The sun is high, and he will call the right one in the main hall. The whole piece of ice is placed around the main hall, the exquisitely carved jade water tank opposite the Dan Majesty is piled up, a faint wisp of white smoke comes out, the copper tire gilt vat on the left side of the Dan Majesty is installed in a churning water wheel, surrounded by twenty-four carved water buckets, constantly stirring up the water curtain, rattling, and repeating. The water is cold, and the hall seems to have a cool breeze, which is refreshing.

Chongzhen changed into a white satin embroidered gold dragon robe, and asked Yuan Chonghuan: "Qing returned to Liao in five years, and I am very happy." I think about the prosperity of Liao affairs, and I don't need to say everything, but I can choose the most important ones to play in detail. ”

Yuan Chonghuan said: "The border affairs in eastern Liaodong have become a forty-year accumulation of heavy situations, which is not easy to end, but the food of the king is the precursor of the king, the so-called lord worries about the humiliation of the ministers, and the lord humiliates the ministers to death, all of which are done within the courtiers' duties." The minister is not greedy for merit, but His Majesty has worked hard, paid attention to the closure of the territory, and was determined to Liaodong. It's just that in the past five years, everything must be done in a good way, the household department will transfer military salaries, the Ministry of Engineering will give equipment, the officials will use meritocracy, and the military department will transfer troops and select generals, all of which should be carefully arranged, corresponding inside and outside, and work together, so why worry about Liaodong not returning. ”

Chongzhen nodded and said: "In the way of using soldiers, money and grain are the most important, and the so-called soldiers and horses have not moved and grain and grass go first." Hubu, have you ever heard it? ”

The post of the secretary of the household department is vacant, and now Wang Jiazhen, the waiter, is acting for the ministry affairs, Wang Jiazhen is busy with the class: "This year, there is a big drought in Shaanxi and other places, and the additional salaries sent by the provinces are afraid that it will be difficult to collect them for a while, and Xiong Wencan, the governor of Fujian, has already had this chapter, please keep the salaries of Fujian Province for the purpose of exterminating pirates." The ministers are afraid that as soon as this wind opens, the group will take effect, and the Liao salary will have its name but not the truth. ”

Chongzhen frowned and said: "Now that the border affairs in eastern Liaoning are tight, the priorities are urgent, it is not difficult to weigh them, and the border affairs are in a hurry for disaster relief, and they cannot be delayed." Xiong Wencan is bent on comforting Zheng Zhilong, Jingping Maritime, Liao can be retained according to him, how can other provinces follow suit? I have a lot of money, if it is difficult to raise some money and food, how to open a peaceful and prosperous world? ”

Wang Jiazhen was so panicked that he was sweating hotly, and said hurriedly: "The minister does not dare to resign, and he should make every effort to make sure that Liaodong is not short of money and food." ”

Chongzhen looked at Yuan Chonghuan and said, "Can you be satisfied?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan nodded and said: "The eastern part of Liaodong has not been repaired for a long time, and the swords and guns supplied have rusted before they are used, and most of the armor of the banners, gongs, drums, and tents have decayed, making it difficult to fight the enemy in battle. ”

Chongzhen said unhappily: "Ministry of Industry, why is the equipment so decayed?" ”

Zhang Weishu, the waiter of the acting engineering department, was already shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly explained: "The warehouse where the equipment is stored is in disrepair, leaking rain and wind, so that the equipment is often damaged. In order to complete the quota, the registered craftsmen take advantage of many tricks, the forging of knives and guns is insufficient, the quenching is too much, and the number of instruments is extremely large, it is difficult to inspect it, giving the small people an opportunity. ”

"Is there a solution?"

"It's easy to repair the warehouse, but it's really hard to prevent small people from taking tricks."

Chongzhen reprimanded: "What's so difficult about this! In the future, all weapons will be cast with the names of the supervising officials and craftsmen, and the names of all the people who make the armor tents will also be embroidered on the armpits and tent corners. Zhang Weishu even claimed that it was, and retreated in shame.

