Hundreds of households in Liaodong, covering the light with one hand

The Nanjing court devoted all its efforts to the army, and the 110,000 troops raised in one month were almost completely wiped out in Dacang Ridge in less than three days.

When the news reached Nanjing, countless people were in disbelief.

After all, this news is too shocking. In other words, is Wang Qi's military strength already so strong?

Wu Xiang, the governor of Fengyang, died in battle, and more than 20,000 of his men were buried in the battlefield.

Zuo Liangyu, the commander-in-chief of Huguang, led his 20,000 men in defeat and fled, all the way to Yangzhou.

Wu Sangui led more than 5,000 people to help Chuzhou Prefecture, but in the end it was a step too late.

Xiang Quanzhong, Minister of the Ministry of War, died in the battle at Chuzhou City, and five thousand people were almost wiped out.

In the end, all the remaining 50,000 people surrendered to Wang Qi.

In the city of Nanjing, everyone from the emperor to the slaves and traders was discussing this matter.

Will the war to unify the north and the south be over within ten days of Wang Qi going south?

Everyone knows that Wang Qi is the best military officer in the world.

But Wang Qi is only one person after all. Before this battle is over, some people still have some doubts about whether the power of one person is that strong?

But now, everyone believes that the powerful Liaodong Army forged under Wang Qi is truly invincible!

At this time, everyone in Nanjing City was looking at the Forbidden City.

In the past few days, several cabinet elders have stayed in the inner palace almost every day, accepting inquiries from the emperor anytime and anywhere. Now, the news has come back that more than 100,000 people in Fengyang Mansion were wiped out in Dacang Ridge, and everyone wants to know. , what was the emperor’s reaction?

"Do you think the emperor will send troops again to fight to the death with Duke Qi? After all, in the battle of Dacang Ridge, although Duke Qi's Liaodong Army won, the damage was still quite heavy. If we fight again at this time, we may not be able to survive. What actual combat power does it have!”

In the Zhuque Street Restaurant, the scholars and common people in Nanjing were all discussing the recent major events.

After all, how can we not care about major social events involving the next ten years?

"Who dares to mention the war again? Didn't you see that Yang Yushi has prepared the coffin and left the city to negotiate with Wang Qi?"

I don’t know if Yang Lian’s promise at the imperial meeting was spread by someone with intentions. Anyway, it has spread throughout the entire city of Nanjing. Everyone knows that the war at Dacang Ridge is not going well, and Yang Lian will be used as a shield by Emperor Chongzhen to push ahead. Go to the front and resist Wang Qi's anger.

"Alas, this current master is really mean and unkind!"

"Shhhhh! Silence, are you and I allowed to discuss such things?"

Everyone in the restaurant was feeling sad.

At this time, the Forbidden City was also in a state of chaos.

No one could have expected that the Okura Ridge war would reach this point.

In just three days, 100,000 people set out from Fengyang Mansion. In twelve hours at Dacang Ridge, the situation was so completely defeated?

Standing in Fengtian Hall, Zhu Youjian felt waves of spinning.

"Your Majesty, the most urgent task now is to strengthen the troops and guard Nanjing City to prevent Wang Qi from striking while the iron is hot and going down the river to attack Nanjing City!" Yuan Keli was fair. Now that all the soldiers and horses in Dacangling are lost, the Liaodong Army's momentum Zhengsheng, just in case, the defense of Nanjing City must be strengthened.

"Where are the troops? One hundred thousand people have been killed. Wu Xiang is dead. Except for Zuo Liangyu, the other three deputy generals are also dead. The current situation is even more dangerous than when the slaves invaded Liaodong! "Zhu Youjian is now numb. In just one month since he ascended the throne, Nanjing City seems to have been controlled by Wang Qi. This emperor must be really aggrieved!

"Your Majesty, Zuo Liangyu still has more than 20,000 people, and Wu Sangui, Wu Xiang's son, also has more than 5,000 people. Although Beijing's military strength is supplemented by 50,000 prisoners, I heard that Wang Qi only kept 10,000 of them. The rest will be released unconditionally. We still have more than 30,000 garrison troops in Nanjing City. In terms of numbers, we are still better than Wang Qi!" After hearing the emperor's words, Zuo Guangdou also stood up and persuaded.

"Zuo Liangyu?" After hearing this name, Zhu Youjian's already hesitant mind immediately became angry, and his brain felt like needle pricks. He immediately slapped the table and cursed: "That guy is in vain." Holy En, he has repeatedly fled in the face of the battle, ruining the good situation. I will send Jin Yiwei to capture this person and execute him at the Wu Gate of Nanjing City at a very late hour!!!"

"Your Majesty, Zuo Liangyu still has 20,000 soldiers and horses in his hands. If Zuo Liangyu is captured, the situation will become even worse!" Although Zuo Guangdou also hates Zuo Liangyu, but now In actual circumstances, it is simply not allowed to accuse him.

