The next day, the imperial study room.
Emperor Chongzhen saw that Chen Yan and Wei Zaode were useless, so he ordered Chen Xinjia to the palace. At this time, there were only Emperor Chongzhen and Chen Xinjia in the imperial study, and even Wang Chengen was sent away.
"My dear, I want Liu Yan to withdraw his troops first. Do you have any good ideas?"
Chen Xinjia groaned in his heart and said: "Your Majesty, Liu Yan is just gambling with the imperial court, and wants the army soldiers to enter the city to rest for a period of time to calm the morale of the army. As long as your Majesty is willing to let go, Liu Yan will naturally show up in a few days. He apologized and then obeyed the imperial court’s instructions to withdraw his troops.”
Emperor Chongzhen frowned slightly and said, "Liu Yan will not be allowed to enter Beijing. He has just achieved military success and wants to enter the capital. What is his intention?"
"Your Majesty's words are serious, so Liu Yan doesn't have any bad intentions, he's just a bit stubborn."
Emperor Chongzhen immediately picked up a map and handed it to Chen Xinjia, on which a circle had been drawn with a cinnabar pen.
Chen Xinjia took a closer look and saw that the place where he was trapped was Zhending Mansion in Beizhili.
"I want to dispatch Liu Yan to lead his troops to deploy defenses around Zhending Mansion to prevent Li Zicheng's troops from advancing eastward and north of Zhili. We can also threaten Li Zicheng's troops from the flanks and share the pressure for Hong Chengchou. What do you think, Ai Qing?"
Chen Xinjia sighed in his heart. Let's not talk about whether Liu Yan could share the pressure for Hong Chengchou when he led his troops to Zhending Mansion. Let's just talk about Liu Yan. He is still suffering from injustice. The court did not mention it at all. If you want to recruit people and then work for them, who will obey the order?
"This, Your Majesty, should you think about it again? It will not be so easy to implement this matter."
Emperor Chongzhen said coldly: "Could it be said that the current imperial court has issued an order not to leave the palace?"
to the point? "
Chen Xinjia hurriedly stood up from his chair, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I forgive you. I didn't mean it this way. I'm just worried that Liu Yan won't obey the order this time."
Emperor Chongzhen pondered for a while, and then said: "This time I will go to Liu Yan's camp outside the city and tell Liu Yan that within two days, the imperial court will distribute the rewards and pensions to Liu Yan. Lead his troops to Zhending Mansion within five days, and when the court has enough money and food for the follow-up, he will lead his troops to Xinzhou to support Hong Chengchou's tribe."
Chen Xinjia said: "Your Majesty, if I dare, I still want the wounded soldiers in Liu Yan's army to go to the city to recuperate for a few days. In this case, Liu Yan will definitely obey the order immediately."
"No!"
Emperor Chongzhen said coldly: "It is already a great favor from the emperor to allow Liu Yan to continue to lead the army in battle. Doesn't Liu Yan have any other extravagant hopes?"
"I don't dare to guess!"
"snort!"
Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand suddenly and said: "This is best. Resign and go on business."
"Yes, I will retire."
Chen Xinjia left the palace full of thoughts and got on the warm sedan. The accompanying servant asked: "Sir, are we going home?"
"Go back home? Go to Deshengmen! Immediately send someone to the Ministry of War to transfer people and escort me to the New Army camp!"
When Chen Xinjia arrived at the main tent of the New Army Guard Camp, it was already dusk. Chen Xinjia looked at Liu Yan, who was sitting behind the desk with a cold face, looking through the military documents, and sat with him with a smile. After a while, no one served tea, and I felt very embarrassed.
"Here, Lord Lu, you see, your Majesty has ordered the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household Affairs to raise money and food. Should you put national affairs first and lead the army?
The soldiers went to Zhending Mansion to set up defenses? "
Liu Yan raised his head, glanced at Chen Xinjia, and said, "Do I think it's possible?"
Chen Xinjia sighed and said: "I know that this time it was the Qingliu in the court who interfered, and the army officers were wronged again, but after all, national affairs are greater than heaven, and it is still important to rescue Hongge at the moment!"
