scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 205 The Shameful Little Pockmark
"Wu Sangui, old thief! Shameless old thief!"

"Lu Yifeng, dog thief! Despicable dog thief—!"

"Ebilong! Tuhai! Yue Le! Zani! Stupid thief! Trash! Stupid! National traitor! Traitor!"

Those who can utter such hoarse shouts and roars must be able to eat bran and drink dilute food in this era.And what made Kang Xiaomazi roar so angrily was naturally the reason why the latest battle report on the Yangtze River defense line was sent to the capital together with the peace treaty signed by Ye Bilong.

However, we can't completely blame our pockmarked Emperor Kang Xiaopock for his lack of tolerance and heart. The main reason is that the old traitor Wu is too bullying, Fatty Lu is too good at harming people, and the frontline coaches of the Qing army such as Tuhai and Yue Le are too much. Useless, and Ye Bilong, the full-power negotiator sent by Xiao Mazi, is too incompetent. The degree of his uselessness and incompetence can not only be described as deeply disappointing, but purely cheating and harming others!
Previously, Xiao Mazi and the old hag of Xiaozhuang had great expectations for this truce, because just a month ago, Xiao Mazi, who was basically used to receiving bad news, suddenly received several good news one after another. The report said that the Wuchang Qing army, Lai Xiaomazi Hongfu, defeated the army of Wu Yingqi, the second son of the traitor Wu, several times in succession, killed more than [-] enemies (the number is correct), and won countless Wu army weapons (ladders and platforms made of miscellaneous wood). The rebellious army is invincible, Xiao Mazi's grand strategic goal of restricting the activities of Wu's rebellious army to the territory of Pianyuan is just around the corner!

For the successive loss of most of the main elites within three months and the successive loss of Xiao Mazi and the Qing court in Sichuan and Pianyuan, the several victory memorials of the Qing army in Wuchang are no different from a shot in the arm. The rain of life-saving has greatly stabilized the situation of the Qing Dynasty, which was already in jeopardy after the turmoil. Even the long-lost voice of singing praises began to reverberate in the Forbidden City where the Qing Dynasty was entrenched.And Xiao Mazi and the old witch of Xiaozhuang also began to fantasize about whether they could exchange for a truce with a smaller price, rescue the prince Baylor of the Qing Dynasty who was captured by the Wu army, and buy time to prepare for a full-scale counterattack?
Immediately afterwards, the news that Zhou Bangning and Jueluo Zhuman's support troops arrived on the battlefield in time to further strengthen the Qing Dynasty's Yangtze River defense line inevitably made Xiao Mazi, Xiaozhuang and the important officials of the Qing court full of confidence in negotiating peace, and refused to negotiate to directly wipe out the Wu Gou's arrogant voice also began to appear in the early court when Xiao Mazi finally took over the power.In this regard, Xiao Mazi, who is somewhat self-aware, did not dare to dream, but he was also full of extreme expectations. He hoped that the Qing army in Wuchang, which had the right time, place and people, would teach old traitor Wu a lesson on the battlefield and force old traitor Wu to fight against the enemy. Make bigger concessions at the negotiating table.

