November 11, 46th year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, Nanjing, Longjiangkou.

It's time for the master and apprentice to say goodbye to the riverside, but the Pearl River has been replaced by the Yangtze River, and the scorching summer has become a cold winter.

On a river boat wharf next to the Longjiang Tax Customs, a large boat with 1,500 materials was ready to pull anchor and set sail when it saw that it had already loaded its goods.

The flags on this boat are both clear and clear.

The so-called Ming flag is not a flag embroidered with the name of "Daming", but a pennant with the word "Cao" with a black line on a white background, which was obtained after paying the money for buying the road to the Longjiangkou tax customs directly under the jurisdiction of the household department in Nanjing.

And the "Qing Flag", of course, is not a flag embroidered with the name of "Daqing", but a square flag with the word "Cao" with a blue background and black line, which was issued by the Yamen of the Caoyun Governor of the Qing Dynasty. It's free, of course!

The governor of the Great Qing Dynasty did not dare to let the Cao Yun be interrupted, because the Cao Yun was the food and clothing of the "millions of Cao workers", and it was also the rations of the children of the Eight Banners in Beijing, and it was also the source of money for the officials of the Cao Yun of the Qing Dynasty.

If this is broken, I don't know how many people will have no food to eat, and they will not be able to delay everyone making money for the sake of the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty.

So after Jiangning Mansion became Yingtianfu until now, it has been several months, Jiangbei, Jiangxi, Jiangdong, Jiangnan and other big camps have been established, and ships are still coming and going on the Yangtze River, and the Longjiangkou wharf is still lively.

The silk and cloth with the seal of "Jiangning Weaving" on the wrapping paper are produced in large quantities and transported to the whole country and all over the world through the merchant ships - this is the product of the "four major weavings", famous brands, and the only one of the four major weavings to be sold to the market!

This Qianliu Cao boat docked at the Longjiang Customs Wharf was loaded with a lot of "Jiangning weaving" silk.

On the dock, there is a Nalan Mingzhu who has become a prisoner twice and has been rescued twice by his good student Wang Zhongxiao.

He now looks a little vicissitudes, only wearing a cotton robe of white fabric, wearing a favorite hood of the remnants of the Ming Dynasty in Jiangnan on his head, holding a cane in both hands, and is turning to look at the imperial city of Nanjing, that is, the city of Jiangning, with tears in his eyes!

Nanjing Imperial City or Jiangning Mancheng is on fire at this time, the fire is not small, the smoke is billowing, you can see that it is not good!

The Battle of Jiangning Mancheng has been fought for almost half a month. It's a lot of fun!

On one side, men, women and children went into battle together, defending the city to the death, fighting to pull it down; On the one hand, the Geng family army, who was eager to perform and wanted to make a prestige, also used the strength to eat, attacking day and night, taking turns to pounce, failing to achieve the goal, and vowing not to give up.

However, the ability of Geng Jiajun to attack the fortification is really not good, in the face of a defender (including all men and women who can pick up arms) is only more than 1,000 people of the large fortress (the city wall is more than 20 miles long, typical is the city with few soldiers), actually fought for more than ten days, paid thousands of casualties, and finally used a red-clothed cannon moved from the Yuejiangmen City Tower that can fire 12 catties of cannonballs to bombard the main gate of the imperial city, Hongwu Gate, and the main gate of the Forbidden City, the Noon Gate.

And when the Hongwu Gate and the Noon Gate were breached, the Eight Banners soldiers and the families of the Eight Banners who were cowering in the Imperial City of Nanjing (Jiangning Mancheng) inevitably ushered in the end!

The current fire, it is very likely that the desperate Eight Banners soldiers and the Eight Banners family set fire to the remnants of the ancient palace in the imperial city. Use self-incineration!

The river breeze is bleak, and the river water is cool.

And Mingzhu's mood at the moment is more gloomy than the river breeze and colder than the river water. Seeing him trembling and crying, the hearts of the dozens of attachés in cotton robes and hoods who followed him were all raised, and they were afraid that this Ming Zhongtang would not be able to think of jumping off the dock at the mouth of the Longjiang River for a while.

When the time comes, everyone will have to fish for him on such a cold day, what should I do if I want to freeze out?

