Although Emperor Chongzhen very much hoped for the success of the "peace negotiation" with the Qing Dynasty, he did so cautiously, and the whole process was very difficult.
First of all, on the surface, he did not dare to show his eagerness to seek peace with his slaves, lest he be grabbed by those officials who only wanted to leave a name in the history books, but did not care about the future of the country. He was also more afraid that the historians would write him down. A foolish king who is greedy for life, afraid of death, and betrays his country for glory.
Secondly, he doesn't like to use the title "peace negotiation" either officially or privately. He can only say "peace negotiation" or "money negotiation".
He still cherishes his posthumous name too much!
Among the many emperors of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen was a responsible king. He was diligent in governing affairs every day and personally reviewed all memorials.
He worked hard and worked hard, wholeheartedly wanting to prolong the life of the Ming Dynasty and become a generation of Zhongxing Mingjun who will be famous throughout the ages. He will be worthy of his ancestors and will leave his name in the history books and be respected by all generations.
Emperor Chongzhen's inner thoughts were actually related to his education.
Because when he was young, his father Zhu Changluo was not favored by Emperor Wanli, which directly affected his study and character development. Soon after he succeeded to the throne, his father died early due to the "Red Pill Case".
After his elder brother Zhu Youxiao succeeded to the throne as "Emperor Tianqi", he was named "King Xin" in the second year of Tianqi. However, since he had not yet left the cabinet, he did not have the guidance of a master and relied entirely on his own self-study.
Unlike other previous emperors, he was established as the prince early, arranged for the great scholars of the time to be his masters, and then appointed outstanding young people as officials in the prince's palace.
Let him learn the way of being a king and the art of an emperor early, so that he can have the ability to govern the country early and have a team of confidants after he becomes the emperor.
In the history of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Sejong Jiajing Zhu Houcong was the first person to unexpectedly inherit the throne. Although he did not learn the art of the emperor, as the former crown prince of Prince Xing, he received a good education from an early age and learned to cultivate his family and govern the country. The way, and he also has his old ministers from the palace as his confidants.
But Zhu Youjian had not received a good education since his father, and he did not have his own team of confidants. After that, his brother Zhu Youxiao succeeded to the throne as Emperor Tianqi, and was too lazy to take care of the government himself. He only wanted to follow This is the reason why Lu Ban diligently cultivated his carpentry skills.
During this period, because the eunuch Wei Zhongxian controlled the government, he would not care about Zhu Youjian, King Xin, leaving the cabinet. Not only would he not care, he would be on guard against him and even want to persecute him.
Although he later saw that Zhu Youjian was very obedient, he relaxed his guard somewhat, which gave Zhu Youjian the opportunity to get in touch with some courtiers.
But because these people hated the eunuch Wei Zhongxian for controlling the government, they instilled in Zhu Youjian the idea that eunuchs were in charge, which was harmful to the country and the people.
Moreover, because Emperor Tianqi never had a prince, these court officials who hated Wei Zhongxian bet their money on King Xin Zhu Youjian. Their purpose was just to wait for Zhu Youjian to succeed to the throne and eradicate the eunuchs and return power to Edom. The officials and people of the court led by Lin Dang.
And the last words of Emperor Tianqi Zhu Youxiao were: "My brother should be Yao and Shun."
This sentence also had a great influence on Emperor Chongzhen. Although it gave him a certain amount of motivation, it also put great pressure on him.
Now, he is very concerned about the peace negotiation with the Jiannu in Liaodong, which is almost related to the key to whether he can become the leader of the Ming Dynasty's resurgence.
Therefore, he couldn't wait for tomorrow. After hearing the news, he immediately ordered the young eunuch beside him to pass the order to Chen Xinjia, ordering him to enter the palace quickly and wait for the summons in Wenhua Hall.
The royal chariot soon arrived in the courtyard of Wenhua Palace, and Chen Xinjia had already knelt beside the Yong Road to pick it up.
