Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

Things in the world are like the moon has its own fixed number of gains and losses, and there is never a peace that lasts too long.While Wang Chengen was leisurely teasing the birds and listening to the little drama, and Wen Tiren was concentrating on a good strategy to eliminate dissidents, in April, Huang Taiji, who founded the country in the north with the title of Daqing and his reign title of Chongde, ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor.

Even people who are no longer enthusiastic about political affairs will inevitably be shocked when they hear this news.This is like the state of mind after falling down a steep slope. I was trying to take a leap and climb to the top of the mountain, but I accidentally slipped three to five feet, and finally found that it was difficult for me to return to the original place easily.The founding of the country and proclaiming the emperor, Huang Taiji's move was like a signal that could no longer be escaped, making people predict the next move of the other side, while each of them took a pessimistic color in their hearts.

"Your majesty, you said that the Jinlu was so presumptuous. Should we take action here?" Wang Chengen said to the tense Chongzhen in the West Nuan Pavilion of the Hall of Martial Arts.

"There is not enough troops, and it is difficult to collect soldiers' wages. Gao Yingxiang in Shaanxi is making a scene, and the bandits are making trouble. It is still difficult to stop the rebellion, so what will we do to take action against the gold captives." Chongzhen frowned deeply, and his voice was low.

"Yes..." Wang Chengen glanced at Chongzhen's furrowed eyebrows from the corner of his eye, feeling helpless in his heart.Seeing that the days are getting warmer and everything is recovering, but the aura of the bandits that was suppressed by Lu Xiang a few months ago is also recovering.

"Those who fight against the outside world must first settle down. The current plan is to wait and see what happens. We will talk about everything after Gao Yingxiang is calmed down." After a short pause, Chongzhen exhaled and cheered up.

"Yes." Wang Chengen replied with his head bowed, "It's just that everyone in the imperial court predicted that after Huang Taiji's provocative actions, the golden captives would definitely attack in a big way, and the emperor must guard against it."

"The ministers' words are also reasonable. This matter really needs to be prepared early, and the troops should not be involved in the bandits in Shaanxi for a long time." Chongzhen pondered for a while, "The one who is transferred to Shaanxi to quell the chaos is Sun Chuanting?"

"Exactly."

"Okay, let me pass on my decree to promote Sun Chuanting to be the censor of the capital of Youqian, and to send an additional 20 taels of military pay. He is ordered to concentrate his troops and make sure to fight quickly."

two

"I've been silent all day, but what's on my mind?"

In the evening, the maids lit gauze lanterns one by one.The daylight has not yet faded, and the lights are dim against it. At this time, the room seems to be darker than after nightfall.Chongzhen read the memorial and felt sore eyes, so he stood up, exercising his muscles and bones while chatting to Xizhao.

"Back to the emperor, the villain has nothing on his mind, but he just felt awkward after hearing the news that Jinlu proclaimed himself emperor." Xi Zhao lowered her head and said lightly.

"Hey... I'm not." Chongzhen sighed softly, "This should not be unexpected. Huang Taiji's plan has long been Sima Zhao's heart, and everyone knows it. It's just this accident. It came too fast and too violent, and it was unacceptable for a while."

The daylight dimmed a bit, Chongzhen paced back and forth, and sat down after returning to the dragon case.Inadvertently, he suddenly found that Xi Zhao was looking at him, with a smile that was not a smile, hesitant to speak.

"What? Is there something wrong with me?" Chongzhen was puzzled.

"Ah, no, no," Xi Zhao hurriedly explained, "Dexiu just thinks that the emperor...has really changed a lot recently."

"Oh?" Chongzhen smiled with interest when he heard the words, "How do you say that?"

"In the past, if such a thing happened, the emperor would be depressed for a while, but now, the emperor says it's hard to accept, but from Dexiu's point of view, the emperor is very calm." Xi Zhao said, his eyes flashed a few times. Very mischievous smile.

