The night wind was still scorching, Yuan Chonghuan said goodbye to Xu Yuqing, beat the horse back to the post station, entered the inner hall, and saw Qian Longxi wearing a small hat in green clothes, holding a bamboo paper folding fan in his hand, very much like the old teacher in the scattered hall, who was slowly pacing in the house, and the bamboo paper folding fan in his hand was rattling, and he was busy stepping forward to give a salute. Qian Longxi grabbed it with one hand and sat together, She Yishi had a good morning tea, and sent a few wet and cool hand towels, the two wiped them, Qian Longxi said first: "Looking for you, the old man has half of his heart." He briefly told Ning Yuan about the mutiny and the emperor's summons.

Yuan Chonghuan listened quietly, letting the sweat on his face keep dripping, neither wiping nor shaking the fan to cool off, and secretly annoyed in his heart: Bi Zisu, Bi Zisu, you have followed me for many years in vain, how can you be so weak and indecisive? Of course, it shouldn't be that the imperial court can't get food, but you don't dare to deal with it at a loss, making it difficult to clean up the mutiny, if you beheaded Su Hanchun and Zhang Shirong at that time, why not? After a long time, he said: "The emperor is wise and decisive, but it is not much benefit to just kill a Wang Jiazhen, chaos has arisen, and the top priority is to think about how to calm down." ”

"The emperor has ordered you to handle this matter." As he spoke, he took out the holy decree from his sleeve and said, "The old man came to visit in civilian clothes, and he didn't dare to enter the door to announce the decree, look at yourself!" ”

Yuan Chonghuan still knelt down to accept the order, looked at it and sighed: "Ningyuan has many soldiers in the old department, and it is not difficult to deal with it, but I am afraid that the arrears of food and salary are far away, and it will be difficult to deter after a long time." ”

Qian Longxi said: "Don't worry about this, the food and salary will not be delayed for too long." Liaodong border affairs are important, the emperor is furious, and the household department does not dare to take it lightly. The old man disturbed each other this time, and wanted to ask about the strategy of Pingliao, but the words on the Golden Palace were concise and concise, and he could not hear it in detail, and he had doubts in his heart. ”

Yuan Chonghuan smiled, remembering Xu Yuqing's impassioned appearance on the Liuquanju Restaurant just now, and said secretly: I don't know how many courtiers have paid attention to Liaodong, and it is not easy for those traitors and villains to secretly make trouble, thinking of this, his heart was lifted, and he replied: "The secret affairs of the soldiers, Chonghuan was reluctant to say it clearly, but the old man deigned to visit and asked shamelessly, Chonghuan did not dare not say it." In fact, there is not much strangeness in the Pingliao strategy, except for the Dongjiang River and Guanning. ”

Qian Longxi said: "Dongjiang? But Mao Wenlong? Yuan Chonghuan nodded lightly. Qian Longxi was puzzled: "The Art of War: Soldiers are weak. Now that Ningyuan City has a lot of strong soldiers, it is suitable for attack and defense, why do you abandon this field and use the sea road? Mao Wenlong sits on Pixiu, and he is a hero, and he is afraid that he is fierce and difficult to control. ”

Yuan Chonghuan said: "The use of soldiers is like a game, now there are four sons on the chessboard: Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou, Ningyuan, Dongjiang, Dongjiang is only one of them, the guard general Mao Wenlong is self-indulgent according to the sea, but only seeks self-security, does not think of loyalty to the country, students to Liaodong, if Wenlong listens to the order, it can be used, and it cannot be removed." If the seaway is unblocked, the chief Taiji dares to attack, Zu Dashou refuses him to be in Ningyuan, and the student personally mentions a brigade of heroes, and takes the seaway north to smash his Liaoyang and Shengjing nests, so that he can't care about each other, advances and retreats, and pacifies Liaodong in one fell swoop. ”

Qian Longxi muttered: "Mao Wenlong has been guarding the Dongjiang River for several years, and he has a lot of restraints on Jianyu. The emperor is wise, if there is a major event in Liaodong and it is difficult to make a decision, he should report to the Beijing division urgently, so as not to make the emperor suspicious. ”

Yuan Chonghuan gave a deep salute and said gratefully: "The student wrote it down." The military situation is urgent, the emperor's order is in his body, and he does not dare to be slow, and the students want to leave overnight and go to Ningyuan. Do you still have advice? ”

