Zhezhe's exclamation not only did not make Zhai Sang feel embarrassed, but laughed, "Zhezhe, take a closer look and see if there is any wind penetrating in?" ”

Seeing Zhai Sang's smug expression, Zhezhe curiously walked to the window and looked at it carefully, and then touched it with his hand, his face immediately changed, and at the same time he couldn't help but cover his mouth and shouted: "God, big brother, have you put all the windows with glass, how much silver does this cost!" ”

"My good sister, this is not glass, this is called glass!" Zhai Sang's face was full of smugness at the moment, and he pointed to the windows of the tent and said: "See, my tent has a total of twenty-two windows and twelve skylights, all of which are wrapped in glass, no candles are lit during the day, and you can watch the stars at night, the glass of this tent and the window was sent to me by my good son-in-law, what do you think?" ”

Hearing this, Zhezhe's expression became a little complicated, and he said in a low voice: "Brother, are you saying that these are all sent by Hai Lanzhu and her husband?" ”

"Yes!" Zhai Sang saw that Zhezhe's expression became a little gloomy, he sighed lightly and patted Zhezhe's shoulder and said, "Zhezhe, don't hate Hai Lanzhu either. The Han people have a saying that marrying a chicken and marrying a dog is a dog, since Hai Lanzhu is married to Yue Yang, then she is a person from the Ming Kingdom, everything has to be considered for her husband, since Huang Taiji is defeated, he has to accept his fate, this is also the rule of the grassland for thousands of years, do you understand? ”

Zhezhe held back his tears and whispered: "Brother, you don't have to comfort me, I understand all this, these are the lives of me and Bumu Butai, and they can't be forced." ”

"Alas......" Zhai Sang also sighed a little, Yue Yang is her son-in-law, Huang Taiji is also his brother-in-law and son-in-law, the two sons-in-law fought, and the last one hiccuped for this, what else can he, the old man, say? Said that Huang Taiji should not attack the Chahar tribe and should not have a conflict with Yueyang? Or blame Yue Yang for not beating Huang Taiji too hard?

The nomads who have lived on the steppe for generations have followed the naked law of the jungle. Whoever is strong enough and who is ruthless enough to survive, no matter what means you use, you are a hero if you defeat your opponent, and the winner should not be blamed.

At this time, Da Yu'er, who had not spoken, touched the window glass on the side and said softly: "Abu, have Sister Hai Lanzhu and brother-in-law come to see you all these years?" Has she ever written to you these days? ”

"Nope!" Hearing this, Zhai Sang shook his head slightly and said, "Last time Huang Taiji conquered the Chahar tribe, our Horqin tribe also participated. Since then, although the caravans in Shanxi have been coming and going to our tribe as usual, Hai Lanzhu has never written to me again. Maybe she's still mad at me. Speaking of this, Zhai Sang's expression was a little depressed.

To tell the truth, since he followed Huang Taiji to the Chahar tribe to make soy sauce and came back, Zhai Sang felt that since then, Hai Lanzhu and Yue Yang's attitude towards him has changed subtly, originally Hai Lanzhu and Yue Yang often sent people to send them some family letters or some rare objects or goods, but in the past few months, except for some normal caravans, Hai Lanzhu has never written to Zhai Sang, and at this time, Zhai Sang is even more sluggish and knows that Hai Lanzhu and his family are beating themselves.

Da Yu'er listened to Zhai Sang's words silently, and only after Zhai Sang finished speaking did she whispered: "Abu." My aunt and I came back this time to seek your refuge, would you like to take me and my aunt in? ”

"Of course, why do you say that?" Zhai Sang's eyes widened and said, "You are my daughter, and Zhezhe is my sister." It is a matter of course to shelter loved ones, Bumu Butai...... Could it be that after marrying a Manchurian, you have forgotten even the teachings of immortality? ”

"Of course I haven't forgotten?" Da Yu'er said softly: "Abu, it's just that I have the heir of Xian Khan in my stomach now, if this child is a boy." I will let him succeed to the throne in the future. When the time comes, I am afraid that the peaceful Horqin tribe will also be dragged into the flames of war. ”

Hearing this, Zhai Sang was silent, and after a long time, he said, "Bumu Butai." Although I am your Abu, I am also the leader of the Horqin tribe, so the first thing I have to consider is the safety of all the people, although the Great Qing Kingdom was hit hard some time ago, but it is not something that the Horqin tribe can provoke, so I do not support you to do this, and I cannot limit the entire tribe to a trap in order to support your child to ascend to the throne of Khan, unless ......"

