A Qing official carrying a black cloth on his horse passed through the Guanning army's defensive line, and the sound of horses' hooves beating on the stone pavement in the silent streets of the middle of the night carried far away. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Wu Sangui was on the city tower of Shanhaiguan at this time, looking in the direction of Shihe, and in the distance in the camp of the Dashun army in the direction of Hongwadian, the bonfire seemed to have increased a little, and occasionally the neighing of war horses came.

"Sir, the sentry cavalry reported that a large group of thieves left the camp at the beginning of the shift, and they didn't know where they went. But why is there at least 20% more campfire in the camp? Deputy General Guo Yunlong was a little puzzled.

"It's intentional. It is thought that the thieves secretly added soldiers and horses, but they set up suspicious formations, ostensibly a large number of soldiers and horses out of the camp to settle, or even withdraw. However, in fact, I am afraid that it is an ambush near this left, luring our army out of the city and attacking at night! Once our army crosses this stone river, I am afraid that their brigade of soldiers and horses will rush out of the darkness and cut off our army's retreat! At that time, there were deep ditches and high barricades in front, and the two wings were thieves, and behind them were the beaches of the Stone River! How many soldiers and horses will be lost if they trample on each other in the shadows?! Wu Sangui's voice was hoarse, and the battle during the day made him angry, and his vocal cords were congested and hoarse.

"What the big marshal said is very true! Increasing the number of troops and reducing troops, bluffing, and showing strength and weakness are all methods of luring the enemy. Thieves crisscross the Central Plains, and all kinds of lure enemies are full of tricks, so don't be careless! Fang Guangchen also agreed with Wu Sangui's opinion very much.

"Pass the order! As long as the North Wing City is still in the hands of the thieves, even if the thieves' camp is empty, we are absolutely not allowed to go out of the city to rob the camp! ”

While he was talking, Wu Jinsi, who was in charge of the order in the city, hurriedly ran Wu Jinsi into the city. "Marshal, please go home quickly, there is an urgent military situation!"

In the Shuai's mansion, Wu Sangui's cousin Zu Zerun sat in Wu Sangui's signing room, sipping a bowl of tea for a long time, and next to him, six of Wu Sangui's relatives carefully talked to this cousin.

"Cousin, when are you here? So what's going on? ”

Although they have aunts and close relatives, the two families of Wu Zu have been in Liaodong for many years, and they are in the same breath with each other. However, at the moment, friendship is a family member, as a two countries. Moreover, it was at this sensitive moment when the two armies of Wu Sangui and Li Zicheng were fighting, which could not help but make Wu Sangui more vigilant.

"Uncle, I heard that you fought a big battle with the thieves, how were the casualties?"

Zu Zerun glanced at several of his cronies who walked in with Wu Sangui, but he didn't say what he meant, just asked about the situation of the battle first.

"If I lose, will Ben Shuai still be able to talk to your cousin here so calmly? I have to lead the wolf cavalry to rush up and fight the thieves! Wu Sangui's words are half-true.

"Really? So, uncle, are you winning today? ”

"Although it is not a big victory, it is also a killing of thieves and corpses."

"But when I entered the city, how could I hear the moaning and weeping in the city? Smell a strong smell of blood? Come to think of it, uncle, your casualties in the army are not small, right? ”

was beaten by Zu Zerun, but Wu Sangui didn't care. "Cousin, you came here in the middle of the night, and in this situation, don't you come to my camp and ask me if I want knife medicine? You and I are close relatives, and we are all people who lead troops to fight, so if you have anything to say, just say it clearly! ”

"Good! Uncle Chang is still such a hearty and bright person! My cousin only asked you one thing, do you think you can defeat Li Chuang? ”

These words made Wu Sangui and his subordinates speechless for a while. Some wanted to say something big, but when the words came to their lips, they swallowed again. The intelligence work of the Qing soldiers can be regarded as pervasive, not to mention how many people in the Guanning army have private contacts with the Qing soldiers? When you say those big things, you are afraid that you will laugh at others in vain.

