My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 193 What? Huang Taiji vomited blood again? ( words long chapter! Please subscribe!)

Because of the victory in the Battle of Songjin, everything in the Ming Dynasty is now moving in a good direction.

The whole country is prosperous.

However, in sharp contrast, the situation on the Jiannu side seemed to have fallen into a dark abyss.

Shengjing used to be a bustling place with heavy traffic, people coming and going on the streets, and it was bustling and noisy.

But now, the whole city seems to be covered by a thick layer of dark clouds. It is cold and deserted, so quiet that it makes people feel uneasy.

The streets were deserted, the cobblestone roads were shimmering with a cold light, and there were very few pedestrians.

Occasionally, a few passers-by hurried past, their necks shrunk, their eyes full of vigilance and fear, their steps hurried and flustered, as cautious as a frightened bird, afraid to make any sound.

Most of the businesses on the street have closed their doors and are afraid to do business.

I'm afraid I'll get into trouble if I'm not careful.

It turned out that the news of the defeat in the Battle of Songjin had already swept through the entire Shengjing like a storm. The people of Shengjing were afraid that the Jiannu would come after them after their defeat and have nowhere to vent their anger, so they didn't even dare to breathe.

After all, the princes of the Jiannu army have always been cruel and ruthless. If they say or do something wrong by accident, they will get into trouble.

Therefore, they can only live cautiously in this depressing and dull atmosphere, living in fear every day.

In the Shengjing Palace, the oppressive atmosphere became increasingly intense, as if the air had become sticky, making people almost suffocate.

The light in Huang Taiji's bedroom was dim, as if time had stopped.

A group of imperial physicians, dressed in long robes, gathered together with solemn expressions. Their brows were furrowed, as if they could pinch a fly to death. Their eyes revealed anxiety and helplessness, and they were nervously discussing something in low voices.

Everyone's forehead was covered with beads of sweat.

And all this happened just because Huang Taiji's condition suddenly worsened again!

After Huang Taiji returned with the remaining troops, he suddenly vomited blood in large mouthfuls, and then fell into a coma, lying lifeless in bed.

These imperial doctors had tried every possible method and read through all the medical books, but they were still helpless against Huang Taiji's illness.

Faced with such a situation, how could they not be terrified?

After all, if they couldn't cure Huang Taiji, their lives and property would be in danger, and the entire family might be implicated.

The reason behind this was that Huang Taiji learned that Cao Bianjiao led 10,000 Guanning cavalry to carry out a large-scale massacre in the Liaodong area.

According to rough estimates, Cao Bianjiao killed at least 30,000 Jiannu in this battle, and successfully rescued and took away about 100,000 abducted Han people.

The moment Huang Taiji heard the news, he felt a rush of hot blood to his forehead, his blood surged up instantly, his eyes went black, and he vomited blood and fell into a coma on the spot.

In fact, at the beginning, no one dared to let Huang Taiji know the news, for fear that Huang Taiji's condition would worsen after hearing it, so they tried their best not to let him know about it.

But this is Shengjing after all. Huang Taiji has worked hard for many years and has his own huge and strict intelligence organization.

Although they are not as good as the Jinyiwei of the Ming Dynasty, they are still well-informed.

These intelligence personnel were well aware of their duties and missions and dared not conceal any information at all, because once they concealed it, they would completely lose the trust of Huang Taiji.

In this strictly hierarchical palace, losing trust is equivalent to risking one's life, so they had no choice but to bite the bullet and tell Huang Taiji the news truthfully.

Then, it led to the current irreversible situation.

In the bedroom, a woman dressed in gorgeous Manchu clothes stood quietly in front of Huang Taiji's bed. She had a graceful figure and a pretty face, and her eyes were full of anxiety and worry.

From time to time, he would reach out and gently stroke Huang Taiji's forehead, his movements as gentle as if he was touching a fragile treasure, and he was muttering something to himself.

