Nanming Engineer

Chapter 197 Zhang Xianzhong's Choice
Two days later, in the Chengdu Mansion, the capital of Daxi Kingdom, Anxi King Li Dingguo was resting and studying in his mansion, enjoying the rare quietness of the first month, but he was urgently summoned by the Da Nei Zhongguan who came in a hurry, saying that Emperor Yongchang had something important to do. Anxious to see him.

Li Dingguo was a little surprised, because he met Zhang Xianzhong in the palace the day before yesterday, presented a New Year's greeting gift, actually knelt down on the ground and performed the big gift for his son to meet Lao Tzu. , had a drink with all the adoptive sons in high spirits, and enjoyed a lot of precious treasures. At that time, nothing happened. It has only been two days, so why did you rush to meet him?
Whispering in his heart, Li Dingguo hurriedly followed the Zhongguan out, the palace was right next to the palace, he didn't even need to ride a horse, and the few people ran to the palace at a trot.

Zhang Xianzhong's palace was rebuilt on the basis of the Ming Shu palace. The general layout has not changed, and he has no ability to change. Pass through the wide square in front of the hall, pass the Chengyun Hall and Duanli Hall from the side, and come to the Zhaoming Hall where Zhang Xianzhong usually handles political affairs and reviews memorials.

The Zhaoming Hall is spacious and tall, with more than a dozen huge nanmu pillars surrounded by three people supporting the tall beams, which can accommodate thousands of people to set up banquets without being cramped. A dragon table as big as a bed is placed in the center, and a soft couch carved with dragons Behind the dragon case, bright yellow silk was laid on top of it. On the dragon case were the four treasures of the study, white jade paperweights and other things. The huge gold inlaid jade seal was placed in a corner of the dragon case.

Zhang Xianzhong leaned on the soft couch, his sallow face was clouded with haze, his eyebrows were tightly wrinkled, his usually arrogant expression turned into a thoughtful one, a letter was torn apart and placed on the dragon case On the table, Zhang Xianzhong held the letter paper in Zhang Xianzhong's hands, staring at the letter paper with a pair of fierce eyes, as if he was going to eat the thin paper.

Li Dingguo thought that the letter must be a so-called important event, he glanced around and saw that besides himself, there were many people standing in the hall, divided into left and right teams on both sides of the soft couch.

Standing on the left are Pingdong King Sun Kewang, Funan King Liu Wenxiu, and Dingbei King Ainengqi. Like himself, they are the most trusted and valued adopted sons of Zhang Xianzhong. Among them, Pingdong Wangsun Kewang was the most favored, and he served as the supervisor of the army, controlling all the troops in Daxi.

Standing on the right side are the Ministers of Civil and Military Affairs of the Daxi Kingdom, including the left prime minister Wang Zhaolin, the right prime minister Yan Ximing, Shangshu Wang Lin, Jiang Dingzhen, Gong Wanjing, etc., as well as several governors of the Five Armies Governor's Mansion Wang Shangli, Feng Shuangli, Zhang Hualong et al.

Li Dingguo's heart skipped a beat. With so many big officials gathered together, they were as orderly as the court. What happened?He hastily walked a few steps, arrived in front of the Delong case, and knelt down to Zhang Xianzhong to meet the emperor.

Zhang Xianzhong waved his hand casually, and said: "No! You get up first, hope, Dingguo came late, tell him what's going on."

Sun Kewang stood up and bowed to agree, Li Dingguo thanked him, got up and stood aside with Sun Kewang.Among the four, Sun Kewang is the oldest, faintly looks like the head of the four, usually self-respecting status, reserved and prudent; Liu Wenxiu is the second in age, the second of the four brothers, simple and kind, does not strive for fame and fortune; the third is Li Dingguo Now, Ai Nengqi is the youngest, only 24 years old, with a fierce personality, undue courage, the most important loyalty, and a special friendship with Li Dingguo.

Seeing that Li Dingguo was late, Ai Nengqi winked at him, and asked in a low voice: "Third brother, why did you come? Father is so angry!"

Li Dingguo was stunned, looked at Zhang Xianzhong who was frowning and thinking on the soft couch, and said softly: "What's going on?"

