On the same day, another tragedy occurred in the Manchu Palace. The specific incident was not leaked because it involved the royal family. In other words, people who know the information dare not leak it. Some people have never been seen by outsiders.
After finishing this matter, Huang Taiji heard that Ban Zhifu had been taken to Shengjing, so he sent someone to start a secret interrogation. He wanted to know whether Ban Zhifu had defected to the Ming Dynasty and was then released as a traitor.
The reason for the secret interrogation was that Huang Taiji didn't want to make this matter a big deal. Otherwise, everyone in the Qing Dynasty will be in danger and the situation will only get worse.
However, he did not expect that the people he sent to interrogate had relatives who died at the hands of the Ming army this time. It was a hateful interrogation, and Ban Zhifu must confess.
But Ban Zhifu is not a fool. He would not dare to admit such a crime even if he was beaten to death. As a result, he was accidentally beaten to death instead of surrendering.
The story reported to Huang Taiji was that Ban Zhifu was a spy of the Ming Dynasty, but he was stubborn and refused to confess, so he was tortured to death.
Huang Taiji was very dissatisfied with this. However, everyone is already dead, what else can be done?
The final result of the processing was that there was one more missing person in the Manchu Qing Dynasty's missing persons file. Anyway, Shang Kexi is already dead, so there is no need to explain anything to anyone.
Little did he know that Ban Zhifu's relatives could not wait for news about Ban Zhifu for a long time, even though his biggest benefactor, Shang Kexi, was already dead. But in order to save people, of course, he would still look for people with connections, thinking about rescuing Ban Zhifu. In the end, I begged and begged, but I was able to find the remaining two Manchu kings with different surnames.
In Jinzhou, at Kong Youde's house, both Kong Youde and Geng Jingzhong were present. They looked at the man who knelt after entering the door. Among them, Kong Youde frowned slightly and said, "Are you Ban Zhifu's younger brother? Then you should know that he is following Fortunately, our two families have some festivals!"
"Your Majesty, I...I know, but I really have no choice." Ban Zhifu's younger brother, Ban Zhigui, kowtowed repeatedly and begged, "Please consider that my brother and the two princes are Han Chinese, and in the past This is all for the sake of the old generals of the Dongjiang Army, please help..."
"Shut up!" When Kong Youde heard this, he couldn't help but shouted sharply, "Now we are both princes of the Qing Dynasty. If you want to mention the past again, someone will come and beat him out!"
How could someone who rebelled against the Ming Dynasty and defected to the enemy be willing to mention the past? This is a taboo. How could anyone be so begging for help?
Geng Zhongming also had a look of disgust on his face, and immediately shouted: "Go, go, your brother was taken away, it's none of our business, get out of here quickly, lest you really get beaten out!"
When Ban Zhigui heard the sound, he turned around and saw that a servant of the Kong family was actually coming to chase him away. He immediately became anxious and stopped kowtowing. He straightened his neck and said, "The reason why they arrested my brother has something to do with the two princes." !”
Upon hearing this, Kong Youde couldn't help but feel a little strange. He stretched out his hand to signal the servant to get down. Then he stared at Ban Zhigui and asked, "What does it have to do with it?"
Ban Zhigui secretly gritted his teeth and emboldened himself, and then immediately replied: "You two princes don't know that when the court took my brother away, they said they suspected that my brother had secretly defected to the Ming Dynasty. However, my brother said that he was He is not afraid of the slanting shadow, he is loyal to the Qing Dynasty, and the emperor is wise and powerful, so he will definitely be able to give him justice. But who knows, there will be no news after he goes there. "
At this point, he saw that Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming looked a little strange, so he quickly added: "Two princes, the reason why the court suspected my brother is because it is said that someone from the Qing Dynasty leaked the news about the last war. Over there in the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was able to send troops to Liaodong in time to disrupt the Korean War, and even caused Prince Rui's entire army to be annihilated. In the court, they will definitely not doubt their own people, us Han people, especially the original Those who come from the Dongjiang Army are the people they are most suspicious of."
After hearing this, Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming's faces suddenly turned ugly.
During the last war, it was said that someone leaked information to the Ming Dynasty, and the two of them also heard about it. After all, some people still know about Dorgon's memorial. After all, Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming were Manchu kings with different surnames, and they had their own channels to hear a little bit. However, the two of them have always felt that they have been stationed in Jinzhou and this matter has nothing to do with them.
