scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 400
(PS: Dragon Boat Festival, I wish my friends a happy Dragon Boat Festival, go home for the festival, please forgive the small number of words.)
The spring is cold, and the falling snow has dyed the magnificent Forbidden City into a silvery white. The eaves are covered with icicles, each of which is as sharp as a sword. The sky is gray and gloomy, just like Suo'etu's mood at the moment.

Soetu, who has just turned forty, has more than half of his braids gray under his zombie hat, and he is walking on the road in the snow-covered palace with a thick official document in his hands. , the expression on his face was colder than the piercing north wind, and his already cloudy eyes were full of bewilderment, as bewildered as a dying patient, like a walking corpse.

After entering the Cining Gate and coming to the Cining Palace, Suo Etu saw a snowman piled up under the steps in a daze, and when he looked closely, he found that there was no snowman under the steps of the Cining Palace, but a real person, but this I don't know how long I knelt in the snowstorm, my whole body was covered with snowflakes and I still didn't move at all, that's why Suo'etu had the illusion.When he got closer and took a closer look at the man's appearance, Suo'etu couldn't help being surprised again, and exclaimed: "Master Yu Chenglong, when did you enter Beijing?"

Kneeling outside the Palace of Compassion and Peace is Yu Jackie Chan, but not the one who was younger than Jackie Chan when he went south to Yunnan to help Wang Xu deal with the dispute between Lu and Li, but the one who was blown into the sky by the mite survivors is bigger than Jackie Chan. Wu Jun broke through the defense line of the Qing Dynasty along the Yangtze River and entered Huangzhou Mansion. Yu Chenglong, who assisted Cai Yurong in guarding the Yangtze River defense line, once planned to hang himself to die for his country, but was found and rescued by his followers in time. The prison clothes were packed into a prison van and escorted to Beijing to plead guilty.However, Kang Mazi naturally refused to kill Yu Chenglong, who was the flagpole of the Han official of the Qing Dynasty. He was fined for one year's salary and granted the post of Shandong envoy to Shandong. Governor of Zhili, Yu Chenglong has also stayed in the post of governor of Zhili until now.

Hearing Suo'etu's inquiry, Yu Chenglong, who was almost frozen all over, finally moved, and after a while he replied in a hoarse voice: "Go back to Suo Zhongtang, the next official came back to Beijing from Baoding last night, under the orders of the Empress Dowager, See you in the palace."

"Then why don't you enter the Compassionate Ning Palace? Still kneeling here?" Seeing that Yu Chenglong, who was over [-] years old, was covered with ice chips on his beard and eyebrows, Suo'etu couldn't help being furious, and turned to the palace gate The eunuch shouted angrily: "What are you dog slaves doing? Do you know who this Lord Yu is? How dare you let him kneel here for so long? Is it because Lord Yu didn't give you a saimen respect? You didn't give it on purpose. Did he report it?"

Several young eunuchs quickly knelt down, and Yu Chenglong took the initiative to explain: "Master Suo, you misunderstood, don't blame them, it's the officials who are willing to kneel here. The officials just asked the little eunuchs to report, the little eunuchs It is said that the Empress Dowager and her old man did not sleep last night, and finally fell asleep at dawn, and the officials were afraid of disturbing the rest of the ancestors, so I asked the little father-in-laws not to report for the time being, and knelt here and waited."

Suddenly realized, Suo'etu was inevitably moved - with the ghostly appearance of the Qing court now, there are really fewer and fewer loyal officials like Yu Chenglong.At that moment, Suo Etu hurriedly picked up Yu Jackie, and let the little eunuch go in to report while patting the snow for him. After a while, Li Yinzheng, Xiaozhuang's personal eunuch, ran out quickly, ran up to Yu Jackie and beat himself without saying a word. The two mouths forced a few young eunuchs to kowtow to confess their crimes. Of course Yu Chenglong said it was okay, and then Li Yinzheng joined forces with Suo'etu to bring Yu Chenglong into the Palace of Compassion.

