The smoke has gone and the desolation remains. More than a month ago, officers and soldiers and rebels fought several battles outside Zhendingfu City with mountains of bones. Even in broad daylight, it looked extremely eerie.
But some people are not afraid, because he is not one person, but tens of thousands of people.
The three heroes, Liu Zeqing and Liu Liangzuo, rode hard all the way and led nearly 10,000 cavalrymen. When night fell, they arrived at the Hutuo River outside Zhending City. They were exhausted and camped to rest.
"Fifth of the seven-day time limit has passed. We still have four to five hundred miles to get to the capital. We can't get there even if we break our legs. If we turn back, will the little eunuch punish us with military law?" Liu Liangzuo said while lying on the grass, panting heavily.
Gao Jie held a piece of grass in his mouth: "If you don't miss the opportunity, you can yell a few words at most. If you miss the opportunity, you can at least reprimand us. I don't dare to do anything to us."
Liu Zeqing next to him sneered: "Brother Gao, your thinking is too simple. If our troops and horses are all in trouble, the little eunuch won't dare to do anything. But at this time, the three of us together are only a big number. Do you think he can do it?"
With that kind of temper, can he just yell and scold me?"
"Hey, according to what Boss Liu said, we have to be careful." Huama Liu stood up in surprise. Gao Jie rolled his eyes: "Then you must have misunderstood something. I have worked with that little eunuch. Although the military law
He is strict but not someone who cares about everything, not to mention that it is only a thousand miles from Puzhou to the capital, and the seven-day limit is extremely harsh..."
"Don't be impatient." Liu Zeqing interrupted him: "The little eunuch ordered us to reach the capital within seven days. What is the capital? Entering Baoding Prefecture is considered the capital. It can only go two hundred miles. Two days is more than enough.
”.
After saying this, Gao Jie and Huama Liu breathed a sigh of relief.
"But the fact that the eunuch moved his troops thousands of miles away means that the matter is serious. We will do our best as soon as we come. We will arrive as early as possible. If we really miss this important matter and offend him, the consequences will be unpredictable. We will come all the way to his door."
The gain outweighs the loss!" Liu Zeqing is indeed the most cunning and experienced person among the three.
Gao Jie nodded: "Don't feel uncomfortable even if you come here. Let's rest for a while and wait for the night to get cooler before continuing on our way. We will try to reach Baoding City at noon tomorrow."
At midnight, the moon was bright and the stars were thin and the heat had subsided. Gao Jie and the other three broke camp and crossed the river to the north. They looked at Zhending City in the distance and saw a faint light. They couldn't help but laugh and said, "I'm afraid I scared them."
Liu Zeqing chuckled: "That's not necessarily true. The people of Zhending Mansion have all seen the world. They have already become numb after changing owners several times in half a month."
"Hearing what Boss Liu said, I want to go and take a look." Liu Liangzuo chuckled. What he said about taking a look was not to watch the fun, but to enjoy the autumn breeze.
As expected, people flock together and things gather together. Whatever he was thinking, Liu Zeqing opened his mouth and said, "There is nothing to see. The thieves pass through the border like locusts without leaving a hair on their head. But Baoding City can still be visited."
Hey, Gao Jie was also itchy: "A few days ago, I followed the little eunuch's military order to fight from the east to the south and missed the city of Baoding. This time I can't just pass the door and not get in."
Almost at the same time, the guards at Zuo'anmen in the imperial capital discovered nearly a hundred fires approaching a few miles to the southeast, and immediately issued a warning, and the city immediately entered a state of war readiness.
The imperial court had long received news that the Qing army was returning to the north. At this juncture, the city's defenses could not ignore the upgrade of the capital's defenses. In addition to the remaining guards from the Beijing camp, people from Dongchang and Jinyiwei were sent to the city to monitor day and night. Even
The governor of Beijing Camp and the Minister of War, Shi Kefa, all took turns to go to the city to guard the city.
The warning soon reached the ears of Wang Jiayan, who was on duty tonight. He immediately got on his horse at Chaoyang Gate and ran wildly along the city wall towards Zuo'an Gate. He stared at the fire all the way and wondered whether he was an enemy or a friend.
When Wang Jiayan rushed to Andingmen, the troops had also arrived outside the city. He looked at the torches in the dark and estimated that there were at most a thousand people.
"Sir, they say they are from Dongchang and they are inspecting the cards." When the guard saw Wang Jiayan's arrival, he quickly raised his hands and said. As he spoke, the bamboo basket was lifted up. Wang Jiayan took the cards and took a look: Dongjishi Factory Black Tiger Camp. Behind.
A big "butcher".
