The sky was getting dark and the clouds were lingering. It was raining and humid, which made people feel uncomfortable. However, the Ming army was already exhausted after a series of battles. What else could they ask for? They just wanted to find a place to lie down, take a breath and eat something. Fill your stomach.
Both sides of the Grand Canal were covered with soldiers of the Ming army, covered in mud and with bloodstains on their faces. Far to the north, the main infantry was gathering in a steady stream. Chang Yu washed his face by the river, got on his horse and touched the green bird on his waist. , raised his head and looked towards the south to see the rolling black clouds and the increasing wind.
Chang Yu wanted to return to Beijing to face the emperor, and originally wanted to travel lightly and quickly with dozens of personal guards, but Li Muxian, Huang Degong and others firmly disagreed. Although the Qing army had fled south, who could guarantee that something would happen on the way and insisted on letting him He led three battalions under his command to Beijing.
Halfway through the unitary hour, Chang Yu left Huang to gain the victory. Zhou Yuji rested where he was and waited for orders. He sent several groups of scouts south to investigate the movements of the Qing army, while he returned to Beijing at night.
Taking off his armor and riding a horse, the wind roared in his ears, and it was extremely cool in the rain and mist. However, Chang Yu had something on his mind and muttered all the way, so he just hit the horse and galloped. His personal guards did not dare to make any noise, and the sky was completely dark a few miles away. When they got down, the soldiers lit torches and continued running. They could see bright lights in the distance due west, but they didn't panic at all.
Those flames were not the Qing army's defeat but the Ming army's logistics troops. Chang Yu ordered generals before leaving the city and personally led a small army to kill the enemy. The logistics was handed over to Shi Kefa and Wang Jiayan. Logistics has always been a stable army. The key point, not to mention the importance of modern warfare, is that in ancient times, there was a saying that soldiers and horses moved on before food and grass were used.
However, in this battle out of the city, Chang Yu did not ask for food and grass to go first. Instead, each troop carried a small amount of food and grass, and the logistics were responsible for the rest. In addition, the logistics troops were also responsible for clearing the battlefield, rescuing the wounded, and killing the injured. The Ming army was transported back to the capital.
Shi Kefa and Wang Jiayan were both mature and steady people and loyal to the Ming Dynasty. They were ready to go out of the city to kill the enemy early in the morning, but were appointed by Chang Yu to provide logistics. The prestige is far less than that of the little eunuch, but fortunately they are all working for the Ming Dynasty, so they also cooperate with Chang Yu conscientiously and complete the logistics work very well. In addition to doing their job well, they are also responsible for intelligence collection and reporting the war ahead as soon as possible. In the city, Emperor Chongzhen was highly praised.
It's just that most of the information they collected was superficial. For example, there was another fight somewhere. As for who fought whom, what the outcome was, etc. The details were unknown. Fortunately, Emperor Chongzhen had three other channels. One was Dongchang. , the second is Jin Yiwei, and the third is the military. When the three pieces of information are combined, we can know the ins and outs of the entire incident, and they can prove each other whether there is any water in it.
The Ming army went out of the city to pursue the Qing army with such a large-scale and rapid action that it had rarely been seen in several years. It won praise from the people: the imperial court finally got tough, and the little eunuch who oversaw the army also gained countless fans for a while. After all, today's people can fight and dare to fight. No one is bound to win except him, and even political opponents and old enemies are convinced by this point.
In the past few days, storytellers and opera singers in teahouses and restaurants in Forty-Nine City, and pedestrians and beggars on the streets have been gossiping about various rumors about the war outside the city and various legends about the little eunuch. It can be said that hundreds of thousands of people in the capital are paying attention. With.
But when it comes to the person who pays the most attention, no one can compare with Emperor Chongzhen in the Forbidden City. After all, it is related to the life and death of his old Zhu family. How can he not be concerned about it? In fact, no matter whether it is in court meetings or after dinner, the most talked about is: " Is there any news from Chang Yu?"
News was sent to the imperial city non-stop. From the moment Chang Yu left the city, secret reports were sent almost every hour: Eunuch Chang traveled eastward for more than ten miles and turned south... Huang Deqiang's army continued eastward... …Eunuch Chang led his troops to rest in the woods twenty miles east of the city…
Emperor Chongzhen, who listened to the news indifferently, felt as uncomfortable as a chicken scratching his heart. Fortunately, in the early morning, he finally came to let him, no, the news that excited the whole city came: Huang Degong killed hundreds of enemies in the battle with the Qing army in the Luotuo Camp. The Qing army was defeated and fled back to Tongzhou City...
It can be said that every move of the soldiers and horses in the city affected all the nerves in his body. Huang Degong was victorious and he laughed happily. When he heard that Tongzhou City was burned, he dropped his tea cup. If Chang Yu was next to him, he would definitely tremble with distress, blue and white porcelain!