After entering the Compassionate Palace, Yu Chenglong and Suo'etu soon saw the old witch of Xiaozhuang who just got up from the bed. Suo'etu didn't feel much when meeting the old witch of Xiaozhuang every day, but the Yamen rarely came to Beijing in Baoding But Yu Chenglong was taken aback. He hadn't seen her for three or four months. The already old Xiaozhuang old witch seemed to be ten years older. There was hardly a single gray hair on her gray temples. Wrinkles also became much more evident, and Yu Jackie Chan, who kowtowed and saluted with sentimentality, had a crying voice in his words, "My humble minister, Yu Jackie, kowtows to the ancestors of the Empress Dowager."

"Your Majesty, please get up quickly." Xiao Zhuang waved his hand, and then ordered: "Xiao Lizi, help Master Yu up quickly, and help him to sit by the charcoal stove."

Yu Chenglong thanked him, Li Yinzheng followed the order, and took Yu Chenglong to the copper stove with a strong charcoal fire to sit down. Then the old witch of Xiaozhuang said apologetically: "Master Yu, don't blame me, Aijia thought about it all night last night. I don’t want to forget the important matter of summoning you until dawn.”

"I don't dare." Yu Chenglong choked with sobs, "It's the empress dowager, you can't work so hard, I haven't seen you for four months, and you've almost lost weight again, I'm a little uncomfortable Dare to admit it."

"The Ai family knows that you are the same, so take care of yourself." The old hag of Xiaozhuang with obvious dark circles on her muddy old eyes forced a smile, then changed the subject and said, "Yu Aiqing, warm up your body first, and call for yours." Let’s talk about it later, Lizi, bring a bowl of ginseng soup to Mr. Yu.”

Li Yinzheng agreed, and quickly ordered the little eunuch to serve the ginseng soup, while the old witch of Xiaozhuang turned to Suo'etu and said, "Master Suo, what important event do you have to report when you enter the palace so early? Is it Lu Yifeng who rebelled against the Northern Expedition?" What, where did he hit?"

Suo'etu hesitated and answered immediately, but the old hag of Xiaozhuang sighed and said, "Say it, the sky won't fall, no matter what kind of bad news it is, just tell it."

"Cover." Suo'etu agreed, and said cautiously: "The document just received, Henan governor Tong Fengcai hastened six hundred miles: On the eleventh day of the first month of the first year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, the puppet general under the puppet king Lu Yifeng of the puppet Zhou Dynasty Han Daren and Gao Dejie fought with Tong Guogang, the Great General of the Great Qing and Anbei, in Guide, Henan. The entire Qing army was wiped out, and less than 500 people fled back to Kaifeng. The country died. Tong Fengcai closed the city and defended it to the death, please send reinforcements from the imperial court."

"Bang, bang", the teacup in Xiaozhuang's old witch's hand and the soup bowl in Yu Chenglong's hand fell to the ground one after another, and they were smashed together. Looking at the memorial in Suo'etu's hands for a long time, Suo'etu also lowered his head, not even daring to take a breath, the Palace of Compassionate Ning was so quiet that the slight crackling sound of burning charcoal could be heard.

After a long time, Xiao Zhuang finally spoke, and said slowly: "Xiao Lizi, help Mr. Yu up, and serve another bowl of ginseng soup."

"Thank you, the empress dowager ancestor." Yu Chenglong kowtowed like rain, choked up and said: "Old ancestor, let's discuss the matter of sending reinforcements to Tong Zhongcheng first. We have recruited and formed more than 3000 township warriors in Baoding Mansion. Volunteer soldiers can be dispatched by our ancestors."

"No need." The old hag of Xiaozhuang forced a smile, and said lightly: "You organize those volunteer soldiers, and stay in Zhili to guard the place. Didn't your book a few days ago say that in Xiong County and Bazhou area, all Are there thugs instigating the people to riot? It is very close to the capital, and it must be calmed down as soon as possible, otherwise, it will easily cause turmoil."

