Chongzhen didn't know how the salary of the Guanning Army was distributed before, and he didn't know the rules for the payment of money in other border towns, but from today on, the salary and silver distribution of the Ming army must be standardized.

That is, it is no longer issued by the generals of the border towns, but directly by the emperor or the emperor's appointed messengers.

In this way, it can not only avoid the border town generals deducting military salaries, but also avoid the border town generals taking advantage of this city favor, and after a long time, they can form a stereotype of fighting for the country and being loyal to the emperor in the minds of the Ming army soldiers.

Whose soldier was it? When the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty!

Whose food did you eat? Banzai Lord's food to eat!

These two slogans are also intended to reinforce this stereotype.

Don't underestimate these two sentences, under the mechanical repetition of day after day, year after year, once the stereotype of fighting for the country and being loyal to the emperor is formed, supplemented by full rations and strict military regulations, it is enough to create an elite army that can fight well!

More than 200 years later, there really is such an army.

This army is the Beiyang New Army trained by Yuan Shikai.

Before the Beiyang Army was divided, it was definitely an elite division.

The distribution of salaries continued, and Chongzhen called Huang Degong and Wu Linzheng and other civil officials and nobles to him.

Chongzhen first said to Meng Zhaoxiang: "Meng Aiqing, I will not cross the river first, and the Duwei of the horses and the Marquis of Xinle will not cross the river for the time being, so you will take a few colleagues to cross the river first, and go to inform the gentry of Liudu, saying that I have broken the siege from Beijing and moved south, and I am reorganizing the army and horses in the north of the river to prepare for the Northern Expedition." ”

Meng Guangxiang answered and asked, "What do the ministers need to do?" ”

"Just settle the people." Chongzhen said, "Let the Nanjing household department raise 5 million taels of silver to send to Yangzhou." ”

"Minister's order." Meng Zhaoxiang received the holy decree, and without a moment's delay, he took Wu Linzheng and other colleagues across the river, because they had already heard about Zhu Yousong's supervision of the country.

So the most important thing now is to solve this matter.

A kingdom cannot be without a king for a day, but neither can a kingdom have two lords.

Chongzhen asked Huang Degong again: "Huang Qing, do you have more than 1,000 surplus war horses in your army?" ”

Your number has been set, this must be there, Huang Degong responded: "There are still more than 1,000 surplus war horses in the army." ”

"Okay, I have requisitioned more than a thousand war horses." Chongzhen said, "Your seven thousand cavalry have also been requisitioned in one piece, Huang Aiqing, you won't have an opinion, right?" ”

"Why did the Holy One say that?"

Huang Degong hurriedly said: "This is the army of the Ming Dynasty, not the private soldiers of the ministers. ”

"Okay, Aiqing is loyal to the country, I have remembered it." Chongzhen said again, "After I lead the cavalry to drive first, Aiqing will also immediately pull out the camp to follow up." ”

Huang Degong asked, "Where to go?" ”

"Jiangdu!" Chongzhen said, "Relieve the siege of Yangzhou!" ”

Is this going to clean up the Gaojie thief? Huang Degong's eyes instantly lit up, and he said, "The minister's order!" ”

In less than an hour, nearly a thousand Yiding all received their salaries, and after receiving the silver, the fatigue caused by the long and rapid march was also lightened, and the whole army became energetic again.

Chongzhen asked the Yiding to change horses and embark on the journey again.

Only this time, Chongzhen had an extra 7,000 cavalry.

Of course, the quality of these seven thousand cavalry was uneven.

The mule cavalry is not bad, and there are even donkey cavalry.

There are probably more than 2,000 real war horses.

……

At the same time, in the North Straight.

Li Zicheng's "army" had already retreated to Dingzhou.

There are only 50,000 veterans of the Dashun Army who withdrew from Beijing, plus Liu Fangliang's 20,000, a total of 70,000, but at this moment, there are more than 500,000 people crowded on the official road.

Among the more than 500,000 people, in addition to the families and civilians who accompanied the army,

There are also many women snatched by the Dashun Army from Beijing and Gyeonggi prefectures.

When the Dashun army evacuated Beijing, not only the maids and ladies of those big families, but also the eldest girls and little daughters-in-law of ordinary people were also taken captive.

In addition, there is a large amount of possessions.

Tens of thousands of vehicles of all kinds, completely blocking the road.

The march could not go ten miles in a day, and the speed was outrageously slow.

Li Zicheng felt like he was going crazy, he couldn't get to Shanxi for a month at this rate, and he didn't know when he would go back to Xi'an, and Jiannu would give them time?

Because Liu Fangliang's 20,000 fresh troops suddenly joined, the day before yesterday in Baoding Dashun's army finally won a battle, defeated Jiannu's cavalry, and beheaded more than 800.

But Li Zicheng knows very well that this one victory will not turn the overall situation around at all.

Before sending troops to Shanhaiguan, Li Zicheng didn't pay attention to Jiannu at all, but after a battle in Shanhaiguan, he already knew how powerful Jiannu was.

Jiannu is indeed much stronger than the Ming army.

The Dashun army beat the Ming army like chopping melons and vegetables, but it was extremely difficult to fight Jiannu.

In the battle of a stone, the Dashun army dispatched the most elite cavalry veterans of the Zhongquan pro-army to attack the infantry phalanx of Jiannu with the tactic of three walls, but the Jiannu phalanx did not move at all.