The first blow to Xiao Mazi in the dream is our Fatty Lu Sanhao, Prince Pingnan's son Shang Zhixin played the report for six hundred miles, Wu Ni, Wu Shizong and Fatty Lu joined forces, and they swept away in just over a month. Throughout Guangxi, Ma Xiongzhen, the governor of Guangxi, died for his country, Ma Xiong, the admiral of Guangxi, was forced to surrender, General Sun Yanling of Guangxi led his army to surrender to the Wu army, Geng Juzhong, the second prince of the Jingnan Palace, led his army to surrender to the Wu army, Shang Zhixiao, the second prince of the Pingnan Palace, led his army to surrender to the Wu army, Guangxi The whole territory fell into the hands of Wu Jun!
What made Xiao Mazi, Xiaozhuang, and the Qing court even more dumbfounded and unbelievable was that King Pingnan, who was loyal to the Qing court, Shang Kexi, personally led the [-] main force of the Qing army from Guangdong into Guangxi, but Fatty Lu led the army alone. After being defeated in the battle, Shang Kexi was also captured on the battlefield, becoming the third Qing prince captured by the Wu army and the second captured by Fatty Lu!Shang Kexi's remnant army was forced to retreat to Guangdong, and no longer spared any effort to put pressure on the Wu army's eastern front!
Fatty Lu's sap not only knocked Xiao Mazi's feverish head unconscious, but also made Xiao Mazi's pockmarked face miserable. Everyone knows that Fatty Lu was originally Xiao Mazi's favorite minister. Fatty, the Qing court also caused countless disturbances, and even forced Xiao Mazi to send a senior official like Zuodu Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate to go south to mediate and investigate the case of Fatty Lu's dispute with the prefect, which shows the importance he attaches to Fatty Lu One spot.However, Fatty Lu is now using such means to repay Xiao Mazi. Xiao Mazi's pockmarked face is ugly, but it is even more ugly.

Just when Xiao Mazi swore that he would cut Fatty Lu into pieces and feed them to the dogs, a second, heavier sap came. Wuchang was conquered by the Wu army, and only 3 of the [-] Qing troops escaped across the Yangtze River. The rest were either killed, or captured by the Wu army together with more than [-] bannerman masters in the inner city of Wuchang!

One night later, the third sap hit even harder, and Ye Bilong even signed a peace treaty, promising to compensate Wu Jun with 3000 million taels of silver for military pay and 500 million shi for grain, and another 500 million taels of silver for redemption. Prince Baylor and the soldiers of the Eight Banners who were captured by the Wu army!And it also specifically requested that [-]% be paid within three months, and all paid within one year!
One stick is heavier than the other, and at the same time, there is a louder face slap. Whether it's Tu Hai and Yue Le who fled to Hanyang, who are dying, or Ye Bilong, who is trapped in the enemy's camp as a hostage, they all insist, Wu Fatty Lu played a crucial role in the reason why the old traitor was able to break through the impregnable important town of Wuchang overnight!Also, the reason why Ye Bilong was forced to agree to the harsh conditions of the traitor Wu is also the result of Fatty Lu's slapstick, pretense and coercion at the negotiating table!
After reading these two memorials, Xiao Mazi naturally went crazy, jumped up and down with blood red eyes, bared his teeth and claws, and yelled curses, wishing that the gang of traitors Wu, Fatty Lu, Tu Hai, Yue Le, and Ye Bilong could be killed immediately. All the dog thieves and traitors were arrested, brought before him, and let him cut them to death one by one with his own hands, and cut off a piece of meat to feed the dogs!But all the civil and military officials in the Jinluan Hall had their foreheads on the ground, trembling and frowning, for fear that Xiao Mazi would spill his anger on their heads and punish them for the crime of beheading for a wrong plan and ineffective support.

Luckily, Xiao Mazi is also the reason why the mite widows and the bare-headed general chrysanthemum beat the emperor. Although he lost his composure seriously in his rage, he never made a scapegoat—now the situation is so critical, Xiao Mazi I don’t dare to use scapegoats anymore. Taking mite people as scapegoats is digging their own corners and shaking their own foundations. Using Han people as scapegoats is forcing Han officials to go to the Wu army. Xiao Mazi, who is good at tactics, is still quite sober about this. .So after Xiao Mazi calmed down slowly, he asked the eunuchs to pick up the two memorials that he had thrown into the middle of the Golden Luan Hall before, and asked in a hoarse voice: "My lords, this is the end of the matter, please express your opinions on how to deal with the aftermath." .”

"Your Majesty, my slaves believe that this peace treaty must never be implemented." Mingzhu, the representative of the hawks recognized by the Qing court, was the first to appear on the list, kneeling on both knees and playing: "My treasury revenue for a year in the Qing Dynasty is only two thousand. There are more than ten thousand taels of silver, and the total grain for a year is only about 500 million shi. It is impossible to pay such a huge amount of compensation for military pay and food! Besides, the old thief Wu Sangui is ambitious and has long been disobedient. The so-called truce is just to save strength , consolidate the foundation, and when its wings are full, sooner or later it will raise troops and make trouble again!"

