Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 43 Yuan Chonghuan: Liaodong will be mine after the mission is accomplished.
"Where is Yuan Chonghuan now?!" someone asked from inside the room.

In July, former Liaodong governor Yuan Chonghuan resigned for various reasons.

In name, Yuan Chonghuan declared that he would return to his hometown to retire after stepping down from his post.

But in reality, Yuan Chonghuan had been staying near the capital all along and hadn't left.

At that time, the late emperor was already terminally ill.

Yuan Chonghuan resigned purely for the sake of a better reinstatement and, incidentally, to further enhance his reputation.

How could someone who has tasted power possibly give it up so easily?

Someone replied, "In a house built by a military supply depot in the mountains outside Beijing."

Huang Liji nodded: "Send someone to talk to him and see how he reacts."

After making a plan.

Even so, a group of men secretly left the city and headed to the villa where Yuan Chonghuan was located.

Wanquan Mountain, on the outskirts of Beijing.

After walking along the narrow path for a while, the whole scene suddenly opened up.

You can see a house surrounded by towering trees, with white walls and blue tiles, and many guards standing watch.

In the courtyard.

Yuan Chonghuan lay on a rocking chair, leisurely enjoying a massage from a delicate maid beside him.

On a small square table to the side, there was a pot of broth simmered for three hours with old hen and ginseng, and a bowl of thin, watery white fungus, lotus seed and lily porridge.

The variety of fruits and snacks is too numerous to list.

This place cannot compare to the splendor and wealth of the capital.

But it also has a certain elegance to it, like the saying "In this humble abode, only my virtue is fragrant."

just.

This tranquility didn't last long before it was interrupted by a disturbance.

One of the men leaned down and whispered in Yuan Chonghuan's ear, who was resting with his eyes closed, "Someone from the capital has arrived."

Yuan Chonghuan straightened himself up and slowly straightened his robes: "Bring him to my study."

soon.

Yuan Chonghuan met the officials who had come from the capital in his study.

Facing these familiar faces.

Yuan Chonghuan sat calmly on the weathered huanghuali armchair and brewed a pot of tea:

"Gentlemen, the West Lake Longjing tea from before the Qingming Festival is even better than the ones sent to the palace. I wouldn't have been able to drink it if you hadn't come."

Several people looked at each other.

When it comes to a life-or-death situation, who has the time to waste on these trivial matters?!

So he immediately expressed his request.

After listening to their accounts, Yuan Chonghuan frowned deeply, his eyes blazing: "You actually dare to commit treason?!"

"You still want me to use Liaodong to control the Emperor, or even threaten to surrender Ningyuan to the Jin people?"

He suddenly picked up the teapot and smashed it aside, the antique teapot shattering into pieces with a loud crack.

Yuan Chonghuan stood up and shouted angrily, "Who do you take me for?!"

The officials remained outwardly calm but inwardly sneered.

You bastard who flirts with the Jurchens and secretly negotiates peace, who do you think you are?!
At a time like this, they're still trying to take advantage of the situation to raise prices?!
One of them raised his teacup and gently blew on the tea foam: "Lord Yuan, I truly admire your integrity."

"However, a time of crisis is not the time for bargaining."

Yuan Chonghuan sneered: "I am not like you. The Emperor killed so many of you that you could not raise your heads, but I stopped interfering in politics a long time ago."

Yuan Chonghuan himself never expected that his resignation two months ago would allow him to completely escape the cannibalistic vortex in the capital.

However, Yuan Chonghuan did not think that this was all luck; on the contrary, it proved that he had foresight.

Another official from the capital scoffed and said no more.

He merely glanced at the unremarkable broken Tang and Song dynasty official kiln vases on the mahogany bookshelf in the room.

And those dark, old, and worn-out calligraphy and paintings on the walls.

The densely packed stamps looked so messy and disorganized. Tasteless!

After a while.

The group exchanged glances, then stood up and bowed, saying, "In that case, we will not trouble Lord Yuan any further."

"Lord Yuan, just live your life with these things."

"Of course, if Lord Yuan can hold out for some time."

"and many more."

When the price increase failed, Yuan Chonghuan didn't waste any time and immediately called the men to a stop.

He stood up, looked at the group, and said, word by word, "After this is accomplished, Liaodong will be mine."

"At the same time, you must help me get rid of Mao Wenlong and pacify Liaodong. Afterwards, you will give me ten million taels of silver as military pay."

"If it doesn't work out, I'll pretend you were never here."

The officials from Beijing exchanged glances, each inwardly cursing Yuan Chonghuan's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Damn you, Yuan Chonghuan! How dare you ask for such an exorbitant amount at this time?!

You brainless idiot, do you really think that if you give Liaodong to us, we can take over Liaodong?
With your laughable abilities, the only use of Liaodong in your hands is to exchange it for more wealth and power from the Jurchens.

But there is one thing to say.

The idea of ​​raising a bandit to enhance one's own importance has actually been quite cleverly developed by you, a mere servant.

Although the men were cursing Yuan Chonghuan in their hearts.

But with the emperor's knife almost at their throats, they had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

An official took out a sheet of Xuan paper: "We have already written the memorial that needs to be submitted to the palace. Please have Lord Yuan copy it in his own handwriting."

Yuan Chonghuan immediately bent down to copy it down without any pause.

Once you pick up power, you can never put it down.

Even if we put it down temporarily, it's only for the sake of picking it up again in the future.

Moreover, he had heard about the recent events in the capital.

In his opinion.

This arrogant new emperor does indeed have some ability.

but.

His sudden death was only a matter of time.

It is a million times harder to touch someone's interests than to touch their soul.

Can you kill one, or a whole group?

You can kill a bunch of people, but can you kill the whole world?!

Therefore, maximizing his own interests during this opportunity is the most important thing he should do right now.

Imperial City.

In the Qianqing Palace.

Halfway through the execution by slow slicing, Cao Huachun entered the palace and bowed before Zhu Youjian, reporting:

"Your Majesty, just as you predicted, the people deeply hate that heinous foreign race."

Zhu Youjian nodded.

He was pleased with this.

This way.

Everything he does in the future will not only face no resistance domestically, but will also be supported by the people.

Taking this opportunity, Cao Huachun continued, "Your Majesty, this servant has also gathered information on the residences of other ethnic groups in the capital these past few days. Do you think we should take advantage of this current period of high public opinion?"

Zhu Youjian shook his head: "Just continue collecting information secretly."

Cao Huachun: Understood. Keep it for now; His Majesty will have other uses for it later.

at this time.

Wang Chengen, who had been staying in the palace, bowed and approached: "Your Majesty, the cabinet members have sent over two memorials, saying that there are important matters in Liaodong."

(End of this chapter)