The Ming Dynasty started with caution

In mid-August, the morning light was gorgeous.

Yan Chengjin got up in the morning to wash and put his hand into the freshly drawn well water, which was icy cold.

He Neng received a secret letter early in the morning, rushed to the new courtyard, and rushed into Yan Chengjin's room.

"Master, it's a letter sent back by Lord Cheng."

Yan Chengjin opened the letter and took a look. It was the letter sent back by Cheng Minzheng.

The beginning was like a father's nagging, he skipped it directly and got to the point: Baoguogong led his troops to fight against the Jurchens!

"You didn't write about the battle record, so I guess it myself?"

After fighting for more than ten days, the winner should have been decided.

But Cheng Minzheng didn't even write about the number of Jurchen troops. He only wrote about the open battle of Baoguo, and the wedding of Jincheng Dajun, requesting the Ming Dynasty to issue an order to grant the status of princess.

Did Cheng Minzheng inform the cabinet?

Yan Chengjin was eager to enter the palace, but no matter how urgent it was, he had to exercise first and run fifty laps.

"Prepare breakfast, I'm going to the palace."

Half an hour later,

Yan Chengjin entered the palace with a secret letter. Jiao Fang had taken leave from court these days. I don't know what he was busy with, but he must not be sick.

This man lived to be 83 years old and was in good health.

Although he didn't want to see Jiao Fang, the fact that he couldn't see him made Yan Chengjin more cautious.

"Eunuch Xiao, I want to see His Majesty, please inform me."

Xiao Jing saw Yan Chengjin holding a secret letter and reached out to take it, but Yan Chengjin dodged it: "I will present it in person."

"I am His Majesty's man, why should you be on guard against me?"

"..."

In Fengtian Hall,

Emperor Hongzhi read the memorial sent back by Zhu Hui, the Duke of Baoguo, and said calmly: "If Zhu Hui can drive the Jurchens to the edge of the north, the Ming Dynasty can be stable for a hundred years."

Emperor Wen once conquered the Jurchens in Jianzhou and fought to the northernmost frozen land.

It took nearly a hundred years for the Jurchens in Jianzhou to recover.

Li Dongyang was worried: "I think we should order the important towns in Liaodong to fortify their walls and clear the fields.

The Tatars go south to plunder every autumn, but since Dayan Khan was defeated in Hetao, there has been no news.

It's really strange."

Dayan Khan has always been more courageous and fearless of failure. No matter how many times he was defeated, he would still lead his troops south.

But Yan Kesong has not shown up since he defeated him in the northwest.

The general of the three red barbarians is still in Dayan Khan's hands.

With such a powerful weapon, he does not keep his troops in place...

Liu Jian thought of the key point: "Are you afraid that the Tatars will join forces with the Jurchens to attack the Ming Dynasty together?"

Li Dongyang nodded slightly and said: "The Ming Dynasty's treasury is empty now, and it is unable to fight the Tatars. Even if a war breaks out, it can only defend the city.

It is better to send an order to the border generals to beware of the Tatars' iron hoofs."

"Master Li is right. It is indeed not suitable to go to war at this time." Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

Xiao Jing walked in and reported quietly: "Your Majesty, Yan Chengjin wants to see you and has a secret letter."

Li Dongyang and others knew that Yan Chengjin and Cheng Minzheng had correspondence, so they didn't find it surprising.

After a while, Yan Chengjin strode into the hall.

"Cheng Mingzheng sent back a secret letter to me, saying that Korea has attacked Jianzhou Jurchen."

"The court has received the urgent report from the Duke of Baoguo, and your majesty has ordered the border generals to fortify the walls and clear the fields."

It seems that the cabinet and the six ministries have long expected that the Tatars may unite with the Jurchens.

"I have another thing to report. The Grand Prince of Jincheng is getting married. Please ask the court to recognize the identity of the princess and confer the title on her." Yan Chengjin said.

Ma Wensheng looked displeased and looked at the secret letter in Yan Chengjin's hand. "The Korean royal family should send envoys to the Ming Dynasty to ask for instructions. What's the meaning of reporting to you?"

"Mr. Ma misunderstood. This is what Cheng Minzheng mentioned in the letter. The envoy will arrive tomorrow."

The envoy and Cheng Minzheng's spy took the boat together.

But after landing at Tianjin Port, the spies could rush to the capital city at a speed of 800 miles, so they were one day earlier than the envoys.

After coming out of Fengtian Hall, Yan Chengjin returned to the duty room and looked at Wu Kuan: "Sir, did Zheng Qian send back any memorials?"

Ningyuan City is the Liaoning area in later generations, close to the capital.

