Episode 156 Incredible Requirements

The Northern Qing Dynasty designated Xiang Xiaoqiang to also participate in the Nanming negotiation team. When the Foreign Secretary read it out, there was a stunned look in the Imperial Study.

Zhu Yourong's face turned slightly pale, and he glanced up at Xiang Xiaoqiang, his lips moved, and he didn't say anything. But she pretended to be calm, took a sip from her teacup, and placed it on the table. The tea spilled out a little.

Xiang Xiaoqiang's head "buzzed", and a cold air rose from behind. Immediately afterward, a wave of anger rose from his heart. But he kept a straight face and didn't say anything.

This is obviously that Guangwu's kid wants to take the opportunity to take revenge, trick Lao Tzu to Beiqing, and then click. If you don't say it, you can't go with ironclad, and a fool will go.

But he knows that this "can't go", it is absolutely inconvenient for him to say it, and he must let others say it. Even if you don't say it yourself, the ministers in this circle will definitely speak out against it, pointing out that Emperor Guangwu is uneasy and kind, we can't be fooled, and we can't let General Xiang go.

However, if you don't say it first, then you will be greedy for life and afraid of death: What, who do you think you are to Xiaoqiang? Weigh your own life more than the lives of those thousands of soldiers?

Xiang Xiaoqiang glanced at Zhu Yourong and saw that this girl was pretending to be calm, but her eyes were also full of concern and worry. Xiang Xiaoqiang's heart was warm again, and there was an impulse: there was a confidante like this, as long as she felt the need and opened her mouth to let her go, then even if she risked her life to go to him, what was the big deal.

Zhu Yourong's face was still a little white, but his voice spoke very calmly:

"Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think? Let's talk about it. ”

Zhu Yourong wanted to say "Xiang Xiaoqiang can't go" in person, but he was very weak and didn't dare to say it. Although her relationship with Xiang Xiaoqiang has not yet been disclosed, many people can guess it. A pair of young men and women, Xiang Xiaoqiang often runs to the palace, and Zhu Yourong listens to Xiaoqiang for everything...... In everyone's opinion, this is nothing.

Shen Rongxuan coughed, groaned for a while, didn't say it himself, but looked around a few ministers, and said:

"yes...... What do you think? Let's talk about it. ”

Foreign Minister He Ziguang glanced at Xiao Qiang and then at Shen Rongxuan. The foreign minister of the Ming Dynasty can be said to be the second heavyweight in the cabinet except for the first and auxiliary ministers. Now Xiang Xiaoqiang himself doesn't speak, His Majesty doesn't speak, and Shen Ge doesn't speak, so it's his turn.

He Ziguang knew that Shen Ge always wanted Xiang Xiaoqiang to go, and it was best not to go back. And as a cabinet minister, he has always hoped that the political force of Xiang Xiaoqiang will "disappear". However, he can't say that he is in favor of going to Xiaoqiang. Qing Yu wanted to lure Xiang Xiaoqiang, a famous anti-Qing general, to kill him. It's all too obvious. If you are in favor of it, then there is a question of position.

"Your Majesty, Shen Ge Lao, everyone," He Ziguang said slowly, "Ziguang thinks that General Xiang must not go. This is obviously a trick to deceive the Qing captives. General Xiang's previous lonely actions in the hinterland of the Northern Qing Dynasty, coupled with his outstanding achievements during the Battle of Nanjing, have long made the Qing Dynasty hateful. If you go to the general, you will inevitably be more than lucky. We must not be fooled. ”

After He Ziguang finished speaking, several ministers also nodded in agreement. Zhu Yourong's face softened a little, showed some smiles, and nodded his head, "Uh-huh".

Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed lightly, shook his head, and said lightly:

"Actually, it's nothing for me to take a little danger alone, as long as I can save thousands of my Ming soldiers, even if I really die in the north, it won't be a loss. Alas, the problem is that once this case is opened, the Qinglu have tasted the sweetness of the deception, and I am afraid that they will enjoy it in the future. In that case, as long as it is the people they hate, such as Princess Liaoyang, Pu Heng Belle, and those anti-Qing fighters who are in exile in the Ming Dynasty, etc., I am afraid that they will all have to worry about their lives. ”

Zhu Yourong immediately nodded and sighed lightly:

"yes...... What Xiang Qing said is very true, this is the truth......"

