weaving

"Okay. Get up!"

Emperor Chongzhen continued very generously: "Wang Dehua, give Yongning Bo a seat."

Zhang Cheng kowtowed after hearing this and said: "My lord, thank you for your great kindness. Long live, long live, long live my emperor!"

After thanking him, Zhang Cheng stood up and went to the lower chamber of Chen Xinjia, Minister of the Ministry of War. He saw Wang Dehua personally brought a chair for him. Since it was inconvenient to say thank you in front of the emperor, he could only nod his head and express his gratitude with his eyes.

"Chen Aiqing, please give me a seat too!"

Although Emperor Chongzhen's words were light, they contained supreme grace.

"Zhang Cheng, I took away the seal and ribbon of General Zhenshuo from you, and fined you a year's salary."

There was a faint coldness in Emperor Chongzhen's eyes, but with a smile on his face, he asked: "Do you have any complaints in your heart?"

"My family has lived in the Xuan Mansion for a long time, guarding the country's borders. I have known since I was a child that I should be loyal to the emperor and serve the country. I have been favored by the emperor in my new life. My food, clothing, and official salary were all given by the emperor. I only know how to be loyal and diligent in the king's affairs, and serve his majesty loyally. Although Never give up even if you die!"

Zhang Cheng stood up from his residence again, kowtowed, and continued to explain: "Thunder, rain, and dew are all God's grace. Everything I have today is a gift from the emperor. I can only serve my country with my life. How can I have secret complaints in my heart? Your Majesty, please enlighten me." !”

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Zhang Cheng kneeling in front of the imperial case, and sighed in his heart. He secretly warned himself: "This man has made great contributions to the country and is of great use."

Immediately, he smiled and comforted him softly: "Uncle Yongning, why are you kneeling down again? Get up quickly, get up quickly. If I really mean to punish you, I won't just take away the title of general and the fine. It’s so simple.”

Zhang Cheng had just stood up at this time, but now he couldn't help but kneel down, so he had to kneel down again to salute and thank him.

"The situation in Henan has suddenly changed. I heard that Chuangni intends to besiege Kaifeng again."

Emperor Chongzhen suddenly changed the subject: "Chen Xinjia, how can the Ministry of War respond?"

Chen Xinjia had long been accustomed to Emperor Chongzhen's behavior, so he did not feel surprised at all, but he did not dare to reply immediately. Instead, he thought about it in his heart before slowly speaking back: "I have transferred Baoding Governor Zhang Fuzhen, commanding General Hu Dawei and other Baoding officers and soldiers, went south to reinforce Kaifeng.

In addition, the commander Ding Qirui and the commander-in-chief Zuo Liangyu were in southern Henan. They defeated the rebel Zhang Xianzhong in a row. Their morale was strong. The Ministry of War has issued a series of messages urging the officers and troops of the department to go north. Together with the governor, they can attack from the north and the south and defeat the rebels. Under the fortified city of Kaifeng. "

When Chen Xinjia said this, he always glanced at Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng out of the corner of his eyes. It wasn't until he saw that there was nothing wrong with his expression, and he seemed to be nodding slightly to himself, that he felt calm in his heart, and then he praised Haikou. ——I dare to guarantee that there will be no loss in opening!

Sure enough, after listening to Chen Xinjia's words, Emperor Chongzhen became a little excited. Even his eyes when he looked at Chen Xinjia were filled with relief, and he thought to himself: "Sure enough, among the civil and military officials in the dynasty, only Chen Qing and Yang Sichang can do this. The one who is entrusted to me!”

"Now that the imperial court also has money, the Ministry of War will not hesitate to reward the brave soldiers in front of the front who serve their lives and make military achievements. The soldiers must not be cold-hearted."

Emperor Chongzhen seemed to have become more than ten years younger in an instant. He looked more heroic than before, and there was a strange light in his eyes. Even when he talked about the reward, he changed his previous decadence and looked confident.