In addition, Mingzhu's errand is really unlucky, you can meet rebels everywhere, from Guangdong to Nanjing, all the way to lose your teacher and land! It's really moldy at home, what can the big guy do when he goes back with him? Turning around, you won't be cannon fodder for the four battalions sent to Jiangning, right?

Mingzhu's current sad appearance also made Wang Zhongxiao, who came to the dock to see him off, a little worried, and he didn't want to fish for the teacher in the cold world! But I can't watch the teacher drown in front of my eyes. People in these years respect their teachers, pay attention to being a teacher for one day, and be a father for life!

Thinking of this, he had no choice but to move to Mingzhu's side and reminded in a low voice: "Teacher, the water is cold!" ”

Cool water?

Mingzhu was stunned for a moment, and then understood what his good student was thinking? He snorted, withdrew his gaze from the billowing smoke in the direction of the imperial city, and then glared at Wang Zhongxiao again: "Shikai, do you really think that this small court of the Southern Ming Dynasty, which only has one place, can become bigger?" ”

Wang Zhongxiao shook his head, "Teacher, where can a student be so stupid?" The Ming Dynasty in Nanjing City is clearly a chess piece used by the third prince of the Han and Song dynasties, and it is used to attract the emperor's attention and distract the Qing troops. Teacher, who do you think the quarters of the world will end up attributing to? ”

To whom will the four branches of the world belong?

Of course, Mingzhu should not hesitate to say "return to Qing", but he is speechless for a while.

Seeing that Mingzhu was silent, Wang Zhongxiao said eloquently: "Teacher, you have to remind the emperor, be careful to return to Wu in the end!" ”

"Four Kingdoms to Wu?" Mingzhu shuddered, if there really was this day, he would really have to be "not afraid of cold water"!

Wang Zhongxiao nodded and said in a low voice: "Teacher, please tell the emperor again, there are no eternal enemies and no eternal friends in the world, only eternal interests!" ”

"These words. Who taught you? Mingzhu looked at her good student, her brows furrowed.

"It's my father!" Wang Zhongxiao said, "What my father said is that there is no eternal enemy, and there is no eternal master"

"This is the words of the living Lu Bu!" Mingzhu gritted his teeth, "But if he is like this, he is not afraid that whoever wins the world will not be able to tolerate him?" ”

"Hehe," Wang Zhongxiao shook his head, "The Three Kingdoms of the Later Han Dynasty were in turmoil for ninety-six years, and finally they were unified. Does the teacher think that the Qing Dynasty still has the ability to pacify Western Wu, Donggeng, and Zhongli in just a few years? ”

Pearl has nothing to say.

Wang Zhongxiao said again: "Teacher, students should be honest with you. What students are most worried about now is that the emperor was scattered too much power by Dong Geng and Zhong Li, and finally was taken by Western Wu!

The current situation in Xiwu is almost the most ideal situation in "Longzhong Pair" planned by Zhuge Kongming for Uncle Liu Huang! Now that Wu Sangui has led the people of Yizhou out of Qinchuan, he is just one general who will lead the army of Jingzhou to Xiang Wan and Luo! ”

Mingzhu frowned, and said in a low voice: "But the Qing Dynasty can't lose the land of Jiangnan's wealth!" ”

Wang Zhongxiao said: "That's why the emperor should send an envoy to Jiangnan in the name of participating in the restoration of the Ming Dynasty, and make a good calculation with the people on the Ming side."

"What's the total?" Mingzhu was stunned.

"Of course, it's a total of how to protect each other in the Ming and Qing Dynasties!" Wang Zhongxiao made a rather surprising proposal.

"What? Ming, Qing, Qing and Qing mutual insurance? What to keep? Mingzhu was taken aback.

"Of course, it is to ensure that this troubled world can continue!" Wang Zhongxiao said lightly, "Teacher, I don't think the emperor expects to kill Wu and Li in just a few years, right?" ”

Mingzhu said in his heart: Kangxi must want to! How could you not want to? It's a pity he can't!

Wang Zhongxiao saw Mingzhu fall into thought, and knew that his words had moved Mingzhu, and it seemed that the pattern of Donggeng (Zhu), Xiwu, Nanwang, Beikang, and Zhongchuang Wang was still expected to be formed and maintained.

Now the plates of Xiwu and Beikang are relatively stable, and the king of Zhongchuang and the king of the south are still okay, only the situation of Donggeng (Zhu) is not good, and it still needs time to develop obscenely, but you can't let any Jiangnan, Jiangbei, Jiangxi, and Jiangdong camps surround together.

