Jiang Dejing couldn't help but feel a little sad when he thought of Song Yingxing.
Because Song Yingxing was the most talented person in agricultural research among the people he had ever met, and what was even more rare was that he was able to endure loneliness, not caring about fame, and concentrated on the research of agriculture and handicraft production.
But for such a scientific researcher who was independent from the world, not only did the court not pay attention to him, but he was often bullied by villains.
Jiang Dejing also spoke uprightly, but in this era, there were too few outliers like them, so they did not have much effect.
At this moment, he saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was very interested in agricultural matters, so he tried to explain some of Song Yingxing's theories in Tiangong Kaiwu, which immediately won Zhu Yuanzhang's appreciation.
Especially when Zhu Yuanzhang learned about Song Yingxing, he happened to return to Dongnuang Pavilion. He immediately asked Shen Zhanran to draft an edict and appointed Song Yingxing as a doctor in the Tuntian Division of the Ministry of Industry, with full-time responsibility for agricultural planting. He also asked Jiang Dejing to pass the edict on his behalf.
Although Jiang Dejing knew that Zhu Yuanzhang was using this to win over him, he still felt admiration in his heart when he saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was so knowledgeable and skillful in utilizing others and acting resolutely.
Just at this moment, Liu Wenbing came in to report that Li Yan, who had disappeared, appeared at Changyi Gate again and brought a new peace letter from Li Zicheng.
Although the letter did not mention the title of king and other matters, it clearly requested Zhu Yuanzhang to release Hao Yaoqi and others.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew that this was a chain reaction caused by releasing the Red Lady, and immediately ordered Liu Wenbing to take Li Yan to Hongde Hall, let him sit around for half an hour, and then take him out of the palace to end the problem.
Liu Wenbing was a little hesitant when he heard this, but when he saw Shen Zhanran nodded slightly, he agreed respectfully.
At this time, Jiang Dejing once again mentioned asking Zheng Zhilong to attack Pidao.
After Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated for a while, he told him about Li Guozhen.
When Jiang Dejing heard this arrangement, he clapped his hands and praised it, and then changed his proposal to attack Pidao to one of rescuing the capital, in order to test Zheng.
After Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in agreement, he asked Shen Zhanran to accompany him to find Fan Jingwen to deal with the matter.
...
In the rebel tent outside the city, Niu Jinxing stared at Li Yan with an angry look on his face, while the red lady next to Li Yan was dressed in military uniform and glared at Niu Jinxing.
Li Zicheng, who was sitting upright, saw this and glanced at Liu Zongmin who was standing aside.
When Liu Zongmin saw Li Zicheng's gaze, he stepped forward reluctantly and persuaded: "Madam, Prime Minister Niu does not suspect that Brother Li is colluding with Chongzhen, he just feels that there are some problems..."
Hearing this, the red lady's face became even more angry. Before Liu Zongmin could finish speaking, she interrupted him and said, "What's the problem? If he wants to accuse Li Lang of treason and collaborating with the enemy, just provide evidence and don't play that unfounded trick. It should be noted that he is not Qin Hui, and we are not..."
"enough!"
At this time, Li Yan shouted to stop the red lady, and then saluted Li Zicheng and said: "Your Majesty, I have indeed never met Chongzhen, and I have no agreement with him in private. Your Majesty, please be careful!"
"There is no agreement. If there is really no agreement, why did he arrest so many people but let Li Mou and Hong Niangzi go one after another?"
Seeing that Li Zicheng seemed to believe Li Yan's words, Niu Jinxing hurriedly retorted.
Li Yan glanced at Niu Jinxing dissatisfied and said, "If I really had an agreement with him, how could I make it so obvious? Is it because I'm afraid that others won't be able to tell?"
Niu Jinxing was stunned for a moment and said: "Perhaps this is your cleverness, so that you can distance yourself from it!"
As he spoke, he glanced at Song Xiance again, signaling for him to help.
Song Xiance knew that Niu Jinxing criticized Li Yan in this way, not only because Li Yan was indeed acting suspiciously, but more importantly, he wanted to blame Li Yan for the Zhangyi Sect's failure.
However, based on his understanding of Li Zicheng, it was not easy to know this.
And even if they succeed, they will not be able to completely defeat Li Yan, but will intensify the conflicts between them and other generals.
Just when he was thinking about how to help, a communications soldier ran in quickly and handed a secret letter to Li Zicheng.
Li Zicheng took the letter, glanced at it, and said in a panic: "No, Wu Sangui refused to surrender, and his army has already left the border. It will take at most two days to reach the capital!"
Everyone was shocked when they heard this, especially Song Xiance. He quickly shook his goose feather fan a few times and said calmly: "Your Majesty, Wu Sangui is just bluffing. We might as well send a partial force to shock him!"
"Partial teacher?"
Li Zicheng glanced at Li Guo, who had been silent in the tent, because after the battle at Zhangyi Gate, Liu Zongmin's Lao Eighth Battalion suffered heavy losses, and now perhaps only the soldiers and horses in Li Guo's hands could suppress Wu Sangui.
However, if Li Guo's soldiers and horses were taken away, what would be left would be only old and weak soldiers, who would not only be unable to cope with the attacks in the city, but also unable to deter the soldiers who had recently surrendered.
So he looked at Niu Jinxing again and said in a deep voice: "Prime Minister Niu, I remember that you asked the Jurchen Chen Bingxuan Mansion and other places. Now can you let them move to Shanhaiguan and force Wu Sangui to return?"
When Niu Jinxing saw the cold light in Li Zicheng's eyes, he was stunned and said with some hesitation: "If your Majesty really has this intention, you might as well send someone to negotiate with them and let them..."
"No! I have made it clear before that the Jurchens are not of my race. I can use them, but I must not cooperate with them. This is the bottom line!"
Li Zicheng didn't wait for Niu Jinxing to finish speaking, and shouted at him. Then he looked at Li Yan and said, "Military advisor, you are still responsible for the peace talks. You must buy some more time."
After that, he looked at Liu Zongmin and others and said: "You all go back and prepare your troops for battle. If there is any more blaming each other, no matter who it is, they will be beheaded on the spot!"
Seeing Li Zicheng's rare decisiveness, everyone immediately responded loudly.
Li Zicheng nodded with satisfaction, and after leaving Song Xiance behind, he let everyone leave.
"Military advisor, do you think we can really capture the capital by the 25th?"
After yesterday's fiasco, Li Zicheng asked Song Xiance with some worry.
Song Xiance shook his goose feather fan nervously and said: "Your Majesty, I have already calculated that as long as Liu Fangliang's army arrives before the 25th, our two armies will be able to attack the capital together."
Li Zicheng nodded and said: "Well, if Liu Fangliang can come, there should be no problem in conquering the capital, but Wu Sangui refuses to recruit him. If he leads his troops, how should we deal with it?"
Song Xiance shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much! Wu Sangui has been here a long time ago, how could he wait until now?"
"The reason why he refused to recruit was that he mistakenly believed that the Ming Dynasty was not exhausted. However, even so, I believe he did not dare to send troops rashly. I think he is still worried in the study!"
Li Zicheng felt relieved when he saw that Song Xiance was so confident in what he said and thought that most of what he expected would come true.
In fact, Song Xiance was indeed right, because at this moment Wu Sangui was having a secret discussion with Shanhaiguan Commander-in-Chief Gao Di and others in the study.
