Ming politicians

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Yang Sichang was indeed willing to go all out. He knew the situation of the court very well, and he understood the emperor's thoughts even more. However, Yang Sichang fully agreed with the views mentioned in Su Tiancheng's letter. He felt that he had to express all his views. , As for what kind of decision the emperor will make in the end, that is beyond his control.

Yang Sichang will never forget the cruelty of the Houjin Tartars and the pain caused to the common people in the northern Zhili area. Even if Su Tiancheng had the intention of plotting evil, but for so many years, Su Tiancheng has never caused harm to the common people. From this point of view However, the imperial court cannot easily let go of the Houjin Tartars.

In fact, Yang Sichang had such an idea for a long time. His father Yang He used to be the governor of the three sides. In the end, Yang Sichang thought about relying on his own ability, proudly fulfilling his father's unfulfilled wish, finally got the recommendation of Sun Chengzong, and became the chief assistant of the cabinet in one step. Tang Shiji, Zhu Shenxuan, and Zhou Yanru behind him, but the emperor likes to play a balance game, deliberately restricting the power of the cabinet's first assistant, and attaching importance to the role of the cabinet's second assistant, which makes him almost never happy.

When it comes to important affairs of the court, Yang Sichang is often unable to make a decision. After a long time, the resentment in his heart can be imagined, and Yang Sichang paid special attention to Su Tiancheng's actions, and he still has some sense of approval in his heart. of.Of course, Yang Sichang disapproved of Su Tiancheng's rebellion, but he still insisted on the line of detente. Su Tiancheng's current posture, in some respects, the emperor and the court are responsible.

Yang Sichang understood.Just relying on such a reason may not be able to convince the emperor, even if there are more reasons, the emperor will insist on peace talks, but as the chief minister of the cabinet, he will not continue to remain silent.

Zhu Youjian didn't speak, Zhou Yanru continued.

"Your Excellency Yang has some truths in what he said, but the officials think that since the Houjin Tatars have encountered difficulties and have the intention of bowing their heads to surrender, the court must seize this opportunity. Once the Houjin Tartars bow their heads and surrender, you and I As a cabinet minister, you should think of a way to limit the strength of the Houjin Tartars, and rely on the cabinet and the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty to weaken the strength of the Houjin Tartars. To share the worries of the emperor, do we have to fight each other? Only then can we completely wipe out the Houjin Tartars Tartar?"

It has to be said that Zhou Yanru's reaction was very fast.

After Zhou Yanru finished speaking, Chen Xinjia spoke.

"Your Majesty, I shouldn't talk too much, but I have personal experience. I fought against the Houjin Tartars in Liaodong and suffered a defeat. I feel deeply ashamed. The consumption of fighting in battle is huge. I think that I can think of other ways to weaken it. The strength of the Houjin Tartars is best not to fight with each other. This can reduce the burden on the common people, and it can also show the wisdom of my great Ming."

Just after Chen Xinjia finished speaking, Qian Qianyi also spoke up.

"The emperor is kind and considers the people wholeheartedly. His ministers agree to negotiate a peace, and use other methods to weaken the Houjin Tartars and make the Houjin Tartars proclaim the emperor's subject."

Only Liu Yuliang did not express his opinion. In fact, in such a situation, whether Liu Yuliang expresses his opinion or not does not matter much. It is a pity that Yang Sichang, who is determined, will not succumb to this.

"Your Majesty, all the adults agree to negotiate a peace, but the minister still disagrees. I implore the emperor to let the minister finish explaining the reasons."

Zhu Youjian didn't speak, but snorted.

Seeing the emperor's attitude, Yang Sichang felt much more relieved. If all the cabinet ministers knew this way, it would be fine if the cabinet chief assistant didn't do it. Everyone said it. No practical solution was proposed, which means nothing was said, that is, there was no solution at all. Under such circumstances, once a peace is negotiated, the burden will still be on him, the chief minister of the cabinet. After getting a breather and growing stronger again, I am afraid it will not be as simple as resigning as the chief minister of the cabinet.

So Yang Sichang had to finish everything, even though there was little hope of turning the situation around.

"As the chief assistant of the cabinet, I used to study the Houjin Tartars and Huang Taiji. I found a very strange situation. When Nurhachi rebelled, he was very rude to the people of Ming Dynasty. He burned, killed and looted. After Nurhaci's death, Huang Taiji also adopted this strategy at the beginning."

"If the Houjin Tatars always adopt such strategies, I will not be nervous. It's just that the people of Ming Dynasty have suffered. But later, Huang Taiji changed his strategy and began to prohibit the Houjin Tatars from burning, killing and looting, and began to win over me. The hearts of the people of Ming Dynasty were broken, and Huang Taiji started the imperial examination in Houjin, and began to win over the heroes of our Han people. What is even more disturbing is that Huang Taiji was extraordinarily generous to the traitors who took refuge in the past in Ming Dynasty. In these circumstances, I think that Huang Taiji has huge ambitions."