This woman was none other than Dayuer. Not only did she possess a stunning beauty, she was also the woman Dorgon deeply loved for his entire life.

However, at this moment, Dayuer's mind was not on Dorgon at all. Her heart was full of worry about Huang Taiji, and a trace of panic flashed in her eyes from time to time.

Because she knew that if Huang Taiji died like this, life would be difficult for them, an orphan and a widow.

By the bed, a thin imperial physician with typical Han Chinese appearance was concentrating on treating Huang Taiji.

This Han Chinese doctor was captured by the Jiannu during the war with the Ming Dynasty. It is said that he was famous for his superb medical skills during the Ming Dynasty, and he saved countless lives by bringing people back to life with his miraculous hands.

After Huang Taiji knew about this, he admitted him to the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat the royal family.

However, at this moment, the imperial physician's hands were trembling slightly, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat.

There's no way, he panics when faced with this kind of thing!

Moreover, he knew very well that if such a thing happened in the Ming Dynasty where the emperor could not be cured after being diagnosed, he might still have a chance of survival with the connections and reputation he had accumulated over the years.

After all, the Ming Dynasty still had some sense.

But now I am in this land of the Jiannu people, who kill people like crazy and take human lives lightly.

If he tried his best but still failed to cure Huang Taiji, then what would await him would not only be his own life, but his entire family would be implicated and suffer a devastating disaster.

His eyes were full of fear and despair, and every time he raised his hand to take Huang Taiji's pulse, it seemed as if he had used up all his strength.

After a long while, the Han doctor slowly stood up and let out a long sigh, which seemed to carry endless fatigue and helplessness.

Seeing this, Dayuer hurried forward, her skirt swaying gently with her movements, and asked anxiously:
"Your Majesty, what happened? Tell me!"

The imperial physician lowered his head slightly, not daring to look directly into Dayuer's eyes, and replied with a trembling voice:
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. His Majesty was just too angry and couldn't catch his breath, so he fell into a coma."

After hearing this, Dayuer was suddenly filled with anger. Her cheeks turned slightly red, and her eyes revealed anger and dissatisfaction.

Because the previous imperial physicians had said the same thing in such a nonchalant manner, it was essentially the same as saying nothing at all and was of no real help at all.

Dayuer frowned and raised her voice and said:

"Stop talking nonsense and just tell me how to wake His Majesty up!"

The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead and said after hesitating for a moment:

"I have an ancient recipe in my home that may be able to save Your Majesty."

perhaps?

When Dayuer heard these two words, she became even more furious. Her chest heaved violently, and she was obviously very angry.

There was that ambiguous 'maybe' again. She was tired of hearing these two words!
But she really had no other choice at the moment. After all, she had tried all the methods she could and had no other choice.

Then, she could only wave her hand helplessly and said:
"Alright, go and boil the medicine. Feel free to use whatever precious herbs you need, as long as they can save His Majesty."

When the imperial physician heard this, he felt as if he had been pardoned. He hurriedly retreated, and because his steps were so flustered, he almost tripped over the threshold.

After the imperial physician left, Dayuer seemed to suddenly remember something important. She turned her head slightly and looked at a Han Confucian scholar who had been sitting not far away, her eyes full of expectation and a look of help.

"Mr. Fan, what should I do? I'm totally lost in this situation."

The man called "Mr. Fan" by Dayuer is none other than Fan Wencheng, who is notorious in history.

For the Ming Dynasty, Fan Wencheng was undoubtedly an out-and-out traitor.

He came from a prominent family and was the seventeenth-generation grandson of Fan Zhongyan, a famous official in the Song Dynasty. His family had been officials for generations and was extremely glorious.

His sixth-generation ancestor Fan Yue once served as the county magistrate of Yunmeng County, Huguang, and later moved his family to Liaodong.

My great-grandfather Fan Jian was a Jinshi during the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty. Relying on his talent and ability, he rose to the position of Minister of War and held an important position in the court.

