A day later, Li Beiwen, Hong Chengchou, Ma Shaoyu, and Zhang Ruoqi took the officers and soldiers of the Beijing battalion and escorted more than 4.7 million taels of silver into the camp of the Supervising Battalion. The 500,000 taels of silver and 300,000 stone of grain allocated to Liu Yan were also transported.

Liu Yan and the chief military officers of the towns smiled happily when they saw this, and they all hugged their fists to thank Li Beiwen, Hong Chengchou and others, and the soldiers of the towns were even more joyful when they heard the news, shouting "Long live" more than once.

But Li Zhiwen and Hong Chengchou were not so happy, in order to raise a total of more than 5 million taels of silver in order to raise money and food, they almost offended all the powerful people in Beijing who could be offended, and now their names are stinky streets in Beijing.

Chen Xinjia was very glad that he didn't raise money with him at this time, looking at the exhaustion and worry between Hong Chengchou's eyebrows, Chen Xinjia secretly said in his heart: "I see how you can gain a foothold in the court, how long can you do this position of first assistant!" ”

Everyone greeted for a while, Hong Chengchou and Li Zhiwen together issued rewards and pensions to the soldiers in each town, and Liu Yan also got the extra allocated money and grain, plus Emperor Chongzhen exempted Qinglai Town from taxes and three salaries for five years, which was also a bumper harvest.

On the same day, Liu Yan and Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, Wu Sangui and other more than a dozen general military officers took out the guilty folds prepared in advance and handed them to Hong Chengchou to take back to the palace.

During the banquet, Liu Yan and others entered the main hall of the Qianqing Palace in turn, although Emperor Chongzhen was still angry in his heart, but the process that should be taken still had to be walked again, rewarding everyone, and encouraging him.

Wang Chengen also announced

After reading the lengthy "Victory Recital", when the celebration was over, he burned the sacrifice to heaven and earth.

After a process, Liu Yan, Hong Chengchou and a group of chief military officers followed Wang Chengen to the side hall, where Emperor Chongzhen set up a banquet and practiced it for everyone.

It's still four dishes per person and a pot of wine, not to mention the palace inside, such dishes can't even compare to the family banquets of those rich merchants and officials.

When Hong Chengchou, Yang Guozhu, Wu Sangui and others saw it, they all burst into tears, begging Emperor Chongzhen to eat and dress better.

Liu Yan was also moved in his heart, Emperor Chongzhen, as the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was able to be thrifty to such an extent, it was really not easy, but it was limited to that.

Emperor Chongzhen is suspicious and extreme, and he has to do everything himself, but his ability can't keep up, so such a person is the emperor, it's good to catch up with the peaceful season, maybe he is still a king who keeps the success, at most he will make some small mess, and there will not be much out of place.

But Emperor Chongzhen's luck is too bad, it can be said that he is the emperor with the worst luck in the Ming Dynasty, catching up with the end of the Ming Dynasty, surrounded by strong enemies outside, and thieves raging inside.

Coupled with the shortcomings of Emperor Chongzhen's character, the more diligent Emperor Chongzhen was, the more corrupt the situation in the Ming Dynasty became. Originally, Emperor Tianqi left Sun Chengzong and other powerful people, as well as Wei Zhongxian, a sharp weapon to suppress the Donglin Party, plus the great power of famous generals such as Hong Chengchou, Yuan Chonghuan, Cao Bianjiao, Lu Xiangsheng, Sun Chuanting and so on.

But he couldn't stand Emperor Chongzhen's operation together, and killed Wei Zhongxian to make the Donglin Party bigger.

The cutting station forced Li Zicheng to rebel, and then all kinds of "hands-on" buried a number of famous generals who could harden the Manchu Qing Dynasty and thieves one by one, and the Ming Dynasty also lost the chance of survival under the "fine-tuning" of Emperor Chongzhen again and again.

At this time, the monarchs and ministers at the banquet were harmonious, Emperor Chongzhen was chatting and laughing with everyone, and Liu Yan naturally became the focus of everyone, who would have thought that just two days ago, everyone would still be unable to hold on to Emperor Chongzhen?

"Hehe, the slaves and thieves are defeated, the thieves are scattered, and my Ming Dynasty will eventually usher in the situation of Zhongxing, you Aiqing ......"

“…… I pin my hopes on you, and hope that you Aiqing will take Dingyubo as an example, return to the towns and guards, follow the example of Qinglai Town, organize and train a new army, and train more elite soldiers for my Ming Dynasty......"

At the end of this banquet, Emperor Chongzhen was already drunk, and went back to rest with the support of the eunuchs, and everyone was ready to leave the palace, and everyone was very excited at this time.