The Jin Yiwei secretly reported that the Tatars had burned down Tongzhou City and were heading south. The young eunuch was furious and led his troops to pursue him, but was almost captured by the Qing army... When Emperor Chongzhen heard the news, his face turned pale with shock and his whole body trembled: "I kept asking a few questions. Is Yu Ke okay?"
If something happens to Chang Yu, he really doesn't know who can help him clean up Daming's mess next!
After hearing that he had narrowly escaped death, he complained again and again: "Why is he so careless? Why is he so careless... I have told you not to let him take risks..." Wang Chengen next to him reminded: "Although the emperor is concerned, he will not take any risks..." I think he might be constraining Eunuch Chang. After all, Eunuch Chang has been on the battlefield for a long time and he should know the importance of matters in the military..."
Emperor Chongzhen thought for a while and then retracted his oral message, but he was even more happy for Chang Yu because the news came from the Jinyi Guardian, but Chang Yu's Dongchang did not report this. It is not that he reported good news or not bad news. On the contrary, it just shows that he does not take credit and is not pretentious. If he were a courtier, he would report it immediately if he tripped and scratched his skin: Your Majesty, look at me getting hurt trying to kill the Tatars...
At Wu time (seven o'clock in the evening), a horse galloped to the Dongzhi Gate of the capital. He raised his head and shouted to the officers and soldiers on the city: "Urgent report from the East Factory..." As soon as he finished speaking, the heavy city gate creaked open, and from there, Several officers and soldiers rushed out from inside, checked their waist cards and handed Ma Fanzi over to let him enter the city.
You know, the city gates are locked after dark, and it is extremely difficult for anyone to get in or out. What's more, during this sensitive period, the city gates are closely watched by Wang Jiayan, even if they are sending intelligence outside the city, whether it is the military or The Jinyiwei people always go to the city gate to strictly identify their identity and then negotiate with their colleagues in the city to pass it on. It is impossible to get in.
Except for people from Dongchang! He was very unhappy about this but couldn't help it. The reason was very simple. The young eunuch in Dongchang was very popular at the moment, and he couldn't afford to offend him and he didn't want to offend him either.
Fanzi entered the city and rushed westward along the street. Not long after, outside the Donghua Gate of the Imperial City, several fans on duty from Dongchang were waiting. After a brief greeting, they knocked on the door and said a few words inside. There was no other way. They cannot enter the city gate.
Not long after, Chunxiang stood close to the door outside the Qianqing Gate and said a few words to the eunuch on duty inside. After half a cup of tea, the Qianqing Gate opened with a creak, and Wang Chenen appeared at the door. The emperor orally said: "Dongchang will take over immediately. For the defense of the Qianqing Gate, all guards in the unified palace are on duty. Anyone who does not approach without orders will be killed without mercy until Eunuch Chang leaves!"
It turned out that the Dongchang fanzi was sent by Chang Yu. After discussing with Li Muxian and others, he decided to go back to Beijing to meet the emperor and sent someone to inform him in advance. The fanzi quickly entered the city first. Emperor Chongzhen was very surprised after hearing the news. He did not know what Chang Yu was doing. Shi's sudden return to Beijing was to report sorrow or good news. The latest news he had at hand was that in the afternoon, Eunuch Chang broke camp and headed south... He had no idea what happened in the afternoon.
But there are only two possibilities for Chang Yu to return to Beijing in person, either he will be overjoyed or...
He didn't dare to think about it, but he was very anxious to see Chang Yu, so he ordered the Qianqing Gate to be opened to show his respect. However, the Qianqing Gate was the most important part of the harem, although outside the gate was the headquarters of the imperial city defense, and there were state officials inside. He was on duty, but he trusted Dongchang more, so he ordered Dongchang to take over the command of the imperial city's defense. This was absolutely unprecedented!
Of course, everyone knows that Emperor Chongzhen's move was just to show Chang Yu, look how much I trust Dongchang, look how much I value you, you have to work hard!
Chunxiang led the order and immediately mobilized Dongchang Fanzi in the imperial city and the "Han General" of the Jinyi Guard to control the situation in front of the Qianqing Gate. He also ordered the guards on duty in the palace to be very strict with ten steps, one post, five steps and one sentry. , this move frightened several nobles on duty who were gambling in Caolanchang to the point of urinating. They thought something big had happened and ran over in a hurry, but they were stopped by the people from the East Factory and prohibited from approaching the Qianqing Gate!
They thought it was a joke, but when they saw that Prince Zhu Cixiang, who was alarmed and came after hearing the news, was also persuaded to leave, they knew it was not a joke!
But what on earth was the emperor doing when he opened the Qingqing door late at night? They were curious and tried to trick them into asking, but no one answered them. Just kidding, who in the East Factory didn’t know that the little eunuch was at odds with these nobles? What are you doing!