"Calm?" Chongzhen smiled, but unconsciously, there was a hint of helplessness, "I'm always depressed, and I probably get tired of it. Everything has its own destiny, depression or not depression, but it's all the same way. .”

"Different routes lead to the same goal..." Xizhao took a breath, savoring the meaning of the words carefully, but before Xizhao had a general idea, Chongzhen broke the conversation.

"Okay, Zhu Mo is a little dry, you can research some more."

"Yes." Xi Zhao bowed forward, rolled up her sleeves, poured some clear water from a small blue and white bottle on the inkstone, and grinded it with red ink in circles.Chongzhen lowered his eyes, picked up the memorial, and continued to look through it.

three

"It's coming..." "It's really coming..."

At dawn in midsummer, the semicircular moon hangs low in the sky, the sky is gradually turning gray from west to east, and there is still a trace of cool night in the air.Before the start of the morning court, the courtiers gathered at the gate of the palace in twos and threes, whispering uneasily while waiting for the eunuch's singing.After a while, another soft sedan chair landed on the ground, the bearer raised the curtain of the sedan chair, and a thin and white-faced old man bowed out of the sedan chair. This person is the chief assistant of the current cabinet, Wen Tiren.

"Master Wen." "Master Wen."

The courtiers bowed their hands to Wen Tiren respectfully, but their expressions showed a bit of unconcealable panic.Wen Tiren looked around at the ministers in front of him, and doubts arose in his heart:

"What happened?"

"My lord." Zhang Zhifa, the second assistant to the cabinet, took a step forward and walked out of the crowd.A while ago, in the case of Zheng Xun, Qian Shi was promoted to Zheng Xun to go up and down but failed, but he was involved in it. Although he was not convicted, he was still ignored by Chongzhen and squeezed out by Wen Tiren in the cabinet. He conveniently claimed his illness and resigned three months ago, and returned to his hometown to retire.Qian Shisheng left the cabinet, and Zhang Zhifa, who was single-handedly promoted by Wen Tiren, naturally took the position of the second assistant.Zhang Zhifa cupped his hands, lowered his voice, with anxiety in his brows:

"Just now I received an urgent report that Jinlu had conquered Datong in the Xuanfu the day before yesterday and was approaching the capital."

"What?!" Wen Tiren's shoulders trembled when he heard this, and his nerves tensed instantly, "Where are they?"

"We are still in Shanxi now, but with the marching speed of the Jinlu, it will only take a few days to reach the capital. My lord, what should I do!" Zhang Zhifa said, his face full of sorrow.

"What to do, how does this officer know what to do!" Wen Tiren glanced at Zhang Zhifa, and there seemed to be anger in his words, "Does the emperor know?"

"The reporter went in to report, so I think he knew about it. Even if he didn't have time to report, he would know after the morning court."

"Hey...!" Wen Tiren sighed heavily, looking at the slightly whitish sky beyond.I knew that the Jinlu was coming, but I didn't expect it to come so fast.This morning is destined to be another chaotic morning.

Just as Wen Tiren thought, Chongzhen was in a very bad mood from the first court to the next.At one moment he was depressed and silent, and at another moment he suddenly burst into anger, which frightened the courtiers so much that they did not dare to vent their anger.Seeing the timid look of the officials, Chongzhen was even more furious, so he announced the dismissal of the court early, and went back to the Hall of Martial Arts with a flick of his sleeves.

"In Shaanxi, Sun Chuanting still hasn't made any progress in suppressing the rogues?" Chongzhen walked towards the Xinuang Pavilion in Wuying Hall, and said to Wen Tiren and Minister of War Zhang Fengyi who followed him to Wuying Hall.

"Yes. Especially recently, there are very few battle reports, so I don't know how the battle is going." Wen Tiren replied.

"They are all useless things." Chongzhen cursed in a low voice, and then asked, "Where are there soldiers in other places that can be transferred?"