"Elemental is going to be evicted? Hahaha, the emperor ordered that you don't have to resign, and the old man doesn't dare to stay any longer. The old man was waiting for good news in Beijing. ”

Yuan Chonghuan sent Qian Longxi out of the sedan chair, ordered She Yishi to escort his family members slowly, hurriedly went to the military department to get the fire card, changed into light civilian clothes, wrapped the crown with a burden, and used a yellow satin embroidered dragon sleeve to put Shang Fang's sword on his back and beat the horse out of Beijing. All the way to gallop, the third day near noon to the Shanhaiguan line, the governor of the king's ministers, the general soldier Ma Dengyun led the general to greet the visit, the decree has been completed, Yuan Chonghuan did not stay, the superintendent Yin Xin first left in the general army Yamen, only carried the Shang Fang sword and rode out of the pass, nearly dusk came to the south of Ningyuan City.

Ningyuan east, west, north and south four sides have Chunhe, Yongning, Yanhui, Weiyuan four gates, Yongning Gate, Weiyuan Gate is not open when not using troops to fight, only open Chunhe, Yanhui two gates on weekdays, these days the two gates are also closed, only caravans are allowed to enter and exit. Yuan Chonghuan looked at the tall city tower of Yanhui Gate, revisited the old place, and couldn't help but sigh secretly, quite a lot of emotion, the soldiers in the city had already seen it, and shouted: "What person? Further on, it's time to shoot arrows! ”

Yuan Chonghuan pulled the horse and said: "Da Ming Qin sent Yuan Chonghuan, the border supervisor of the town. Open the door! ”

Where did the soldiers in the city believe it, and said with a smile: "Where is there a lonely Qincha?" It's fake! ”

Yuan Chonghuan shouted: "Ningyuan mutinied, the imperial court knows, and the headquarters is ordered by the emperor to come. Ningyuan City was repaired by me, and I, Yuan Chonghuan, are back again, why don't you let me enter the city? ”

When the soldiers heard this, they couldn't help but turn their heads to each other, and they felt even more puzzled, and secretly thought to themselves: "If you look closely, you look like Lord Yuan, why are you alone?" The little colonel led by him asked loudly: "Lord Yuan, since you know about the mutiny, why did you enter the city alone, aren't you afraid?" But there is still a large army of ambush soldiers behind him, waiting for the adults to open the city gate to encircle and suppress Ning Yuan? ”

Yuan Chonghuan laughed loudly and said, "Do you see there is a person behind me? The headquarters was stationed in Ningyuan for five years, and the soldiers built a city to resist the enemy, and successively defeated the chief Nurhachi, Huang Taiji, born and died, bloody battles, Ningyuan soldiers and I are like brothers, this time back to Ningyuan is like returning to the hometown, what is terrible? Brothers meet, big bowls of bitter drinks, and the whole cup is happy, and the headquarters does not believe that the brothers will meet with my sword soldiers? I have not brought a single soldier, but I have ridden alone, but my brethren are afraid? ”

"Lord Yuan's words are heroic, not less than that year. Brothers believe in you! The little colonel at the head couldn't help but admire, pulled up the drawbridge, and opened the city gate.

Yuan Chonghuan entered the city with his fists and went straight to the Drum Tower. There is no one in front of the drum tower for a long time, only a few piles of firewood that have not yet been burned, scattered everywhere, dismount to explore, the charcoal has been cold for a long time, and there is no trace of heat. Yuan Chonghuan got on his horse and ran to the governor's yamen, but when he saw that the yamen was deserted, there was no figure, and he did not dismount, rushed to the front of the lobby, and shouted loudly: "Fan Jiu - Fan Jiu - Yuan Chonghuan is here." "There was no one in there. Yuan Chonghuan was shocked, and was about to turn the horse's head to come out, but he heard someone behind him ask, "But Lord Yuan?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan saw a general in full uniform rushing out of the backyard and asked, "Who are you?" ”

"Deputy Envoy Guo Guang."

"Where is Bi Zisu?"

"The lowly post has escorted Lord Futai to the Zhongzuo Institute."

Yuan Chonghuan said angrily: "If you escape from the battle, you should be killed according to the law." Now that the mutiny has not been settled, the lord will leave without permission, but who will Ning Yuan hand over? ”

"The soldiers are starving, it's really difficult to appease, and Lord Futai has done his best."

"Order him to come to me!"

