Thinking that Yang Sichang's life was not long and that Changde Mansion was destroyed and it was difficult to recover, Shen Shuren couldn't help but sigh and instructed Gu Yanwu:

"The slaughter in Changde is so tragic, and the work of dealing with the aftermath and reassuring the people is definitely not easy. You can't handle it well, hurry up and help me repair a book, send it to Changsha, and let Fang Futai divide his manpower and energy to take over the affairs of Changde. ”

"Don't worry, don't worry, this little thing will be handled by the students." Gu Yanwu received the order, so he went to repair the book, and let people send it out on the same day.

And Shen Shuren felt that there was nothing he could do to stay in Changde Mansion, so he decided to go north.

So before Gu Yanwu's letter was sent, he instructed the messenger not to return to Changde when he got the reply, and to send it directly to Baling in Yuezhou Mansion.

After the order, the Shen Shuren took the main force of the descendant line to re-open early the next morning, and spent two days marching, crossing Dongting Lake, first coming to Baling at the mouth of the lake, and resting here for two more days.

Because Shen Shuren will definitely pass through Baling if he returns to Wuchang in the future, and Fang Kongzhi will also pass through here if he wants to return to Jiangling. This is a transportation hub, and both sides are not going to take the wrong road when waiting for news.

However, the people of Shen Shu arrived in Baling and rested here for a day, but they did not wait for Fang Kongzhi's reply. On the contrary, there were a lot of sudden new changes, which caught him off guard.

As mentioned earlier, the initial expulsion of the rebels and the restoration of order in Changde by the Shen Shu people was a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival. So when he arrived in Baling, it was already August 14.

As a result, the next day, on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Shen Shuren originally felt that the festival was rare, and he was in the army and wandering, so he wanted to go to the Yueyang Tower in Chenglingji to have a look and enjoy the moon.

But early in the morning, what was waiting for them was a group of prisoner carts from Linxiang County in the south, and a messenger sent by Gu Yanwu to deliver the letter that came with the prisoner cart.

The messenger's movements were faster than the prisoner convoy, and he rushed into the city to inform Gu Yanwu, and when Gu Yanwu learned about it, he hurriedly retrieved the Shen Shuren:

"Dong Weng, don't travel in the mountains and rivers, Your Majesty issued an edict to inquire about Zhang Xianzhong's responsibility for the local governor of the erosion of Huguang, and Fang Futai was taken down by the prisoner car from the capital to be held accountable!

The will is to arrive in Changsha five days ago, and then escort Fang Fu to Taipei, just passing through Baling today! When we were in Changde, we were so confused that we didn't know in advance! ”

When Shen Shuren heard this, he was also quite surprised, but he quickly calmed down, and hurriedly gave up going to Yueyang Tower to play in the mountains and rivers, and went straight back to the city.

The person who escorted Fang Kongzhi was Jinyiwei, and it was not surprising to count the days - Zhang Xianzhong once again disturbed the southern part of Huguang, and it was only in mid-June that it was completely out of control, and the first vassal king was killed, which was basically at that time.

However, perhaps when Changde was lost, Chongzhen could still turn a blind eye and not directly punish and supervise him. But when even Changsha is lost, and two vassal kings die in a row, the matter must definitely be dealt with.

Now it is only 40 days since Changsha was lost, and it took 10 days to receive information and understand the situation in the capital, and it took another 10 days to discuss and hold accountable, and more than half a month to send people south to pass the decree and lock it up.

The return journey will only be slower than when he came, because it is certainly impossible for the prisoners to travel hundreds of miles a day like the Jinyi Guards, and it is very good that the prisoner cart can travel more than a hundred miles a day.

In addition, the road in the Central Plains is not quiet, and it may be necessary to go around the Grand Canal in the east. Fang Kongzhi was locked up this time, and it is estimated that he can rush to Beijing in early September, which is very good.