"Thieves are rampant, and thieves are fierce. However, if a certain family has great righteousness in hand, it will eventually kill the leader of the thieves! Wu Sangui's tone is the same as the strength I have when I cook it in the world.

"Uncle, with all due respect, right now, you are trapped in a lonely city, although there are tens of thousands of strong troops, but the thieves are pressing the border, how long can you hold on? It is reported that the thieves captured the northern wing of the city, and the nine gates to the west were also in the hands of the thieves and a tiger, Li Guo. How do you plan to solve this situation? Zu Zerun raised his hand after speaking, "Don't tell me all those empty words like all that you have done your best and died!" Those are all poor sours who read books to fool people. You are in charge of the life and death of hundreds of thousands of people in one hand, don't talk about this! ”

It was probably this sour sentence of reading that stimulated Fang Guangchen, and the frost on his face condensed: "I don't know what the senior young master has?" ”

Zu Zerun didn't say much, and took out a stack of letters from the protective book he carried: "The so-called beacon fire is worth 10,000 gold even in March. Zu came here at this time, and he had to serve as a post pawn for many relatives and friends. "Most of those letters were written by relatives and friends of the military generals in Shanhaiguan, Ningyuan and other places in the Qing State. Among them, Wu Sangui's eldest brother Wu Sanfeng and uncle-in-law Pei Guozhen wrote it to him.

"Before I came here, the Prince Regent, Prince Dorgon, and the Prince of Heshurui, specially ordered me to bring you a message, 'You are willing to avenge the old lord, and the righteousness is commendable, and you will lead the army to make it the best. The current affairs of the first emperor do not need to be said today, and they cannot bear to say it. But once it was an enemy country, now it is the same enemy. When our soldiers come here, if they move a single grass or a grain, they will be executed by military law. Thou shalt tell the officers and soldiers at all levels, that thou shalt not be alarmed. ’”

"Uncle, I am here today to come by the will of the regent." Zu Zerun is the son of his grandparents, and he has always been cultivated as a successor, with the demeanor and city government of the children of his own family, and he is also proficient in various means of insight into people's hearts.

"Now Li is advocating chaos, gathering millions of thieves, rampant in the world, Xuankou Jingshi, the first emperor and his wife collapsed, the East Palace was upside down, the civil and military forces collapsed, the six palaces were in chaos, the temple was in ruins, and the living beings were scattered. The regent led more than 100,000 elite soldiers and hundreds of artillery pieces from the Eight Banners here, just to avenge the great emperor. If you know the general trend of the world, please work with the regent's soldiers and horses to defeat the thieves and recover the capital. Find the prince, Zhongxing Daming. ”

It came too big and too suddenly. Wu Sangui couldn't bear it anymore.

He ordered someone to arrange Zu Zerun's food and accommodation, but he went to the secret room with Fang Guangchen to talk secretly.

"Xianting, the Eight Banners are outside the pass, if you talk well, it will be a big help for us to break the thieves, and if you don't talk about it, our army will be attacked by the enemy. I'm in chaos, what do you think? ”

Fang Guangchen's face was blue and white for a while, and finally turned red like blood.

"Dashuai, at this time, in this world, this matter, this situation! The handsome man must hold extraordinary things in order to build extraordinary achievements! ”

"How?"

"In the Anshi Rebellion that year, Tang Suzong regained Chang'an with the help of Hui soldiers and horses, defeated the rebels, and revived the Tang Dynasty. Later, Huangchao made a rebellion, and it was also the thieves who broke Chang'an, 'the heavenly steps stepped on the bones of the princess, and there was no half of the Jiadi Zhumen'. The chaos is no less than the present. However, Tang Tianzi invited Shatuo soldiers and horses to enter Beijing to quell the chaos, and soon Huang Chao was awarded the head! ”

At this point, Wu Sangui also understood. As long as he takes Beijing City and defeats Li Zicheng, then he will be another Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi in the Ming court. Even if the soldiers of Liang Guo are strong, no matter how strong the horses are, no matter how much money and food they have, they can't help him. Moreover, after the Anshi Rebellion and the Huangchao Rebellion, the power of the feudal town is flourishing, as long as I have the territory of soldiers and horses in hand, it will be at least the situation of the princes of a town!