It was already the end of December. Based on Liu Yan's understanding of Li Zicheng's army and the intelligence on Hong Chengchou's troops collected by the imperial court and the Intelligence Department, Liu Yan concluded that even if he rushed directly from Yanqing Prefecture to Xinzhou, it would definitely be too late. You know As early as a month ago, Hong Chengchou's troops had run out of food, and we still don't know how they are holding on. Therefore, Hong Chengchou is destined to not be able to hold on until the reinforcements arrive. He and his troops are already in trouble!
The rest of Hong Chengchou's men were fine. Hong Chengchou and Wu Sangui were all traitors in history, and Tang Tong was also a person who would not regret his death. It's just a pity for Wang Tingchen, Zuo Guangxian, and Liu Zhaoji. After all, all three of them died in bloody battles with the Qing army in history. No matter what they are like, they can be regarded as heroes who resisted foreign humiliation.
Now Liu Yan was powerless and had no time to rescue him, so he could only sigh in his heart.
Seeing that Liu Yan still didn't speak, Chen Xinjia felt anxious and said loudly: "Gong Lu, please speak up. Do you really want to do what Dong Zhuo did and have to lead his army into the city and cause chaos in the world?"
Liu Yan sneered and said: "If I really want to imitate Dong Zhuo, do I think the Beijing troops in the city can stop me? I have already led my troops to break into the city and enter!"
Chen Xinjia nodded, sat slumped on the chair, and asked: "Then
How does Duke Lu want to resolve this matter? "
"The governor said that he will lead the army into the city to rest!"
"Is it possible that the Duke of Lu ignored state affairs just because he was gambling?"
Liu Yan thought for a moment, and then said: "Since I have personally come to mediate, then I will suffer another loss."
Chen Xinjia was immediately overjoyed and asked: "How?"
"The governor will withdraw his troops tomorrow and lead his troops to set up defenses in the capital to prevent Li Zicheng from marching eastward to Beizhili. At the same time, he will send Ye Bushou towards Xinzhou to explore the news. He will wait only for the army's rewards and pensions to be in place and the army's money and food supplies to arrive. Lead the army towards Xinzhou."
"but……"
Chen Xinjia suddenly asked nervously: "But what?"
Liu Yan said coldly: "I heard that your majesty wants to remove me from the post of governor of Shandong? The Donglin Party members in the court must not be able to come up with a specific strategy, and your majesty has no way to start, so he gave up temporarily and wanted to transfer this governor." Will the governor go to garrison in the Zhending Mansion area?"
Chen Xinjia was surprised, but also extremely shocked. Liu Yan either had spies in the capital, or he knew the political situation well and was able to make reasonable guesses. No matter what the situation is, it shows that Liu Yan's ability and power are enough to compete with the imperial court!
Chen Xinjia was speechless and had to deal with it silently.
"In this case, the governor asks your majesty to remove Chen Yan, the minister of household affairs and the great scholar of Wuyingdian, and Wei Zaode, the minister of the Ministry of Industry and the great scholar of Wenyuange, and drive them out of the capital. In addition, the governor-general of Beizhili Military and Political Affairs, Qianliang, etc. The power of the matter is given to the governor."
"What!"
Chen Xinjia was shocked and said: "This is impossible. Isn't this a threat to the DPRK?"
Did you get it? Your Majesty will not agree! "
Liu Yan said coldly: "Forget it if you don't agree. Anyway, in the hearts of Your Majesty and the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, the governor is already Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo, so it doesn't matter what else he does!"
Chen Xinjia sighed and said: "Forget it, I will go back to Beijing immediately to report and try my best to promote this matter!"
Liu Yan nodded, and then said: "There is one more thing: after I return, I must report to Your Majesty the truth. Judging from the information I have now, the foreigners in Hongge have no reinforcements, no food and grass, and are in a desperate situation. Even if the governor does not return to Beijing and goes directly from Yanqing Prefecture to Xinzhou for rescue, it is probably too late. Maybe the news of the fall of Xinzhou has already been on the way to Beijing, so His Majesty must be prepared in advance."
Chen Xinjia was shocked when he heard this.
In the imperial study, Emperor Chongzhen listened to Chen Xinjia's report. He laughed with a pale face and said sadly and angrily: "Am I still considered the king of a country? I am so forced by Liu Yan, a warrior!"