Wang Jiayan was startled. This was the badge of Tu Yuan, the direct descendant of the Black Tiger Camp of Dongchang. He quickly put his head towards the city and asked loudly: "But Commander Tu".
"Exactly, who are you? Open the door quickly!" Tu Yuan shouted back from below.
Wang Jiayan and Tu Yuan were not familiar with each other, and their accents were unrecognizable: "My supervisor, Wang Jiayan, may I ask why Black Tiger Camp returned to Beijing overnight?"
Just when Tu Yuan was about to ask him where he came from so much nonsense, the young eunuch rode up from behind and shouted towards the city: "Old Wang, you are cautious enough, but you want to see our brand?"
"Open the door." Wang Jiayan in the city did not hesitate at all when he heard the voice. He was too familiar with Chang Yu's voice.
"Mr. Factory Supervisor, you are back. Hey, why are you back?" Wang Jiayan hurried down the city, and when he saw Chang Yu, he quickly raised his hands.
Chang Yu laughed: "Governor Wang, do you want our family to come back, or do you not want our family to come back?"
"Hey, of course I do. I heard that the Tatars are coming again and the capital is empty. I'm really worried... It would be nice if you came." Wang Jiayan was a little excited, and suddenly realized that there must be something urgent when Chang Yu returns to the capital late at night:
"The factory governor must be in a hurry to enter the palace."
The sound of horse hoofbeats broke the tranquility of the capital. The Third Battalion of Dongchang released their horses and headed straight for the inner city. Chang Yu called the Zhengyang Gate open with a token and went straight to the palace.
Outside the Donghua Gate, the soldiers of the third battalion and the personal guards went to the nearby Jinwu Guard Yamen to rest. Chang Yu entered the palace alone and washed up and changed clothes at the Neidongchang Yamen. Then he knocked on the palace door and whispered softly outside the Qianqing Gate.
The sentence ends: "Chang Yu asks to see the emperor."
In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Chongzhen had just fallen asleep when the eunuch on duty came outside the tent and whispered: "Your Majesty, Eunuch Chang wishes to see you."
In a daze, Emperor Chongzhen stood up and said, "Chang Yu? Chang Yu has returned to the palace?"
The tea was steaming. Emperor Chongzhen looked at the tired little eunuch in front of him. He couldn't hide his excitement and rubbed his hands from time to time: "This game of chess is big and dark, but I like it very much."
"The Tatars have killed countless of our people, how can we allow them to come and leave whenever they want!" Chang Yu looked murderous: "The cost of a head-on confrontation is too high, so this is the only way to plot against him."
Emperor Chongzhen was even more excited after hearing this: "After reading your secret letter the day before yesterday, I couldn't sleep well in the past two days. If this plan comes true, I will really solve the great hatred in my heart, but I don't know how sure you are."
"If all the people are in place and arranged properly, you will be sure of success." Emperor Chongzhen laughed happily: "I know that you will either fail or fail in your work. I can't hide my love for you. I have worked hard for you these days."
"For the Ming Dynasty and as the emperor, I will devote myself to death without regrets!" Chang Yu quickly said with his hands in hand. Emperor Chongzhen was very satisfied with his gesture, which was neither arrogant nor arrogant.
"Where are the Tatars at this time?" Emperor Chongzhen was most concerned about the movements of the Qing army.
"Xianghe can travel hundreds of miles a day and can be reached in two days. But I don't expect it to come to Jingcheng. It will go to Tongzhou and then go straight to Miyun along the Chaobai River." Chang Yu expressed his speculation.
Emperor Chongzhen exclaimed: "So will he release the hostages and materials in Tongzhou?"
"No" Chang Yu smiled slightly: "But I will force him to let go."
"Will this anger the Tatars?" Emperor Chongzhen was slightly worried.
"Yes! But he can't do it!" Chang Yu's expression was very relaxed, and Chongzhen turned from worry to joy and pointed at him: "You, you, hey, it's great to have you by my side! I finally realize the sense of security you mentioned before.
When we arrive, we feel safe!"
"It is an honor to be a minister to make the emperor feel safe." Chang Yu was very humble. Emperor Chongzhen stared at him again and again: "Chang Yu, Dongchang has offended a lot of people recently, you have to be careful."
"I am upright and not afraid of slanting shadows. I am honest and upright in everything I do and have no shame in my heart. I am not afraid of others thinking about me."
Emperor Chongzhen smiled slightly and nodded: "I just want to remind you, let's not mention this matter for now. Come, you can tell me your plan again."
"I obey the decree, but the emperor must remember not to spread it to others before it is implemented," Chang Yu warned again.
"Not even the prince?" Emperor Chongzhen smiled half-heartedly.