The western part of Zhejiang was defeated, and the cities of Yuling Pass, Huizhou, Jixi, and Ningguo fell one after another in just three or five days......

Xie Chaozhong and Liu Zhi beat their horses and fled back to Jiangning, and they were held by the guards of the Imperial Horse Prison and imprisoned pending trial under the city

The news of the fall of Huizhou reached Jiangning, and Emperor Yongxing was forced to bow his head, and twice in one day visited Chen's house to visit the patient, Chen Xiyan forced the sick body to return to the political hall, and concurrently served as the governor of the imperial camp Rongzheng, with Cheng Yuqian as the assistant, responsible for the defense of Jiangning.

The Imperial Camp Army is based on the original Jiangning Garrison Army and the Ningwangfu Guard Battalion, which makes the system of the generals of the Imperial Camp Army complex, but it is also roughly divided into the garrison army system and the guard camp system.

After the autumn, nearly half of the imperial camp army went south to Huizhou with Xie Chaozhong, and most of them were Xie Chaozhong's cronies of the guard battalion department, so that almost all the imperial camp troops left in Jiangning were the old members of the Jiangning garrison.

Although Cheng Yuqian is mediocre, he has served in the Jiangning Military Department all the year round, and is quite familiar with Jiangning's defense and the generals up and down. After the initial shock in Jiangning, under the auspices of Chen Xiyan, Cheng Yuqian and others, the defense did not collapse all at once.

After the defeat of Huizhou, even Emperor Yongxing did not count on the combat strength of the imperial army, gave up the idea of resisting the enemy outside, withdrew all the soldiers and horses to the city to defend the army with all his might, and pinned the hope of repelling the rebels of Zhejiang and Fujian on the head of the Qinwang army.

The original naval army stationed in Longzangpu in the south of the city also entered the city through the water, under the city, in the streets and alleys, 40,000 defenders spread out, but it can also make people's hearts a little more stable - in fact, people's hearts are limited no matter how stable they are, Jiangning City has not suffered a military disaster for nearly two hundred years, and the Zhejiang-Fujian rebels captured Huizhou and opened the mén households that entered Jiangning in the north, so how not to panic in the city?

On the night of November 12th, a curfew was imposed after night in Jiangning City, and the streets were particularly cold, with a team of soldiers guarding the streets and alleys, staring at the long streets of empty dangdang, occasionally looking up at the towering city wall, and not knowing that the startled crows and sparrows there could not hover above the eastern city, and under the reflection of the cold moon, the guards who were still standing at the head of the city on a cold night were particularly thin

Although there were no people moving around on the street, many people were sleeping under the eaves on both sides.

After the fall of Huizhou, the news soon spread like a plague from Huizhou to the north, and the fleeing refugees were like chao Yong, initially from Xuanzhou, Liyang, Lishui, and Moling, Changning and other counties were also involved in it in the past two days, and hundreds of thousands of people poured into Jiangning City.

Too many refugees had nowhere to settle and could only huddle together under the eaves of the street, only to catch up with the bitter cold weather, the biting cold wind swirling and howling in the city, covering the eaves with hoarfrost, as if they did not care about the tearing cries under the eaves.

Yongxing Emperor Yuan Jianwu dined at night in the Taiqian Palace, under the palace lamp, his eye sockets were black, his face was pale, although the Zhejiang-Fujian army stopped in Ningguo, but the fiasco in the middle of Zhejiang, as if a blow smashed his previous spirit, and even had to lower his head of the Ninety-Five Supreme, ran to Chen Xiyan's house, and asked him to come out to preside over affairs.

Yuan Jianwu will not admit that he is wrong, and he will not admit that the majestic imperial camp army in Yanwuli will be so vulnerable, it must be Xie Chaozhong and Liu Zhi who have betrayed his trust and caused him to show jokes to the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, but didn't Chen Xiyan and the others just kowtow their heads in the palace before and said that Xie Chaozhong couldn't be used?

Bastards, assholes! Yuan Jianwu was also thoughtful when eating, his face was tense, and his face after lead ash made him look very bad under the lamp, although Concubine Chen, who accompanied the meal, was the most favored on weekdays, she didn't dare to say anything at this time.

