January 15, 12th year of Chongzhen.

The Manchu army suddenly turned its spearhead and no longer confronted Lu Xiangsheng's army stationed in Linyi, Shandong, but dispersed its forces, and began to arrest Han people on a large scale with the Yuetuo East Road army as the main army, and for a time the eastern part of Shandong and the entire Hebei region became a purgatory on earth.

The Tartars wantonly slaughtered the Han people, captured the Han people and became their slaves, guilty of resisting, the light ones were shown to the public, and the heavy ones were slaughtered, and women, children were reduced to playthings, and for a time hundreds of thousands, millions of Han people, became pigs and dogs under the Manchu butcher's knife.

This poisoned for seven days, during which Lu Xiangsheng, who was stationed in Linyi, wanted to send troops many times, but was blocked in the city by Dolgon himself and led the army of the Western Road, and he was not allowed to enter an inch.

And Yang Sichang, who is located in Gaotang, holds heavy troops but does not protect the people, and the people of the time call him a dog thief.

On January 24, the Manchu Qing army, which had plundered the population for seven days, began to gradually join forces, and on the 25th, retreated northward, enveloping more than 100,000 people.

The people had no choice but to take refuge in the mountains and forests to avoid the scourge of the war.

Dolgon coerced more than 100,000 Han people to go north, and when they heard this, Yang Sichang and Gao Qiqian were indifferent, and continued to stick to the camp and live their own small lives.

And reported to the imperial court, Jiannu retreated, and the Ming Dynasty was forever solid.

Chongzhen was very happy when he learned about the report, this time the catastrophe was finally over, just when Chongzhen was happy, Lu Xiangsheng's performance arrived.

Lu Xiangsheng said that Jiannu coerced more than 100,000 Han people, this is the people of the Ming Dynasty, how can he be a slave to Jiannu, he will lead the army, recapture the people, and never let the Han family Erlang and Jiannu be pigs and dogs.

The words are earnest, which is breathtaking, and there is Sun Chuanting's recital behind it, and the meaning is also obvious, I am willing to recapture the Han family with Lord Lu, and ask Your Majesty for permission.

Chongzhen saw this twist and turn, and fell into a tangle, not knowing whether to agree with Lu Xiangsheng's approach, and the next day he took this twist and turn to the court for discussion.

The ministers of the DPRK and China couldn't make up their minds for a while, but at this time, the cabinet of the DPRK and China had been replaced, and the first assistant was replaced by Zhou Yanru again, Zhou Yanru and Yang Sichang belonged to an alliance, so he received a letter from Yang Sichang early in the morning, Yang Sichang meant that he didn't want to pursue, Jiannu was strong, he was taught, and now that Jiannu has retreated, don't provoke again.

At the same time, he didn't want Lu Xiangsheng to chase him, because everyone was guarding one side, if Lu Xiangsheng chased and he didn't go, it would seem that his political position was not firm, and he was greedy for life and afraid of death.

So when Zhou Yanru saw Chongzhen hesitating, he suddenly came out and said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that you can't lose a big one because of a small one, and this matter should be considered in the long run, not pursued." ”

Chongzhen listened to Zhou Yanru's words and looked at Zhou Yanru puzzled: "What does Zhou Aiqing mean?" Tell me more about it. ”

Zhou Yanru knew that Chongzhen was not exclusive to this plan as soon as he saw Chongzhen's expression, if Chongzhen did not agree, he would have been furious at this time, Chongzhen's city government was really shallow and pitiful in the eyes of these scheming guys.

Zhou Yanru arched his hand and said: "Jiannu entered the Kou this time, it has been planned for a long time, all the way to the ground, destroying the wall and entering the customs, from BJ to Hebei, and finally to Shandong, all the way invincible, our Ming official army, almost no enemy, and later in Shandong Jiannu was besieged by Lord Yang Sichang, Lord Lu Xiangsheng, and Gao Gonggong three-way soldiers and horses, seeing that he could not take advantage, so he chose to retreat. ”

"In fact, Jiannu must be unwilling in his heart, and retreat at this time, maybe Jiannu also has a lot of opinions inside, at this time, if we send people to pursue, annoy Jiannu, let the main battle faction within Jiannu once again have the right to speak, not to mention that Jiannu will also make trouble in the hinterland of Daming, and then we will lose even more."

"According to the old minister's opinion, it is better to give up these 100,000 people, in exchange for enough time for the Ming Dynasty to recuperate, and wait until we recover, integrate the army, conquer Liaodong, and then rescue our captured people, it is not too late."

After Zhou Yanru finished saying this, he had not retreated at this time, and the little brother cultivated by Yang Sichang in the court stepped forward and echoed: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that what Zhou Ge Lao said is very true, as the saying goes, if you can't bear it, you will make a big plan, Jiannu is here, menacing, hard resistance is definitely not the way, and Your Majesty, don't be infected by Lord Lu's blood, we can block the soldiers of Jiannu in Shandong, in addition to the soldiers' lives, the most important thing is that we have a city wall to defend." ”

"Jiannu attacks us, we rely on the city wall to defend, which can greatly offset Jiannu's cavalry advantage, but now Lord Lu wants to lead the troops to pursue, Your Majesty, the pursuit is to fight a field battle, there is no danger of the city wall, we fight a field battle with Jiannu, I am afraid that it will be an egg to hit the stone, and it will inevitably suffer heavy losses, so the minister agrees with Zhou Ge Lao's opinion, it is not appropriate to pursue."

