On the 10th day of November, in the city of Beijing.

In Fengtian Palace, Chongzhen was still holding Yuan Chonghuan's recital in his hand, his brows were tightly locked, and his expression was very ugly.

It's been more than an hour, and the people headed by the head Fu Han Yi are arguing with Wang Zaijin and others. In the past month or so, Chongzhen only felt that his head was swollen, and he couldn't be tossed by these courtiers. When the country is in trouble, the Houjin army is about to hit the capital, and these people are still attacking each other, as if they don't realize that the Ming Dynasty is about to fall and the upcoming crisis.

At this moment, Emperor Chongzhen was really helpless, there was a sense of powerlessness, and a trace of exhaustion flashed in his eyes. Especially the people who are still arguing, they only feel that their ears are ringing when they are fired, and their heads are buzzing.

In the end, as if he had made up some kind of determination, Chongzhen shouted: "Okay, don't quarrel, I have decided to appoint Sun Chengzong as the secretary of the military department and the scholar of the Zhongji Palace, supervise the military defense of the capital, and immediately report to Beijing." ”

A word startled a thousand waves, and the two sides arguing below stopped at the same time, looking at Emperor Chongzhen, I didn't expect the emperor to be a little abnormal today, he would be so bold, and directly exclude public opinion and reuse Sun Chengzong.

The reactions of the two sides were different, and Han Yi and the Ministry of Rites Shangshu Cheng Jimei both breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at each other, and had a feeling of physical and mental relaxation. That kind of look, as if the safety of the capital is finally guaranteed.

Wang Zaijin and others looked very bad, Sun Chengzong's reactivation and entrustment of important positions, plus Yuan Chonghuan was particularly valued by the emperor, regarded him as his right-hand man, and saved the society from danger, which means that their faction will have a very hard time, at least in the near future, they will be the target of suppression.

Giving people the illusion, the Donglin Party rose strongly again and won the attention of the emperor.

At the same time, Emperor Chongzhen couldn't control what both sides were thinking, and the whole person was already anxious and messy, and it was difficult to sleep and eat by the Houjin army. Raising Yuan Chonghuan's recital in his hand, he said in a somewhat hoarse voice: "Spread my will, before the arrival of reinforcements from all walks of life, the capital is under martial law, and anyone who enters and exits must pass through the hanging basket." ”

At the same time, officials, relatives of the emperor, and meritorious generals in Beijing took their families to patrol and guard the city wall. In addition, some eunuchs will also be drawn out from the palace and transferred to the city wall to guard the capital together. ”

Han Yi and the others nodded in agreement, looking very approving of it, and said again: "It should have been like this a long time ago~!" ”

Wang Zaijin and the others also stopped, no longer jumping and blindly opposing, at this moment, they really realized that the situation was very dangerous, and it had reached the point where the whole city was mobilized to guard.

As if feeling the nervousness of Emperor Chongzhen, the fear in the nervousness, Han Yi walked out and said: "Emperor Qiqi, according to the military reports sent by Miyun, Shunyi and Sanhe, You Shiwei, the general soldier of Changping, Man Gui, the general soldier of Datong, and Hou Shilu, the chief soldier of Xuanfu, will arrive in the capital tomorrow. ”

Hearing this, Chongzhen's eyebrows stretched a little more. However, Wang Zaijin didn't know that nerve was wrong, and suddenly came to say: "Emperor Qiqi, according to the news from Jizhou, Liu Ce, the governor of Jiliao, led troops to aid Yuan Chonghuan in Jizhou, but was driven back to Miyun by the latter, which is really puzzling. ”

One stone stirred up a thousand waves, and the relaxed atmosphere that had just been restored suddenly became tense.

Emperor Chongzhen, who had just relaxed, was shocked in his heart, and was shocked by Yuan Chonghuan's actions, Han Yi needless to say, couldn't understand, but Cheng Jiming defended himself: "Your Majesty, the reason why Yuan Chonghuan did that must have his considerations. You Shiwei had just brought out an army from Miyun, and if Liu Ce left again, Miyun would be useless, without any defensive force to speak of. ”

Emperor Chongzhen chose to believe, and the critical situation made him have to choose to believe. However, when he reluctantly chose to believe, he also left a mark in his heart, that is, his impression of Yuan Chonghuan began to change somewhat.