When Emperor Chongzhen saw Chen Xinjia kneeling there, he couldn't help but think of Yang Sichang, the old governor of the front pavilion. He felt sad and thought to himself: "Hey. Maybe he and Chen Xinjia in front of him are the only two who know clearly in their hearts. The troublemaker!"
The imperial chariot did not stop, but continued straight ahead until it stopped in front of the steps of Wenhua Hall.
Emperor Chongzhen stepped down from the chariot and went directly into Dongnuan Pavilion. When he came to the throne, he sat down slumpedly, as if he felt that his mind and body were very heavy and he had no energy to support him.
Chen Xinjia followed with gentle steps and entered the Dongnuan Pavilion. He knelt down in front of Emperor Chongzhen and performed the usual salute, and then waited there with lowered head and eyebrows for the emperor's questions.
Emperor Chongzhen first winked at Wang Zhixin, the eunuch on duty next to him, and he wisely led the eunuchs and maids to retreat outside the pavilion.
There were only Emperor Chongzhen and Chen Xinjia in the pavilion, and it suddenly seemed empty. After a moment of silence, Emperor Chongzhen whispered melancholy: "I called you into the palace tonight because I want to discuss matters outside the country.
The two thieves Chuang and Cao had been attacking Kaifeng for more than two months. As Zuo Liangyu's soldiers arrived in Huaxian, he was afraid of being attacked from both sides, so he withdrew from Fengcheng. According to reports from local officials, he retreated to the southwest.
Zuo Liangyu led his troops to pursue and suppress them. Wang Qiaonian had also led his troops east out of Tongguan and was heading to Henan to suppress the two thieves. The situation in the Central Plains was not serious at the moment and could be maintained.
What worries me the most is the situation outside the customs. "
Of course, Chen Xinjia knew that he was talking about the peace talks with Jiannu. After briefly sorting out his thoughts, he replied: "The situation outside the customs is currently stable.
The slave thieves have not seen any action since they retreated from Jinzhou City, and the Northern and Korean troops also returned to their own countries. They must have no intention of invading our dynasty.
Although there have been many crises in Liaodong over the past ten years, the Battle of Jinzhou was actually the most dangerous. Thanks to the power of the Emperor, who supervises and supervises the army, and also serves the officers and men, not only can we break the siege of Jinzhou, but we can also re-establish the slaves and make them aware of our dynasty. With the power of the superior country, I will not dare to commit any minor offenses again in the future.
Thinking about it, the situation in Liaodong should be worry-free this year! "
Chen Xinjia deliberately did not mention Ma Shaoyu's letter, but he was actually evading responsibility. He also knew that although Emperor Chongzhen wanted to negotiate for peace, he did not want to bear the infamy of losing money to slave thieves to seek peace.
And he didn't dare to mention Zhang Cheng's contribution in Liaodong. After all, the impeachment and criticism of Zhang Cheng were very fierce, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea without a trace of waves. Everyone thought that he was behind it and acted as Zhang Cheng's protective umbrella.
Today's impeachment and criticism have gradually turned to him, which forced him to avoid mentioning Zhang Cheng's merits in order to avoid suspicion in front of the emperor.
However, no matter how the officials criticized Zhang Cheng, or even used this impeachment to criticize him, Chen Xinjia would not give up supporting Zhang Cheng because of this.
This is not only because Zhang Cheng was the force he cultivated when he was the governor of Xuanda, but also because he is very clear about the current situation of the Ming Dynasty.
The Ming Dynasty was now in a troubled period and could not do without capable generals like Zhang Cheng. However, the civil servants of the Manchu Dynasty were still fighting for their own selfish interests every day, which had long bored him.
Now seeing that Emperor Chongzhen had no doubts about his words and his expression had not changed, he boldly continued: "Although the situation in Liaodong is slow now, we must not relax. The slaves and thieves are unjust and capricious. We must not relax." Not defensive.