My grandfather Fan Shen also served as the commander-in-chief of Shenyang Guard in the Ming Dynasty and held great power.

In short, many of Fan Wencheng's ancestors had served as high-ranking officials in the Ming Dynasty and were highly respected and trusted by the court. He himself even passed the imperial examination in his early years and gained fame in the Ming Dynasty.

But it was such a person who betrayed his country and nation and had been giving advice to Huang Taiji.

He not only suggested that Huang Taiji take a detour through the Mongolian region, but also rushed thousands of miles to attack the weak points in the Ming Dynasty's Jizhen defense zone, which dealt a heavy blow to the Ming Dynasty's border defense.

He also participated in planning a counter-espionage plot and successfully eliminated the Ming Dynasty general Yuan Chonghuan!

Of course, Yuan Chonghuan really deserved to die!
Later, in the fifth year of Tiancong, which was the fourth year of Chongzhen, when the Jiannu army besieged Dalinghhe, he used his eloquence to successfully persuade the Mongolian surrendered soldiers and the Xishan Ming army to surrender, thus expanding the strength of the Jiannu army.

In the seventh year of Tiancong, which was the sixth year of Chongzhen, he was ordered to declare Huang Taiji's grace and trust to Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming and Shang Kexi, so that these three generals with heavy troops surrendered to the Jiannu, further strengthening the power of the Later Jin.

In the first year of Chongde, Huang Taiji changed the reign title and established a new one. Fan Wencheng was appointed as the Minister of the Internal Secretariat. From then on, he was involved in almost all the confidential affairs and decision-making of the Later Jin Dynasty. Huang Taiji trusted him very much and almost obeyed his every word.

Perhaps because of this, even though Dayuer did not dare to let several ambitious princes who held heavy troops come to Huang Taiji's bedside, she only let Fan Wencheng come with confidence.

At this moment, Fan Wencheng was sitting aside, his brows furrowed, his face full of worry and helplessness.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on his knees, his eyes revealing contemplation and anxiety.

He knew very well in his mind that if Huang Taiji had followed his plan and decisively withdrawn his troops from Jinzhou, such a tragic defeat would not have happened, and the Jiannu would not have suffered serious damage.

In this battle, the Jiannu lost 130,000 people at once, 100,000 of whom were elite soldiers in their prime and extremely powerful.

This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Jiannu, and they would not be able to recover in a short period of time.

Moreover, Huang Taiji was now unconscious, and the Ming army was taking advantage of this time to advance towards Shengjing in a mighty manner. Shengjing was already in a precarious situation and could be breached by the Ming army at any time.

At this critical moment, a decision must be made as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable.

Although Fan Wencheng was also extremely anxious and didn't know what to do, he still pretended to be calm when he saw Dayu'er's face full of sorrow and haggard expression. He tried to make his tone sound gentle and firm, and whispered to comfort her:
"Your Majesty, don't worry too much. Since the imperial physician says there is a way, Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune and will surely wake up."

Although his voice was steady, the slightly trembling tone still revealed his inner anxiety.

Dayuer raised her eyes and met Fan Wencheng's. Her eyes were full of fatigue and helplessness. How could she not know that these were just words of comfort? But in this panicked moment, someone gave her such gentle advice, and she felt a little comforted.

She nodded gently, her hair swaying slightly with the movement, showing her weakness and hesitation.

Then, Dayu'er seemed to be struck by an idea. Her eyebrows were tightly knitted together, and a hint of determination flashed in her eyes as she said:
"Mr. Fan, I am just a woman, and it is not convenient for me to meddle in state affairs."

"But the situation right now is truly critical, so I'm leaving this matter entirely up to you. I hope you can come up with a foolproof plan as soon as possible. Also, you have to find a way to appease those people outside."

As she spoke, her gaze slowly turned outside the house, looking into the distance through the carved window lattice, her eyes full of worry and helplessness.

At this time, a group of people had already gathered in the courtyard outside the palace.