At this time, Wang Chengen rushed to stop Liu Yan, and the two walked to the side and whispered: "Uncle Dingyu will go back this time, but you must remember Your Majesty's kindness, if it weren't for Your Majesty's magnanimity, what the result would be, Uncle Dingyu would know." ”

Liu Yan made a "panicked" look and said a few good words.

Wang Chengen was very satisfied, and said: "Hehe, Your Majesty intends to let all towns follow the example of the new army, and after Dingyubo returns, he will sort out the experience of the new army's training and report it to the military department. ”

"Father-in-law, rest assured, this matter will be handled by the town as soon as possible."

Liu Yan sneered in his heart, the reason why the new army in Qinglai Town is strong is because of the investment of a large amount of money and food, so that the soldiers have no worries about food and clothing, and there are clear rewards and punishments; Because of this, the soldiers were allotted land

, so that the soldiers have no worries; Because of the standardization and institutionalization of firearms, soldiers can use firearms on a large scale to kill the enemy without any worries.

Even if Liu Yan wrote out these lessons and sent them to the towns, they would not be able to learn them.

Because in other military towns, no amount of money and food can be distributed to the hands of the soldiers, starting from the general officers of each town, the generals at all levels are exploited layer by layer, and there is not much arable land left in the military camps, if there is no determination to push back again, even if the towns are Yang Guozhu, Cao Bianjiao, Wu Sangui and others, they will not be able to organize and train the new army, at most they will just reorganize the existing soldiers and horses.

Out of the palace, Liu Yan and the others rushed back to their respective camps and began to organize their troops and horses to prepare to return to their respective stations.

Hong Chengchou also rushed back to the superintendent camp, and then sent someone to inform the chief military officers of each town that the military department only gave each town two days, and when the time came, the army of each town must be drawn without delay.

Liu Yan returned to the camp and summoned the generals of each battalion, everyone was extremely lively at this time, talking and laughing in the big tent of the Chinese army, Liu Yan joked with everyone for a while, and then said: "The imperial court let the army of each town withdraw the day after tomorrow at the latest, and the town decided that early tomorrow morning, the battalions will be drawn and return to the Qingzhou capital." ”

"Home!"

"It's okay now, and I can catch up with the New Year."

The crowd cheered and cheered, and the officers and men of the battalions of the New Army went to bed early that night, and the next morning, the battalions of the New Army in Qinglai Town had frequent horns, and the soldiers and horses of each battalion were mobilizing and assembling.

Hong Chengchou heard the news and hurriedly rushed with the chief officers of each town, but saw that the soldiers and horses of the battalions of the new army were packing their bags and preparing to leave.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and followed Hong Chengchou to the Chinese army in the guard camp

In the big tent, I saw that Liu Yan had already packed his bags, and there was nothing in the big tent.

"Hehe, Uncle Dinglu really does what he says!"

Liu Yan said with a smile: "Governor Hong is here to see off the soldiers of our army?" ”

Hong Chengchou said: "I didn't expect Dingyubo to go so fast, and in a hurry, I can only bring you generals to come, I wish Dinglubo a smooth journey." ”

Liu Yan clenched his fists and said: "Take care of Governor Hong, take care of the generals!" ”

Everyone stepped forward to say goodbye to Liu Yan, Wang Pu also struggled to squeeze out a few tears, Yang Guozhu, Wang Tingchen, Li Fuming and others laughed and made an appointment with Liu Yan for wine, Cao Bianjiao smiled, and said that he must go to Qinglai Town to visit and study if he has the opportunity, and Liu Yan immediately agreed.

Wu Sangui also stepped forward and said: "Being able to fight side by side with Dingyubo is the greatest honor of Sangui's life, the mountains are high and the waters are long, we will come to Japan for a long time, and there will be many opportunities to work together in the future." ”

"This town can fight the Tartars with An Ningbo, and it is also a blessing for three lives, and we will have a period later."

At the same time, Liu Yan secretly said in his heart: "It seems that you should have no chance to let the Tartars enter the customs, but I don't know if you Wu Sangui will be loyal or traitorous in the future?" ”

An hour later, the battalions of the new army were assembled, and in the bitter cold wind, tens of thousands of troops stood tall in the military formation like pines and cypresses, so that the army was shocked.

Hong Chengchou was also amazed, and at the same time secretly said in his heart: "Liu Yan does have arrogant capital, and holding such a strong army is the greatest confidence!" ”

"Let's go!"

"Onward! Forward! Forward! ”

"We, the new army, are facing the sun, to the land of the motherland, carrying the hope of all the people, and we are one

An invincible force ......"