Whether it is Wang Zaijin, or Han Yi and Cheng Jiming and others, they are all sensitive to this subtle change in Emperor Chongzhen, and the latter is even more helpless to look at each other, deeply knowing that no matter what kind of big reason Yuan Chonghuan has, there is one thing that cannot be denied, Beijing is the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and its importance is self-evident, involving the emperor's safety.

Therefore, the two deeply understand that no matter how they defend and explain Yuan Chonghuan, Zhu Youzhen will not eliminate that trace of suspicion. However, the emperor's suspicion, even a hint, will be a disaster for the courtiers, at least to cut down on the people, and at worst to fall to the ground, affecting the family.

However, Han Yi and Cheng Jiming are helpless, what is impossible to change? After all, this is the case, Yuan Chonghuan has already done so. The most important thing is that the latter did not report it and explain the reasons, but it was still reported and exposed by traitors like Wang Zaijin.

In an extremely strange atmosphere, people scattered, but Emperor Chongzhen sat there in a daze, with an inexplicable light flashing in his eyes, I don't know what he was thinking?

At the same time, in the northeast of the capital, in Jizhou City, which is a hundred miles away, there is a tense atmosphere everywhere, and a big war is coming. The streets and alleys are deserted and sparsely populated. Only groups of soldiers patrolled to maintain order in the city, but also to be vigilant in case there was civil unrest in the city.

Within the state capital and county ya, the temporary military command post, Yuan Chonghuan was standing in front of a map, his eyes wandering around Jizhou City, his brows were sometimes furrowed, sometimes stretched, and he asked lightly: "Have you detected any traces of the Houjin army?" ”

An adjutant general next to him immediately replied: "Report to the marshal, so far, within a radius of ten miles from Jizhou, not a single Eight Banner soldiers have been found, but it is rumored that Huang Taiji has left Zunhua, leaving 800 people to garrison Zunhua." ”

"Eight hundred..."Yuan Chonghuan muttered, and without looking back, he looked at Zunhua again, drew on the map with his right hand, and said to himself: "What is Huang Taiji doing here?" is so bold, leaving only 800 people in Zunhua City, are you not afraid that I will send someone to recapture Zunhua City, cut off his back road, and let him have no return? ”

However, Yuan Chonghuan just said this, and did not do that, his right hand stayed on the map and Zunhua's position for less than a minute, and once again focused on Jizhou City, without the slightest intention of giving such an order, and sent troops to recapture Zunhua City.

At this time, Zu Dashou, who was standing aside, waved his hand, signaled the other lieutenants to leave, and waited until there were only himself, Yuan Chonghuan, and He Kegang in the room, and then his face was gloomy, and he said in a low voice: "Dashuai, the situation is a little out of control now~!" Huang Taiji didn't fight with us as we expected, but he didn't know where to hide, watching Jizhou City, all this was too weird. ”

As soon as Zu Dashou finished speaking, Yuan Chonghuan was still looking at the map, without any response, He Kegang was anxious, and he recognized Zu Dashou's statement very much, and then said: "Dashuai, if Huang Taiji does not fight us head-on in Jizhou, but chooses to take a detour and approach Tongzhou, Jingshi will be in danger." ”

Yuan Chonghuan's brows furrowed, fleeting, and then he said affirmatively: "Two days ago, Huang Taiji was still reviewing the Eight Banners Army in Zunhua, and it was only three days to break through the garrison of the Santun camp. In such a short period of time, it is impossible for the army of Houjin to arrive in Jizhou before us. ”

Speaking of this, under the influence of He Kegang's words, it seemed that it was inappropriate and too risky, Yuan Chonghuan paused for a moment, and then said: "Pass the order, let the sentry and the sentry post that does not return at night and the search range increase to twenty miles, once the whereabouts of Houjin's pioneer battalion or spies are detected, report immediately." ”

"Yes, Dashuai~!"

Zu Dashou and He Kegang replied in unison, seeing that the marshal did not change his mind, and stubbornly fought a decisive battle with the Eight Banners Army in Jizhou, and the two did not persuade again. They believe that the reason why Yuan Chonghuan made such a decision must have his own intentions.