According to the time Zheng Qian left, he had already arrived in Ningyuan City. I hope that the matter of Jianzhou did not affect his investigation of Zhang Tianxiang.

Wu Kuan took a sip of tea: "No urgent memorials to send back."

"Sir Wu, do you know what Sir Jiao asked for leave for?" Yan Chengjin guessed that Jiao Fang must have discovered that he was investigating him.

"He is old and has some health problems, but it's nothing serious."

Wu Kuan hadn't seen him for several days.

When he was off duty, Yan Chengjin and Wang Yue waited for the sedan chair outside the Meridian Gate.

Wang Yue discovered the changes to Yan Chengjin's sedan chair and laughed, "My dear nephew, have you changed your sedan chair again?"

"It's just a little bit of improvement, far from being a change." Yan Chengjin said, "I always feel that something big may happen in the next few days, so I dare not be careless."

Wang Yue stared at the sedan chair. Damn, even binoculars were installed...

Knocking on the top of the sedan chair, he knew that the arrow would definitely not penetrate it.

"Jiao Fang is indeed hateful, but he is smart and cunning. It is more difficult for you to impeach him and retire than to let His Majesty open the treasury. You'd better be careful."

Wang Yue said that he was too defensive before, but this time he advised him to be careful.

Whether he can write an impeachment depends on the news sent back by Zheng Qian.

I'm afraid that someone will pass the news to Zhang Tianxiang and let him send someone to arrest Zheng Qian.

………

Jiao Mansion,

Jiao Fang is looking for a letter, a secret letter written by Zhang Tianxiang to him begging for merit on his behalf, but it is credible but lost for no reason.

"It must be Yan Chengjin who did it!" Jiao Fang said angrily: "He has been investigating my father these days."

Somewhat scared, he did not dare to let Yan Chengjin investigate further.

Jiao Huangzhong said nervously: "Dad, shall we take Aunt back to Jiangnan?"

Jiao Fang calmed down. The whole world is covered with yellow earth. What's the point of fleeing back to Jiangnan?

I just heard that Yan Chengjin sent people to investigate. Whether he can find out is still unknown.

He is not in a hurry now. He just lost a letter, so he is not afraid.

Jiao Fang quickly figured out a way and said, "You go to Nanchang Prefecture and come back within ten days. I will go to court tomorrow."

Nanchang Prefecture is the territory of King Ning. He has some friendship with King Ning. When doing things, he will naturally give him some face.

…………

Ningyuan City,

Zheng Qian walked outside the desolate city with a cane. He opened Yan Chengjin's letter: micro-visit to investigate the people outside the city and bypass Weiyuan City to return to Beijing.

Zheng Qian couldn't figure it out.

But he still changed his Confucian clothes, like a scholar who was going to take an exam.

"Lord Yan ordered me to inquire about the people outside the city, but after walking for a few days, I saw a few thatched houses, but there was no one."

This is the strange thing. Where did the people go?

After squatting for a day, no one was seen. If they were not going far away, their clothes and gifts were still there.

The people had nothing in their pockets. If they were going far away, they would definitely take their clothes with them.

After squatting for two days, he wanted to go back to Ningyuan City.

But he saw a commoner hurriedly running into the hut, stealing some brown rice, and running out again.

"Stop!" Seeing that the man ran faster, Zheng Qian hurriedly said, "I don't want to catch the thief, I just want to find out where the people here have gone?"

The strong man stopped, looked at him in surprise and doubt, and whispered, "The soldiers in Ningyuan killed people. The people living outside the city were all killed by the soldiers!"

Zheng Qian was struck by a bolt from the blue and almost lost his balance.

The border generals were guarding the people on the border. This was the will of the court, but why did they massacre the people.

And why did they massacre those outside the city?

Is it because it is in the wilderness outside the city and no one finds out...

But they want to massacre, is it... military merit?

Military merit is calculated by the number of heads. If there is only a head, it is impossible to tell whether it is an enemy or a friend, so it can be used to pretend to be a military merit.

These beasts want military merit but don't kill the enemy.

Zheng Qian turned pale and became indignant. He rushed towards Ningyuan City, but he stopped after running more than ten steps.

"Master Yan asked me to bypass Ningyuan City and return to Beijing..."

But how could Master Yan know that Zheng Qian was confused. After thinking for a long time, he decided to return to Beijing first.

Bringing this news back to Beijing will definitely shock the court and the public.

He changed his clothes. Maybe Zhang Tianxiang knew that he came to Ningyuan.

Fortunately, he was dressed in disguise and didn't wear official uniforms.