Chongzhen heard this, but he agreed a little, Lu Xiangsheng They can block the Tartars, the most important thing is to rely on the city wall, the difference between defending the city and attacking the city seems to be one word, but the casualties can even be more than ten times different.

Since ancient times, the most effective way for the Han people to deal with nomads was to build city walls and rely on them to resist the enemy.

And now Lu Xiangsheng wants to give up the danger of the city wall and then pursue the enemy, which is a bit like hitting a stone with an egg.

Chongzhen thought that the balance in his heart was already a little tilted, and at this moment, a minister came out, and everyone looked at it as Yushi Wang Yan, this person was Lu Xiangsheng's group, and he was also the mouthpiece of Lu Xiangsheng in the court.

At this time, Wang Yan bowed down and said: "Your Majesty, just now, what Zhou Ge Lao and Lord Wang said is extremely true, but Your Majesty has some things that cannot be calculated according to losses, Jiannu arrested my Han family sons and daughters as pigs and dogs, a full number of 100,000, this is the shame of the Han people, how can we ignore it, if we don't even have the intention of saving them, this will not chill the hearts of the Han people in the world, and it will make the court lose face and lose its prestige among the people, this is the way to lose the country, Your Majesty must not abandon it." ”

As soon as Wang Yan finished saying this, Chongzhen frowned, there seemed to be nothing wrong with this, and his own people abandoned it, didn't it chill the hearts of the people, and Chongzhen fell into a tangle.

Wang Yan said again: "Your Majesty, the people can carry the boat or overturn the boat, this is a dispute over the country's capital, and it cannot be ignored." ”

Wang Yan's words were earnest, Chongzhen frowned and was silent, and at this moment, Zhou Yanru took a step forward expressionlessly, glanced at Wang Yan with his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that what Lord Wang said is reasonable. ”

As soon as Zhou Yanru said this, all the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty were stunned, what is this for, Wang Yan refutes your point of view, you affirm his point of view, are you surrendering?

However, some scheming ministers who knew Zhou Yanru was insidious all laughed, this sentence was obviously not finished, and there was the second half of the sentence, but.

Sure enough, the second half of Zhou Yanru's sentence came: "However, although Lord Wang has a passion and pride, but he didn't think about it for Daming, the Jiannu soldiers are flourishing, sweeping the Ming Dynasty, and the soldiers can barely defend the city by relying on the strong city, and now Jiannu is rolling up our 100,000 people, but our Ming tens of millions of people, is this 100,000 people missing?" ”

"He Lu Xiangsheng is enthusiastic, and he is going to fight with Jiannu with the soldiers and horses, but he has never thought about it, is this soldier and horse his Lu Xiangsheng? That is His Majesty's soldiers and horses, is the Ming Dynasty's soldiers and horses, and is also our Ming Dynasty's few soldiers and horses with combat effectiveness now, if he is asked to lead the troops to chase Jiannu this time. ”

"Let's not care if we win or lose, even if we win, we will snatch back 100,000 people, but is it so easy to build slaves? He Lu Xiangsheng relied on Jiancheng to reluctantly block Jiannu in Shandong, if he abandoned Jiancheng, he had a few chances of winning, even if he used soldiers like a god, and finally really won, I am afraid that it will be a tragic victory, I am afraid that he will lose the last family of Daming to fight under the iron hooves of Jiannu. ”

"If these soldiers who can fight are all killed in this war to pursue Jiannu, Your Majesty, the world is not completely peaceful, Jiannu is gone, but the Liukou is still there, although it is postponed now, but no one knows when it will come out again, and Your Majesty, there is still a poisonous dragon entrenched in the northwest, if we don't have a fighting soldier in our hands, if this poisonous dragon starts to eat people, we really have no way at all."

Northwest Poison Dragon!

As soon as he heard these four words, a black line appeared on Chongzhen's face, if it is said that Chongzhen is the most uncomfortable existence in the world, it is the poisonous dragon in the northwest, Lantian!

Tartar is hateful, and Chongzhen also hates it, but the hatefulness of Tartar is on the surface, Chongzhen doesn't have to worry about whether it is good or bad, this is a typical bad word written on his face, as long as he finds a way to fight with it.

Liukou is Chongzhen's henchman, but Liukou's strength is not strong, although it is difficult, Chongzhen feels that he can still control it, at most he is a jackal, and it will hurt for a long time if they bite it.

But after the pain, the wound will heal slowly, and one day it will grow better.