Jirgalang's expression was stern, like an iceberg that had not melted for a thousand years. He stood quietly with his hands behind his back, looking towards the bedroom from time to time, as if thinking about something.

Duoduo's face was full of impatience. He kept pacing on the spot with quick and messy steps, muttering something from time to time, as if complaining about the long wait and the unknown ending.

Dorgon looked pale and a little tired.

He had just escaped death from the encirclement and blockade of the Ming army yesterday. The pursuit of 5,000 cavalrymen still frightened him, and the tragic defeat of the entire army also caused his reputation to plummet.

At this moment, he lowered his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking, and his slightly trembling hands revealed his inner anxiety.

Daishan had a solemn expression on his face, his brows furrowed as if he could pinch a fly to death, and his hands were clenched tightly together, as if he was trying his best to suppress his inner anxiety.

Only Brother Hao and the others seemed a little out of place, because there was a hint of ambition and eagerness in his eyes. He kept observing the expressions of the people around him, like a cheetah waiting for an opportunity.

After all, if Huang Taiji really died, he would be the first heir!

How could this not excite him?

In short, all the people who appear here now are key figures in the Jiannu power center.

At this moment, they gathered here, each with their own ulterior motives.

As soon as Huang Taiji dies, the conflict between them will erupt instantly!
Dayuer and Fan Wencheng in the room naturally understood what everyone outside was thinking.

Huang Taiji is now in a coma and his life or death is uncertain. They all know that Huang Taiji probably doesn't have much time left, and even if he wakes up, his body will not be able to hold on for too long.

Once Huang Taiji passed away, the selection of the next emperor became their most concerned issue.

Fan Wencheng sighed softly, with a hint of helplessness and emotion in his voice, and said to Dayuer:

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will do my best."

"But I am a Han Chinese after all. There are some things that I am truly unable to do."

Dayu'er nodded slightly. She knew it was a bit reluctant to entrust such an important task to a Han Chinese, but looking around, there was really no one to rely on. She could only say helplessly:

"Just do your best, sir. I can only count on you."

Fan Wencheng nodded, straightened his clothes, smoothed out the wrinkles one by one, and walked out with steady steps.

As soon as he stepped out of the bedroom, Dorgon and others surrounded him like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey.

Duoduo spoke first, his voice sharp and urgent:

"Fan Wencheng, what happened to His Majesty? Tell me quickly!"

Dorgon then asked:

"When will His Majesty wake up? What did the imperial physician say?"

Everyone was talking at once, making a lot of noise. At the same time, their hands kept pulling at Fan Wencheng's sleeves and pushing him, almost tormenting him to pieces.

Fan Wencheng cursed in his heart: They are indeed a group of rude and disrespectful barbarians.

But then, he suppressed the anger in his heart, took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and then said:

"Everyone, everyone! This is not the place to talk. Please follow me. Let's sit down and talk slowly."

After hearing this, everyone quieted down a little and followed Fan Wencheng to a side hall.

In the side hall, the atmosphere was still tense and depressing, as if the air had frozen.

The dim light shines through the narrow window and falls on the ground, forming patches of mottled light and shadow.

Fan Wencheng calmed down and then slowly said:

"The Imperial Physician has just said that Your Majesty's illness is not terminal. With careful nursing, he will soon wake up, so there is no need to worry too much."

After hearing this, everyone present showed disdain on their faces.

Some people raised the corners of their mouths slightly, revealing a hint of sarcastic sneer, while others snorted softly, sneering in their hearts.

Because the imperial doctors had said this before, and they had heard it countless times. If Huang Taiji could really wake up soon, how could he have been in a coma until now?

However, they could only keep these doubts in their hearts.

After all, Huang Taiji has not passed away yet. If they say something they shouldn't say and Huang Taiji miraculously wakes up, they will be in big trouble and may even lose their heads.

At this moment, Duoduo couldn't hold back any longer. He took a step forward, stomped his feet heavily on the ground, and said impatiently:
"Fan Wencheng, can you say something useful? Don't fool us with this nonsense!"

