At the end of January in the 16th year of Chongzhen's reign, Ningyuan City had been in the wind and snow for a long time. Catkins were flying, and the snow had already covered feet. The soldiers of Guan Ning had cracked hands and feet in the severe cold, and they could only cover their mouths and noses with their hands.
, warmed by a breath of hot air.
At the end of last year, the Qing army suddenly stopped attacking the three fortresses of Zhonghousuo, Qiangwei and Zhongqiansuo. After the Chinese New Year, Chongzhen's special envoy Ma Shaoyu, who had been traveling to Shengjing, once again set out from Ningyuan to negotiate peace with the Qing Dynasty.
All this news gave Wu Sangui, the commander-in-chief stationed in Ningyuan, full of hope. After personally experiencing the Battle of Songjin, he knew that the strength of the Qing army was no longer something that the imperial court could mobilize. Therefore, he was very concerned about the peace negotiations.
Of course, Wu Sangui applauded with both hands.
Before Ma Shaoyu's mission departed, Wu Sangui specially invited him to his private residence for a talk. Although Wu Sangui's study was relatively spacious, it was in the style of a military commander's family: painted pillars, carved beams and a dazzling array of furnishings made people feel more luxurious than elegant.
There is also a piano and a sword in the study, but at a glance it is clear that they are pretending to be elegant.
As decoration, there were two shelves of nondescript books. Some of the books were covered with dust and had obviously not been touched for a long time. There were also many antiques placed on the shelves, but Ma Shaoyu could tell that most of them were fakes.
In addition, there are some famous calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, including paintings by Tang Yin and Wang Mian, and calligraphy by Dong Qichang.
Ma Shaoyu did not dare to tell whether Tang Bohu's paintings were genuine or not. But Dong Qichang's calligraphy, as he had interacted with Dong Qichang, he knew at a glance that it was definitely not Dong Qichang's original work.
However, from this point of view, Ma Shaoyu can also feel that although Wu Sangui is a martial artist, he is not a pure martial artist. Whether it is arty or Wu Sangui is really interested in studying, his thoughts are not limited to being a general soldier.
In the official category.
"Master Zhentai is brave and good at fighting. He is the right winger of Liaodong and the governor of Hong... His Majesty praised Master Zhentai as a tiger general outside the pass today and a powerful city in the country. He is truly worthy of his name. Looking at it now, Master Zhentai is not only good at martial arts, but also good at literature.
It is indeed a blessing for the Ming Dynasty to have such a great general in the country."
When Ma Shaoyu praised Wu Sangui, he accidentally mentioned Hong Chengchou. Although Hong Chengchou was now deeply hated by the emperor because of his rebellion.
However, the Battle of Songjin commanded by Hong Chengchou, at least in the first half of the battle, was indeed one of the best-organized battles of the Ming army since the rise of the Liao Dynasty.
As early as the twelfth year of Chongzhen's reign, Wu Sangui was recommended by Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, and Fang Yizao, the governor of Liaodong, to be the commander-in-chief of the Ningyuan regiment, and became one of the youngest commander-in-chiefs in the Ming Dynasty army.
But where he really stood out and showed that he was superior to other Ming army generals was his heroic fighting during the Yusongjin War and his keen sense of smell when the Ming army collapsed in the second half of the battle.
Wu Sangui laughed loudly and replied: "The horse envoy is rich in strategy and has worked hard to praise your Majesty's military affairs. Now he has taken on the important task of Bowang Marquis and is about to dig through Liaodong. If the plan is successful, the great contribution will be far away.
We generals have stopped fighting, and I dare not take credit in front of the horse envoy."
Ma Shaoyu saw that Wu Sangui was such a humble and cheerful person, and left an excellent impression on him. They then chatted for a while, and Ma Shaoyu emphasized to Wu Sangui the critical situation in the battlefield inside the pass. He believed that the situation in the Central Plains was very difficult, and hinted that Emperor Chongzhen was to the end
It is very likely that Guan Ning's troops will also be mobilized to fight against the intruders.
Wu Sangui had a close relationship with Hong Chengchou. Zu Kuan and Zu Dalue of his uncle's family had also participated in the pursuit of the rebels, killing the rebels and fleeing in all directions. Therefore, Wu Sangui was dissatisfied with Li Zicheng's military strength and combat power:
"The horse envoy is too worried. The rogue bandits have no roots in the Central Plains. They have families and soldiers in one battalion. As long as they are defeated, it will be a huge rout. The reason why the imperial court always failed to suppress the rogue bandits in the past is because of the employment and payment.
, As long as Your Majesty gives you enough food, suppressing bandits will not be a problem. In the final analysis, bandits are just thieves and cannot be compared with slave-building."