Wang Yongguang, the secretary of the Ministry of Officials, and Wang Yongguang, the secretary of the Ministry of War, did not wait for Chongzhen's questioning in Jin, and they went out together. Wang Zaijin said: "What the superintendent said about the transfer of troops and the selection of generals is too brief, and if the selection can be made clear in person, it is best to handle it." ”

Without waiting for Yuan Chonghuan to answer, Wang Yongguang said with a smile: "The same is true for the use of meritocracy in the ministry, the so-called handy, but only obey the orders of the superintendent?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan heard his voice outside the strings, not only secretly resentful, but also argued: "How dare you! Chonghuan thought that in the past five years, the affairs have changed, and it is difficult to predict, if the personnel selected by the second department of officials and soldiers make the students handy, the elected candidates will be used by the students, and the people who should not be used will be immediately reprimanded, so as to facilitate the recovery of Liao. ”

Chongzhen glanced at Wang Yongguang, saw that he wanted to speak and stopped, and said sharply: "What Chonghuan said is not inappropriate, you two must be cautious and not negligent." Wang Yongguang and Wang Zaijin didn't dare to say much, so they had to retreat.

Chongzhen asked Yuan Chonghuan and said, "What else is the matter?" It can be played together. ”

Yuan Chonghuan pondered for a moment and said, "The minister still has two things to please." ”

"Tell me about it." Chongzhen leaned forward slightly, concentrating on admonishment.

Yuan Chonghuan's heart was hot, and he said: "The soldiers of Liaodong have reached 130,000, which is almost the same as Jianyu, but most of them have not practiced for a long time, and these soldiers can defend the city. In the battle of Ningyuan, the ministers used artillery in Jiancheng and defeated Houjin. The four cannons purchased that year, more than four have been carried so far, have rusted, inconvenient to use, and stick to the city, artillery is indispensable. Firearms are my strength, and the minister intends to change the battalion system, with 12 vehicle battalions, 5 water battalions, and 8 forward and remedial battalions, with a slight addition or subtraction, but the two firearms battalions are divided into 10, with 2,000 cavalry and gunners in each battalion, and 120 two-wheeled vehicles, 120 artillery carts, and 60 grain carts, a total of 300 vehicles. Sixteen great guns, eighty middle guns, one hundred eagle guns, and one thousand two hundred bird guns. Armor? and the holding of instruments, all those needed in the army, one by one. Such a crowd of 40,000 people, attacking and killing, fighting and defending, the captives could not stop their front. Please ask Your Majesty to buy it quickly. ”

Chongzhen said: "This matter is not difficult, I have already issued a decree to Zhang Minggang, the governor of Liangguang, and Zhang Minggang has sent Li Fengjie, the governor of Liangguang, and Wang Zunde, the interpreter, to Macao to ask for the purchase of the Portuguese Bogarao Cannon Foundry, so you can rest assured." It's just that there are quite a lot of people, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to put it neatly for a while, and I'm afraid it will take two years of work. ”

Yuan Chonghuan said angrily: "If it can be completed within two years, the minister will celebrate with his forehead, and he will compete with Jianzhou Jumping Beam!" ”

Chongzhen said with a smile: "He is triumphant, and I will be a noon gate to strengthen my prestige." What else is there? Seeing Yuan Chonghuan's hesitation, he encouraged: "The eldest husband made a decision and moved forward bravely, Qing has been running for state affairs for many years, throwing his head and spilling blood, he has never been such a little woman, how can he be reserved today?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan replied: "The minister is afraid that as soon as this statement comes out, it will cause public anger, and he will make enemies everywhere, and he will be bound by the fence if he wants to break the fence." However, this matter is very important, and I dare not tell it. ”

"Whatever is good for the country, it doesn't hurt."

"Deploy troops and conquer cities, and the ministers are good at it. Through the joint, planting friends is the shortcoming of the minister. With the power of the ministers, it is more than enough to pacify the whole Liao, but it is not enough to reconcile the people. As soon as the minister goes abroad, he lives thousands of miles away, and it is difficult for everything to reach the heavens to listen, and if there is a person who is jealous of his merits, even if he does not rely on his power to restrain him, he speaks arbitrarily, and it is enough to disturb the minister's strategy, and the so-called three people become tigers, and the minister is very worried. ”

"It's a friend again!" Chongzhen couldn't help but be silent in his heart, got up and left the imperial case, paced back and forth on His Majesty Dan, staring at the water-stirring wheel made by Emperor Xizong himself before his death, and secretly thought: Now that the door has been completed, it is difficult to change the habits accumulated for decades, and it is not easy to break the friends party. ”