"Zhang Cheng, although you are loyal to Xu Guo and loyal to the king, you behave erratically, engage in arrests, and act arrogantly. You do not obey the governor's orders. Such behavior is indeed inappropriate. Speaking of officials in the court, This is the crux of the constant criticism of your impeachment, and even the cabinet has criticized it."

Emperor Chongzhen suddenly changed his tone: "Although you have been fighting for the country all year round and have made great contributions to the country. However, if things go on like this, even if I try my best to protect you, it will not be a long-term solution."

He sighed, and then continued: "I, I hope you can take care of yourself, be careful in your words and deeds, and know how to abide by the laws of the country and the government, and never act recklessly again!"

At this moment, Zhang Cheng did not dare to quibble any more. He could only stand up and responded obediently: "My lord, I sincerely follow your majesty's teachings."

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Zhang Cheng and nodded, slightly satisfied with his submissive appearance, although he also had a faint suspicion about Zhang Cheng in his heart, fearing that he would become a powerful figure in the future due to his high position and power, as well as being arrogant and domineering.

However, the imperial court is now recruiting people, and Zhang Cheng is an indispensable general. Not to mention that he is familiar with military affairs, full of strategies, and has tens of thousands of brave warriors under his command.

And his name "Yong Ning Bo Zhang Cheng" has become like the soul of the Ming Dynasty's officers and soldiers. Wherever there is Yong Ning Bo, the morale of the army is bound to be high. Whether it is against upper-class thieves or slaves, they can fight , and often win.

Faced with the current situation of the Ming Dynasty with both internal and external troubles, Emperor Chongzhen did not dare to destroy the Great Wall again. He had been in power for more than ten years and experienced countless failures, but he had still grown to some extent.

He would never show mercy to those incompetent officers and generals who could only talk the talk, and would punish them with an iron hand. However, military attachés like Zhang Cheng who could go into battle to kill the enemy while also being obedient to himself were indeed rare talents nowadays.

…………

"There is no trace of power, only checks and balances are the way to go!" Emperor Chongzhen's ears could not help but hear the words of Zhou Yanru, the chief minister of the cabinet, during the meeting yesterday.

"...For those who are difficult to check and balance, you can cultivate another person to divide their power and weaken their power. This is the art of checks and balances..." Zhou Yanru also dared to say it, but what he said was indeed a wise saying, and it is also suitable for the current season. The only means available.

"Yuanfu, the rebels in the east are weak now, and there is nothing going on in Liaodong. Hong Chengchou is very talented and knows military strategies well. Can he be transferred to the interior to supervise the army and suppress the thieves?"

"Your Majesty, although the battle at Jinzhou caused the Donglu to retreat, their strength is still there. They can attack the border towns of Liao Town at any time, or even invade the capital again. It is not impossible."

Zhou Yanru tactfully dissuaded Emperor Chongzhen and said: "Hong Chengchou was in charge of Liaodong. He had important responsibilities and made great achievements. Last year, he retreated the enemy from Jinzhou City. Although Zhang Cheng made the most outstanding contribution, it was also due to Governor Hong's good dispatch and effective command.

Wei Chen thought that Hong Chengchou should not leave Liaodong without permission to prevent the Eastern invaders from attacking again. There should be no trouble in Liaodong and no loss in Jinzhou. His Majesty! "

Emperor Chongzhen also thought that what Zhou Yanru said was very reasonable. He thought for a moment and then asked: "Yuan Fu thinks, what should be the check and balance strategy...?"

Zhou Yanru did not reply directly. He first gave it a try, remained silent for a moment, pretending to think, and then slowly said: "Wu Sangui, the conquering general, has made great achievements in battles, second only to Zhang Cheng, and his troops are also capable." Brave and brave, they are also young heroes.