"Then do you think I should give him a reward?" Zhu Youjian stared at Zuo Guangdou, holding the cup in his hand. As long as Zuo Guangdou dared to intercede for Zuo Liangyu, Chongzhen would be the first to perform surgery on him. !

"Your Majesty, first of all, please grant Wu Xiang and other generals who died in Dacangling the title of first-class general soldier, deputy general soldier, and guerrilla garrison. With the favor of the Zhang court, those who use it can feel at ease," Zuo Guangdou did not answer Chongzhen directly. Instead, he bowed and said: "I also request that Wu Sangui, son of Wu Xiang, be promoted to guard Nanjing and be in charge of the city's defense! There are more than 30,000 officers and soldiers in Nanjing city, all depending on deployment!"

Wu Xiang was given the title of posthumous title to calm people's hearts and allow Wu Sangui to serve the court with all his heart.

This is what it should mean.

"The officials will handle this matter with all their heart. After the decree is drawn up, let me take a look." Zhu Youjian reached out and pressed his temples, feeling extremely tired.

"Second, Zuo Liangyu needs to be sent out to capture him secretly. At the same time, he needs to send prestigious ministers in the court to suppress his subordinates so that his army can be used by the court!" Zuo Guangdou looked at Emperor Chongzhen and said, Continue to add.

"Secretly captured?" Zhu Youjian nodded when he heard this. With more than 20,000 soldiers and horses, if there is a mutiny, Yangzhou City may be destroyed!

"The Chief of Ceremonies will take care of this matter, Wang Chengen, you go and keep an eye on it," Zhu Youjian ordered his eunuch to take a look, then his eyes swept over, and finally fell on Yuan Keli: "Yuan Aiqing, you have always known soldiers, it turns out that you also How about you also hold the title of Minister of the Ministry of War and carry out my will to suppress Zuo Liangyu's army?"

"I am willing to share your majesty's worries! I will go to Yangzhou Mansion and please rest assured," Yuan Keli knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "I will break my body into pieces, and I will bring more than 20,000 troops back to Nanjing City to calm the hearts of the world!"

"This is a loyal minister!" Zhu Youjian felt deeply, slapped the case several times, and repeated: "This is a loyal minister!"

"Your Majesty, the guard of Nanjing City is of course important, but there is one more thing that I feel it is necessary to ask." Gou Ying waved his sleeves, stood up from his chair, and saluted Chongzhen who was sitting on the throne.

"What's the matter, my dear?" Chongzhen blinked.

"If Wang Qi really comes to attack Nanjing City, with the strength of Nanjing City, we are not completely sure that we can fight. There is even a possibility that the city will be destroyed and the imperial court will move south again. Therefore, if we can negotiate with Wang Qi, we can nip the trouble in the bud. If you plan ahead, you can avoid the loss of life in Nanjing and the suffering of the people. This is what I worry about!"

Gou Ying's words were cryptic, but everyone in the hall heard them very clearly.

Everyone looked at Yang Lian, who was sitting aside and had not spoken for a long time.

Even the two young eunuchs standing at the door turned their heads and took a furtive glance at this world-famous scholar.

Back then, Yang Lian swore an oath in front of the emperor in the court hall. If Wang Qi's Liaodong Army could not be killed in three days, he would prepare his own coffin and go out of the city to meet Wang Qi for a while!

At this time, it is reasonable for Gou Ying to suddenly stand up and attack.

"This." Zhu Youjian touched his chin. He wanted Yang Lian to go to Nanjing City, but as a king, he couldn't just ask Yang Lian to die, right?

It's hard to predict that Wang Qi would just snap Yang Lian if he was in a bad mood.

"His Majesty!"

Without leaving the palace in silence for too long, Yang Lian slowly stood up from the corner.

Everyone was silent at this moment.

Waiting for Yang Lian's reply.

After all, there is no joke before you. If you say anything, even if it is a blade, you will have to chew it up and swallow it.

"I have prepared my own coffin. Tomorrow morning, after bidding farewell to Your Majesty, I will leave the city to meet Wang Qi! In order to ensure that Nanjing City will be stable overnight!" With a plop, Yang Lian finished speaking and knelt on the ground directly to kowtow to Zhu Youjian. Three rings. How can this feeling and scene not make people moved?

Looking at Yang Lian kneeling on the ground, Zhu Youjian hesitated, not because he pitied Yang Lian or felt guilty for his ministers, but because Zhu Youjian was worried that his reputation would be tarnished because of Yang Lian's death.

After all, Emperor Chongzhen attached great importance to reputation.

but!

Zhu Youjian thought for a while, how important is the safety of Nanjing City in terms of reputation?

go with!

Yang Lian must go out of the city to interview Wang Qi - in order to preserve the city of Nanjing!