Yuan Chonghuan saw that Chongzhen's face was uncertain, and he was worried about himself, thinking that he had angered the emperor, and when he heard this, he knelt down and said: "Your Majesty is so appointed, the ministers dare to let go and fight, if they can't recover the homeland of Liaodong, they really don't have the face to see Your Majesty again." It's just that the ministers are sparse and talented, and their words may be inconsiderate, and their thoughts may not be enough, and they hope that His Majesty will give them. ”

Chongzhen said: "Qing's performance is orderly, and it can be known that this time I went to Liaodong, there must be a good way to break the enemy." I am very pleased to win people on the side. ”

Yuan Chonghuan said: "Last time I was summoned by His Majesty, His Majesty instructed me to be single-minded, and the minister kept it in mind. Our dynasty since the Wanli period Liaodong only set up a general army, against the eunuch Cui Chengxiu in charge of the army, sell the official beard, abuse of private wings, Shanhaiguan actually added four general soldiers, so that the power is balanced, the orders are different. Now although it has been reduced to two, the constraints are the same. The minister thought that the inside and outside of Shanhaiguan should be set up with a general soldier as appropriate, although the general soldier Ma Dengyun was born in the army, after the battle array, but not as good as the general soldier of Jizhen Zhao rate to teach familiar with Liao affairs, can be the two of them transferred, Zhao rate to teach the official level, hang the seal of the general of Pingliao. Zhu Mei, the general soldier outside the Guan, was suffering from a chronic illness, and it was not suitable to stay for a long time, so he should be stationed in Ningyuan and belonged to the ancestor of the Jinzhou General Army, and Ningyuan was stationed by He Kegang, the deputy general of the Chinese army. ”

"I'm going to do it."

"Zu Dashou, Zhao Shujiao, and He Kegang are all old generals under the minister, and the minister relied on Ningyuan and Jinzhou to build a captive in the past. If His Majesty can make these three people and the ministers always be in harmony, and then give the ministers the right to act cheaply, the five-year term will be invalid, and the ministers will slash the three of them and go to Que to ask for the death penalty. Yuan Chonghuan bowed his head deeply.

Qian Longxi said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks what Chonghuan said is reasonable, Sun Ziyun: The general will be outside, and the king's order will not be affected." Seeing the opportunity in the battle, it is changing rapidly, and if you ask for life back and forth, it will inevitably delay the fighter plane, but it will be taken by the captives. Since ancient times, there is no doubt about employing people, but there is nothing to be done to restore the major events of Liao. ”

Liu Hongxun echoed: "Your Majesty has ordered Chonghuan to take charge of Liao affairs, and he should be allowed to act cheaply, and the ministers please give him Shang Fang Sword again to be majestic and majestic." ”

Chongzhen looked at Li Biao, and Li Biao said: "The minister, please take back the Shangfang sword of the king of Liaodong Jingluo and Mangui, and unify the power in Chonghuan." ”

Chongzhen nodded and beckoned to Yuan Chonghuan: "Qing has come recently, and I have a few words of greeting. I hope that Qing will calm the foreign invaders as soon as possible to relieve the suffering of the people of Liaodong. ”

Yuan Chonghuan trembled, raised his face and said with tears: "The minister came to see His Majesty, knowing that His Majesty was worried about the affairs of Liaodong, so he had the ambition to be a first-class figure in the Western Han Dynasty Zhao Chongguo, and shared more worries for His Majesty, but the minister's learning was shallow, and he was often afraid of losing the emperor's grace, and his heart ached every time." Now that His Majesty's grace is too hopeful, the minister dares not to rely on the holy will of the body, and settle the Liao matter as soon as possible, so as to relieve His Majesty's anxiety. ”

Chongzhen walked down the Danqi slowly, picked up Yuan Chonghuan with his own hand and said: "What Qing said is more loyal and loving, this time I went to Liaodong, I don't know when you will return, but after all, Qing has once fought, the soldiers are one, work together, how difficult is it to destroy the Kou!" ”

Yuan Chonghuan leaned down and touched his head to the ground, and said with some sadness: "The emperor is virtuous, and he will definitely destroy the emperor!" ”

Chongzhen smiled: "Get up, get up!" I have ordered Guanglu Temple to prepare wine and rice, and I am magnificent. Let's go! ”

Yuan Chonghuan ate the feast, packed up some of the remaining wine and rice, and went out of the palace gate, She Yishi hurriedly greeted him and said, "Lord Xu invited the master to Liuquanju for a drink." ”

"But Xu Yuqing?"