"It's just that the matter of borrowing soldiers to level thieves has always been the court's appearance, and Sangui is a border general, how can he do this great thing?" His current mood is like that of a greedy child facing a pot full of fatty meat, wanting to eat, but afraid of burning his mouth.

"Therefore, the handsome man must do extraordinary things and establish extraordinary achievements! As long as Jingshi recovers, who can accuse the marshal of misconduct? ”

Fang Guangchen's words undoubtedly touched Wu Sangui's desire for fame.

In fact, borrowing soldiers to level thieves has always been mentioned in the Ming court. Every time there is a discussion and "pacification", some people will propose to use the soldiers and horses of the anti-thieves in Liaodong to exterminate the peasant army wandering around.

At the end of May of the seventeenth year of Chongzhen in history, after receiving the news that Wu Sangui and the Qing soldiers defeated the thieves and recovered the Beijing Division, the monarchs and ministers of the Hongguang Dynasty in Nanjing reacted happily one by one, calling it a righteous act of merit in Sheji.

University scholar Ma Shiying was also the first to say: "Wu Sangui should go quickly to help, there is millet to save in the sea, there is Jin Shenghuan to make, and because of Sangui to take money." Ma Shaoyu, the former magistrate of the county, Chen Xinjia once made a slave. In the past, the policy is also in the present, and the governor should be consulted and supplemented by preparation. ”

Shi Kefa also wrote in early June: "Use the edict, write it quickly, use silver coins, and buy it quickly." and a certain number of accompanying officials, a certain amount of money should be given, and the food should be completed together. It is scheduled to start within the month, and the money is not nameless, and the exterminator is in one fell swoop. ”

Winning 1617 - Fierce General 18:31:29

Liu Zongzhou, the imperial history of the left capital, also said in early June: "Rushing to the north, the middle road to the north, or the father and elder in the Yanzhong, or the king of Shangyi, imitate the righteousness of Baoxu, although the thief has no conscience."

As for Wu Sangui's "borrowing troops" and luring wolves into the house, everyone in the Hongguang Dynasty was applauded, and almost all the decision-making ministers were immersed in the fantasy of "borrowing the capture of Pingkou", and only some middle- and lower-level officials opposed it, but it had no effect.

On the second day of Ma Shiying's dismissal, the Hongguang Dynasty also decided to enshrine Pingxibo Wu Sangui as the Duke of Jiguo, and Jin Feng Liaodong Governor Li Yutian as the secretary of the military department.

Not only that, but because he was worried that Wu Sangui and others would not have enough to eat, he also ordered to transport 100,000 stones of rice and 50,000 taels of silver from the sea to receive rewards, and he also transported them to sit on pythons, silk and other rewards to show his favor. (Don't they know that at this time, Ping Xibo was already the king of Pingxi in the Qing Dynasty?) And they sent him food and silk as a reward. This can't help but make the unkind author see the parallels in history. In the 40s, the principal stopped paying the salaries of the Eighth Route Army in the battlefield behind enemy lines in North China, which was "three points against Japan and seven points for development", forcing Wang Huzi to open up wasteland in Nanniwan, and at the same time creating a handle for countless well-known elites, what exactly is planted in Nanniwan. However, if the principal is said to be short of military spending at this time, he will inevitably underestimate the principal. The suspension of the salaries of tens of thousands of people in the Eighth Route Army is not because the principal has no money in his pocket. His old man has always paid military salaries to millions of puppet soldiers in North China, Central China, and East China! The military expenses of tens of thousands of Eighth Route Army are drizzling! Sure enough, it is the inheritance of Chinese civilization in Taiwan! The Southern Ming court paid Wu Sangui, who had become the king of Pingxi in the Qing Dynasty, and the Chongqing government paid military salaries to the **** generals who established the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Circle. What a striking similarity! ）