If the pine brocade is lost, all the castles outside the pass will inevitably collapse. At that time, the enemy troops are at their peak, either cannibalizing the enemy, or driving southward, or running two strategies at the same time.
And if our army loses the Songjin line, there will be only Shanhaiguan left to guard against the captors, and there will be no good strategy, and it will be even harder to beg for peace! "
Although Chen Xinjia did not want to take the responsibility of being the first to initiate the "peace negotiation", he also knew that there was no other way and had to do this to help Emperor Chongzhen.
Sure enough, after listening to his words, Emperor Chongzhen showed a look of relief on his face, and his eyes when he looked at Chen Xinjia became much gentler.
He opened his mouth and asked: "According to your opinion, how confident can you be about the negotiation?"
The reason why Chen Xinjia was able to please Emperor Chongzhen was that, in addition to being as sincere as Yang Sichang and daring to take the blame for the emperor, he was equally thoughtful and his words and deeds were all to Emperor Chongzhen's liking.
At this time, he made a little calculation in his mind and replied: "It's hard to say. Hong Cheng has been favored by the country in his life and has been known by His Majesty. He will do his best to support the situation and repay the emperor's kindness.
Although the battle of Jinzhou was successful, the slaves fought hard to no avail and retreated eastward. However, after a long battle, the Liao soldiers would be exhausted. Even though Hong Chengchou had been in the army for a long time and was scheming, and there were two generals, Cao Biangu and Wang Tingchen. It's his old unit and he's willing to fight to the death.
However, the ancestor was newly deceased on his birthday, and General Wu was newly appointed. His prestige had not yet been established, and it was not enough to convince the public. It might be difficult to drive the Liao soldiers to fight to the death. I thought that it would take time for General Wu to gain a little prestige, so that he could help Hong Chengchou switch from defense to offense. To make progress.
Nowadays, the bandits want to beg for peace. As a humble minister, we should comply with their wishes and make concessions in exchange for peace in Liaodong. Only then can we concentrate our military and financial resources to deal with the situation in the Central Plains. If we can put an end to the thieves, the military in Liaodong will be better. There is nothing to worry about! "
Emperor Chongzhen nodded and asked: "What does Ma Shaoyu say? The slave is sincere and what are the conditions?"
Chen Xinjia echoed softly: "Last time, the chieftain was very picky about the identity of our envoy and the documents he carried, but he did not show any refusal to provide advice, which shows that his heart is sincere.
Now Ma Shaoyu and others are ready to leave for Shenyang to mediate. All ninety-nine people in total have secretly set off in batches. They will gather in Yongping and then leave for Shenyang. "
Emperor Chongzhen was very satisfied, and his mood relaxed, and he said to Chen Xinjia: "Ma Shaoyu was originally in charge. I think of his hard work and heavy responsibilities, so I have promoted him to a doctor, and given him a second-grade crown. I hope he can live up to this trip!"
Chen Xinjia hurriedly replied: "Ma Shaoyu must meet with the rogue chiefs when he goes here, and we will come back after an agreement. This will temporarily relieve the emperor from the worries of traveling eastward, so that the court can focus on exterminating the bandits."
Emperor Chongzhen's face glowed red, and he nodded and said: "What you said is true. It is difficult to take care of both the internal situation and the external situation. I have no choice but to implement a temporary restraint policy against the Eastern captives, first to stabilize the internal situation and then to attack the external situation."
Only Qing and Sichang can understand my difficulties! "
After hearing this, Chen Xinjia quickly stood up and knelt down, kowtowing endlessly, and was very excited in his heart. The emperor had already ranked him alongside Yang Sichang, which showed his trust in him.
However, although he was excited at the moment, his face remained calm, and he bowed his head and replied: "The emperor is the master of Zhongxing Ying of our court, and his grand plans are beyond the comprehension of a group of ministers.
