason to object, but he also had to help in order to facilitate this matter.

Zhu Youzhen was a little moved by Hong Chengchou's suggestion, compared to Li Xin's life and death, it was obvious that his Zhu family's country was more important, if he could really solve the Central Plains thieves, it could be regarded as getting rid of this great evil that had always been entrenched in his heart.

So, Zhu Youzhen waved his right hand and agreed with Hong Chengchou's construction, and then asked: "Can Hong Qing describe in detail how to concentrate on exterminating the Central Plains thieves?" ”

"Enlightening the Holy One, the thieves are worried about nothing more than suppressing and wandering through the provinces. In fact, the imperial court always fell short, and the Tartars were always on the edge at critical moments, and the thieves were forced to serve the king, which naturally gave the thieves who were almost at the end of their rope several times a chance to escape. At present, if Li Xin can contain the Tartars for more than three months, the minister will ask for his own life, and go south to cooperate with Yang Ge Lao to suppress the thieves, if he does not eliminate the thieves within half a year......"

Before Hong Chengchou's next words of assurance could be spoken, Zhu Youzhen interrupted him excitedly: "What Hong Qing said is true? "Half a year to eliminate the thieves, although he feels that it is a bit exaggerated, but even if there is moisture in this statement, if Hong Chengchou can exterminate the thieves in a year, it will also solve the biggest problem of his henchmen since he ascended the throne. However, then he was gloomy again, if it took a year, the Tartars would probably have conquered Jinzhou a long time ago, and then take advantage of the situation to re-attack Shanhaiguan, and the matter of suppressing thieves will start to fail again?

Therefore, Zhu Youzhen, who was excited, realized that what he had just thought was simple, and he originally wanted to immediately seal the official and make a wish, so that he would go south to fight the thief with Yang Sichang, but he immediately dispelled it.

Among them, Xue Guoguan bore the brunt of the sudden change in attitude and turned against Hong Chengchou. At the beginning, he agreed with Hong Chengchou's opinion because Hong Chengchou's intention of concentrating on solving the six thieves in the Central Plains was of great benefit to Yang Sichang.

But if Hong Chengchou is allowed to go south to divide his troops, not to mention, if he wins the battle, he will have to share Yang Sichang's credit, and even take all the credit of Yang Sichang. After all, Yang Sichang himself has not made progress for a long time, and if Hong Chengchou goes and wins the victory, then fools will feel that it is because of Hong Chengchou's arrival that the victory was achieved. Even if Yang Sichang shares his credit, others will think that he is stained with Hong Chengchou's light. Once this happens, Yang Sichang will completely lose the trust of the emperor, and his biggest aid will also collapse, and it will be difficult to move an inch in the court without the backstage, is it possible to let him hug Zhang Sizhi's old horseman's thigh?

Of course, this is absolutely impossible, so Xue Guoguan also let it go, on the one hand, he agreed with Hong Chengchou's intention to concentrate on solving the six thieves in the Central Plains, and on the other hand, he opposed Hong Chengchou's southward division of troops.

"Qi Shengshang, the thieves have Yang Ge Lao enough, the most taboo during the war, the most taboo order to go out, each for the battle, if Hong Shangshu goes, I am afraid that it will let the thieves take advantage, it is better to only send some soldiers, horses, grain and grass......"

For Yang Sichang's support, the promotion and knighthood did not help in the war, and Hong Chengchou could not be sent, of course, he could only transport soldiers to supplement with food and grass. However, as soon as Xue Guoguan's words fell, Li Shiwen immediately jumped out, "Xue Ge Lao knows that the household department has no money, and he wants to allocate grain and grass to the south, have you forgotten that it was just sent out at the beginning of the month?" ”

Li Shiwen said a lot angrily, and finally only expressed one meaning, which can be summed up in two words, no money!