Ai Nengqi didn't have time to answer, Sun Kewang turned his head and replied in a deep voice: "Third brother, there is a big event in the north."

Li Dingguo had just returned from the Baoning Mansion in the north to wipe out the rebellious landlords. He was startled when he heard the sound, and then asked in surprise: "What's wrong? Has someone rebelled?"

Sun Kewang shook his head and said solemnly: "A few rich men are so rebellious that it doesn't matter. They wouldn't make my father so angry. It was He Zhen who surrendered!"

Li Dingguo's heart thumped, and his face changed drastically. He Zhen was a Ming general with great strategy. He later surrendered to Li Zicheng and was granted the title of Hanzhong General Soldier to suppress the Hanzhong area.After Li Zicheng was driven away from Xi'an by Prince Azig of the Qing Dynasty, he stayed in Hanzhong. He neither surrendered to the Qing Dynasty nor surrendered to Daxi. He relied on the steep geographical location of Hanzhong to hold on without relying on either side. Zhang Xianzhong attacked him twice, but to no avail. And return, lead to a serious problem.This person has now dropped.

"Surrendered?" Li Dingguo repeated, confused.

Sun Kewang said: "It's not us, but the Tartars!"

Li Dingguo frowned: "The Tatars killed Li Zicheng, and he also surrendered the Tartars. He was so unfaithful, why did it take so long to surrender? The emperor surrendered to him three times and four times, and promised high officials and honors. He was so moved that he even beheaded the envoy, what good did the Tartars do him?"

Sun Kewang snorted and said: "I don't know what he gave, but he has indeed surrendered and sacrificed Hanzhong. The Tartar Jia Lazhangjing He Luohui has already entered Hanzhong Mansion, stabilized his foothold, and invited troops to Beijing. The entry of the Tartars into Sichuan is just around the corner!"

Li Dingguo's heart tightened, and his whole body felt cold from the soles of his feet to his forehead. He had seen the Tartar warriors before, and it was completely different from the Ming army.

After thinking about it for a while, Li Dingguo's courage rose again, and he said with hatred: "That's okay, the Tartars have occupied the north, we are Han people, and we will establish our country here. Sooner or later, we will send our troops to the north to compete with the Tartars. Next, I want to see if the Tartars have three heads and six arms."

Ai Nengqi listened excitedly, and was about to say something, but Sun Kewang snatched the conversation away: "Third brother is right, father also meant the same thing just now, but the Tartars are hateful, they won Hanzhong , just wishful thinking to recruit us, this is what my father is angry about."

Ai Nengqi waited for him to finish speaking and hurriedly interrupted: "Third brother, the letter in my father's hand is the surrender letter of the Tatars. There are several Tatar officers waiting outside the hall."

Only then did Li Dingguo remember that when he came in just now, he saw a few people with pigtails on the back of their heads in official uniforms of the Qing Dynasty standing outside the hall.

Ai Nengqi was tall, with a fleshy face, and said viciously: "If you want me to say, just chop up those envoys, chop the corpses into several pieces and send them back, so that the Tartars will know that Daxi Kingdom is not Li Zicheng's Daxi Kingdom." Shun, it's not so easy to bully, if you want to start a war, just come, kill him and let his blood flow like a river!"

Sun Kewang gave him a blank look, and then said to Li Dingguo: "If only He Zhen surrendered, Father would not be so worried. Although Hanzhong is dangerous, but the Tartar soldiers have not arrived, we will take Hanzhong before the Tartars. If we can gain the upper hand, as long as we win Hanzhong, we will be able to spy on Guanzhong when we go out of Xiegu or Meridian Valley in the west, and the Tartars will be hard to defend against."

"However, there is also an urgent military report from Liu Jinzhong who came with the Tartars' letter of persuasion." Sun Kewang stared at Zhang Xianzhong on the soft couch, frowned and said, "Liu Jinzhong said that Tongchuan Prefecture in the south has found The traces of the Ming army, tens of thousands of soldiers and horses gathered in Longquan Mountain, and confronted Liu Jinzhong in Shehong. Originally, this point of the Ming army was nothing to worry about. My four brothers can calm down by sending troops at random, but there is also something going on in the north at this time, so Only the royal father is worried."