I believe that Wu Sangui and Zhang Cheng, one in the east and the other in the west, are guarding the safety of the important areas in the capital. Your Majesty should clearly distinguish rewards and punishments, and do not favor one over the other. This will chill the hearts of the loyal and brave soldiers! "

"Does Yuan Fu think it's okay to recruit Wu Sangui into Henan to suppress bandits?"

"Your Majesty, although General Wu is the main force defending Liao, now that the Donglu have been defeated, he may not be able to do it again."

Although Zhou Yanru expressed his agreement and support for transferring Wu Sangui to the Pass, he did not want to confirm the facts in the future, so he immediately added: "However, the matter in Liaodong depends on Governor Hong. Your Majesty can consult Hong Chengchou to see if Wu Sangui can be transferred A powerful force under his command will enter Henan to suppress the bandits."

Emperor Chongzhen did not hear the shirk in Zhou Yanru's words, and thought that he was thoughtful and sincerely looking after the country. He couldn't help but sigh: "Sir, you are worthy of being a minister who plans the country. It’s far-reaching, and I’m not as good as me!” ˆˆˆˆˆ Since the death of his former cabinet boss and supervisor Yang Sichang in Shashi, Emperor Chongzhen no longer had any important ministers he could rely on. Although Chen Xingjia was quite capable of doing things, he was not as capable as Yang Sichang. Make a plan for it.

After Zhou Yanru came to Beijing this time, when he paid his first visit to Emperor Chongzhen, he proposed such things as releasing households with grain arrears, exempting civilians from long-standing tax arrears, exempting all soldiers from this year's land tax in deserted areas, leniently pardoning those convicted of garrison crimes, and reinstating executions. He made policy suggestions such as appointing people by mistake, recruiting officials for a wide range of positions, and recalling officials who were demoted for their speeches.

Emperor Chongzhen all agreed and gave him a banquet to wash away his dust. After Zhou Yanru left, he was even more delighted and said: "It's still him!"

It can be seen that Emperor Chongzhen had high hopes for Zhou Yanru, hoping that with his assistance, he could create a scene of reviving the Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Chongzhen even called him "Yuan Fu" and "Mr." instead of calling him by his first name. Whenever he summoned him, he frequently offered him seats and meals. He even wrote an inscription on Zhou Yanru's cabinet. : "I rely on you as my right and left hands. I cannot be ignored or neglected by my words or deeds."

…………

"Chen Xinjia, reinforcements have arrived from Liaodong. When will they arrive in Beijing?"

In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Chongzhen changed the topic again. Chen Xinjia was used to this and didn't take it seriously. However, Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng was surprised: "I have never heard before that the imperial court is sending Liao troops to Beijing!"

"Back to the emperor, after discussing with Governor Hong, it was decided to recruit two thousand Liaodong cavalry under Wu Sangui, led by Hu Xinshui, a guerrilla in his camp, to enter Henan to help suppress the bandits. According to time, it will only take three to five days to arrive. Near the capital.”

After hearing Chen Xinjia's reply, Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help but close his eyes, lean on the spacious throne, and rest his mind.

But Zhang Cheng here was murmuring in his heart. He had not known about the imperial court's recruitment of Liao soldiers before. Although he had just heard about it, he had a vague guess about its profound meaning.

After a while, Emperor Chongzhen's voice came: "Pass an edict to grant a banquet at Baihua Hall!"

…………

Emperor Chongzhen just moved his chopsticks twice, ate some snacks, and then stopped, watching with interest Yongning Bo Zhang Cheng gobbling up the food as usual.

It stands to reason that the way Zhang Cheng eats in front of the king is a huge disrespect. However, since King Qin was given a banquet by Emperor Chongzhen for the first time, this has almost become a standard move of Zhang Cheng.

Although all the officials thought it was inappropriate, Emperor Chongzhen found it very novel. He always watched Zhang Cheng wolfing it down with a smile, and sometimes even laughed out loud.