Without waiting for Zhai Sang to finish speaking, Da Yu'er's eyes revealed a gleam and preemptively said, "Unless my good sister and brother-in-law can support me strongly, is that so?" ”

"I hate to admit it, but it's true." Zhai Sang smiled bitterly: "Bumu Butai, although you have just returned to the tribe, I am afraid you have seen some things, and now the Horqin tribe is completely inseparable from the support of your sister and brother-in-law, from weapons, armor, grain, cloth, clothing, to pots and pans, all of which have to be transported from Shanxi." And we exchanged things like horses, cattle and sheep, and furs for them. And over the years, our herdsmen have become accustomed to not taking the risk of fighting with other tribes, only need to live a stable life of herding horses and sheep, so to speak, Shanxi can do business without the Horqin tribe, but the Horqin tribe is inseparable from them, do you understand what I mean? ”

"I see!" Although she had some preparations, Da Yu'er was still shocked by the truth, and she said bitterly: "So our tribe has been reduced to a vassal of my sister and brother-in-law?" ”

"It's not entirely true, but it's not far off." Zhai Sang's face was full of bitterness, "I have to admit that your brother-in-law's methods are much more clever than others, the herdsmen are used to this kind of leisurely and wealthy life, if Yueyang once the trade of our tribe is cut off, I am afraid that our tribe will have to starve to death a lot this winter." ”

Da Yu'er fell into deep thought after hearing this, it seems that she still underestimated Yueyang's influence on the Horqin tribe, to put it mildly, the current Horqin tribe has long been reduced to Yueyang's vassals, and Yueyang only paid some food and materials for this, such a means is more clever than the Great Qing State that can only use force to conquer.

In an instant, Da Yu'er made a decision, "Abu, I want to meet my sister and brother-in-law!" ”

Zhai Sang glanced at Da Yu'er meaningfully: "Bumu Butai, I don't think it's a good choice for you to meet Hai Lanzhu now, because you can't be sure that you will give birth to a boy at this time next year." ”

Da Yu'er was silent for a while, "Abu, maybe you're right, I'm really in too much of a hurry." Well, I'll wait until next year when my baby is born. If I had given birth to a girl, I would have died in the Horqin tribe, never to avenge the Great Khan, and if I had given birth to a boy, I would have to ask Abu for help. ”

"That's the best!" Zhai Sang looked at his daughter with a resolute look on her face, and sighed secretly in her heart, "In this way, I will let Wudamu take you to camp in the back, and you can live here with peace of mind in the future, although I can't send troops to avenge you." But it's still okay to shelter your sister and daughter. Speaking of this, Zhai Sang unconsciously showed a heroic color.

At this moment, the curtain of the big tent was lifted, and a dusty cavalryman hurriedly ran in and said loudly: "Venerable Zhaisang chief, we have just received the news that the Great Qing Kingdom has begun to invade the south again!" ”

"What ......"

"It can't be!"

The news shook the people in the tent like a thunderbolt......

The news that the Manchus began to invade the south again was like a thunderbolt, which not only shocked the Horqin tribe, but also shook the Manchu civil and military forces of the Ming Dynasty.

From the Ming Dynasty to Zhu Youzhen to the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military forces, they did not expect that the Manchu Qing Dynasty had just been beaten by Yueyang and was looking for teeth, and less than half a year had passed, and they dared to send troops to invade the south. Is he crazy?

"What the hell is going on? Can any of you tell me how the Tartars broke through the passes of Xifengkou and Dushikou, and are the defenders there all pigs? Chongzhen's furious voice echoed across the Jinluan Palace.