"I only said that it was Lord Xu of the Ministry of War, and the small one didn't dare to ask about his name."

Yuan Chonghuan handed the wine and rice in his hand to She Yishi and said: "This is the wine and food given by the emperor, you can go back to the post station for your own use!" ”

"Thank you, sir! What virtue did the young man accumulate in his previous life, thanks to the old man Hongfu, he was able to taste the imperial meal. She Yishi cried with joy, "It would be nice if Mrs. Tai and Mrs. were here, and they could also taste the food cooked by the queen's mother." ”

Yuan Chonghuan almost laughed and said, "Where did you listen to all this nonsense? There are famous chefs in the world in the Imperial Kitchen, where can the queen make it herself. ”

She Yishi blushed and twisted: "The little one heard the storyteller talk about it." When the younger one saw that he was also a literate and reader, he believed it. ”

Yuan Chonghuan took off his crown clothes with a smile, and ordered She Yishi to bring it back, wearing only a white middle coat, a green scarf on his head, and slowly walking on a horse.

Yingzhou Restaurant has already changed hands, changed the owner, and changed back to the original name - Liuquanju, hanging the handwritten plaque of Yan Song, a university scholar, and the business is still prosperous. As soon as Yuan Chonghuan arrived at the front of the building, Xiao Er had already taken the reins, and Xu Yuqing had been waiting in the door, also dressed in fashionable civilian clothes, and the two did not greet each other, and went straight to the private room on the third floor. The meal has already been put on the table, two hot and two cold, half meat and half vegetarian, Xu Yuqing gave Yuan Chonghuan the first seat, brought out two jars of wine from under the table, and said: "The superintendent is the hope of all the people in the world, and the important ministers of the court, such as the sun, thank you for taking the time to come to the meeting, I am grateful." This is the champion red produced in our township, and when it was enlightened, Jiayan buried it in the ground with his own hands. In the forty-fourth year of Wanli, he was in the Jinshi and returned to his hometown to drink some. In the third year of the Apocalypse, when he came to Beijing, he brought a few altars and buried them in the courtyard of the house, and took out some small drinks whenever he encountered a major event. I don't know if the overseer can get used to drinking? ”

Yuan Chonghuan arched his hand and said: "Zhejiang rice wine is the best in the world, and Shaoxing Zhuangyuan Red is the best wine in rice wine, the color is like amber, mellow and delicious, and it is really not inferior to the jade liquid elixir drunk by the immortals." Today's call to the old gentleman to say a word, Daigo empowerment, great kindness without thanks, students please be called brothers. ”

"It's fine. Brother Yuan deigned to go to the banquet, which shows the friendship. Xu Yuqing gently slapped open a jar with his hand, and when he boarded, the room was full of wine, raised his head and took a hard breath, and praised himself: "Good wine, good wine!" Then he pushed with Yuan Chonghuan, the wine was fragrant, very rich, and Yuan Chonghuan couldn't help but praise: "It's really good wine!" ”

Xu Yuqing said: "This wine has been stored for nearly 50 years, is there any bad reason? As he spoke, he slapped the mud seal of the other altar open and said: "Each sweeps the snow in front of the door, one person and one altar, no need to be humble." "Don't use a cup, hold up the wine jar with both hands, drink a few big sips, and put the wine jar away: "Although the taste of this Shaoxing champion is beautiful, it is lost in sweetness, and it is slightly light. Yue Wumu said: Straight to the Yellow Dragon, drink with you, what a heroic hero, people can't look up. How about drinking in the jar of wine today, when there is no great fight? ”

"That's the best." Yuan Chonghuan drank the altar according to his appearance, and said with a smile: "Brother Xu still can't rest assured that Liaodong?" ”

"No, no! It's not that you can't rest assured that you can't go down to Liaodong, but you can't rest assured that you can't go down to Brother Yuan. Xu Yuqing's face was slightly red, thinking that he was drunk quickly, and he burped a few times.