This is why the Hongguang Imperial Court blindly held back and guarded the south of the Yangtze River. They all thought about "borrowing the capture of Pingkou" and "uniting the capture of Pingkou", and they were worried that going north to recover Shandong, Jinan and other places would stimulate the Qing army, and they were given the truth to go south. (Isn't it very similar to what the Nationalist government did after the Great Wall War of Resistance?) Sent troops to cooperate with the Japanese army, exterminated Ji Hongchang and Fang Zhenwu's Chahar anti-Japanese alliance, and signed a series of treaties such as the Hemei Agreement and the Qintu Agreement. When traitors have merit, those who speak extravagantly against Japan will not be forgiven. Even the publications did not dare to write about Japanese imperialism, but replaced it with so-and-so imperialism. That's why they sat back and watched the fall of Shandong, Henan and other places step by step, and even regarded them as "Hu Tu", because they were afraid that sending troops north would anger the Manchus.

In this regard, there is no difference between the consistently correct Donglin Party and the Eunuch Party, and there is no difference between Shi Kefa and Ma Shiying, both of whom are the most resolute supporters of the policy of "borrowing and capturing Pingkou" and "uniting Pingkou". The difference is that because Shi Kefa has a good younger brother of the elders of the Three Dynasties, he finally became a loyal figure. Liu Zongzhou is also because he has a group of good students, so he naturally does not mention the Spring and Autumn penmanship. Ma Shiying became a traitor who was left behind for 10,000 years because of his resistance to the Qing Dynasty.

"Then, Xianting, you will plan for me?"

"In my opinion, at this time, since the Prince Regent's soldiers and horses have already poured in, they are determined to win. What is lacking is nothing more than a name. I will draft a letter for you to the regent, and invite him to enter the customs and join us in the suppression of Li Zicheng. After the deed is completed, it should be rewarded with gold silk! ”

"It's good! Just stroke your pen! ”

Fang Guangchen's pen is quite good, it can be called grinding the shield and bamboo, writing a thousand words, relying on the horse. Dang even drafted a letter to Dolgon, inviting him to work with Guan Ningjun to destroy Li Zicheng and recover Beijing.

"To the regent of the Great Qing Dynasty:

Sangui was promoted by the first emperor at the beginning of the year, and as a mosquito soldier, He Ningyuan was the general soldier. The prestige of the king, Sangui has always admired deeply, but the righteousness of the Spring and Autumn Period cannot cross the border, so he did not dare to pass through the king, the friendship of people and ministers, and the king will be able to know.

Today, I thought Ningyuan was lonely, so that Sangui abandoned Ningyuan and Zhenshan Hai, thinking of sticking to Donglong and fearing to consolidate the Jingshi. I don't mean to say that Kou rebels against the sky and steals the rabble with his dog, how can it be done? However, the hearts of the Jingshi people were not solid, and the traitorous party opened the door and surrendered, causing the misfortune of the first emperor and the ashes of the temple.

Now the thief is the first to call the honorific title, the abduction of women's wealth, the crime has been extreme, the heaven and man are angry, the will has left, its defeat does not wait for a few days, Cheng Chimei, green forest, Huangchao, Lushan and the like, heaven and man are angry, the will has left, and its defeat can be left and wait. Our country accumulates virtue and benevolence, and the provincial clans, such as Jin Wengong and Han Guangwu, can be accommodated. And the Ministry of Residence in the capital has the good preparation of the division, the elite of the soldiers and horses of Liang Gong's father and son, the survival and death will continue, sweep the inside of the world, and breathe between them! There have been rebels from far and near, feathers and feathers galloping, or to the left of the mountain, or to the south of the Yangtze River, and the Hege carrying grain and scenery is like a stream.

Sangui received great favors, took pity on the people, and refused to guard the side gate. If you want to ask the teacher for sin, in order to comfort people's hearts, Naijing is small, the troops have not been gathered, and the special cry blood is ****** for help.

Our country has been in good communication with the Qing Dynasty for more than 200 years, and now I have suffered a national disaster for no reason, and the Great Cleanup should help it.