At this time, the Manchu civil and military forces were in a state of stagnation, and before that, even the most pessimistic people believed that the Manchus would not have the strength to invade the south again for at least three to five years after they had been severely defeated. The imperial court could concentrate the power of the whole country to exterminate the rogue who were ravaging the hinterland during this time, and then slow down to deal with the Manchus outside the Guan, but the fact gave everyone a blow to the head, and the new Manchu Emperor Dorgon, who had been in office for less than a month, concentrated almost all the remaining forces of the Qing state. A total of 100,000 iron horsemen easily broke into the pass from Xifengkou and Dushikou, and then began to wreak havoc in the interior like locusts.

In less than ten days, the Qing soldiers conquered Juyong and Changping North Road. After the capture of Changping, they successively captured Liangxiang and Shunyi, and then launched an attack on Baodi, Dingxing, Ansu, Dacheng, Xiongxian, Anzhou and other prefectures, and for a time the hinterland of the Central Plains was lit everywhere, and hundreds of people were slaughtered.

Yang Sichang stood at the top of the hundred officials, his face at this time also became very ugly, it can be said that the Qing army's southern invasion was completely beyond everyone's expectations, even he was no exception, and what is even more unbelievable is that the route of the Qing army's southern invasion is almost exactly the same as last year's Qing army's southern invasion, almost a copy of last year's southern invasion, which almost makes everyone embarrassed, because all the ministers, including him, have sworn to Chongzhen that the Manchu Qing Dynasty will not have the strength to invade the Ming Dynasty in the short term, But the show gave them a hot slap in the face.

"Say...... Why don't you say it? Didn't you all promise me that the Tartars were not to be feared now? Didn't you say that with the Liaodong Army and the Xuanda Army here, it is impossible for the Tartars to invade our border pass? ”

At this time, Chongzhen was so angry that he almost lost his mind, and a nameless anger couldn't stop stirring in his chest.

"Yang Sichang, you are the first assistant of the dynasty and the secretary of the military department, you can tell me...... Why didn't we receive any news in advance about the Tartar invasion of the border this time, why were the Tartars able to break through two border passes at the same time overnight, are the defenders of the border pass all dead? ”

Yang Sichang slowly walked out of the class, knelt down and kowtowed to Chongzhen: "The minister is speechless, please ask the emperor to surrender, the minister will never complain!" He knew that no matter what he said now, it was useless, it had happened, and it was useless to justify, so it was better to admit his mistake honestly.

Chongzhen didn't get angry but laughed: "Okay...... Okay, this is my minister, this is my minister, this is my minister, this is my Ming Shoufu, and this is my trusted civil and military officials...... You are all my good courtiers! ”

"Ministers deserve death...... Please punish the emperor! ”

The ministers in the main hall knelt down in unison, and for a moment they fell to their knees.

"It's another trick."

Seeing such a scene, Chongzhen sat on the dragon chair like a deflated ball. This trick has been used very skillfully by the hundred officials of the Ming Dynasty, whenever they are at a loss or when they encounter no way to solve the problem, they will collectively kneel down and cheat, anyway, the emperor still has to rely on them to govern the world, he can't kill everyone. It was with this trick that these ministers escaped the countless thunderous wrath of the emperors of the past dynasties.

A quarter of an hour later, there was still silence in the hall, and the officials, led by Yang Sichang, were still quietly kneeling on the ground. No one dared to be born, and Chongzhen also sat silently on the dragon chair and looked at these people quietly, as if he was consumed with these people.

Looking at these ministers kneeling on the ground, Chongzhen felt sad in his heart. Is this the courtier who has high hopes? He lowered his head, saw Yang Sichang kneeling at the front, saw the strand of white hair on Yang Sichang's sideburns, and sighed slightly in his heart, in the blink of an eye, many years have passed, and the sideburns of this courtier have begun to turn white.

Thinking of this, Chongzhen waved his hand weakly: "Okay." Don't kneel, get up. Yang Sichang and a number of cabinet ministers and brother Shangshu all went to the imperial study with me. ”

With Chongzhen's voice, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and said in unison: "The ministers obey the order......