Ma Shaoyu traveled to Liaozuo during this period, and had a deep understanding of General Guan Ning's unrealistic contempt for the rogue bandits, as well as his deep-rooted fear of the Qing army.
He knew that he could not persuade Wu Sangui, but he still said: "Since Li Zicheng attacked Luoyang, the imperial court has resumed suppression campaigns several times, and one governor after another has been defeated miserably. The ancients said: Know yourself and the enemy, and you will be victorious in every battle; if you don't know yourself, you don't know the enemy.
, every battle is bound to be defeated. Today we must be cautious about predicting the enemy, first seeking invincibility, and then seeking victory."
As expected, Wu Sangui didn't take Ma Shaoyu's words to heart at all. He still only feared the Donglu, but was full of contempt for the Chuangjun.
Ma Shaoyu stopped dwelling on this issue and just drank some wine with Wu Sangui and chatted for a few more words. Wu Sangui complained quite a bit about Ningyuan's miserable military life. During the conversation between the two, Wu Sangui mentioned several times that he had surrendered to the Qing Dynasty.
Jun's uncle, Zu Dashou, hoped that Ma Shaoyu could inquire about Zu Dashou's situation when he went to Shengjing.
In fact, after Zu Dashou surrendered to the Qing army, he was already a treasonous traitor like Hong Chengchou. As the top general of the Guan Ning Army, Wu Sangui openly asked the envoy to greet Zu Dashou, a traitor, which was a bit excessive.
But Zu Dashou was fundamentally different from Hong Chengchou. Although Hong Chengchou was the governor, he was just a civil servant and did not really have any direct troops.
Since Zu Dashou came from a family of generals in Liaodong, although he was forced to surrender to the Qing army, he still had many connections in the Guan Ning army. For example, his nephew Wu Sangui still had strong military power. Considering this, Chongzhen decided to
It is impossible to decisively deal with the Zu Dashou family.
Chongzhen even deceived himself into believing that maybe Zu Dashou would just pretend to surrender to the Qing army like what happened before.
Ma Shaoyu understood what Wu Sangui meant, so after he took the delegation to Shengjing, he specifically told Fan Wencheng and Gang Lin about Wu Sangui and Zu Dashou's family.
About a month after Wu Sangui sent Ma Shaoyu's delegation away from Ningyuan, in the evening of that heavy snowfall, while releasing more than a thousand households of Liao people back, the Qing army actually sent Zu Dashou to Ningyuan!
Wu Sangui was both surprised and happy about his uncle's return. Of course, he was happy that his uncle could be returned to Ningyuan by the Qing army unharmed, which meant that the negotiations of Ma Shaoyu's mission must have made breakthrough progress; he was surprised that Zu Dashou returned to Ningyuan
, will it affect his status and strength? How will Chongzhen deal with Zu Dashou who suddenly returns?
"uncle!"
Although Wu Sangui had deep doubts about Zu Dashou's sudden return, Wu Sangui also knew that his family, including his father Wu Xiang, had a close relationship with Zu Dashou, and most of his elite servants were from Zu's family.
General. No matter what considerations he had, Wu Sangui welcomed Zu Dashou back to Ningyuan with extremely solemn etiquette.
He even staged a farce of lying on the ice to beg for a carp in the snowy weather. When he went out of the city to greet his ancestors on his birthday, he suddenly took off the thick brocade cloak he was wearing and put it on his uncle. This was also
Not feeling it was enough, Wu Sangui then took off the two inner clothes one after another and hung them all on Zu Dashou's body.
He was actually in the snow, shirtless.
Wu Sangui's performance did not cause any waves in Zu Dashou's heart, but it made the Ningyuan soldiers and civilians feel a warm hope. They all cheered. Although they didn't know how Zu Dashou escaped from the Qing Dynasty, it was very important to the Ningyuan soldiers and civilians.
It is said that this moment made them get rid of the long-term depression and low mood after the tragic defeat of the Ming Army in the Songjin War, and they felt some light about the future.
But how would they feel if they knew the inside story of Zu Dashou's return?
"Uncle, things have changed."
As soon as Zu Dashou came up, he told Wu Sangui about the peace talks about Ma Shaoyu's delegation going to Shengjing to borrow troops to help suppress the war. Wu Sangui was shocked by this news.
Because although he knew that Ma Shaoyu had been presiding over the peace negotiation, he had no idea about the inside story of using his teacher to help suppress the war after the peace negotiation.