Li Zicheng has never seen such an army.

At this time, Li Yan also found Li Zicheng.

"Holy." Li Yan arched his hand and said, "It can't go on like this." ”

Li Zicheng has officially ascended the throne, so Li Yan and others have changed their names to Shengshang.

"What does the right division think to do?" Looking at the heroic Li Yan, Li Zicheng's face was a little gloomy.

"All baggage, including possessions, must be abandoned!" Li Yan said solemnly, "In addition, we must take precautions and make arrangements for the future situation in advance, so as not to completely collapse." ”

Li Zicheng's face became even more gloomy.

The corners of Niu Jinxing's mouth showed a slight sneer.

Li Zicheng patiently asked, "How should I lay it out?" ”

"Punish a heavy minister to guard Henan." Li Yan said solemnly, "The land of the Central Plains has been a battleground for soldiers since ancient times, and it is said that those who win the Central Plains will win the world, so Henan must not be lost." ”

When Li Zicheng heard this, he couldn't help but turn his head and look at Niu Jinxing.

Just now, Niu Jinxing told him that Li Yan wanted to lead the troops out of Henan alone, and then support the troops to stand on his own, Li Zicheng didn't believe it originally, but now he can't help but believe it.

Li Yan, you don't want to defend Henan, you want to rebel.

At that moment, Li Zicheng stared at Li Yan's eyes and asked, "Who can guard Henan?" ”

If Li Yan dared to recommend himself, Li Zicheng would kill him without hesitation.

As a result, Li Yan said: "It has to be the prime minister, and others can't afford to bear this burden." ”

"Huh?" Li Zicheng was stunned when he heard this, didn't you want to get out of Henan?

Niu Jinxing was also dumbfounded, what a Li Yan, what he said to you last night was in vain? I didn't ask you to take the initiative to ask the saint to go out of Henan, who asked you to recommend me?

I haven't led any soldiers, so you let me guard Henan? You're pushing me into the fire pit.

After a long time, Li Zichengcai said: "The prime minister and the right army division are my left arm and right arm, and they are indispensable. ”

"Holy Master." Li Yan said again, "There is one more thing to do. ”

"What?" Li Zicheng's face is already much better-looking.

Li Yan said: "The remnants of the Ming turtle shrink half of the south of the Yangtze River, there is no need to be afraid, so at present, the trouble of my henchmen of the Great Shun Dynasty has changed from Nanming to Jiannu, in order to share the soldiers of Jiannu, the minister thinks that he should be reconciled with Nanming." ”

"Well, that makes sense." Li Zicheng nodded and said, "It seems that it should indeed be reconciled with Nanming." ”

Li Yan said again: "So the minister thinks that the captured prisoners of war such as Wang Jiayan and Hu Xinshui should be released, and it is best to release the three brothers of Zhu Cihong, the prince of the Southern Ming Dynasty." ”

Song Xiance immediately echoed: "The minister seconded the proposal." ”

Li Zicheng asked Niu Jinxing: "What does the prime minister think?" ”

For Li Zicheng, this is not a difficult multiple-choice question.

Compared with fighting Jiannu, it must be easier to fight the Ming army, so Jiannu is the number one rival.

Therefore, unless Nanming can be destroyed quickly before Jiannu reacts, it is necessary to unite with Nanming to fight against Jiannu.

So, is it possible for the Great Shun Dynasty to quickly destroy Nanming before Jiannu reacts? Apparently impossible.

So the final answer is self-evident, uniting with the Southern Ming to fight against Jiannu is the best and only choice.

Niu Jinxing frowned and said: "There is nothing wrong with returning Wang Jiayan, Hu Xinshui and the captured prisoners of war of the Ming army, but is it a bit hasty to return the three brothers of Zhu Cihong like this?" ”

Liu Zongmin also said: "Yes, these three people are the emperor's heirs and are valuable." ”

Li Yan persuaded again: "Shengshang, if it is changed to peacetime, of course the three Zhu Cihong brothers cannot be easily returned, but at present, my Dashun army is being pursued and killed by Jiannu, and the troops are already insufficient, but a considerable number of elites must be assigned to protect the three Zhu Cihong brothers, in case the war is unfavorable and they are separated or die in the chaos, they will not only miss the opportunity to show favor to Nanming, but will even anger Nanming in turn, so it will be very disadvantageous to my Dashun." ”

As soon as Li Yan's words fell, Li Shuangxi hurriedly caught up.

"Father." Li Shuangxi said in a panic, "Guan Ningjun and Jiannu are chasing after them again!" ”

"Wu Sangui, this dog slave!" Li Zicheng's face immediately fell, and then he said to Li Yan, "Right Military Division, according to what you just said, release Zhu Cihong and his three brothers, as well as Wang Jiayan and Hu Xinshui. ”

At present, we must concentrate all our forces to deal with Jiannu, and I really can't take care of the three Zhu Cihong brothers.

Li Yan said: "You can also ask Zhu Cihong to give Chongzhen a message, if you are not of my race, your heart will be different, the relationship between Nanming and my Dashun is a brotherly dispute, but in the face of barbarian brothers like Jiannu, the two should join forces to fight against foreign captives!" ”

"Yes, yes." Li Zichengxin said, "Just tell Chongzhen to fight against foreign captives." ”