Some officials once criticized Zhang Cheng for being "honest on the surface, but actually treacherous on the inside." Everything he did in front of the king was a hypocritical act, but it was not an expression of his true nature.

However, when Emperor Chongzhen saw this bullet, he always just smiled and put it aside without delving into the matter.

Perhaps it was because he found it novel that Zhang Cheng was not as cautious as other officials, or perhaps because he wanted to use Zhang Cheng to defeat the thieves and drive them away, so he was tolerant in every possible way.

No one else can understand its root cause. Perhaps only Emperor Chongzhen himself knows it best!

However, Chen Xinjia, Secretary of the Ministry of War, seemed a little embarrassed. Although it was the same before, there were other people attending the banquet several times before, but this time it was only him and Zhang Cheng.

Now, he was still chewing carefully and carefully, which seemed very inconsistent with Zhang Cheng's eagerness to eat. The situation was very disharmonious, but no matter what, he did not dare to be as careless as Zhang Cheng. Your appearance before you.

"Uncle Yong Ning, are you used to the food in the palace?"

Zhang Cheng heard Emperor Chongzhen's question and hurriedly put down a chicken drumstick in his hand, swallowed it with a big mouthful, and replied vaguely: "It's delicious. The food in the palace is delicious. The emperor gives you the fragrance..."

"Hahaha……"

Zhang Cheng's reply made Emperor Chongzhen burst into laughter. Regardless of whether Zhang Cheng's food was really delicious or fake, at least Zhang Cheng's pretentious performance made Emperor Chongzhen feel very happy.

After a while, Zhang Cheng swept away all the food, rice and food on the table in front of him. He held up a pair of greasy hands, which was difficult to put down and wipe on his brand-new official robes.

Zhang Cheng's bewildered look made Emperor Chongzhen laugh again. Fortunately, Wang Dehua, who was waiting on the side, asked the eunuch to send him a wet cloth, and then wiped off the oil on his hands, thus resolving Zhang Cheng's embarrassment. .

"Zhang Cheng, how sure are you of entering Henan to suppress bandits?" Emperor Chongzhen saw Zhang Cheng finishing his meal and drink, and he couldn't wait to ask about the aid to Henan.

"Fifty percent."

Zhang Cheng blurted out without hesitation: "Your Majesty, the thieves are powerful and Henan is in chaos. The outcome of this battle depends not on the number of officers and soldiers, but on the amount of grain and grain."

"Why?"

"Your Majesty, you should know that the people of Henan Province have been plagued by drought and locusts for a long time. Their families have no food left, and their lives are difficult. In many places, they have lost their children to eat. However, the government has not been able to provide relief, so they have turned to thieves.

Now, the imperial court has mobilized powerful troops from all over the world to aid Henan. It is actually not difficult to defeat the thieves, but it is indeed difficult to deal with the hundreds of thousands of thieves and the common people. The amount of food and grain consumed by this matter is really difficult to imagine! "

Emperor Chongzhen was silent for a while after hearing this. The court received millions of taels of silver due to Zhang Cheng's raids on profiteers. However, droughts and locust disasters continued for years, and the shortage of grain was no longer a matter of one province or one place.

He turned his eyes to Chen Xinjia, Minister of War, and said to him: "Chen Qing, do you have any good ideas?"

"When encountering difficulties, ask your subordinates for advice." This was a tactic commonly used by Emperor Chongzhen.

"Oh……"

Chen Xinjia also had no other good ideas, but when the emperor asked, he had to answer. After thinking for a while, he said: "Your Majesty, I think we should implement the method of diversion of grain from the south to the north, and collect grain from the south of the Yangtze River to help Henan."

Emperor Chongzhen's face changed slightly when he heard this, and he shook his head and said: "Su Songchang also suffered a disaster, and there is no food left in the south of the Yangtze River!"

Seeing this, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but take the initiative and said: "Your Majesty, I have a method that may temporarily solve the urgent problem."