Chen Xinjia sighed and said: "The culprits responsible for the current situation are actually the Donglin Party members in the DPRK! I had strongly recommended Liu Yan to your Majesty to fight against Li Zicheng's troops, and let Hong Chengchou lead the nine-sided elite to stick to the capital. But those However, the Donglin Party members deceived Your Majesty and could not allow Liu Yan to make military exploits again, so they deliberately hid him in the snow and pushed Hong Chengchou to lead his army to die. This resulted in the current situation!"
In order to allow Emperor Chongzhen to successfully capture Wei Zaode and Chen Yan, Chen Xinjia pushed the matter to the Donglin Party members in words.
Emperor Chongzhen's expression softened a little after hearing this. Yes, someone must be involved in this matter.
To take responsibility and calm down the situation, someone must pay the price. This person, Wei Dezao and Chen Yan, are just right!
"That's okay! After all, these two people once tempted me to remove Liu Yan, which can be regarded as adding fuel to the fire in this situation. It would be better to remove them."
Emperor Chongzhen immediately became stern and said: "I will issue an edict today to remove Wei Dezao and Chen Yan and drive them out of the capital. However, Liu Yan also needs to know how to advance and retreat. At the latest, he will lead his army to Zhending the day after tomorrow. Deploy defenses around the government. Since Liu Yan predicts that Hong Chengchou’s troops will not be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive, then Li Zicheng’s troops must not be allowed to rush into Beizhili!"
"My lord, take the order!"
On that day, Emperor Chongzhen ordered the dismissal of Chen Yan, the Minister of Hubu and a scholar of Wuyingdian, and Wei Zaode, a scholar of Wenyuange and the Minister of Works, on the charge of "slandering the meritorious soldiers and slandering the current Holy Lord", and restricted the two of them to work. Within one day, he left the capital with his family and returned to his hometown to work in farming.
Immediately afterwards, Emperor Chongzhen issued a second edict, handing over the military and political power of Beizhili to Liu Yan, and ordered Liu Yan to oversee the military, financial, food, and civil affairs of Beizhili and Shandong.
As soon as the news came out, the government and the public were in an uproar, especially the Donglin Party members who were even more shocked. They immediately rushed outside the Meridian Gate. Despite the biting cold wind, they wanted to enter the palace to face the saint in protest, but were blocked by the guards and the Han generals outside the palace gate. Come down.
When night fell that day, a large number of Jinyi guards surrounded the residences of Wei Zaode and Chen Yan, forcing them to pack their bags and leave Beijing.
"The sun and the moon are shining, the sun and the moon are shining!"
In the Wei Mansion, Wei Zaode shouted loudly and impassionedly said to a group of royal guards: "I am single-minded.
I was loyal to your Majesty for the sake of my country, yet I ended up like this. How could it be justified! Is it possible that there are no virtuous people in the court, and no one dares to compete with Liu Thief? "
Baihu, the leader of the team, said with a sneer: "Liu Thief? He is the Duke of Lu. In terms of official position and title, even if you are not dismissed, you still have to call him Shangguan. Besides, Duke Lu beheaded ten Qing soldiers." Tens of thousands of levels, can you compare to such a feat?"
Wei Zaode said sternly: "I am a civil servant, and governing the country is the right way. What is the point of being brave as a warrior!"
"cut!"
Jinyiwei Baihu sneered and said: "My officer? You are a farmer now. His Majesty asks you to go back to your hometown to farm, and why do you want me to show off your authority here? Hurry up and get out of Beijing!"
Wei Zaode's face suddenly turned pale, and then he and more than twenty family members were driven out of the mansion, and all their belongings were loaded on two carriages.
"What?"
Looking at the wooden boxes on the two carriages, Wei Zaode said loudly: "There is still a lot of property in my house that has not been loaded into the carriages!"
Jinyiwei Baihu said in a cold voice: "Your Majesty has decreed that you and Chen Yan will only be left with some troubles on the road, and the rest of the property will be charged to the national treasury!"
Wei Zaode's vision suddenly went dark and he almost fainted to the ground. Then he sat in a carriage crying with his family members and was "escorted" all the way out of Beijing from Chongwen Gate by the Jin Yiwei.
Just outside Chongwen Gate, Wei Zaode met Chen Yan who was also kicked out. After the two met, they cried each other. Then he was scolded by Baihu, the Jin Yiwei who followed him: "Why bother crying? After leaving the capital, you will follow The court has nothing to do with it anymore, so get out of here!"