However, after the completion of the matter, the border is temporarily stable, the people of Liaodong can rest and recuperate, and the Guan Ning cavalry can also be transferred south to suppress the bandits. At that time, His Majesty's grand plan will be understood by the subjects, and it will surely win the hearts of the people and be praised by all directions! "
Emperor Chongzhen knew very well that Chen Xinjia firmly and firmly supported him in negotiating peace with the slaves as soon as possible so that he could concentrate his efforts on exterminating the bandits in the Central Plains and overcome the current crisis.
As for the success of the peace negotiation in the future, will it really be possible to cut off the traitors and pacify the Central Plains, so that "all the people will be convinced and praised by all quarters"?
Although he was very ambitious, he did not dare to expect too much. After all, a series of failures over the years had almost destroyed his confidence.
Therefore, after listening to Chen Xinjia's words, his expression was very calm. Although he felt slightly relieved, he did not dare to have the same expectations as before.
Emperor Chongzhen then asked: "The monks from Tianning Temple are also going?"
Tianning Temple is located just outside Guangning Gate in Beijing. It is said that it was founded during the Sui Dynasty. It was originally called Hongye Temple. It was renamed Tianwang Temple during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty. It was not until the Zhengtong period of the Ming Dynasty that it began to be renamed Tianning Temple, which was the capital's capital. One of the famous ancient temples.
Chen Xinjia replied unhurriedly: "Monk Xingrong of Tianning Temple has traveled frequently to various places in Liaodong in the past years and is quite familiar with the situation among the captives.
Moreover, Donglu worshiped heaven and Buddha, was quite pious, and respected monks and lamas very much, so Wei Chen invited Monk Xingrong to secretly accompany the group to Liaodong. "
Emperor Chongzhen then asked: "When will Ma Shaoyu leave Beijing?"
Chen Xinjia carefully replied: "We will set off immediately after the emperor gives the order. We don't dare to delay."
After hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's expression changed slightly, showing a hint of hesitation: "This edict..."
Seeing this, Chen Xinjia hurriedly said: "If there is no edict from His Majesty, even if I go, it will be useless. This time, I need to have a handwritten edict from the Emperor to carry with me, so that the captive chief can be convinced."
Emperor Chongzhen's face was full of hesitation, and after a moment, he returned to normal. He sighed softly, and seemed to have made up his mind, and said: "Okay, I will order my ministers to send the imperial edict to Qing's house at dawn tomorrow. This matter must be handled with utmost care, and not a word should be leaked to the outside world.”
He seemed a little worried and warned again: "Be careful, be careful. Be careful!"
Not long after Chen Xinjia sat back on the chair, he stood up and knelt down again after hearing this, and said quickly: "I obey the imperial decree, I will never dare to reveal a word."
Emperor Chongzhen felt a little relieved. He nodded slightly and said: "Sir, please get up."
After repelling the Eastern captives in the first battle of Jinzhou City, Chen Xinjia's status in the eyes of Emperor Chongzhen has reached its peak. Not only did he frequently summon him to discuss military matters, but he also relied on him as an important minister, often calling him "Sir".
In the seventeen years of Chongzhen's dynasty, there were countless people who could be called "Sir" by him, but there were not many of them. Almost all of them were eminent scholars of the day and assistant ministers of the cabinet.
There were not many people like Chen Xinjia who had a good academic background and became ministers of the dynasty. Those court officials were still secretly joking and talking about him, and even the current court officials looked down upon him.
It was precisely because of the opposition and obstruction of these people that Chen Xinjia, as the Minister of War, was still unable to enter the cabinet even though he had the support of Emperor Chongzhen.
At this moment, with tears in his eyes, he kowtowed and thanked him, and his body was trembling slightly, which showed how excited he was. Chen Xinjia did not sit down directly after standing up, but stood aside with his head bowed, waiting for the emperor's questions. (End of chapter)