"That's why, the slaves think that instead of seeking perfection by making mistakes and selling iron in exchange for a temporary end, it is better to fight to the end with the old thief Wu Sangui. With the rich manpower and material resources of our Qing Dynasty, the emperor's sage wiseness, and the bravery of the soldiers, we can only wipe out Wu Ni Sooner or later, why bother to endure such a shame?"

"My minister seconded the proposal." Liang Qingbiao, the Han Shangshu of the Ministry of Household Affairs, knelt out and said cautiously: "Because this year's Southwest War cost a lot, my Qing treasury was already empty. Wan, you already can't make ends meet, so why pay such a huge military compensation?"

"Slave..., cough, cough." Mi Sihan, the old and sickly Minister of the Household Department, also knelt out, coughed and kowtowed and said: "Although the slave is the Minister of the Household Department, if the emperor wants to let the servant be in three With more than 2000 million taels of silver within a month, the slave had no choice but to apologize to the emperor. Therefore, the slave boldly begged the emperor to accept Ming Zhongtang's proposal and not to implement this peace agreement."

Xiao Mazi, who is planning to build a summer resort to kill rabbits, wants to give old man Wu so much money, food and grass. , you have to consider other members of the slave-owning class, and Ye Bilong is the plenipotentiary negotiator sent by Xiao Mazi. If Ye Bilong has signed the peace treaty and Xiao Mazi refuses to implement it, then Xiao Mazi will How can the authority of Jinkou Yuyan be maintained?So although Xiao Mazi was extremely moved, his face was livid and he refused to speak, let alone express his support.

Sure enough, the Minister of the Ministry of Officials quickly knelt down to Kana and reminded: "Your Majesty, please don't forget that we still have tens of thousands of Eight Banners soldiers in the hands of the Wu thief. If the Emperor refuses to implement this peace agreement, then Not to mention breaking the trust of the world, what should we do about the bannermen and soldiers of the Qing Dynasty, as well as the captured prince Baylor?"

Having said this, he paused for a moment to Kana, and then said tremblingly: "Besides, our 65 troops in the Qing Dynasty have already lost nearly half of them, and the newly recruited troops have not had enough equipment and training. The thieves went down to the south of the Yangtze River and captured the south of the Yangtze River, how can we, the Qing Dynasty, resist it?"

What he said to Kana was the most critical point. If it weren't for Xiao Mazi, he would have lost all his elites, and there was nothing he could do to be a traitor to Old Han Wu for the time being.So Xiao Mazi's pockmarked face was even more terrifyingly gloomy, his yellow teeth were clenched so hard that his lips were bleeding, and he still didn't say a word.On the contrary, Mingzhu asked: "Although what you say is reasonable to your lord, who will pay for the more than 3000 million taels of silver and 500 million shi of grain? Who can get it?"

He was speechless to Kana, coughed for a long time and said: "Ming Zhongtang, the old man also wants to persuade the emperor to be wronged, but once the emperor breaks his promise, Wu Sangui, the old thief, will take revenge on our captured bannermen and soldiers of the Qing Dynasty. , then what should they do? Do we want to watch them die tragically under Wu Gou's butcher's knife?"

Mingzhu really wanted to say that I would control them to death, but it was a pity that Xiao Mazi might feel relieved when he said this, but he had offended the ruling clique of the Qing Dynasty, and the Nalan family where Mingzhu belonged was a member of the family who was captured this time. It was quite a lot, so Mingzhu had no choice but to shut her mouth obediently, not daring to say another word.The other courtiers also looked at each other in blank dismay, all feeling extremely tricky, not knowing how to choose, do they want money?Or will the Eight Banners masters be captured by Wu Jun?