Guo Guang wept and said: "Bi Futai has gone. ”

Yuan Chonghuan's eyes were red, and he said urgently: "What happened to him?" ”

He was tortured by the rebels for a whole day, and his body was extremely weak, and the shame in his heart was unbearable. After arriving at the Zhongzuo Institute, he did not drink water and eat for nine days, and he had gone last night. Before he died, he also ordered his own soldiers to kowtow to the south, and even said that he had a negative grace, and shouted several times and died, but his eyes were not closed. ”

Yuan Chonghuan's heart ached, remembering that Ning Yuan fought fiercely, Bi Zisu was also the deputy envoy of the military garrison, followed left and right, ascended the city to supervise the battle, and used artillery to hit the Houjin soldiers and horses, just like yesterday, but in a blink of an eye, people and ghosts have different paths, and they have become a permanent secret, and they feel that the blood is rolling, and they gritted their teeth and said: "How is Zhu Mei's injury?" ”

"The chief soldier will be raised later, but it's no big deal."

Yuan Chonghuan was slightly relieved, and asked again: "Where are those two corrupt officials?" ”

"Su Hanchun and Zhang Shirong didn't dare to go home, and they also hid in the backyard."

"Take it with me!" Yuan Chonghuan changed into a two-grade brocade chicken complement big red silk python suit, wore a six-beam crown, tied a jade belt around his waist, carried a Shang Fang sword, and went straight to the camp with a horse.

The sun is about to set in the west, and the afterglow is scattered into ten thousand rays of light, and the mountains in the distance and the houses on the city walls near are dazzling golden. In the north of the city, several rows of barracks are scattered, and this is the fourteen battalions of Ning Yuan's soldiers. Each battalion is surrounded by huge rocks and big wooden pheasants, and the soldiers who are guarding the camp gate are several times as many as usual, each holding a sword, eyeing the tiger, and wandering back and forth.

"Lord Yuan is back—" Guo Guang Pegasus shouted. In a few moments, a large number of soldiers poured out of each battalion, gathered outside the camp gate, and looked around.

Yuan Chonghuan let go of his horse slowly, came to the military exercise school in the middle, dismounted and walked slowly onto the school platform, inspected left and right, and said loudly: "Brothers of the 14th Battalion of Ningyuan, I, Yuan Chonghuan, are back again. Many of you have been with me day and night, bloody battles, how tragic and difficult it was back then, none of you complained about the hardships and retreated, but now just for a little food, you actually forced Bi Zisu to death, where was the friendship of the tribulation? Where is the loyalty to serve the court? ”

"Lord Yuan, my brothers and I didn't force Lord Futai to die, it is natural to repay debts, the court is in arrears of food and wages, and some dog officials take the opportunity to withhold, only know how to make a lot of money, where do I care if I live or die? Why do you have to die for them? Someone shouted at the camp gate, and many soldiers shouted, "Don't give them their lives!" It's a big deal to go home, and guarding your wife and children is like suffering here. ”

Yuan Chonghuan said: "Which brother is Fang?" Can I show up for the interview? Looking around, the sky was dark and I couldn't see clearly.

The man said: "Lord Yuan, teach us to show up, did you catch and cut off your head, kill the chicken to show the monkey, and scare people?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan smiled and said, "Brother, don't be afraid, Yuan only kills Tartars in his life, not his siblings." Listening to your accent, your hometown must be in Shuzhong. The land of Tianfu in Sichuan, since ancient times, the rich Jiahai sea, the brothers resigned from their relatives and served the country, they couldn't raise their parents, they couldn't accompany their wives, and they couldn't play with their children, so why did they come? Isn't it to seek fame, win a wife and son, glorify the ancestors, and revitalize the family? Now I don't think about making meritorious contributions, but I am instigated by others, and I am in chaos, if I don't restrain myself from the precipice, fame and fortune will become a dream in a blink of an eye, and what face do you have to go home to see your parents and wife? What's more, according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, one person is a cause of chaos and the nine clans, and you are willing to teach your family to be implicated by you in order to vent a bad breath? The soldiers were silent when they heard this, and they whimpered, and in an instant, they were silent, and they whimpered.

"When I am punished, will the dog officer who withheld his salary be left to take care of it?" The man shouted: "Left and right are death, don't fight for your life, you have to kill that dog official, and spit out the evil breath in your chest!" ”

Yuan Chonghuan said coldly: "Deduct military rations, and behead them according to the law." This matter has its own national law and royal chapter, and you don't need to work hard. Someone! Bring the prisoner here! Guo Guangqin led the soldiers to tie the two up, and the soldiers had already hated the two, so they couldn't help but say, kicked down the crook of the two legs with a kick in the back, and knelt down.

