In the 10th year of Chongzhen (1637), Bingzi was in chaos. The Manchu Qing Dynasty sent troops to attack North Korea in order to cut off the Ming Dynasty's retreat. North Korea was defeated and professed its vassalage, and 500,000 people were taken captive as prisoners and slaves. In order to show off the princes Li Pu and Feng Lin, The army Li Hao and the three brothers Li Jun of Linping were taken hostage.
The three brothers were detained in Shenyang for several years, and they were not idle. Whenever the Qing army marched south, they must accompany the army. The reason is very simple, because there are many Korean soldiers in the Qing army. For example, during the Jinzhou War, there were tens of thousands of Korean soldiers. To participate in the war, most of them were artillerymen.
At first, these Korean soldiers were grateful to the Ming Dynasty and did not work hard during the war. They even used sand and earth to load cannonballs or empty cannons. Later, when the Qing army found out, they used Crown Prince Zhaoxian as a hostage to coerce the Korean soldiers into understanding their true nature.
As a result, the Korean Japs appeared in the war against the Ming Dynasty. From their reluctance at the beginning, they later charged into the battle and became frenzied.
A few months ago, Dorgon led an army of more than 100,000 people with great arrogance and wanted to seize control of the Central Plains while the Ming court and the bandit army were fighting fiercely. The three brothers of the Li family also followed the army as usual, but later Dorgon was poached by a young eunuch in Ningyuan. The trap was almost buried. Although they were lucky enough not to be wiped out, they were still injured. After the three brothers of the Li family fled into the mountains in a hurry during the war, they were caught by Wu Sangui's spy horse and secretly sent to the capital. Even Chang Yu was able to hide it. , and even used his strength as a chess piece at the critical moment.
There are three courtyards behind the big world, and several other courtyards inside. They were originally used to entertain distinguished guests, but now two of them are secretly used by Chang Yu. For example, Li Yan, Zhou Yuji and other military leaders were arranged there.
At this time, Chang Yu was in another courtyard.
Although the courtyard is small, the scenery is beautiful. There is a small bamboo forest inside. Changyu wanders in it with his eyebrows raised and speechless, as if he is waiting for someone.
He was indeed waiting for someone, and he arrived soon.
The one who came was the third son of King Lee Joon of Joseon.
The three of them stood at the entrance of the courtyard, looking at the confused look on the young man's face. Previously, when Dongchang Fanzi came to Huitong Hall, he only said that someone important wanted to see them. The three of them were happy and thought it was Emperor Chongzhen, but they didn't go to the palace. He looked a little uneasy, and now he was even more confused when he saw Chang Yu. He looked around and there was no one else there.
"May I ask, who is His Highness the Prince of Ming Dynasty?" Li Bo bowed and saluted, and was the first to speak.
Chang Yu smiled. The prince in front of him looked a little older, which was very inconsistent with his actual age of thirty-two. Also, who could live well after being a hostage for several years? After all, no one could have Liu Chan's protective look of being as wise as he was foolish. .
Li Hao was very miserable. Historically, he was a hostage in the Manchu Qing Dynasty for several years. When the Qing army entered the Central Plains, he was a hostage in Beijing. The second and third sons could take turns as hostages. He was not allowed to return to North Korea until the next year. Which I found out that he was poisoned to death by his father a few days after returning home. There are various reasons for this. In fact, he was brainwashed during the period when the Manchus were held hostage by the Qing Dynasty. He was loyal to Daming, so it was reasonable to kill him.
Chang Yu did not answer Li Hao, but looked at another young man: "Li Hao?"
Li Hao glanced sideways at Li Bo next to him, and hesitantly cupped his hands to Chang Yu: "I'm the one who is here, may I ask who you are..."
"I am Chang Yu, the admiral of Dongchang in the Ming Dynasty!"
Ah! The three of them were shocked. They followed Dorgon to fight south and naturally knew the name of Chang Yu. In the first battle of Ningyuan, the Qing army was almost wiped out. The name they heard most after being captured by Wu Sangui was Chang Yu. In the past two days in Huitong Hall I heard a lot of rumors about the little eunuch here, and now I was naturally horrified when I saw the real person.
He was actually a young eunuch!
The three people hurriedly knelt down and saluted. Yes, it was a kneeling salute!
"I am an internal minister, you don't need to give me this great gift." Chang Yu kept staring at Li Hao in the middle as he spoke. This made Li Hao very puzzled. He was the prince. Could it be that he recognized the wrong person, but he didn't Maybe, the age and appearance are so different.
How could Chang Yu admit the wrong person? The older one is in his thirties or forty, the second one is only twenty-five, and the third one is only eighteen or nineteen years old. It is obvious where the three of them are going. The reason why he is cold to Li Bo is also very simple. This guy is very familiar. .