In fact, in history, Fang Kongzhi was incompetent in defending the land because of the disadvantage of fighting with Zhang Xianzhong, and he lost his land again and again, and he was also asked by Chongzhen for his guilt. Later, he relied on his son Fang Yizhi to find a way to avenge his grievances, so he was only dismissed from office, and was not exiled and imprisoned. In the end, at the end of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, there was a serious shortage of erosion in various places and a serious shortage of supervision and guarding, so he wanted to use him again.

So asking for guilt and going through the motions didn't surprise Shen Shuren too much. So many vassal kings in Huguang have died, and it is inevitable to suffer a little for the time being.

Who let Shen Shuren not be able to kill Zhang Xianzhong immediately, every fallen mansion can only be recovered after a month of fierce fighting.

And if it is collected so slowly, if Chongzhen does not rub the sand in his eyes, he must be asked to be punished.

After being mentally prepared, Shen Shuren also immediately handed over the post, asking the escorted Jinyi Wei to give him face, so that he could catch up with Fang Kongzhi.

Fang Kongzhi's treatment when he was escorted was okay, although he got into the prisoner car, his clothes were still clean, and he didn't need to wear shackles, just sat in the prisoner car.

There was also a mat of torn cotton cloth inside, which was torn but did not look dirty, and should have to be cleaned every few days.

The Jin Yiwei who was in custody didn't dare to offend him too much, and seemed to know that he was just sent to Beijing for questioning, and he might just be dismissed, so he didn't want to make a feud.

And when they encountered Shen Shuren to dredge the joints, the Jinyi Wei Qianhu who was in charge of escorting them was even more humble, and they also knew that Shen Shuren had just made a great contribution and cleaned up the mess.

The thousand households said respectfully: "Although Shen Futai is convenient, as long as it doesn't delay time." The lowly rank is also the emperor's order, and it has to be so.

When I left Beijing on July 20, Beijing did not know that Changsha had been recovered, let alone that Zhang Xianzhong's main force had been annihilated in Hengzhou and that Hengzhou had also been recovered. Therefore, the officials of the court and the imperial history are all staring at the fact that they must first take down a governor to calm down the guilt.

I heard that when Shen Futai recovered Hengzhou, he also captured the generals who surrendered without a fight? After these prisoners were sent to the capital, the fall of Huguang must have another conclusion, please Shen Futai do not worry. You've certainly risen to the next level. ”

Shen Shuren didn't expect these people to give face like this, maybe in the autumn of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, the imperial court had to be polite to the superintendent with heavy troops.

In this case, Shen Shuren also stretched out his hand not to hit the smiling person, and directly greeted the housekeeper Shen Fu beside him, took out a few calligraphy and painting antiques that were snatched by Zhang Xianzhong and seized by him, and gave them to the Jinyi Qianhu and other major escort officers.

These people who came out of the capital, even if they were military attachés, were more knowledgeable, and they would be happy to get the calligraphy and paintings. I knew that I would be able to easily turn cash into silver when I returned to the capital, so I received it with a thousand thanks.

If it is a bun in the countryside, in this kind of chaotic year, who still collects calligraphy and paintings, and there is no way to sell it.

After taking the benefits of the Shen Shu people, they also drove the Fang Kong Ji prisoner car, and let the Shen Shu people invite him to drink to suppress the shock.

Fang Kongzhi curled up in the prison car for a few days, but there was nothing wrong with him, but his knees were a little upright, and his legs and feet were a little paralyzed. When I saw Shen Shuren, I also smiled bitterly:

"I didn't expect to see my nephew again, it would be like this. Once this time goes, even if he can finally get rid of his crimes, I am afraid that he will have to suffer for a few months first. The old man is not afraid of suffering this little bit, but he is afraid that his family will worry. The virtuous nephew can send a letter to my family, urging them to go to Wuchang as soon as possible.