……

As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a telegram to the embassy in Tokyo and rejected this request of the Northern Qing Dynasty. The Nanming side accused the Northern Qing of lacking sincerity in this demand. Because General Xiang Xiaoqiang is only the commander of the People's Guard, his identity has nothing to do with this negotiation. And the Ming side directly singled out and said: General Xiang Xiaoqiang is one of the most hated people in the Northern Qing Dynasty, if he goes to the Northern Qing Dynasty with the regiment, it will be a sheep into the mouth of the tiger.

An hour later, the news from the Beiqing side came through the Ming Embassy in Tokyo. The Northern Qing Dynasty first said categorically that Xiang Xiaoqiang's participation in the Nanming delegation was a prerequisite for the Qing Dynasty to be willing to have a dialogue with the Southern Ming Dynasty, and if this article could not be met, then there would be no need for dialogue. Nanming still had only two choices: either exchange for 150,000 Qing prisoners of war, or never think about seeing his thousands of officers and soldiers again.

Moreover, the Northern Qing side also gave an explanation in the telegram, explaining that there was no other intention to invite General Xiang Xiaoqiang to go, but the Great Qing Dynasty greatly appreciated General Xiang's performance during the negotiations in Nanyang Minghe and did not lose the face of the Chinese. Several adults in the Qing Dynasty negotiation team wanted to take the opportunity to get acquainted with Lord Xiang. Moreover, the Northern Qing Dynasty solemnly guaranteed that the Great Qing Dynasty would never take the opportunity to detain or harm General Xiang, and that nothing unfavorable to General Xiang would happen. You can rest assured.

After reading Beiqing's reply, the imperial study fell silent again.

After a moment, the Home Secretary snorted coldly:

"Qingyu also said that he appreciated the performance of the Nanyang negotiations with the adults, and did not lose the face of the Chinese." Chinese', hum, Qingyu is still kind to call himself Chinese? It's shameless. ”

None of the others spoke, but their expressions were the same as those of the Minister of the Interior, and they were quite disdainful of Qingyu's self-proclaimed "Chinese".

Xiang Xiaoqiang had already discovered this phenomenon, and the Ming people at this time generally did not regard the Northern Qing Dynasty as "China". The mainstream view of the Southern Ming Dynasty is that the Northern Qing Dynasty cannot be regarded as China at all, at least it is also an emasculated China. The only one who can truly represent China is the Ming Dynasty south of the Yangtze River.

But Xiang Xiaoqiang came from later generations, and in the history of that space, soon after the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, the Ming Dynasty completely perished. So the Qing Dynasty replaced the Ming Dynasty as a dynasty in Chinese history, and it was a legitimate dynasty recognized by historians. Moreover, after the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing government also acted as the Chinese government to interact with other countries and was recognized by all countries.

However, at present, this time and space is ruled by the Ming and Qing dynasties, and they do not recognize each other...... It's really a trick on people. In this time and space, although Xiang Xiaoqiang also regarded the Ming Dynasty as the orthodoxy of China, he was still very uncomfortable with the Ming Dynasty's idea of "not recognizing the Northern Qing Dynasty as China".

……

Anyway, now a reply from Beiqing has once again lifted the hearts of Xiang Xiaoqiang and Zhu Yourong. People said categorically: If Xiang Xiaoqiang doesn't come, then it's time to talk......

Xiang Xiaoqiang frowned, took the telegraph and stared at the words on it, his mind was spinning rapidly, guessing what the other party meant and how credible the other party's guarantee was. Also, even if the guarantee of the Northern Qing Dynasty is credible, then what is the motive for them to invite themselves?

Zhu Yourong didn't speak anymore, just lowered his head and drank tea, but his eyes revealed fear and anxiety. She hesitated for a moment with her cup in her hand, and finally blurted out:

"No! Xiang Qing can't go! ”

Everyone was staring at her. Zhu Yourong couldn't care about other people's eyes anymore, and continued to lower his head and said categorically:

"No, Xiang Qing can't go...... Send a telegram over there and say we can talk about anything else, but we can't talk about it......"

Xiang Xiaoqiang was very moved, opened his mouth and just wanted to speak, when Shen Rongxuan spoke:

"Your Majesty, the minister has a way. It's not like you can't go at all. But since the Qingyu keeps guaranteeing the safety of the adults, then we can seize this and let them give us a real guarantee. ”

Zhu Yourong raised his head and said:

"What guarantees?"