"Uncle, is this serious? As long as the peace is negotiated, the imperial court can mobilize Guan Ning's troops to suppress the thieves. Why would they use methods like borrowing teachers to help suppress the bandits? Besides, doesn't uncle know what kind of person Huang Taiji is? He
How could you be willing to be a Uighur?"
Wu Sangui, shirtless, performed a touching show of affection between himself and Zu Dashou for the soldiers and civilians of Ningyuan in a heavy snowy day, and then took his uncle back to his home. The issue he was most concerned about was the true inside story of borrowing his teacher's help in the suppression.
This is the attitude and trends of the Qing army.
"The peace talks and the use of troops to help suppress the campaign are all a foregone conclusion. Now that the invaders have conquered Xuzhou and cut off the water transportation from the north to the south, if the imperial court cannot restore Shandong in March, then the grain supply will be useless, not only in Beijing.
There is nothing to eat. You are in Ningyuan and the same is true in Shanhaiguan! Although Guan Ning’s troops are strong, are you sure, Uncle Zhang, that you will regain Xuzhou in March?”
"This...I'm afraid it won't work. Now not only Xuzhou, but the entire Shandong Province is occupied by thieves. Even if Nandu's troops march against me, after recovering Jinan and Yanzhou, we can attack Xuzhou and resume water transportation. It will take four or five months at the shortest.
Time, right?”
"Don't say four or five months, I'm afraid in three months, no, two months, Guan Ning will have a problem eating, right?"
Wu Sangui thought that very little new rice had been shipped to Ningyuan recently, and a large part of the rice in the warehouse was old grain, and he knew that what his uncle said was indeed true.
"Uncle, so the imperial court is determined to use the teacher to help suppress the war. The imperial court released you to Ningyuan. Does this mean that the imperial court also agrees with this proposal? Huang Taiji does not look like such a person! And... after the peace negotiation, do you want to cede Ningyuan?
From the Qing Dynasty?"
Zu Dashou shook his head and said: "No, I heard from Fan Wencheng that the money for peace was just that the Ming and Qing armies demarcated the border on the spot, and Ningyuan is still owned by Guan Ning."
When Wu Sangui heard this, he couldn't help but wonder: "Ma Shaoyu's ability is so great? If the money negotiated for peace is indeed like this, it will be nothing short of unprecedented good news for the Ming Dynasty."
"Be patient and don't be impatient."
Zu Dashou suddenly showed a mysterious expression and said to Wu Sangui: "All the land and properties of the generals in Liao Town are outside the pass. After the court negotiates peace, Guan Ning will definitely be mobilized to enter the pass to suppress the thieves. These land properties outside the pass, as well as the ancestral graves, if anything happens
, How to protect yourself? In the past, Guan Ning had one hope: to defeat the imperial court in the future, regain Liaodong, and regain the old land of the Liao people. But now that the imperial court is negotiating peace with the Qing people, it is obvious that they want to recognize Liaodong as Qing land. In the future, the Liao people can
I have to give up the idea of returning to my hometown."
Zu Dashou's words made Wu Sangui's expression change with shock. Indeed, just as Zu Dashou said, now that the Ming and Qing Dynasties are negotiating for peace, the court has recognized the legality of the Qing's occupation of Liaodong.
So the Liaozhen Group, which was born due to the Liao people's policy of defending Liao soil, doesn't it mean there is no hope of returning to their hometown?
"Uncle Chang, you have to seize the opportunity...Now that the proposal of borrowing a teacher to help with the suppression has been made, I estimate that the imperial court will soon transfer you to join the suppression campaign, and it is very likely that you and Abatai, who is currently staying in Wuqing, will be assigned.
The army unites and goes south. You have to understand that the hope of the Liao people lies in your own hands. How will this battle be fought and for whom will it be fought? Uncle Chang, you have to consider this matter yourself!"
Wu Sangui's expression grew strange as he listened to Zu Dashou's words. A terrible suspicion gradually emerged in his mind. He finally couldn't help but opened his eyes wide, pointed at Zu Dashou and said: "Uncle, you, you, you and Huang Taiji...
…Have you talked about anything with Emperor Qing?”
Zu Dashou sighed and said: "Everything in the world can be known by your majesty. Your majesty is so talented and has Governor Hong at your side. Uncle Chang, I brought you a biography of Medicine Master Guo from the history of the Song Dynasty. You
You should read more!”
Wu Sangui's face was livid, he was shocked for a long time, and finally became speechless. He took the book, which tells the story of the legendary figure Guo Yaoshi, who first served as a general of the Liao and Han armies in the late Northern Song Dynasty, and then defected to the Northern Song Dynasty to help the children in the Northern Expedition. Finally, he changed sides again and led the Jin soldiers southward.