Prince Chongzhen

Chapter 516: Bad News
The Central Plains has a flat terrain, fertile land, dense population and abundant resources. As long as there is a relatively stable environment, a powerful land regime will inevitably be born.

But there are pros and cons.

Sichuan and Shaanxi to the west, Jianghuai to the south, the sea to the east, and two mountains to the north.

Such a chosen place is closely surrounded by mountains, rivers and seas. Once the control of these places is lost, the regime based on the North China Plain will be like a turtle in a jar, and will be in a passive position to be beaten.

Of course, on the surface, the Qing Dynasty was not yet so passive at this time. After all, the areas outside the Great Wall and south of the desert were still under their control. If they were really defeated in Kaifeng, they could just withdraw from the interior.

At that time, the worst that could happen is that we can just treat this entry into the pass as the same as the previous ones. Does the Ming Dynasty have the ability to chase us to the north?
It has to be said that such an idea was widely held in the minds of the Qing court officials. Even after several defeats and heavy losses, no one felt that the Qing Dynasty was facing a life-and-death situation.

But not knowing doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

As one plan after another unfolded, Zhu Cilang's grand strategy was finally fully revealed. By the time Dorgon realized the danger hidden in it, it was too late to save the situation.

"Your Highness, don't worry. The Ming army crossing the sea will not have too many troops. As long as Prince Zheng can guard the gates carefully, this crisis will be easily resolved."

Looking at the pale-faced Dorgon, Luo Luohun was extremely puzzled, but he kept uttering words of comfort.

Half an hour ago, he received the news that Shanhaiguan had fallen, and along with it came Dorgon's summons. He did not bother to pack and hurried to the central army camp. However, he found Dorgon almost fainted when he entered the tent.

He knew that Dorgon was not having an easy life.

With people's unstable hearts and difficult supplies, and the Ming army that neither wanted to fight nor retreat, the commander of the army must have been under tremendous pressure.

But Luo Luohun couldn't understand how the loss of Shanhaiguan could make Dorgon so desperate.

After all, there are more than five or six roads leading to the outside of the Great Wall. Even though the Liaoxi Corridor is the most convenient and open, there are by no means no alternatives.

Could this news be the last straw that breaks the camel's back?
As his thoughts turned, Luo Luohun's eyes showed some inquiry. Finally, Dorgon had recovered from his initial panic, and after three or two breaths, he finally got the other party's explanation.

"Do you remember what Gunbu said a few days ago about the Junggar tribe attacking his ranch?"

"Ah."

"At first I just thought he was looking for an excuse to ask for money and property, but I didn't expect the Junggars to really come."

"Zungar? They are not talented generals." Luo Luohun seemed to have thought of something before he finished half of his sentence. He turned his head sharply, and when the map hanging on the screen came into his sight, he felt his blood boiling and the world spinning. "Could it be...?!!"

Luo Luohun was still stronger than Gunbu. When he heard that the Dzungars had reappeared in the grasslands south of the desert, he immediately thought of his own retreat. Then his thoughts turned, and the most unlikely guess also appeared in his mind.

Indeed, the way to retreat to the northeast is not just Shanhaiguan, but apart from the difficult and tortuous route like Xifengkou, one can only take a detour through the grassland.

But at such a critical juncture, the Dzungar people, who had always been at odds with the Qing court, appeared on the grasslands south of the desert, contrary to their usual practice. If you say that there was no involvement of the Ming Dynasty, I am afraid that Luo Luohun would not believe it even if he went to hell.

"It's probably true. Otherwise, the Junggars would have no reason to come back after they just retreated." "But why would they be with the Southern Dynasty?"

Realizing the crisis surrounding the Qing Dynasty, Luo Luohun was suddenly terrified, but when he was about to rely on his instinct to find out how the two unrelated families came together, Dorgon waved his hand weakly.

"Now is not the time to pursue this matter," Dorgon said, and then he stopped. After Luo Luohun regained his composure, he continued, "These days, the food and wages are insufficient, and the Han people in the army have other thoughts. This is inside the pass."

Dorgon did not say all that he wanted to say, but Luo Luohun knew what he was unspoken about.

If the current situation continues to develop, the more than 200,000 troops stationed in Kaifeng will be like a bloody trench on their own body. Even if the Southern Army always stays on the Huai River line, the population of the Central Plains will inevitably decrease rapidly due to the heavy burden. It won't take three or two years. I'm afraid that by the beginning of next spring, the four provinces will become truly uninhabited for thousands of miles.

In fact, this idea had already appeared in the minds of people like Luo Luohun, but at that time he still had a way out, so he thought of making a last gamble with the lives of the Ahas.

By then, even if all the tribes south of the desert and the surrendered troops were wiped out, his Eight Banners headquarters could still return to the outside of the Great Wall.

But now the Ming army not only tied down its own troops in Kaifeng, but also cut off the main road to retreat outside the Great Wall.

This arrangement was obviously intended to trap the entire Manchu race inside the Great Wall. If they still held on to their earlier ideas, it would probably only take a few days for the entire race to be exterminated.

just
"Your Highness, forgive me for being blunt, but continuing to confront the Southern Army is indeed a temporary solution. However, the Southern Dynasty has already made arrangements for our retreat. If we retreat outside the Great Wall, I don't know how many of us will survive. By then, we don't even need the fickle Mongolian tribes to take action. The weather outside the Great Wall alone can wipe us out."

It has to be said that Luo Luohun's idea has taken human hearts into consideration.

Although the tribes south of the desert have been submissive to the Qing Dynasty in recent years, it can be said that over the past thousands of years, which royal flag on the grassland was not destroyed by the tribes on the grassland?
If the Qing Dynasty really fell into decline, I am afraid that the first to come to attack would be the grassland tribes that surrendered to the Manchus.

After he finished speaking, Luo Luohun's eyes were inevitably mixed with some nervousness, as if he was afraid that Dorgon really decided to lead his people to pave the road home with blood and flesh.

But if he could think of it, how could Dorgon not think of it?
Just when he was about to persuade him a few more times, the other party's weak voice came over.

"I have ordered people to block the news. As long as we act quickly, we can bring the army back together. When we enter the grassland, no matter what everyone thinks, they must follow the orders of the court."

Hearing this, Luo Luohun was stunned for a moment.

In his imagination, once his army was about to withdraw to the border, all the news would inevitably spread among the army.

Under such circumstances, there was no possibility for the troops in Kaifeng to be brought back, and the road home could only be paved with the corpses of their own people.

But if it is true as Dorgon said, and they can lure these people back before the Southern Army can react, then it does not seem to be difficult to maintain the situation of three or two years ago.

As his thoughts turned, Luo Luohun couldn't help but feel admiration for Dorgon. However, just as he was about to follow orders, he heard hurried footsteps outside.

"Your Majesty, Xuzhou has been lost."

(End of this chapter)