Late at night, Beijing city.
Inside Zhengyangmen, on Qipan Street, a seemingly simple thick velvet sedan was moving in the cold wind. The bearers wore bulging clothes just to withstand the biting cold wind in early winter in Beijing.
Qipan Street is located on the central axis of Beijing. On both sides of the street are what are commonly known as the "Five Governments and Six Ministries", including the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Husbandry, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Punishment, as well as the Qintian Prison, Honglu Temple, Dali Temple, etc. Yamen are basically concentrated around Qipan Street.
The residences of many high-ranking officials in the court were also close to Qipan Street, making it convenient for official duties and visits to the palace, as well as for communication with each other.
At this time, the bearers carried the sedan steadily and turned eastward from Qipan Street to Hubu Street, then from Hubu Street to Dongjiangmi Lane, and finally stopped in front of a vermilion gate, and above the vermilion gate , is a plaque made of mahogany, with two large gold-lacquered characters of Zhou Fu written on it.
The bearer got down from the sedan chair steadily and pushed it down. One person opened the sedan curtain respectfully, and saw Chen Xinjia, Minister of the Ministry of War, stepping out of the sedan chair. He was holding an exquisite copper hand stove in both hands and was wearing a large silk and embroidered cloak to keep warm. And gorgeous.
Chen Xinjia looked at the night sky. At this time, there were dark clouds in the sky, the moon was dark and the stars were dim, and there were cold winds in the streets. Just like Chen Xinjia's mood, it was cold and biting.
"Go call the door!"
"yes."
The bearer knocked on the vermilion door and handed Chen Xinjia's name card to the porter. After a moment, the door opened wide, and a man in gorgeous clothes came out with a smile, cupped his hands and said: "I am here late at night. I must have something to do." It's up to my father."
This man is Zhou Yiming, the son of Zhou Yanru, who was elected in the fifteenth year of Chongzhen.
This person is also a famous traitor in history. After the Qing army entered the customs, he voluntarily surrendered to the Tatars, and also participated in the Tatar imperial examination. He passed the Jinshi exam in the sixth year of Shunzhi in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and later served as an official in Jianchang. Recommend official.
Zhou Yiming smiled and welcomed Chen Xinjia in. Chen Xinjia said with a smile: "Sorry to bother you late at night. I wonder if Mr. Zhou Ge is asleep?"
"Haha, not yet, I'm reading in the Nuan Pavilion."
Zhou Yiming led Chen Xinjia toward the inner house along the corridor and said, "Please go this way. My nephew will prepare some supper for me later."
"Haha, you're welcome."
A moment later, Chen Xinjia walked into the Nuan Pavilion, and a warm wave of heat hit his face. Chen Xinjia immediately exhaled a breath of cold air, took off the big cloak he was wearing, and handed it to the maid beside him.
Chen Xinjia rubbed his hands and said with a smile: "Mr. Ge is really hardworking. He is still busy with government affairs at such a late hour."
Zhou Yanru smiled and waved, asked Chen Xinjia to sit next to him, and said, "I am a soldier who works hard. It is late at night and I am still tired from running around in the cold wind."
"Haha, since it's late at night, I won't beat around the bush and tell you the matter directly, so that Mr. Ge can rest early."
Zhou Yanru put down the book in his hand, leaned on the pillow behind him, and said, "If my guess is correct, I am here for Liu Yan's affairs, right?"
Chen Xinjia nodded and said, "Has Mr. Ge heard about it too?"
"Yes, the news has spread all over the capital in the past few days. General Liu is furious. It is said that he has ordered all the battalions of the New Army to stay put and is determined not to go north to the capital."
Chen Xinjia smiled bitterly: "Elder Ge also knows that there is no money in the national treasury now."
There were thousands of casualties in Liu Yan's army. They were all top-notch elites, and their pensions and food would cost at least hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. All the money in the treasury was used to supply the Jinzhou war, so there was no way this money could be spent. "
"Let's talk about Liu Yan's rewards. He is already the chief military officer and has also been granted the title of earl. Now he has no title. Do you want Liu Yan to be promoted to the governor of Shandong and take over Lu Xiangsheng's position?"