If you really want to rush up, it is very likely that the power of Nanjing will be crushed by the Qing army!

As soon as Nanjing collapsed, it was difficult for Wang Zhongxiao to touch the righteous name of the Ming Dynasty, so he could only engage in "Eighteen Sons of the King" with Li Zicheng. It's not impossible to break into the camp, but Li Zicheng is not a fuel-efficient lamp!

In contrast, it is still the third prince of Zhu who is easy to control.

At this time, I don't know who suddenly shouted: "The wind is blowing!" ”

Wang Zhongxiao stopped persuading and arched his hand towards the teacher, "Teacher, the northwest wind has really risen. Hurry up and board the ship! If it goes well, you will be able to get to Yangzhou tonight! ”

As he spoke, he took out two stacks of silver tickets and handed them to Mingzhu: "Teacher, these are UBS tickets, half of them are for you, and half of them are for Master Duo who you handed over to me." ”

"Give it to Doron?" Mingzhu asked, "Is he in Yangzhou?" ”

"It's in Yangzhou!" Wang Zhongxiao nodded, "I have been dismissed and investigated, and now is the time to use money!" ”

Mingzhu was not polite, stretched out his hand and took the two stacks of silver tickets, and said: "The teacher is now also a mud bodhisattva crossing the river, and it is difficult to protect himself, otherwise he can say a few words for Duolong." ”

Wang Zhongxiao said: "Teacher, don't say that, the emperor still needs you!" As long as the emperor feels that Wu Sangui's threat is far greater than that of Zhu Sangui, he will need you! ”

Mingzhu nodded, thinking: Just rush this, I also have to let the emperor know about Wu Sangui's danger!

Jingzhou, Shashikou.

In the northwest wind, a drizzle of light snow fell one after another. In the midst of a sleet, the dejected Jingzhou Banner Army was helping the old and the young to get on the boat silently. The Han people of Jingzhou City also braved the rain, snow and biting cold wind to hold rice wine and flour cakes near the Shashikou wharf. Waiting to meet the king!

The warships carrying 5,000 troops are now anchored near the south bank of the Yangtze River, and when the Eight Banners and their families have left, they will board the Shashikou and then take over Jingzhou City.

The people of Jingzhou are waiting to greet them!

Just after sending the Qing Dynasty here, I turned around to meet the king, you see, how good is the connection?

On the wharf at the mouth of the Shashikou, two high-ranking officials in full robes and gowns were walking along, and passing through each place, there were officers and soldiers of the Eight Banners saluting a thousand times. These two big officials, one wearing the robe of the Prince of the Qing Dynasty, is none other than Prince An Yue Le. The other is wearing the green robe of Li Chuang's regime, and on his head is a hood to protect him from the wind and snow, which is Huang Zhisheng.

"Huang Zhentai, you are Li Chuang's person, take this king's ship to Nanjing to participate in the restoration of vision, is this appropriate?" Yue Le suddenly opened his mouth and asked Huang Zhisheng a question about "whose boat did you get on".

It turned out that Huang Zhisheng proposed to Yue Le that he would take his boat to Nanjing to participate in the restoration of vision conference - to take the ship of the Qing Dynasty prince to Nanjing to participate in a meeting against the Qing Dynasty and the restoration of the Ming Dynasty!

Is this appropriate?

"How is it not appropriate?"

"Is this unclear? After this king arrives in Liangjiang, he will preside over the military affairs of Liangjiang to encircle and suppress the third prince of Zhu! If you take my boat to Nanjing, will the people in Nanjing suspect you of being clear? ”

Huang Zhisheng smiled faintly: "The prince's army of 20,000 or 30,000 and tens of thousands of dependents took a boat through the section of the Yangtze River controlled by King Chuang, doesn't this already show that the two of us have a secret deal?" The prince wouldn't think that Nanjing didn't know anything, right? ”

"That's right!" Yue Le thought for a while, and then asked, "Huang Zhentai, in your opinion, what is Li Chuang's idea?" Is he trying to join forces with me? ”

"It's impossible to join forces!" Huang Zhisheng shook his head, "King Chuang's great country was taken away by you, and he will not join forces with you no matter what." But. He and Wu Sangui will also have a battle! If it weren't for Wu Sangui's anger at the crown, it would have been twenty-eight or twenty-nine years of Yongchang now!