"My minister obeys the order, please rest assured that the empress dowager, I have returned to Baoding, and has been personally leading the army to put down these bandits." Yu Chenglong kowtowed in agreement, and asked cautiously: "The rebel soldiers invaded the important town of Kaifeng, the empress dowager How does the ancestor plan to deal with it?"

The old witch of Xiaozhuang smiled wryly, and Suo'etu smiled even more wryly, and they all talked about how to deal with it?What else can we do with it?Now that the treasury, internal treasury and local government treasuries of the Qing court are all empty, and the main force of the army is all dead, what else do we need to reinforce the Kaifeng government?

After the wry smile, the old hag of Xiaozhuang pulled herself together, and said to Jackie Chan in a calm tone: "The Ai family has their own ideas about the reinforcement of the Kaifeng mansion. It will be decided after discussing with the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of War. Tell me about summoning you." Well, the Ai family called you to Beijing this time because it is also related to the current situation, there is one thing that the Ai family must tell you to do in person."

"Please order from the Empress Dowager, I will not hesitate to go through fire and water." Yu Chenglong replied respectfully.

"The Ai family doesn't want you to go through fire and water, the Ai family just..." The old hag of Xiaozhuang hesitated for a while, and finally made up her mind, saying in a startling way: "The Ai family just wants to borrow some money and food from you."

"The empress dowager borrowed money from the minister?" Yu Chenglong suspected that he had heard it wrong.

"That's right." Xiaozhuang nodded, and said with a serious expression: "Lu Yifeng's rebels went northward in two ways, and their soldiers had already entered Shandong and Henan. The court urgently needed troops to suppress the rebellion, but you also saw the situation of the Qing army with your own eyes. , Shandong, Shanxi, and Liaodong had no soldiers to send, and the Gyeonggi region, including Fengtai, Miyun, and Shanpuying, had a total of only [-] troops in their early years, and nearly half of them were urgently recruited from the Banners after the death of the first emperor. If you want to recruit a new army to resist Lu Yifeng's rebels, the Ai family can only borrow money and food from you."

"But I don't have any." Yu Chenglong almost didn't cry, and said tremblingly: "The Empress Dowager borrowed money and food from I, and I should offer it with both hands. But all the family properties of I, I'm afraid Still can't make up 50 taels of silver, it's really a drop in the bucket."

"The Ai family knows that you don't have any." The old witch of Xiaozhuang sighed, and said, "But the Ai family also knows that although you don't have it in your hand, you can get this life-saving money for the Ai family, so the Ai family has I can only speak to you."

"Can I get this amount of money for the Empress Dowager?" Yu Chenglong was stunned, and asked in doubt, "Where can I get it? How?"

"You can." The old witch of Xiaozhuang stared at Jackie Chan, and said slowly: "In the 14th year of Kangxi, the situation in Zhili was not too good, but it was not too bad. Not long after the autumn harvest, some common people and gentry should have There is still some food in stock. The Ai family would like to ask you to come forward and borrow 50 shi of grain for the Ai family. Also, the Ai family has secretly ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to print 600 million taels of silver military coins. When you return, take them to Baoding. Within a month and a half, it will be exchanged for cash for the Ai family."

After the old witch of Xiaozhuang finished speaking, not to mention that Yu Chenglong was dumbfounded, even Suo'etu was stunned. She never thought that the old witch of Xiaozhuang would lend her hand to the people when her previous debts were not cleared. , and even sent additional food collections to the people.

"Yu Aiqing, the Ai family knows it's hard for you, but it's even more difficult for the Ai family." The voice of the old hag in Xiaozhuang was choked with sobs, "The late emperor unfortunately died in battle, leaving only half of the country in turmoil for the Ai family. The four-year-old great-grandson still has a lot of mess and debts, and Lu Yifeng's dog thief came to take advantage of the fire again, and the Ai family really didn't know what to do?"