This military song that Liu Yan changed the lyrics has been sung in the battalions of the New Army, at this time tens of thousands of soldiers marched in the cold wind, and the loud singing sounded, Hong Chengchou and others were also attracted by this novel tune.

Especially when they heard "We are an invincible force", everyone's faces changed, and Hong Chengchou frowned slightly, and there was a little more worry between his eyebrows.

On the same day, Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, and Li Fuming also ordered the camp to be pulled, and the three of them stopped by the way, agreed to withdraw the army together, and went west from Juyong Pass.

Subsequently, Wu Sangui, Liu Zhaoji and other generals of various towns in eastern Liaodong also withdrew one after another, and the stations of Cao Bianjiao, Ma Ke, and Tang Tong were relatively close, so they withdrew the camp the next day.

The more than 200,000 troops outside the Desheng Gate withdrew one after another, and Emperor Chongzhen, Hong Chengchou, Chen Xinjia and others were all relieved, and the dispute finally ended in peace.

A few days later, Hong Chengchou took a warm sedan chair to the outside of the noon gate, ready to enter the palace to meet Emperor Chongzhen, and now that he has become the first assistant of the cabinet, he must show some real skills, otherwise with the current attitude of the government and the opposition towards himself, this seat will not sit for a long time, and it will not be stable.

At this time, the servant outside the sedan chair said through the sedan curtain: "My lord, the little one saw Chen Xinjia, the secretary of the military department, wandering outside the noon gate, and I don't know who he was waiting for." ”

"Huh?"

Hong Chengchou frowned slightly, Chen Xinjia has been avoiding himself for the past two days, obviously dissatisfied with his appointment as the head of the cabinet, it seems that he wants to find an opportunity to beat Chen Xinjia, don't think that after two victories, the secretary of the military department will be able to go to heaven!

A moment later, the warm sedan car stopped outside the noon gate, and Hong Chengchou wore a cotton cloak

walked down, and Chen Xinjia, who was not far away, immediately trotted over, looking very flustered.

"Hehe, this soldier is also there? These two Japanese soldiers seem to be very busy, and it is difficult for me to meet them. ”

Chen Xinjia didn't answer, but grabbed Hong Chengchou and walked aside, and then looked vigilantly at the ministers and guards who passed by the noon gate one after another, and said in a low voice: "Elder Ge, woe to you!" ”

Hong Chengchou looked at Chen Xinjia, who was so nervous, and his heart trembled, and asked, "Is it the slave thief who went south again, or is Li Zicheng making a comeback?" ”

"Neither!"

"Why is the soldier so panicked, now that the internal and external troubles have temporarily subsided, it is when we are waiting for our ambitions, what else can make this soldier like this?"

Chen Xinjia lowered his voice and said, "Early this morning, I heard news from Fusi in Beizhen: Zhou Yanru is dead!" ”

"What!"

Hong Chengchou was also taken aback: "How did you die?" When did you die? Where did you die? ”

After asking three times, Chen Xinjia said with some fear: "It was said that two days ago, he died in Dong'an County in the south." Beizhen Fusi's statement is that Zhou Yanru's carriage encountered a road robber, startled the horse, and then even the horse and cart rushed into the river next to it, Zhou Yanru and the coachman and his entourage did not run away, and they all drowned! ”

Hong Chengchou frowned and asked, "Can the thief be caught?" ”

"No, there is not even a shadow of a ghost, dozens of miles around Dong'an County have been searched, and there is no trace of thieves at all."

"Is that weird?"

"There's even weirder!"

Chen Xinjia said with a frightened face: "The river next to the official road is very shallow, but it doesn't reach the calf, and such a shallow river can't be flooded at all."

Dead person! But Zhou Yanru's master and servant, along with the pack horses pulling the cart, all drowned! ”

At this moment, the cold wind was gusting, but Hong Chengchou was sweating and asked, "What did Jinyiwei say?" ”

"Jinyiwei has examined the body, and no one has any external injuries, and it is true that they drowned."

Chen Xinjia asked, "Elder Ge, is it Your Majesty that he ......?"

"Don't guess!"

Hong Chengchou affirmed that this matter was definitely not done by Emperor Chongzhen, but instead remembered a person: "Liu Yan! ”

Chen Xinjia was also taken aback: "Zhou Yanru did suppress Liu Yan, but Liu Yan has such courage? ”

Hong Chengchou glared at Chen Xinjia and said: "This matter is over here, I will enter the palace later, don't mention it to Your Majesty, let the people of Beizhen Fusi report it, and it has nothing to do with you and me if something happens!" ”