After eating, the tired body recovered a little, Yuan Jianwu stretched a lazy waist, his face looked slightly better, Concubine Chen moved her seat, Xiao Yi knelt in front of Yuan Jianwu, and said: "The slave family has made up a new tune, and the emperor has not listened to it when he said that he wanted to listen to it, if he didn't take a break tonight......"

Yuan Jianwu shook his eyebrows, how could he still have the heart to listen to any new tunes, but Concubine Chen's eyebrows were charming, and her eyes were small-winged, like a pug that pleases her master, although it is inappropriate to speak, it is also impossible to be annoyed, Yuan Jianwu took Concubine Chen's hand, walked to the imperial case and sat down, and said: "You help rourou neck......" The case of Ling 1uan and Tang Bao made Yuan Jianwu look upset 1uan, eager to burn it away, closed his eyes, leaned back against the dragon chair, and enjoyed Concubine Chen's slippery, The tender U pinched the tendons on the neck stalk, which made people's hearts feel a little more comfortable, remembered an incident, and asked the eunuch standing next to him: "Where is Meng Yishan?" ”

"Your Majesty, Meng Yishan entered the city after dark, and at Chen Xiangye's mansion, he said that he would come to Jin early tomorrow morning to see ......."

"It's all burning eyebrows, I can wait for tomorrow morning, quickly send someone to Chen Xiyan's mansion to send an edict, summon Chen Xiyan and Meng Yishan to the palace together, and let them come over immediately......" Yuan Jianwu said eagerly, and said, "Call Zhang Yan over too"

The eunuch soon went and returned, and Zhang Yan, the inner chamberlain, followed behind, kneeling down and saying: "Chen Xiangye, Cheng Xiangye and General Meng are all in the political hall, and when they heard the emperor's summons, they all went to the front hall to wait......

Yuan Jianwu arrived at the front hall, Chen Xiyan, Cheng Yuqian, and Meng Yishan greeted him on the Hanbai Yùyong Road in front of the hall: "Chen Xiyan, Meng Yishan take over!" ”

Yuan Jianwu walked straight to the first room at the east end of the front hall, sat on the couch covered with brocade mattresses, and gave Chen Xiyan, Zhang Yan, and Meng Yishan a seat, he was eager to look forward to Meng Yishan before, and when he saw Meng Yishan, he didn't want his impatient emotions to fall into Chen Xiyan's eyes, his arm pressed on the armrest, and asked Chen Xiyan: "What reply does Huaixi have?" ”

"The captive king Ye Ji Duodi led 40,000 cavalry and the rebellious Chen Zhihu down the whirlpool, entered Yanling, the soldiers pointed directly at Huaixi, Dong Yuan crossed Huai to supervise the army in Wuyang, the imperial decree was afraid that it was only in Dong Yuan's hands today, and there was no response so quickly......" Chen Xiyan replied, his voice was extremely weak, and his body was already extremely overdrawn, and his eyes were just struggling to support, fortunately, Meng Yishan entered Jiangning City in time, and the Hanghu Army was closer to Jiangning City than the rebels were closer to Jiangning City, so that he was a little more at ease.

"How's the news today?" Yuan Jianwu asked, looking at Cheng Yuqian, if there is anyone above the temple who knows some military affairs, it is Cheng Yuqian.

"The rebels are still in Ningguo, and only a few soldiers and horses have entered Xuanzhou," Cheng Yuqian replied, "but the rebels are gathering forces in Ningguo, and they will invade Jiangning depending on the situation." ”

"Can Xuanzhou hold on? Coming down from Xuanzhou is Liyang and Lishui, how to keep it, have you come up with a plan? "Emperor Yongxing has his self-esteem, although he is eager to know if there is a possibility of making peace with the luxury family, or recruiting the luxury family again, but he will never ask through his mouth first.

But there is no one below who knows his thoughts, and there may be people who know his thoughts, but they are inconsiderate and bring them up for him.

Meng Yishan has entered Jiangning City, but how to deal with the Hanghu Army, whether to transfer it to Jiangning City to assist in defense, or to send it to Liyang and Lishui to block the sharp edge of the rebels, Yuan Jianwu has no idea in his heart, he has been completely panicked in the past few days, and he has been thinking about these simple questions all day, and he still has no clue.