At this time, the soldiers at the gate of each battalion gathered more and more, and many quietly crept to the edge of the school field, lit the torches with stars, and meandered around, reflecting the school field up and down. Someone shouted, "Kill them!" "Responding from all directions, the mountains roared like a tsunami, shocking the earth.

Yuan Chonghuan waved his hand around, signaled the soldiers to stop shouting, and asked, "Su Hanchun, Zhang Shirong, are you guilty?" The two of them had already known Yuan Chonghuan's prestige, and when they saw him sneering, they were already afraid, and said in a trembling voice: "Guilty of despicable duties." ”

Yuan Chonghuan shouted: "Now that you know the crime, you don't need to rap and defend yourself, you will be beheaded in the audience!" ”

Su Hanchun struggled and said, "Lord Yuan, what authority do you have to kill me?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan said with a sneer on his face: "The headquarters is sent out of the town by Qin to supervise the border, so naturally he has the right to behead you." Su Hanchun laughed and said, "Is there a seal?" Take it out and take a look, and let the adults do whatever they want. ”

"The seal letter is inconvenient to carry, so it is stored in the temporary line of Shanhaiguan."

Su Hanchun shouted, "What kind of supervisor is that adult?" We refused to obey orders. ”

Zhang Shirong also jumped to his feet and said: "I can't wait for you to be restrained!" ”

Guo Guangxin became uneasy when he stepped down, looked at Yuan Chonghuan in confusion, and said in a low voice: "If there is no seal from the superintendent, once you are impeached and kill the border ministers, it will be a big crime. ”

Yuan Chonghuan smiled slightly and said: "Deputy Envoy Guo, don't you know that when the Ministry of Finance was appointed as the deputy envoy of Ningqian's military garrison, he slashed the grain officer who withheld the military rations. Why worry about cutting off these two dogheads today. ”

Zhang Shirong was unwilling, and cried: "The knife is in your hand, it's okay to kill it, but our brothers are not convinced, the dignified three-grade master, the world-famous Yuan Chonghuan, ho!" When did it change to a second-grade crown dress, it must have risen again. It's just that if you act like this, it will inevitably teach people to be cold! Are you and no? ”

Su Hanchun echoed: "I said that Lord Yuan was promoted so quickly, it turned out that the blood of others stained the crimson robe!" Kill us ink officials, do you seem to be as incorruptible as water! ”

Yuan Chonghuan snorted coldly and said, "It's useless for you two to quibble, the main department will teach you two to be convinced." Leaning behind him, he took off Shang Fang's sword and handed it to Guo Guangdao: "Please order!" The sword light was like water, spitting out thousands of feet of light, Zhang Shirong saw clearly that it was the Shang Fang sword given by the emperor, and collapsed to the ground all of a sudden. Su Hanchun looked at Yuan Chonghuan resentfully, and howled: "Yuan Chonghuan, we have no grudge against you, and we are not the only two who withhold military rations, why do you have to get along with us and harm yourself?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan squinted, "Whether others are He Kekou or not, the Ministry doesn't know, and they can't control it, that's the business of the Ministry of War." Now that you are in my hands, I will naturally walk according to the law, and how can I leave you to reason? Immediately slash! ”

At this time, an ebony table had already been placed in the center on the platform, Guo Guang took Shang Fang's sword, removed the yellow satin embroidered dragon sleeve outside, and placed it on the table upright. The soldiers pushed Su Hanchun and Zhang Shirong off the stage, and with a flash of swords, the two heads rolled to the ground, splashing blood red. "Well done! Well done! The crowd cheered in unison, and the sound was like thunder.

Yuan Chonghuan and the others stopped shouting, announced the emperor's will, and said: "The emperor's grace is vast, thinking of the virtue of heaven's good life, opening the net, only punishing the evil, and not killing anyone in vain, but if there is any repentance, he will not blame the past, and he will be allowed to make meritorious service before the battle." The eldest husband would rather die before the army, and fall into the name of fighting bravely to kill the enemy, rather than die under the sword of his own brother. Let's go back to camp! The imperial court's food and salary will arrive soon. When the soldiers saw that the wicked man had been punished, their hearts were happy, and they laughed and slowly retreated.

