Just then Cao Huachun, the admiral of Dongchang and the director of etiquette, Bingbi, trotted in.
As soon as he entered the door, he knelt down and said, "Congratulations to Your Majesty, congratulations to Your Majesty, our army has won a great victory, and the soldiers and civilians in the city are cheering!"
"Happy for a great victory?" Chongzhen asked doubtfully, "Do you know where the great victory is?"
"I don't know, I have sent someone to find out."
"I have asked Wang Chengen to go to the Ministry of War. It is logical that he should come back."
Before Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking, he heard Wang Chengen's voice: "Great victory! Great victory! Great victory for our army. We defeated thousands of enemies and beheaded hundreds!"
After a while, the panting Wang Chengen entered Xinuang Pavilion and immediately knelt down with a "plop" and said loudly:
"Your Majesty, it's a great victory for our army. I have basically verified it. I also brought back seven badges for establishing a slave army."
Chongzhen couldn't help but stand up and asked eagerly: "Where did you win?"
"It was Governor Geng's third son, Geng Zhanghua, who led hundreds of servants out of the border to intercept and kill Jian Nu and achieved a great victory. He rescued thousands of plundered soldiers and civilians, defeated thousands of enemy troops, captured thousands, and obtained over 300 heads!"
"If you have a memorial, please bring it quickly!"
There were many memorials reporting victory, including memorials from Zhangjiakou civil servants and military generals. Of course Wang Chengen took them and now held them above his head.
Emperor Chongzhen took it, paced and read, and suddenly exclaimed: "Good, good, what a man of loyalty, filial piety, justice, wisdom and courage!"
After reading the memorial, Emperor Chongzhen's pale face had some color, and he said: "Cao Banban!"
Cao Huachun quickly bowed and agreed: "My servant is here!"
"The Dongchang Factory re-examines the case of the Shanxi Army Defeat and clarifies the responsible persons. We must not unjustly accuse good people!"
When it comes to figuring out what's going on, eunuchs who are well off are the best. The emperor has set the tone not to wrongly accuse good people, so of course Cao Huachun has to follow suit.
Moreover, the case of Shanxi King Qin's disbandment was second only to the "Eunuch Rebellion Case". It was so destructive and had a particularly bad impact that Cao Huachun, the admiral of the East Factory, personally intervened many times.
He said cautiously: "Your Majesty, I have investigated the case of Shanxi's army collapse and learned the reasons for the army's defeat. Facts have proved that Governor Geng was indeed somewhat unjust."
"Oh? In that case, why don't you report it?"
"This matter involved too many factors, and because the nobles in the imperial court really had no food to deal with at that time, many factors led to the collapse of Shanxi King Qin's troops."
"Tell me the cause and effect in detail!"
"Governor Geng and General Zhang led five thousand King Qin's troops to come all the way, so it stands to reason that the imperial court should provide them with food and salary at this time.
However, the capital was in turmoil at that time, and food prices were soaring. There was no food to adjust, and it was impossible to buy food with money. Moreover, the Ministry of Household Affairs had no money at all.
In order to shirk their responsibilities, some officials mobilized Shanxi King Qin's troops at will, and never allowed Shanxi troops to stay in one place for more than a day, because the court had regulations that if the guest soldiers arrived for less than one day, the local government would not provide food and salary..."
"Bang!" Emperor Chongzhen stood up and shouted angrily: "They deserve to be killed! All of them deserve to be killed!"
Emperor Chongzhen was the emperor, but he was actually a loner. He didn't know the truth about the collapse of King Qin's troops in Shanxi until today. Historically, he didn't know until he hanged himself.
The reason why we were able to understand the situation today was of course that Cao Huachun felt that Geng Ruqi would definitely be able to stand up, so this was the icing on the cake, and he did not hesitate to offend those officials who were playing tricks on Shanxi King Qin's troops.
"So, the Shanxi troops were defeated because they were without food for three days?" Emperor Chongzhen finally calmed down his anger and asked.
"The main reason must be lack of food!"
"Oh? Is there a secondary reason? You should tell me about it!"
"If Governor Geng and General Zhang can handle it properly and stabilize people's hearts, it is still possible for the five thousand troops to be stabilized."
"What are you talking about? It's the end of the cold winter. I'll let you starve for three days!"
Cao Huachun knelt down quickly and said, "I'm talking nonsense!" He cursed in his heart, "How is it possible that there is nothing that can be done? How can it be possible that I have been hungry for three days?"
But at this time, he felt like a mirror, Geng Ruqi was definitely fine, Geng Zhanghua was probably in the emperor's heart, and the Geng family would be prosperous and have a bright future.
Emperor Chongzhen did not blame Cao Huachun and said: "So Geng Ruchi was originally wronged. Now that Geng Zhanghua has made such great achievements, how can he still imprison Geng Ruchi in Zhao Prison?"
"My slave, let Governor Geng out of prison immediately!"
"Deliver the message, I..." Emperor Chongzhen was impatient. He originally wanted to summon Geng Ruqi immediately, but after looking at the sky and guessing that there was not enough time, he changed his words and said, "I will summon Geng Aiqing after the court tomorrow morning!"
Come on, I already love you. There is no need to figure out the emperor's attitude. It is already obvious.
Of course Cao Huachun knew what to do next.
It was at this time that Jin Yiwei Zhao Prison also had a story unfolding.
When the eunuch came forward to negotiate, Geng Qi easily met Geng Ruqi, who was living in a deep prison.
When the struggle in official circles reaches a certain environment, it is life and death. There is no way to win-win!
Historically, the clever officials in the capital did not expect that it would cause a serious accident that caused the collapse of 5,000 Shanxi King Qin's troops.
For such a serious crime, someone must take the blame, so the officials from the capital gathered together, and foreign officials Geng Ruqi and Zhang Honggong became the scapegoats!
Therefore, it was not that someone deliberately punished Geng Raqi, nor was it the remnants of the eunuch party who deliberately framed Geng Raqi, but the inaction of many officials finally led to the catastrophe of beheading, and someone must be punished.
Unfortunately, Geng Ruqi and Zhang Honggong became the "scapegoats", and those officials in Beijing who blamed the situation felt somewhat guilty!
This is why even though Geng Ruchi was beheaded, it did not harm his family. It is also the reason why Geng Zhangguang was able to become a high school scholar and became a county magistrate a few years after Geng Ruchi was beheaded.
what does that mean? It means that the Geng family is still a class of scholar-bureaucrats!
Geng Ruqi, who was imprisoned, had time to think. Of course he hated the Beijing official who made him "take the blame", and he also hated himself.
He summarized the reason for getting into trouble. In the final analysis, it was because he had no generals and no strong army.
He secretly vowed that if he could return to the court, he would pay close attention to military equipment and spend a lot of money to build an army that could fight against Jiannu.
To be honest, he used to look down on Jiujiu warriors, he also had no military pay, and he never cared about the suffering of the soldiers.
Everything has a cause and effect. The soldiers have resented their superiors and the imperial court for a long time, and are not willing to fight for the imperial court at all.
Shanxi King Qin's soldiers and horses knew that they were going to the capital to fight against Jiannu, and they were already panicking.
Food shortage is just the spark that ignites a prairie fire!
These 5,000 troops either fell into disgrace and became bandits, or became the backbone of the rogue bandits. Their destructive power was unprecedented, making the Ming Dynasty, which was in danger, even more dangerous.
