The troubled times are over.

The families of the people in the north rushed to tell each other, and they cut off the braids at the back of their heads and carried the sacrifices to the graves of their people. Too many people have died in the past 20 years, and the ability to leave descendants to sacrifice is because the ancestors have accumulated immeasurable yin virtues.

A large ship with a bright flag slowly moves through the canal.

The two Shangshu of the Ming Dynasty, Ma Shiying and Liu Suifeng, sat inside. The two older elders could not stand the toss, and the Hubu Shangshu Zongmao had already galloped to Beijing day and night along the official road of the canal under the escort of light horses.

Thousands of miles away, riding a horse is not faster than taking a boat for a few days, but it is much more fortunate.

Ma Shiying leaned against the window railing of the cabin, enjoying the cool summer breeze. After being silent for a long time, he said with some resentment: "I don't know why Zong Shangshu is in such a hurry, the prince's recovery of Beijing is a great joy, but he is in such a hurry." ”

"The prince summoned the three of us at the same time, ...... he did this, hey" He seemed to have endless grievances.

Liu Suifeng smiled faintly, the contradiction between Ma Shiying and Zong Mao had been made public. Now there are no eunuchs, of course, there is no eunuch party, and the Donglin party and the eunuch party are united to find a new enemy.

The so-called eunuchs are just the emperor's house slaves, isn't that the identity that Zong Mao is playing now?

In Ma Shangshu's expectant gaze, he said leisurely: "Zong Shangshu said that he doesn't like to take boats."

Ma Shiying cocked his beard and said: "The canal boat is not a sea boat, there is no wind and waves, isn't it more comfortable than riding a horse, he is so eager to show his merits, can he still compare the credit of this Northern Expedition to the adults?" He is just a secretary of the household department, and an adult is a secretary of the military department."

The pu fan that Liu swayed with the wind was not impatient or impatient: "If you want to talk about credit, Zong Shangshu is really bigger than me." The army is going north like a bamboo, but it also costs a lot of money and food, especially my Ming army uses firearms, there is no silver, and the bird gun and the burning stick are not much different, I spend silver, and the master of the sect earns silver. ”

Along the way, no matter how Ma Shiying teased, Liu Suifeng just didn't get set.

For many years, the emperor with a little brain in the Ming Dynasty knew that he wanted to suppress the Donglin Party, and the regent didn't look like a brainless person no matter how he looked at it. As a Jin person, Liu Suifeng can maintain his status even if he is not in the same party as Zong Mao, and there is no need to get entangled with the scholars who don't really like him.

However, Zong Mao was in such a hurry to go north, and he was also uncomfortable in his heart.

"Master Zong, Master Zong, you are really a bit obsessed with doing this."

The light rider chased the fluttering south wind and galloped.

"Drive, drive"

The knight in brocade shook the reins, even the skilled Mongols were no more than that, and in the ten years in Jiangnan, Zong Mao had not neglected his riding skills.

A Han slave of Tumut has become a person who will tremble in the Ming Dynasty even if he stomps his feet, and he is not satisfied. He wants to become a person under the Ming Dynasty and above ten thousand people, and the opportunity is right in front of him.

When you are thirsty, you drink a sip of turbid canal water, and when you are hungry, you take a bite of a cake. He estimated that he would be three days faster than the two Shangshu lords who were on the boat.

In front of Baoding City, a column of slow cavalry on the official road blocked the road.

"Dodge" Zong Mao was about to scold, and he saw a banner with the word "Xiao" at the beginning.

He stopped a man in a thousand general uniform and asked, "Are you Xiao Zhiyan's subordinates?" ”

Seeing that Zong Mao was wearing a purple official robe, Mr. Qian hurriedly saluted: "Exactly"

"Where is Xiao Zhiyan?"

Mr. Qian replied: "Lord Xiao has entered Beijing yesterday."

"I see, the generals of the Ming army have gathered, and there is no more suitable time than this" Zong Mao was eager to fly to Beijing. He knew that the army would not be gathering in Beijing for long, and in less than ten days, the generals and general soldiers would be sent to the places where they were to be guarded.

A day later, the light cavalry arrived outside the city of Beijing, and Zong Mao saw Yuan Qizhou's battle flag coming out of the city.

He urged him to step forward and say hello: "Chief Soldier Yuan, where are you going?" ”

Looking at the hundred light horsemen who were galloping wildly, Yuan Qizhou looked at it for a long time before he could tell that it was Zong Mao. He greeted him, dismounted and said, "Zong Shangshu, the Tartars have fled, and the prince has ordered me to garrison Shanhaiguan." ”

Zong Mao hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are all the generals in the army in the city?" ”

"Exactly, General Feng pursued Azig all the way to Shanhaiguan, and was ordered to come back yesterday, and my lord ordered me to replace him"

Zong Mao nodded slightly, and arched his hand on horseback: "Then the general soldier of Yuan will go, I am about to go to see the prince."

The two said goodbye, and he urged the horse to go four or five miles forward, and saw the majestic and magnificent Beijing City Gate.

No matter how strong the capital is, whenever the dynasty ends, it will not play a role. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Xu Da led a large army to the Northern Expedition, Emperor Yuan Shun fled without a fight, and later Li Zicheng entered Beijing, eunuchs and civil officials competed to dedicate the city, and today the regent went on a northern expedition, and the Qing Emperor did not have the courage to hold on.

Zong Mao felt in his heart, so he stopped his war horse in front of the city gate and watched for a while, sighed, and entered the city.