After everyone was downcast for a long time, Suo'etu, Xiao Mazi's other favorite, said timidly: "Your Majesty, can we try to renegotiate? Ask the old thief Wu Sangui to renegotiate with the Qing court to see if we can do it." Deposit some military pay, food and ransom?"

"Wu Sangui is so stupid?" Xiao Mazi asked coldly, "Besides, Ye Bilong has already signed the peace agreement and asked for renegotiation. Isn't that breaking his promise?"

Suo Etu retreated dejectedly, but Wang Xu, the current minister of the Ministry of War and Fatty Lu's old friend, stood up, saluted and said, "Your Majesty, I think Lord Suo's proposal is worth a try. According to my judgment, Wu Sangui's old thief four Although he has won many victories over the past few months, the army soldiers must have been exhausted after many fierce battles. Moreover, after he invaded Sichuan, Guangxi and Pianyuan, the area under his control suddenly expanded several times. There must be many internal problems, and he also urgently needs time to recuperate , to consolidate the results of the war, and a temporary truce will do them no harm."

"That's why I believe that Lord Suo's proposal is worth a try, and then send an imperial envoy to the south to explain the reason to Wu Sangui, and confess that the Qing court is really unable to pay such a huge amount of military pay and food, and ask Wu Sangui to understand the difficulties between the court and the emperor. , or reduce the amount, or relax the payment deadline, based on Wu Sangui's current actual situation, Weichen believes that there is a good chance of success."

"This..." Xiao Mazi began to be moved.Liang Qingbiao and Xiang Kana, the two ministers of the household department over there, applauded together and said at the same time: "Your Majesty, Mr. Wang is right. As long as we don't pay so much food and military pay at once, our Qing court will be much more relaxed. "

"What Master Wang said is very true. If we can pay this amount of military pay and food in ten years, then our Qing treasury can fully bear it. Moreover, the old thief Wu Sangui is also eager to stop the war now. I believe this move has a great chance of success."

Xiao Mazi's expression finally softened, and after thinking about it for a long time, Xiao Mazi nodded and said, "Wang Aiqing's words are reasonable, and it's really worth a try." After finishing speaking, Xiao Mazi frowned again, and said, "But there is one more thing , even if the old thief Wu Sangui agreed to extend the payment period, but he also proposed to keep the captives in his hands as a pledge, and he would never release them until the full payment was made, so what?"

"Your Majesty, I do have an idea about this." Xiong Cilu, who had not spoken all this time, knelt out, cupped his hands and said, "My Majesty, the old thief Wu Sangui ruled the army with his sons, nieces and sons-in-law. If the emperor sends someone to buy off old thief Wu Sangui's confidantes with beautiful women in gold and silver, and let them persuade old thief Wu Sangui to release our prisoners in advance, with Wu Sangui old thief's cowardly and indecisive character, he will surely succeed."

"Nonsense!" Wang Xu said angrily, "Long live my emperor is the Ninth Five-Year Lord, how can I use such a small trick?"

"My lord, when Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty wanted to kill Li Yuan, Emperor Gaozu of Tang Dynasty, if Emperor Gaozu of Tang Dynasty didn't bribe Emperor Yang's servants generously, how could he have survived?" Xiong Cilu retorted unconvinced: "There is also King Zhou Wen who was imprisoned by King Zhou. Yuli, if King Wu hadn’t generously bribed King Zhou and his favourites, how could he have returned to Xiqi? Could it be said that Tang Gaozu, Zhou Wenwang and Zhou Wuwang, the sages and sages, were also young people?”

Wang Xu was speechless, and after a while he said forcefully: "Anyway, my minister is opposed to this move, and my emperor is the real dragon emperor. It would be disrespectful to do such a mediocre thing."

"Wang Aiqing is right. I am the Son of Heaven, the lord of the world. It is indeed out of character to do such a mediocre thing. I will not discuss it." Xiao Mazi shook his head and sighed, then waved his hand and said, "But no matter what. How to put it, Suo Aiqing's proposal is worth a try, that Aiqing is willing to volunteer, and then go to Wuchang to persuade the old thief Wu Sangui to agree to extend the payment period and release our prisoners of war in advance?"

