It's late at night, the mountain breeze is blowing, and the torches are blowing loudly.
Outside the tent, on the rocks, Chang Yu and the others were sometimes whispering, sometimes silent.
"What is the opinion of the imperial court on sending troops to North Korea?" Li Yan asked. He did not know about this matter in advance. When he first heard about it, he frowned. With the current situation of the imperial court, there was no time to go there, and there was a possibility that he would not be able to please him. , but in the long run the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
"I don't know yet, I guess I'm still wrangling." Chang Yu shook his head: "But in the end he will agree with our method. The only worry about our opposition is that we have too much time to take care of ourselves. We have no soldiers and no food on hand, so how can we support him. But this time our family ordered Li Zicheng's men to go, And if they have their own food and fodder, this will kill two birds with one stone, and they will be able to sail with the current."
"Does the Governor think Li Chuang will agree?" Li Muchian frowned, and Chang Yu looked at Li Yan.
Li Yan smiled: "Nine times out of ten, he will agree. He knows that the court wants to use him as a spearman and must go, but he will also take advantage of the trick. After all, North Korea is also an escape route. Once he establishes a foothold there, if he gets a foothold there, he will have to go." It’s a good place over there when I’m desperate.”
Li Muxian suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly: "If you can't be the vassal king of the Ming Dynasty, it would be good to be the king of Korea. Besides, the governor ordered his favorite general."
Chang Yu smiled and said: "There are no fools in this world."
…………………………
Liu Xiyao walked naked from the Yongding River and slowly walked ashore. He took a piece of cloth from the soldiers and wiped the water droplets on his body. Looking at the flashing fire on the top of Beijing in the distance, a rare smile appeared on his face.
The psychological pressure he has endured in the past few months can be said to be the heaviest he has ever experienced in his life.
They were under house arrest and were not allowed to leave the camp or enter the city. They had no rice and food and had to kill horses for meat. They ate for two months until they felt like vomiting. What was even more unbearable was the inner fear that they would be killed at some point. .
But in the past few days, he suddenly felt something strange. There were many fewer officers and soldiers monitoring the perimeter, and they were not as strict. Although they were still not allowed to leave the camp and enter the city, some nearby villagers came to sell vegetables and grains. Those who monitored The officers and soldiers did not stop him.
Could it be that things have improved.
Sure enough, Song Xiance told him that good things were coming.
I saw that Song Xiance went out of the city and entered the camp every day, and no longer stayed in the black shop where the prices were sky-high. When I asked him how the talks went, Song Xiance always said, soon, soon.
As for which step they had talked about, what they had talked about, and what they had won, Song Xiance did not tell him, but this made Liu Xiyao finally take a long breath. It seemed that he would not die.
At noon the next day, a secret letter that had been rushed for 800 miles was delivered to the palace before the case of Emperor Chongzhen through the hands of Jin Yiwei. Wang Chengen, who was waiting next to him, did not know the content of the letter, but he guessed that it should be from the chief eunuch.
Judging from Emperor Chongzhen's expression, which sometimes sneered and sometimes solemn, it should be a big event.
…………In the Wenyuan Pavilion, Emperor Chongzhen was sitting upright, holding a tea cup and blowing hot air gently. First Assistant Li Banghua and other cabinet ministers sat down one by one, and read the secret letter one by one. Second Assistant Wu Sheng’s expression suddenly changed. She was red and her hands were shaking.
Negotiating peace with the rebels is of great significance, similar to the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party. Once it is achieved, it will bring great fame. Who wants to be famous in the world and leave a name in history, even Wu Sheng, who has become the second assistant, is no exception.
The imperial court took the lead in the peace talks this time, and he was very interested in fighting with Song Xiance in a battle of wits and courage. Just when he was about to achieve success, he suddenly realized that he was just a cover for him!
What he was talking about was just superficial. The real core eunuch went to Tongguan to talk to Li Zicheng face to face!
This guy is too kind of a person.
Wu Sheng, who was already fiery, almost exploded, but when he saw the expressions of other cabinet ministers, he calmed down instantly. He read the secret letter carefully over and over again, and then took a long breath.
Of course, the negotiation must be done with the core and soul figure, that is, Li Zicheng. To put it bluntly, Song Xiance is just a messenger.
But it was impossible for Li Zicheng to risk his life and come to the capital, so the court had to send people there. But who would dare to risk his life to discuss with the big bandit face to face? Wu Sheng asked himself, hesitant.
Furthermore, seeing the consensus reached between Chang Yu and Li Zicheng, from terms to details, he believed that he could not negotiate to this point.
This young man is becoming more and more unfathomable. He knows exactly what the court wants and what conditions the other party will put forward. He even went to discuss with the big thief face to face without knowing it. No wonder I haven't seen his shadow for more than a month. .
"Second Assistant, you don't have to worry about this. I didn't mean to hide it. In fact, this was a two-pronged strategy. It was the same as the previous incident of spreading the news and capturing the bed thief." Emperor Chongzhen looked at Wu Sheng sideways.
Wu Sheng smiled bitterly and said, "I don't dare. The emperor and Eunuch Chang have planned this matter to this point, and I know that I can't do it."
Li Banghua and others also came out to smooth things over. They all thought about the interests of Ming Dynasty, and it was normal to use some means. As long as they could obtain real benefits, everything else was not important.
"Everyone, please take a look at these terms and see if there are any additions or deficiencies. If there are no differences, I will issue an edict tomorrow."
At noon, Emperor Chongzhen drove back to the Qianqing Palace. When he passed the Qianqing Gate, he raised the corners of his mouth, clenched his hands vigorously, and whispered to himself: "This is very good!"
……………………
Three days later, the imperial court announced to the world that Li Zicheng, the great thief who had brought disaster to the country and the people for more than ten years, had surrendered to the imperial court, or was granted the title of Western Marquis. His wife Gao Guiying was also granted the title of Madam.
The world was in an uproar.
The scholars talked a lot, and the people rushed to tell each other that they finally made peace and there was no need to fight.
The news flew over thousands of mountains and spread to every corner of the Ming Dynasty like wings.
Outside Tongguan City, Wang Zhaolin said goodbye, cupped his hands to Li Zicheng, smiled and said nothing.
In a large house in the city, Liu Zongmin said fiercely with a sullen face: "When he called himself emperor, I was also a marquis after all. Now he is a marquis in a legitimate and legitimate manner. I didn't even get to be an earl, so I got a general soldier, no, a general soldier?"
Speaking in anger, he overturned the table next to him. A servant next to him tried to clean it up, but he drew a knife and hacked him to death. Everyone in the house was horrified.
Li Zicheng summoned the generals to discuss matters, but Liu Zongmin did not come. The person who went to deliver the message came over and said a few words. Li Zicheng sneered and glanced at Li Guo beside him.
"Now that the imperial court has announced it to the world, the reward books will be sent soon. From then on, we can also be regarded as members of the imperial court. We can finally straighten our backs and behave in a dignified and official manner." Li Zicheng swept away everyone: "It's just "There is no such thing as free food in the world. When you serve someone else's bowl, you have to look at their face, and you have to listen to them and do things for them."
The faces of the generals were expressionless. There was no joy or loss as before. On the contrary, most of the people breathed a sigh of relief. As for why, everyone knew in their own hearts.
"The little eunuch also said earlier that he wanted us to send troops to North Korea. What do you think about this?"
