"However, Li Chuang's bandits were numerous and powerful, and they had cavalry to help them. Jingnan Bo Huang Degong's troops fought bravely and retreated while fighting. Although they successfully retreated to Wei County, their cavalry suffered heavy casualties, and the whereabouts of the general Ma Dai was unknown."
"Your Majesty, I have read out all the contents of the report." Wang Chengen saw Chongzhen sitting on the dragon throne in a daze and reminded him in a low voice.
Chongzhen raised his head, his face full of worry.
If repelling Li Zicheng who was besieging Beijing was an epic task, then the current situation was a hellish one.
Subati, Duoduo, Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong...
Where is the rope I carried with me when I traveled through time?
Or just hang yourself!
It’s too difficult!!!
God is playing tricks on me!
It’s okay to play it once, but who can stand playing it twice!
After a long silence, Chongzhen raised his head, his eyes full of determination.
We still have to continue saving the Ming Dynasty.
As long as we resolve the current difficulties and buy a few years of development, the entire situation will be reversed.
"I understand. Let the officials of the Ministry of War and above of the fourth rank, the Governor of the Beijing Camp, and the Governor of Ji and Liao come to the Palace of Heavenly Purity for half an hour to discuss government affairs."
"By the way, I asked Li Xianzhong to return to Beijing. Where is he now?"
"Your Majesty, we have already reached Liangxiang and will be able to enter the capital tomorrow morning at the latest."
"Well, go ahead."
After Chongzhen finished his instructions, he turned to look at Wang Zhixin: "You mean, Yangwu Hou Xue Lian must have some conspiracy?"
"Your Majesty, this is just my guess. The land that Xue Lian occupied is not worth much, but he bribed me with tens of thousands of silver. He must have some ulterior motive."
Chongzhen frowned, unable to figure out what Xue Lian was going to do.
What can he, a fallen nobleman, do without military power?
However, in order to prevent any accidents, Chongzhen decided to take action in advance: "Catch them first, the Jiannu are about to enter the pass, and nothing can happen in Beijing."
Wang Zhixin asked hesitantly, "I wonder what crime Your Majesty intends to arrest Yang Wuhou for?"
The nobles are different from those civil officials and military generals.
No charges were needed to arrest civil and military officials. As long as the East Factory badge was displayed, action could be taken at any time and anywhere.
Although the nobles no longer have any real power, their status still remains.
To arrest them, you need a general accusation.
Otherwise, before they were taken back to the Imperial Prison (the Eastern Depot's prison was under the jurisdiction of the Embroidered Uniform Guard), the royal relatives would have already entered the palace to plead for mercy.
This charge is mainly intended to shut those people up.
Chongzhen thought for a moment and asked, "Did Xue Lian bribe you?"
"Your Majesty, I have given you a banknote worth tens of thousands of taels of silver. I was afraid of alerting the enemy, so I did not refuse. These banknotes have been handed over to the treasury. Your Majesty, please check them carefully."
Chongzhen nodded, without asking how much money Wang Zhixin had embezzled. No matter how much money Wang Zhixin had embezzled, as long as he wanted, the money would be his sooner or later.
"Since Xue Lian has the honor of meeting you, then the charge is that he bribed my eunuchs. Send someone to arrest him immediately and put him in prison."
"I obey your command!" Wang Zhixin quickly took the order and left the hall.
Half an hour later.
Officials of the fourth rank and above in the Ministry of War, Governor-General of the Beijing Camp Liu Wenyao, Governor-General of Ji and Liao Wang Yongji and others all arrived.
"Have you read the contents of the Tangbao?" Chongzhen asked expressionlessly.
Minister of War Li Banghua bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have read it."
"Tell me, what's the good idea? There are Subadi and Duoduo in the north, and Li Chuang the thief in the south."
Everyone present fell silent.
No matter how much he planned, he didn't expect Subati to turn against him and blame him.
If there was no threat from Subati, they could easily replace Tang Tong at Juyongguan with the garrison of the capital, so that the government army would have an additional field force.
Plans cannot keep up with changes!
Liu Wenyao was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, I think this battle should have both sacrifices and gains."
Under the gaze of the crowd, Liu Wenyao, the governor of the Beijing Camp, continued: "Shexuanfu, where the Jiannu cannot capture, the Mongols cannot capture it either."
"Abandon Daming Prefecture and transfer Jingnan Bo back to the capital to join us in fighting the Jian Nu."
Chongzhen first nodded to affirm the first half of Liu Wenyao's sentence.
Xuanfu was indeed as strong as Liu Wenyao said. If the Jiannu couldn't capture it, Subati couldn't capture it either!
Then Chongzhen shook his head and denied the second half of Liu Wenyao's words.
We must never give up Daming Prefecture!
First of all, there was the silver deposits of King Zhao and King Zhou. Although it was not much, it was not a small amount, which was definitely a huge sum of money for Li Zicheng.
Once he got the money, Li Zicheng was able to quickly recruit soldiers and grow stronger.
Secondly, Li Xingzhong and his 10,000 soldiers were still in Daming Prefecture. These people were the frontier troops of the Ming Dynasty and were responsible for the fighting force. Whether they died or surrendered, it would be a huge loss to the Ming army.
Last point, what would Li Xianzhong think if he knew that the court had abandoned his cousin Li Xingzhong?
Li Xianzhong is now the lieutenant general of the Yongwei Battalion!
Something might happen!
Wang Yongji thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I think we should gather the troops near the capital and then divide them into two groups."
"We will defend the capital and support Damingfu. Li Zicheng relies on his cavalry. As long as we mobilize more than 10,000 cavalry to support Jingnanbo, we will be able to lift the siege of Damingfu."
"Once we have lifted the siege of Damingfu, we can gather our forces and march north to confront the main force of the Jiannu."
Chongzhen said nothing, but considered the feasibility of this strategy in his mind.
The prerequisite is to defeat Li Zicheng. If you can't beat him, all will be doomed.
Support...Who should be sent to provide support?
"Is there any news about Gao Jie?" Chongzhen thought of this fierce general.
Previously, he was in Nanyang Prefecture, more than 500 miles away from Zhengzhou. If he feinted an attack on Zhengzhou, he would definitely be able to attract some of Li Zicheng's troops.
"Your Majesty, there is no news about him for the time being. But according to my estimation, Gao Jie is almost near Zhengzhou." Li Banghua said.
Seeing that the others had no ideas, Li Banghua said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I have a plan."
"Oh? Tell me quickly."
"My strategy is to divide the troops to support and unite to repel the enemy. First, let the Governor of Ji and Liao, Wang Yongji, lead his cavalry to support Huang Degong. At the same time, I will order Yan Yingyuan to unite with Subadi and let him besiege Datong to force Li Zicheng to divide his troops."
"Wait..." Wang Yongji stopped Li Banghua, "I can understand supporting Huang Degong, but I can't understand joining forces with Subadi. Subadi was besieging Xuanfu Town, how could he listen to Yan Yingyuan's words and turn around to besiege Datong?"
Li Banghua smiled and asked Wang Yongji: "Why did Subati come to the customs this time?"
"Food, of course!"
"If we fail to capture Xuanfu, we won't get the food he wants. Will Subati return empty-handed?"
"This..." Wang Yongji was a little speechless. "Even if Yan Yingyuan could provide him with food, Subadi would not send cavalry to attack the city. He would definitely not do the business of killing people."
Li Banghua smiled even more: "Who said we were going to attack the city?"
"Ah?" Wang Yongji was confused. "How can we force Li Zicheng to split up if we don't attack the city?"
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