The regent of the Qing Dynasty was anxious, and the regent of the Ming Dynasty was proud.

Today's Yangzhou is not as good as it used to be, but it is still the most prosperous city in Jiangbei.

A freight ship with a deep draft docked at the canal wharf in Yangzhou Prefecture, and the laborers shouted the horn to unload the cargo. They live at the docks all year round, and they can guess what is inside as soon as they get their hands on the goods.

The "salt" coolies looked at each other, and their eyes were pleasantly surprised, and the cloth bags were full of salt. In the past, they transported salt from Yangzhou, and today cargo ships carry salt from Liangzhejiang to Yangzhou.

"What a good thing" word of mouth spread and quickly spread across the docks. The price of salt in Yangzhou has remained high since the beginning of the year, and the people buy grain more than 30% more expensive than Jiangnan, and buy salt twice as expensive as Jiangnan, and many poor families cannot afford to eat salt.

Lianghuai was originally a land of salt production, but due to the continuous war, the salt farms in various places were deserted, and it became a land of salt shortage.

This year, the household department implemented restructuring in the salt fields of Liangzhejiang, changing boiled salt to sun-dried salt. Under the scorching summer sun, the first snowflake-like salt has been bagged from the salt pan. As long as there is a salt ticket purchased from the salt carrier, anyone can go directly to the salt factory to get salt.

Past business trips have already brought news that the price of salt in Hangzhou has dropped by half compared with last year, and it is not known when the salt from the two Zhejiang provinces will be transported to Yangzhou.

Daming Jiangnan is a world, and Jiangbei is a world. Fortunately, after the regent was stationed in Yangzhou, he summoned the villagers from all over the country again and again, and heard that the ban on Yangtze River freight would soon be lifted.

The lifting of the grain embargo will not wait until the end of this war at the earliest, but Zhai Zhe has never ordered a ban on the sale of salt across the river. It's just that the big salt merchants have suffered a heavy blow recently, and many people dare not take risks, and it was not until two months after the salt was put on the market that some people had the courage to transport the salt to Yangzhou.

Military newspapers and spy reports continue to gather in Yangzhou, and good news from all over the country continues, Zhai Zhe is in a happy mood, his spirit is not disturbed by the scorching heat, and he eats a few bowls more than when he was in Nanjing.

Early this morning, the messengers of the Huguang army arrived in Yangzhou all the way.

The messenger visited the regent at the time, and the news spread throughout the city of Yangzhou at noon.

"Hu Guangjie Hu Guangjie Zhen Xiwang and General Xiao joined forces to break the Qing army under Nanyang City, the army has now besieged Nanyang, and the city is just around the corner"

The streets and alleys of Yangzhou, teahouses and green buildings, are all circulating this new arrival. Anyone who is surprised is despised by others. When it comes to the hatred and hatred of the Qing court, the people of Yangzhou are thousands of times more than the people of Jiangnan, so Zhai Zhe spent a month here, and his mood was far more comfortable than in Nanjing. People here support him, even though the price of grain in Yangzhou is 30% higher than that of Zhenjiang, which is across the river. Most of the people spoke of the regent with a heartfelt gratitude.

Just look at the temples in Yangzhou to know that the Bodhisattva with the most incense in Yangzhou is not the Buddha, nor Emperor Guan, but the ancestral hall of the regent of the Ming Dynasty.

When the people of Yangzhou City were overjoyed by the vast number of Hujie, before noon, the general's palace personally ordered the soldiers to rush to Taizhou with official documents, and urgently transferred Zhang Qiubu, a staff general who had shown great strength in the first battle of Yangzhou last year, to Huguang to assist the Huguang army in attacking Nanyang City.

Zhang Qiu was also born in the martial arts hall. The generals in the army have now figured out the regent's intentions, and the future of military generals who can read and write and have meritorious fame is more obvious than that of generals who are brave and illiterate, and those who have experience in the martial arts hall have more advantages.

The city is lively, and those who have good deeds light firecrackers to celebrate. But the court officials knew that the regent liked to be quiet, but no one dared to make the outside of the regent's palace noisy.

Before that time, a scrawny middle-aged scribe came to the outside of the palace.

He took a token from his bosom and gave it to the doorman, then waited in the shadow of the pillar. After a while, Fang Jin, the general of the guard, walked out of it, saw the scribe from afar, stepped forward to salute, and said with a smile: "Commander Zhao, you have finally come to Yangzhou."

The closest people around the regent know that the person who has risen the fastest in front of the regent in recent days is the emaciated commander of the East Factory.

"Deputy General Fang" Zhao Yucheng laughed: "It's really hot this day" This sentence fully reflects that his relationship with Fang Jin is very ordinary. It is said that peers are enemies, and he heard that Ji Hong and Fang Jin have a very good relationship.

Fang Jin said: "The prince is waiting for you"

The person who can make Zhai Zhe wait shows how important he is now.

Zhao Yucheng stretched out his right hand like a bird's claw and signaled to the palace: "Please"

Fang Jin led the way, and the two walked into the gate of the palace, and then bypassed an exquisite garden, and came to a palace shrouded in the shade of trees. It used to be the house of Yangzhou salt merchants, and after the Ten Days Massacre in Yangzhou, it was taken by Duoduo as its own, and later became the residence of Bolo, and now it is Zhai Zhe's palace.

The place that so many people like and like is of course extraordinary, I heard that the salt merchant spent nearly 200,000 taels of silver to repair this mansion. The Qing soldiers slaughtered in Yangzhou for ten days, regardless of men, women and children, rich and poor, and they were all general fates before the military disaster.