When Fan Wencheng saw Duoduo, his face instantly turned very ugly, and a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes. That resentful look was like a sharp sword, as if he wanted to pierce Duoduo.

Because Duoduo was arrogant and lustful, he never took him seriously and even did something as outrageous as openly taking his wife away.

At that time, Fan Wencheng could no longer bear it and went to Dorgon to complain. Although Dorgon scolded Duoduo and punished him with a fine of 1,000 taels of silver and 15 ox-feeders, and asked Duoduo to return his wife, this incident still became an eternal shame in his heart, like a thorn deeply stuck in his heart.

Everyone present knew this very well, so in their eyes, Fan Wencheng was just a poor "green-haired turtle" who was given some status only because Huang Taiji valued his talents.

But deep down, they all looked down on Fan Wencheng.

But now at this critical moment, the situation is so serious that it seems we can only hope that Fan Wencheng can come up with a good idea to save this precarious situation.

After all, apart from anything else, Fan Wencheng does have a good brain and has always been able to come up with some brilliant ideas and strategies to turn things around.

Even if they had followed Fan Wencheng's advice and chosen to retreat in time, they might not have suffered such a disastrous defeat.

It's too late to say this now. Time cannot be reversed and the mistake has already been made.

Seeing the growing confusion and anxiety on everyone's faces, Fan Wencheng took a deep breath and said, "To prevent the situation from getting out of control,
"Everyone, you should all know that I am only a Han Chinese. There are some things I dare not say in this court."

"So if you shouldn't ask, please be kind and stop asking. I won't say another word."

"Our most urgent task now is how to deal with the impending Ming army!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone understood what Fan Wencheng meant. Simply put, he was warning them not to ask about Huang Taiji anymore. This kind of thing was not something he, a Han Chinese, could talk about casually.

And what Fan Wencheng said was indeed correct. In the current situation, the most important thing is to quickly find a way to deal with the approaching Ming army. As for Huang Taiji...
Anyway, he can only lie there and can't run away.

Seeing that everyone had fallen silent, Fan Wencheng continued to ask questions while the iron was hot:

"Everyone, I wonder where the Ming army is now?"

Upon hearing this, Haoge hurried forward, his expression both respectful and eager, and he replied loudly:
"Reporting to you, sir, the Ming army has now arrived at Guangningwei (now Panshan County), less than 300 miles away from Shengjing."

"And according to the information reported by the spies ahead who traveled day and night, the number of Ming troops is far more than 100,000. There are probably about 150,000 now."

When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but gasp as if they were hit by a heavy hammer.

They originally thought that the Ming army had a strength of 100,000, which was already difficult for them to deal with. Unexpectedly, it now has 150,000 troops. How should they fight this battle?
For a moment, many people frowned secretly, thinking quickly about how to deal with the situation.

Some people even glanced at Hauge secretly out of the corner of their eyes.

You know, Hauge is not so proactive on normal days, but now he is like a different person.

It was obvious that he took advantage of Huang Taiji's serious illness and coma, and wanted to show off his talents in front of everyone.

After all, according to common sense, if something really happened to Huang Taiji and Long Yu passed away, he, as the only adult son of Huang Taiji, would have a great chance of inheriting the throne and ascending the supreme throne.

At the same time, Fan Wencheng nodded slightly, with a hint of relief on his face that was imperceptible to others.

He has always valued Hauge.

First of all, Hauge was Huang Taiji's biological son, and was half his master.

Secondly, he was also very clear in his mind that if Haoge could successfully succeed to the throne and become the new emperor of the Qing Dynasty in the future, his position might be more stable due to his years of assistance, and his wealth and glory would naturally continue.

However, now was clearly not the time to indulge in such fantasies about the future, so Fan Wencheng calmed himself down and asked:

"Then how many troops can we mobilize right now?"

Daishan heard this and slowly said:
"Including the troops urgently summoned from various places, our current strength is approximately 70,000."