Zhou Yanru looked at Chen Xinjia, who was complaining about water, and said as if he hated iron, and said: "I think this is simple. Liu Yan is the most capable general in the country today. I should support him." , this reward is indeed a bit biased. Even if he is promoted to the governor of Shandong, Liu Yan is still qualified based on his merits. "
Chen Xinjia nodded with an apologetic smile, but he was already scolding in his heart: "During the court meeting, it was you, the chief minister of the cabinet, who took the lead in opposing the heavy reward for Liu Yan, thinking that Liu Yan was just a warrior with a military background, and he was a general military officer. It’s over now, why not give more money to benefit? I think Liu Yan will be satisfied when he sees the money. Now you are going to teach me a lesson, do I have to bear the blame for this alone? "
Chen Xinjia said: "Mr. Ge, the news is flying all over the sky now. Liaodong is in urgent need of reinforcements. The Tatars are about to retreat. As long as Liu Yan leads his troops to kill, they will definitely hit the slave bandits hard. It will be another great victory. What a status you and I will have in His Majesty’s heart!”
"Didn't my soldier just say that there is no money and food in the national treasury? Liu Yan's new army has tens of thousands of people traveling thousands of miles to Liaodong. How to solve the problem of supplies?"
"Haha, can we supply it along the way?
. "
Zhou Yanru chuckled and said, "I think it's better to forget it. Even if Liu Yan comes with his troops, he won't be able to supply money and food along the way. Those arrogant and powerful generals will escape halfway, and you and I will have nothing to do with it." .”
Chen Xinjia sighed and said, "What do you mean, Mr. Ge, that Liaodong will no longer send troops to support you?"
"Well, since the slave thieves show signs of retreating and the Holy One intends to negotiate peace, then my soldiers..."
Chen Xinjia stood up suddenly and said with a wry smile: "Stop scaring me, Mr. Ge. Don't talk about this peace negotiation, otherwise the censors and officials in the court will tear me apart."
"Haha, my words are serious."
Zhou Yanru thought for a while and said: "I already know the difficulty our soldiers are facing now. I think it is better to appease Liu Yan first and not to cause trouble. Now that the banditry incident in Henan has finally subsided, Gao Mingheng and Chen Yongfu are By chasing down the remnants of the enemy, the war in Jinzhou is expected to end, and the situation in the world is improving, but don't let Liu Yan feel dissatisfied and have another mutiny, it will be a disaster!"
Chen Xinjia nodded repeatedly and said, "Does the elder mean to give Liu Yan a promotion?"
"hehe."
Zhou Yanru said: "I will first think of a way to raise some money, pay out the casualties compensation to the new army, and appease the soldiers and horses of the new army. As for Liu Yan, I think I will let Yan Jizu, the governor of Shandong, go and appease him. Let me. Yan Jizu told Liu Yan to lead his troops to the capital within the time limit, and when the war in Jinzhou is over, the imperial court will definitely promote him to a higher rank."
Chen Xinjia was stunned and asked: "You still want to recruit Liu Yan's troops to go north to Liaodong?"
"My soldier, you always
This is not okay. "
Zhou Yanru said in an old tone: "The purpose of recruiting Liu Yan to the capital is to observe his behavior and see if this person can be used. If Liu Yan is still arrogant and arrogant after being appeased by the court for a long time, then what is the use of such a person? Who would dare to use him?"
"So, let Liu Yan come over. What do you think, my soldier?"
When Chen Xinjia walked out of the gate of Zhou Mansion, it was already late at night, and the cold wind was getting stronger at this time. Chen Xinjia tightened his cloak, and after sitting on the sedan chair, he frowned and sighed from time to time.
"Silver, where can I find silver?"
At the same time, in Zhou Yanru's Nuan Pavilion, Zhou Yiming opened the door and walked in, saying, "Father, what's the important matter for Chen Xinjia in the middle of the night?"
"It's not about Liu Yan."
"Oh, I forgot so much. There was a lot of commotion in the capital during this period."
Zhou Yiming sat next to Zhou Yanru and said: "Chen Xinjia also has a hard life. It is not easy for him to have such a fierce general as Liu Yan. He continues to add credit to him as the Minister of War, but he is so unruly."
"Eh!"
Zhou Yanru said: "That's not true. After all, Liu Yan beheaded more than 200,000 thieves and his official position remained unchanged. It is indeed unjustifiable. It is normal for people to have resentment in their hearts."
"My father is righteous, and my children admire him."
"You have to keep a low profile these days. It depends on whether Chen Xinjia can stabilize Liu Yan. If something goes wrong because of the reward, I will have to clean up the mess."