But now, listening to Ban Zhigui's words, it seems that the court is investigating this matter, but I don't know who specifically leaked it, and they are already investigating. The first one to bear the brunt is Ban Zhifu, what about the next one?
Now, the Ming Dynasty is so stubborn that it has rebuilt the Dongjiang Army. This made them, who were originally from the Dongjiang Army, indeed the biggest suspects.
But the key point is that the two of them felt that they were kings with different surnames in the Qing Dynasty, and their treatment was much better than that in the Ming Dynasty. There was no way they could rebel against the Qing Dynasty!
But now it seems that someone in the court doesn't think so. So after Ban Zhifu, will you check other people? Even if it wasn't them, if it was found on their generals, it would be too much for the two of them.
Thinking like this, Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming glanced at each other, and they both saw worry in each other's eyes. But with outsiders present, it was not convenient for them to say anything.
So, Geng Zhongming shouted at Ban Zhigui: "Don't talk nonsense. Your Majesty is so wise and powerful, how can you wrongly accuse innocent people! There must be something wrong with your brother and he was found out. Go back and wait patiently. , thunder, rain and dew are all your kindness. If you run around again, be careful that your own life is not saved!"
Hearing this, Ban Zhigui couldn't help but turn pale. When he was about to say more, he saw Kong Youde shouted loudly, called the servant in, and forked him out.
When there was no one in sight and they were the only two people in the lobby, Geng Zhongming said to Kong Youde with worry: "We can't be careless about this matter!"
"Then what can we do? We have not done anything to disappoint the Qing Dynasty or the emperor, so there is nothing to worry about." Although Kong Youde said this, it was obvious from his tone that his confidence was a bit lacking.
Geng Zhongming was silent for a moment, and suddenly he raised another topic and said, "I heard that the emperor has vomited blood several times!"
When Kong Youde heard this, he immediately turned around to see that there was no one else around, and sighed in a low voice: "The emperor is so fat, so it is not surprising that there is something wrong with him. However, you cannot discuss the matter of the emperor vomiting blood, just pretend that you don't know about it!"
"No, what I mean is that the emperor was so angry that he vomited blood." Geng Zhongming quickly explained in a low voice, "It can be seen that the emperor has been very angry over the past few years. I dare to investigate the traitor. Definitely, it will definitely not go unnoticed. Even if there is no movement on the surface, there must be strict investigation secretly."
"What do you mean?" Kong Youde asked worriedly.
The two of them had been together for many years, and they would discuss things together and overcome difficulties together, including fighting against the enemy together, and also rebelling against the Ming Dynasty and surrendering to the enemy together.
Then Geng Zhongming said in a low voice: "I think that the matter of this group of Zhigui coming to us cannot be hidden from someone who is interested. Therefore, I think we should report the matter to the emperor and report it to the emperor first. In addition, let's tell Ban Zhifu Why bring up the matter of being released by the Ming army? Anyway, the two of us have never been captured by the Ming army, so there is still a difference."
This means that it is best to crucify Ban Zhifu as a traitor, so that they can feel at ease. Kong Youde understood this and nodded.
Maybe they don't understand the saying "a dead Taoist friend is not a poor Taoist". But of course they knew the truth behind it. What's more, if you really want to talk about it, those Zhifu are Shang Kexi's confidants. For them, they deserve to die.
The matter should have been settled like this, but Geng Zhongming suddenly sighed, then turned around and looked around, then turned back and whispered to Kong Youde: "Tell me why we had so many intrigues and fights for power when we were in the Ming Dynasty. Things. Now that we are here in the Qing Dynasty, intrigues are inevitable in the Qing Dynasty. Also, when we were in the Ming Dynasty, we were suppressed and beaten by the Qing Dynasty; but now that we are here in the Qing Dynasty, looking at the situation, It seems a little bad! I wonder if the emperor has any way to get out of this predicament? "
Emotions are the broom star? Kong Youde thought about it and couldn't help but laugh at himself without making a sound. After a moment of silence, he suddenly raised his head and whispered to Geng Zhongming: "I think, after all, the Ming Dynasty has a profound foundation. Even if it was so prodigal in the past, once the Ming emperor recognizes the traitors and traitors in the court, Liaodong will not be able to compete with him! "
"..." Geng Zhongming was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then asked tentatively, "Could it be that you regret it?"
"Regret?" When Kong Youde heard this, he did not hesitate and immediately replied, "What is there to regret? If you hadn't proposed to cross the sea and surrender to the Qing Dynasty, we would have become loess."