"If we gather some young and strong men from the surrounding area, we should be able to get a hundred thousand."

After a pause, he seemed to have swallowed a mouthful of bitter bile, his expression becoming more solemn, and he added:
"However, these are our last remaining assets. If these troops are further weakened, the Qing Dynasty will be completely destroyed."

As soon as these words came out, it was like pouring a basin of cold water on a blazing fire. The atmosphere on the scene instantly dropped to freezing point, and everyone's faces became increasingly ugly, as if shrouded in dark clouds.

Obviously, they all recalled the painful lessons of the Battle of Songjin. The scene of corpses everywhere and rivers of blood was still vivid in their minds.

It goes without saying that if we fight with the Ming army again this time, it will definitely be an ultimate life-and-death battle.

If they fail again this time, the Qing Dynasty will be completely destroyed, and all their wealth, power and status over the years will be in vain.

In fact, before this, many people had been privately pondering whether they should give up Shengjing first and temporarily retreat to the depths of Liaodong to preserve their strength, and then fight back to retake Shengjing after the Ming army's front line was stretched and its troops were slack.

After all, the Ming army's battle line was so long that even if they occupied Shengjing, there would definitely not be many troops left in Shengjing, so they still had a chance to recapture it.

But no one dared to say this easily.

After all, although they are princes, they cannot really decide such matters. The one who can make the final decision is still Huang Taiji.

At the same time, Fan Wencheng sat in a chair, tapping his fingers on his knees, his mind a mess, wondering how to solve the difficult dilemma before him.

From a personal perspective, he actually felt that giving up Shengjing might be the best option at the moment.

After all, the Jiannu were different from the Ming army. The Ming army's ability to attack and break through cities was always far beyond the Jiannu's reach. They were also quite good at defending cities, and they used various defensive fortifications and city defense equipment to perfection.

If they choose to defend the city this time, with the Jiannu's current military strength and morale, they will most likely not be able to hold it, and it will only be a matter of time before Shengjing is captured.

A field battle was not completely unfeasible, but the Ming army had just won a great victory and their morale was high, while their morale was really low.

Moreover, according to intelligence, the Ming army's firearms were very powerful, far exceeding the Jiannu's firearms in terms of range and firing rate.

In the Battle of Songjin, tens of thousands of Jiannu soldiers died from the Ming army's firearms!
So, you can’t beat him!
But if you don't want to retreat and don't want to fight, then it seems that there is only one way left!

That is: seek peace!

That’s right, Fan Wencheng’s real idea was to seek peace with the Ming army, and the two sides would redraw the border, recuperate and not interfere with each other.

In this way, the Jiannu would have a chance to catch their breath.

Wait for three to five years after recovery, and then plan other things.

However, he didn't dare say this easily.

He looked around at everyone in the room, seeing their arrogant and conceited expressions. He knew that if he said the word "peace", these guys in front of him might be blinded by anger and eat him alive on the spot.

Just as Fan Wencheng was racking his brains and had no idea what to do, the palace door was suddenly kicked open and a young eunuch ran in in a panic.

Duoduo was already very irritable. He had a bad temper on normal days and could not tolerate being offended by others, let alone a little eunuch who barged in so rudely?

He suddenly stood up and glared at me. Just as he was about to curse, the young eunuch got there first and stammered:
"Mr. Fanfan, your Excellencies, His Majesty has awakened!"

When he said this, the young eunuch's voice was trembling with excitement, and he almost cried for joy, his face full of relief at surviving the disaster.

After all, if Huang Taiji died, he, as someone who served Huang Taiji, would most likely be buried with him and continue to serve in the underworld.

But now that he doesn't have to die, he is naturally very happy.

When everyone present heard this, they were stunned at first, their expressions froze instantly, and then they were all shocked.

They never expected that Huang Taiji actually woke up.

At the same time, Fan Wencheng was so excited that his eyes were red, and he was secretly glad that Huang Taiji had woken up.