Zhao Yucheng followed Fang in to the gate of a wide palace, Fang Jin stopped, Zhang Bingyin came out from inside, and said, "Lord Zhao comes with me, the prince has been asking for your news for the past few days." ”

Zhao Yucheng bowed his hand to Fang Jin to express his gratitude, and followed Zhang Bingyin into the palace with light steps.

The trees overhead are shady, and when you walk into the palace, you can't feel the heat inside, and the cool breath is refreshing. Zhao Yucheng's steps were light, his body was already thin, like a feather fluttering, and there was no sound when he landed.

Zhang Bingyin and Zhao Yucheng are old acquaintances, he walked in front and didn't look back, and said: "The regent has always been concerned about the north, and the situation in the grassland affects the prince's next plan. ”

Zhao Yucheng didn't reply, as if Zhang Bingyin was talking to the air, and Zhang Bingyin didn't care.

The two walked into the palace, and a room on the right opened the door, Zhang Bingyin entered, and did not look up to salute inside: "Zhao Yucheng brings"

Zhai Zhe was sitting on a chair, crossing Erlang's legs, holding a book in his hand.

"See the prince," Zhao Yucheng, who was following behind, knelt down with his knees loose.

"You're here" Zhai Zhe put down the book, and the exit was complaining. Of course, he didn't miss the thin Zhao Yucheng, he was very desperate to know what Ezhe was in the grassland. The war has begun, and he has to decide the scale of the battlefield.

"Wechen should die" Zhao Yucheng opened his mouth first to plead guilty, "The reason why Wechen is a day late is because he is waiting for an important news in Beijing. ”

It is not an ordinary thing to make Zhao Yucheng say important things in front of him. Zhai Zhe put aside the worried grassland situation and asked curiously: "What news?" ”

"There are people in Beijing who are willing to negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty" Zhao Yucheng raised his face, his eyes shining like stars, "Someone in the upper three of the Manchu Qing Dynasty wants to overturn Dolgon and negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty." ”

So that's the case, Zhai Zhe smiled: "They can deal with Dolgon"

His attitude is a silent reproach to Zhao Yucheng, at least Zhao Yucheng himself thinks so.

There are some things that are not certain, although they have eyebrows. As a spy commander, he knew very well what the result would be if he reported to the lord that there might not be news, but he still couldn't help it: "The Empress Dowager of the Qing Court, Da Yu'er, may be the main messenger behind the scenes." ”

Zhai Zhe licked his lips and leaned forward with his upper body, Zhao Yucheng's words aroused his interest. Even if Da Yu'er loses, the Qing court will be divided.

"Su Quanquan with the yellow flag and Sony with the yellow flag are the ones who stand at the front, and there are several Baylors and princes of the three flags hidden behind, and only Da Yu'er can mobilize so many people." Half of Zhao's news is speculation. If he misled the regent, his favor would end there.

"Tell me more

Zhao Yucheng saw that the regent was relaxed and leaned back in his chair, knowing that he was ready to listen to his own tirade. He started with the steppe.

"Admiral Zuo has led his troops back to Shaanxi from Ganzhou Zhongwei, there is no accurate information there, but the Qing army in Henan was defeated, and Azig still mobilized 5,000 cavalry to the west, which shows that Admiral Zuo has created a lot of pressure on him."

"Hmm" Zhai Zhe agreed, he likes people with brains, so Zhao Yucheng can rise to prominence, and he can keep pace with Ji Hong in just a few years.

"Ezhe really wants to negotiate peace with the Manchus" Zhao Yucheng peeked at the regent's demeanor, and did not see any fierce reaction from Zhai Zhe, before he continued: "But he and the Manchus have contradictions in the handling of Modong Mongolia, and the Qing court is led by Sony, who is under the Yellow Banner, to negotiate peace talks. Sony is entrusted by Da Yuer and will never give up Modong Mongolia, so this peace discussion will not be fruitful in the short term. ”

"Hmm" Zhai Zhe secretly sighed, it was difficult for him to describe his mood. Although things were different from what I imagined, in the end I didn't deviate too far from the track.

The grassland strategy is an adventure, and the biggest risk is Ezhe. He thought of this when he made this decision. In the end, he chose to believe in Ezhe, and besides, there is nothing in the world that is not risky. If you succeed, you will sweep the world within a year or two, and if you don't succeed, you will survive for a few more years, and it is worth taking this risk.

Zhao Yucheng didn't pay attention to the regent's relief, and continued to look uplifted and said the greatest expectation in his heart: "Lord Wang, the commander of the Huaiyang Army of the Qing court, Jierharang, is the person who goes to the Three Banners, and Ao Bai is also the person who goes to the Three Banners. ”

Will they cross Dorgon to make peace with the Ming? Zhai Zhe came back to his senses and recalled the meaning of Zhao Yucheng's words, if this was the case, Dolgon would lose control of the Manchu court, and a bloody storm in Beijing would be inevitable.

No matter where he is, the regent is really not good, Zhai Zhe thought of his identity. After the success of the Northern Expedition, he didn't want to ascend to the throne, but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to. Emperor Longwu? Who can agree to the strong soldiers under the general's mansion.

Figuring out Mo Nan's shape and Ezhe's attitude, he has no superfluous problems for the time being. What Zhao Yucheng wants to do, let him do it, if it does, it will be able to save the lives of many Ming soldiers.

The spring breeze is proud when he wins, and when he loses, he is full of holes, standing in today's position, Zhai Zhe looks at the Manchu Qing Dynasty no matter how much he looks at it. It would be a good thing if Zilharang could come to him. However, defeating Dorgon like this always felt a lot less pleasure.

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