"Huaidong is very advantageous in eastern Fujian, and it is said that the fifth day of the first month will capture Jin'an Mansion, and the main force of soldiers and horses will return to the division," Chen Xiyan said, "At present, the soldiers and horses of Huaixi and Jiangzhou should not make a big move, and Xuanzhou, Liyang, and Lishui have no extra soldiers and horses to defend, as long as they hold Jiangning City, as long as Huaidong soldiers and horses return to the division of Qinwang, they will be able to solve the danger of Jiangning; The old minister thought that the rebels stopped in Ningguo, but he was worried about Huaidong's movements, and the old minister asked the emperor to allow the Hanghu army to enter Beijing to defend the holy ......"

Yuan Jianwu turned his face and ignored Chen Xiyan, he looked at Zhang Yan and Cheng Yuqian, and said, "What do you think?" ”

"The Hanghu army defends Jiangning, and Weichen also thinks that it can ensure that Jiangning is worry-free, but the root of Jiangning is outside the city and not inside the city," Cheng Yuqian said, "The rebels stopped at Ningguo and no longer went north, on the one hand, they gathered soldiers and horses, and on the other hand, they also drove the displaced people to Jiangning City." What if Huaidong doesn't come to Jiangning's aid for three or five months? ”

On the matter of Xie Chaozhong leading the troops, Cheng Yuqian and Chen Xiyan stood on the same front, but on the matter of Meng Yishan leading the Hanghu army into Jiangning City, Cheng Yuqian held an opposing opinion.

When Meng Yishan entered Jiangning, he naturally wanted to replace Xie Chaozhong, who was imprisoned, as the commander of the imperial camp and the army, and was responsible for the defense of Jiangning.

The imperial camp is under control, Cheng Yuqian has a candidate he agrees with to recommend to Emperor Yongxing, and Meng Yishan entered Jiangning, Emperor Yongxing and Chen Xiyan will only pay attention to Meng Yishan's opinion on the issue of Jiangning's defense, and Cheng Yuqian will be marginalized - how could he agree to let Meng Yishan lead the Hanghu army into Jiangning?

"The minister also thought that if he didn't defend Xuanzhou and Liyang at all, and let the rebels pour in, the vitality of the imperial court would be greatly damaged, and it would be unfavorable for ......the future," Zhang Yan said, the emperor's attitude was obvious, but it was inconvenient to directly refuse Meng Yishan to lead the army into Jiangning.

This time, the emperor was forced to bow his head and ask Chen Xiyan to come out to preside over the situation, but the emperor absolutely refused to hold his head up in front of Chen Xiyan forever. Although Xie Chaozhong and Liu Zhi were imprisoned, the emperor did not mean to hold Yu Xinyuan, Wang Xueshan, and Wang Tian accountable, so Zhang Yan could somewhat guess his thoughts, how could he be willing to Meng Yishan to lead the army into Jiangning City at this time, so that Chen Xiyan could completely take the initiative?

Although Chen Xiyan insisted on ensuring that Jiangning was safe first, Cheng Yuqian and Zhang Yan's reasons were also difficult for him to refute.

Xuanzhou is at the northern foot of Yishan Mountain, and there are some terrain that is easy to guard, from Xuanzhou down, to the north to Jiangning, to the east to Pingjiang Mansion, all of which are a horse Pingchuan, and these places are precisely the core areas that the imperial court can directly control, the Jīng Hua region.

Huaidong is not trustworthy, this is a lice on the bald head, it is a clear thing, this side is guarding Jiangning, who knows when Huaidong soldiers and horses will come to help? Moreover, even if the luxury family can't capture Jiangning, as long as the periphery of Jiangning, Danyang Mansion, and Pingjiang Mansion are destroyed more thoroughly than the ten years of Chongguan, and then retreat to Huizhou, Jiangning's foundation will almost be hollowed out.

Jiangning's foundation has been hollowed out, where will Dong Yuan's money and grain come from to guard Huaixi; Yue Lengqiu still has 60,000 soldiers and horses in Jiangzhou to be fed, and Huaidong naturally has to ride to the head to sprinkle - as long as the luxury family hollows out the foundation of Jiangning, it can make Yue Lengqiu turn from strong to weak in Jiangzhou, and Jiangning must not ask Huaidong to send soldiers and horses to defend Jiangzhou on behalf of Yue Lengqiu, right?