This kind of errand will be scolded no matter whether it is successful or not. If you anger the old traitor Wu, it may lead to other consequences, and you will be blamed. Therefore, all the civil and military officials present kept their mouths shut.Only Wang Xu bit the bullet and said: "Your Majesty, this proposal was made by Lord Suo, and I also agreed with this minister, so I should take up the post, but I have to ask Lord Suo to go with me to be the leader, and this minister is the deputy. It’s good to have a negotiation.”

"Fuck you, why do you have to drag me on this kind of scolding matter?" Suo'etu cursed madly in his heart, and quickly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, this proposal was made by the slave, and the slave should take it as it should." I went to the post, but the slave had a lot of dirty words with the old thief Wu Sangui before. If I took this job, I'm afraid it would be counterproductive. Instead, the old thief Wu Sangui sternly refused and missed the country's major affairs. So the slave proposed that Mr. Wang should take this job alone. .”

Of course, Xiao Mazi also knew that this was an errand to scold. Considering that Suo'etu is now the chief assistant of the court, and it is really inconvenient to take the blame for regulating Yin and Yang to manage all the officials, so Xiao Mazi nodded quickly and said: " Suo Aiqing and the old thief Wu Sangui are really at odds, and I’m afraid it’s not beautiful to go there, so I still wronged Wang Aiqing and made a hard trip. I will let Xiong Cilu Xiong Aiqing be your deputy, and please invite those who are inextricably linked with Wu Fan Kong Sige went out of the mountain and took on this mission together. I hope Wang Aiqing will never refuse for the sake of her family and the world."

"Of course I dare not refuse." At this point in the matter, Wang Xu, who also understands that this is a scolding job, has no choice but to change his words, so he can only bite the bullet and say: "But I have something to say first, and persuade Wu Fan to extend the military salary. , Grain, and the payment deadline for the prisoners of war, the minister explained the truth to Wu Fan and showed great righteousness, maybe there is still a two-to-three point certainty, but if Wu Fan releases our prisoners of war in advance, the minister really has more than enough energy."

"Aiqing, try your best. If you really can't do it, I won't blame you." Xiao Mazi sighed, but squinted at Xiong Cilu who was kneeling next to Wang Xu from the corner of his eyes, and secretly scolded Xiong Cilu in his heart. How could the proposal of the confidant lackey to urge old traitor Wu to change his decision be raised in front of so many people in the court?Isn't this forcing Xiao Mazi to oppose in public, to act like a villain in person?
"Then I will do my best." Wang Xu kowtowed in agreement, and then said cautiously: "Your Majesty, this humble minister will try his best to persuade Wu Fan to give time, but for the sake of the emperor's authority and the court's face, I will not let you go." Your Majesty, please be prepared, if the negotiating minister fails, I hope that your Majesty will formulate countermeasures earlier, so as to avoid sudden and hasty matters."

Xiao Mazi's pockmarked face became gloomy again, and after thinking for a long time, Xiao Mazi ordered weakly: "Pass down the decree, let the prince in the capital, Baylor, and the officials and gentry from all over the place understand the difficulties of the court, give money and food to the court, and try our best to raise money. An order was passed to Nanjing that only half of this year's grain should be transported northward, and the rest should be stored in Nanjing City for the time being."

"The decree will be passed again to stop the construction of Chengde Mountain Resort, Mulanwei Hunting Ground and Xishan Garden, and free up money and food just in case."

"The decree will be passed again, the double flag salary for this year's Chinese New Year will not be paid, and it will be paid as a single salary as usual."

"In addition, the construction of the palace pavilions in the palace has also stopped, and the [-] beautiful women who are going to be selected are also not selected."

"Let's halve my meal too, one hundred and eight dishes per meal will do..."

"My emperor sets an example, strictly practices frugality, and is worthy of the world! The slaves (minors) and others admire me, my emperor, long live, long live, long live——!"

(End of this chapter)