Now our family relies on Zhi'er to be the prefect in Wuchang, and the old and the young want him to take care of them. The virtuous nephew shogunate is also in Wuchang, and he has helped take care of one or two from the side in the past few months, so let's not talk about it when we see the outside. ”

Shen Shuren poured him a cup of blood-invigorating medicinal wine, and said in a big package: "Uncle Shi, don't worry, everyone in the world knows the loss of Xiangnan, and the sin lies with Yin Xianmin He Yide, and when these soft bones are eaten, Uncle Shi will naturally release them."

In fact, when the little nephew left Hengzhou and went north ten days ago, Yin Xianmin He Yide had already been escorted into a prisoner car and escorted to the capital by the little nephew. When they passed through Changsha, it was estimated that they would leave two or three days before you left, and the capital just didn't know the news yet.

When Uncle Shi arrived in the capital, Yin Xianmin might have already been tried first, so he wouldn't suffer for long, and the truth would be revealed. Today's Mid-Autumn Festival, the little nephew also passed with Chen Qianhu, and you will continue to set off tomorrow morning.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the prisoner car was released, and Uncle Shi was allowed to sleep in the post house for a good night, and drink some wine to invigorate his blood. Even if you want to go to Yueyang Tower to admire the moon and be depressed, it is not impossible, the little nephew has already paid a few hundred taels of silver and exonerated himself. ”

Fang Kongzhi heard Shen Shuren speak clearly, and he was further relieved. Under an emperor like Chongzhen, a companion is like a tiger, who hasn't had ups and downs, and it's not unbearable to be in prison for a few months.

He smothered the medicinal wine in one gulp, and after a while he felt warm. In the past few days, the joints that have been curled up and disobeyed have also been revitalized and stasised.

He rubbed his knees and elbows, got up and moved his hands and feet, and looked up for a long sigh, wanting to say a few more words for care, especially about his family.

But when he thought of being convicted, he was now further befriending Shen Shuren, and he seemed too unambitious, and his daughter might not be able to raise her head for the rest of her life and be looked down upon, so she endured it.

He also knew in his heart that he had been convicted, and he had to rely on his friends to get rid of it. At this time, if he married the Shen family, it would be a suspicion of the Shen family's "private alliance with the feudal officials", and the Shen family would have to avoid suspicion at that time, and they would not be able to help him.

So he was also very smart to keep his mouth shut, let everything go naturally, and wait for him to get rid of his crimes, and then think about it in the long run.

……

There were sunken tree people covering him, and Fang Kongzhi followed up by boat along the Yangtze River for a few days, but he didn't suffer hardship.

In the early morning of 16 August, everyone set off again, and after two days of going down the river, after nightfall on the 17th, they had arrived at Wuchang Mansion, which was 500 miles away.

Chen Qianhu, who was in custody, got the benefits of Shen Shuren, so he naturally agreed to stay in Wuchang for another day, giving Fang Kongzhi a day to explain something to his son Fang Yizhi.

And the Fang family, in fact, had already received the news of Fang Kongzhi's accident, his wife Wu Lingyi, daughter Fang Ziling, and some other concubines and concubines all came.

On the one hand, they met the head of the family before they were sent to Beijing, and on the other hand, they had to rely on Fang Yizhi to shelter and live, so they definitely had to move the whole family to Wuchang.

Seeing Fang Kongzhi wearing a white cotton prison uniform, a group of female curls with long hair and short knowledge, of course, most of them were crying and grabbing the ground, only a few of them read a lot and knew the severity, and they could barely control their emotions.

Fang Yizhi, the prefect of Wuchang, of course, has to go out of the city for more than ten miles and personally greet him at the wharf, which is filial piety, if he does not greet him, he will definitely be impeached.

In feudal society, no matter whether his father has committed a crime or not, even if he is already a sinner, he must still be respected as a son, and even if Fang Yizhi chooses to temporarily abandon his official position and run to his father to redress his grievances, he can win the praise of public opinion.