"I" Zhu Youjian coughed slightly and wanted to say something: "I actually"

"Your Majesty," when Zhu Youjian was about to say something else, a small yellow door suddenly appeared outside the palace, holding a letter in his hand like a treasure: "An urgent letter has arrived."

"Didn't you see that I am discussing something! Are you discussing something?" Zhu Youjian was interrupted by someone, and he immediately became a little angry. He pointed at the little eunuch outside the hall and asked Wang Chengen to step forward and kill him with a stick: "You slave who doesn't understand the rules, Drag him out and beat him to death!"

"Your Majesty!" The little eunuch's psychological quality was not very strong. When he heard the emperor's speech, his legs softened and he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "This memorial is from Chuzhou Mansion. The messenger Pu Bing said It was written by the Duke of Qi, no, it was written by Wang Qi!"

Written by Wang Qi himself!

These four words directly shocked the hearts of all the princes in the palace.

"Send it up quickly!" Zhu Youjian almost stood up, turned over the royal table, went up and grabbed the letter and read it: "Go, Wang Chengen, go get the letter!"

Zuo Guangdou, who was standing near the door, no longer cared about the etiquette before the emperor. He turned around and took two quick steps to the young eunuch. He grabbed the letter and then turned around and handed it to Wang Chengen who had already run up.

Tick, tick, tick.

Time in the palace seemed to move very slowly, and the sound of the big bell presented by Xi Yi in the palace seemed to urge people to grow old.

Everyone's eyes fell on Zhu Youjian, or in other words, the letter in his hand.

What did Wang Qi say?

In other words, what are the conditions?

With a click, Zhu Youjian almost crushed the letter in his hand.

The anger on the young emperor's face was almost solidified.

"Your Majesty?" Zuo Guangdou couldn't hold himself back and finally asked, "Are there any conditions?"

"There is only one thing." Zhu Youjian put the letter on the table and did not let anyone see it. He just raised his head and tried his best to calm down his emotions and said: "Wang Qi's letter asked me to abdicate within a month and realize the true unification of the north and the south. .”

"Absolutely not!"

Emperor abdicates?

Then the Ming Dynasty is really coming to an end!

How could Wang Qi, a mere martial artist, dare to do this?

How dare he do this?

Yang Lian was so angry that he threw his hands away: "I am willing to leave the city tomorrow to negotiate with Wang Qi. I will represent the hundreds of millions of people in the world. Even if I die, I will go with you!"

Yang Lian's words did not make Zhu Youjian feel much better.

As the saying goes, if you can't get it on the battlefield, don't think about it at the negotiation table.

"Yang Aiqing went out of the city to negotiate with Wang Qi. This matter needs to be done," Zhu Youjian said casually, then turned to look at Zuo Guangdou and Yuan Keli: "You guys, after finishing the meeting, immediately go and do what we have just agreed upon." On the one hand, Wu Sangui began to mobilize garrison forces to prepare for a decisive battle with Wang Qi. On the other hand, Yuan Keli led people to Yangzhou Mansion, captured Zuo Liangyu, and brought back more than 20,000 troops."

"These three things must be done at the same time." Zhu Youji thought for a moment, then looked at Yang Lian: "After you leave the city, negotiate with Wang Qi. The most important thing is to stabilize him first and not to anger him. , otherwise it will be out of control! Please pay attention!"

Although Yang Lian was reluctant in his heart, the overall situation was now more important and the enemy was facing him, so there was no room for him to engage in any disputes of will.

"I obey!" Yang Lian bowed and replied.

"Okay, okay," Zhu Youjian reached out and patted the envelope on the table, with a subtle emotion in his tone, including fear and anxiety: "It's not too late, you guys step back and go get it done quickly."

After a while, everyone retreated.

Zhu Youjian sat on the table and reopened the letter on the table.

The eye-catching title stung Zhu Youjian's fragile heart for a moment.

bang,

The letter was re-covered.

"Your Majesty?" Wang Chengen greeted cautiously.

"Burn this letter!" Zhu Youjian just said, then changed: "No, go get the candle!"

Wang Chengen glanced at him, and a young eunuch quickly came over holding a small candle.

"Your Majesty, here comes the candle." Putting the candle on the table, Wang Chengen didn't know what Zhu Youjian wanted to do.

After staring at the candle for a moment, Zhu Youjian slowly folded the letter and extended it to the bright yellow flame.

The white letter paper suddenly burned yellow, burning with traces of green smoke.

In a daze, Wang Chengen seemed to see the title on the letter.

Wang Qi's name for Emperor Chongzhen: Zhu Youjian personally initiated it.

In an instant, a cold air rushed from the soles of my feet to my forehead.

Wang Chengen almost fainted.

Who in the world dares to directly address the emperor by his first name?

Still so blatant? (End of chapter)