Seeing that this court meeting is about to quarrel again, Zhu Youzhen, the son of the Great Tomorrow, has a headache, but this important military matter has not been resolved, and he can't go to the court so lightly, after all, this Ming Dynasty is his Zhu family's country, can he hide from the first day of junior high school, and won the fifteenth? I'm afraid that if it drags on for one more day, the situation will deteriorate a little more, and sooner or later, won't he still have to eat the consequences of this evil result from his Zhu family? I heard that the thieves surrounded Kaifeng again, Yang Sichang confronted each other, and was unable to defeat it for a long time, and now the official army and the thieves can no longer win with absolute superiority in a head-on battle, which shows that the combat effectiveness of the official army has declined rapidly, and the strength of the thieves has increased very high.

Under the elimination of one and the other, can Zhu Youzhen not be worried? Under internal and external troubles, where should he go? As the emperor, Zhu Youzhen also had a feeling of powerlessness for the first time, and he lamented in his heart again and again, did I really want to be the king of the dead country?

As soon as this thought popped into his mind, it was as unstoppable as a flood that broke the embankment, and he was unwilling, sad, afraid, and all kinds of tastes brewed and clogged in his chest, and pressed it to the point that it was difficult to even breathe.

"Holy Lord, the minister also thinks ......"

Zhu Youzhen looked over, only to see that it was Xue Guoguan who spoke, "The minister also believes that in addition to concentrating on solving the six thieves in the Central Plains, it is also time to reward the soldiers in the first battle of Shanhaiguan to improve morale." Moreover, the minister felt that although Li Xin moved troops without authorization, he was loyal after all, and he risked his life and deserved to be rewarded. Liu Yuliang is also guilty of resisting the decree, and Li Xin is generally out of the center of gravity of my Ming Dynasty, and he should also be rewarded......"

Xue Guoguan didn't answer Li Shi's question about the lack of money, but pointed to the north, in fact, he didn't expect the emperor to allocate grain and grass for Yang Sichang, this bit of the imperial court, he had long known it as a cabinet minister, and at the moment he couldn't even pay the arrears of the Shanhaiguan in Liaoxi, let alone distribute some more military rations to Yang Sichang's army.

Anyway, as long as the emperor's attention is diverted, and the idea of sending Hong Chengchou south to divide troops and power is dispelled, it will be regarded as a game.

Xue Guoguan proposed to reward Li Xin and Liu Yuliang, which greatly surprised everyone present, including Emperor Zhu Youzhen, who was sitting on the throne.

As soon as Zhu Youzhen wanted to express his approval of the reward, Zhang Sizhi jumped out to oppose it urgently.

"Qi Sheng, before the war is over, the reward will be awarded first, and the court has never set a precedent!"

Zhang Sizhi's opposition was naturally expected by Xue Guoguan, it didn't matter, as long as this water was mixed up, Hong Chengchou would not be allowed to go south, and it didn't matter to him whether Li Xin and Liu Yuliang were rewarded or not.

Li Shiwen also beat the side drum: "The old minister thinks that Li Xin and Liu Yuliang not only can't be rewarded, but should also be punished as a crime according to the law. Besides, just by their will, they will involve tens of thousands of soldiers of our Ming Dynasty to accompany them to the funeral, which is another crime. What else to talk about? Nothing short of nonsense! ”

Li Shi's words were reasonable, and the momentum was also full, Xue Guoguan's mouth opened twice to refute, but he couldn't talk about it for a while. Seeing that Xue Guoguan, who had always been able to speak well, was speechless by what he said, Li Shiwen was very proud, so he continued: "Li Xin is guilty of adding to his crime, even if he escapes by luck, he must be severely punished to set an example. ”

Xue Guoguan suddenly became nervous, and he suddenly found a hint of it, this old guy said this, as if he was deliberately staring at the position of the Shanxi General Army. If you are lucky enough to escape with your life, you must be severely punished, doesn't the implication be that the errand of the Shanxi general soldier must be won?