Some matters had to be decided by Huang Taiji himself, as he could not make the decision.

After all, this concerns the life and death of the Jiannu people. How could he, a Han Chinese official, dare to make a decision rashly?

The next second, Fan Wencheng stood up in a hurry, almost knocking over the chair next to him, and said loudly:

"Take me to see His Majesty!"

Then you have to go outside.

When Dorgon and others saw this scene, they also stood up and wanted to follow. They were also eager to know what would happen after Huang Taiji woke up.

But at this moment, the young eunuch stopped them and said nervously:
"Your Majesty, please wait a moment. His Majesty has just specifically instructed that he only wants to see Mr. Fan. Your Majesty, please talk to him later."

When Dorgon and others heard this, they didn't know what to say for a moment and could only sit down again.

But at this moment, everyone's expression was very interesting. Some looked confused, some frowned, and some looked unwilling.

They all knew that with Huang Taiji's awakening, all their previous little thoughts and secret plans would probably be in vain.

After all, as long as Huang Taiji is alive, he will always be their emperor!
At the same time, Fan Wencheng, led by the young eunuch, hurried and almost jogged all the way to Huang Taiji's bedroom.

At this moment, his heart was full of anxiety and anticipation. He was looking forward to seeing the awakened Huang Taiji as soon as possible, but he was also worried that the news he brought would make Huang Taiji's condition worse again.

When Fan Wencheng finally stepped into the familiar yet slightly depressing bedroom, a strong smell of medicine hit him in the face.

Then he saw Huang Taiji, who had just woken up and was leaning against the head of the bed, and the imperial physician who was concentrating on diagnosing Huang Taiji.

I have to say that this imperial physician's medical skills are truly amazing.

As soon as the medicine he prescribed was poured into Huang Taiji's mouth, not long after, Huang Taiji slowly opened his eyes.

Of course, maybe this is just a coincidence, but at this critical moment, none of this matters anymore. What matters is that Huang Taiji really woke up!
"Your Majesty, you finally woke up!"

Fan Wencheng was so excited that his voice trembled, his eyes instantly turned red, and then his knees softened, and he knelt on the ground with a thump, and kowtowed respectfully.

Huang Taiji lay on the sickbed, his face as pale as paper, and his body looked extremely weak. He waved his hand slightly, and said weakly in a hoarse but somewhat majestic voice:

"Fan Wencheng, there's no need to be so polite. Hurry up and speak."

After saying this, Huang Taiji waved to the young eunuch beside him.

Immediately, a clever little eunuch brought a chair and placed it steadily beside the bed.

After thanking him, Fan Wencheng sat down carefully, not daring to slack off in the slightest, his hands unconsciously clenched on his knees.

Then, Huang Taiji waved his hand to Dayu'er, who was standing beside him with a worried look on her face. His tone was gentle but unquestionable:

"You should step back first, and all of you should step back as well."

Huang Taiji's gaze slowly swept over the eunuchs, palace maids and imperial doctors in the room.

Dayuer nodded slightly. She naturally understood that Huang Taiji was going to talk about serious matters next, so she didn't say anything more. She sighed softly, turned around and slowly retreated.

Upon seeing this, the palace maids, eunuchs and imperial physicians all bowed and filed out quietly.

For a moment, only Huang Taiji and Fan Wencheng were left in the huge bedroom. The atmosphere instantly became solemn, as if the air had solidified.

Huang Taiji took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly, trying to steady his breathing, and then asked:

"Mr. Fan, please tell me, how serious is the current situation?"

When Fan Wencheng heard this, his face instantly turned a little ugly.

His fingers unconsciously scratched the armrests of the chair. He really wanted to report the current situation truthfully to Huang Taiji, but he was really worried that Huang Taiji could not bear this heavy blow. What if he vomited blood and fainted again?
By then, maybe someone would put all the blame on him. After all, he was just a Han Chinese official. In this court full of suspicion, he would be doomed if he was not careful.