"Uh... the rogues are also very arrogant now, just suppressing the civil strife is already exhausted, I'm afraid it will be difficult to mobilize troops for a while..." Wen Tiren lacked confidence, and his voice became lower and lower after a few words.

"What are you talking about? It's impossible to just watch the capital fall!" Chongzhen raised his eyes sharply, cutting off Wen Tiren's voice, "Gingji is the most important place in Ming Dynasty. The day is coming, even if there are no soldiers, we must squeeze out soldiers to meet the enemy!"

"This..." Wen Tiren was at a loss for words, so he and Chongzhen cast their eyes on Zhang Fengyi.Xuanfu Datong was easily lost, and Zhang Fengyi, who was in charge of the military department, had been pale and anxious all the way, but when he was suddenly noticed, cold sweat dripped down his forehead like rain.I saw his face was stiff, the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched, and he replied tremblingly: "Now, most of the rogues gather in the northwest... Both Sun Yushi and Governor Hong's troops are deeply involved in the entanglement of rogues. Call, only... Only Governor Lu who guards the Central Plains can probably save the emergency..."

"Lu Xiangsheng..." Chongzhen was slightly taken aback, and then his eyes flashed, "Lu Xiangsheng! Yes, yes! Quickly pass on my order, and urgently call Lu Xiangsheng back to King Qin of Jing!"

four

A few days later, news of Lu Xiangsheng's arrival in Beijing reached the Hall of Martial Heroes.

"Your Majesty, Master Lu is already waiting outside the hall." In the afternoon, the heat was in full swing.The eunuch was ordered to walk quickly to Xinuang Pavilion, and whispered.

"Oh? So fast." Chongzhen immediately put together the memorial, got up and walked towards the main hall. "pass."

The eunuch was ordered to get the decree, and he left the hall quickly, and after a while, he heard a high-pitched voice outside the hall:

"Governor Lu Xiangsheng of the five Xuan provinces has an audience—"

The carved partition door was wide open, and the midsummer sun reflected everything outside the door dazzlingly.Cicadas are avoiding the scorching sun, hidden in the depths of the branches and leaves, making tireless noises, as if they will never stop.A sound of steady footsteps gradually became clear from outside the hall. Following the sound of footsteps, the tall, thin and straight figure passed through the dazzling sunlight and walked into the hall with one step. He lifted up his skirt, knelt on the ground, and bowed deeply:

"The minister Lu Xiangsheng kowtowed to my emperor, wishing my emperor a healthy body, long life and golden safety."

"Flat body."

The short two words reverberated in the hall, like a Zen bell in an ancient temple, which made people feel awe.Chongzhen sat in the middle of the hall, although he was not wearing a dragon robe, his words and expressions had the majesty of an emperor.When Lu Xiang got the order, he got up with his lapel in his hand, and stood respectfully a few steps in front of the dragon chair, waiting for Chongzhen to speak.

This was the first time Xizhao saw the legendary King Lu Yan.Although there have been rumors in my ears for a long time, at the first glance, Xi Zhao still couldn't help being startled - her face is as clean as a green hill, her brows are as warm as clear water, with every move of her hand, every throw of her foot, there is a strong fragrance of Jiangnan ink, such a pale-faced scholar, To be called the King of Hades?But looking at him again, he is thin but not weak, his complexion is kind but not cowardly, the green hills are beautiful, but the edges and corners are firm, the clear water is warm, and his bearing is deep. There are a few strands of light that are as sharp as steel.

Is he really the white-faced King of Hades that the fortune teller said can suppress the bandits and defend the country?

Xizhao sized up Lu Xiangsheng, and then secretly looked at Chongzhen, but saw that the emperor looked calm, no different from receiving other courtiers.

"Lu Qing came from a long way, the journey was tiring, and the journey was exhausting."

"Thank you Your Majesty for your concern. I have been summoned. I have traveled day and night and dare not make mistakes. Fortunately, I finally arrived at the capital before the gold captives." Lu Xiangsheng bowed his hands and raised his head. , to keep the capital safe."