Choking up to this point, the old hag of Xiaozhuang burst into tears, and said in a sobbing voice: "The Ai family also knows that although you are very popular in the local area, the debt owed by the late emperor has not been repaid. It is very embarrassing for you to force you to borrow money from the common people and levy additional money and food from the common people. However, if the Ai family does not do this, it is no longer possible. In Guide, the entire army was wiped out, and Kaifeng was in a hurry. The Ai family could not even send a single reinforcement. This is the end of Jiangshan Sheji."

The old hag of Xiaozhuang cried, Yu Chenglong also cried, and Suo Etu wiped his tears for fun. There was a lot of mourning in the palace of compassion, and the old hag of Xiaozhuang choked again and said: "Yu Aiqing, do you know? In fact, as early as When the autumn harvest ended at the end of October last year, some courtiers came forward to ask Aijia to give you an order to increase taxes and food for the people of Zhili, and use the money and food collected to form a new army, but Aijia refused. Aijia Knowing that it is difficult for you, and knowing that you love the people like a son and are as clean as water, you definitely can't bear to impose additional burdens on the people, and you can't bear to mourn your family..."

"But now, there is nothing the Ai family can do." The old witch of Xiaozhuang sobbed and changed her words, "Yu Aiqing, do you know that the safety of the country and the country of the Qing Dynasty is actually tied to you alone , Zhili is so poor, with so little money and food, no matter who the Ai family sends, no matter how they kowtow and beg, they will not be able to get money and food. Only Yu Aiqing..., only Yu Aiqing, you can do it, The people will believe what you say to them, and if you borrow money and food from the people, the people will lend it to you, but the words of others, even if Aijia goes there in person, will not be of any use to you.”

Yu Chenglong cried even louder, but the old witch of Xiaozhuang suddenly got up again, walked in front of Yu Chenglong, choked up and pretended to kneel, and cried: "Yu Aiqing, only you can save the great Qing Dynasty, Yu Aiqing, Aijia, on behalf of the ancestors of the Qing Dynasty, I beg you..."

Weeping, the old witch of Xiaozhuang really knelt down to Jackie Chan, Yu Jackie was so frightened that he was out of his wits, kowtowed frantically, and cried loudly: "Empress Dowager, you must not kill this humble official! I try my best to kill you!" , I just do my best! Empress Dowager, I beg you to please hurry up, I just do my best."

"Yu Aiqing, Aijia doesn't want you to do your best, but to do it." The old witch of Xiaozhuang cried and said, "The water transportation has been cut off for two years, and the Jingcang bottomed out last August. Fengtai, Miyun and The garrison in Rehe has not been paid for three months, if you can’t do it, without Lu Yifeng’s bastard doing it, our Qing Dynasty will collapse by itself!”

"I will try my best to do it, I will definitely do it!" Yu Chenglong kowtowed and cried, "Please rest assured, the empress dowager ancestors, within one and a half months, no matter how I try to do it, I will definitely do it!" 600 million taels of military coins were exchanged for cash, and 50 shi of military rations were sent to the capital for listening!"

"Yu Aiqing, it's hard for you!" The old hag in Xiaozhuang cried loudly, helped Yu Chenglong whose forehead was bleeding, and cried bitterly opposite Yu Chenglong...

Crying and tossing for nearly an hour, Yu Chenglong accepted the mission of collecting food and payment, finally wiped his tears and knelt down, and under the guidance of Li Yinzheng, he went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to collect the military coins printed by the old witch of Xiaozhuang.As soon as Yu Chenglong left, Suo'etu, who had been silent before, immediately opened his mouth and asked the old witch of Xiaozhuang very nervously: "Old ancestor, the military currency we owed before has not been repaid, and Yu Chenglong was asked to issue 600 yuan. Is the military coin of ten thousand taels of silver too exhausted? Zhili is not like Jiangnan, and is often plagued by food shortages. Even the so-called big gentry is not as good as a middle-level gentry in Jiangnan."

The old witch of Xiaozhuang didn't answer, she slowly wiped the tears from her face, and after a while she said slowly: "The Ai family has no choice but to fish out the river. At least [-]% to [-]% can be obtained."

