In the eleventh year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, October 21st, the end of Shenshi.
In the Ming Dynasty Beijing, the Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace, and the Nuan Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, under the candlelight, the Nuan Pavilion is very bright.
Emperor Chongzhen was sitting in front of the Imperial Case, carefully reviewing the memorials. He only took a nap at noon, and then he was always in the Nuan Pavilion of Qianqing Palace, even eating here.
The Qing army invaded the capital and ravaged the capital, causing the capital to be so corrupt. Emperor Chongzhen lost his temper so many times that he couldn't remember. The maids and eunuchs around him were all trembling with fear.
Cao Huachun, the ceremonial eunuch Bingbi and the head of the internal eunuch overseeing the East Factory, approached the Nuan Pavilion. He held a memorial newly sent to the palace in his hand, walked lightly to the imperial case, and then put it down respectfully. On the imperial case.
Cao Huachun didn't wait for Emperor Chongzhen to ask questions, and said softly with excitement: "Your Majesty, what a great victory, what a great victory! Lu Xiang Shengfei delivered the good news. Fifteen people seized official banners, banners, gold drums, etc..."
Chongzhen suddenly became energetic. His Ming Dynasty needed a great victory, not only to boost the morale of the army, but also to comfort the souls of the two ancestors of the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, he also needed such a great victory to demonstrate his governance. The ability and the heart to love and protect the people.
With bright eyes, he grabbed the memorial from Cao Huachun's hand and hurriedly spread his hands to read it carefully. He read every word carefully for fear of missing a word.
After reading it once with his eyes wide open, he seemed to be in disbelief and read it carefully from beginning to end.
Suddenly, he suddenly slapped the imperial case, stood up, and said loudly and excitedly: "What a Zhang Cheng. He had the victory of Mafang before, and now he has killed hundreds of slaves, and even captured the slave thief Jia La Zhangjing." , it seems that my Ming Dynasty is not without people."
Emperor Chongzhen walked around in the Nuan Pavilion of Qianqing Palace several times excitedly, as if he was on the battlefield fighting slaves and traitors, and images of swordsmen intersecting could not help but emerge in his mind.
He stood in the Nuan Pavilion and nodded repeatedly, thinking in his heart: This Zhang Cheng has lived up to my expectations. When the news from Mafang was reported to the emperor, he could see that he was a talent. Sure enough, he has set such a great goal for the Ming Dynasty this time. credit.
Then he stood still, with the excitement on his face still unabated, and said to Cao Huachun: "Quickly, send word to Yang Aiqing to come see me."
Cao Huachun quietly exited the Nuan Pavilion and immediately went to the cabinet to convey Chongzhen's will to Yang Sichang.
Emperor Chongzhen also sat back in front of the imperial desk. He pondered deeply and felt that he should not have removed Lu Xiangsheng from the title of Minister of the Ministry of War. Instead, he whispered to himself: "Lu Aiqing is not incapable of fighting, but I took away his title of Minister." The job...".
With this in mind, Chongzhen couldn't help but wonder if he should immediately restore Lu Xiangsheng's title of Minister of War and give him the Shangfang Sword again so that he could better lead the troops of the King of Qin in the world and fight fiercely with slaves and thieves.
He suddenly picked up his pen and was about to write an imperial edict to commend Lu Xiangsheng and Zhang Cheng for their loyalty and bravery, and to give them some money and some silk to encourage them to kill the enemy better.
However, Chongzhen was reluctant to put down the pen while he was holding it. He put the pen back on the pen rest, thinking: It is better to wait for Yang Aiqing to arrive and listen to his opinion first!
Not long after, Cao Huachun, the eunuch of the Bureau of Rites, Bingbi, led Yang Sichang, the Minister of Rites and the cabinet scholar, in a hurry and entered the Nuan Pavilion.
After Cao Huachun entered Nuan Pavilion, he softly replied: "Your Majesty, Mr. Yang is here."
After speaking, he stepped aside, and the cabinet minister Yang Sichang saluted and sang: "My minister Yang Sichang has seen your majesty, long live my emperor."
Yang Sichang knelt on the ground respectfully and kowtowed to Emperor Chongzhen. Although he was deeply favored by Chongzhen, every time he came to the palace to meet the emperor, he always showed respect, especially in etiquette. , he was even more meticulous.
This is one of the reasons why Emperor Chongzhen loves him and trusts him. He is both capable and loyal to himself. If he does not favor him, who will he favor?
After the cabinet minister Yang Sichang saluted, he lay respectfully on the square tile floor in the Nuan Pavilion and waited patiently for Emperor Chongzhen to speak.
Emperor Chongzhen looked at Yang Sichang, who was still kneeling on the ground, and said in a very joyful voice: "Please get up quickly, Yang Aiqing."
The cabinet minister Yang Sichang thanked him respectfully once again, and then slowly got up.
Although he is nearly fifty years old, his body is still extremely strong, his beard and hair are all black, and his eyes are bright and energetic. He does look smart and capable, especially when he wears a red official robe, which makes him even more powerful. Extraordinary magnanimity.
Compared with the haggard Emperor Chongzhen who was not yet old but was aging prematurely and sitting behind the imperial desk, the cabinet minister Yang Sichang really had nothing to say in terms of body maintenance.
Yang Sichang, who had just stood up, was squinting at Emperor Chongzhen's expression. When he saw Chongzhen's expression of endless joy, he knew it, but he still put on an extremely respectful expression and stood quietly. There, waiting for the emperor's questions.
Emperor Chongzhen looked at Yang Sichang in front of him. The more he looked at it, the happier he became. He took Lu Xiangsheng's memorial announcing the good news in his hand and said in a calm tone: "Yang Aiqing, please read this memorial first."
Yang Sichang straightened his body slightly to make his standing posture look better, then he bent down slightly, took the victory letter from Lu Xiangsheng from Cao Huachun with both hands, and read it carefully.
Emperor Chongzhen sat behind the imperial desk, sipping tea with great satisfaction, and watched the change of expression on Yang Sichang's face with expectant eyes.
But I saw the cabinet minister Yang Sichang looking at the victory report for a long time, his eyes getting redder and redder, and finally there were tears in his eyes, almost rolling down.
He put down the memorial report of his victory, solemnly rearranged his clothes, knelt down again, saluted Emperor Chongzhen, and sang loudly: "Lai's ancestors are blessed with great blessings, the Holy God is mighty, the young general Zhang Cheng is unparalleled in loyalty and bravery, and ranks first among the three armies. Minister Lu and Commander-in-Chief Yang of Xuanzang achieved such a great victory, I would like to congratulate the Emperor and the Ming Dynasty!"
When the cabinet minister Yang Sichang said this, he prostrated himself on the ground and burst into tears.
Emperor Chongzhen was in a very comfortable mood at this time. He was laughing, but when he saw Yang Sichang acting like this, he couldn't help but be moved by Yang Sichang. He actually stood up from behind the imperial case and personally stepped forward to help Yang Sichang up with a soft tone. He said: "I am very relieved to love you and be loyal to the country, but you don't have to be like this. Get up quickly."
He then called to the little eunuchs accompanying him: "Come here, bring a chair for Yang Aiqing."
A young eunuch who was on duty quickly brought a soft couch over and said respectfully to the cabinet minister Yang Sichang: "Old sir, please sit down."
After Emperor Chongzhen saw Yang Sichang sitting down, he asked anxiously in a somewhat excited voice: "Ai Qing, do you think Lu Xiangsheng's Jie Wen is true?"