Two quarters of an hour later, Yang Sichang led a group of important ministers to the imperial study of Nuanxiang Pavilion again. When they saw Chongzhen sitting quietly on the dragon chair with his eyes blank and looking out without focus in his eyes, Yang Sichang also felt a pain in his heart, walked to the dragon case and knelt down, "The minister is guilty!" ”

"The ministers are guilty!" For a while, more than a dozen ministers knelt on the ground again.

"Alright. Arise, all of you, are ye guilty? I see that you are not guilty, and it is I who is guilty! "Seeing these people coming to this set again, Chongzhen's anger grew again." Almost at the same time, in the same place, the Tartars invaded my border twice and plundered my Ming property. Kill my Ming people, as important ministers of the court, what will you do except say that your crimes deserve death? Ah......h

looked at Chongzhen's red eyes. Yang Sichang slowly raised his head and said: "The minister thinks that this time the Tartars are really strange, and there must be a hidden secret!" ”

Chongzhen shouted impatiently: "Secret, what secret?" Do you have to inform me of the Ming Dynasty before the Tartars commit the crime? Yang Aiqing, what do you want to say? ”

Yang Sichang looked at Chongzhen and said word by word: "The minister thinks that this Tartar offense must be inseparable from the Liaodong Army!" ”

"What?" The ministers in the imperial study were all shocked and asked in unison, "What the hell is going on?" ”

Chongzhen also glared at Yang Sichang and shouted, "You make it clear!" ”

Yang Sichang said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, please think about it, the place where the Tartars committed the pass this time is almost exactly the same as last year, and the imperial court has not received any warning from the border army in advance. This time, the 100,000 Tartar army invaded our border pass, and it is almost impossible to achieve the slightest quiet concealment, unless the stalls of the Liaodong Army are blind. If that's the case, then there's only one explanation......"

Everyone asked in unison, "What explanation......?"

"That is, this time the Tartar was able to break through several of my passes at the same time, and that was because someone deliberately let the Tartar enter the pass!" Yang Sichang looked at Chongzhen's eyes and said word by word.

"Boom ......"

Yang Sichang's words exploded like a thunderbolt above everyone's heads, shocking everyone.

Cheng Guoxiang, the head of the household, stammered: "Yang ...... Elder Yang Ge, what are you talking about...... You can't talk nonsense, do you mean that this time the Tartar can enter the customs so smoothly...... Is it because the Tartars and the Liaodong Army colluded with each other? ”

Chongzhen was also shocked, and said in a lost voice: "This is impossible...... How did the Liaodong Army hook up with the Tartars......"

At this time, Zhu Youzhen was stunned, he never expected that his cabinet chief assistant would report such a shocking inference to him as soon as he came in. If it is really as he said, the entry of the Qing army into the customs this time was deliberately let in by the Liaodong army, then the matter is really too serious, and this news is enough to collapse the entire Ming Dynasty and the opposition. A military group known as the most elite of the Ming Dynasty, which is supported by the power of the whole country, actually colluded with their mortal enemies, and also let the enemy in, which simply subverted everyone's three views.

After the shock, there was anger, and Chongzhen's face quickly turned pale, "Yang Aiqing, you must know that you can't talk nonsense, otherwise I won't be the first to spare you!" ”

Yang Sichang said with certainty: "Your Majesty, what makes this difficult to guess, you only need to send Jinyi Wei secret agents to quickly go to the area of Xifengkou and Dushikou to investigate, and the minister believes that there will be clues left in this qiē." ”

Although Yang Sichang's evaluation in history is not very high, he can stand out in the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty and become the head of the cabinet above 10,000 people under one person, which naturally has his reasons, otherwise a person who is too incompetent will not be able to suppress those old fritters below.

Although Yang Sichang's inference stunned everyone at first, when they calmed down and thought about it carefully, they found something strange inside. This incident did not happen for a long time, but it happened after the imperial court allocated the latest grain and salary to the Central Plains bandit army, and before that, the Liaodong Army also sent people to urge the food and salary several times, but they were rejected by the imperial court. (To be continued......)