Yuan Chonghuan asked, "How can the little brother not be relieved to give birth to the godbrother?" The younger brother has been in and out of Liaodong several times, and although the sword and arrow are sharp, they have not hurt the hair of the younger brother, so why worry? ”

Xu Yuqing shook his head and said: "Brother Yuan has been on the battlefield for a long time, he doesn't know that his career is sinister, and the world has to avoid suspicion, but you don't know how to avoid it and insist on going alone, temporarily borrowing the power of the emperor to ensure that Liaodong's food and salary are worry-free, Xiaozhi'er, but my brother asks for his life in the court, and he humiliates the ministers in the face of difficulties, and it is a big deal." The younger brother is afraid that the brother has too many grievances, because of the small loss, the ministers are perfunctory on the surface, and secretly hinder, how will they deal with it? ”

Yuan Chonghuan was speechless, and sighed after a while: "My brother is also quite worried, but it will take five years to calm Liao, and I can't take care of it much." ”

Xu Yuqing smiled bitterly: "There are slanderers inside, but it is difficult to make meritorious contributions outside." Brother Yuan is clumsy in managing the army and clumsy in seeking his life, and it is a dangerous move! ”

Yuan Chonghuan said abruptly: "My younger brother had a special plan to play the first emperor, and some words are still fresh in my memory, 'Bravely trying to fight the enemy will be revenged, striving for meritorious service must be taboo, hard work will call resentment, and only if you are guilty can you have merit; If the grievance is not deep, you can't work, and if the crime is not big, you can't succeed. Slander books, slander the day, has been since ancient times, only the saints and courtiers have always begun. If there are people in the court who are focused on each other, but they are helpless, they only hope that the emperor will be sage, and right and wrong will be clear, and the younger brother will be relieved. ”

Xu Yuqing shook his head and said, "The emperor is sage, but everything will not be as my brother wishes." Brother goes deep into Liaodong, thousands of miles away, how do monarchs and ministers know each other? Once the holy family is lost, disaster will happen. Brother Yuan is cautious! ”

Yuan Chonghuan said angrily: "The life and death of the country have been realized, how can you avoid it because of misfortune and fortune? The platform is called right, like an arrow on the string, and has to be sent. If my brother can be ashamed of the country, his heart will be green, although he will die, what is the regret? As my brother said, the disaster caused Xiao Wall, and the five years of recovery of Liao could not be achieved, and the younger brother was helpless, but he was also ashamed to see Jiangdong's father, and life was better than death. If you do your best and obey the destiny of heaven, you will not be able to do anything, and the one who will kill me will not be guilty of war. ”

Xu Yuqing laughed a few times, knocked on the wine jar with bamboo chopsticks, banged, and sang: "Chutian is thousands of miles away in autumn, and the water goes with the sky and autumn is endless." Yaocen is far away, offering sorrow and hatred, hosta snails. At the head of the sunset building, in the sound of broken Hong, the wanderer in the south of the Yangtze River watched Wu Hook, and patted all over the gan, no one will, and he didn't care. Hahaha, what does this mean, no one in the world can understand it, but it's ridiculous! Holding the altar and drinking, he sang: "Hugh said that the perch is good, and the eagle has not returned in the west wind season?" Asking Tian to ask for help, I am afraid that I should be ashamed, and Liu Lang is talented. It's a pity that the years pass, the sorrow and the wind and rain, the tree is still like this. Who is the one who called, the red scarf and green sleeves, the hero's tears? One day, the overseer will pour tears, but will there be a red scarf and green sleeves to wipe for you? ”

Yuan Chonghuan also felt sad in his heart, thinking of Ning Jin's great victory, being risked by Wei Zhongxian, and being impeached by the eunuch party, he was ridiculed for his twilight, and had to be relieved and returned home. Drink on your head, drink the juice dripping, splash on the table bit by bit, like the red of late spring. The two of them wiped their cheeks with their sleeves and looked at each other and laughed.

"Bang bang bang" knocked on the door several times in a row, not allowed to call in, and a big man broke in outside the door, and kept shouting: "Master, master, something is wrong." ”

Yuan Chonghuan saw She Yishi rushing in in a panic, grabbed his arm and asked urgently, "What happened?" Xu Yuqing stopped at the wine jar he was holding, didn't drink or put it down, and stared at She Yishi with his eyes.

She Yishi said: "The small ones don't know the end. The old man of Qian Ge came to report it, only saying that Ning Yuan had mutinied, and the emperor ordered the old man to go to Ning Yuan quickly and teach the old man to come back quickly. ”

"Bad plan!" Yuan Chonghuan shouted violently, and the wine jar on the table couldn't withstand the force of this beat, shook up, fell straight down, and with a bang, fell into several pieces, and the golden wine slurry flowed to the ground.