"But even so, even if Yu Chenglong got the money and food for the court." Suo'etu was even more puzzled, and asked: "But can the new army we formed temporarily stop Lu Yifeng's Northern Expedition army?"

"Who said that the Ai family is going to use this money to form a new army?" The old witch of Xiaozhuang gave Suo'etu a sideways look, and said coldly: "Yue Le said before the southern expedition that the new army that has not undergone strict training and actual combat , I met Lu Yifeng’s team of bandits who have experienced many battles and are armed to the teeth. They are a group of lambs waiting to be slaughtered. Using this money to form a new army to resist Lu Yifeng’s Northern Expedition army is like throwing it into the water!"

Suo'etu opened his mouth wide, and after a while he asked in surprise, "Old Ancestor, if that's the case, then why did you ask Yu Chenglong to prepare this money and food?"

"Outside the pass is a barren land, with vast land and few people." The old hag of Xiaozhuang said lightly, "The Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty withdrew outside the pass, and now go to reclaim wasteland to plant crops. How could there be time? Aijia didn't prepare enough money and grain for outside the pass , What is the use of the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty withdrawing from the pass?"

"Old ancestor, are you planning to lead the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty to retreat outside the pass?" Suo'etu was so shocked that his voice trembled.

"There is only one way to go." The old hag of Xiaozhuang said lightly: "The Wugou civil war has already begun, and Geng Jingzhong's son was beaten by Lu Yifeng's dog thieves. The treachery of the thief, at this time, he will definitely not get involved in the Wugou civil war. He will only attack our Qing court first, drive us out of the pass, and obtain sufficient manpower in the north. It’s cheap to clean up the mess, and at the same time, it doesn’t give us a chance to watch the fire from the other side. If the Ai family doesn’t make preparations in advance to withdraw from the customs, it will be too late to prepare when Lu Yifeng’s thieves make a full-scale northern expedition.”

"My ancestors are far-sighted, and I admire you so much." Suo'etu hurriedly flattered, and then asked cautiously: "However, my ancestors, judging from the strength of Wugou's Northern Expedition, it seems that the possibility of directly attacking the city of Beijing seems unlikely. Is it too early to start preparing to withdraw outside the pass?"

"Soon, soon." The old witch of Xiaozhuang said coldly: "The reason why Lu Yifeng's dog thief didn't launch the Northern Expedition immediately was because Geng Jingzhong was still in Zhejiang, and because the autumn harvest had just ended in the north, and the common people still had some money. For food, the time for his Northern Expedition is not yet ripe. When Geng Jingzhong succumbs, when the north is starving and hungry, the main force of Lu Yifeng's thieves can go north with confidence."

Speaking of this, the old hag of Xiaozhuang paused for a moment, and there was an extremely vicious smile on her wrinkled old face, and she murmured: "The Ai family asked Yu Chenglong to come forward to fish in the lake, and it was also in response to Lu Yifeng's dog thief's Northern Expedition." One way, if Lu Yifeng's dog thief hits Beijing, he will find that Beijing is completely empty, and the money and food are all supported by water transportation. In order to buy people's hearts, he must also invest a lot of money and food in Zhili Shandong, which is full of starvation. Wait until he solves these problems When there is a problem, our Daqing is outside the customs, and we can stand firm."

"Old ancestor, do you want to use money, food and logistics to hold back Lu Yifeng's dog thief, so that he can't chase him outside the pass immediately?" Suo'etu finally understood the intention of Xiaozhuang old witch.

The old hag of Xiaozhuang nodded slowly, and said darkly: "From now on, we will begin to implement the reservation plan to withdraw outside the pass. First, we will secretly transport the rare and rare treasures in the Forbidden City to Shengjing, and then formulate a grain requisition for Shanxi governor Moersai." The silver levy plan is to scrape off Shanxi as much as possible, send all the money and food to Shengjing, and leave the mess to Lu Yifeng's bastard!"

(End of this chapter)