"As for the development of Hou Jin in these years, I said it before, and I don't want to repeat it."

"The reason why I have repeatedly emphasized these aspects is because I thought that according to Huang Taiji's actions, would he easily submit to me, Daming? Can it guarantee the long-term? Lord Zhou, Lord Chen, and Lord Qian have all said just now that the court should find a way to weaken the strength of the Houjin Tartars after the Houjin Tartars surrendered. For a long time, I didn't think of any good way."

"If the method of civil governance can be adopted, I thought that the Houjin Tartars would have been surrendered long ago, but after so many years, our Ming court always relied on conquests to wipe out the viable forces of the Houjin Tartars."

"I remember that the imperial court's attitude towards the rogues was mainly to appease the rogues in the past. The minister's father once strongly advocated appeasing the rogues, but the final result was that it had no effect at all. When the rogues first started making laws, they had no ambitions. They are thinking about prosperity and wealth. Once the leaders of those rogues have an army in their hands, they will start to spend their days and enjoy themselves. It is said that such unambitious rogues can be appeased, but the court’s strategy of appeasement has repeatedly failed. Why, I thought, it was because the rogues had too much appetite, and the court could not satisfy them. It can even be said that during the process of rebellion, the rogues gradually grew their ambitions, and their demands became higher, which touched me. The fundamental interests of the imperial court."

"If the rogues are like this, let alone Huang Taiji. The imperial court failed to recruit the rogues. How could it be possible to recruit Huang Taiji? Huang Taiji's ambition is very obvious. He established the Qing Dynasty, surrendered the Mongolian grassland tribes, and formed the Manchurian Empire. The Eight Banners, the Mongolian Eight Banners and the Han Eight Banners gradually encroached on the territory of our Ming Dynasty, entered and plundered many times, and harmed the people of our Ming Dynasty. Moreover, according to the minister’s opinion, the so-called surrender of Huang Taiji did not bring up much substantive content at all. .”

"What the imperial court is most worried about is the power of Houjin, that is, those Houjin tartars. As for Huang Taiji's removal of the emperor title, the imperial court has never recognized the Qing Dynasty. Whether Huang Taiji removes the emperor title is not a condition at all. Huang Taiji said that he asked his son to come to the court as a hostage, which is even more insignificant. Putting a son here will make the court believe him and ignore him. This kind of deal is really a good deal .”

"The key point mentioned by the minister, Huang Taiji didn't touch on any of it. How to deal with the Eight Manchu Banners, the Mongolian Eight Banners and the Han Eight Banners, whether to stay in Houjin, or to dissolve on the spot, or to submit to my Ming court and become my Ming Dynasty's What about the army, occupied Shenyang and many other places? Do you want to withdraw and go back to the previous place? Since the establishment of the Jianzhou Guard is restored, should the imperial court send troops to take charge of the affairs of the Jianzhou Guard and govern the Jianzhou Guard? , These things, I think are the key."

"I boldly said that I am afraid that Huang Taiji will not agree to any of these conditions, and will try every means to shirk them. Of course, I may be unfounded, maybe Huang Taiji will agree to all the conditions."

. . . . . .

Zhu Youjian's complexion is very ugly. He is clear about the truths Yang Sichang said, but the situation is different now. Su Tiancheng is already a huge threat. , the imperial court can lift Su Tiancheng's military power, and then slowly weaken Su Tiancheng's power. As for giving the Hou Jin tartars time to breathe, that is to give the imperial court breathing time, such a simple truth, Yang Sichang should understand.

Just when Yang Sichang made an impassioned speech, Zhu Youjian had doubts in his heart. Why did Yang Sichang understand these truths, but insisted on gritting his teeth? Could it be that there was a connection with Su Tiancheng? Could it be that he secretly defended Su Tiancheng? Zhu Youjian absolutely cannot tolerate any signs of that.

Before releasing Zhu Shenxuan, Zhu Youjian felt a little regretful, and lost the best move to control Su Tiancheng. If the envoy of the Houjin Tartars came to the capital earlier, he would never let Zhu Shenxuan go. , and there is no need to make that decree and disclose the contradiction. At that time, Yang Sichang was in favor of letting Zhu Shenxuan go.

After Yang Sichang finished speaking, Zhu Youjian spoke expressionlessly.

"Yang Aiqing is right, but I think that if the Houjin Tartars can really bow their heads and surrender, I, Ming, will give them a chance. I have already decided on this matter, and I agree with the Houjin Tartars' peace negotiation. Don't discuss it any more."

When Yang Sichang left the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he was in a bad mood, but he would never have imagined that because of his previous speeches, he had already been suspected by the emperor, another storm would come soon, this storm, Directly aimed at him. (To be continued..)