Seeing his mother, aunt and sister hugging and crying with their father, Fang Yizhi could only thank Shen Shuren relatively calmly, and discussed countermeasures together without any traces:

"Brother Shen, this matter depends on you a lot, if you hadn't hit Zhang Xianzhong so quickly, recovered Xiangnan Shufu, and destroyed its main force, I'm afraid this incident would have made a bigger fuss. We don't want to thank you now, if you have a personal relationship that is too close, but instead give you the truth, it is better to report it in the future, thank you for your kindness. ”

His mother Wu Lingyi was concerned about it, seeing that her son and his friend and boss of the same year were still talking so politely, she hurriedly came over and knelt down to Shen Shuren, just to say a few words, "As long as Shen Xian's nephew saves my master, our Fang family will definitely repay at any cost", and even almost said that he wanted to send his daughter to Shen Shuren to marry or even be a concubine.

Fortunately, Fang Ziling was still calm, and hurriedly grabbed her mother behind and blocked her words: "Mother! can't make mistakes, my father and eldest brother are well versed in the laws of the imperial court, and their disposal naturally makes sense. If we have a relationship with Brother Shen now, it will hurt others and ourselves! ”

Wu Lingyi was woken up by her daughter splashed with a scoop of cold water on her head, and then she realized that she was in the lake, so she hurriedly stopped, and a group of concubines next to her, seeing that their wives were persuaded by the second lady, naturally did not dare to make a mistake.

"You can catch up with the old days and do your filial piety for a day, tomorrow is about to leave, don't worry, it will be fine." Shen Shuren also comforted the Fang family's daughter immediately, and cast an approving look at Fang Ziling, he could see that the other party still had a vision and a general understanding.

After pacifying the Fang family, a group of female rolls went to rest without mentioning it.

Fang Yizhi took out a volume of official documents, shook his head and sighed and confessed to Shen Shuren: "Brother Shen, when you are in Changsha and Changde, the situation in the north has changed again. Yang Ge Lao Zuo Liangyu was ...... by Li Zicheng Alas, it's hard to put into words.

I heard what you just said, all the people surnamed Yang in Changde Mansion were slaughtered by Zhang Xianzhong? If this news also reaches the ears of Ge Lao, I am afraid that Ge Lao will not live for a month or two. ”

Shen Shuren can hear it, it is also the first two big, he has been on the march recently, he has no fixed place, and the military information and palace reports sent from the north are indeed easy to miss, so the news is not well-informed, and it is normal to delay it for ten days and eight days.

Shen Shuren said uneasily: "What big thing can happen to the battlefield in Henan? Kaifeng City shouldn't be captured so quickly, right? Before I went south, I had calculated and deduced with the elder of the pavilion, and Li Zicheng didn't have such a strong ability to attack tough problems for the time being. ”

What Shen Shuren was most afraid of was that Kaifeng City would be captured, because he originally told Yang Sichang that he would first go south and then north, and not transfer the main force for the time being, and it would take a few months to get behind, just because he was sure that Kaifeng was not so easy to break, and he could also use the strong city to consume Li Zicheng's sharp energy.

If there was a huge loophole in Shen Shuren's estimation, and it could even be attributed to the main reason for the fall of Kaifeng, it would be very unfavorable to him.

If it weren't for this, but something else had changed, then everything was okay to say, anyway, Shen Shuren himself didn't have to take the blame.

Fortunately, Fang Yizhi's next sentence made Shen Shuren relax a little: "It's not that there is a problem in Kaifeng City, it's Li Zicheng who changed his tactics, so that Yang Gelao, Zuo Liangyu, and Sun Chuanting can't fully follow the strategy you suggested before you go, so there are other failures." ”

When Shen Shuren heard this, he was still a little nervous, but he was not so nervous anyway.

Defeat, it has been the autumn of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, and the Ming Dynasty is on all fronts, will there be fewer defeats?

But as long as he himself will not be convicted, there will be no problems with his basic territory, and the rest can only be solved when he encounters problems.

"That's it, let's go back to the house and talk about it in detail, it's really a tree that wants to be quiet and the wind doesn't stop."