Shen Rongxuan says:

"Let the Northern Qing send an equally important person to our side. When Lord Xiang comes back safely, we'll let that person go back. ”

"You mean...... Let them send a hostage? ”

"Not bad."

Zhu Yourong squinted his eyes and said suspiciously:

"Elder Ge, this matter makes us beg Beiqing, and Beiqing begs us from time to time. If we make such a request, will they possibly agree? ”

Shen Rongxuan says:

"Of course, they don't necessarily agree, but they can. Whatever their motives, it was clear that they wanted to let Xiang go there. If they agreed, and the 'hostages' sent we thought were of sufficient weight, then what was there to worry about when Xiang went to Beiqing? On the contrary, Beiqing swore that it would not be unfavorable to Xiang Adult, and if we couldn't even agree to our minimum precautionary request, then we really wanted to deceive Xiang Adult. In that case, you don't have to go. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang looked at Shen Rongxuan suspiciously, guessing what his idea was. Zhu Yourong hesitated:

"This ......"

The Foreign Secretary seized the opportunity and said:

"Anyway, we can try it first. The choice is still ours anyway. It's better to try it out first. ”

Zhu Yourong looked at Xiang Xiaoqiang. Xiang Xiaoqiang hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly. Zhu Yourong also hesitated and nodded.

The telegram was sent. After a while, the telegram from the other party returned.

The Northern Qing side agreed. And to Nan Ming's surprise, it generously asked Nan Ming to pick the "hostages" they thought were suitable.

Zhu Yourong didn't give up, and wanted to open his mouth with a lion. She directly asked the foreign minister to send a report over there, and when she opened her mouth, she asked Emperor Guangwu's younger brother - Aixin Jueluo-Yuyi to come over as a hostage.

When several ministers heard His Majesty's crazy request, they all vigorously opposed it, for fear of provoking Emperor Guangwu. But Zhu Yourong just wanted to provoke Guangwu and insisted that people send the telegram over.

After two hours, the other party telegraphed back. To everyone's surprise, Emperor Guangwu did not turn his face, but agreed to send his own brother over as a hostage. But he put forward an additional condition: Xiang Xiaoqiang's weight alone is not enough, not enough to ensure the safety of his own brother. Nanming has one more person to add. Guangwu asked Zheng Yuxuan, the lord of Leping, to join Xiang Xiaoqiang and join the negotiation team to come to the Northern Qing Dynasty.

Hearing that he wanted his best cousin to also be a "hostage", Zhu Yourong was a little anxious. But several ministers were relieved. They gave Zhu Yourong a message, saying that since Guangwu was able to send his own brother, it showed that he was sincere, and it was completely impossible to hurt Lord Xiang. The reason why he asked us to send the Leping County Lord was nothing more than that he felt that his younger brother was too heavy, and Nan Mingguang was not qualified to be Xiaoqiang, and he couldn't guarantee his brother's safety 100%, and he had to "add" a Leping County Lord.

As for why the other party named His Majesty's cousin instead of his own sister, it is probably because the county lord of Leping has the best relationship with His Majesty, and everyone knows it. What's more, the status of the princess is too high, and if you add a princess, the weight of the "hostages" on both sides is unbalanced.

At this time, whether it is Xiang Xiaoqiang or Zhu Yourong, there is nothing to say.

Emperor Guangwu's request made Xiang Xiaoqiang feel at ease. Because Shen Rongxuan has always wanted to find an opportunity to get rid of himself. Just if he went to the Northern Qing Dynasty, Shen Rongxuan did something to Guangwu's younger brother, such as food poisoning or something, and let that kid die in Nanming, then Xiang Xiaoqiang would not want to go back to Daming. Now that Zheng Yuxuan is tied to himself, Shen Rongxuan doesn't dare to think of any crooked thoughts.

……

That night, Xiang Xiaoqiang and the excited Lord Zheng Dajun both boarded a special train and sailed east to Ningbo, from which they took a boat to the East China Sea Fleet.

At 9 o'clock in the morning of the next day, the Nanming secret delegation boarded the light cruiser "Xu Da" and sailed north to the sea coordinate point agreed with the Beiqing Dynasty. That coordinate point is about 450 nautical miles north of the Zhoushan Islands.

There will be a light cruiser from the Northern Qing waiting there.