"Okay." Chongzhen nodded slightly, "According to Lu Qing, what is the solution to the crisis in the capital?"

"Return to Your Majesty," Lu Xiangsheng lowered his head, and replied, "On the way to Beijing, the minister has sent people to investigate. This time, the troops led by Huang Taiji's brother Azige and his brother Abatai have a strength of 5. The army, in fact, is only [-] to [-] people, not the main force of the Jinlu. The minister will choose a favorable location to block the Jinlu's marching route, and use surprise soldiers to reduce its strength. We will definitely win in one fell swoop and keep the capital safe."

"Hmm..." There was a look of approval in Chongzhen's eyes, he paused for a moment, and then said: "Then... now that the bandits of the Ming Dynasty are raging, internal troubles are endless, Jin captives have repeatedly committed crimes, and external troubles are hard to get rid of, what is the solution to this... ?”

Lu Xiangsheng's body froze a little imperceptibly, as if he was a little surprised, but he quickly restrained himself, thought for a while, and answered:

"The rogues were originally the people of our Ming Dynasty, and they started out as bandits. The people rebelled, mostly because of hunger and cold; the soldiers rebelled, mostly because of lack of pay. Those who are bandits should naturally be suppressed, but if they don't understand the plight of the people, the rogues will be suppressed." It is also difficult; if the people’s livelihood can be settled and the people’s poverty can be relieved, the internal worries will be solved.” He paused, and then said, “The Jin army is a foreign Tartar, coveting the vastness and richness of our Ming Dynasty, trying to do anything wrong. Don't hesitate, you must attack head-on, with an elite teacher and a strong momentum, cut off their unreasonable thoughts, and promote our Ming Dynasty's prestige."

"Lu Qing's words are very true, I really read it right." Chongzhen's eyes lit up, his brows furrowed, and he nodded again and again, "This time the enemy's battle report, the deployment of troops and horses, you can directly ask Zhang Fengyi, Minister of the Ministry of War, and Wen Tiren, the chief assistant of the cabinet. I have ordered that as long as you ask for it, the officials of all ministries will fully support you, and will not shirk or delay, and will do our best to help you defend the city and repel the enemy."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Lu Xiangsheng saluted.

Chongzhen nodded again, and turned to give Xizhao a little signal.Xizhao understood, went around the screen, took out a heavy object, and presented it to Chongzhen.

Chongzhen took the object from Xizhao, held it in his hand, but stood up, walked down the steps carved with golden dragons steadily, and came straight to Lu Xiangsheng.Lu Xiangsheng tensed up, not knowing what Chongzhen meant, so he lowered his eyebrows, not daring to look up.I saw Chongzhen stretch out his arm and put the object in his hand in front of Lu Xiangsheng——

The dragon enters the clouds, the phoenix spreads its wings, and the Big Dipper shines brightly.In Chongzhen's hand, it was actually an exquisite and unusual sword.

"Your Majesty, this is...?" Lu Xiangsheng raised his eyes halfway, and was shocked when he saw the sword.

"Lu Qing has always been a pillar of my reliance. This time the capital is in danger, and I give you this Shangfang sword. Seeing the sword is like seeing me. If there is an emergency, you can cut it first and then play it, so as to protect the enemy from retreating."

Chongzhen spoke with a solemn and serious expression.The surprise on Lu Xiangsheng's face was slowly replaced by emotion, and he knelt down with a plop.

"Having received such trust from His Majesty, I will definitely be devastated by Daming, and I will not hesitate to die!"

"How to die lightly, the Ming Dynasty needs you to live well." Chongzhen's face softened, and he changed the majesty of the emperor just now, and said gently, "The lives of me and thousands of Li people are entrusted to you, don't let me disappointment."

"Yes!"

Lu Xiangsheng's eyes shone with determination, he raised his hands above his head, took Shang Fang's sword solemnly, and bowed deeply to the ground.