When the two of them said this, they heard Zhang Xianzhong sitting up straight on the soft couch, throwing the letter paper in his hand, and asked: "Everyone is clear about the matter, if you have any ideas, please tell me."

The hall suddenly fell silent, and the people on the left and right were either bowing their heads in thought or biting each other's ears. After a while, a thin old man with a white beard and a civil servant's attire came out from the crowd on the right, bowing and standing in front of the dragon table. Left Prime Minister Wang Zhaolin.

Wang Zhaolin was originally an unsuccessful candidate in the late Ming Dynasty. He won the exam at the age of 40. He had no hope in the imperial examination. He waited in line for several years in the official department to become a small county magistrate in Shaanxi. Was the Shaanxi county magistrate in the late Ming Dynasty done by people?Shaanxi is a den of rebellion, ten counties and ten rebels, the county magistrate either abandons his post or is killed in the yamen, but Wang Zhaolin is from Shaanxi, and he has no other choice but to take office, otherwise ten years of hard work will be in vain .Just a few days after he took the position of magistrate in fear, Zhang Xianzhong came to the door with someone. Frightened, Wang Zhaolin stomped his heart and voted for Zhang Xianzhong, because he had a bit of literary talent and good knowledge of civil affairs. The Daxi kingdom is very important. After the founding of the country, he became the prime minister.

This person's psychology is a bit gloomy. Originally, he was full of economics and was not used by the Ming court. He was dispatched to Shaanxi and thrown into a den of thieves. It is his handwriting.

"Your Majesty, in the Song Dynasty, Zhao Pu said that Emperor Taizong said: China is safe, and the barbarians submit themselves. It is the old husband who wants to fight against the outside world, he must first settle down inside. I think it is true, and this sentence is also applicable when you put it in front of you." Wang Zhaolin is not in a hurry He said without hesitation: "At the beginning of our founding in Daxi, the country was not stable at first, and the dragon veins of the Ming court were not cut off. The heart is not convinced, so the veterans boldly advise that the south should be the most important. And the Tartars are just a barbarian ear in the northeast. Don't you see that since ancient times, no matter the Mongolian Yuan or the Jin Kingdom, there have been almost no dynasties in the Central Plains, because I am a big Han The prestige is scattered all over the world, and the barbarians are nothing more than the population, gold, silver and property, and they will naturally return after plundering, so there is nothing to worry about."

"What Prime Minister Zuo said is true." Another person stood on the right side and echoed: "Although the Tartars are hateful, but since the Ming Dynasty, every time they enter the bandits, they will rob them and go back. It won't be long. Wait, even though we have occupied the Central Plains, the water and soil are not acclimatized, and the disease is rampant, so we will leave sooner or later."

This man was younger than Wang Zhaolin, but he was a fat man with a fair face and no beard. He was ordered by Prime Minister Yan Xi.

As soon as the two came out, the remaining ministers immediately followed up to speak, and they all echoed with them, agreeing to go south to stabilize Tongchuan first, while the Tartars in the north can just be on guard, there is no need to provoke them.

Li Dingguo became angry after hearing this. He understood the little calculations of these civil servants. To the north of Hanzhong, there is a thousand miles of red land. The destruction caused by years of war has almost turned the Guanzhong area into a no-man's land. Refugees are wandering around, the fields are desolate, the cities are dilapidated, and life is difficult. Although Sichuan has also suffered disasters in recent years, it is much better than Shaanxi. Wang Zhaolin and others are afraid that Zhang Xianzhong will go north and go to Guanzhong, where will it be as comfortable as Shuzhong?

After Zhang Xianzhong heard this, he didn't express his opinion, his face was indifferent, and he didn't say yes or no.

Li Dingguo couldn't bear it anymore and was about to stand up and speak, but saw Sun Kewang walked out first.

"Father, my son thinks what the adults said is inappropriate."

Zhang Xianzhong touched his chin, and while he was thinking, he raised his head when he heard the sound, and when he saw it was Sun Kewang, he immediately smiled and said slowly: "Oh? What do you think, my son?"