"yes."
Zhou Yiming said with a smile: "Today's court still relies on my father to be in charge, and the Holy Father also needs to rely on his father to maintain the situation."
"hehe."
Zhou Yanru smiled, but
He still waved his hand and said, "In this case, don't say it after you leave the house. Although my father is the head of a hundred officials, he can't stand the censors and officials in the court who are fishing for fame and reputation. They want to use me as a ladder to climb to heaven."
"Yes, my child has remembered it."
A few days later, Chen Xinjia exhausted all his means to raise more than 200,000 taels of silver from various places. As a pension for the new army, he sent soldiers and horses from the Beijing camp to escort them to Jinan Fucheng.
After hearing the news, Zhou Yanru also breathed a sigh of relief and held a banquet in the Nuan Pavilion, including four plates of side dishes and a pot of boiled rice wine.
After Chen Xinjia saw off the carriages and horses escorting the pension money, he hurried to the Zhou Mansion.
"Haha, I am really a dedicated soldier. I have raised more than 200,000 taels of silver in just a few days. Mr. Liu must be in a good mood after receiving the money."
Chen Xinjia, however, knew that he was suffering and said, "Sir, don't make fun of me. I only got this money from all the yamen."
"Well, everyone knows that our soldiers are capable, but is the money and food in Jinzhou still enough?"
"I am also about to tell Mr. Ge about this matter."
Chen Xinjia said: "The war in Jinzhou cannot be delayed any longer. The treasury's money and food can last for more than two months at most. If it continues to be delayed, the army's money and food will be cut off. So..."
Zhou Yanru was also secretly surprised at this time and said: "So I want to urge Hongdu to fight the slaves and thieves?"
"Exactly!"
"well!"
Zhou Yanru struggled for a while and said: "If there is a decisive battle, what are the chances of winning?"
Chen Xinjia said confidently: "Now that the slave bandit forces have been exhausted, there is a 60% chance of winning in the decisive battle now!"
"Only 60%?"
Zhou Yanru said: "I should know that the battle in Jinzhou failed.
Failure means nothing, so you must be careful in everything and never let it happen. "
"I don't know about soldiers, so I don't need to ask about this matter. It's all up to me to make the decision!"
Chen Xinjia was dumbfounded and Zhou Yanru hid!
"It's just this, this..."
"I will tell you what I have to say."
"The Holy One seems to still have doubts. Liu Yan insisted on not fighting quickly at the beginning. The Holy One..."
Zhou Yanru said with a smile: "Okay, then I will go to the palace and say a few words to my soldiers."
"Haha, then thank you Mr. Ge."
On the same day, Zhou Yanru entered the palace to meet the emperor. Emperor Chongzhen was very friendly when he saw Zhou Yanru and ordered Wang Cheng'en to grant him a seat.
"Haha, thank you, Your Majesty."
Zhou Yanru then brought the topic to the Battle of Jinzhou. Emperor Chongzhen looked worried at this time and asked: "Chen Xinjia, Minister of the Ministry of War, has told me in the past few days whether the battle in Jinzhou should be fought decisively with the enemy? This matter is related to the fate of the country. Mr. Ge, if you have any opinion, it’s okay to say so.”
Zhou Yanru said seriously at this time: "Your Majesty, I heard that when the army went out for the expedition, Your Majesty summoned the general soldiers of each town. Among them, Liu Yan, the chief military officer of Qinglai Town, once suggested that our officers and soldiers should rely on Jinzhou and other cities and defense lines to form a camp step by step. Don't rush into a decisive battle with the Tartars, lest the Tartars raid the rear."
"Now Chen Xinjia wants to push the soldiers outside Jinzhou City to hastily fight just because of lack of money and food. This is the intention to harm the country, and your Majesty must not ignore it!"
Emperor Chongzhen frowned when he heard this. After a long time, he said: "Since the elder Ge also has this opinion, then the war in Jinzhou cannot be rushed. It is better to recruit Liu Yan's troops to Beijing first and then discuss it later."
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
After Zhou Yanru came out of the palace, he sat on a certain
As the sedan slowly lifted up, a sneer appeared on Zhou Yanru's face: "Hmph, Chen Xinjia has been the Minister of the Ministry of War for a long time, and he still wants to join the cabinet. It's really a wishful thinking. Now I'll see how you take the move! "