The Ming army's recovery of Beijing was much better than the military discipline of Li Zicheng's entry into Beijing, except for forcing all the people in the city to cut off their braids, there was no order to disturb the people. Han Chinese officials abandoned by the Manchus were driven out of their mansions and taken to prison, and the charges have not yet been determined.

Zong Mao found Yan Yingyuan, who was in charge of the city defense, and after a little inquiry, he learned that Zhai Zhe did not live in the palace, but set up a camp in the former Prince Heshuo Jian's mansion.

He laughed a few times and said, "The ladies are not there, and the prince is afraid that he will feel lonely when he stays in the palace alone."

Yan Yingyuan echoed and smiled.

Zong Mao asked the residences of several generals again, said goodbye to Yan Yingyuan and rushed to Prince Jian's mansion.

Yan Yingyuan ordered two personal soldiers to lead the way. The city of Beijing is still under martial law, and without the token of the city defense soldiers, the Hubu Shangshu cannot walk around the city at will.

The shops on the streets were all open, and there were few pedestrians, and a group of twenty or so knights galloped boldly through the streets, and after two quarters of an hour they arrived at Prince Jane's mansion

The entrance to the palace was guarded by personal guards, and two stone lions with teeth and claws glaring at the visitors. Zong Mao ordered the guards to report inside, and after a while, Fang came in and out to pick him up

Before Zong Mao entered the door, he suddenly turned around and instructed the two city defense soldiers: "You two don't go, I will have something to do when I come out" and then walked into the palace with Fang Jin

The climate in the north is dry, but this palace of Prince Jian is full of green trees, and it is still full of flowers in autumn, and many flowers are not named. His steps were like the wind, and he didn't have the heart to enjoy the scenery.

Walking through the two courtyards, Zhai Zhe was talking to a gray-yellow headed Western Fan in a small gazebo.

Fang Jin pointed there and said: "That person's name is Tang Ruowang, he used to be an official in my Ming Dynasty, and later took refuge in the Qing court. ”

Zong Mao laughed lightly and said, "Vice General Fang is so bold now, dare to talk about the prince behind his back, is the Tartar good-looking?" They all smelled fishy. ”

As they spoke, the two of them had already arrived in front of the gazebo.

I heard that Tang Ruowang said: "I didn't expect the prince to be so familiar with Europa" His official language is exactly the same as that of the Han people, and he can't hear a little rusty.

Zhai Zhe turned his head to see Zong Mao, beckoned him to come over and said, "I didn't expect you to come so quickly"

"Weichen came on horseback" Zong Mao knelt down and saluted, and said: "Master Ma and Lord Liu will take a boat, and it will take two or three days to arrive."

Zhai Zhe seemed to be having an unfinished conversation with Tang Ruowang, and waved his hand and said: "You ride all the way north, it's very hard, go down first to rest for one night, and I'll find you tomorrow."

"Obedience"

Zong Mao retreated, and when he walked to the gate of the courtyard, he turned around and saw Zhai Zhe talking to Tang Ruowang again. He wondered how the regent and a Zephan man could talk to each other

Out of the palace, he saw that the two city defense soldiers were still there, Zong Mao hurriedly got on his horse and ordered; "You two take me to General Zuo Ruo's residence."

Zuo Ruo lives in Dongcheng District, and when Zong Mao arrived at Zuo Ruo's mansion, the sun was already in the west.

The soldiers at the door reported to the house, and a moment later there was the sound of heavy footsteps inside, like a hammer hitting the ground. Zuoruo's axe-like face appeared in the porch.

"Zong Shangshu, have you come to the capital?" Zuo Ruo was quite surprised, "Why do you have time to come to me?"

"I'm here to discuss something important with the general," Zong Mao smiled and stepped over the crimson threshold.

The two entered the central hall, and Zuo Ruo asked Zong Mao to sit down.

Zong Mao waited for the boiling tea to be served, and arched his hand: "Please retreat from the general"

Zuo Ruo's face became serious, he didn't ask, and naturally waved his hand outward. The soldiers and servants quietly retreated.

"General Zuo, you people can really be idle in Beijing City" Zong Mao turned sideways and pressed one hand on the table, "The prince didn't live in the imperial city, aren't you uncomfortable?" ”

Zuo Ruo's brows bent into a faint word "Chuan", and he was silent in thought.

Zong Mao's palm slapped on the table, and the lid of the white porcelain cup trembled slightly: "Ming people don't say secret words, I am in a hurry to come to Beijing, just to support the regent to ascend the throne before the Nanjing court understands, so as not to have many dreams at night." ”

Zuo Ruo asked, "Where else did Zong Shangshu go before he came to my mansion?" ”

"The first thing I looked for was General Zuo"

Zuo Ruo smiled, shook his head again and again, and said: "It's strange, you and Feng Qin are both people who came out of the prince's side, Feng Qin made great contributions to the Northern Expedition, you didn't look for him, why did you come to me first?" ”

Zong Mao did not shy away from it, and said; "Because I'm the same person as General Zuo"

"Okay" Zuo Ruo high-fived, "Just rely on Zong Shangshu's words, I Zuo Ruo is all arranged by Zong Shangshu, we don't do this matter, someone will do it sooner or later, why bother to cheap those literati who can only move their mouths"

Hearty laughter rang out from the middle hall.

Zong Mao said: "The defense of Beijing is controlled by General Yan, and General Zuo goes, and General Yan will not shirk it."

"That's natural, I said that General Yan moved, and I will invite a few more general soldiers to my mansion to discuss this matter, but ......" Zuo Ruo paused, "General Feng is still up to you to invite."

Seeing Zuo Ruo's demeanor, Zong Mao vaguely guessed his thoughts, and said with a smile: "Okay, I'll leave it to me every time." ”