The second child, Li Hao, was a die-hard fan of the Ming Dynasty. Historically, the eldest brother Li Hao was poisoned not long after he returned to North Korea. The second child who ascended the throne was Xiaozong of North Korea, and during his reign, he had been plotting against the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty. It is a pity that the emperor of Nanming at that time only focused on internal fighting and failed to join forces, otherwise history would really be rewritten.
As for the third child, Li Jun, who was only seven or eight years old when he was captured as a hostage, he had been coaxed and frightened by the Qing court in the past few years. Chang Yu was not interested in him at all. The only thing he found interesting was that he and the first Dai Xiangcheng Bo also had the same name as Li Guojie's ancestor.
Although Chang Yu prides himself on being a minister, the three of them still dare not underestimate him. As a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, they know what Dongchang does, and they also know how powerful the eunuch of Dongchang is. In other words It was like I was here in person, so the three of them behaved extremely humbly and obediently, and even had a hint of fear.
No matter who he is, as long as Dongchang comes to his door, he will be frightened, not to mention that the prince Zhaoxian, Li Shu, has a guilty conscience.
As long as Chang Yu asked, why didn't he quickly go to the Ming army after escaping from Tatar control during the Ningyuan War and instead hid in the mountains?
Even with all his rhetoric, he could not hide the guilt hidden deep in his heart.
That is, Li Pu did not want to defect to the Ming court, he was close to the Qing Dynasty! He felt that the Ming Dynasty was terminally ill and was declining, but the Qing Dynasty was at its peak, and it would be more promising to follow the Qing Dynasty.
But Chang Yu came here to interrogate today on orders, although Emperor Chongzhen didn't know that the Prince of Joseon, Qingqing, just asked Chang Yu to ask some questions about Wu Sangui.
For some things, it is better to abide by the original historical trajectory. Chang Yu already had a plan in mind. He invited the three people into the hall and served tea: "I am just here to talk on the emperor's order. You three don't have to be nervous." ”.
Chang Yu's expression was relaxed in the hall, several attendants were walking back and forth in the courtyard, and the clouds in the sky were rolling in and out.
When night fell, Chunxiang returned to the Yamen and saw Chang Yu sitting in the lobby with his brows furrowed. He was suspicious that he had never seen the little eunuch like this before, so he knew that there was something difficult to solve, so he entered the hall and closed the door:: "Brother, could it be that you have encountered something troublesome?"
Chang Yu raised his head and glanced at him, then let out a long sigh: "Chunxiang, do you have anyone you can use as your confidant?"
When Chunxiang heard this, he knew that the matter was important and frowned: "There are only three or five people who are absolutely loyal. What is the use of big brother?"
"Killing" Chang Yu absolutely trusted Chunxiang, so he expressed his thoughts.
After hearing this, Chunxiang was horrified again. The person Chang Yu wanted to kill was actually the prince of North Korea, Li Bo: "Why did the eldest brother want to kill him? Is it the emperor's will?"
Chang Yu shook his head: "Your Majesty doesn't know it yet, but he won't object if he knows it. Li Ming has been bewitched by the Tatars, and he no longer has the Ming Dynasty in his heart. If he is allowed to return to North Korea and succeed to the throne, it will not be good for the Ming Dynasty in the future, so we have to do it." Get rid of it as soon as possible, but you can’t do it openly.”
"Then just do it secretly. It's not easy." Chunxiang hadn't figured out the key yet. Chang Yu glanced at him and shook his head and sighed: "It's been so long and I still haven't learned to use my brain to do things."
Chunxiang looked confused and rubbed his head: "Am I right?"
"The prince of Korea stayed with the Tatars for seven years and was very active. He died in the Ming Dynasty within a few days. If this matter spreads, can we in the Ming Dynasty clean up his innocence?"
"Brother, what do you mean, we can't take action within the territory of the Ming Dynasty?" Chunxiang finally figured out the key: "That's easy to do. Send people to take action on the way back, and take the land to take action outside the customs. It can be said that the Tatars defeated the army.
If you take the water route, you will say it is the work of pirates..."
I have to say that Chunxiang's reaction was also quick. Chang Yu nodded slightly: "I wanted to send you to do this in person, but the Emperor is keeping a close eye on the affairs of the Tang Palace and you can't get away, so..." He raised his eyebrows,
Suddenly he said: "I think it would be best to enter North Korea and take action. Maybe we don't need to take action yet."
Chunxiang couldn't understand again.
"If we don't take action, who will?"
Chang Yu smiled: "We brothers don't have to worry about this, let's leave it to Wu Mengming."
Chunxiang scratched his head: "Besides making money, what else can he do?"
Chang Yu laughed: "Just listen to what I say and you will know that it is the most suitable one."