Eliminating violence and cutting evil is the great shun, saving the danger and supporting the reliance is the great righteousness, the fire and water of the people is the great benevolence, the rise and destruction of the succession is the great name, and the prestige is the great merit.

The king is a hero of the world, on the occasion of destroying the withering and decaying, when it is difficult to get it again, he reads the words of loyalty and righteousness of the lonely ministers of the country, quickly selects elite soldiers, and joins forces with Sangui to reach the capital gate, exterminates the liukou in the court, and shows the righteousness in China. Then I will reward the Qing Dynasty for help, how can I only be rich, I will split the land to pay, and I dare not break my word.

The Ming Dynasty Pingxi Boningyuan General Soldier Wu Sangui was the head. ”

After carefully reading this letter of borrowing the Eight Banners to enter the customs to suppress the thieves and restore Beijing, Wu Sangui once again made the old mistake of hesitation.

The reason is very simple.

"Xianting, I'm worried that we fought too hard with the Qing soldiers and horses before, and the soldiers, especially those Tuntian soldiers from the Denglai area, couldn't turn around for a while. The impact on the morale of the army is small, and if there is a mutiny because of this, the thieves will be in the west of Shanhaiguan, and there will be the northern wing city in hand. At that point, the joke will be bigger! ”

However, what Wu Sangui didn't expect was that this problem was easily solved by Zu Zerun!

The news that Zu Zerun had arrived at Shanhaiguan soon spread at the speed of an explosion among the Guanning army. Many of those generals had old ties with him, or had friendships and relatives with their ancestors. Even if you don't have a relationship, you can't help but use him to learn about the recent situation of relatives and friends in the Qing Kingdom. For a time, Wu Sangui arranged a residence for Zu Zerun.

Zu Zerun took the opportunity to explain Dolgon's benevolence to these Guanning officers and generals who had a large number of landed tenants in various parts of the Western Liaoning Corridor.

Knowing that their farms and tenants, as well as houses and ancestral graves everywhere, had been ordered by Dolgon not to touch a single grass or tree, these officials and generals immediately had a favorable opinion of Dolgon, which increased by tens of thousands of points. Especially when Zu Zerun said that the army ate sorghum rice dumplings, and the prince did not allow the soldiers to harass everyone's Zhuangzi, Dolgon's image suddenly became extremely tall.

As we said earlier, Wu Sangui's soldiers and horses are mainly three major parts, his Ning Yuan lineage, the miscellaneous cards annexed by the various departments of the Mountain Navy, and the other is the Tuntian soldiers. What he was worried about was that the soldiers of the Tuntian army would refuse to cooperate with the Liao thieves and make a mutiny. Now, both Ning Yuan's descendants and Shanjunjun's favorability of Dolgon has greatly increased, and he is not afraid of the mutiny of the Tuntian soldiers.

When the order was given, the wolf cavalry came out together, controlled the defense of the whole city of Shanhaiguan, and convened the generals of all battalions and departments to discuss the matter. Killed more than a dozen Tuntian soldiers and mountain naval officers who refused to cooperate with Dolgon, and scattered their troops into the Ningyuan Town troops.

"Uncle Chang, I heard that the thieves captured the Beijing Division, and the Ming Lord died tragically, which was outrageous, so I led the division of benevolence and righteousness, sank the boat and broke the cauldron, and without hesitation, exterminated the thieves, and went out of the people in the water and fire. Also, the Lord Regent asked me to bring you a few words. On the city tower, looking at the wide open gate and the army of the Eight Banners coming from the north, Zu Zerun showed Wu Sangui his hole card: "Although I was an enemy of the Qing Dynasty in the past, I don't have to doubt it today because of the old things of the past years." In the past, Guan Zhong shot Huan Gong in the hook, and later Huan Gong reused Guan Zhong, called Zhong Father, in order to become a hegemon. If he leads the people to return, he will seal his homeland and become the king of the domain, one will be avenged for the country, and the other will be able to protect his wealth, and his descendants will enjoy wealth and prosperity for a long time, such as the eternity of mountains and rivers. (To be continued.) )