But Lantian this poisonous dragon is not like this, the poisonous dragon, its danger is its poison, what is poison, poison is the scourge of the rogue in a place, grab some gold, silver, grain, kill some local tyrants and inferior gentry, they left, after they left, the Ming court came to send people to accept, a few years later, it was the land of the Ming Dynasty.

But what about Lantian, any land that is swallowed into the stomach by Lantian will be considered to have completely disappeared into the Ming Dynasty's ruling territory, and if it is bitten, it will be completely missing.

It's like a person who is bitten by a jackal and gets a piece of meat, and after a while, the wound heals, and the person is still a sound person.

But if this person is bitten by a poisonous dragon, then he will directly cut off his arm and leg, and one bite will be a lifelong disability.

Therefore, Chongzhen's confidant is Lantian, and what makes Chongzhen even more angry is that he obviously knows that Lantian is plotting against him, but before Lantian turns his face, he doesn't dare to turn his face in advance.

At this time, Chongzhen's Daming is like a person, and now on the left is a Jianzhou Menghu who chooses people to devour, and on the right is a rogue jackal with green eyes.

And just behind Chongzhen, there was a Lantian poisonous dragon with green mucus in its mouth, but the poisonous dragon did not attack at this time, but squinted his eyes and watched Chongzhen and Menghu and jackals fight viciously, but they didn't attack, just left salivating saliva, how not to make people feel uncomfortable.

And now Chongzhen has a sword in his hand, this sword is the Tianxiong Army in Lu Xiangsheng's hand, and now Jianzhou Menghu has bitten himself in advance, and has taken a piece of meat in his mouth, and he wants to cut Menghu with this sword in his hand, but Menghu is not so easy to cut, cut this Menghu, the sword may be broken, at this time, the jackal, and the poisonous dragon have no weapons to fight with one.

With his hands bare, he has lost his deterrent power against the poisonous dragon and the jackal, so now do you need to forbear, holding this sword in your hand, and continue to scare the jackal and the poisonous dragon.

This is the problem in front of Chongzhen now, to be patient!

But the price of forbearance is a bit big, that is 100,000 Ming people, a country can't even protect its own people, is there still a need for him to exist in this country?

Chongzhen was very entangled, and at this time Zhou Yanru said: "Your Majesty, if you can't bear it, you will make a big plan, at this time of critical survival, it is not a good step to abandon the car to protect the handsome." ”

"If Lu Xiangsheng is really allowed to consume the last army that Daming can fight in pursuit, it will be a matter of 100,000 people, and I am afraid that Daming will be in danger at that time!"

"Please also ask Your Majesty to put the Daming Society as the priority and the world as the priority."

After Zhou Yanru finished speaking, he knelt directly on the ground, and saw Zhou Yanru kneeling, at this time, Zhou Yanru's faction came out one after another, knelt on the ground and said: "Please Your Majesty take the community as the priority." ”

"Please Your Majesty put the community first!"

Chongzhen sat on the emperor's throne and looked at the court, and finally made up his mind.

"Order, Lu Xiangsheng, Yang Sichang, raise the submersion, do not move, do not pursue Jiannu, violators will be severely punished."

"Your Majesty Shengming!"

Hearing Chongzhen's words, a burst of Shengming voices came out of the audience, Chongzhen looked out of the door at this time, his eyes were so firm, for the sake of Daming Sheji, hundreds of thousands of people are nothing.

Chongzhen did psychological construction for himself, he thought he was for the Jiangshan Society, but what he didn't know was that his so-called Jiangshan Society was the Jiangshan Society of his old Zhu family, not the Jiangshan Society of the common people.

To put it bluntly, Chongzhen is a very selfish person, what he wants to maintain is the dominance of the Zhu family's dynasty, not the survival of the common people, in order to stabilize the dominance of the old Zhu family, it is not important to die some people.

Even if he hangs himself in the end, he will maintain the dignity of the Zhu Dynasty for 270 years, not because he feels sorry for the common people and hangs himself, Chongzhen is an emperor who says greatness and greatness, and selfishness and selfishness, maybe this is the two-sided nature of people.

Chongzhen made a decision, and the news quickly spread to the front line and to Lu Xiangsheng's hands.

"What!"

After hearing the angel's holy decree, Lu Xiangsheng's eyes were about to pop out.

"Father-in-law, what does Your Majesty mean by this, we don't want the hundreds of thousands of people?"

The father-in-law who passed the decree looked at Lu Xiangsheng and said: "Lord Lu, what Your Majesty said in the holy decree is very clear, Lord Lu should understand what His Majesty means, why ask more?" ”

"But that's more than 100,000 people in our Ming Dynasty, how can Your Majesty bear it."

"Lord Lu, if you don't like what the miscellaneous family says, we have tens of millions of people in the Ming Dynasty, and if there is a difference of 108,000 yuan, let's give it to Jiannu, Lord Lu only needs to obey the order."

"What?"

After listening to his father-in-law's words, Lu Xiangsheng looked at his father-in-law with red eyes, and his father-in-law was startled, and then he heard Lu Xiangsheng say: "Daming has tens of millions of people, but none of them are superfluous. ”