Yuan Chonghuan stayed in the governor's yamen that night, had a hasty dinner, and secretly ordered Guo Guang to find the soldiers to talk to. Guo Guang arranged his own soldiers around the yamen in case of accidents, so he hurriedly went. When it was almost dawn, Guo Guang came to the inner hall with two soldiers, and the two knelt down to report their names, Yuan Chonghuan beckoned: "Yang Zhengchao, Zhang Sishun, the name is good!" Come...... Take a seat on the mat. ”

The two of them were frightened and hesitated, Yuan Chonghuan smiled and said: "The headquarters is defenseless, why are you afraid? Seeing that the two of them approached hesitantly, he said: "I feel cool when I take off my shoes, the headquarters is in the south, how can I have so much time to wear shoes on weekdays?" Go up the mountain to chop wood, go down to the river to fish, plough the fields and walk, and get used to being barefoot, so that you feel happy. A few words were eloquent, like a homely affair, and the two of them felt much more comfortable, and twisted: "The little one is afraid of breaking the rules." ”

Yuan Chonghuan said with a smile: "This is not on the front of the army, but it is a private meeting, what is the use of so many rules?" Ordered someone to make green tea to relieve the heat, and the four of them sat cross-legged, drinking and talking.

Yuan Chonghuan said: "The emperor's decree has been read, and the ministry knows that you two are advocating chaos, one is that the imperial court failed to release the military salary as scheduled, and the other is that it is not possible to see a few ink officials who are greedy and bent the law, aroused by righteous indignation, and forced to be helpless. Just exchanged a few words in the school, and I heard that the two of you have not lost your desire to serve, unlike other rebels, the ministry also knows that righteousness comes first, and does not want to teach you two to arrest your comrades. Besides, the two of you are alone, and you can't do anything, just say the names of your comrades, and you can forgive the old sins. The ministry is full of heart, does what it says, and does not force it, whether you say it or not, you have to consider and deliberate, but you must not miss the opportunity to reform in vain. ”

Yang Zhengchao said: "I waited for the blood alliance in front of the Guangwu camp, drank blood wine, gambled on blood curses, no matter life or death, we will never lose each other." ”

Yuan Chonghuan was not impatient, and persuaded: "It is also normal for people to talk about righteousness, but we should also hold a big festival, have the heart of doing good, and not have the idea of doing evil, otherwise what is the use of empty righteousness?" If someone rebels, if you still miss a friend, you should have dissuaded him and made him rein in the precipice, so that he would not fall deeper and deeper, and it would be difficult to turn back, but you became an accomplice. ”

Guo Guang also said: "The ancients said that it can be changed, and it is very good." If you know you're wrong, why bother going your own way? Following the rebellion, in fact, it is alienating the flesh and blood to please the different surnames, and I just want to be worthy of my friends, but have you ever wanted to be worthy of my family? Yang Zhengchao and Zhang Sishun felt ashamed, blushing and silent.

Yuan Chonghuan took the opportunity to say: "The husband has clear grievances, and he must also distinguish between right and wrong, and repaying his gratitude and grievances should be in accordance with etiquette and law, so as not to do something inferior to beasts." Everyone has parents and wives, and others ignore their parents and wives and leave their humanity out of the way, so naturally they should not learn from him. ”

Yang Zhengchao and Zhang Sishun cried and worshiped on the ground, with a look of remorse on their faces, and kowtowed: "Don't talk about it, my lord, we already know remorse." The names of the rebels are all said to the adults, and I ask the adults to allow us to make meritorious service before the battle to atone for our sins. ”

"This is natural." Yuan Chonghuan nodded in agreement. Guo Guang hurriedly got up to take a pen to write, Yang Zhengchao closed his eyes and said: "In addition to the two of us, there are twenty-one people, and the first one to advocate is Wu Yingyuan......"

As soon as the words came out, I heard a gloomy voice outside the house say, "I said that this person is unreliable, and it is true." Just now there was nonsense on the school field, it wasn't that someone killed this soft bone with a knife earlier, so as not to betray the brother behind his back. As soon as the words fell, an arrow shot through the window, and Yang Zhengchao fell to the ground with a scream. Yuan Chonghuan hurriedly blew out the lights and dodged. Guo Guangda shouted: "Take the assassin!" There was a flurry of footsteps outside the courtyard, and then swords struck each other, shouting incessantly, and the entire governor's yamen was in chaos.