And Wu Sangui definitely can't bear to break into the four counties of Jingzhou, Yuezhou, Hanyang, and Wuchang! ”

Yue Le nodded, he already understood Li Zicheng's position in his heart!

Li Zicheng wants Wu Sangui to fight!

Of course, Wu Sangui is probably going to fight with Li Zicheng!

The contradictions between the two of them are irreconcilable! Their contradiction is not only the past festival, but also a dispute in the world.

Whether Li Zicheng swallowed Wu Sangui, or Wu Sangui swallowed Li Zicheng, only the two of them decided the victory, and the Qing Dynasty would face a strong enemy!

This is a bit of the dispute between Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

In contrast, although Wu, Li and the Qing Dynasty are also mortal enemies, this feud can actually be pushed back.

As far as the Qing Dynasty is concerned, as long as Wu Sangui and Li Zicheng do not decide the winner, then the situation in Shaanxi and Henan can still be maintained, and if the Qing Dynasty can use this opportunity to settle the chaos in Jiangnan, then everything is under control.

If not, then the Qing Dynasty will only have to accept the situation of four or three points in the world!

"Well, that's ridiculous, isn't it? The third prince of Zhu wanted to hold a conference to oppose the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming Dynasty, and he actually invited me to send someone to participate! I am the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, how can the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty participate in sending people to participate in the anti-Qing restoration conference? ”

In the south study where Xi'an was walking, a Qing emperor was crying and laughing because of the stack of pieces that Mingzhu had sent him with 800 miles of flying.

It turned out that Mingzhu really said in the recital that he sent people to participate in the Nanjing Restoration Conference. And he also put forward the suggestion of "mutual protection between the Ming and Qing dynasties and the fight against the three guis" at the end of the chapter!

This is also ridiculous, can the Ming and Qing dynasties protect each other? Fooling fools, right?

But Wu Sangui is indeed a confidant of the Qing Dynasty?

During this time, as soon as Kangxi closed his eyes, he would dream of the plot of "Longzhong Pair", that Zhuge Liang actually dared to shake a feather fan to give advice to Wu Sangui, a thief!

It's just scary!

"Your Majesty, the slave thinks that between the Ming and Qing dynasties. You might as well protect each other! ”

Immediate support was raised.

Kangxi took a look, and it turned out to be Mi Sihan, the head of the household.

Mi Sihan, who is in charge of money, has been getting more and more stingy recently, and he has a stinky face that asks for money all day long.

"Your Majesty, the Qing Dynasty can't live without the wealth of the southeast!" Mi Sihan knew that Kangxi hated to swallow the whole world in one bite, so he hurriedly put forward his opinion, "In the past two years, the war has been continuous, the state is insufficient, and the treasury has been lost a lot. And Jiangnan's financial income has always accounted for about forty percent of the financial income.

Not to mention that Jiangnan is owned by the third prince of Zhu, even if it is destroyed in the war, the imperial court will not be able to bear it. So Bao Jiangnan is to protect the imperial court. If the third prince of Zhu can not develop into Jiangnan, Huaidong, and Zhejiang, the slave suggests that he can consider temporarily resolving the conflict with the third prince of Zhu, so as to resist Wu Sangui with all his might! ”

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that he should concentrate on destroying the third prince of Jinling first!"

It was Suo Etu who raised the objection, saying: "Your Majesty, the slave thinks that Li and Wu will have a battle. And this battle will not be decided anytime soon. Therefore, the imperial court completely took advantage of this gap to solve the weak enemy of the third prince Zhu first, and firmly hold the land of Jiangnan wealth in its hands! As long as the silver is enough, Wu Sangui and Li Zicheng can always be destroyed! ”

Kangxi nodded slowly, seemingly. was told through his mind by Suo Etu.

"But Nanjing is not easy to fight!" Kangxi pondered and said, "Geng Jingzhong alone has more than 10,000 troops, and even the army of Duolong, the governor of Liangjiang, has been defeated in their hands!" ”

"Your Majesty," Chen Tingjing interjected, "the minister has a way to surprise and surround him, at least he can try to contain the third prince Zhu and nail him to Nanjing City!" ”

(End of chapter)