Huang Taiji seemed to see through Fan Wencheng's worries at a glance, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a bitter smile as he said:

"Fan Wencheng, don't worry. It has come to this point. Is there anything I can't accept?"

"To be honest, I've already prepared for the worst. It's nothing more than the Ming army approaching the city and razing Shengjing to the ground!"

"Just tell me the truth, I will be fine."

Seeing this, Fan Wencheng gritted his teeth, made up his mind, and said:

"Your Majesty, the Ming army is now less than 300 miles away from Shengjing. Moreover, according to reliable intelligence, the number of Ming troops has exceeded 150,000."

"I estimate that it was because they continued to absorb Han people from Liaodong during their march that their military strength snowballed."

"If this continues, by the time they truly reach Shengjing, their numbers will have to increase by at least another 70,000 or 80,000. In other words, the final number of Ming troops is very likely to exceed 200,000."

"On the other hand, we currently have less than 80,000 troops. Even if we continue to recruit young and strong men, we can only have 100,000. And this is our last remaining asset!"

"The disparity in military strength between the two sides is really worrying."

After saying these words, Fan Wencheng looked at Huang Taiji cautiously, his eyes full of anxiety, fearing that he would faint again after hearing this bad news.

However, he still underestimated Huang Taiji's psychological quality. Even after hearing such shocking news, Huang Taiji's mood at this moment was not too volatile.

As he had said before, he had prepared for the worst, so he was not too surprised when he heard the news.

After a moment, Huang Taiji frowned slightly and slowly asked:
"Mr. Fan, in your opinion, is there any way to solve this urgent problem?"

Although his voice was a little hoarse due to weakness, it still carried unquestionable majesty.

When Fan Wencheng heard this, he hesitated for a moment, a trace of struggle flashing in his eyes, but in the end, he still gritted his teeth and mustered up the courage to say:

"I do have a solution, but Your Majesty may not accept it."

He lowered his head slightly, not daring to look directly into Huang Taiji's eyes.

When Huang Taiji heard this, he smiled bitterly and shook his head, full of helplessness and sadness.

"Now that things have gotten this bad, and Shengjing is on the verge of collapse, what else is there to be unacceptable? Just speak frankly, and don't worry too much."

At this point, Fan Wencheng no longer hesitated. He took a deep breath and continued:
"I believe that the only solution right now is to negotiate peace with the Ming Dynasty."

Negotiate peace?

Hearing this word, Huang Taiji's expression instantly became very complicated, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he had heard some incredible story.

His expression was mixed with anger and unwillingness.

After all, the Qing Dynasty has always been conquering all directions and expanding its territory. Has there ever been a precedent for peace talks?

And they say they are negotiating peace, but in fact they are just asking for peace!

After all, as the defeated party, they have no qualifications to negotiate peace and can only ask for peace!

In Huang Taiji's eyes, seeking peace was undoubtedly a disgrace and a blasphemy against the glory of the Qing Dynasty.

However, Huang Taiji was a great ruler after all. He suppressed his surging emotions and did not show any displeasure.

Then I thought about it carefully and felt that what Fan Wencheng said made a lot of sense.

As long as we seek peace with the Ming Dynasty, we can avoid the brutal war that is about to break out.

After all, if a war really breaks out, with the current military strength and morale of the Jiannu, they are no match for the Ming army.

Of course, the entire army would not be wiped out, because at the most critical moment, Huang Taiji would evacuate Shengjing and flee to Liaodong with all his troops.

Then wait for the Ming army to retreat or relax its vigilance, and then look for an opportunity to recapture Shengjing.

However, if the peace talks were successful, there would be no need to retreat or escape, and they would be able to avoid a catastrophe that would cause devastation to countless lives.

However, he was not sure whether the Ming army would agree to peace talks?

Besides, under normal circumstances, if the defeated party wants to negotiate peace with the victorious party, it often has to pay a huge price. Do they still have the capital to do so now?
(End of this chapter)