At this point, something seemed wrong when he thought about it, so he added: "It's not that we are afraid of death, but that we are fighting in Liaodong for the Ming Dynasty. Not to mention lack of food and clothing, if it weren't for Marshal Mao, we would have died of starvation. However, after we arrived in Lu, the officials and the rich were all very wealthy. Not only that, they have been discriminating and bullying us Liaodong people. I really can’t swallow this tone!"
When they mentioned what happened back then, the two of them fell silent in unison.
After a while, Kong Youde suddenly turned his head to look in the direction of the capital and murmured to himself, which even Geng Zhongming almost didn't hear clearly: "How is the Ming Dynasty today?"
Geng Zhongming did not answer this sentence and pretended not to hear it. After a while, the two began to write to Huang Taiji.
Emperor Chongzhen, who was far away in the capital, naturally did not know the conversation between the two of them because there were no eavesdropping seeds. However, there were some things that others didn't know because of the eavesdropping seeds, but he already knew them.
First of all, from the feedback from the eavesdropping seeds on the governor of the three sides, Zheng Chongjian, Emperor Chongzhen knew that the main force of the Jianlu forces in the Hetao area suddenly appeared in Ningxia. The rebel general Chai Shihua was used as bait to ambush the pursuing Ming army. Wang Shichong died in the battle.
However, just when Jierhalang took advantage of the victory and went around burning, killing, looting, and conquering the city, Zheng Chongjian led the army and stopped the Jianlu's burning, killing, and looting. In other words, it should be said that Jierhalang had plundered enough people and materials. , so he retreated.
This is what happened just now, and Emperor Chongzhen frowned when he saw it.
Jianlu's move is indeed a bit hard to guard against. If the Jianlu in Hetao are not eliminated, the invasion with Jianlu as the backbone will definitely make the Ming Dynasty border areas miserable. Along the Great Wall here, there are no natural dangers like Shanhaiguan, and there is no sea to separate it. It's really difficult to deal with.
However, the grassland is not as vast as Liaodong. It is definitely not that easy to eliminate the Jianlu. The last time the Tumut tribe in Hetao was eliminated was because Turge was arranged as a chess piece, making Turge think that he could enter the pass to plunder and take revenge, and the main force of the Tumut tribe was eliminated within the pass. If they were on the grassland and fled in all directions, there would be no way to annihilate them.
It is really difficult to solve the problem of Jianlu in Hetao! Emperor Chongzhen thought so and went to see other information about eavesdropping seeds first.
It was okay not to look at it. After looking at it, he suddenly felt that there might be a solution.
Because what Emperor Chongzhen saw was that Ying Erdai and the others followed Huang Taiji's order and ran to the Hetao. In this way, Ying Erdai's status should also be able to know about the movements of the Jianlu in Hetao and the military situation they discussed. This also means that Emperor Chongzhen can know about it.
Know thyself, ever-victorious! As long as we attack in a targeted manner, maybe it will be the best opportunity to eliminate the Jianlu in Hetao! Thinking of this, Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help but sigh in his heart: "It seems that I still have to drive and conquer in person!"
At this time, it was already August of the 14th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, and disaster prevention and relief were in progress. However, Emperor Chongzhen has already explained everything he needs to explain, and disaster prevention and relief are being carried out in an orderly manner.
The Beijing camp's strategy of eliminating the weak and retaining the strong has already yielded results. There are only five thousand people left in the entire Beijing camp who can fight. Liu Kongzhao followed Emperor Chongzhen's wishes and cooperated with the Ministry of War to resettle the old and weak, restructure the engineering troops, and train elite soldiers.
…………
In short, Emperor Chongzhen has been dealing with internal affairs since returning from Liaodong. Generally speaking, he only gave out policies and policies, and the specific implementation was naturally led by the cabinet and the Supervisor of Ceremonies.
In this case, the conditions were met for Emperor Chongzhen to lead his army on an expedition again.
Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen held a meeting of the six cabinet ministers and the Supervisor of Ceremonies in the Wenhua Palace.
After waiting for the ministers to greet him, he said in a melancholy tone: "Jianlu has stationed more than ten thousand soldiers in Guihua City, Hetao, commanding the tribes on the grassland, and has been harassing the Ming Dynasty border gates. I am very worried about this matter. !”
After hearing this, Xue Guoguan, the first assistant, came out and said: "It is all due to your majesty's bravery and martial arts that the important towns on the nine sides are properly defended. They built captives as far away as Hetao and mobilized troops, but in vain. Your majesty need not worry!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen shook his head and said, "Xue Qing is wrong about this!"