Sun Kewang stood upright, majestic and imposing. Standing in the hall alone, several civil servants were overwhelmed. He raised his head and said in a loud voice: "Father, it is useless for the Ming army to fight with our Daxi army. There are no victories, how capable those soldiers and generals are, we know it clearly, even if there are tens of thousands of Ming troops in Tongchuan Prefecture, I don't think it is a big deal, only one general leads tens of thousands of troops to defeat the enemy !"

"Okay! That's right, a general must have such a bearing!" Zhang Xianzhong slapped the table and praised: "Go on."

"On the contrary, the Tatars entered from outside the customs, first occupied Beijing, then slaughtered Nanjing, and thousands of miles of fertile land fell into their hands. Hundreds of thousands of Jurchens moved into the customs. The wolf's ambition is clearly revealed. Father, this is not just grabbing and leaving. It’s about establishing the country and changing the Yuan!” Sun Kewang talked eloquently, and the more he talked, the more excited he became: “After dozens of years since the rise of Hou Jin in Nurhachi, he has already figured out the truth and reality in the customs. Etiquette, if it is not to take over the Han family, why would he learn it? And people say: Jurchen is invincible. It shows the power of the Tartars. Even Li Zicheng, the old enemy of the emperor, was forced to die. Therefore, I think that the Ming army in the south is small, while the Tartars in the north are big things, if you are not careful, the country will be destroyed in the west!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Wenxiu appeared behind him, stood shoulder to shoulder with Sun Kewang, bowed and said in a loud voice: "Everything that King Pingdong said is reasonable, and my ministers agree!"

Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi hurriedly followed, stood beside them, and said in unison: "Your ministers also agree!"

The two gangs, one civil and one military, have very different attitudes, standing on both sides of the front of the dragon case.

Wang Zhaolin and the others looked embarrassed and wanted to say something more, but it was inconvenient to say anything because of the face of the four righteous sons, otherwise there would be a quarrel, and the civil servants did not dare to offend the four princes of Daxi.

As for the remaining governors in the main hall, they stood aside calmly, watching the excitement and keeping silent. In fact, they had already seen this. From Zhang Xianzhong's different attitudes towards the people on both sides, he had already known it in his heart. With care.

Sure enough, Zhang Xianzhong saw his four capable sons standing together with one heart, agreeing with each other, a smile appeared on his yellow face, his expression brightened, he clapped his hands and said with a smile: "Okay, my son's temperament is like mine, well said, The Ming army is nothing more than local chickens and dog ears, sending a general is enough to put them down, but the Tartars from Hanzhong are the big problem."

Speaking of Hanzhong, Zhang Xianzhong's complexion changed, and he said bitterly: "I hate that He Zhen, I sincerely recruited him, but this bastard ignored him, and even took refuge in the Tartars. Although King Chuang has some problems with me, he will eventually belong to the rebels. As a family, I am willing to avenge King Chuang, but He Zhen, a dog like this, actually accepts the thief as the master, do you still want this shame?"

He was born in a reckless family, and his words are not sloppy, and there are many slang and swear words in his words. Everyone is used to it, so they don't pay much attention to it. On the contrary, they think it is more pleasing to the ears.

Zhang Xianzhong took a picture of the dragon case, tore several Qing Dynasty surrender letters on it to shreds, threw the shredded paper into the sky, and fell all over the sky. Standing in the flying paper scraps, he shouted angrily: "My will has been decided, and all the gentlemen obey the order." !"

The people in the hall hurriedly knelt down together and shouted long live.

"Order Anxi Wang to lead the sixteen battalions of troops in the headquarters, and go to Tongchuan today, kill the generals and kill the enemy, manage Chongqing and other state capitals, make decisions on military affairs, and take the defense of the enemy and the restoration of the land as the top priority, so there must be no mistakes!"

Li Dingguo stamped his head on the ground, and said in a clear voice: "Your servant takes orders!"

Zhang Xianzhong was aloof, and said: "For the rest of the family, leave the left and right prime ministers to guard Chengdu, and the others will rectify the army and horses. When the winter snow melts in the next month and the road is easy to travel, the whole army will go north and kill the Tartars!"

(End of this chapter)